tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83520193293406644922024-03-14T00:08:31.493+02:00Inspired To Inspire"The Lord GOD has given me
the tongue of the learned,
that I should know how to speak
a word in season to him who is weary. He awakens me morning by morning,
he awakens my ear
to hear as the learned,"
(Isaiah 50:4).Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.comBlogger66125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-49036974805245368472015-11-30T07:00:00.000+02:002015-11-30T11:34:12.974+02:00When God Seeks For Your Permission<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Are you willing to let go of your good plans and allow God's will to be done? This is not an easy decision to make. It is a tall order. It is a high calling.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Let me state it here and now; for God to accomplish His plan He uses ordinary people like me and you. Sometimes the responsibility may be huge but you should know that God is not asking you if you can do it. He is simply asking if He can use you as His instrument to carry out His plan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We cannot run away from the fact that being an instrument of the Lord is a huge responsibility. However, you better rejoice because to be chosen as an instrument of the Lord is a favour and a blessing. Mary was chosen by God to be the mother of Jesus Christ. The angel Gabriel greeted her as a favoured woman. <i>"Don't be afraid, Mary," the angel told her, "for you have found favour with God!" (Luke 1:30 NLT).</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Mary was given a huge responsibility - to give birth to the much anticipated Messiah. As we have discussed in our <a href="http://stanleylistens.blogspot.com/2015/11/when-god-disrupts-your-plans.html" target="_blank">previous post</a>, agreeing to this arrangement meant that she was rendering herself to public ridicule. God was only seeking for her permission to be the mother of Jesus Christ. Difficult as it was, Mary had to say, "Yes Lord!".</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I find it interesting that the moment you agree to God's agenda in your life, He helps you revert to you plan. He helps you to accomplish your personal plans - the only difference being that your plans are now intertwined with his Divine plans. Eventually, Mary got married to her fiancé Joseph.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Accepting such a huge responsibility calls for total dependence on God. </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Mary accepted the responsibility based on the evidence of God's miracle working power. It was proven to her that nothing is impossible with God as her relative Elizabeth was said to be pregnant in her old age. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When the angel had explained everything to Mary, she spoke these powerful words, </span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>"Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word."</b> (Luke 1:38 NKJV). </i><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">As William McDowell sings, it's like Mary was saying, 'I give myself away, so you can use me.' She was surrendering all to God, withholding nothing! </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She took the responsibility through total obedience</span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> to the will of God.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">God determines the time when He wants to unveil His plan and He looks for the instrument to use. He is the one to take care of the instrument, ensuring that it is always in good condition and well sharpened or prepared to function effectively. As long as the instrument is in the hands of the Lord, it is safe! He never forces you to be that instrument but He is asking, <b>"Can I use you?"</b></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-66823225714565475622015-11-23T07:00:00.001+02:002015-11-25T16:15:58.807+02:00When God Disrupts Your Plans<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What do you do when God decides to disrupt your plans? You've got everything going in your life and suddenly He comes to introduce His own agenda. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When I reflect on the birth of Jesus, I can't help but focus on the young Mary who was given the mammoth task of carrying the Saviour of the world in her womb. Matthew introduces the story by narrating, <i>"This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit." (Matthew 1:18 NLT).</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Can you imagine the cultural shock and shame! She was earnestly looking forward to the 'big day' when she was going to be officially announced Mrs Joseph. She was looking forward to enter into the marriage with a sense of pride of having kept her purity for her husband. Suddenly, she was told she was to be pregnant!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">She was going to be pregnant but still remain a virgin. It did not make sense. </span>I can only imagine what was going through her mind when she received the message from angel Gabriel. She was going to be publicly ridiculed. She was going to lose the man of her dreams. Her plans were to be ruined. <i>"Joseph, her fiancé was a good man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly." (Matthew 1:19 NLT)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What Mary and her fiancé Joseph did not know was that it was God's time to reveal His glory. It was time for God to fulfil the long standing promise of the Messiah. It was God's time to bring on earth the Redeemer and Saviour of the world, <i>"But when the <b>fullness of the time had come</b>, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman..." (Galatians 4:4 NKJV)</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I have learned that God's right time <i>(fullness of the time) </i>comes when we least expect it. We are never ready for such. God often makes a promise but not reveal the time when we will receive the promise. He just knows the right time. In our books the timing may be wrong but in His sovereign plan it is always the right time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Sometimes I want to ask, "But why now Lord?" It seems to me that the Lord does not respond directly to this question. When God decides to unleash His plan, there is little or nothing you can do to change it. He has His own agenda and He wants to accomplish it through you. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What do you do when God decides to disrupt your plans? The beautiful thing is that even though God chooses to disrupt your plans so that He can run His own agenda through your life, He never forces you into it (we will elaborate on this point in next week's post <i>"When God Seeks For Your Permission"</i>). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When God comes into your life and wants to introduce His agenda, He never asks if you are ready. Instead He wants to know if you are willing. Are you willing to submit to His authority over your life? Are you willing to allow Him accomplish His purpose using you as His instrument? Are you willing to surrender your life to Him? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here is the interesting thing; whether you are willing to allow Him use you or not, it will not stop Him from accomplishing His purpose. But what a blessing it is to be used by God for His own purpose!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-35101101210388964722015-11-16T07:00:00.000+02:002015-11-16T09:04:40.376+02:00He Who Acknowledges The SON...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We have been talking about the world and the offers it
presents to believers. There is nothing that shakes the devil’s strongholds
than the name JESUS CHRIST of Nazareth. In one end the world denies the deity
of Jesus Christ. On the other hand it denies the humanity of Jesus Christ. That
is the foundation of our faith – Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If we desire to be in fellowship with God, our
heavenly Father, we must acknowledge His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. If we
desire what the Father has, we must acknowledge the firstborn of creation,
Jesus Christ. We must recognize Jesus for who He is – the Son of the living
God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is important to understand that the Father
acknowledges the Son himself and he loves his Son. <i>“The Father loves the Son,
and has given all things into His hand” </i>(John 3:35). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Let us say for instance you are a woman and you hoping
for a man with a son from a previous relationship to marry you. How you treat
his Son will have a huge bearing on his level of commitment to the
relationship. Simply because he loves his Son. If you truly acknowledge his
son, you will have him and if you reject his son you will lose the father as
well. Obviously this is a feeble illustration of the relationship between the
heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ. The Father loves the Son.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">True love is demonstrated in action. Likewise, the
Father has demonstrated his love for his Son by giving <i>‘all things into His
hand.’ </i>This means he has given his Son authority to govern all things that
belong to the Father. He has put him in charge. Therefore, it will help you to
acknowledge the Son to have access to the Father.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If we are to enjoy our fellowship with the Father, we
must recognize the Son. In fact, we must desire to know the Son. It is better that
way. It is the only way to have true fellowship with God. And let me tell you, Jesus wants to reveal
the Father to you. He does not want you to miss out. He would go to great
lengths just for you to know him and the Father – to give you eternal life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Listen to him when he says, “My Father has entrusted
everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one
truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to
reveal him.” (Matthew 11:27)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Again, Jesus emphasizes the strong bond he has with
the Father. He is emphasizing his oneness with the Father. Note that Jesus
confirms that the Father has given everything to him. Also note that he says no
one truly knows the Father except him and lastly note he says that he has the
authority to reveal the Father to anyone he chooses to.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">And if you read carefully to the preceding verses you
will understand that the heavenly things are hidden from those who think
themselves wise and clever but they are revealed to those with a childlike
faith. Jesus cannot reveal the Father to those who are too intelligent to
accept that Jesus Christ is God incarnate. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">It is pointless and
profits nothing to engage in whole lots
of theological debates. It is simple, “Whoever denies the Son does not have the
Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also.” (1 John 2:23). </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-64175180607589410512015-11-09T07:00:00.000+02:002015-11-09T08:38:33.403+02:00Declining the Offer<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The world’s offerings are
constantly in our eyes just like media advertisements. Just like adverts
are meant to be appealing to raise our appetites to buy that product or service
sold, the world’s offerings are meant to be appealing to raise our desires to
commit sin.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">But we thank God for His grace that is revealed and
brings salvation to all men. This grace further <i>“teaches us to say “No” to
ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and
godly lives in this present age,” (Titus 2:12 NIV).</i> Through his grace,
Jesus Christ <i>‘gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, <b>to cleanse
us</b>, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good
deeds.” (Titus 2:14 NLT). </i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">We see that God, through Jesus Christ desired that we
are set free from the power of sin. However, the sinful nature (flesh)
continues to fight and draw us to the world of sin. It is through the power of
the Holy Spirit that we are able to overcome the power of sin. While the
secular world promotes that where there is a will there is a way (i.e. will
power can see us conquer anything), unfortunately not with sin. Our will power
cannot destroy the power of sin. Only
Jesus can.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The world offers a craving for sin. This touches on
our desires. If we are to enjoy our fellowship with God we need him to change
our desires. We need him to cleanse us, purify us or sanctify us. We need him
to make us holy because he is a holy God. Only Holy Spirit can produce holy
desires in us. That is the reason we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
That is the reason we need to be baptized with the Holy Spirit. It is Holy
Spirit that will continually build our character, shape us and mould us,
transforming everyday that we are conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Apostle Paul shared a very beautiful advice with
the Galatian church which is very needful and helpful for us even today. He
said;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">“So I
say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your
sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the
opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are
opposite of what sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly
fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions…
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their
sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the
Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> – Galatians 5:16-17, 24-25 NLT)</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-90683297685581210022015-11-02T07:00:00.000+02:002015-11-03T18:40:01.256+02:00Falling In Love With The Wrong People<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">If you thought I am going to talk about romantic
relationships, I am sorry. Not today. Nonetheless, I invite you to continue
reading – your interest in that
department might be addressed. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthian church and
said, <i>“When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people
who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge
in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people or worship idols. You would have
to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are not to
associate with anyone who claims be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or
is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats
people. Don’t even eat with such people.” (1 Corinthians 5:9-11).<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Paul clearly realized that the Corinthians had
misunderstood him by making the church
an exclusive club. He had to correct them and highlight that we cannot avoid
immoral people in this world. In other words we have to learn to live with
them. In fact, we are only pilgrims in this world. This is not our home, our
home is in heaven. We are merely ambassadors of the Kingdom of heaven here on
earth.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What Paul was
concerned about was their association with the ‘so called’ believers – those
who claim to be Christians yet they are consciously living in sin. He says,
“Don’t even eat with such people.” In other words he was saying they should not
have fellowship with such.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">While we are to learn to live with non-believers, we
are also warned against forging relationships with them. Later on Paul warns
the very same church, “<i>Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers.
For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has
light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians
6:14).<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The point is that we should not be associated with
darkness. Remember, God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all. The
reality is that there must be a common denominator that will inform our
association with other people. Now, the line of demarcation is very clear,
there is no relationship between darkness and light. There is no relationship
between God and Satan. Therefore there should no be any relationship between
children of God and children of the
devil. Believers should not fellowship with non-believers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The truth is that we will work with non-believers. We
will meet non-believers at the mall. We will go to school with non-believers.
But we should guard against falling in love with them. We should not create
bonds with non-believers otherwise we will find ourselves in bondage and unable
to enjoy the fellowship with our Father. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Fellowship is an act of love. Fellowship means there
is a deep, intimate relationship. Fellowship means sharing. You share your
resources, including time. You share out of a loving heart. Therefore, it
matters who and what you give your love to. The Apostle John says, <i>“Do not
love the world or the things of the world. If anyone loves the world, the love
of the Father is not in him.” – (1 John 2:15).<o:p></o:p></i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">When you give your
love to the world or the things of the world, they will reciprocate that
gesture and offer what they have. The world offers only a craving for physical
pleasure (lust of the flesh), a craving for everything we see (lust of the eyes)
and pride in our achievements and possessions. All these set you against God
Himself and you are cut out of the joy of the presence of the Lord.</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-42848613763277502662015-10-26T07:00:00.000+02:002015-10-26T08:51:33.384+02:00Love From a Pure Heart<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What does it mean to have the love of God perfected in
us? Peter writes, <i>“Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth
through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently
with a pure heart,” (1 Peter 1:22)</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></i></b><span dir="LTR" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By obeying the truth we purify
(sanctify) ourselves</span></b><!--[if !supportLists]--></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When praying
for His disciples Jesus said, <i>“Sanctify them by your truth. Your word is the
truth.” (John 17:17). </i>We become His disciples by obeying His word. Jesus
said the word of God is the truth. The word of God is clear on how we ought to
conduct ourselves before God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Peter
commends the church for being obedient children, <i>‘not conforming yourselves
to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy,
you also be holy in all your conduct because it is written, “Be holy, for I am
holy” (1 Peter 1:14-16).</i> By obeying the word of God we are making ourselves
approved and acceptable to our God, for He is pure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">2.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The channel for our purification is
the Holy Spirit <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Give a
non-believer the bible to read. There are very high chances that he will not
understand what is written, no matter how educated he may be. Sometimes the
person may have academic knowledge of the Scriptures but they will not have an
effect on Him. The reason is simple, the person is not obedient to what he is
reading. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The
Scriptures are spiritual and for them to have an effect they need to be
activated by the Holy Spirit. Purification comes by obeying the word through
the Holy Spirit. Obeying the word open the doors for Holy Spirit to do His work
in you. God intends us to be first saved by believing and obeying the truth and
then sanctified through the Holy Spirit. Paul writes, <i>“…because God from the
beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and
belief in the truth,” (2 Thessalonians 2:13). <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></i><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">3.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Spirit deposits sincere love to
us <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God intends
us to be pure and to be like Him. As the Holy God, He is a loving God. Peter
says we have purified ourselves by obeying the truth through the Spirit <i>‘in
sincere love of the brethren.’ </i>(The King James version says, <i>‘unto
unfeigned love’</i>). This means that when we walk in holiness we become more
and more like our Holy God. He loved us with the greatest love of all [AGAPE].
We also grow into that kind of love. This is not by any means our own work but by
the grace of our dear Lord, <i>“…because the love of God has been poured out in
our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us,” ( Romans 5:5). </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">4.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Because we have the true love, we
should not cease to love one another <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Given that
the true love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, we
have the authority to exercise and express it. We have to love one another
fervently (without ceasing). God demonstrated His love in that whilst we were
sinners Christ died for us. This was His love in action. When someone
demonstrates something he is actually showing you how it is done and expects
you to continue doing it. “<i>Beloved, let us love one another, for love is
God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God,” (1 John 4:7).</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">5.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></i></b><!--[endif]--><span dir="LTR"></span><b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The love should come from a pure
heart <i><o:p></o:p></i></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The love
that we have to extend to one another should never be hypocritical. It must be
sincere and coming from a pure heart. The point is that you purified yourself
by obeying the word through the Holy Spirit. However, that does not mean it is
done. As long as you live you have to keep your heart pure. Your former lusts
which defiled you before you turned to the Lord will always be there but you
have to continually keep your heart pure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus said, <i>“Blessed
are the pure in heart for they shall see God,” (Matthew 5:8). </i>The Lord is
always willing to reveal Himself as you are walking with Him but you cannot see
Him without a pure heart. We can confidently say truly our fellowship is with
the Father and His Son Jesus Christ if we love our fellow brothers in the Lord
with a pure heart.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-88700795760650763782015-10-19T07:00:00.000+02:002015-10-21T09:07:05.300+02:00We Obey Jesus Because We Love Him<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There is a great privilege in <a href="http://stanleylistens.blogspot.com/2015/10/keeping-his-word.html" target="_blank">keeping His word</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus said, <i>“He who has My commandments and keeps
them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father,
and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) said to
Him, “Lord how is it that You will manifest Yourself to us and not to the
world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My
word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home
with him,” (John 14:21-23).<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The whole relationship between man and God is based on
love. He sacrificed His only begotten Son because He loved the world so much.
We were His enemies but because He loved us so much Christ died so that we can
be reconciled to Him. He expects nothing less from us, that is why He says you
shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul and with
all your strength.<i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus therefore left us with a new commandment that we
love one another as He loved us. This is the commandment that the Apostle John accentuates
in his letters. <i>“But he who loves his brother abides in the light and there
is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness
and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the
darkness has blinded his eyes,” (1 John 2:10 – 11)<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">By doing this we demonstrate that we know our Lord and
we love Him. That is why Jesus says He will manifest or reveal Himself to us.
Jesus cannot reveal Himself to those who are in darkness, He is the light
therefore Has no fellowship with darkness. That is what sets us apart from the
world. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Judas asked an important question and wanted to find
out how He would do that. Jesus said He,
together with the Father will come and dwell in us – make a home with us. When
we obey His commandments we are basically welcoming Him to dwell in our hearts
and He continually reveals Himself. We know that it is the Holy Spirit that
dwells in us, teaching, guiding and leading us to and through the truth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There is no denying that the word of God is the truth
and obeying it we are simply obeying the truth. The beautiful fact is that God
never forces you to obey His word. He gives you the free will and your
obedience stems from love. Your earthly father may use his authority to force
you to respond positively to his command but God simply needs you to do it out
of love. That is why Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him and
commanded him to take care of his sheep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">There is no way we can love and fellowship with God
without loving one another. There is also no way we can fellowship with God
without holiness. Since God is holy we have to be holy in all our conduct. So
the Apostle John says whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is
perfected in him and by this we know that we are in Him. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-8206140412582363252015-10-12T07:00:00.000+02:002015-10-12T14:12:50.867+02:00Keeping His Word<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">At one point Jesus was teaching and a woman, probably
amazed by the wisdom from this Man screamed in the midst of the crowd blessing
the womb that carried Jesus and the breast that nursed Him. Listen to what the
Lord said;</span><i style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word and keep
it,” (Luke 11:28)</i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We have seen in the <a href="http://stanleylistens.blogspot.com/2015/10/living-in-christ.html" target="_blank">previous post</a> that we communicate
with our Lord best through His word. There is no point in hearing or reading
the word and then fail to do as it says. Keeping the word does not only mean
preserving it but it means also obeying it – doing as it says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Failing to do the word of God is simply failing to
walk in the light. We are still in darkness and because there is no darkness in
the Lord therefore we are not worthy to fellowship with Him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Master Himself rebuked the multitudes, <i>“But why
do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)</i>.
Jesus went on to illustrate that failing to keep his word is like setting
yourself for destruction. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">He likened someone who obeys his word to a man
building a house, who digs down and lays the foundation on a rock. When a flood
comes the house is not swept away because it has a rock solid foundation.
However, the one who hears the word and do not do anything is like a man who
builds a house without a foundation and is easily swept off by the flood and left
in great damage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What a vast difference! The word of the Lord is the
solid foundation of our relationship with God. When we obey the word of the Lord
we are safe because no matter what comes our way we shall remain unshaken and
strong. More than that, God is pleased with us and his love is complete in us. <i>“But
whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we
know that we are in Him,” (1 John 2:5).<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our desire is to be in Him all the time and the only
way is to keep His word. There is no fellowship without love. That is why in
order to know that we are truly in fellowship with Him we need to be perfected
(matured) in love and this comes by keeping His word. Keeping His word means
being obedient to His commands and the greatest commandment is that we should
love one another as the Lord loved us. Jesus says that if we keep this word He
will know that we are His disciples. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 366.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">So basically this is the deal that Jesus puts on the
table; </span><b style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">‘You keep my word I know that you are my disciple and you know that
you are in Me.’</b><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">That is the assurance we have to say truly our fellowship
is with the Lord. We are all God’s children as Christians and if we love one
another we are demonstrating our love for Him. That is why Jesus said if we
love Him we will keep His commandments.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-12716321251017297372015-10-05T07:00:00.000+02:002015-10-05T08:58:04.570+02:00Living In Christ<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Last week we said <a href="http://stanleylistens.blogspot.com/2015/09/dont-be-fooled-by-your-earthly-success.html" target="_blank">earthly success is nothing without Jesus Christ.</a> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Being saved is not only to save us from destruction
but it is about taking our right positions with God. The Word of God says, </span><i style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“For
we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God
prepared beforehand that we should walk in them,” (Ephesians 2:10).</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Being ‘workmanship’ means that we are a product or an
artwork that God made for a specific purpose. We were made to do the works that
God predestined for us to walk in them. God preordained us to walk in light and
we were actually wasting our time and His time whilst we were walking in
darkness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What is also important to note is that we were created
in Christ Jesus. In Him we live, move and have our being. We cannot do the good
works that God prepared for us without being in Christ. Revered Chinese
preacher Watchman Nee once said;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“Outside of Christ, I am only a
sinner; but in Christ, I am saved.
Outside of Christ, I am empty ; in Christ, I am full. Outside of Christ, I am
weak; in Christ, I am strong. Outside of Christ, I cannot; in Christ, I am more
than able. Outside of Christ, I have been defeated; in Christ, I am already
victorious. How meaningful are the words, “in Christ.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We have to understand that we cannot have fellowship
with God seated and folding our arms. Fellowship has to do with a close
relationship that is developed by sharing in a common cause or engagement. You
can get to experience God’s presence in the process of doing good works.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God has created each one of us for a purpose. Our
Master expects us to be the useful vessel that is prepared for the honorable
use. That does not mean we are sinless. Only Jesus Christ has and will ever
live without sin. There will be times that we will slip out of the way and the
enemy cannot wait for that moment to accuse and condemn us. But thank God we
have an Advocate with the Father, the Lord of righteousness Jesus Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When it happens that we fall into sin, we should not turn our backs on
God, instead we should turn back to Him. <i>“If we confess our sins, He is
faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness,” (1 John 1:9).<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When we confess our sins we are actually declaring that we belong to God.
Through Jesus Christ we are shifting positions – from the devil’s presence (darkness)
to the presence of the Lord (light). We begin to walk as children of light,
acceptable and pleasing to our God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The Word of God clearly instructs us, <i>“And have no fellowship with the
unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even
to speak of those things which are done in secret,” (Ephesians 5:11-12).<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">There is no point in us to go searching for what is in the dark. Instead
we should dwell in the presence of the Lord. Like Mary, the sister to Martha,
we should come and sit at the feet of Jesus to hear His Word. The Word will
expose whatever is on the dark because<i>, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and
a light to my path,” (Psalm 119:105). <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The whole purpose of being in fellowship is to know each other better and
foster better communication. What better way to communicate to our God than
through His Word. This is where we find what we can expect from our loving
Father and what He expects from us. And all we do with our Lord is done in the
open and in light. In him there is no darkness at all! </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Join us next week as we talk about the blessings of keeping His word.</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-58372525109460175562015-09-28T07:00:00.000+02:002015-10-21T09:09:22.273+02:00Don't Be Fooled By Your Earthly Success<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">People often wonder why the sinful seem to prosper
than Christians. As a child of God you are struggling, whatever you do does not
seem to be coming up alright. When you look the next person who does not even
know the door to a church building he or she is making it big. That often
distresses the children of God. Why non-believers seem to be successful?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">This is the same question that bothered David at some
point. He said, <i>“When I thought how to understand this, it was too painful
for me – until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood their end.
Surely you set them in slippery places, you cast them to destruction,” (Psalm
73:16-18).<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">David could not find an answer until he went into the
presence of the Lord. When he finally got hold of this secret his mood changed
for the better and committed himself to draw near to God. The fellowship with
God gave him the joy, knowing that God will hold his hand and guide him
through.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The enemy has blinded people of the world to think
that they are succeeding because of their efforts and there ‘aint nothing
stopping them’ to take on the world. They will never see that they are headed
for destruction because they are walking in darkness. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The good news is that Jesus Christ, the Son of the
living God is life. God so loved the world that He sacrificed His son to save
us from destruction<i>. “But God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that
while we were sinners, Christ died for us,” (Romans 5:8). </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Jesus declared Himself as the light of the world <i>(John
8:12)</i> and whoever will follow Him shall not walk in darkness but will have
the light of life. Later in his life John writes, <i>“This is the message which
we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him there
is no darkness at all,” (1 John 1:5).</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We cannot continue to walk in darkness and claim we
are also in fellowship with God. To walk in darkness simply means living a
sinful life. We have a commandment from God to repent from our sins. It is true
that we have a sinful nature as human beings, which is the work of the devil
but Christ was manifested to destroy the works of the devil. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is impossible to have fellowship with God whilst
you are still in darkness and thus it is impossible to have fullness of joy
whilst you are still walking in darkness. The challenge is that the things that
pertains to God are spiritual and without the Spirit of God you cannot fully
grasp them. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You have to accept Christ as your Saviour and by the grace of God,
through your faith you will be saved. You have to believe in your heart and
confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord. Don’t be fooled by your earthly success, it
is worth nothing without Jesus! Join us next week as we get to understand the goodness of<a href="http://stanleylistens.blogspot.com/2015/10/living-in-christ.html" target="_blank"> 'Living in Christ'.</a> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-30784291180606444282015-09-21T07:00:00.000+02:002015-09-21T08:50:11.665+02:00Sin Robs Us of Our Joy<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://stanleylistens.blogspot.com/2015/09/joy-in-presence-of-lord.html" target="_blank">Last week</a> we talked about joy being found in the presence of the Lord. If we want to be in fellowship with our God it is
imperative to consider what can separate us from Him. There is only one thing
that causes a wall of separation between us and Him – sin. The wise king
Solomon – writing in his late years reflecting on his own life – says</span><i style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">,
“Truly, this only I have found; that God made man upright. But they have sought
out many schemes,” (Ecclesiastes 7:29).</i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sin blinds our spiritual eyes and thus we are in
darkness. Therefore it renders us handicap because we are not in a position to
see things of the kingdom of God. We are in fact not partakers of the kingdom
of God. We have nothing to do with the kingdom of heaven. We belong to the
world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If we do not belong to the kingdom of God it only
means that we belong to the kingdom of the devil, who is the god of this world.
Darkness rules in this kingdom. In darkness you cannot see where you are going
and you are bound to trip over now and then because you cannot see where you
are going. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It marvels me when I hear people who are obviously
still living in the world claiming to be worshipping God in their own way. It
is common for people to remember to pray to God when they encounter challenges
in life and hope that He will hear their prayers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">For a long time in my life I was also caught up in
this web. With a very strong Christian background I had the idea that I can
pray and God will hear me. Before I surrendered my life to Christ I went
through a stage when I desired to be in fellowship with God. I bought my first
Bible (I only owned a Bible as a textbook in high school). I spent time trying
to pray and read the Bible even though I had not repented from my sins. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I was only fooling myself. God does not hear the
prayers of a sinner. In fact, when we are still living in sin we are alienated
from God. This means that we are foreigners in His kingdom. There is no
communication between us and the things of the Kingdom of God. Trying to talk
to God as a sinner is more like trying to speak English to a Portuguese
speaking person. He does not understand your language and you do not understand
his language. A sinner cannot comprehend the spiritual things because Jesus
says, <i>“…the words that I speak to you
are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63)</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The sad news is that sin leads to death. First and
foremost we need to understand that we were all created by God. The devil has
never created anything. However he uses God’s creation as instruments of his
wickedness. He makes one a slave for sin. He does not care what impact it makes
on the person he is using. He is not interested in his or her wellbeing.
Instead he thrives on destruction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; tab-stops: 399.0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">However, this the good news; Jesus has come to give us
abundant life (John 10:10). He has come to usher us into the presence of God
where there is everlasting joy. He has come to help us overcome a life of sin,
which robs us of our joy. In Him there
is forgiveness of sins. Believe in Jesus and be saved!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-62313140276480391252015-09-14T07:00:00.000+02:002015-09-14T08:11:36.038+02:00Joy In the Presence of the Lord<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">King David says, </span><i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">“In Your presence
there is fullness of joy,” </i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">(Psalm 16:11). This tells us that to enjoy life
we have to live in the presence of the Lord. We have to realize that we have an
amazing Father-son relationship with God. Therefore we should not be afraid to
utilize that special privilege we attained through our Lord Jesus Christ. We
have to be in constant fellowship with Him and we will realize the fullness of
joy that David experienced when he wrote the psalm.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I have observed with appreciation the
words of aging men in the Bible. In most cases they speak experience, maturity
and authority. In his old days David stated that he had not seen one who
belongs to God forsaken. Here is a man who had lived his life in perpetual
danger of being killed - at some point he
had to be on the run because his own son wanted to kill him – declaring
victory. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Although he was continuously troubled
David always rejoiced in the Lord. He had unspeakable joy that made him long
for the Lord even in times of trouble. At some point he was in the wilderness
running away from Saul, obviously hungry, thirsty and tired. But take note of
his words (Psalm 63:1-5), disregarding his circumstances;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">“O GOD, You are my God<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Early will I seek You;<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My soul thirst for You;<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My flesh longs for You<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In a dry and thirsty land<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Where there is no water.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So I have looked for You in the
sanctuary,<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">To see Your power and Your glory.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Because Your lovingkindness is better
than life<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My lips shall praise You.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Thus I will bless You while I live;<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will lift up my hands in Your name.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My soul shall be satisfied as with
marrow and fatness,<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 1in; text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And my mouth shall praise You with
joyful lips.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No wonder when he was advanced in years he testified that he had not seen
a man belonging to God being forsaken. He lived his life in the presence of the
Lord and experienced the fullness of joy.
When he was supposed to be thinking of his safety and well-being, he
longed to fellowship with His God. That is one man God endorsed as to be after
His heart. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another old man who knew living in the presence of the Lord is Joshua.
When he was old and about to die, he called the people of Israel to deliver his
farewell speech. He instructed them to hold fast (cleave) to the Lord. He said, <i>“Behold, this day I am going the
way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and all your souls that
not one thing has failed of all good things which the LORD your God spoke
concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed,”
(Joshua 23:14).</i> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Our God is a faithful God. When we cling to Him we will not fail. No
matter what we are going through at that particular moment, it is all complete
in the presence of the Lord. When we are in constant communion with the Lord we
shall not be afraid because we know that He will be with us. This therefore
means that we are not bothered by what is happening but we have an everlasting
joy knowing that we are more than conquerors. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-9536605605037811962015-09-07T13:16:00.000+02:002015-09-07T15:17:11.754+02:00Pursue Joy<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It is human nature to be in pursuit
of happiness but it is divine nature to pursue joy. We are living in a world
that is always chasing after happiness but on the contrary there is much misery
and disappointment in the world. People are not at peace. Their minds and
hearts are increasingly troubled. There is no happiness in the world
unfortunately. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Should we be pursuing happiness in
the first place? There is a danger there because happiness is dependent on what
is happening around. Happiness is defined as an agreeable feeling or condition of
the soul arising from good fortune or propitious happening of any kind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When you get that monthly pay slip
you feel happy. When someone says you have won the game you are happy. It is
dependent on what is happening at the moment. It is temporary and in the
absence of what will trigger that kind of excitement you drown in the pool of
anxiety. Stress levels rocket sky high as the situation persists. Happiness is
not sustainable and it is not sustaining.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Instead of happiness we are better
pursuing joy. This refers to gladness (joyful satisfaction) or the state of
being pleased. Joy is more than just happiness because it has to do with being
content. Responding to the generosity of the Philippians whilst he was in
prison, Paul says, <i>“But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your
care has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity.
Not that I speak in regard to need, for I learned in whatever state I am, to be
content;” (Philippians 4:10 – 11)</i><b>. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Whilst Paul was happy that the
Philippians had sent him a gift, his joy was in the fact that finally the
Philippians had their desire to show love fulfilled. Note that Paul said “I
rejoiced in the Lord…” This is in line to what he encourages the Philippians to
do, <i>“Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say it, rejoice! (Philippians
4:4)</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As believers
we ought to rejoice always. After all we belong to the Kingdom of God which is
described as righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The big
difference is that happiness is the condition of the soul (mind) arising from
happening of any kind and joy is an exhilaration of the spirit and comes from
the Lord . Happiness is temporary and joy is eternal.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-36552000958064746162015-05-19T08:00:00.000+02:002015-05-19T13:22:42.272+02:00Developing Inner Strength<div dir="ltr">
The Christian journey needs people with the inner strength that will sustain them when it gets tough. It's how you walk that will determine how far you go. </div>
<div dir="ltr">
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
I must state that developing inner strength is a progressive process and each challenge we encounter helps us to grow stronger. </div>
<div dir="ltr">
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
There is so much we can learn from the Bible and today I want us to draw some lessons from Jesus' apostles, Peter and John. In the early days of their ministry, post the Day of Pentecost when there was the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they faced serious challenges. </div>
<div dir="ltr">
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
In Acts 4 we read of their arrest for preaching about Jesus Christ and in particular healing of a crippled man who used to sit by the Temple's gate begging for money. A few things we can learn from their experience. What is clear during their ordeal is their boldness which is a result of inner strength. Three principles we can learn from the two.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<b>Walk in the Spirit</b></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<strong></strong> </div>
<div dir="ltr">
When they were interrogated on the power they had done these things Peter had the audacity to tell the Jewish leaders that the man had been healed through the power of the name of Jesus Christ. The author (Luke) tells us that Peter was filled with the Holy Spirit.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
God strengthens us through the Holy Spirit who dwells in our inner being. God himself makes a home in the hearts of believers. That's why we boldly claim, <em>"Greater is He who is within us than the one in the world." </em></div>
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</div>
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The Jewish were mesmerized by the boldness of these two apostles who were less educated but were with Jesus.The difference was that they lived according to the dictates of Holy Spirit.</div>
<div dir="ltr">
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
<strong>Walk by Faith</strong> </div>
<div dir="ltr">
</div>
<div dir="ltr">
Peter and John fully trusted God. Their faith was established in God and their desire was to please Him. When they were sternly warned not to mention the name of Jesus again, they told them point blank that they would rather obey God than men. Their faith in God made them not to be shaken in spite of the circumstances. They applied the principle, <em>"We walk by faith not by sight."</em></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<br />
<strong>Walk with other Saints</strong></div>
<div dir="ltr">
<strong></strong> </div>
<div dir="ltr">
When they were released they went to the other believers and shared with them their ordeal. Together with the believers they prayed for boldness such that there was an earthquake where they were assembled.</div>
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</div>
<div dir="ltr">
You need people who will encourage and support you, people who will carry your burdens with you. These people did not pray for the removal of the challenge but they prayed for inner strength to overcome. These are the kind of people you need to surround yourself with to help you develop your inner strength.</div>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNomPCVW9wDsnwGPMFOoFl5uXFiW5idZ54ih8M6yeu1y3eIJW7ANiEYMk3uEXr_8aP5dozVe91CUkXTOPxLk1uqR2yDuBJf0HS842yOkrF77amVbAY2JCiEWz1EJs-_fmXpWHpi3ArJCb/s1600/instaquote-17-05-2015-21-32-33-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgNomPCVW9wDsnwGPMFOoFl5uXFiW5idZ54ih8M6yeu1y3eIJW7ANiEYMk3uEXr_8aP5dozVe91CUkXTOPxLk1uqR2yDuBJf0HS842yOkrF77amVbAY2JCiEWz1EJs-_fmXpWHpi3ArJCb/s640/instaquote-17-05-2015-21-32-33-1.png" /> </a> </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-37149920704140244632015-05-17T18:48:00.001+02:002015-05-17T20:12:40.422+02:00Empowered With Inner Strength<p dir=ltr>I am sitting here thinking of the Christian journey. In my mind there's someone who has had to endure many difficulties in life but still manages to smile. This person has this inexplicable joy and peace in spite of the many trials.</p>
<p dir=ltr>Questions keep flooding my mind. What is it that keeps one going when quitting would be the easiest and less costly option? How does one truly hopes "this too shall pass" when all logic suggests otherwise? How does one deal with all the negative voices coming from everywhere, whispering discouragement?</p>
<p dir=ltr>We will face challenges now and then. Some may be short term and some may last longer. But through it all we must rejoice in the Lord. We must thank God in all circumstances.</p>
<p dir=ltr>As I am writing this piece Andrae Crouch's song <i>'Through It All</i>' is impressed in my heart. The last verse goes like this;</p>
<p dir=ltr><i>I thank God for the mountains,</i><br>
<i>and I thank Him for the valleys,</i><br>
<i>I thank Him for the storms</i><br>
<i>He brought me through</i><br>
<i>For if I'd never had a problem,</i><br>
<i>I wouldn't know God could solve them,</i><br>
<i>I'd never know what faith in God could do...</i></p>
<p dir=ltr>It takes someone with inner strength to sing these words when things seem to be going from bad to worse. Only God can supply such strength. Only God can give you inner strength to face any trouble with much boldness and joy till the storm passes over. Each challenge is an opportunity to demonstrate God's power. It only takes someone empowered with inner strength to have such a view of life.</p>
<p dir=ltr>This is my prayer for you;</p>
<p dir=ltr><b><i>"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit."</i></b><i> - Ephesians 3:16 NLT</i></p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAUAidUjHIXK8iy5LaCTRecju_Coeu64ghVv5OBo0-6EQKWayutBMKiV3dOlXvHtRPpWip3_bAMjWP5r5d1z9ShhAgh3uHUzTpGSwvbjIXt9SBTHRGyqMMoSg9A_dywErJ-YM6K8aFpde/s1600/instaquote-17-05-2015-20-08-41-1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmAUAidUjHIXK8iy5LaCTRecju_Coeu64ghVv5OBo0-6EQKWayutBMKiV3dOlXvHtRPpWip3_bAMjWP5r5d1z9ShhAgh3uHUzTpGSwvbjIXt9SBTHRGyqMMoSg9A_dywErJ-YM6K8aFpde/s640/instaquote-17-05-2015-20-08-41-1.png"> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-34821816762112778902015-05-14T23:40:00.001+02:002015-05-16T07:30:07.174+02:00Living An Impactful Life - Part 2<p dir=ltr>It scares me when I hear people saying they are better off without Christians in their midst. It really pains me when I hear people saying they have lost confidence in Christians. And my friend, I have heard that many times.</p>
<p dir=ltr>If you happen to be one of those people, I just want to assure you that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes. Don't lose confidence in Him.</p>
<p dir=ltr>Thinking about Jesus, I am reminded that during His earthly ministry He came through for many who had lost hope. Those who desperately needed Him were  touched by His compassionate heart and were saved - physically and spiritually.</p>
<p dir=ltr>In our <a href="http:// stanleylistens.blogspot.com/2015/05/living-impactful-life.html?m=1">last post</a> we talked about a woman named Dorcas whose life was a blessing to the less privileged. The people who were impacted by her life were desperately hopeless in her death. But when they heard that Peter was around, they had confidence in him that he will bring a solution hence they requested him to come as soon as possible.</p>
<p dir=ltr>We learn that living an impactful life will land you into difficult situations and you must be the solution. When people see you they see hope. When people see you they will know their problems will be solved. They will leave it all to you. <i>They will say,</i><i> "Ngoba sekukhona wena konkhe sekulungile." </i>(Now that you are here all is well). </p>
<p dir=ltr>That is not easy. In fact, it's scary. I don't know what was in Peter's mind when he was called to 'solve the problem' (Dorcas' death). These people wanted their beloved one alive, end of story! He had to make a difference.</p>
<p dir=ltr>He could have said, "She is dead, there is nothing I can do," and settle with strengthening them with comforting words. But as a man whose mission was to make an impact, he had to take a leap of faith and go beyond the ordinary. </p>
<p dir=ltr>This scene draws us into Peter's secret. To live an impactful life, he knew his Creator. That's why before he did anything, he had to have a one-on-one talk with the Giver of life. He ordered everyone out and knelt down and prayed. What happened after that was extraordinary and supernatural. Dorcas came back to life. This news spread throughout the town, Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. What an impact!</p>
<p dir=ltr>If we are to live an impactful life, we must know the Author of life. We must have a strong and deep relationship with the Author of life. We must depend upon the Author of life!</p>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-73766700316506630982015-05-14T21:46:00.001+02:002015-05-14T22:27:26.579+02:00Living An Impactful Life<p dir="ltr">"<b><i>She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor." - Acts 9:36</i></b></p>
<p dir="ltr">The story of Dorcas is very brief but very insightful. Quickly we are told of her life, death, and amazingly her resurrection from death. Don't we all wish our beloved ones who have responded to the Lord's call could be raised from the dead? We find solace in the knowledge that those who died as believers shall be raised and live eternally.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The focus of the story is on the impact Dorcas made while she was still alive. She was a dressmaker and she used her occupation to serve the Lord. She stitched her life into the hearts of the less privileged.</p>
<p dir="ltr">We are told that she fell sick and died. Fortunately Peter was in a nearby town where he was preaching and he was called to the room where Dorcas body was. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showed Peter the coats and clothes that Dorcas had made for them. Peter had to ask them to excuse him as he prayed for the resurrection of this woman and the awesome God answered the prayer. How wonderful!</p>
<p dir="ltr">The death of Dorcas was devastating to the widows simply because she had made a difference in their lives. She cared about them and endeavored to use the very talent that God blessed her with to serve them. She brought a smile to their faces and in her they experienced the love of God.</p>
<p dir="ltr">It's a challenge to all of us, especially those who profess to be disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. What impact are you making in society? Whose life are you changing? Are you using the skill or talent that God has blessed you with to bless others? That one act of kindness can change someone's life for good. </p>
<p dir="ltr">When you depart from this planet, who is going to be standing at your graveside saying, "_________(insert your name) is gone but he/she has made an impact in my life and here's evidence." </p>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxgEP13ezDAl_S0IQrDWoIRohapy7k4fvsabcYwR5Z3Hdohqivvuj7oJlBI_uHQjfjgVRl2srB1iIFIHF5et1NET5yOWXBwMIukjAIPBjmgKFao213cF_o2L-WTlbpotxo0mUl492eLpqa/s1600/1431634026096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxgEP13ezDAl_S0IQrDWoIRohapy7k4fvsabcYwR5Z3Hdohqivvuj7oJlBI_uHQjfjgVRl2srB1iIFIHF5et1NET5yOWXBwMIukjAIPBjmgKFao213cF_o2L-WTlbpotxo0mUl492eLpqa/s640/1431634026096.jpg"> </a> </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0Msunduza, Msunduza-26.329987 31.153141tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-17174443832487507672014-11-09T08:00:00.000+02:002014-11-09T08:00:05.740+02:00Living Your Legacy<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">“These
instructions are not empty words – they are your life! By obeying them you will
enjoy a long life in the land you will occupy when you cross the Jordan River.”
(Deut 32:47)</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some sobering thoughts came to mind a while back – the kind
of thoughts we usually choose not to entertain. If you were told that your days
are numbered, what would you tell the people close to you? What would you want
to be remembered for? What legacy would you want to leave behind?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, someone might say, “I don’t care what people say about
me, even worse when I am dead and gone!” Truth is people will have something to
say about you and honestly, that should not bother you. All you have to do is
to be who you are.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It matters who you are. Your character speaks volumes.
People will be largely impacted by who you are than what you say. They will
remember how you have touched their lives through the way you lived your own
life. I often say that there is someone looking up to you and model their lives
along yours. Whatever you do will mean something to them. Therefore, it is
important to mind your steps in this journey called life for your sake and for
their sake.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Scripture asserts that if only people were wise they
would think about their ending. For a moment let us dig from this well of wisdom
and ponder over the end of our journey on this planet. People will be paying
their tributes, reminiscing of the good times they spent with you. They will be
narrating what a ‘good’ person you were. Question is what kind of a person will
they say you were?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is always something they will always remember about
you. Sadly, if you were a person of bad character they will remember you for
simply that. If you were a person of good character they will remember just
that. Again this begs the question, what
kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In case you still maintain that you do not care what people
will say about you after you are dead and gone I want to challenge you further.
What will God say about you? Will he be proud of the kind of life you are living?
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My friend, we have a high calling. We are called to exercise
godliness. We are called to be like Christ, holy and righteous. We are called
to point people to Christ through our lives. We have to preach through our
lives more than our words. We are called to lead people to life – eternal life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Before his death, Moses left a legacy for the Israelites. He
gave them God’s law in the form of a book. He commanded that this book should be read to
ALL people so that they would learn to fear the Lord and it was to be obeyed in
every detail. It was to be taken to heart.
It was to be passed from generation to generation. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He lived his last 40 years declaring the Word of God to his
people and that is all he could give to them. He said, <i>“These instructions
are not empty words – they are your life! By obeying them you will enjoy a long
life in the land you will occupy when you cross the Jordan River.” (Deuteronomy 32:47).
</i>Today he is remembered for what is known as the Law of Moses.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What legacy are you going to leave for the people close to
you? You are living that legacy now.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-22931566885816075672014-02-19T17:00:00.001+02:002014-02-20T07:58:26.953+02:00INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: The Brevity of Life<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom."</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>- Psalm 90:12 NLT</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There is a man whose writings and ministry inspires me and his name is Angus Buchan. In reference to an incident whereby one moment he was on the platform, preaching his heart out to the biggest crowd of men that's ever gathered for a conference in South Africa and the next moment he was lying in the grass, helpless, possibly due to a heart attack; he wrote in his book <i><b>Coming of Age: The Road to Spiritual Maturity:</b></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">I have, in the last three weeks, come to the full realization </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">of the meaning of the words “brevity of life”. I’m sixty-one </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">years old as I write this book and it’s taken me sixty-one </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">years to come of age. It’s a funny thing, you can go on </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">preaching and teaching about the importance of life, tell </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">your children, your congregation, your friends, the world, </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">but unless the Holy Spirit reveals it to you in a very drastic </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">way, you never really understand what it means when you </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">hear that life is but a vapour. It’s like the grass of the field. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">It’s here today but gone tomorrow. Especially when you </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">are a young person, you think you’re going to live forever. </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">It really saddens my heart more and more each day as it </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">seems as if there are more young people dying than older </span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">people, especially in our beloved continent of Africa.</span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">In most cases death reminds us that we are just passing by on this earth. In fact, most of the time we do not want to be reminded that there is a day that is coming where we will have to say goodbye to this world. We live our lives like we are permanent citizens of this planet.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">How I pray that we may be wise. How I pray that we may realize that life is short. How I pray that we may start living with full realization that life indeed is a vapour. I know that sometimes we do not want to entertain such a subject. I know that sometimes we do not even want to entertain the message that Jesus is coming back very soon. I believe that devil has his hold on us so that we live life as if we are in total control of our number of days on this planet.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Psalmist says, <i>"Teach us the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." </i>On the other hand Paul says, <i>"See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is." (Ephesians 5:15-17 NKJV).</i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When we begin to understand the brevity of life we will live circumspectly, as wise people. To be circumspect is to think carefully about possible risks before doing or saying something. Foolish people speak before they think and they act before they think but wise people take everything into consideration before they find themselves in trouble. If you understand the brevity of life, you will act wisely.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My dear friend, as we go about our daily lives, let us live as if this is our last day on earth. That means let us make sure that we have a right relationship with God. Let us be mindful of how we conduct our selves. Life is short. Most importantly, let us seek the will of the Lord. If we understand the brevity of life, we will understand the need to do the will of the one who holds our lives in His hand. His name is Jesus. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My prayer is; </span><i style="color: #001320; font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;"><b>"Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom."</b></i></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-87691326144806889322014-02-11T17:22:00.001+02:002014-02-11T19:46:18.621+02:00INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: He Daily Bears Our Burdens<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,</i></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>who daily bears our burdens."</i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>- Psalm 68:19</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
There are times in life when you just want to give up. These are the times when things just do not go right. These are the times when it seems like God is not listening to you,,, in fact He seems so far away. These are the times when words just don't come out when you try to pray... the burdens that you are carrying seem to be too heavy for you.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Child of God, this is a very painful and dangerous phase in life. It is painful because you have done everything right but everything seems to go wrong. It is dangerous because the enemy finds an opportunity to whisper little lies to you. He will whisper to you that "God doesn't care about you". He will say, "You are on your own now!" </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It's a lie my dear friend, its a lie. The truth is that our God has promised that He will never leave you or forsake you. In fact, He draws closer to those with a broken heart or a broken spirit. Our Lord Jesus Christ shares your pain. He loves you. He cares about you. He is with you. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
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Peter advises that you cast all your anxiety on God because He cares for you. Remember that invitation by our Savior Jesus Christ, <i>"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28). </i></div>
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No human being can afford to carry all your burdens. Offload everything to Jesus. Don't worry, He never grows tired of hearing your voice. Trust Him, He will take care of your burdens. Don't run away from away from Him, instead run to Him all the time, everyday because He daily bears our burdens. He is our Lord. He is our God. He is our Savior. He loves us so much. </div>
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</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-87042963372970788322012-12-06T12:39:00.001+02:002012-12-06T12:49:03.181+02:00I Trust In The Faithfulness of God<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You have to go through certain experiences to experience the faithfulness of God. The Christian journey is not just a walk in the park. Our adversary, the devil is always plotting and devising strategies to make us fail along the way. His aim is that we move from our right position with our Creator. He will use any trick in the book to ensure that we lose our balance and focus. But at the end of the day we should come out boldly and proclaim, <i>"I will trust in the faithfulness of God."</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have come to realize that the devil will use two key instruments to attack us - trials and temptations. Remember, his aim is that we fall into sin which leads to death. He will either <i>push you</i> (through trials) or <i>pull you</i> (through temptations). What matters the most is not what the devil does, but is how you react or respond to his tricks. You need to resist him and stand firm. How do you stand firm if you to not trust in the faithfulness of God?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Isaiah prophesied (Isaiah 40:6-7);</span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"All flesh is grass, </span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The grass withers, the flower fades,</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Because the breath of the LORD blows upon it;</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Surely the people are grass.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The grass withers, the flower fades</span></i></div>
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<i><b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But the word of our God stands forever"</span></b></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God has promised not to leave us or forsake us. The sweetest words I always cherish from the LORD are often whispered in the midst of everything going on, when you feel you are alone or no one can understand what you are going through. He will come with that still voice and say, <i>"I AM WITH YOU!" </i>Sometimes it will make no sense but I choose to believe Him because I know He is faithful. Even when we are faithless, He remains faithful. His word stands forever. I trust in His faithfulness!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year has been a year of learning for me. In different aspects of my life I have been learning new things and being exposed to new settings. Above all, I have been learning to serve my Master. Listen carefully when Jesus says, <i>"Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls," (Matthew 11:29). </i>What He meant was that we have to be His students, His disciples. In this instance the yoke symbolizes partnership with Christ and the Lordship of Christ. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The learning process is not easy, but Jesus is faithful to be on your side - when you choose to take His yoke. This learning process calls for obedience and submission to the Lordship of Christ - but He is such a humble teacher. Sometimes you may feel like giving up because of the amount of trials and temptations you face during the learning process - but He is such a gentle teacher. He is faithful to remind you, <i>"I AM STILL WITH YOU!"</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">God is actively involved in the affairs of His people - those who trust in Him. In a few weeks we will be celebrating the birth of our Saviour, our Redeemer, the author and finisher of our faith, the Captain of our salvation, Jesus Christ. His birth was announced many years before it actually happened and Matthew captured the prophecy, <i>"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." (Matthew 1:23). </i>Through His Son Jesus Christ, God chose to dwell amongst us and through<i> </i>the Holy Spirit, He is dwelling in us. He is with us everywhere we go and in whatever we are experiencing. He is watching the path of the righteous. He is faithful. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My dear friend, I have been quiet for quite long in this space, but I have been listening and learning - still I am learning. The biggest lesson I have learnt so far is that I can confidently trust in His faithfulness. Even when I go astray, He is faithful to bring me back to His path. His everlasting Word is the lamp on my feet which gives light on my path. Each step that I take, the light continues to shine a step farther. In Him there is no darkness at all. </span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Great is thy faithfulness!</span></i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-4251626935458639502012-02-23T16:35:00.002+02:002012-02-23T16:35:48.636+02:00INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: Under 24 Hour Surveillance<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHmyt1ZgDxYfe3_D_yOaohw1pmOswlyuYfFMwhjRL8W01QT9XmiLCrvwtb7kGHjAhtvYH-xJJ-HT_-LYyBQCnlHliPbICrvcr4C4razy26Ki4ORqTrFtXaWyx1FyzCM9VlqZ3g8la3WbO/s1600/g134_sml.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHmyt1ZgDxYfe3_D_yOaohw1pmOswlyuYfFMwhjRL8W01QT9XmiLCrvwtb7kGHjAhtvYH-xJJ-HT_-LYyBQCnlHliPbICrvcr4C4razy26Ki4ORqTrFtXaWyx1FyzCM9VlqZ3g8la3WbO/s1600/g134_sml.gif" /></a><span style="background-color: #f9fdff; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><i></i></span><br />
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<i>"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those <b>whose hearts are fully committed to him</b>..." </i></div>
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<span style="background-color: #f9fdff; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><i>- 2 Chronicles 16:9 </i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Walking past any property with the sign like the one above stating that the property is under constant surveillance you know that something important is being protected. Such a sign tells you that you can not enter that property without permission otherwise you will be treated as a trespasser and in some cases you will find a notice, "Trespassers will be prosecuted".</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">When you come across such a security notice you should know that the owner reserves the right to decide who is allowed into the property and who is restricted. The owner or authorized persons can decide when they can let people in and when they can 'chuck' people out. It is within their rights and authority to do so and you have to respect that, failing which you will face the consequences. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">To be allowed into the property, you should be known who you are. Sometimes you may be required to declare your mission or your purpose for the visit. When you enter such a property with ulterior motives, the owner of the property has the authority to give out an order that the security personnel arrest you. Every move you make is under surveillance and recorded to ensure that you do not engage in any other business other the one that you have come for. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">My dear friend, I just want to tell you that you are the Lord God Almighty's property. Your life is under 24 hours God's surveillance. <i>"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him..." (2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV). </i></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">God is always watching over you. Any person or situation that comes into your life without His permission will have to deal with the owner of the property, God Himself. Anyone who comes to your life without permission from God is the enemy and the enemy comes with the motive to destroy anything good. But we are not shaken because we know that Jesus Christ came to the world to destroy the works of our adversary the devil.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLAusiZTVnuQzun5lxqX7Ucp-owvRrRJW5fnRUtTpLdP4RXli3mA6xZWyYZSOwu7vOPHKMGp32f1R3RoH_cEAdB3uyH9w5kmIYg6NIJKAU1VN5dolkuI1s8t8g8yqSiS7H1m7OuYEw8N7/s1600/trspa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLAusiZTVnuQzun5lxqX7Ucp-owvRrRJW5fnRUtTpLdP4RXli3mA6xZWyYZSOwu7vOPHKMGp32f1R3RoH_cEAdB3uyH9w5kmIYg6NIJKAU1VN5dolkuI1s8t8g8yqSiS7H1m7OuYEw8N7/s200/trspa.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">We are always looking for security but many of us do not realize the amount of security that the Lord has freely provided for us. When you doubt the security that you have, you will live in fear. When you hear any strange noise you panic thinking trespassers are already inside your premises. You will end up sending false alarms because of fear. Isn't that what we do at the slightest encounter with problems?</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">When you know that you are secured and you understand that you live without fear. You are free to do anything because you know that nothing will harm you because you have God providing security for you. No weapon formed against you shall prosper because your God is your shield.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">It is only when you step out of your secured dwelling place that you will be exposed to danger and the enemy will laugh at the opportunity to finish with you. <i>"</i></span></span><span style="background-color: #f9fdff; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i>We know that God's children do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them." (1 John 5:18 NLT). </i>God protects those who are fully committed to Him, who trust in Him in everything. The only thing that takes you out of His secured place is sin. That is why Jesus would say, "sin no more!" </span></div>
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<span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">God is everywhere and He strengthens those who are loyal to Him. As someone said, "Security is not the absence of danger, but the presence of God, no matter what the danger."</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">"Because you have made the</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span class="small-caps" style="background-color: white; font-variant: small-caps; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">who is</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">my refuge, </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Even</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: -webkit-auto;">the Most High, your dwelling place,</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Ps-91-10" id="en-NKJV-15406" style="background-color: white; position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: block; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: text-top;">10 </sup></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i style="background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;"><span class="text Ps-91-10" id="en-NKJV-15406" style="position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;">No evil shall befall you,</span></i></span></i></div>
<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="text Ps-91-10" style="background-color: white; position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;"><span class="text Ps-91-10" style="position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;</span></i></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-91-11" id="en-NKJV-15407" style="background-color: white; position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: block; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: text-top;">11 </sup><div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;"><span class="text Ps-91-11" id="en-NKJV-15407" style="position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;">For He shall give His angels charge over you,</span></i></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-91-11" style="background-color: white; position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;"><span class="text Ps-91-11" style="position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;">To keep you in all your ways.</span></i></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-91-12" id="en-NKJV-15408" style="background-color: white; position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: block; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: text-top;">12 </sup><div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;"><span class="text Ps-91-12" id="en-NKJV-15408" style="position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;">In their hands they shall bear you up,</span></i></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-91-12" style="background-color: white; position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;"><span class="text Ps-91-12" style="position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Lest you dash your foot against a stone.</span></i></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-91-13" id="en-NKJV-15409" style="background-color: white; position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><sup class="versenum" style="display: block; font-weight: bold; left: -4.8em; position: absolute; text-align: center; vertical-align: text-top;">13 </sup><div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;"><span class="text Ps-91-13" id="en-NKJV-15409" style="position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;">You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,</span></i></div>
</span><span class="text Ps-91-13" style="background-color: white; position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="background-color: transparent; text-align: justify;"><span class="text Ps-91-13" style="position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;">The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot." </span></i></div>
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<span class="text Ps-91-13" style="background-color: white; position: relative; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">- (Psalm 91:9-13)</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #003399; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-88402335339916789212012-02-08T14:58:00.000+02:002012-02-08T14:58:37.363+02:00INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: What Counts The Most?<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f9fdff; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><i>"It doesn't matter whether we have been circumcised or not. <b>What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation."</b> </i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f9fdff; color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; text-align: justify;"><i>- Galatians 6:15 (NLT)</i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i><br />
</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">We spend most of our time and energy focusing on the things that count the least. We find ourselves arguing over issues that do not matter much. We become 'experts' on the Christian life, always identifying the wrongs and being the armchair critics of Christianity. At the end of the day this does not bring any value to us or to anyone else.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">It is imperative that we start focusing our thoughts and energies on the things that count the most. The more we turn our focus on the things that matter, the more we experience the goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ. The more we consider what counts the most, the more we realize the great things that God is doing in our lives. The more we acknowledge and appreciate His amazing grace.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Paul says what counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. The mere mention of the word 'transform' changes our outlook. It opens our eyes that and we see that something must have happened. Transformation begins the day we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. This is only a beginning.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Being transformed means we were in a certain state and now we have assumed a new form. We were conformed to the world but now we have been transformed to be godly beings. The state of godliness is one that we are continually striving to achieve. We will continue until the Lord returns.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">God's desire is to transform our character. Everyday, through the Holy Spirit, God is transforming us to be like Christ. It will be folly for us to think this transformation process is a nice experience all the time. At times it calls for us to endure the hardest of times. Until you understand the transformation process, you will keep on mourning over your circumstances instead of thanking God that He is forming 'Christ in you.'</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Early in my Christian walk I used to pray,<i> "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death," (</i></span></span><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><i>Philippians 3:10). </i>My God is a faithful God and He answers prayers. He answered this prayer (and I think He is still answering this prayer). 'Fellowship of sharing in his sufferings' sounds so sweet when you say it, but when you experience this fellowship it is a different experience. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Later I realized that through my hardships the Lord was transforming me into the patience of Christ. So many times we get excited over the promises of God such that we do not realize that the Lord has to lead us through problematic experiences before He provides. He has to lead you through the wilderness before He takes you to Canaan.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">The Lord wants to transform us into a new creation. He wants to transform the way we think. He wants to transform our attitudes. Ultimately, He wants to transform our character to be like Him. He is holy and He wants us to be holy. He wants to transform us from glory to glory! </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #001320; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;">Let us not be worried about what is happening in our lives. Let us not be worried about who says what about us. Let us not be worried about the fact that we are going through trials and tribulations. It doesn't matter what we are going through right now. What counts the most is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.</span></div><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-22324002909636749102011-12-07T10:05:00.002+02:002011-12-07T10:17:35.082+02:00INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: Let Us Lift Our Hearts And Hands<div style="text-align: center;"><em><strong>"<span style="font-family: Arial;">Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven." </span></strong></em></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial;"><em><strong>- Lamentations 3:41</strong></em></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">We have heard it so many times that when one door closes, another door opens. What if one door closes and the next door does not open? When you lose your job you often have the hope that another door will soon open and soon seems to be eternity. When you lose that business opportunity you always hope that another one will come and it seems like you will wait forever. When you are heartbroken because of a failed relationship it seems like all the good people are taken and you will not have another chance to love again.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">What do you do when you find yourself stuck between a door that was closed behind you and the one that is locked before you? That place is usually dark and your days are dark as well. You know what they say, "when days are dark friends are few!' That place, that moment, is usually lonely. What do you do?</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I have learnt through my few experiences and I have believed in the words of the psalmist, <em>"It is good for me to draw near to God" (Psalm 73:28). </em>When you are alone in that lonely and dark place of your life, God is there with you. The things that continue to distract you, and keep you from seeing His face are gone. It is you and God. The people who will want to spend time with you and keep you occupied are no where in sight. It is you and God. The people or things you normally turn to when you are in need are out of reach. It is you and God. The voices that continually disturb you from hearing God's voice are dead. It is you and God.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">This is the perfect time for you to sit back and examine your position with God. This is the perfect time to do what some like to call soul searching. This is the time when you allow God to take over your life and mould you to be what He wants you to be. This is the time for purification. This is the time for clarity. This is the time to turn your eyes to Jesus. This is the time to lift up your heart and and hands to our Father in heaven. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">I have come to realize that sometimes the hard knocks in life are a way God draws us closer to Him. I have learnt that through the moments when I lost what I thought were the most important things in life, God revealed Himself as the most important being in my life. His grace is sufficient for me. I have learnt that God used the low moments in my life to reveal His greatness in my life.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">When I was caught between closed doors, I was in the right position to listen to God as He redirected my life. It was during this moment that God reminded me what He has assigned me to do before I depart from this planet. It was during this moment that I was endowed with the ability to hear His voice with so much clarity that I had to obey to His calling. Amazingly, when I said yes, things are starting to fall into place again.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">This was the time when I began to look into my life with a refreshing perspective. I did not ask myself "Where did I go wrong?" but I began to ask God, "What is it that the Lord is teaching me now?" I began to ask myself about God to reveal His plan. I began to cherish the moments I spent with Him. I began to enjoy to be in His presence. I began to pour my heart out to Him. Suddenly, I realized that I was not alone but He was there with me. I realized that losing the valuable things in life was preparing my heart to trust Him in everything.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">My dear friend, when you find yourself in that place where it feels like a wilderness, you cannot tell where to go from here, just call upon the Lord. Jeremiah wrote, <em>"I called on Your name, O LORD, from the lowest pit. You have heard my voice; "Do not hide Your ear from my sighing, from my cry of help." You drew near on the day I called on You and said, "Do not fear!" (Lamentations 3:55-57).</em></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">This is the opportune time to lift your heart to God. Lifting your heart simply means desiring or longing for God. It means exalting the Almighty God in your heart. It means preparing your heart to seek God. It means allowing the Spirit of the Lord to move your heart to give worship to the loving God. When the glory of the Lord fills your heart, it is manifested in the lifting of hands which symbolizes worshipping the God who sits upon His throne in heaven. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">My dear friend, whilst we are waiting for God to open the next door, let us lift our hearts and and hand to God in heaven. Believe me, joy will fill your heart and you will be transformed from glory to glory!</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8352019329340664492.post-30185596794318146252011-11-30T11:29:00.000+02:002011-11-30T11:38:53.530+02:00INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: Just testify for the Lord!<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> <w:TrackFormatting/> <w:PunctuationKerning/> <w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/> <w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:DoNotPromoteQF/> <w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:Compatibility> <w:BreakWrappedTables/> <w:SnapToGridInCell/> <w:WrapTextWithPunct/> <w:UseAsianBreakRules/> <w:DontGrowAutofit/> <w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/> <w:DontVertAlignCellWithSp/> <w:DontBreakConstrainedForcedTables/> <w:DontVertAlignInTxbx/> <w:Word11KerningPairs/> <w:CachedColBalance/> </w:Compatibility> <m:mathPr> <m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/> <m:brkBin m:val="before"/> <m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/> <m:smallFrac m:val="off"/> <m:dispDef/> <m:lMargin m:val="0"/> <m:rMargin m:val="0"/> <m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/> <m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/> <m:intLim m:val="subSup"/> <m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/> </m:mathPr></w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="color: black; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><i><span style="line-height: 115%;">“But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness at Rome,” – Acts 23:11</span></i></b></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">This was a painful and frustrating time for Paul. He was under arrest and uncertain of his fate. The bottom line is that the Jews wanted him dead – only that they did not have anything warranting a death sentence. Here he was in prison for professing the truth. On his own he was probably in despair and actually afraid because of the situation he found himself in. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">No man could rescue him here. No man could comfort him under these circumstances. But the Lord Jesus himself showed himself to Paul. Him alone could give Paul the courage he needed. He knows what we are going through. He knows our thoughts and He knows the intents of our hearts. He is the one to give us the rightful words of encouragement at any given time.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Sometimes we go through situations and we wish to have a certain answer. Sometimes we wish we could be delivered from the situation. Sometimes we wish we could be taken out, removed from the situation. We feel like we are better off without undergoing that situation. We worry about our own wellbeing. We worry about our own safety. We put our own interests ahead of anyone else.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">There is something we can learn from Paul, a man who fought the good fight of faith in Jesus Christ. This is a man who devoted his life for the gospel since meeting Christ. This is “a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the Gospel of God.” He faced so many trials and tribulations but he was not interested to save his life in the midst of every tough encounter with opposition.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">When Paul was in need of comfort the Lord was there to say, “Be of good cheer, Paul.” Regardless of the chains the Lord was there to say “Be of good cheer, Paul.” When there was no visible sign of relief the Lord was there to cheer him up.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Perhaps Paul could have wished for a miracle that will shake off the chains, open the doors for him and lead him out of the prison. But no; the Lord had a different game plan. In as much as the Lord was cheering him up, He was practically telling Him that he will stay in chains much longer.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The fascinating thing about this encouragement is that the Lord is revealing an assignment He has for Paul. Most importantly is that Paul proved his worthiness to carry out this assignment to testify for Jesus in Rome. He had a good track record for testifying for Jesus in Jerusalem. So Jesus encouraged him by saying that what brought Paul to jail is what he will have to continue doing even in Rome. Could it get tougher than that?</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Paul was dedicated to ensure that whatever happens his conduct is worthy of the gospel of Christ. He bore witness of Jesus in Jerusalem and he was arrested, falsely accused of causing a rebellion amongst the Jews. It does not matter what life situations you are going through, you have to give testimony about the Lord Jesus. The Lord has pulled you through other tough situations and you trusted in Him. You will have to trust Him again.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">You may be going through different stages in life, where life seems to be tough but you have to know that the Lord is with you and watching over you. He is keeping track of the way you conduct yourself. Do not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Just testify of the horn of our salvation.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: small;"> </span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><b><u><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><br />
</span></span></u></b></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18436705869016397173noreply@blogger.com0