Rhythm of Faith

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...

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 ...

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! Tha...

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 you...

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

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 destruct...

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 ...

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 t...

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