The Paradoxical Commandments

In 1968, when Kent M. Keith was a 19-year-old sophomore at Harvard, he wrote the following 'Paradoxical Commandments' as part of a booklet for student leaders. He describes the Commandments as guidelines for finding personal meaning in the face of adversity: People are illogical, unreasonable and self-centered. Love them anyway. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway. If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway. Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway. The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds. Think big anyway. People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs. Fight for a few underdogs anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway. People really need help but may attack you if you do help them. Help people anyway. Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.

Facing the Inevitable (Rob Chaffart)

"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Corinthians15:55) In our society we don't like to talk much about death. After all, our world is geared towards entertainment and having fun. Still, every day thousands of people have no choice but to face the inevitable, and many do so filled with fear, which is a common factor among humans wandering on this planet. Some are more than fearful. They are terrified. Believers aren't immune to this either. A pastor from the other side of North America was such an encouragement to my wife when she faced cancer last year. They both had two things in common: my wife's best friend was his daughter and they both had cancer. He was a breath of fresh air to my wife, even though he faced the same deadly disease. The outcome wasn't the same though. My wife was healed, but this faithful, devoted pastor faced death, and at one point, he had to admit that he was afraid. How would any of us react when we realize that our organs are slowly shutting down? My mother-in-law also concurred that she was afraid when she was recently admitted in a local hospital. But not about death itself. She was afraid about the process of dying, which she would rather skip. This is where we, as believers, differ from others. We anticipate going to our Heavenly home, but we are aware of our frailties when going through the process of suffering. Death is not was fazes us. It is the suffering that we really don't prefer. However, we, who are followers of the Most High, have nothing to fear, for we know where we are going. Yes, the process may not be quite that enjoyable, but we don't have to face this alone! Jesus went way out of His way to make certain of this. Born in a manger, He was destined to die the goriest death possible: death by asphyxiation. Still, even though He knew about this in advance, He was unfazed by it. Instead He concentrated on His ministry of love towards humanity. However even Jesus faced fear. Just moments before his eventual arrest, it is written that: ". . . Being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground." (Luke 22:44, NIV2) Jesus truly can identify with what we are going through. Notice that even though His own disciples weren't much of an encouragement, as they were asleep while Jesus was facing this terror, He was encouraged from heaven above! "An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him." (Luke 22:43, NIV2) What humans were unable to do, God did! Jesus allowed Himself to die on a lonely cross, with the only purpose being to defeat death and to open the door to immortality. Being pure, He rose on the third day, as prophesied in the Old Testament, and confirmed that "Death has been swallowed up in victory." (1 Corinthians 15:54b) Now we can firmly stand facing death and ask ourselves "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" (1 Corinthians 15:55, NIV2) Thanks to Jesus, the fear of death is broken: "Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil-and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." (Hebrews 2:14-15, NIV2). He stands by us, identifying with us, encouraging us that we have truly nothing to fear. We are not alone in this! He stands by our side! We are going home! "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me." (Psalms 23:4, KJV) Someone wrote to me recently and shared the following with me: "Thank you so much for your prayers for my dad. Today morning at 10:30 AM he left us to be with the Lord for ever. I am glad that he is now with the Lord and what died is not him but his old age, his pain, his sickness and his suffering. All of this died but my dad is living with our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of heaven. I had the privilege of telling him about the Lord and His Kingdom and encouraged him to think about heaven before he passed off into eternity. I also prayed with him and as he was gasping in the last stages, he held my hand and slept off peacefully to open his eyes in front of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I am at peace with this assurance that I will certainly see him one day with the Lord and will be united with him again to enter that land of peace and praise." Only Jesus can give us that inner peace and remove the fear that haunts us. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV) We, as Christians, have a task as well. It's our mission to encourage those who need someone to stand by them: "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called "Today," so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness." (Hebrews 3:13, NIV2) It's easy to become discouraged, but as long as we focus on the Christ, the One who was victorious over death, fear will evaporate into nothingness. After all, Jesus is our peace: "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33, NIV2) Jesus did indeed "overcome the world", and we can too, with His help. I am assured that I will be able to meet this pastor who was an inspiration to my wife. What a great reunion this will be when we gather at the banquet hall of the Most High Himself. Are you an encourager? If not yet, you still can become one. Make a difference and let God transform you into a bright shining star. Death is not the end, it is just the beginning. Just like a child in its mother's womb, when his time comes, that child gets to meet his mother in person. In the same way, we will meet our Heavenly Father in person as well! Wow! From: a2p@answers2prayer.org http://www.sermonillustrator.org/

Jesse Myers

"...It takes a lot more faith to believe that some matter somehow compressed itself into a dense ball, then suddenly exploded for an unknown reason, gathered into gaseous balls called stars, and one star happened to have planets around it, and one planet happened to be able to support life, which evolved from cooling lava to amoebas to fish to apes to people. All that versus 'In the beginning God created the Heavens and the Earth.'"

Becoming As Children... (By Nancy Dahlberg)

This is a first-person account from a mother about her family as they ate dinner on Christmas Day in a small restaurant many miles from their home. Sally, the mother, relates: We were the only family with children in the restaurant. I sat Erik in a high chair and noticed everyone was quietly eating and talking. Suddenly, Erik squealed with glee. He pounded his fat baby hands on the high-chair tray. His eyes were wide with excitement and his mouth was bared in a toothless grin. He wriggled and giggled with merriment. I looked around and saw the source of his merriment. It was a man with a tattered rag of a coat; dirty, greasy and worn. His pants were baggy with a zipper at half-mast and his toes poked out of would-be shoes. His shirt was dirty and his hair was uncombed and unwashed. His whiskers were too short to be called a beard and his nose was so varicose it looked like a road map. We were too far from him to smell, but I was sure he smelled. His hands waved and flapped on loose wrists. "Hi there, baby; hi there, big boy. I see ya, buster," the man said to Erik. My husband and I exchanged looks, "What do we do?" Erik continued to laugh and the man answered, "Hi, hi there." Everyone in the restaurant noticed and looked at us and then at the man. The old geezer was creating a nuisance with my beautiful baby. Our meal came and the man began shouting from across the room, "Do ya know patty cake? Do you know peek-a-boo? Hey, look, he knows peek-a-boo." Nobody thought the old man was cute. He was obviously drunk. My husband and I were embarrassed. We ate in silence; all except for Erik, who was running through his repertoire for the admiring skid-row bum, who in turn, reciprocated with his cute comments. We finally got through the meal and headed for the door. My husband went to pay the check and told me to meet him in the parking lot. The old man sat poised between me and the door. "Lord, just let me out of here before he speaks to me or Erik," I prayed. As I drew closer to the man, I turned my back trying to side-step him and avoid any air he might be breathing. As I did, Erik leaned over my arm, reaching with both arms in a baby's pick-me-up, position. Before I could stop him, Erik had propelled himself from my arms to the man's. Suddenly a very old smelly man and a very young baby consummated their love relationship. Erik in an act of total trust, love and submission laid his tiny head upon the man's ragged shoulder. The man's eyes closed, and I saw tears hover beneath his lashes. His aged hands full of grime, pain and hard labor - gently, so gently cradled my baby's bottom and stroked his back. No two beings have ever loved so deeply for so short a time. I stood awestruck. The old man rocked and cradled Erik in his arms for a moment, and then his eyes opened and set squarely on mine. He said in a firm, commanding voice, "You take care of this baby." Somehow I managed, "I will," from a throat that contained a stone. He pried Erik from his chest unwillingly, longingly, as though he were in pain. I received my baby, and the man said, "God bless you, ma'am, you've given me my Christmas gift." I said nothing more than a muttered thanks. With Erik in my arms, I ran for the car. My husband was wondering why I was crying and holding Erik so tightly, and why I was saying, "My God, my God, forgive me." I had just witnessed Christ's love shown through the innocence of a tiny child who saw no sin, who made no judgment; a child who saw a soul, and a mother who saw a suit of clothes. I was a Christian who was blind, holding a child who was not. I felt it was God asking - "Are you willing to share your son for a moment?", when He Shared His for All Eternity. The ragged old man unwittingly had reminded me, "To enter The Kingdom of God, we must become as little children."

Rich Mullins, the "Awesome God" guy

But, you know, as a Christian, one of the biggest questions you always ask yourself is, 'So we believe in Jesus, we believe in the teachings of the church, but what does that look like when it's lived out.' Because surely, one of the things that Jesus said that I think we often overlook is, 'The person who hears my words and does them is like the wise man who built his house on the rock.' He didn't say 'the person who hears my words and thinks about 'em' or 'whoever hears my words and agrees with it.' But he said, 'Whoever hears it and does it.'

"Mary's Dream . . ." (By Lloyd D. Lance)

"I had a dream Joseph. I do not understand it, not really, but I think it was about a birthday celebration for our Son. I think that was what it was all about. "The people had been preparing for it for about six weeks. They had decorated the house and bought new gifts. "It was peculiar, though, because the presents weren't for our Son. They wrapped them in beautiful paper and tied them with lovely bows and stacked them under a tree. "Yes, a tree, Joseph, right in their house! They decorated the tree, also. The branches were full of glowing balls and sparkling ornaments. There was a figure on the top of the tree. It looked like an angel might look. Oh, it was beautiful. "Everyone was laughing and happy. They were all excited about the gifts. "They gave the gifts to each other, Joseph, not to our Son. I don't think they even knew Him. They never mentioned His name. "Doesn't it seem odd for people to go to all that trouble to celebrate someone's birthday if they don't know Him? "I had the strangest feeling that if our Son had gone to this celebration, He would have been intruding. "Everything was so beautiful, Joseph, and everyone so full of cheer, but it made me want to cry. "How sad for Jesus . . . not to be wanted at His own birthday celebration. "I'm glad it was only a dream. "How terrible, Joseph, if it had been real."

John Piper

But whatever you do, find the God-centered, Christ-exalting, Bible-saturated passion of your life, and find your way to say it and live for it and die for it. And you will make a difference that lasts. You will not waste your life.

Power of the Printed Page

"A student at Jacksonville University in Florida was given a tract. The student crumpled the pamphlet up and tossed it into a trash bin in his dorm. Later, his dorm mate picked it out of the trash, read it, and was soundly saved. He is now a pastor of a church in Florida." "A Christian I met in a home group said he was raking litter off the Avon River. It was dull, boring work and he often wondered what life was all about. One day he raked a soggy piece of paper off the water and decided it was interesting enough to keep, so he carefully placed it in his bag and took it home. That evening he dried the paper in front of a heater and carefully unfolded it, then he read it. It was a gospel tract. He became a Christian that evening." -- Richard Gunther Billy Graham said, "Nothing surpasses a tract for sowing the seed of the Good News." From The Evidence Bible, page 1249.

8 Foul Things You Should Never Ever Say About Yourself

Sometimes we are our own worst critics and sometimes we don’t realize the damage we do to when we utter somethings. I found this interesting article which talks of those little but damaging things we say to ourselves and I thought, I should share this and drum rolls please…….here it is. 1. “I’m not good enough yet.” You might think you’re not good enough, but you’ll surprise yourself if you keep trying. Your past does not determine who you are. Your past prepares you for who you are capable of becoming. What ultimately defines you is how well you rise after falling. 2. “I should be living up to other people’s expectations.” Remember, it’s always better to be at the bottom of the ladder you want to climb than the top of the one you don’t. Happiness and success is all about spending your life in your own way. Always be yourself and walk your own path. No one can ever tell you you’re doing it wrong. Everyone has their own dreams, their own struggles, and a different path that makes sense for them. You are YOU for a reason. 3. “What they think and say about me matters.” What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you? Don’t let others crush your dreams. Do just once what they say you can’t do, and you will never pay attention to their negativity again. Don’t walk away from these negative people… RUN! Good things happen when you distance yourself from negativity and those who create it. 4. “I need recognition for my actions to be worthwhile.” Do what you know is right. Integrity is doing the right thing, no matter what, even when nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not. Life always finds its balance. Don’t expect to get back everything you give. Don’t expect recognition for every effort you make. And don’t expect your kindness to be instantly recognized or your love to be understood by everyone you encounter. 5. “It’s too late for me.” Don’t let yesterday steal your present. Don’t judge yourself by your past… you don’t live there anymore. Let go, grow, and move forward. As we grow older and wiser, we begin to realize what we need and what we need to leave behind. Sometimes walking away is a step forward. Sometimes a break from your routine is exactly what you need. Unless you try to master something beyond what you already know, you will feel forever stuck. 6. “I need to have it all figured out.” Does the walker choose the path, or the path the walker? Believe it or not, sometimes it’s the latter. Sometimes the greatest dreams that come true are the dreams you never even knew you had. It’s about open-minded exploration. There are no wrong turns in life, only paths you didn’t know you were meant to walk. You never can be certain what’s around the corner. 7. “I do not have enough to be positive and grateful.” Some days you’ll find diamonds and some days all you’ll see is coal. However, every day is a golden opportunity to learn, practice gratitude, and positively impact the world around you. Do not ask for instant fulfillment in your life, but for patience to accept your current frustrations. Do not ask for perfection in all you do, but for the wisdom to not repeat past mistakes. Do not ask for more before saying, “THANK YOU” for everything you have already received. 8. “My life should be easier and free of discomfort.” Great challenges make life interesting; overcoming them makes life meaningful. It’s how you deal with failure and discomfort that determines your level of success and happiness. Laugh at your mistakes and learn from them. Joke about your troubles and gather strength from them. Have fun with the challenges you face and then conquer them. Source: Marc and Angel Hack Life

Could it be....

"Could it be that God 'feels'? Could God be capable of passion? Could God be excited or must He be austere? Are we comfortable with the image of God as Father and nervous about God as Lover (some of us even prefer God as Parent - less a personality, more an ideal). Are we happy to have God be the Creator, but scared to think of Him as being Creative? Do we like God being an engineer, but balk at His being an artist? Does His being a logician comfort us, but His being a poet threaten us? Do we enjoy the glow of God's light, but shade ourselves from the heat of his flames? Does the idea that Jesus tolerated the sinful woman's anointing of His feet and John resting his head on Jesus' breast make us squirm, so the thought that Jesus enjoyed this makes us sick? How is it that we can accept that Moses saw a bush that burned and was not consumed, yet we doubt that God can love in a rage and never cool?" - Rich Mullins, the "Awesome God" guy

Echoes Of My Heart: But Let Not God Speak To Us

Echoes Of My Heart: But Let Not God Speak To Us: Lately the church has been in the news mostly for all the wrong reasons. It is saddening to see the one institution that is supposed to ...

Billy Graham Says

I have talked to doctors and nurses who have held the hands of dying people, and they say that there is as much difference between the death of a Christian and a non-Christian as there is between heaven and hell.

Some Gifts You Should Give To Loved Ones.

John 13:34-35(NIV) 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Gift of listening. Gift of affection. Gift of laughter. Gift of a written note. Gift of a compliment. Gift of a favor. Gift of solitude. Gift of a cheerful disposition.

WAS THE CHURCH AN ALTERNATIVE STRATEGY IN THE PLAN OF GOD?

I have read or heard some say or argue that the church was merely instituted after the Jews had rejected Christ. On the contrary, the church was prophesied through the entire Old Testament. Let us refer to some Bible verses regarding the origin of the church: And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Genesis 22:18) And I will make thy seed to multiply as the stars of heaven, and will give unto thy seed all these countries; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed (Genesis 26:4) And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it (Isaiah 2:2-3) And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious (Isaiah 11:10) So shall he sprinkle many nations; the kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they consider (Isaiah 52:15) For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts (Malachi 1:11) In His Name the Gentiles would trust (Matthew 12:21) And many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and shall be my people: and I will dwell in the midst of thee, and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto thee. (Zechariah 2:11) All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee. For the kingdom is the LORD's: and he is the governor among the nations. (Psalms 22:27-28) From the above, I believe it would be erroneous to view the church a later day development or that God created it after the Jewish rejection of Jesus Christ. It was and is a part and parcel of the original intention of God for mankind

Becoming a Freelance SEO Writer: What to Expect Your First Month | PRLog

Becoming a Freelance SEO Writer: What to Expect Your First Month | PRLog

Understanding The Holy Trinity

God the Son (Jesus) is fully, completely God. God the Father is fully, completely God. And God the Holy Spirit is fully, completely God. Yet there is only one God. With our limited human worldly experience, it's tough to understand the Trinity. But from the beginning we see God this way in Scripture. Notice the plural pronouns "us" and "our" in Genesis 1:26. Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."

Here are some Scripture that shows God is One, in Trinity:

"Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!" (Deut. 6:4)

"I am the LORD, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God." (Isa. 45:5)

“There is no God but one.” (1Cor. 8:4)

And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." (Matt. 3:16-17)

"Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." (Matt. 28:19)

Jesus said: "I and the Father are one." (John 10:30)

"He who has seen Me has seen the Father." (John 14:9)

"He who beholds Me beholds the One who sent Me." (John 12:45)

If anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. (Rom. 8:9)

"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for that which has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit." (Matt. 1:20)

And the angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God." (Luke 1:35)

Jesus speaking to His disciples "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you." ... "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him." (John 14:16-17, 23)

10 Virtues of the Proverbs 31 Woman

1. Faith - A Virtuous Woman serves God with all of her heart, mind, and soul. She seeks His will for her life and follows His ways. (Proverbs 31: 26, Proverbs 31: 29 – 31, Matthew 22: 37, John 14: 15, Psalm 119: 15

2. Marriage – A Virtuous Woman respects her husband. She does him good all the days of her life. She is trustworthy and a helpmeet. (Proverbs 31: 11- 12, Proverbs 31: 23, Proverbs 31: 28, 1 Peter 3, Ephesians 5, Genesis2: 18)

3.  Mothering - A Virtuous Woman teaches her children the ways of her Father in heaven. She nurtures her children with the love of Christ, disciplines them with care and wisdom, and trains them in the way they should go. (Proverbs 31: 28, Proverbs 31: 26, Proverbs 22: 6, Deuteronomy 6, Luke 18: 16)

4. Health – A Virtuous Woman cares for her body. She prepares healthy food for her family. (Proverbs 31: 14 – 15, Proverbs 31: 17, 1 Corinthians 6: 19, Genesis 1: 29, Daniel 1, Leviticus 11)

5. Service - A Virtuous Woman serves her husband, her family, her friends, and her neighbors with a gentle and loving spirit. She is charitable. (Proverbs 31: 12, Proverbs 31: 15, Proverbs 31: 20, 1 Corinthians 13: 13)

6. Finances - A Virtuous Woman seeks her husband’s approval before making purchases and spends money wisely. She is careful to purchase quality items which her family needs. (Proverbs 31: 14, Proverbs 31: 16, Proverbs 31: 18, 1 Timothy 6: 10, Ephesians 5: 23, Deuteronomy 14: 22, Numbers 18: 26)

7.  Industry – A Virtuous Woman works willingly with her hands. She sings praises to God and does not grumble while completing her tasks. (Proverbs 31: 13, Proverbs 31: 16, Proverbs 31: 24, Proverbs 31: 31, Philippians 2: 14)

8. Homemaking – A Virtuous Woman is a homemaker. She creates an inviting atmosphere of warmth and love for her family and guests. She uses hospitality to minister to those around her. (Proverbs 31: 15, Proverbs 31: 20 – 22, Proverbs 31: 27, Titus 2: 5, 1 Peter 4: 9, Hebrews 13: 2)

9. Time - A Virtuous Woman uses her time wisely. She works diligently to complete her daily tasks. She does not spend time dwelling on those things that do not please the Lord. (Proverbs 31: 13, Proverbs 31: 19, Proverbs 31: 27, Ecclesiastes 3, Proverbs 16: 9, Philippians 4:8 )

10. Beauty – A Virtuous Woman is a woman of worth and beauty. She has the inner beauty that only comes from Christ. She uses her creativity and sense of style to create beauty in her life and the lives of her loved ones. (Proverbs 31: 10Proverbs 31: 21 – 22, Proverbs 31: 24 -25, Isaiah 61: 10, 1 Timothy 2: 9, 1 Peter 3: 1 – 6)

Sips of Sunshine: Trust Me

Sips of Sunshine: Trust Me: Photo Credit:  Melodi2 from morgueFile.com Over the last week or so, I read two different stories that were great reminders about what ...

Sips of Sunshine: A Special Guest

Sips of Sunshine: A Special Guest: Photo Credit:  hamper at morgueFile.com If I could dine with anyone...well...besides the fam, I would want to share a meal...wi...

What's the most important trait in a manager? - Daily Question

What's the most important trait in a manager? - Daily Question

The Bible and Celebrating Holidays

Colossians 2:16: Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath.

Romans 14:1-23: As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. ...

Romans 14:5-6 : One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.

Isaiah 1:14-15: Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hates; they have become a burden to me; I am weary of bearing them. When you spread out your hands, I will hide my eyes from you; even though you make many prayers, I will not listen; your hands are full of blood.

Proverbs 31:6-7: Give strong drink to the one who is perishing, and wine to those in bitter distress; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more.

Jude 1:4 : For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Deuteronomy 12:29-32: “When the Lord your God cuts off before you the nations whom you go in to dispossess, and you dispossess them and dwell in their land, take care that you be not ensnared to follow them, after they have been destroyed before you, and that you do not inquire about their gods, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods?—that I also may do the same.’ You shall not worship the Lord your God in that way, for every abominable thing that the Lord hates they have done for their gods, for they even burn their sons and their daughters in the fire to their gods. “Everything that I command you, you shall be careful to do. You shall not add to it or take from it

Hope in God: Who Are You in Love With?

Hope in God: Who Are You in Love With?: Dearest Saints,

I received this caption from a dear Brother in the Lord several years ago and I still remember strongly of what it says. ...

Samuel Chadwick

"...one concern of the devil is to keep saints from prayer. He fears nothing from prayerless studies, prayerless work, and prayerless religion. He laughs at our toil, mocks at our wisdom, but trembles when we pray."

Being Makumi: What Is It That You Want From Life

Being Makumi: What Is It That You Want From Life: By Tabitha Makumi What do you really want out of life? Sounds like a pretty easy question, so what do you really, really, want out of life...

WHO IS GOD

These 20 Bible facts about God will give us insight into the nature and character of God.

1.       God is eternal.
(Deuteronomy 33:27; Jeremiah 10:10; Psalm 90:2)

2.       God is infinite.
(1 Kings 8:22-27; Jeremiah 23:24; Psalm 102:25-27; Revelation 22:13)

3.       God is self-sufficient and self-existent.
(Exodus 3:13-14; Psalm 50:10-12; Colossians 1:16)

4.       God is omnipresent (present everywhere).
(Psalm 139:7-12)

5.       God is omnipotent (all powerful).
(Genesis 18:14; Luke 18:27; Revelation 19:6)

6.       God is omniscient (all knowing).
(Psalm 139:2-6; Isaiah 40:13-14)

7.       God is unchanging or immutable.
(Psalm 102:25-27; Hebrews 1:10-12; 13:8)

8.       God is sovereign.
(2 Samuel 7:22; Isaiah 46:9-11)

9.       God is wise.
(Proverbs 3:19; Romans 16:26-27; 1 Timothy 1:17)

10.    God is holy.
(Leviticus 19:2; 1 Peter 1:15)

11.    God is righteous and just.
(Deuteronomy 32:4; Psalm 11:7; Psalm 119:137)

12.    God is faithful.
(Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 89:1-8)

13.    God is true and truth.
(Psalm 31:5; John 14:6; John 17:3; Titus 1:1-2)

14.    God is good.
(Psalm 25:8; Psalm 34:8; Mark 10:18)

15.    God is merciful.
(Deuteronomy 4:31; Psalm 103:8-17; Daniel 9:9; Hebrews 2:17)

16.    God is gracious.
(Exodus 34:6; Psalm 103:8; 1 Peter 5:10)

17.    God is love.
(John 3:16; Romans 5:8; 1 John 4:8)

18.    God is spirit.
(John 4:24)

19.    God is light.
(James 1:17; 1 John 1:5)

20.    God is triune or trinity.
(Matthew 28:19; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

When God Is Silent

"I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining. I believe in love, even when I do not feel it. I believe in God, even when He is silent."

These lines were found scrawled on a cellar wall in Cologne which was destroyed by bombing in WWII.

Happiness

A story is told of a king who was suffering from a malady and was advised by his astrologer that he would be cured if the shirt of a contented man were brought to him to wear.  People went out to all parts of the kingdom after such a person, and after a long search they found a man who was really happy

......but he did not possess a shirt.

THINGS TO LEARN FROM A DOG

~ Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.

~ Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

~ When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.

~ When it's in your best interest, practice obedience.

~ Let others know when they've invaded your territory.

~ Take naps and stretch before rising.

~ Run, romp and play daily.

~ Eat with gusto and enthusiasm.

~ Be loyal.

~ Never pretend to be something you're not.

~ If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

~ When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

~ Thrive on attention and let people touch you.

~ Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

~ On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree.

~ When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.

~ No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout. Run right back and make friends.

~ Bond with your pack.

~ Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

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~ Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

Being Makumi: How To Handle A Loss Like A Boss With Head Held Hi...

Being Makumi: How To Handle A Loss Like A Boss With Head Held Hi...: I will start with a cliche for this one “For every war, there’s bound to be a loser and a winner.” The thing with cliches is that they are ...

Quote

"Christianity is about a daily walk with this person, Jesus. The heart of Christian faith is a radical and reasonable trust and focus on Jesus, but for many of us, our focus has shifted very subtly from love for Jesus and faithfulness to Him and obedience to Him to a set of doctrines. Life and living comes from God - it comes from Jesus - not from doctrine or good morals. You can be an utterly moral person and not be alive. Jesus came that we might have life, not good morals. It's not that I'm opposed to good morals at all; it's just that sometimes I think we put the cart before the horse." - Rich Mullins

HAVE YOU HUGGED YOUR PASTOR TODAY? (By Matt Donnelly)

"It was He who gave some to be ... pastors and teachers." Ephesians 4:11, NIV Pastoring a congregation is a gift that takes a rare combination of administrative, spiritual, and leadership skills. Trust me when I say rare. During my first year at seminary, I had all but convinced myself that I wanted to be a pastor. I even went so far as to interview for an assistant pastor position (at the ripe old age of 22!), and I very nearly got the job. I continue to thank God that he saw fit to endow that congregation with the wisdom to turn me down. I wasn't then, and am not now, fit to lead God's people as a pastor. It seems to me that pastors tend to be an underappreciated lot. If we lay people tend to think of our pastor at all, it's usually only during Sunday mornings when the sermon goes too long -- and those thoughts aren't any I'd care to repeat! But, I'd like to suggest that we take the time to see our pastors as true servants of God who are called to lead us as we live out our Christian lives. Pastors will tell you that leading God's people hasn't changed much since biblical times -- it has its highs and lows, its thrilling moments and its excruciating pain. But through it all, God is there, walking beside the pastor as he or she brings a Sunday message from God to his people, helps heal a hurting marriage, and hits a stand-up double during a church softball game. It truly is an awesome task to be the public face of God to so many inside and outside the church. So, the next time you see your pastor, say thanks for making a difference in your life. Sure, they'll probably think you're a little crazy, but then again, they might also choke back the tears and say, "You're welcome."

Sermon/Message Interruption

I always maintain that a preacher should/must preach as the Holy Spirit leads. However, I (and I am sure many others!) get distracted by preachers/evangelists/bible teachers who follow every sentence with "Praise God (Bwana asifiwe)". 

Let me give an example of a verbatim message from a preacher:

"Let us turn to our Bibles and read from the Gospel of Mark Chapter 2 starting from verse 5 to 7 and I will read, praise God. When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee praise God.
Verses 6 and 7 tells us: But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, praise God. Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? Praise God. Who can forgive sins but God only? Praise God/Bwana asifiwe"

The preacher continues:

"What Mark is telling us, praise God is that as Jesus entered into Capernaum, one sick of the palsy was brought to Him, praise God and because praise God, He saw their faith, praise God......"

The point I am labouring to bring out here is that too frequent interjections of "Praise God" may at times cause message mix-up and may at times tend to derail the flow of Word intake by the congregation.

Does God Speak To Us In dreams?

Our dreams can be good or bad or even a mixture of both good and bad. They are usually made up of our joys, fears, anger, hopes, disappointments, our experiences and things we would like to experience or have experienced. They get all mixed up and while some of us sleep without dreaming others dream a lot on a regular basis.

Does God speak to us in dreams? I believe He does. I am not saying that He comes and speaks to us audibly and gives us direct revelation as we read of Him doing in some texts in the Old and New Testaments. But He does shape and build us up through truth and life on a daily basis and our dreams are (in part) expressions of the things He leads us to hope for and rejoice in as we walk with Him. So when we dream something lovely, beautiful, something strong and good, when in our dreams we’re looking for righteousness and the triumph of the spirit we should attribute all that to His influence. If we are struggling with sin that for the moment seems to have us beat, that will probably come out in our dreams as well.

It is also true that things other than God shape us daily. Sometimes we dream things we are ashamed of when we wake up. But if we feel ashamed that too is the work of God. It seems obvious then that we dream what we take in and that dreams express something of who we are and how we react to life’s experiences on a daily basis.

So when we dream of husbands or wives or family and friends smilingly and lovingly calling us on, we are dreaming the truth we have been taught by God in one way or another (love). There is no doubt in my mind that God has worked miracles and if He is good and ready He will work more even through dreams. So if you dream of a glad reunion with those you love and you have given yourself to God then you are dreaming the truth that God has fed you and led you to long for.