Jesus – Page 34 – Godinterest

May 21, 2018

Smiling Page Boy at Royal Wedding That Captured the Heart of Christ

Millions of Americans forsook their precious Saturday morning sleep for the chance to tune into a grand moment in history.

Whether you’re a fan of the royal family or not, I think we can all agree that this live event was something to behold.

Some argue the simplicity of two hearts being joined together as everyday fodder.

Others, like myself, were perhaps caught off guard by the magnitude and solitude of the ceremony.

The sights and sounds set the stage for a fairytale moment in time. When, for a brief encounter, we saw a piece of our common selves lain in the vows between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

As I marveled at the procession, my heart was enthralled at the sight of a little page boy.

Upon entering the castle and hearing the orchestrated music thunder through the century old walls, it was obvious this child was having the time of his life.

I wondered if the thousands of viewers on this particular live feed had just experienced the delightful joy that was found in his innocent face of wonder.

My throat tightened a bit and I was puzzled at the puddle of tears that had formed in the corner of my right eye.

Within seconds, I determined that I would store away the picture of a toothless smile- to use as a reminder of the essence of God. A mental note that could bring us all back to ground level- to recapture the awe of the simple rugged cross that held a remarkable man with an extraordinary plan for the world.

Click here to watch the clip!

May 19, 2018January 15, 2024

12 Scriptures About Becoming More Christlike

How can imperfect people like us live a Christ-like Life?

Is it even possible?

What does the Bible say?

For the Christian, heaven is not a goal; it is a destination and becoming like Christ is a long, slow process of growth. We bear the name of Christian. Let us be true to this name. To be a Christian means to be Christlike. It means to follow Christ in self-denial, bearing a banner of love, honoring Christ by unselfish words and deeds.

In the life of the true Christian self is dead as there was no selfishness in the life that Christ lived while on this earth. Bearing our nature, He lived a life wholly devoted to the good of others. In word and deed, Christ’s followers are to be pure and true. In this world — a world of evil and corruption —Christians are to reveal the love of Christ. If we will die to self, if we will enlarge our idea of what Christ can be to us and what we can be to Him, if we will unite with one another in the bonds of Christian fellowship, God will work through us with mighty power. Then we shall be sanctified through the truth and showered with grace. We shall indeed be chosen by God and directed by His Spirit. Every day of life will be precious to us because we shall see in it an opportunity to use our entrusted gifts for the blessing of others.

You are a work in progress. Your spiritual transformation in developing the character of Jesus will take the rest of your life, and even then it won’t be completed here on Earth. It will only be finished when you get to Heaven or when Jesus returns.

We today lack a theology of growth. And so we need to learn how we “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord. God’s purpose is to make us like him before he takes us to Heaven. This is our greatest privilege, our immediate responsibility, and our ultimate destiny.

Read these 12 Bible Verses about living a Christ-like life ”¦

1 John 2:6

Whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

1 Corinthians 11:

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.

1 Peter 2:21

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

Ephesians 5:1-2

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

John 13:13-17

You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Ephesians 4:22-24

To put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

John 14:15

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

Galatians 3:27

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Titus 3:1-8

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, …

Romans 8:29

For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

Romans 8:2-8

For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.

Are one of these verses particularly meaningful to you? Share your thoughts in comments? Want to add another verse? Add it in comments as well”¦

May 19, 2018May 19, 2018

What To Do When Your Best Friend Leaves The Church?

I have a best friend. That alone is a shocker statement, as a lot of people I’ve come in contact with have fickle or fake “friends” that they maybe talk to once every two weeks. But my best friend and I talk to each other almost every day and see each other at least once a week. If we know that plans are going to change and we won’t see each other when we normally do, we try to plan a different day to hang out just so that we won’t have a week without physically seeing each other. Texting is great, but I wanna see her reaction every time I say something stupid that I think is funny.

Both of us had gone to the same church, and that’s actually where I met her. We both served in the Youth Group, and we both attended Bible study together. But one Friday night, we were out shopping for our Easter dresses when she broke the news to me; she and her family would be leaving the church. Three more Sunday’s and she wouldn’t be the first person who greeted me at the door. Three more Sundays and we would no longer serve in ministry together. Three more Sundays before I had to wonder, “is church just going to be super lonely now that pretty much the only one I talk to isn’t going to be here anymore?” Obviously, that’s not what the church is about, but for that entire time before the final Sunday I was missing her, and she hadn’t even left yet.

She and her family are starting a new church, and so entering a new season means leaving the old one behind. I understood that, and of course, I wanted her to do what God called her to do, but that didn’t mean my heart wasn’t broken. Eventually, the day came when neither she nor her family was there to give me a hug just before service. Honestly, walking through the doors knowing that things would be different was gut-wrenching. I didn’t want to talk to new people, I didn’t want to pretend that I could just move on so easily, but somehow I got through that first Sunday and sure enough, I and her went out to celebrate her bother’s birthday right after the Pastor concluded. It’s not like she’s moving away, this is just a new season and she’s doing great things for the Kingdom.

If something like this has happened to you, I’d encourage you to read the book of Acts. This book has a lot of instances where Paul had to leave people that he loved and considered family in order for him to go where God was calling him to go. It’s okay to mourn the changes ahead, but just as God’s Word says, “In your anger do not sin,” in your sadness, do not sin. This is a difficult time for your friend too. He or she does not want to leave you, but obeying God’s call for their life is first and foremost. Encourage them, talk to them just as much as you normally would. Especially in an era of Facetime and social media, there’s no reason why you still can’t be best friends.

Be grateful to God for the new opportunities; for you and for them. Change is hard, but in time, things will settle into place. It’s okay to make new friends at church, and you never have to stop being someone’s best friend just because God took them in a different direction. God works all things together for good.

May 17, 2018May 19, 2018

Europe’s Rising Anti-Semitism Forces Jews to Leave or Hide

The rise of violent anti-Semitism in Europe has made Jews justifiably concerned about their personal safety. In 2017, a study authored by Dr. Johannes Due Enstad of the Center for Research on Extremism was released, providing the public with a methodological and comprehensive report that dissected the growth of Europe’s anti-Semitism problem.

The study spans the years 2005-2015 with seven countries being analyzed. The countries include France, the U.K., Germany, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Russia. Due to a direct consequence of violent anti-Semitism, one in five Jews in Sweden and the U.K., one in four in Germany, and half of the Jews in France have considered emigrating. In 2015, many Jews took action and about 10,000 Western European Jews left Europe for a better life in Israel, the largest number leaving the continent since 1948. What was interesting was that the period measured did not show an upward or downward trend level of anti-Semitism. When compared with data from the 1990s, there is a consistently elevated level of anti-Semitism.

It seems that French Jews are more likely to have personally experienced a violent attack during the last five years of the study. The Swedish and German Jews are not far behind in their experience of personal attacks, but the largest gap in anti-Semitism lies between British Jews and Jews living in Norway, Denmark and Russia.

Out of all the European Jews mentioned, it is those living in France and Sweden that are less likely to attend Jewish events or even visit Jewish sites because they do not feel safe. More than half of them will avoid wearing, carrying or displaying anything that would reveal their identity as Jews. Although this behavior is not reported to be at the same levels in Germany and the U.K., nevertheless a growing number of Jews in those countries also tend to avoid doing things in public that would label them as Jewish out of fear for their safety.

French Jews have more of a reason to be fearful for their lives as France has experienced more violent, dramatic and fatal anti-Semitic incidents than any other European country. In 2012, three Jewish children and a rabbi were murdered in Toulouse. Mohammed Merah, a 23-year-old al-Qaeda terrorist, had carried out the Toulouse attack, stating that he wanted to kill the Jews because of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Fearing for the lives of the Jewish people in France, the head of the Jewish community of Marseille cautioned his fellow community members not to appear in public in any way that would identify them as Jews.

The main people responsible for these attacks are of Muslim background. These attacks are on the increase due to certain trigger events happening in the Middle East. What has been surprisingly dumbfounding is German authorities refusing to classify anti-Israeli incidents as anti-Semitism. Germany should know better, especially with their history.

The only country where the perpetrators were not necessarily of Muslim background, was Russia. In Russia, the Jewish and Muslim populations are separated by a vast expanse of land, with most Jews living in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, and most Muslims living in the Eurasian Caucasus region.

As refugees continue to make their way into Europe due to the war in the Middle East, anti-Semitic attacks are rising. On the 14^th of May, 2018, The U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv was moved to Jerusalem, sparking outrage among the Palestinians. This move coincides with the 70^th anniversary of Israel as a state- a prophecy from the Bible that came to pass in 1948. We, as Christians, need to open our eyes to the world events taking place. It is alarming that there are so few people today, especially in the Church, who recognize how important the modern state of Israel is in GOD’S plan. GOD has predicted many times in Scripture that the sons and daughters of Israel would return to the land of Israel just before Jesus would come again. What more do you need to convince yourself that our LORD and Saviour is on His way?

May 17, 2018

Letter to a Backslider

Harvest time is approaching, will you be the wheat that is stored in the barn? Or will you be the chaff that is burned up in an everlasting fire? Backsliding happens, but will you allow it to steal your salvation?

I know what it’s like to backslide and feel guilty while you’re doing it because of your own conscience that convicts you. I didn’t just backslide one, twice or even three times, but several times. Each time was different and each time was even more sneaky than the last one. You don’t even realise it, but you begin to be pulled away from GOD by seemingly innocent things, like going on holiday with family and forgetting to allocate a separate private time to spend with GOD, being swamped with work and making time spent with Him a second priority, or not even a priority at all. Perhaps you had stopped listening to secular music, but one day a song caught your attention, and, because it didn’t seem too bad, you decided to listen to it. You listen to it again and again, and before you know it, you start wondering if secular music is all that bad- surely GOD doesn’t think that? The truth of GOD’S Word starts to get muddled up with the pleasures of the world, and you begin to backslide, bit by bit.

Whenever the LORD brought me back from my backslidden ways, I always wondered as to how I could have allowed myself to be deceived again. How did I replace GOD’S truth with the lies of the world? I would begin to backtrack, just to see what exactly ensnared me, and I could always trace it back to the influence of Satan, either in my thoughts or others. “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but GOD is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13). Did you know that running away from temptation is a form of escape? Just as when Joseph ran away from Potiphar’s wife- he even left behind a piece of clothing! His body may have been tempted, but he was obedient to GOD and ran out as though hell’s fires were after him (which they probably were). Our Heavenly Father never lets us be tempted above what we are able to handle, but it’s up to us to take that escape route. I also had ways to escape my temptation, but I ignored them because I had taught myself to do so. Because that’s what we do, we have to work ourselves out of obeying GOD and into obeying the hedonistic commands of our flesh, which is relatively easy to do when you have a superficial relationship with GOD.

Instead of being ruled by love, I was being governed by fear. Fear of death, rejection, failure, ridicule, anxiety, depression- you name it, I had it. In my second year of being born-again, I fell into such a deep depression that I attempted suicide- I just didn’t want to live. I didn’t want to continue experiencing the pain that I had, the gut-wrenching emotional pain of being rejected by those that were meant to love you, being verbally attacked by strangers on a daily basis, having my body image suffer because of a sickness that has no cure, not having anyone to talk to because everybody assumed that you could just handle everything- I was Christian after all, surely the LORD would help me. That was the first time that I had backslidden, and the darkness that I felt was so severe that even trying to open my Bible was an effort. I remember overdosing on pain medication and waiting for death to take me, but death didn’t come, because GOD wouldn’t let it. You see, when GOD has a purpose for you, not even death can take that away. I still had a heart for Him, but I couldn’t stand in faith because I was being heavily attacked by dark spirits. I eventually came back to the LORD, stronger in faith than before. GOD had taken what Satan meant for my demise and turned it into an opportunity for me to grow in faith and in His Word.

My backsliding ways didn’t end there though. I can remember two years of my life when GOD was but an idea for me, a distant Being that didn’t love me enough to take me out of my problems. So I looked for other ways to fill the void of His absence in my life. It wasn’t because He had failed me, but because I had not yet learned to depend on Him, to give Him control. So if He didn’t do what I wanted Him to do, then He obviously didn’t love me enough, just like the other people in my life, and that He had failed me, just as my loved ones had done. My thinking was ‘me, me, me’ and I was basically having a pity party for myself. I was incredibly jealous of other Christians who seemed to have a personal relationship with GOD, they all had better jobs than I had, more people seemed to love them while I was being routinely rejected by people- they were living a life that I wanted but didn’t have, and I was angry at GOD. I watched as these Christians made mistake after mistake and I made sure to tell GOD about it (as if He couldn’t see it!), but they still seemed to come out on top- I couldn’t understand what was going on. With tears, I begged GOD to tell me what I should do so that my life could change, but I didn’t receive an answer. I think that was one of the most painful things to go through, believing that GOD wasn’t listening to me because He had rejected me. Thoughts of suicide once again began to plague me- I even researched ways to do it! But I could never go through with it because something would stop me. The number of times that I cried myself to sleep are too numerous to count, and then the next day I would wake up and put on a happy face so that people couldn’t see that I was suffering. I knew that no one wanted to hear of my troubles, so I pretended that everything was okay. There were some days that my pain took the form of anger and impatience, but I would always feel ashamed and regretful after my outbursts.

For seven years I went through times of backsliding, some lasting a year or two, and other times a month or less. I was a mess, and I didn’t understand why. When the LORD would bring me back to Him, He would show me an area of my life that was displeasing to Him and causing me trouble. So I would repent of it and ask for forgiveness, which I was mercifully and graciously given. It was only late in the year 2015 that the root of all of my troubles was revealed to me: the spirit of unforgiveness. I had steadfastly refused to forgive the people that had hurt me. It was a brother in Christ who revealed that to me by the Holy Spirit, he told me that I had a big heart, but that my unforgiveness was squeezing it and as a result, it was stopping the Holy Spirit from working in me and through me. You see, Jesus commanded us to forgive, but I wouldn’t. I believed that I was justified in holding onto the bitterness of unforgiveness- people had hurt me so deeply that it was only normal to bear grudges. My pride refused to forgive these people because I believed that it would make me weak, and then people would take that as an opportunity to walk all over me and use me to an even greater extent. The spirits of pride and unforgiveness were choking me, and I was letting them do it. I didn’t want to hear what that brother had to say at first, I think that I was too angry at the time. It took me several months to overcome those sins, but once I did, I felt a lightness and peace that I had never felt before. You see, GOD never gave up on me, and He will never give up on you. Joel 2:12-13 says: “Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “Return to Me with all your heart, and with fasting, weeping and mourning…” I got down on my face and asked the LORD to deliver me from these sins, to forgive me and help me. His answer was: “But the LORD is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.” (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

Even when you cannot see a way out, you need to understand that the night will not last and that GOD’S Word will come to pass in your life. His promises still stand, no matter what you’re going through, His faithfulness is greater than our problems. Our confidence is that GOD never fails, and that He never changes. He can move those mountains in your life. Even if your situation looks hopeless, know and believe that nothing is impossible with Him. I have seen Him move mountains in my life, mountains that I thought would drag me down into the abyss, but He always comes through and saves me. Jesus has saved me from drowning each and every time I got myself into troubled waters. I disobeyed Him, but He still came after me. He didn’t just let me wander off. We are the sheep of His pasture, He is the Good Shepherd and He will protect us.

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy…” (Jude 1:24). If we would trust Him, lean on Him and let Him guide us, He will keep us from stumbling and keep us blameless in His sight. I believed too many lies of the devil, he wanted to destroy me and to have me reject GOD, but what he didn’t seem to understand is that GOD loves His people with a love that cannot be explained. When I gave my life to Him, I meant it.

I have come through those fires stronger in faith and in love with my LORD. As the End approaches, I realize that there is no time to be backsliding, there is no time to be doubting GOD, to being lukewarm and thinking that you still have time to live a GOD-filled life.

Jesus means more to me than anything else- He is my very life and I live for Him, as should all of His people (2 Corinthians 5:15). Beloved, you may be going through tough times, but just hold on. Hold onto the promises of GOD, return to Him and let Him take care of you. He loves you with an everlasting love. If you feel that your relationship with Him is not where it should be, then seek Him with your whole heart, He said that we would find Him if we would seek Him with our whole hearts. Maybe you believe that you’re not good enough to be a Christian- those are all lies of the evil one! You are a new creation, first of all (2 Corinthians 5:17), you’re not even your old self! The only way to renew your mind is to read GOD’S Word every day, to speak with Him every day, to immerse yourself in His presence and to trust Him. Come back to Him, He will forgive you.

Ending Thoughts: “Guard, through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us, the treasure which has been entrusted to you.” (2 Timothy 1:14).

May 17, 2018

Is It Part of God’s Plan for Me to Get Married?

Is It Part of Godâ€™s Plan for Me to Get Married?

A good friend of mine that I call “sister” has been single for many years and she was sharing that she can’t wait for God to move on her behalf so she can finally meet her future husband. Like many women, she is fabulous and she also is very beautiful inside and out, curious, a smart woman and she wears her heart on her sleeve, always wanting to help anyone in need, mostly strangers which she runs too, if she thinks they might need a hand, some comfort or some food. Basically: A good Christian woman!

So, I too, have been wondering, how come, a good man as not come her way in the last few years. She is always surrounded by a lot of people but most men she encounters seemed to not be suited for her. We often talk about God’s will and the fact that many women our age (late forties, early fifties) are having a hard time trying to find a suitable mate! Is this part of God’s plan?

It surely is not easy being a single Christian woman! Even more so, when all the men you meet are not Christians. You get confronted with having to make a choice: If you are interested in this man and he does not believe in God, do you still continue with the relationship or not?

This is the kind of question that my friend sometimes needs to ask herself. She then starts to talk about her beliefs to see if there is an openness about it, but if there is not, and some are very clear on how they do not want to talk or hear about God’s word, then the choice needs to be made. You can keep that person in your life as a friend because God works wonders and He may be using you to bring that person to Him, but usually, you can feel it very quickly in your heart and your soul, if that man if front of you, is really the ONE!

But there is hope! Let’s talk about the “Breakthrough prayer”! When there is something that is totally out of your control, you can pray a special prayer that can move mountains- The Breakthrough prayer.

This prayer is used to thank God in advance. We need to believe we already have received it.

Mark 11.24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.

This is a question of faith. The word « Believe » means to be convinced, to accept something as true without any proof. Having faith is persisting in our praying. And while we persist, we need to thank Him. Just simply thank Him with all your heart, being convinced your prayer will be answered.

In the meantime, what do you do with the doubts or fears? Pastor Rick Warren says:

You concentrate on God and not the problem. He knows what you are going through!
Remind yourself of God’s greatness.
Remind yourself of God’s unlimited power.
You remind God of His promises.

We can experience God’s power through prayers. We can also ask brothers and sisters to unite with us, in prayers.

But you might ask: How can you feel happy, fulfilled and satisfied if everyone around you makes you feel incomplete? God knows how you are feeling when you are having a great day as a single person and He also knows how you feel when you wish you could share some things with a mate and when solitude’ sets in.

There are many scriptures available to help you during those hard times and they will also encourage you to celebrate that episode in your life. You can be very happy and fulfilled as a single woman it all depends on your willingness to accept positively, that part of you. Being single is not a disease even if society sometimes, makes you feel as if it was! And it doesn’t mean that you will be single forever!

God wants us to be satisfied of the state we are in. That means being single or married. We can also take time to appreciate Christ and accept our current situation. This is really a test of faith even more so, when your current situation is very hard on you. It might make you sad, or anxious or even angry but all is good in Christ. We can come out of it victorious, stronger, with a better understanding of Who God really Is and most importantly, we can do it and persevere through those moments, reminding ourselves that God can make us fly like eagles if we let Him take full control of our lives. He knows what is best for us. We have a tendency of always trying to figure it out for ourselves, but in the end, only He knows.

Keep close to your heart this poem written in 1936, by Mary Stevenson:

The footprints in the sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene, I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,

“You promised me, Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”

-Smile.

May 17, 2018November 17, 2018

2 Essential Traits of Maturity

What is maturity as a Christian? How do you know when you’re on the right track, growing in your faith and practice of Scriptural principles? Following are 2 essential traits:

Devotion to God and His Word

Did you know that you can be a lover of good works but not of God? You can love doing ministry more than you love the Father Himself. You can love people more than their maker. We can busy ourselves with doing good, doing ministry in church, spending time with people. We can devote so much time and affection on these and neglect the One by whom and for whom all things exist. That is why the Lord Jesus Christ took time to remind us of the greatest commandment there is: to love God with a whole heart, soul, and mind. (Matthew 22:37)

To be devoted is to be loyal to a person, thing, or cause. It is to be given over to someone or something. To love intensely is to love devotedly. To be devoted to God is to keep Him in your thoughts at all times. It is to converse with Him as your day unfolds. That is how we pray unceasingly, when we include Him in our day to day affairs and when we welcome His presence in the big and small happenings of our lives.

To be devoted to His Word is to discipline ourselves to the opening of Scriptures on a daily basis for that is how He can speak more clearly to us. It is quite impossible to love someone so dearly yet feel alright not talking to that person regularly especially when you have opportunity to do so. Indeed, God can and does reveal Himself in many miraculous ways. But He has given us the Written Word to be our constant and ready access to His plans and desires for our lives.

Peace with Others

A quarrelsome person cannot be mature; so is one who harbors resentment and bitterness in the heart. When offenses are heavy, it takes great maturity to forgive and to not hold anything against the offender. Victims of criminal offenses know this by experience. Though hard, it is doable. We’ve heard news of Christian parents forgiving criminals of murder and other crimes. The story of Mary Johnson is one of many that testify to how God can mature a yielded person, enabling him or her to rise above situations and defy the expectations of society. Mary Johnson’s only child, Laramiun was murdered at 20 years old. After a number of years, she decided to get in touch with her son’s murderer and nurture a reconciliatory relationship with him. When the killer left prison, she even arranged for the person to live next door to the place she was residing in. Changed by this act of goodness, the man has taken positive steps in life, putting himself to school while working at the same time.

Colossians 3:13 tells us to bear with one another and to forgive others, understanding how greatly God has forgiven us. Romans 12:18 tells us to fulfill our part in living at peace with others. We have no control over the actions and attitudes of others but we have full control over our thoughts and responses. Scriptures assure us that the greater blessing lies in forgiving and blessing others. This of course does not ever mean consenting to wrong nor allowing yourself to be deceived over and over again for the Bible specifically teaches us to withdraw ourselves from evildoers and constant offenders.

May 15, 2018May 16, 2018

Stunning Photos of Babies in Womb Expose Pro-Abortionists lie About Human Development

The idea that life in the womb starts at conception has been discussed for long between Pro-life and Pro-Abortion advocates. While Planned Parenthood and other leftist organizations have tried to persuade women that their babies are just a group of cells, a lot of research has continued to prove otherwise.

A recent photo-shoot posted to Flickr by Lunar Caustic gives a very exciting high-resolution glance into life inside the womb as early as 3 weeks. That is before many women have the slightest idea that they’re expectant. The amazing photos captured by this gifted photographer were shared by live Action earlier this year, and have since created immense support for the pro-life community around the web.

Having lost one of my friends in an abortion related complications that was done at the backstreet alley by a quack was the worst experience I had to go through. The enemy planted a seed in her mind that she was still young and bringing a child in this world out of wedlock is its self a sin. It was the worst decision she ever made-committing a sin to cover up another. The other scenario was of another friend who lived with guilt and the news that she couldn’t conceive just because her womb was tampered with was a bitter pill to swallow. The trauma, regrets and “I wish I knew “phrases engulfed her. She sunk into depression. The tragedy was very dispiriting but by standing with her at her lowest moments and sharing the love of Jesus, she got the much needed help from a counselor and gave her life to Christ. A key to a happier life is resilience and entrusting your all to Christ.

I felt bad and wished if they only hinted to me the crimes they were planning to commit. It’s said that “If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. “I would have sat them down and talk sense to their lives. The worst decision one can ever make is trying to terminate the unborn child because it’s fighting God’s idea. You never know what you’re getting yourself into. If you get yourself at cross roads, seek counsel, read the word of God and meditate upon it day and night.

What you value most to another person is worthless

It is said that one man’s meat is another man’s poison, right? In our midst in the society we’re living in there are people who have no place for good morals. Anyone can do whatever they want as long as it suits them forgetting that there’s God who should be the center stage in our lives. Whether it is distasteful or not, people have this mentality of ‘me, myself and I’ altitude disregarding the word of God which teaches us on The Ten Commandments. Thousands of people if not Millions are spending their lives on their knees praying to GOD to bless them with a fruit of their womb where as others are coming up with weird ways to dispose the babies.

Show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are

Who are the people in your inner circle? Who are your friends or whom do you hang out with? Sometimes people get to succumb to bad influence, lose focus and do things that they ought not to be doing. Friends are awesome if you have the genuine ones but woe unto you if you can’t write home about yours. All in all, you can’t just pull out without sharing the love of GOD with them. Share the story of the cross you never know the impact the word will have on their lives.

Jeremiah 1:5 says “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

The Bible categorically emphasizes on how God knows us before He forms us in the womb. When one conceives God is much aware of everything and He plans it according to His perfect will. The notion that conceiving must always be planned is always far-fetched because the LORD indicates that before we were formed in our mother’s wombs he knew us. It’s never a surprise to GOD He is the master plan.

Embryo at 3 to 4 weeks in the womb has a heartbeat

After 3 weeks from conception, an embryo’s heart begins to beat and this shows that there is life inside the womb. God affirms the value of every human life-from babies in the womb to the elderly. Why would anyone call a child in the womb a cluster of cells? This is a lie that pro-abortionists are feeding to our brains and because of our ignorance, we fall prey to their schemes which is a lie from the pit of darkness.

Psalms139:13-16 “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place when I was woven in together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.”

Formed

“For you formed my inmost parts “God forms the unborn child, and abortion is destroying God’s intention.We need to respect and regard the unborn child as a blessing and bear in mind that God mastered the planning. The formation of the life of a person in the womb is the work of God.

Needle work/womb

“You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. “What a confirmation that God is involved in this! It’s a privilege to know that God worked on you to form a child. It’s such a blessing and this shows that God has supremacy over our lives starting immediately from conception. God is the primary knitter, creator in the gestation period.

Fearfully and wonderfully made

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. “An unborn child is certainly not just a cluster of cells that can be disposed of anyhow. The child has an identity known by God in continuing with who they will become as an adult. God has given the unborn child a plan for their life but abortion takes this away.

Every child conceived has the right to live and no human being is responsible to terminate this beautiful God’s idea.

Psalms22:10 “From birth, I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. “It’s awesome to know or to have the assurance that you have the power to trust in God, hoping in Him and casting all care upon him. This Bible verse emphasizes on allowing God to take care of the unborn child by committing the child to Him.

Knowing the danger the unborn child is exposed to, and the schemes that may be laid to end his life, God is committed to preserving the child. Why would anyone have the intention of ending the precious life of the unborn child? May you find the grace to preserve the precious life that God entrusted you with the purpose to carry the child to full term to fulfill God’s intention of the child.

Abortion out of convenience

Having conceived a baby without ‘planning’ as the world says it-it’s an excuse woman impose to get rid of the baby in their womb for reasons better known to them-as convenience. Abortion is in itself murder-if a legal term is anything to go by. Exodus 20:13 says, “Thou shalt not kill.” God has supremacy over our lives starting from conception.

No condemnation to those in Christ

As I am writing this, I am not condemning anyone whatsoever. Who am I to judge?

John 8:10”¦..straightening up, Jesus said to her, “woman, where are they? Did no one condemn you?

John 8:11 she said, “no one, Lord, “And Jesus said, “I do not condemn you, either go from now on sin no more.”]If you have had an abortion doesn’t mean that you’re evil, you hate babies or you aren’t a good mother. Do not let the world condemn you. You are a sinner just like everyone else. Repent and because our God is a loving father-He is faithful and just and he will certainly forgive you. The saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ brings forgiveness of sins.

Embryo at 3 to 4 weeks in the womb.

Photo credit: Lunar Caustic

Embryo at 4 to 5 weeks. Photo credit: Lunar Caustic

Embryo at 6 to 7 weeks. Photo credit: Lunar Caustic

Embryo at 6 to 7 weeks. Photo credit: Lunar Caustic

Embryo at 6 to 7 weeks. Photo credit: Lunar Caustic

Embryo at 7 weeks. Photo credit: Lunar Caustic

Embryo at approximately 7 weeks EGA from conception

Fetus at 10 to 12 weeks. Photo credit: Lunar Caustic

May 13, 2018May 14, 2018

Is God Racist or Is It My Church?

The world has come far in many respects, but in other areas, we have either remained the same or have worsened. In a time of even greater confusion and moral decline, we expect the church to set an example for all the world to see, but it seems that we are failing to be the light that we are called to be or the salt of the earth that the perishing world needs. We have allowed racism to continue in the church, perhaps under many disguises, but it is nevertheless racism.

You are first and foremost a Christian, a child of GOD. Your salvation was not dependent on your race, but on Jesus, on your acceptance of Him. It seems that we have forgotten this truth when we look at the demographics of some of our churches. I’m South African, living in a country with a history that many people throughout the world will probably know something of. My country went through decades of forced segregation, and despite Apartheid coming to an end with Nelson Mandela becoming the first black president in 1994, it seems that South Africa remains a country that is still segregated, perhaps not so much physically, but certainly mentally. This segregation extends into many churches where ‘white churches’ have predominately white people and ‘black churches’ will have predominately black people. I used to think that it was due to a language barrier- not everyone speaks English- and perhaps comfort. Comfort in the sense that you prefer to be around people who are like you in culture, language, likes, and race. But, wouldn’t the fact that we are all children of GOD be the ultimate deciding factor when choosing a church?

I’m sure that it’s the same elsewhere in the world- America in particular. If there is any country that is spoken of in the news with regards to racism, it is America. Rarely a week goes past without hearing about some racist remark that a person made, a racist action taken against someone or some march happening in protest against racism. It seems that America is building up racism, rather than working together to destroy it. It’s the same in my own country. Afrikaaner farmers are being butchered to death by angry black South Africans, white women are being put in jail for racist remarks, the Black Economic Empowerment plan has excluded white people and given many black people jobs that they are not qualified for. There are many other situations that I can speak about, but the main thing on my mind is the racism still lurking in our churches.

Crumpled paper ball with words Racism on gray background. Black and white.

I cannot tell you the number of times I have heard so-called Christians make a racist remark. I have even heard the word ‘kaffir’ used, which is a derogatory word used for black people, the equivalent in America would be ‘nigger’. I have noticed, that in black churches, whenever a white person would visit, that person would get special preference- it’s as if the church feels blessed to have a white person grace their church with his/her presence. Whereas in the white church, if a black person came to sit in on one of the services, then the white people would speak kindly and act welcomely, but they would do so as if they were speaking to a child, a child that does not understand much. And if it turns out that the black person speaks perfect English, then the usual remark of ‘You speak English so well, who taught you?’ will be said. It doesn’t seem to occur to them that our schools are now integrated, which means that even black people can speak English as well as them, and still have their own mother tongue of isiZulu, isiXhosa, Sotho or any other Nguni language.

They each take the practices of the world and bring it into the church, not understanding that it is a sin. When I hear of these underhanded racist remarks in the church, it saddens me. These people have not allowed the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives to remove that spirit of racism. Not all churches are guilty of this, but there are too many that sneak in racism and call it honesty.

As I look back over the struggle for racial equality, not just in South Africa, but also elsewhere in the world, I see that the church has played a significant part. The revivalist and evangelist Charles Finney (pre-Civil War days in America), preached about the evils of slavery and even said that it was impossible to be right with Christ and still tolerate slavery. He went so far as to establish probably the first integrated college in America, in Oberlin, Ohio.

John Newton, the author of one of the most loved songs ‘Amazing Grace’, was an ex-slave trader who became a preacher. He saw the suffering that the inhumane practice of slavery inflicted on its victims and influenced William Wilberforce, another godly British Christian, to fight for the right of black people. As a powerful politician, he became the primary instrument in pressuring England to make slavery illegal.

It would be a shock if no one knew of the great evangelist, Billy Graham. He spoke of racial equality early on in his ministry and even refused to hold a crusade in the 1950s unless both black and white people were able to sit together as one. Our very own Desmond Tutu (archbishop now), did not shy away under the cloak of the church, but publicly spoke of the Apartheid practices, even when faced with being locked up and perhaps never returning home alive.

How is it that today, with a rich history as this, racism is left to continue in the church? Have we learned nothing from the past? It seems that the church needs healing when it is the church that should be healing the world with the Word of GOD.

GOD is strongly opposed to injustice and oppression. Leviticus 19:34 says: “The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself…”

Here GOD makes sure that his people, the Israelites, would not become proud and uncaring for other races, just because they had a special covenant relationship with Him. In Mark 12:31, the second great commandment that Jesus gave was to love your neighbor as yourself. He didn’t specify any race, He just said neighbor. For Jesus, to love your neighbor as you love yourself was to practice justice towards your fellow human beings. Where is that justice in the church when we continue to be prejudiced against someone just because of the color of his/her skin. You need to understand that the media has lied, manipulated and influenced the minds of people, fueling their hate for one another. It is wrong, Family, to be influenced by the world! I cannot stress this enough. Saved or not, you stand in judgment of this sin. What are you doing putting your nose where it doesn’t belong? What have you to do with the evil affairs of the world? Do you not understand that the main entity behind all of this hate is Satan? Unless you are Jewish, then we are all Gentiles, that means that there is no white and black, Indian or Chinese, Eskimo or Polynesian- there is no subtype of Gentile that is supposed to get special treatment while the other is oppressed.

Revelation 7:9 says: “After this, I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people, and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands.”

Is there any mention of prejudice? Segregation? Hatred? Injustice? Oppression? No. The only prerequisite to being saved is believing and confessing Jesus as our Saviour, after that it is a matter of obeying GOD in all areas of your life. We have enough problems in the church without having to hold onto the race card. Let it go, examine yourselves, get right with GOD. If you can (you can do all things through Christ by the way), begin to see each person as someone that GOD loves, look past the color of their skin. Evil is evil, no matter who does it. Your job is to love them, and that’s it. We are commanded to do everything in love- remember this.

May 13, 2018May 19, 2018

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

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

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

The Church

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

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

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

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

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

Intellectual Skepticism

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

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

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

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

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

May 13, 2018January 15, 2024

You Cannot Serve Two Masters

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

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

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

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

What should you do in order to hold your ground?

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

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

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

What must you do to be saved?

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

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

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

Mammon /Ã‹Ë†mÃƒ¦mÃ‰â„¢n/ in the New Testament of the Bible is commonly thought to mean money, material wealth, or any entity that promises wealth, and is associated with the greedy pursuit of gain. “You Cannot Serve Two Masters” or “You cannot serve both God and mammon.”

May 9, 2018February 25, 2019

When Your Church Fails You: A Message For the Disheartened

The church is meant to be a place of safety, worship, and fellowship. It’s the one place that you do not expect to be judged according to the world’s standard, to see the moral decay of society or meet hypocrites that spew all sorts of profanities. But what if your church has failed you? What do you do?

We are all one Church and the Body of Christ, but Jesus hasn’t come back yet so we are not yet physically united, but we are united in spirit, or at least we should be. For the time being, we are scattered all over the globe and we all have our own churches (a building of some sort) that we go to have fellowship with other Christians. It would be a lie if I said that all churches share the same agenda of worship, preaching, loving, admonishing and encouraging one another, because they don’t. Some churches are there to destroy the faith of Christians, to have them cleave to the world and to get rich by extorting the struggling and the poor. Other churches have good intentions, but there are a couple of goats among the herd of sheep that do not belong there and are causing wave upon wave of problems within the church. Although there are many good churches, the rate of questionable ones are growing and the population of name-only Christians is growing as well.

What if you attend one of the more questionable churches? Your church could be filled with pastors who give false doctrines, backbiters, idolators, gossipers, people committing adultery, having sexual relations out of marriage, occultic practices, lovers of money and haters of generosity, truth, love and the powerful Word of GOD. Maybe you were judged and rejected by members of the church. Day by day your faith starts to weaken. You start to question the foundation of your faith that is Christ Jesus. Can GOD really exist when these people do all of these sins? You came to church to learn about GOD, the Almighty GOD that created the world and created man in His own image. The GOD that sent His Son to earth to die for the sins of man, so that whoever would believe in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life. You wanted to experience the presence of GOD, to find your purpose. Instead, you walked into a den of liars and people who seem lost, doing everything but what the Scriptures command. What are you to do? Do you abandon your faith? Do you walk away from your church?

Consider the following five steps before making a decision.

Step One: You identify that there is something legitimately wrong in your church. There will always be some people that are destructive in the church, but that doesn’t mean that the whole church is bad. Make sure that you’re not judging the whole church based on a few people.

Step Two: Read GOD’S Word to find out what He says about the people who follow His commands and those who do not. You will find that the fruits of the person will indicate their position with GOD.

Step Three: Understand that there are people who call themselves Christian and yet their hearts are far from GOD – these people have either backslidden or were never true Believers, to begin with. Be wary and watch out that you do not become influenced by them.

Step Four: If you are certain that the whole church goes against GOD’s Word, then leave the church and look for another church that is obedient to GOD in ALL things.

Step Five: Never lose your faith in GOD because of a couple of ‘goats’ in the church. Follow your Shepherd who is Jesus – He will never fail you or contradict Himself.

Whether you are a teenager, a seasoned Christian or an elderly person, GOD has a purpose for you. There will be many opportunities for you to question the validity of your faith, the grounds for your belief in Jesus, the necessity of the Scriptures, and even GOD’S love for you. Never allow doubt to take away your gift from Him- eternal life in Jesus. Rather than leave your faith, delve deeper into the Scriptures, look for answers, don’t just give up. Jesus is coming and He needs warriors, not lukewarm people who doubt His Word. Time is running out.

May 9, 2018May 19, 2018

Why Followers of Jesus Should Care About Fair Trade

A year ago, I was actively involved in the oppression and enslavement of men, women, and children around the world. Every day, decisions that I made and money I mindlessly spent supported evil businessman that used people in desperate situations to get rich. And I had no idea.

One fall afternoon I was looking for something to watch on Netflix and began streaming the film The True Cost. What I saw over the next hour and a half incited feelings of nausea, devastation, and rage. And the way I view clothes has not been the same ever since.

The film gives an overview of the fashion industry, and how the majority of clothes around the world are produced. They interviewed actual factory workers who told of their experiences. One woman’s story, in particular, chilled me to the bone. She told of how she tried to unionize for fairer pay, as most garment workers make roughly $2 per day. Due to her request, she and her coworkers were locked in a room, beaten, struck with scissors, and forced to continue working. As she told her story, choking back tears, she cried, “I don’t want people to wear clothes that were made with our blood.”

This is a normal occurrence around the world in garment factories and cotton farms. Children are forced out of school to pick cotton in brutal conditions. People are forced to work in dangerous conditions for little to no money.

On the other side of the globe, we are fueling this horrible industry. We buy clothes as a hobby, and we never have enough. We trample people for the best Black Friday deals, as if the stuff we can buy is more important than the people around us, and the people making these items for us to purchase.

Google “Rana Plaza Collapse”. Rana Plaza was a building that housed multiple garment factories in Bangladesh. The factory owners received several warnings about the structural integrity of the building, as large cracks in the building were discovered. Regardless, the garment factory bosses ordered their workers to continue coming to work. It collapsed in 2013, killing 1,134 people and injuring thousands more. Many companies were having clothes made in these factories, including J.C. Penney, Walmart, The Children’s Place, Primark, Zara, and more.

Isaiah 1:17 says, “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”

Injustice and oppression are the driving forces of much of the clothing industry. Let’s refuse to turn a blind eye to this. Instead, let’s commit to seek justice and defend the oppressed. Here are a few steps that I have found helpful in this journey:

1. Buy less. How many clothes do you actually need? Most people around the world, outside of North America and Europe, have a minimal number of outfits if they have more than one. I’m not saying get rid of all your clothes and become a minimalist. But before you buy your fourth pair of black shoes or your seventh blue t-shirt, ask yourself, “Do I really need this?”

2. Buy Fair-Trade. Clothes that are certified Fair-Trade ensure that people are treated well. By buying these clothes, you can actually support the garment worker themselves, and allow them to continue their craft.

3. Find a few companies that are committed to treating people well, and become a committed customer. A few that I have started shopping at are Everlane, Krochet Kids International, Pact, and Oliberte.

This may be all new for you, and you are processing the devastating reality of the clothing industry. If you are coming to grips with this reality, I encourage you to commit to the charge of Isaiah 1:17. Seek justice. Defend the oppressed.

May 8, 2018May 8, 2018

Mental Illness: Are they falling into darkness?

Let’s face it, mental illness is part of a lot of people’s everyday lives. They do their best to cope with it, either at work or at home. But one thing is for sure, it is far from being easy. I’ve been there! It’s not a question of lacking faith, or laziness or whether you come from a poor or rich family. Mental illness touches everyone. And it can come when you least expect it.

It doesn’t mean you did something to deserve it, or that you are weak. It simply means, you are human and in today’s world, having to deal with all the negative that surrounds us, all the bills to pay, all the pressure, the lack of money, not knowing if you’ll ever get out of debt or finally become healthy. It can become very hard for anyone to deal with all of that and sometimes, you just fall into that hole. You know the dark place that no one really wants to talk about!

For some it’s a question of weakness and talking about it is out of the question.

For others, it is a very taboo subject. They feel incredibly ashamed of themselves and they surely do not want to be judge or even worse, for someone to preach to them in a condescending way.

You know when you are having a hard time, you battle the enemy as hard as you possibly can, you pray, you kneel down and just beg Him to take everything because you just can’t anymore, and then that “friend” who has it easier than you, tells you that you need to be patient and all will be fine…

Right then and there, there’s an explosion in your head and you want to scream!!!

That dear friend doesn’t really know what else to tell you, understandably! It’s not easy for them either. But you know it’s making things worse, not better.

Those little tiny things can make you go down even more. You then hear more and more voices in your head, telling you to do this or that. You have difficulty hearing God’s voice, and it sadly seems to be getting a lot more difficult to hear Him. And the enemy is there, always, waiting for the right moment to attack!

That story is about your friend. It’s about mine too. It can also be my story or yours. But this story is repeated millions of times by people just like me and you, all around the world.

It’s not easy trying to confront human misery. It’s even harder when that misery is close to you or part of you. Holding on and asking others to pray for you when you don’t have the energy or the will to do so, will allow God to intervene. Do not throw the towel! Rather, hold on to it as if it were a lifeboat on its way to calmer waters.

You can overcome the darkness. It’s not easy. In fact, it’s extremely hard. And sadly, not all people will overcome it, but many will and they will come out stronger and victorious on the other side. In the meantime, I suggest we should stop with the smart remarks, the judgmental smirk or that “eye rolling” when we see our friend is still struggling even if it’s been a while and even if we were able to get through our hard times really fast! The worst thing we can do when somebody is struggling, is to tell them how our life is just so great by saying that we got our new boat, we sold our car in less than a day, we got a buyer for our house, we are going on our fifth vacation this year and we won the lottery…while our friend is struggling in all aspects of her or his life! Come on….we’ve all done it! We have all at one point or another, been careless and damage was done!

We need to be careful and just watch our tongue. Not all things are worth saying. Jesus tells us we need to think twice before we speak. Instead, we just might give our friend a hug, a gentle touch, a smile and tell them we can pray with them. If they want to talk, listen or respect if they do not.

Pray, pray and pray for them. Pray for that person to beat the enemy’s schemes. Pray for God to intervene and fast. Pray they get clarity of mind. Pray for the hope of a better life. Pray for joy. They sure need it.

Mental health is not always about the others. It involves you and me. It can be about you and me. The struggles are part of the story and if we take time to listen to the nonspoken words, if we listen with our heart and not always our brain, we can be inspired by those beautiful people, by their pain, by their struggles and wonderful victories, big or small. We have a lot to gain by loving people with the same love, God loves us with!

-Smile.

May 8, 2018

Are You Ready For Jesus To Come?

No one is exempt. Every single one of us has a calling from the Lord. We have a purpose for our time here on earth. We have an assignment from God.

In 2 Cor. 9:1-5, we see Paul’s continued dedication to the Corinthians. Paul had every excuse to walk away. He could have easily deserted them and moved on. A lot of times…that seems like the best option. But Paul doesn’t throw in the towel and call it quits. Oh, he so easily could have! The oxygen was waning thin. The deep, dark bags under his eyes were showing. However, he stayed in the game…not because he was receiving a pat on the back or high-fives in the air…but merely because God had called him.

The Nature of Readiness

Despite the false teachers, confused Corinthians, and unending hostile work environment–Paul presses on. He fights the good fight. He doesn’t let exhaustion win. Paul continues on because he is smack dab where God assigned him to be. He is living out the calling on his life. And whether you realize it or not, you have a calling too. God has called you to use the gifts He has apportioned to you.

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (1 Peter 4:10). John Piper defines our spiritual gifts as “varied grace incarnate in human personalities which we steward for the good of others.” Consider the extraordinary privilege of being useful to God. He has gifted you with spiritual gifts, appointed you as an ambassador, and invited you to be a part of the Great Commission.

Now, it is our responsibility to heed the call. Finish the task. And follow through. In one moment (like the Corinthians) we may be ready. We may be amped up. But then we hop in our car, turn on the radio, and start singing a different tune. Forgetting all about our calling.

The Big Question

Do you have any unfinished business? Have you lacked the resolve to carry it through? Is there anything God has called you to do that has been left undone? Paul gave the Corinthians overseers (a call out to all my accounting friends. whoop!) to help them stay on course and execute the plan. Maybe some of us need an accountability partner. Maybe some of us need to get back in the game. Maybe some of us need reminding that Jesus is coming back soon…and we need to be up and ready with the kettle pot on.

What is your biggest distraction? When Jesus comes back, will you be ready?

May 8, 2018

God’s Secret of Dealing With a Mean Boss

Before I knew this secret I dealt with mean bosses in one of these ways:

Arguing back.
Complaining about them to coworkers.
Finding ways to work less.
Quitting the job”¦only to find that they were in the next job in another person’s body!
And yes”¦indirectly telling them I would love to punch them in the face after work.

I’m not proud of this. But that was before I knew the secret. When I learned the secret, it revolutionized my life. This secret made every obnoxious boss putty in my hand. I will warn you: this secret will forever change you.

If you think you’re ready for it”¦keep reading.

Jesus Hinted at the Secret

Jesus knew how powerful the secret was”¦and yet He only glossed over it. He didn’t delve into it. He didn’t elaborate on it. He just threw it out in the middle of a conversation:

And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. (Matthew 5:41 NKJV)

He knew everybody wouldn’t want it – so He made it available to those that did.

Before I tell you more, please understand this: You can’t change your boss. You’re not supposed to. You’re supposed to change you, and as you change so will your boss. Until I understood that I could not find the secret and you won’t until you do.

So what is the secret?

It’s simple: going the extra mile.

When Jesus shared the secret, He related it to an oppressive custom of the day.

It originated with the Persian government and was later adopted by the Roman government. Under this custom, the king’s messengers had the power to take horses, camels, and men into service against their will. Couriers and messengers were staged in specific locations by the king; if someone were to pass the location the courier rushed out and “compelled” them into service.

Simone of Cyrene was later “compelled” into helping Jesus with His cross.

Rather than quarrel and complain about the treatment Jesus advised otherwise: don’t just comply with the request but exceed expectations in a spirit of love and service. And that’s what I did:

If she asked me to do four things I did eight
If she asked me to have something done by 1:30 pm I had it finished before lunch!
If she needed something done in 20 minutes I did it in 10!

And I did it all with a smile on my face!

Little by little her gruff exterior towards me (I can’t vouch for anyone else) softened, and my influence with her grew. I changed my response to the problem”¦and ended up changing the problem!

The Benefits of the Secret

You benefit by the law of comparison. Most people don’t go the extra mile. They go the first mile and complain all the way there! Some don’t even finish the first mile! When you go the extra mile the spotlight of attention shines favorably on you. And after a while, you soon become indispensable to those around you”¦especially superiors”¦and indispensable employees are always paid more than dispensable ones!

You develop greater leadership qualities. Going the extra develops the habit of the personal initiative–a trait necessary for ANY kind of leadership. As you employ the extra mile your brain looks for more ways to become helpful. Soon you stop waiting for people to tell you what to do–you just do it. You no longer wait for things to happen, you make them happen!

God makes sure you’re compensated fairly. At the end of the day whether we’re salaried or self-employed: we write our own checks! We do this with the service we give to a boss, company, or clients. But even though we write our checks, God is still the Boss. And if the Boss sees you going above and beyond, you can know that He’ll reward you fully.

What do you think? Are there any other benefits of using this secret? What has been your experience with it been?