IDENTITY

Where do all the fights and quarrels among you come from? They come from your desires for pleasure, which are constantly fighting within you. You want things, but you cannot have them, so you are ready to kill; you strongly desire things, but you cannot get them, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have what you want because you do not ask God for it. (James 4:1, 2 GNT)

Have you ever wondered why some criticisms sting so much more than others? Very often, people find themselves reacting strongly when their "identity" is threatened. We all have ways we define ourselvesÑthe good mother, a great cook, the successful businessman. Fights and quarrels often arise when we feel someone is challenging what we believe about ourselves

Our kids are no different. Although they may define their identity differentlyÑthe intelligent student, the beautiful girl, the talented athleteÑthey, too, feel the sting when their identity is threatened. They may respond by questioning whether they are valuable, capable, and worthwhile.

When we become Christians, our identity changes forever as we become identified as children of God. Our value no longer depends on things like athletic skill, beauty, brains, or the opinions of others, because it is rooted in Christ. When we understand His work on the cross and accept His love, we can weather challenges to our identity on earth.

Our true identity is as a perfectly loved and accepted child of the living God!

Credit: parentingbydesign

Written by Kachi

Jesus Delights In You Drawing From Him

John 4:32
32But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.”

When people make demands on you or keep depending on you, you may end up stressed, tired and irritable. But this is not the case with Jesus. When people draw from Him, He is strengthened and refreshed!

Jesus is, after all, God. And you honor God when you take your place as man and let God be God by drawing from Him. The One who said, “I did not come to be served, but to serve,” (Matthew 20:28) loves it when you allow Him to minister to you.

The Bible tells us that when Jesus arrived at Sychar, He was wearied from the journey and rested at a well. A sinful Samaritan woman then came to the well to draw water. Jesus ministered to her and she left rejoicing with the promise of living water. The disciples, having returned with food for Jesus, found Him already strengthened and refreshed. When they wondered who had given Him food while they were away, He told them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” (John 4:1–42)

Today, when you draw from Jesus and let Him minister to you, it is “food” for Him that “refreshes” and “strengthens” Him.

But it takes humility for us to allow Jesus to minister to us. We take pride in doing things for the Lord. We want to build our businesses, families and ministries for Him. All that is good, but without Jesus, we are spiritually bankrupt! We really have nothing to give to the Lord and His work. What we need to do first is to receive from Him because when we freely receive from Him, we are able to freely give. (Matthew 10:8)

My friend, Jesus wants to minister to you. Don’t try to minister to yourself. That is pride and self-righteousness. The Pharisees of Jesus’ day, who felt that they did not need Him and that they could provide for themselves, were the ones who could not receive from Him. So bring to Him your needs and say, “Lord, I need to draw from You. I present my needs to You. Minister to me and meet my needs. I cannot, but You can. Thank you, Lord.”

Thought For The Day
We need to first receive from Jesus before we are able to freely give.

Credit: Joseph Prince

Written by Kachi

Power From Jesus’ Body To Yours

Matthew 26:26
26… “Take, eat; this is My body.”

Can you imagine the Lord sick, nursing a cold or fever while He walked on earth? No, our Lord Jesus was never sick! He was vibrant, full of life and full of health. When He told His disciples, “Take, eat; this is My body”, they could practically visualize what it meant because they had lived and walked with this Man. They had seen people without hands or feet made whole when they touched His body. (Matthew 15:30–31)

Even His clothes were soaked with His health! A woman who had a bleeding condition for 12 years — no doctor could cure her — was healed immediately when she touched the hem of His garment. If the hem of His garment was soaked with His health, vibrancy, energy and divine radiance, how much more His body!

You know, some of the most encouraging verses in the Gospels are these: “And as many as touched Him were made well” (Mark 6:56), for “power went out from Him and healed them all”. (Luke 6:19) I love those verses! That is our Jesus!

The Bible says that they put sick people along the streets, and Jesus walked around, touched them and healed them. Now, you see movie stars doing this: They run here and there, they slap their fans’ hands, but nobody gets healed. But wherever Jesus walked, whoever He touched, He healed. Picture this: A trail of people. Those in front of Jesus are lying down, but those behind Him whom He has touched are leaping with joy and following Him! That is how Jesus healed the sick.

So that night, when He said, “Take, eat; this is My body,” as He broke the bread and gave it to His disciples to eat, they knew what it meant. They were probably thinking, “We are going to ingest His health into our bodies! Hallelujah!”

That is what you must believe when you partake of the Holy Communion. It is not just a ritual or symbolic act. No, you must believe that He is the true bread from heaven who took your cancer, diabetes and heart disease, so that you can have His supernatural health! And when you eat of His broken body with this revelation, you will have life in abundance and the health of the Lord!

Thought For The Day
Believe that Jesus is the true bread from heaven who took your cancer, diabetes and heart disease, so that you can have His supernatural health!


Credit: Joseph Prince

Written by Kachi

TRUSTING GOD WITH OUR KIDS

and she bore him a son. When she saw what a fine baby he was, she hid him for three months. But when she could not hide him any longer, she took a basket made of reeds and covered it with tar to make it watertight. She put the baby in it and then placed it in the tall grass at the edge of the river. (Exodus 2:2, 3 GNT)

Pharaoh ordered that every male born to the Hebrews be thrown in the Nile. Moses was born during this time and, after three months, his mother realized she could hide him no longer. Imagine her angst as she left him in the basket among the reeds in the Nile River! She did not know what the future held, but she released her son by her faith in God.

Some moments bring a special awareness that we, too, are releasing our kids to God. Saying goodbye as we drop them off for their first day of kindergarten. Handing them the car keys as they take it out for a drive on their own. Watching them stand at the altar and commit their life to another in marriage. As you release your kids, remember that God has a plan! The road may not always be easy, but have faith in His wisdom and eternal purposes.

Trust GodÑthey really are His kids after all.


Credit: parentingbydesign

Written by Kachi

FINGERPRINTS OF GOD

Lord the earth is full of your constant love,teach me your commandments Psalm 119:64

Your family may hear about the terrible condition the world is in, and how it has never been more depraved or Godless. Some people anticipate a steady decline in morals and behavior until the Lord comes back and makes everything right again.

But sometimes we get so focused on the negative aspects of this world, we overlook the positive. There are echoes of His majesty all around us. You can see the fingerprints of God in mountains and oceans, in sunrises and sunsets, and even in the kind acts of strangers towards each other.

Busy schedules often rob us of simple pleasures. Take time to help your kids see God in His creation and appreciate the beauty of His craftsmanship. It might even be refreshing for you!

The earth is full of God's work; let's recognize it together.

Credit: parentingbydesign

Written by Kachi

Make a Difference by Being Different

One of the most important tests we all face as we try to achieve what God has called us to do is cultural distraction. For instance --

The distraction of popularity -- If you are always worried about what other people think, you will be distracted from your destiny.

The distraction of pleasure - It's OK to have fun and feel comfort, but if that's the primary focus of your life, you will never fulfill your destiny.

The distraction of profits -- You can't serve both God and money. Making a profit can't be the primary focus of your life.

The distraction of possessions -- Judging your success by how much stuff you own will keep you concerned about keeping things and maintaining things.

The antidote to cultural distractions is this: you must dare to be different from others. If you are going to reach the dream God has given you, you must also dare to be different from others.

Noah was different. God liked what he saw in Noah. Everything was headed toward destruction, but two words changed history -- "but Noah." That's the power of one person. That's the power of just one individual who chooses to be different.

Credit: Rick Warren

Written by Kachi

The Blood of Jesus Protects

Exodus 12:13
13… And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.

For 400 years, the children of Israel were slaves in Egypt. Life for them was one of hard labor, pain, loss and even death. When Moses their deliverer came, what soon followed was one plague after another on the Egyptians. But none of the plagues caused Pharaoh to release the Israelites until they put the blood on their doorposts. What nine plagues could not do, the blood did! The Israelites were finally set free because of the blood.

Are you under any kind of bondage? Are your loved ones held captive by the destroyer who is bent on destroying them? Plead the blood of the Lamb of God over all that is yours and your family’s. When nothing else seems to work, His blood always works!

When I was a teenager doing a stint as a relief teacher in a primary school, one of the girls in my class was absent from school one day. I didn’t think too much about her absence until I returned home that afternoon. As I was praying, I was prompted by the Holy Spirit to pray for her protection and to cover her with the precious blood of Jesus.

It was revealed later on that she had been abducted by a notorious serial killer who had murdered a number of young children. My pupil recounted how she had been tied up and offered to the “deities” the killer had in his flat. Miraculously, he released her when the evil spirits found her to be an unsuitable offering.

Why was this pupil released unharmed? I believe that she was presented to the deities on the same afternoon that I pleaded the blood of Jesus over her. Of course, the evil spirits did not want her because the Most High God would not allow them to have her. God was protecting her. She was set free because of the blood of Jesus!

You see, when you plead the blood of Jesus, the destroyer cannot come near. When he sees the blood, he must respect the blood. He cannot touch what is covered by the blood. The blood of Jesus truly protects and sets you free!

Thought For The Day
When you plead the blood of Jesus, the destroyer cannot come near.


Credit: Joseph Prince

Written by Kachi

PRETENCE + GOODWORKS = RECIPE FOR A DISEASED CHRISTIAN LIFE

For a more inept understanding,the word 'Ostentatious' is substituted for the word 'Pretence'.Ostentatious as a word means 'characterized by pretentious or showy display'.
An accurate analysis cannot be given as to how prominent pretensions acts were during the time of our Christian Fathers but we need not be told my the three wise men that Christianity of today is plague with ostentatious acts...Religious leaders are guilty,politicians are guilty,teachers are guilty, you are guilty and so am I.
Matt 6:1- 'Be careful not to do your acts of righteousness before men to be seen by them'.Here Jesus warns us of how good deeds may be done but polluted with pretence.
The Giver of all good things prescribes the best method in Matt 6:2- So when you give to the needy,do not announce it with trumpets like the hypocrites do in the synagogue and on the streets to be honored by men'.
Our same Jesus who saw the need to go into the garden and pray says in Matt 6:5- 'And when you pray,do not be like the hypocrites for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men...'
Furthermore,our Lord who fasted for 40days & 40nights questions our fasting in comparison to his.Matt 6:16-17-' When you fast do not look sober as the hypocrites do for they disfigure their faces to show men that they are fasting...'
In summary,a pretentious life is just mere publicity stunts.Jesus highlights the 3 cardinal works of Jewish religious life namely; charity,prayer and fasting.Jesus sought not to checkmate this works but invites us to check the intention that motivates such works.
It's true that we wear jewelry to supplement our attires or to get compliments but do we wear them to bed? That's our public life in contrast to our spiritual life which is to be private.In Luke 16:15-'You are the one who justify yourself in the eyes of others but God knows your heart.What people value is detestable in God's sight'.
Do we raise out voice in God's temple to impress others? Do we pray aloud to portray a vibrant spiritual life? Do we engage in alms giving to receive praise from onlookers? Do we care for the sick to advertise our human feelings to the public? Does pretence have a place in our Christian faith? All we have are only earthly rewards and God says that where your treasure is,there your heart will be also (Matt 6:21)

Written by Nedd

INSTANT GRATIFICATION

Then Jacob gave him some bread and some of the soup. He ate and drank and then got up and left. That was all Esau cared about his rights as the first-born son. (Genesis 25:34 GNT)

One of the best examples of the danger of instant gratification is this familiar Bible story. Esau was hungry after a long day of hunting, and he couldn't wait for dinner. He smelled Jacob's stew and he had to have itÑrght away! Jacob seized the advantage and demanded Esau's birthright in exchange for that single bowl of stew. Esau couldn't control his craving long enough to resist Jacob's trap, and he fell right into it. He lost the birthright and Jacob became the father of the nation of Israel.

This is a great story to share with our kids because it illustrates the danger of grabbing satisfaction today at the expense of a much greater tomorrow. Help your kids see how instant gratification can have negative eternal consequences.

Credit: parentingbydesign

Written by Kachi