Are You Sacrificing Your Child?

Don't sacrifice your children on the altar fires to the god Molech. I am the Lord your God, and that would disgrace me. (Leviticus 18:21 CEVDCUS06)

In Leviticus, God says we should never sacrifice our children. This was the culture of the nations around israel. God destroyed them for it yet the people of Israel, Gods own people began to do the same things that God destroyed other nations for.

The truth is that they should have known better right? 

King Ahaz sacrificed his first son Eliab to the god of molech, he asked the people to bring their first sons as well for sacrifice. The bible says " he disobeyed the Lord and was even more sinful than the kings of Israel. He sacrificed his own son, which was a disgusting custom of the nations that the Lord had forced out of Israel. (2 Kings 16:2, 3 CEVDCUS06)

He had another son hezekiah who witnessed the sacrifice of his older brother Eliab and was most likely traumatised by it. When he became king, he destroyed the temples of these foreign gods and brought an end to their worship. He worshipped and served God.

But unfortunately Hezekiah's son Manasseh was different "Manasseh disobeyed the Lord by following the disgusting customs of the nations that the Lord had forced out of Israel. He rebuilt the local shrines that his father Hezekiah had torn down. He built altars for the god Baal and set up a sacred pole for worshiping the goddess Asherah, just as King Ahab of Israel had done. And he faithfully worshiped the stars in heaven. (2 Kings 21:2, 3 CEVDCUS06)

We obviously are in an age where such sacrifices are not accepted any longer but also idolatry has become even more complex. I can't imagine sacrificing my child to any god and i am sure its not conceivable in the minds of almost everyone. Anything we put before God is an idol,anything that is more important than God has taken the place of idols.

Christians and non- christians stiil sacrifice their children today but maybe not to the ancient god of molech but to the god of money and the gods in our world today. 

When a mother chooses a spouse for her daughter because he is wealthy even though he is evil. What has she done? 

When a parent focuses more on grooming a child to be wealthy in future, to be president, to be powerful without any focus on being Godly, what has he/she done?

Let us remember that the sacrifice of children to molech was the custom of another nation not israels custom. Are we picking up customs from people who are not christians, who don't worship God, who worship themselves and fame, even the customs of the world around us? 

Our ways are different, our customs as christians are different. We are different, We are Gods chosen people, We are a royal priesthood, a people set apart, We are Israel.

Our Children are Gods children. Remember that before you sacrifice them to other gods.

You slaughtered my children, so you could offer them as sacrifices. You were so busy sinning and being a prostitute that you refused to think about the days when you were young and were rolling around naked in your own blood. (Ezekiel 16:21, 22 CEVDCUS06)

Written by Kachi

Be Born Again!

“The Exercise: John 3:1-8

Can you imagine the scene? Nicodemus, the teacher of Israel, came privately to Jesus after the sun went down to ask Him deep spiritual questions. He had seen the miracles and knew that God was with Jesus. And I believe that deep down inside he longed for more of what Jesus had—the power, the peace and the intimate presence of God.

As a Pharisee, Nicodemus lived by the strictest possible religious rules. He was a man of high moral character, and he lived by the Book. By today’s standards, he would be known as an upstanding member of the community and would probably have a spotless reputation. He was a good man, but he knew that he was missing something. He was attracted to Jesus because he knew that Jesus had what he was missing.”

“I don’t believe that he came at night because he didn’t want anyone to know. Instead, he didn’t want to be interrupted by the foolishness and sneaky traps set by the rest of his Pharisee friends. He sincerely wanted to fill the void he felt in his soul. So when Jesus told him that in order to experience eternal life he had to be born again, Nicodemus was confused. How could that be? It was impossible to return to the womb and be born a second time.

But Nicodemus finally figured it out. All of his religious activity was meaningless because his spirit was dead. Believing in Jesus would finally bring him the life that he was seeking. No matter how good you think you are, you will never be satisfied until you have Jesus.

—Page”

Excerpt From: Peña, Jimmy. “PrayFit.” Regal From Gospel Light. iBooks. 

This material may be protected by copyright. 

5 ways you are unknowingly destroying your husband and killing your marriage

• When I got married, I was amazed at the instant, overwhelming sense of responsibility I felt to love and care for my husband. Suddenly, a huge part of someone else's well-being and happiness was largely affected by my choices and actions.

  Women, we need to be careful about how we are caring for our husbands and marriages. Don't let the small stuff ruin the things that will bring you the greatest happiness in life.

  Here are just a few ways you might be unknowingly destroying your husband and killing your marriage (as a caveat, please understand that although this article is directed toward women, it applies to men as well):

• 1. Living outside of what you can afford

  A wise old woman from my church congregation once advised: "The best thing you can do as a wife is to live within your husband's means."

  Wives, show sincere appreciation and respect to your husband by carefully following a budget and making the most of what you have. Be wise about your finances.

  Constantly complaining about not having enough to fulfill your lavish desires or racking up astronomical amounts of debt on your credit card is a poor way of saying "thank you" to a faithful spouse who works hard every day to provide for the family.

  Yes, you may not have enough to buy that Kate Spade bag you've had your eyes on for months, but your husband will love and appreciate the fact that you honor him and are grateful for what he provides.

• 2. Constant negativity

  You hate your hair, the messes around the house, the neighbor across the street, your dumb co-worker, the old dishwasher, and everything in between. As soon as your husband walks through the door, you launch into action and dump every negative and angry thought that's crossed your mind throughout the day.

  Can you imagine having to carry that burden? Negativity is draining. Men like to fix things, and constantly being hounded with complaints makes it difficult for him to help solve your pains.

  If there is one thing I've learned from marriage is that a good man wants you to be happy, and if he can't help you do that, it makes him unhappy. It's okay to have a bad day once in a while, that's totally understandable, but don't make it a way of life.

• 3. Putting everything else first

  When your children, mom, best friends, talents, or career in front of your husband, you send a clear message to him that he is unimportant. Imagine having that message sent to you every day for many years. What would that do to your self esteem?

  Put your husband first.

  Although it sometimes seems counter-intuitive and counterproductive, I think you'd be amazed to find that it's often the key to the greatest happiness in marriage. So many couples get divorced these days, because they neglect to care and love one another and put each other first.

  If you choose to put each other first, you will find a lot of joy.

• 4. Withholding physical affection

  Men crave and need physical affection with their wives. When you constantly decline intimacy, it wears on them.

  Sex should not be used as a tool to control your spouse; it should be viewed as a sacred tool to draw you closer to one another and to God.

  It is a great blessing to be wanted and needed by a loving, romantic husband who wants to share something so beautiful and important with you -- and you only. Even though you might not always be in the mood, it's worth it to give in (when you can) and spend that time bonding.

• 5. Not speaking his language

  Women love to drop hints. (I think it's part of our DNA.) But men just don't get them. (I think that is a part of their DNA.)

  Don't waste your time giving subtle hints that he won't understand: Speak plainly to him. Be honest about your feelings, and don't bottle things up until you burst. If he asks you what's wrong, don't respond with "nothing" and then expect him to read your mind and emotions. Be open about how you really feel.

  Written by Katelyn Carmen

  Posted by Kachi

Love The Greatest Of All

LOVE THE GREATEST OF ALL

1 Corinthians13:4-8

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.  It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.  Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

I see lots of displays and personal messages of people on most social media,I see things like " dropping people","forget people who forgets you","you are dead to me" and so on. Don't get me wrong I am not saying you should belittle yourself but to actually show love to people in everything we do, remember the greatest commandment is love. Jesus died because of love. God created us in his image and likeness all because of love. He could have chosen another image but he chose his own image.

I start with 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 because it's the best definition of what love is and it's self explanatory. Learning from vs 4-7 love is every thing you want in life. When you do good to people it will come back to you. If you keep dropping people instead of extending the love of God to people how do you expect God to bless you still through people. 

1cor vs 8 love is eternal(GNB)never fails;prophesies,speaking in tongues,knowledge,wealth are not permanent love supercedes all these,through love all God's blessings will come to us.

Before you go on your knees to ask God for your private intentions ask yourself; Have I dropped some people because they have wronged me? Do I show love and care to my neighbors,friends and even my enemies? Did I encourage somebody that is in need physically,emotionally and otherwise or did I just walk past the person because I am too busy? Do take time to teach the ignorant,pray for the living and the dead,correct sinners,counsel those in doubt,console the sorrowful,bearing wrongs patiently and forgiving wrongs willingly?.

I,myself writing on these have a lot I need to work on,this is where we ask for the grace and strength of God. 

God bless

More bible readings on love-

Mark12:31,luke6:35,romans12:9

Written by Elochukwu

God creates opportunities everyday for us to show love. Let's start to take notice of these opportunities and use them.

Why Are You on Earth

George Herbert’s poem called “Praise” contains a verse that has been taped to my computer monitor since I first read it years ago.

Of all the creatures both in sea and land
Only to man Thou has made known Thy ways,
And put the pen alone into his hand,
And made him secretary of Thy praise.

This is the answer to our question. Why is man on the earth? He is here to be the secretary of the praise of God.

To which our querying minds say, But do not “the heavens tell the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1), and not just man? Are not “the things that have been made” the secretary of his divine attributes (Romans 1:20)? Do not the “the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord” (Psalm 96:12), and “the rivers clap their hands” (Psalm 98:8)? Do not “the mountains and the hills break forth into singing” (Isaiah 55:12)?

Yes. They do.

But “there is no speech, nor are there words. Their voice is not heard” (Psalms 19:3). This is not the work of the secretary. The work of the secretary is to transcribe the song of the mountains, the clapping of the rivers, and the singing of the forest, and the telling of the heavens.

Man is here to interpret and transcribe the praises of God.

The singing trees are not the secretary. The psalmist who told us what the trees are saying is the secretary. The blog writer who quotes the psalmist is the secretary. The mother who points her child to the tree and speaks of God is the secretary.

For this, every human being was created. Being in the image of God does not mean being a dumb image (Genesis 1:27). We are talking images. We are images who write. And if the point of being an image is to image (which I consider self-evident), then we are to image in all the ways we are gifted to image.

And what we are to image is the original. Images are images of something. We are images of God. He is the original. And our imaging is to be true and clear. That is, every person is meant to image the praiseworthiness of God. We are to be the secretaries of his praise.

And if we fail in this secretarial calling, Herbert says, in this same poem,

He that to praise and laud Thee doth refrain
Doth not refrain unto himself alone,
But robs a thousand who would praise Thee fain,
And doth commit a world of sin in one.

Therefore, let us open our mouths and take up our pens and point the whole world to the praiseworthiness of God. This is why we are here.

Written by John Piper

Posted by Kachi

Perfection on Earth.

             

Ephesians 4:7-16 says;

"Each one of us has been given his own share of grace, given as Christ allotted it. 

It was said that he would:

When he ascended to the height, he captured prisoners,

he gave gifts to men.

When it says, ‘he ascended’, what can it mean if not that he descended right down to the lower regions of the earth? The one who rose higher than all the heavens to fill all things is none other than the one who descended. And to some, his gift was that they should be apostles; to some, prophets; to some, evangelists; to some, pastors and teachers; so that the saints together make a unity in the work of service, building up the body of Christ. In this way we are all to come to unity in our faith and in our knowledge of the Son of God, until we become the perfect Man, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.

  

Then we shall not be children any longer, or tossed one way and another and carried along by every wind of doctrine, at the mercy of all the tricks men play and their cleverness in practising deceit. If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ, who is the head by whom the whole body is fitted and joined together, every joint adding its own strength, for each separate part to work according to its function. So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love."

 

Can Perfection be attained?

Yes! If we as Christians with our different gifts do unite in faith we can attain perfection, we can fully mature as Christians. Did you know perfection could be attained on earth? Mans perfection to God is different from Mans perfection to his fellow man. We do not see like God does.

So what is perfection to God?

If we live by the truth and in love, we shall grow in all ways into Christ, fully mature with the fullness of Christ himself.So the body grows until it has built itself up, in love.Hence love is perfection to God.

Are you living in love?

Did God Choose You?

 Solomon tells God in 1King 8:54" from all people on earth, The Lord has chosen you to be His very own"

Even in the times of Old Testament not everyone on earth then knew of God and not everyone on earth served Him. Some other tribes worshipped other gods, some may not have worshipped anything at all but God chose the people of Israel as His own.. They were His people, His precious inheritance..

Today some of us know God, some of us don't, some of us have a wonderful relationship with God, some of us are still growing,some of us know of God but have no relationship with Him. Some discovered God by Gods divine intervention in their lives like Paul, some know of Him and made a choice to follow  God, some read a book that led them to God, Some of us heard the gospel somehow somewhere and had an immediate change of heart. Some of us gained knowledge of God from our parents and are continuing in the faith like David and Solomon, Timothy and his mother and grand mother

I want us to think of the hope we have in Christ today, the joy of knowing God is there to support us in every situation. The strength we have even though our situations are challenging, the impossible breakthroughs we have experienced in our lives, the miracles and testimonies of Gods glory in our lives, the presence God, His word, His promise, His love, His mercy, your Refuge, your Fortress, your shield, your buckler, your Protector.

There is a greater hope of glory you have that someone without God doesn't.

The question is; Suppose you had heard the gospel but you could not accept it, your heart was too hard to change and submit, which happens to a lot of people, they hear the gospel but don't believe.Would you have the joy you have today?

Suppose you were born a Buddhist with no parent to show you the Cross of Christ, to teach you and prepare a christian foundation?

Suppose you never read that tract or you never read that book that changed you or you never met that person that talked to you about God?

Do you think you had a hand in whatever led you to God or deepened your faith in God? 

Do you think that it was just pure coincidence?

Do you think you are better than an atheist because your heart was not so hard or that made God made a way for you to see?

Pharaoh's heart was hard that was why he could not let the Israelites go but we also see where God had mercy and changed the hearts of hardened people like Paul, Gideon.

 Like Paul said in Romans 1:5 " Jesus was kind to me and chose me to be an apostle so that all the nations will have faith and obey". Even the disciples were called by Jesus. 

I call us to be grateful that we know God, to not look down on those who don't know Him , to take on the great commission and talk to people about God and pray that they hear it and see the cross. Don't be quick to label someone unrepentant when you haven't sown a seed of faith in that persons life.

Written by Kachi

You Are Not Alone

“As a prophet of God, Elisha knew he needed help and that he was never alone. But as Elisha and his servant slept, the king of Aram sent horses and chariots and a strong force to confront them; they literally surrounded them and the entire city. The king was angry that Elisha always seemed to know their next move and was able to warn the Israelites of possible attack. Elisha’s servant had woken up early only to see this vast army. Terrified, overwhelmed and isolated, he ran back inside to tell Elisha. But Elisha was unmoved. He was calm and confident. He didn’t panic as his servant hid in fear.

Even though the situation looked impossible, he knew something that his servant didn’t—they were not alone! Elisha told his servant to relax. He said, “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16). Then Elisha prayed that God would open his servant’s eyes to see a whole new reality—the spiritual realm where the battles are really won and lost. The servant’s eyes were opened and for the first time he could see what Elisha saw all along—the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire. This was God’s army.

Many times in life we feel alone. But we are never alone. In fact, not only are God’s angels present, but His Spirit also lives in us to guide and teach and comfort.

Jesus never leaves us. On this journey of life, you are never alone.”

“Relax. Just like Elisha did. You find that people who are not walking with the Lord in this life tend to panic much more easily. When the economy takes a bad turn and drops their 401k into a 201k, they curse, weep and worry themselves into a frenzy when, really, all they need to do is look to the Lord. When the Lord is for you, who can really be against you? Faith. Obedience. Relationship. These are the things He asks of us. And know that even though you may not see it, those who are with us are more than those who are against us.”

.

Excerpt From: Peña, Jimmy. “PrayFit.” Regal From Gospel Light. iBooks. 

Did I Marry The Wrong Person (Gen 24-25)

Do you ever have hard days in your marriage and wonder if you married the wrong person? Perhaps your spouse has failed to meet your expectations or completely changed into a person you do not recognize. Then what?

Today, we are covering the reading from  Genesis 24 & 25.  We see a beautiful love story as God orchestrates the finding of Rebekah to marry Isaac.

Abraham’s servant is sent to the city of Nahor. These are the words of the servant:

“Let the young woman to who I shall say ‘Please let down your jar that I may drink,’ and who shall say, ‘Drink, and I will water your camel’ – let her be the one whom you have appointed for your servant Isaac.” Genesis 24:14

Before the servant had finished speaking – beautiful Rebekah appears and fulfills his words!

Boom – just like that we have a love connection!

And off to the father and brother of Rebekah the servant goes, asking for her hand in marriage.  The request is granted and not a day passes and Rebekah is whisked away to a new land.  Now watch this marriage as it takes place.

Genesis 24:64-67

64 Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel 65 and asked the servant, “Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?”

“He is my master,” the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.

66 Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. 67 Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.

Match made in heaven right?  Well, almost.

I mean it was clearly orchestrated sovereignly by God.  Rebekah had a beautiful trusting spirit that led her to leave her own family, at the drop of a hat, and marry Issac.  And all seems well until…the kids show up.

First, we see in Genesis 25, Rebekah is barren.  Once again, God’s chosen people are being forced to depend upon God for the opening of their womb.  After Isaac’s prayer, Rebekah conceives with twins. But her pregnancy doesn’t seem normal as the children are wrestling IN HER WOMB!  Bah!

Can you imagine?  And she inquires of the Lord why and He answers in Genesis 25:23:

And the Lord said to her,

“Two nations are in your womb,
and two peoples from within you shall be divided;
the one shall be stronger than the other,
the older shall serve the younger.”

This was a prophecy of what was to come.  Esau and Jacob would be born and Jacob would steal Esau’s blessing.

And here’s the kicker, Isaac favored Esau over Jacob and Rebekah favored Jacob over Esau.  This laid the grown work for marital issues.

Rebekah orchestrated a plan to deceive her own husband and trick him into giving the birthright to her favorite son.

Deception. Manipulation.  Failed expectations.

In Genesis 27:33, we see how Isaac responds to Rebekah’s trickery:

 33 Then Isaac trembled very violently and said, “Who was it then that hunted game and brought it to me, and I ate it all before you came, and I have blessed him? Yes, and he shall be blessed.”

Uh Oh – a match made in heaven?  I’m thinking that’s not how Isaac is feeling right about now.  But he did not marry the wrong person. We know clearly from how their marriage began, this was definitely the wife Isaac was to have.

Often times, marriage begins in wedded bliss but as the years pass on and conflict arises we can look at the person we married and think – what have I done?  I hear so many stories of women saying, he’s not who I thought I married or I married the wrong person – can I get out?

Marriage is hard.  As I read the true stories of Godly men and women in the Bible, I see that their marriages were a struggle too.  I see the pain and suffering that sin inside the marriage causes. I see flawed heroes in need of the same grace of Jesus as we need in our marriages today.

May we remember that no man – no matter how Godly he appears at the start – is perfect.  Stress and selfishness and sin can creep into all marriages. None of us are immune to the effects of sin.  Conflicts in marriage do not mean we married the wrong person.

Let’s commit ourselves once again to the man we vowed before God and man, to love to the end.

Commit to work through the hard things and give grace for his short-comings.

Remember that our husbands are married to us – sinners. We fail them sometimes too and we need their grace in those moments.

Written by Courtney for women living well

Posted by Kachi

Disciple your kids or Satanists and the World will

What is your child learning?

We need to know and care about what our children are learning.

Don't be too busy for them, an investment in your child's spiritual growth  would be more valuable to you and to them in this life and in the next. Besides if you don't teach them about God, someone else who doesn't have the same faith or the evil world would teach them. Devil is awake, he is not sleeping. We make out time to do other things during the days that are not as valuable. 

If you are taking this warning lightly, here is just a quick glimpse of the reality of our world today - World magazine has recently covered a story where Satanists are threatening to share their "educational materials" to distribute at a Florida school: 

"On Religious Freedom Day in January, faith-based groups have been giving Bibles to public school students in Florida. In response, atheists and agnostics distributed their literature as well, and now The Satanic Temple says it will do the same. 

An activity book prompting kids to color a “study filled with satanic literature” and to connect the dots making an inverted pentagram is one of the items listed under “religious literature for schools” on the group’s website."

This is no joke, folks.

Times have changed and we need to be serious about discipling our children for the Lord. 

An activity book prompting kids to color a “study filled with satanic literature” and to connect the dots making an inverted pentagram is one of the items listed under “religious literature for schools” on the group’s website.

The Satanic Temple does not “promote a belief in a personal Satan” but sees Satan as a symbol of “the Eternal Rebel,” according to its website. It made the news earlier this year for its effort to establish a satanic statue next to the Ten Commandments at the Oklahoma State Capitol. This month, it announced its latest effort to counter Christianity in the public forum with supposedly kid-friendly materials.

We as Parents need to wake up, if we don't devil will snatch your kids from you 

Written by kachi

Hopeful Mondays

“Luke 5:5-11”

“Master,” Simon answered, “we have worked hard all night long and have not caught a thing. But if you tell me to, I will let the nets down.” (Luke 5:5 CEVDCUS06)

“Peter would know about Mondays.

Well, he would have known how you feel on Mondays. In our Luke 5 passage of Scripture, he’s just come home after working an all-nighter, and he’s tired. Add to that the fact that he has nothing to show for his labor and you could say he’s short on funds and maybe shorter on patience. The last thing he wants to do is turn the boat around and head back out. But in this passage, that’s exactly what Jesus asks him to do.

“Master, we worked all night and caught nothing, but if you say so, I’ll lower the nets,” he says to Jesus, who is standing on the shore.

Thankfully, Peter had more discipline than optimism, because he ended up catching more than fish.

Do you feel like you are in Peter’s boat? Is your week ahead looking more like a shallow lake than a sea of opportunity? Are you heading back to the same job, the same boss, the same staff, knowing that what lies ahead is much of the same? Well, do what Peter did. Try the other side of the boat. Try a different approach, a different style. And as you cast your line of work into the week, take a backward glance at the shore to see Jesus grinning at today’s success.

Let’s turn the boat around and catch the week by surprise, shall we?

—Peña”

Excerpt From: Peña, Jimmy. “PrayFit.” Regal From Gospel Light. 

Posted by Kachi

8 Ways to React When You’re Offended By Other Christians

When Martha complained to Jesus about Mary on His first visit to Bethany, Mary could have chosen to be offended by her sister. But there is no indication that she felt that way. She also could have taken offense when Judas and the disciples protested against her act of extravagant worship. But again, there is no indication that she did.

Don’t make the mistake of underestimating the pain that was inflicted upon Mary in both situations. Here was a woman who loved her Lord with all her heart, and she was unfairly criticized for it. Not by her enemies, but once by her sister and another time by some of the Lord’s own disciples.

It reminds me of the old adage, “No good deed shall go unpunished.”

The words of Elbert Hubbard come to mind: “To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.”

In both cases, Mary never opened her mouth to defend herself or her actions. In silence, she entrusted the matter to her Lord. And in both instances, Jesus rose to her defense.

Point: there will always be some Christians who will undermine and denigrate your good actions.

T. Austin-Sparks once wrote, “If you get upset, offended, and go off and sulk, and nurse your grievance, you will die.”

With that in mind, here are eight things I’ve learned about being offended by others:

(1)   Christians will hurt your feelings

Because of the fall, this will happen. Sometimes a person acts with malicious intent, desiring to hurt you because they don’t like you or they’ve chosen to be offended by you. Other times they will hurt you without realizing it.

I’m sure that when the other disciples chimed in with Judas’ complaint, they weren’t trying to hurt Mary. It was just the result of fleshly judgment.

(2) When others hurt you, your spiritual maturity will be revealed

You will discover how real your relationship with Jesus Christ is when your feelings get hurt. You can be the greatest speaker, the greatest worshipper, or the greatest evangelist, but when your feelings are hurt, what you do at that moment and afterward will reveal the reality of your relationship with Jesus.

People have one of two reactions when their feelings get hurt: they deal with it before the Lord, or they destroy others.

Mary left it in the hands of Christ.

(3) God intends to use mistreatments for our good

Recall the mistreatment that Joseph endured at the hands of his own brothers. Joseph took it from the hand of God, saying, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good.”

Remember King David when Abishai cursed him? David chose not to kill his detractor, but instead he saw the persecution in light of God’s sovereign hand.

To paraphrase Romans 8:28, everything that comes into our lives, whether good or evil, first passed through the hands of a sovereign, loving God before it got to us. And He uses it for our good.

Once you make peace with God’s sovereignty and His ability to write straight with crooked lines, the more at peace you will be with those who mistreat you. While God is not the author of confusion or evil, He seeks to use all things for our transformation.

When Jesus defended Mary, He transformed her act into an immortal example of what real worship entails. Her example was such that we’re still talking about it two thousand years later.

(4) Christians often get offended by reading into words and actions

This usually happens when a person is oversensitive and thinskinned. In my experience, this makes up most cases in which a Christian takes offense at another believer.

As a group, Christians are the most easily offended people in the world when we should be the least. While Mary was mistreated twice, she didn’t take offense.

(5) Christians often get offended with a person when they believe false accusations against them

Wise and discerning Christians who have been around the block ignore gossip that puts other believers in a bad light. In fact, in the eyes of the wise and discerning believer, any statement that has a defamatory tone is discredited out of the gate.

When wise and discerning believers are concerned about someone, they go straight to the person privately as Jesus taught us to do, asking questions rather than making allegations.

Some Christians, however, never think to do this. Instead, they readily believe slanderous allegations about a sister or brother in Christ without ever going to that person first.

The question “How would I want to be treated if someone were saying these things about me?” never seems to occur to them. The life of Jesus Christ always leads us to live that question. The flesh always leads us in the opposite direction.

Remember, Satan is the slanderer (that’s what “Devil” means), and he uses gossip to destroy relationships. That’s why the Bible says that believing gossip separates close friends and that one of the seven things the Lord hates is “sowing seeds of discord among brethren.”

(6) What you do with a hurt is a choice you make

You can choose to be offended and make a friend out of your hurt, feed it, take it out for daily walks, cuddle it, and protect it until it destroys you and others. A root of bitterness, if allowed to live, will defile many and prove destructive to your own spirit.

You can also choose to be offended and retaliate actively or passively.

Or you can choose to live by Christ and bring your hurt to God. Sometimes the Lord will lead you to go to the person and talk to them in a gracious manner, seeking reconciliation.

Other times He will lead you to forebear it, take it to the cross, let it go, and move on. “A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to overlook an offense.”

Sometimes He will show you that you’ve completely misinterpreted the actions of another.

In cases of repeated abuse, which I’m not addressing in this section, getting others involved is often wise and necessary.

Forgiving someone doesn’t mean you should enable that person to commit a crime or continue to devastate the lives of others.

(7) To be offended by a child of God is to be offended by God

When Jesus began preaching in His hometown of Nazareth, He offended His neighbors. They stumbled over Him and rejected who He really was.

When you choose to take offense at another Christian, you are rejecting who they are in Christ. Thus it affects your relationship with Jesus, whether you realize it or not. Why?

Because Christ and His body are connected, so “if you’ve done it to the least of these my brethren, you’ve done it unto Me.”

Again, I’m not equating being offended with being hurt.

(8) You can live free from offense

This doesn’t mean that you will never be hurt. Nor does it mean that you will never be angry. Jesus got angry. Remember His temple tantrum? Paul said, “Be angry and sin not. Don’t let the sun go down on your wrath.”

Anger is a normal human emotion when someone abuses you or abuses someone you care about. But what you do with your anger determines whether or not it is sin.

In addition, we should always be “quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” The Lord has called us to the high road of living without offense. And He has given us both the power and the will to do His good pleasure in this area.

Written by Frank Viola

Posted by Kachi

The Purpose of Life What is the real purpose of life?

What is the REAL purpose of life? Why are we here on this earth?

James 4:14 For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Our life is short, so short in fact that the Bible says it is even as a vapour that appears for a little time and then vanishes.

Lets ask ourselves, if the average lifespan of a human is 70 years, what is this compared to 50,000 years in heaven, or 10,000,000 years with Jesus, but as we know, in heaven there are no time limits, it is for eternity.

2 Corinthians 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

Our life now, when compared with forever in heaven, is truly just a small time.

Consider for a moment... Jesus, The all powerful all knowing one, who at his voice, the heavens were made and all the host of them, He is the only source of life. Contemplate this, that Jesus had everything, He could not have had more honour, he had all riches, All good things were His. God created this earth in its perfection, the plants, the birds and fish, all the creeping beasts and humanity were created by Him.

But, we chose to follow deception rather than truth, to follow death rather than life. Now according to the law of God, man must die, there seemed no alternative. Disobedience to the law of God demanded the penalty, death. But God had a plan, and in his great love he sent his Son Jesus, to our world. Imagine, the almost infinite humiliation that Jesus felt to put off his kingly robes and to experience the life of a human on this earth! Jesus, because of his infinite love toward us, suffered death for our sins, yes for my sins and for your sins, He paid the penalty, so that we could receive His reward, the gift of eternal life.

Genesis 2:7 And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

How did man become living? The Lord God breathed into him the breathe of life and man became a living soul. Does this mean that God gave our first parents the breath of life and then left us to our own devices? Do we, today, just continue the life-cycle independently of God? The Bible says;

Job 33:4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

This is an amazing fact, that, as the almighty God gave breath and life to Job (long after Adam had been given life) So He continues to do the same to this present day.

The physical organism of man is under the supervision of God, but it is not like a clock, which is set in operation, and must go of itself. The heart beats, pulse succeeds pulse, breath succeeds breath, but the entire being is under the supervision of God. "Ye are God's husbandry; ye are God's building." In God we live, and move, and have our being. Each heartbeat, each breath, is the inspiration of Him who breathed into the nostrils of Adam the breath of life--the inspiration of the ever-present God, the great I AM.-- E.G.White R.H., Nov. 8, 1898.

God inspires each breath we breathe and if He were to neglect us only for a few seconds we would cease to live! We are totally dependent on God for breath and life. Paul sums it up very accurately in Acts 17:28

For in him we live, and move, and have our being...

So, if our lives are very short even as a vapour when compared with forever in heaven, if Jesus, the all powerful all knowing God and creator, came from heaven and became human, to pay the penalty.... the death penalty for your sin and my sin, if we are, now at this moment being given breath and life from God, what should our purpose be in life?

Truly when we see the great love of God for us, and contemplate the great plan of redemption, our only words will be praise and glory to God, and from this we will truly love all our fellow man. Think on the words of Paul, as he drew closer to Christ, he truly found that there was nothing in this world that is better than living for Christ.

Philippians 1:21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

He realized that to have life, means to have Christ, and to die with Christ is gain in comparison to living without Him.

May our purpose be to live wholly and unreservedly for Christ as we reflect on what He has done for us.

Written- by Emmanuel Higgins

Posted by Kachi

How Much Are You Worth

Do you sometimes feel worthless? Or, at times, have you been slighted or treated as though you were of little value?

Should we value some people more/less than others?

And how should we set a value upon each other?

Let's open the Bible and find some answers.

Remember to pray and ask God to give us wisdom before we read His word.

How much does God care for us? And how much does He value us?

Matthew 10:29-31

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.

But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

God cares for his creation (the sparrows in this case) so much! In fact not even one sparrow dies and falls on the ground without God noticing it. But to us sparrows seem so small and worthless, in fact in the Bible times two sparrows were sold for a farthing (less then one cent)!

If God values the sparrows so much, how much does He care for, and value us? Are not we of more value than many sparrows? Yes! In fact, God knows so much about us that even every hair on our head is numbered!

But how much are you and I truly worth? And what value should we place upon each other?

Often we'll look at the work someone is doing, and if they're doing a poor job, perhaps always making mistakes, then we view that person as of little value.

But is this the correct way of seeing value in someone?

In a friendship, if one person is not showing kindness, sympathy or love to the other, is it because they don't really value or appreciate that person as they should?

Think about it, if we truly saw the value of people as God does, would we still treat each other the way we do?

What value does God place upon us? Remember the verse we read earlier.

"Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father." Think of it, not one of these little brown sparrows that are caroling forth their praises to God will fall to the ground without the notice of the heavenly Father. Not one of these little brown sparrows that the boys so ruthlessly kill, drops to the ground but his eye marks its fall. "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered." If God cares for a sparrow that has no soul, how will he care for the purchase of the blood of Christ? One soul is worth more than all the world. For one soul Jesus would have passed through the agony of Calvary that that one might be saved in his kingdom. "Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows." {RH, May 3, 1892 par. 8}

And this is the key to seeing and understanding the value of you and me and all other people in the world, that is, to see our value in light of what Jesus did to save us!

Isaiah 13:12 I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.

God says that he will make a man, that is you and me, more precious than fine gold! (Ophir was a place famous for its gold). And truly, when we look at the greatness of the price paid to save us it is much, much more precious than gold!

How much Jesus loves us! Think about how Jesus, the great powerful Creator, became a man and walked among us, and then was crucified in the hands of those He had created!! And He did it because he loved and valued us so much, that He wanted to save us from our sins! So are we not of far greater value than anything in this world?

The worth of a human soul can be estimated only by the light reflected from the cross of Calvary. ... It was the joy set before Christ in accomplishing so great salvation, that led him to submit to shame, agony, and death. How do all the treasures and the glories of earth sink into insignificance when compared with the value of a human soul! {ST, February 16, 1882 par. 17}

Lets remember how much we are of value in God's eyes! And remember to be kind and loving to all the people in this world because of what Jesus has done for us, and the great worth He has place on us all.

Written by Emmanuel Higgins

Posted by Kachi

Dating

             

 

What kind of person should you date?

Date someone with a good attitude. It's in the Bible, Romans 15:5-6, TLB. "May God who gives patience, steadiness, and encouragement help you to live in complete harmony with each other—each with the attitude of Christ toward the other."

 

Date someone who encourages you and is supportive. It's in the Bible, Philippians 2:1-2, TLB. "Is there any such thing as Christians cheering each other up? Do you love me enough to want to help me? Does it mean anything to you that we are brothers in the Lord, sharing the same Spirit? Are your hearts tender and sympathetic at all? Then make me truly happy by loving each other, working together with one heart and mind and purpose.

 

II Timothy 2:22, TLB. "Run from anything that gives you the evil thoughts that young men often have, but stay close to anything that makes you want to do right. Have faith and love, and enjoy the companionship of those who love the Lord and have pure hearts."

 

It is unwise to date someone who doesn't love God. It's in the Bible, II Corinthians 6:14-15, TLB. "Don't be teamed with those who do not love the Lord, for what do the people of God have in common with the people of sin? How can light live with darkness? And what harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a Christian be a partner with one who doesn't believe?" Amos 3:3, NKJV says, "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?"

 

Don't date someone who claims to be a Christian but doesn't live it. It's in the Bible, I Corinthians 5:11, TLB. "What I meant was that you are not to keep company with anyone who claims to be a brother Christian but indulges in sexual sins, or is greedy, or is a swindler, or worships idols, or is a drunkard, or abusive. Don't even eat lunch with such a person."

 

Avoid dating people who have a bad temper. It's in the Bible, Proverbs 22:24, TLB. "Keep away from angry, short-tempered men, lest you learn to be like them and endanger your soul."

 

Don't date a lazy Christian. It's in the Bible, II Thessalonians 3:6, TLB. "Now here is a command, dear brothers, given in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ by his authority: Stay away from any Christian who spends his days in laziness and does not follow the ideal of hard work we set up for you."

 

Inner beauty counts the most. It's in the Bible, I Peter 3:4, TLB. "Be beautiful inside, in your hearts, with the lasting charm of a gentle and quiet spirit that is so precious to God."

 

In a dating relationship don't be exclusive—care about others too. It's in the Bible, Philippians 2:4, TLB. "Don't just think about your own affairs, but be interested in others, too, and in what they are doing."

 

Let the relationship progress step by step. It's in the Bible, II Peter 1:6-7, TLB. "Next, learn to put aside your own desires so that you will become patient and godly, gladly letting God have his way with you. This will make possible the next step, which is for you to enjoy other people and to like them, and finally you will grow to love them deeply."

 

What to avoid on dates. It's in the Bible, Romans 13:13, TLB. "Be decent and true in everything you do so that all can approve your behaviour. Don't spend your time in wild parties and getting drunk or in adultery and lust, or fighting, or jealousy."

 

Dating should not include a sexual relationship. It's in the Bible, I Corinthians 6:13,18, TLB. "But sexual sin is never right: our bodies were not made for that, but for the Lord…That is why I say to run from sex sin. No other sin affects the body as this one does. When you sin this sin it is against your own body."

 

Keep yourself pure. It's in the Bible, I John 3:3, TLB. "And everyone who really believes this will try to stay pure because Christ is pure."

 

To keep from hurting ourselves, sexual desires and activities must be placed under Christ's control. It's in the Bible, I Thessalonians 4:3-5, TLB. "For God wants you to be holy and pure and to keep clear of all sexual sin so that each of you will marry in holiness and honor—not in lustful passion as the heathen do, in their ignorance of God and his ways."

 

If you have already gone too far physically, what should you do?

 

First, acknowledge your sin. It's in the Bible, Psalm 51:2-4, TLB. "Oh, wash me, cleanse me from this guilt. Let me be pure again. For I admit my shameful deed—it haunts me day and night."

 

Second, Ask forgiveness for your sin—God says you can start over again. It's in the Bible, Psalm 51:7-12, TLB. "Sprinkle me with the cleansing blood and I shall be clean again. Wash me and I shall be whiter than snow. And after You have punished me, give me back my joy again. Don't keep looking at my sins—erase them from Your sight. Create in me a new, clean heart, O God, filled with clean thoughts and right desires. Don't toss me aside, banished forever from Your presence. Don't take Your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me again the joy of Your salvation, and make me willing to obey You."

 

Third, Believe that God has indeed forgiven you and quit feeling guilty. It's in the Bible, Psalm 32:1-6, TLB. "What happiness for those whose guilt has been forgiven! What joys when sins are covered over! What relief for those who have confessed their sins and God has cleared their record. There was a time when I wouldn't admit what a sinner I was. But my dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days with frustration. All day and all night Your hand was heavy on me. My strength evaporated like water on a sunny day until I finally admitted all my sins to You and stopped trying to hide them. I said to myself, 'I will confess them to the Lord.' And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Now I say that each believer should confess his sins to God when he is aware of them, while there is time to be forgiven. Judgment will not touch him if he does. You are my hiding place from every storm of life; You even keep me from getting into trouble! You surround me with songs of victory."

 

God has a mate for you. It's in the Bible, Genesis 2:18, TLB. "And the Lord God said, 'It isnot good for man to be alone; I will make a companion for him, a helper suited to his needs.'"

 

Ask the Lord for a mate. It's in the Bible, Proverbs 19:14, TLB. "A father can give his sons homes and riches, but only the Lord can give them understanding wives."

 

God will give you your heart's desires. It's in the Bible, Psalm 37:4 and Matthew 6:8, TLB. "Be delighted with the Lord. Then He will give you all your heart's desires." "Remember, your Father knows exactly what you need before you ask Him!"

 

 

Source:

Bibleinfo.com