Suicide

Genesis 1:27 - "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."

1 Corinthians 6:20 - "you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your body."

Life can at times be extremely difficult. Sometimes things are put in your path that you believe you cannot deal with. You may have been, or feel abandoned, you may have lost everything in your life or you may be burdened with overwhelming guilt.

But even in times when death seems to be the only way out, it is important to remember that you have already been promised victory in your troubles through Jesus Christ.

Although the Bible gives us numerous reasons to not fear death, you should never try to end your own life by attempting suicide. Ending your life, the most precious gift that God gave you, deeply offends him. Trying to destroy life, his own special creation for you does not please him, it actually really offends him. So, you need to find your peace with God. This does not mean that your troubles will end immediately, but you will find the strength to live.

Jeremiah 1:4-5 - "The Word of the Lord came to me, saying 'Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.'"

Every person ever born was known by God before their birth. Human beings are God's workmanship, created by God for a purpose. Human lives are God's to create and God's to end. If you commit suicide, you are making a decision that isn't your to make.

Matthew 28:20 - "and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of age."

Jeremiah 29:11 - "'For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

When death seems like the only answer to your problems, it is important for you to remember that you are not alone on this earth. Even when it might seem that everyone else has abandoned you, God is by your side, ready and willing to comfort and help you.

In times when thoughts of hopelessness prevail, remember that God created you for a reason. He has an awesome future mapped out for you which he will help you fulfil. There are however no promises that all times will be good times.

Deuteronomy 4:29 - "But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul."

Joshua 1:9 - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

If you look for God, you will find him and he will reveal the great purpose that he has for your life. Try hard to always remember that you have God's spirit in you and that you can tap into God's almighty power. You don't have to try to win the battle on your own - God will fight alongside you.

 

Reach out to God for help to get through your struggles!!!

Cast aside your ill past

Isaiah 1:18 - "'Come now, let us reason together,' says the Lord. 'Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

Philippians 3:13 - "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining towards what is ahead,"

Memories from the past form a 'photo album' in your mind. This album contains snapshots of your life. These snapshots won't just show happy times and celebrations; they also contain images of tragedies, sad times and acts of shame. The vast majority of people have snapshots which they would like to lock away in the past. Reminders of a past that they would rather forget.

The apostle Paul had a past he wished he could forget. His own photo album was full of snapshots from his days of persecuting and killing Christians. However, he did not waste his time in a state of regret, instead, he realised and understood that his past had redeemed through God's healing and forgiveness.

How you view your past will affect how you live in the present and the future. Maybe you have a past filled with regrets from actions that were wrong and hurtful. But no matter what you have done, God is ready to forgive you, make you clean on the inside, and give you a fresh start.

Perhaps you have a tragic past in which you were a victim of abuse, neglect, violence or shame. This is the most difficult of 'past' to deal with. However, you have God on your side and he wants to throw away all the bad snapshots and restore you. For this to happen you need to let God in. Guilt, shame and regret can be got rid of and you can be free to live in peace filled with purpose and abundant joy.

 

Let God in to wipe your camera memory!!!

The Shameful feeling of Shame

Psalm 32:5 - "Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my dignity, I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the Lord' - and you forgave the guilt of my sin."

2 Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

Many of us feel shame. Those people holding onto unresolved issues of forgiveness will feel a shame to a greater extent. God wants to release you from the shame that you feel and restore you so that you can have a pure and holy relationship with him.

If the shame you feel is a result of past sin, then you need to sincerely confess your sin to God and he will begin to take your sin away. Your will then begin to feel the freedom of his forgiveness.

Psalm 51:3 - "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me."

Judges 16:21 - "Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding in the prison."

Humiliation is awful. It eats away at you, slowly destroying your self-respect and dignity. Embarrassment can usually be quickly recovered from. However, it usually takes a lot longer to recover from humiliation and shame. No one likes to be humiliated, but it can turn into a key moment for spiritual repentance and also restoration because it forces you to God, who is the only one who can offer complete forgiveness and restoration of your reputation. God promises to turn your humiliation in to an opportunity for him to show you his love, restore you, and raise you up again.

Humiliation and shame are sometimes caused by your own actions, but other times you can be shamed by other people. Humiliation doesn't have to make you ineffective for God forever. God can and will restore you to full confidence and service if you allow him to do so.

 

Restore yourself-respect through God!!!

Healing from abuse

Proverbs 24:29 - "Do not say, 'I'll do to him as he has done to me; I'll pay that man back for what he did.'"

Romans 12:19 - "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is mine to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord."

Ephesians 4:31 - "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."

Victims of any form of abuse know that the scars we bear are not just physical but emotional too, perhaps more so. The hurt is very real and can seem insurmountable.

When justice doesn't happen and life doesn't seem fair, bitterness can become an all-consuming emotion. This is not healthy and will not help you heal. Bitterness and the desire for revenge will poison your soul. It's really important to recognise and deal with the bitterness before it overwhelms you, otherwise you may not be healed and recover. Leave the justice to God to arrange so that you can focus on healing.

Matthew 5:43-44 - "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

Matthew 6:14-15 - "For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins."

This is probably the hardest act of all Christian life: forgiving those who have wronged you in an awful way without any expectation that they will change. However, forgiveness is the only way to rid your soul of all the toxins and bitterness. Once you are in a position to forgive others your heart will be changed so that you can move on.

It is important to forgive others so that your heart can become changed and you can begin to move on. When you forgive, you are not saying that the hurt and scars are not real or that the abuse didn't matter. Forgiving the abuser simply means that you refuse to let the abuser have any more control in your life. This act of forgiveness will prove to be totally life changing for you. Your mental wellness will dramatically improve and that big, grey could above your head will start to shift.

When you forgive an abuser, they do not have to be told. The act of forgiveness is still effective as it is actually a process which happens between you and God. God's power will heal you from the inside so that you can recover.

Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things."

It's really important that in this process of forgiveness you fill your mind with pleasant and wholesome thoughts. Thoughts of what amazing things your future has in store for you, so that your mind has less room and less time to dwell on the past. If you can keep your mind clear of the past and focused fully on the future then your recovery time will not be as long.

 

Get rid of the bitterness and forgive!!!

Eternal Life

Ecclesiastes 3:11 - "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

1 Corinthians 2:9 - "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him.

King Solomon wrote that God has planted eternity in the human heart. This means that innately you know that there is more than just this life. Because you were created in God's image, you have eternal value and nothing but the eternal God can truly satisfy the desires of your heart. No matter what you become involved in, in your life nothing will fill your heart like God does. For He built into you a restless yearning for a perfect world that can only be found in heaven.

God does however give us a glimpse of that world; we just have to look at the amazing beauty around us, in nature and in people. One day God will restore earth to its former beauty, how it was when he first created it. Eternity will be an eternal exploration of earth's awesome beauty and of the perfect relationship that you will have with God.

 

2 Corinthians 5:1 - "Now we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands."

Revelation 21:3-4 - "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.'"

Eternal life does not mean that this earthly life continues infinitely. God promises something new. You will live in the world you long for, one without evil and suffering. You will live forever in God's presence, forever filled with joy.

 

Are there clouds and harps in heaven?

Probably! But an indescribable amount of other awesomeness too!

Tweeting in the Church

Jesus' famous words "Follow me" have taken on a whole new meaning in the past five years. This is the coin phrase for global social networkers. Twitter, a micro blogging site has become a social phenomenon receiving over a billion hits a week and each day roughly half a million new users are registering to follow tweeters. That's one huge discipleship!

Twitter took blogging off on a huge tangent. Whereas a typical blog is pretty much without limits. Twitter only allows between 20 and 30 words to be typed in a single tweet. For the follower this means that less time is spent devoted to reading an individual blog entry and they can follow more tweeters, and for the tweeter this means that as well as tweeting they have more time to follow more tweeter's and their micro blog updates. Followers can reply to tweets and also retweet the tweet of someone they follow to their own group of followers.

Many tweeters sign up for an account to give themselves direct access to people they might admire or engage with, but who previously they would never have been able to meet. And therein lies a great opportunity for the Church.

Many well known pastors from around the world have created Twitter accounts and have hundreds of thousands of followers. This allows the pastors to regularly share their latest theological musings, or provides links to a new blog or sermon in an instant. On the flipside, Twitter allows followers to keep abreast of and follow new wisdom from their pastors and other leading speakers.

Christians are using Twitter to debate en masse about issues of theology and culture, often with people they don't know, from all corners of the globe. This makes Twitter a very, very powerful engine for the Church as a place to share ideas and discussion about mission and theology on a global level.

Twitter is also serving to break down denominational and theological boundaries. There is much less evidence of denominations in the Tweetchurch than there is in the physical church. This is a great development. There is much talk about unity but very little physically done about it. Tweeting may indeed provoke a true unity one day.

Twitter also proves itself to be a great tool for evangelism. The imposed word limitation ensures that the evangelist doesn't preach a full sermon to the follower. From a follower's perspective, doses of evangelism are kept brief and unobtrusive. However, often in this case a short, sharp statement can have a much greater impact. And Twitter is a nest egg of millions of people who do not yet follow Christ but who are now fully versed in the act of following thanks to micro blogging.

Twitter ultimately removes barriers. It puts all those on the planet with internet access on a level playing field regardless of gender, faith or celebrity status. It offers the opportunity of a community which when it's working well is supportive, generous and listens. The Church would do well to embrace this new medium of communication as it offers so much promise for the future of mission, discourse and unity.

Can Twitter change the Church?

Yes, it could have an enormous global impact.

Discernment

Psalm 119:34 - "Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart."

Hebrews 5:12-14 - "In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's Word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil."

Discernment is the process of training yourself to distinguish between right and wrong by disciplining your conscience, mind, senses and body. The Bible tells us that discernment is necessary for us to mature in our faith. We cannot grow if we are unable to discern. Recognising the difference between right and wrong is therefore a skill which we can develop.

When you start to grow and mature in faith, you will become more astute at recognising temptation before it engulfs you. You will also learn to recognise truth from lies, and know the difference between God's voice and other voices. Discernment then is a very important skill to master.

It is very important for all of us that we read the Word and meditate on it daily. A good knowledge of the Scriptures will help you discern false teaching when someone uses a passage of Scripture incorrectly. When you learn to practise discernment and train yourself to detect right from wrong, you can avoid the pitfalls that many people fall into. With the skill of discernment your life will work better and you will live better as you are following God's intended path for you.

What happens when we die?

John 11:25-26 - "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.'"

The vast majority of us are scared to die and will do anything possible to prolong our life. This is because we are unsure of what happens after death. Whilst we are still alive on this earth we know the rules of how things work, it's familiar and we pretty much know what to expect.

When we physically die we leave our earthly bodies and our places in the earthly realm. This is a very serious part of our life to contemplate. To die spiritually is to miss out on eternal residence in heaven with God and his people.

When the time comes for us and fellow Christians to die physically, we become even more alive as we move into an eternity in heaven. For those of us who believe that Jesus is our Saviour, death is not the end. It is the beginning of an amazing eternity spent with the Lord and other believers experiencing awesome joy.

1 Corinthians 15:42-44 - "So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body."

When you enter eternity, your resurrected body will be a physical body, just like you have now on earth, but it will have supernatural characteristics. For example, you may be able to walk through walls like Jesus did with his resurrected body (John 20). More importantly, your new body will not decay because of sin. You will never, ever be sick or in pain again.

 

I can't wait to reach eternity. Can you???    

Listen to your conscience

Proverbs 2:1 - "My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,"

Proverbs 2:9 - "Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path."

Romans 1:21 - "For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened."

Your conscience is the innate part of you that helps you tell whether you are in line with God's will. It is one of God's gifts to you, one to keep you sensitive to and aware of his moral code. However, if you choose to ignore your conscience repeatedly, it will become dull and quiet and you will not be able to hear it clearly. The only way that your conscience will continue to work properly is if you stay close to God, listen to his Word and make an honest effort to understand yourself and your personal habits of sin.

When your conscience is working faithfully to you, it will instil in your heart and mind a clear knowledge of right and wrong. You will have a strong sense to always do what is right in any given situation.

1 Timothy 1:19 - "holding on to faith and a good conscience. Some have rejected these and so have shipwrecked their faith."

God warns you that if you persistently ignore your conscience, your faith will be 'shipwrecked'. When you sin, you are deliberately going against your conscience. You know full well that what you are doing is wrong because your conscience tells you so, but you go ahead and sin anyway. When you continually do this, your heart and mind learn not to hear your conscience calling out to you. Without a strong conscience you become hard hearted and pretty much oblivious to the notion of sin.

 

Can you hear your conscience calling to you???

 

Making the right choice

Psalm 25:12 - "Who, then, is the man that fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him."

Hosea 14:9 - "Who is wise? He will realise these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them. The ways of the Lord are right; the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them."

 

In every single day of our lives we make an untold amount of basic choices; what to eat for breakfast, which book to read or which film to watch. On top of that we make choices to follow something. Physically, you might choose to follow a diet, an exercise regime or a fashion trend. Socially, you might follow a role model. Your free time is spent following sports teams and TV shows. These choices are all important as they make up the contents of our lives.

However, the most important choice you make is a spiritual one - should you choose to follow God? Choosing to follow God is the best decision anyone could ever make in their lives, especially given the fact that it is He who created you and knows what is best for you. Once you make the choice to follow God, you will find that other choices you need to make in life will become easier as God will help you choose by sharing his wisdom and vision for your life.

 

Get God on board and become secure in your choices!!!

God's precious jewel

You are special. You are unique. There is no one else on this earth just like you. The way you look, your intelligence, your personality traits and so on are totally one of a kind. God even took the care to create us all with a different finger print. This alone makes you different to everyone else.

Genesis 1:27 - "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; make and female he created them."

The most important fact about your identity is that God created you in His own image. He made you so you could share in his creation and have the privilege of developing a relationship with him.

Psalm 139:14 - "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."

The Bible shows us the extent of God's great interest in all of us, as individuals. God knew you before you were even born. He already loved and cared for you long before you were perhaps even aware of him. Through his love for you, he has made special plans just for you.

Psalm 139:17 - "How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!"

As we begin to understand that God is constantly concerned for us, we also start to grasp how horrible sin is. God loves all of us so much, yet we often go our own way, turning our backs on Him in the process. When this happens, it makes it very hard for God to work in our lives. The plans and designs that he has for our lives cannot be put into place for those who are unwilling. This does not stop him from loving us no matter how much we ignore him. He isn't that easy to get rid of! God continues to see us as awesome individuals despite where our faith might lie.

1 John 4:10 - "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Because God thinks such a lot of us, he wants to forgive us and give us a full and meaningful life. When we put our trust in Jesus Christ and let Him put our lives together we become "God's masterpieces". What can be more special and amazing than that?!

We are so precious to God. His love for us is never ending. To him we are special beyond measure.

 

Let him in and experience the greatest love of all!

Back to the Future

1 Corinthians 2:9 - "However, as it is written: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him'"

God has the power to reveal the future to us, however he chooses not to. He will reveal a little in order to instil hope in us. For example, we know that there is a heaven, we know how to get to heaven, we know how to get to heaven, and we know that our future in heaven will be far more amazing than we can ever imagine. God has limited the information that we have in order that we use our faith for the rest.

Genesis 12:1-2 - "The Lord said to Abram, 'Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.'"

Genesis 12:4 - "So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him."

God reveals enough to encourage us to obey, but little more than that, for a reason. Abram was ordered by God to leave everything that was familiar to him. He had the choice of staying put and displeasing God or taking a leap of faith. Abram knew that achieving God's future rewards required his obedience.

It is impossible for you to know exactly what the future holds. As a Christian you need to put your faith in God and rest assured that he has nothing but good plans for your life.

God reveals enough of the future to increase your dependence on him. He knows your future and he wants to be part of it, so you need to learn to rely on him to lead you there. This is the essence of what it means to 'live by faith'. Faith is putting your trust in God and not trying to create and control your future all by yourself.

 

Live by faith and not by sight!!!

The Winds of Change

Mark 4:20 - "Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop, thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown."

Acts 3:19 - "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,"

James 1:17 - "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

In a rather ironic way, change is a great constant in all of our lives. Change happens to everything and everyone. Change can be caused by very complex matters, and also due to a more simplistic reason.

People, job, technology, relationships - they all change. Some people describe life itself as a process of continual change. Change can be for the good or otherwise. Negative could be job loss, death, natural disaster. Good could be a marriage, a new house or a financial gain. These exemplar changes are of a general viewpoint and individual opinions may vary, ie having to move into another house may be the worst change possible for some. Either way, change can be stressful.

The Bible teaches us two truths about change. The first is that despite the world continually changing around us, God is changeless and dependable. The second is that God calls for an inner change of heart - repentance, that produces an outward change of lifestyle - obedience. When you change your heart, you will change your life forever!

Lamentations 5:19 - "You, O Lord, reign for ever; your throne endures from generation to generation."

Hebrews 13:8 - "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."

Whilst our lives are ever changing, God's character is unchanging and therefore totally reliable and dependable on. No matter how your life changes, God will remain constant. He will be with you through it all and you can always count on him to help, guide and care for you.

 

Take comfort and strength from God and his never changing Word!!!

Troubles V Opportunities

Job 17:9 - "Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways, and those with clean hands will grow stronger."

Luke 4:1-2 - "Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry."

I think that pretty much all of us have times in our lives when things get on top of us and everything seems too much to handle. You may feel that there is no way out and no way to overcome your circumstances. Throughout your entire life you will be confronted with immense obstacles and seemingly invincible enemies.

However, as a follower of Christ there is nothing which you cannot overcome. God has given you his presence - the Holy Spirit, to help you win the battles and fight the temptations in your life. This does not mean that a situation which arises will be immediately taken from God's hands. Au contraire, God will help you find the tools you need to sort the situation out yourself.

God's presence does not mean that suffering will not take place for you. The presence of the Holy Spirit did not stop even Jesus from being tempted, however, it helped him to overcome those temptations.

Troubles and worries are part and parcel of living here on this earth, but so is the power that is instilled inside of you to help you combat them.

You need to be at a certain point in your life spiritually to let the Holy Spirit come and work inside of you. And only at that point will the Holy Spirit help you to start overcoming your troubles. You may think that you want the presence of the Holy Spirit in you, to help you, but this will only happen once you have submitted yourself to the Lord.

Once you begin to see these obstacles placed in your path as opportunities for God to show you his power, they will not seem so overwhelming and frightening. You can boldly stand knowing that with the Holy Spirit inside of you, there is nothing that cannot be overcome.

 

Put your trust in the Lord and turn a negative into a positive!!!

The sexualisation of our daughters

I was ten, twenty years ago in 1980's Britain. My hair was cut with a square fringe, as were all of my female classmates hair. In Winter I wore a turtleneck knitted sweater underneath a pinafore and my feet were clad in T-bar brown shoes with big rubber soles. In Summer I wore cotton dresses made by my mother along with a cardigan - also produced by my mother. On my feet I wore either 'Jesus' sandals as they were called. I got a bath once or twice a week when my hair would be washed then roughly dried with a towel. My hair was brushed for the purpose of removing knots. I used coal tar soap to wash my face and my teeth were only brushed once a day. I wasn't deprived - I was your average 1980's daughter.

Fast forward two decades to the year 2011, what does society's daughter look like? She has a fashionable hair style - it's been styled, not cut. It has either blond highlights or bright red streaks. She shops on the High Street in shops meant for teenagers and young adults. Outfits are colour coordinated and definitely in line with current fashion: short dresses, skinny jeans and low cut tops. Her ears are pierced, she wears makeup and in her handbag she has lip gloss and a mirror. She frequently has blisters due to the fashion footwear she insists on. The effect of her padded bra is one to be worshipped. This is your modern day daughter.

What is going on? We are sexualising our baby girls and it is wrong!  Little girls aren't ready for sex. They can't handle it emotionally nor should they have to. Statistics correlate young sexual involvement with multiple psychological problems, including eating disorders and depression. It's just not right for girls to take on an explicitly sexual identity. We are young in body for such a short span of our entire lives and these times should be cherished and clung on to. There is no acceptable explanation for rushing our girls into maturity nor for their sexualisation     . We all have an inbuilt moral sense - an innate instinct for right and wrong, (despite Adam and Eve clouding it) so why are we not using it?

Apostle Paul speaks in Romans 1:18 "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness." God sees what we are doing to our daughters and he is displeased and he intends to let us know about it.

Every parent has an inbuilt defence mechanism of their daughter. We all know that it is right to protect them in any way that we can from any danger, real or perceived. And if that mechanism is a little faulty, we have our conscience to fall back on. Yet the Bible is full of scripture of daughters being let down by their parents, their fathers in particular.

Genesis 19:1-11 - When threatened by the men of Sodom, Lot offered his two daughters to a bloodthirsty mob and is stopped only by the intervention of angels.

Judges 19 - A man hosting an unnamed Levite offers drunken "worthless fellows" his virgin daughter along with the Levite's concubine. Horrifyingly, the Levite finds the concubine dead and cuts her body up, then sends the pieces to all corners of Israel. His abdication of fatherly responsibility, realised in a flash of grief, signifies that darkness (the devil) has descended upon the nation.

Whilst makeup, short skirts and high heels are not equal to the sacrificing of daughters in the Bible, both notions come from the same vein - the devil. From a ten year old girl grows a teenage girl of sexual prowess, too quick and eager to receive immoral, sexual attention. How did we get to this?!

Ephesians 6:4 - "Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord." The first and most basic of parental duties is to protect one's children in a physical and especially a spiritual sense 

1 Timothy 2:9-10 "I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God."We ought to be encouraging our daughters to be modest, chaste and demure. These ideas are not antiquated. They are biblical and therefore should be obeyed. To do otherwise is clear sin.

Ezekiel 16 - This passage shows us that there is another type of father in Scripture besides the wicked men. This father finds a young girl dying in the wilderness, crying with no one around to hear. He gathers her in his arms and nurses her back to health. He clothes her in beauty as she grows, celebrating her womanhood. Because of his protection and care, she flourishes. This father is the Lord God, and his daughter is Jerusalem. Our heavenly Father's strength, tenderness, and compassion should direct the care we give our own daughters, and we desire their flourishing for the glory of Christ as he desires the health of his people.

 

It's pretty simple and straightforward what we need to do to remedy this dire situation. We need to follow God's Word.

Guard your heart

It could be said that we all have a heart condition. Our hearts are in a particular condition and as a Christian we need to regularly check our hearts. Things can sneak inside of us and damage it. The quicker that you can detect and sort out the issue then the better it will be. The longer the issue is left unattended, the deeper rooted it will become.

God tests us because he wants us to see what is in us, not him, he can already see deep within us. He shows us inside of us, our hearts so that we can face our problems, deal with them and grow. We will never be made free by living in darkness with the devil. We need to come out into the light where we can move to a new level of freedom.

Proverbs 4:23 - "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." - This does not say God will guard your heart. It says that WE will. It is our responsibility, a full time one. We have no idea what is going to occur in our lives or when someone is going to hurt or betray us so we need to constantly work with the Holy Spirit to keep our heart in good condition. There is nothing more important than our inner life. God's presence within us is beyond valuable and not what he can do for us. External things are not important for the condition of our heart. We can still have a sad heart even if we are a millionaire. There is nothing wrong with having nice things around you, but the real life is the one within you, in your heart. You can be happy and peaceful inside in the lousiest of circumstances if you know how to keep your heart in the right condition.

Matthew 5:8 - "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." -
If you want to know God and his secrets keep a pure heart. The purer it is, the more room for God.

1 Peter 3:3-4 - "Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewellery or fine clothes. ⁴ Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." - If we spent as much time checking our heart as we do our hair, makeup and clothes then our hearts would be in a lot better condition. We need to spend time checking our heart. Our hair style and outfit do not interest God or the Devil, what interests them is how we are dressed in the Spirit (in our heart). Our heart encompasses our thoughts, attitudes and mental wellbeing. The spiritual realm is just as real as our life on earth but is of higher importance.

1 Corinthians 3:13-15 - "their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person's work. ¹⁴ If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames." - No matter what good work we do, if we do it with a poor motive then that is not pleasing to God and we will not get any reward for it. Our salvation is based on the grace and mercy of God and the shed blood of Jesus Christ. However we will get rewarded for our deeds when we enter eternal life, but only the ones carried out with a genuine motive. Acts committed with a wrong motive deflect God and attract the devil which should be avoided at all costs. We should not commit acts just to gain acceptance from others or to impress others, this is the wrong motive. Deep down we all want to impress each other, it forms part of our carnal desires. The only way we get a real feeling of freedom is once we only care what He thinks and not what others think of us and our deeds.

Reconciling with God

2 Corinthians 5:18-21 - "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

The Bible teaches us that you, along with every other person, were born with a sinful nature and that it is sin which separates you from God.

If you want a personal relationship with God, you must first be reconciled with him, which means that the damage in the relationship that you have with him will be repaired so that you can be on friendly terms with him. Reconciliation begins with you recognising that without the work that Jesus Christ did on the cross, you cannot approach God. Jesus took the punishment for your sins on the cross so that you can go to God, as a friend, not as an enemy. When you accept God's gift of bridging this gap, you are reconciled with him and can begin to develop a relationship with him. This is the greatest gift ever offered, and it is the only way to be reconciled with God.

Reconciliation with anyone is only possible when someone makes the first move: a phone call, a text or a word spoken in forgiveness. In the same way, the relationship between God and the people he created was broken in the Garden of Eden, when sin caused an un-crossable chasm that separates humans from God, and someone had to make the first move. Even though it is humans who need to be reconciled, it is God who made the first move. God extended not only his hand and words, but his one and only son, Jesus Christ to bridge the chasm between himself and his people.

 

That is how awesome your God is!!!

Opportunity from God?

1 Thessalonians 5:17 - "Never stop praying."

Psalm 119:105 - "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."

 

The Bible will not always speak directly about a particular opportunity, however, any opportunity that contradicts God's Word or leads you away from its principles is not from God.

Don't let fear and doubt cause you to miss God's opportunities. Many are sent our way but many are missed due to a lack of faith and courage which indicates our levels of trust in him. God gives everyone the ability and opportunity to grow and excel.

 

Seize the opportunity!!!

The Call of God

Psalm 119:105 - "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path."

Getting to know God better by reading his Word is the first step in knowing your calling. As God communicates with you through the Bible, he will lead the way. He will show you what to do and where he wants you to go.

Daniel 1:17 - "To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds."

God has given every one of us special skills and abilities. These provide us with the biggest clue as to what God wants you to do with your life. When he calls you to do something unique and special for him, he will almost always allow you to use your God-given gifts to get the job done. Once you know your gifts you need to develop and start using them. In God's own time, you will see what he wants you to do.

Romans 12:2 - "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing and perfect will."

When you allow God to transform you by the power of his Holy Spirit, he will literally begin to change the way you think so that you know what he wants you to do. When he gives you a specific calling, it will fill your thoughts and energies so that you have a longing to pursue it wholeheartedly. God may call you to do a certain job or to execute a very specific task. When this happens, he will ensure that you know what it is. This will cause you to feel a very strong sense of leading from him. It's down to you to respond and walk through the door of opportunity that he has opened.

1 Corinthians 12:4 - "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit."

1 Corinthians 12:7 - "Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good."

God gives each one of us a spiritual gift. Your gifts can be used to help and encourage others and to bring glory to God's name. These specific spiritual gifts will help you fulfil the purpose for which he made you. However, the call to follow Jesus does not necessarily mean a call to a specific job Christian ministry. Sometimes your call may simply be to obey God wherever you are right now.

Ecclesiastes 11:9 - "Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgement."

God gives you the freedom to follow many different paths over the course of your life and pursue many different activities. However, remember that you will have to answer to God for everything you do. Not everything you do in life is a call from God, BUT - everything you do is accountable to God.

The Importance of Believing

John 3:36 - "Anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life."

 

Believing in Christ is really important. Believing gives you hope for today, tomorrow and eternity. Hope for today offers forgiveness and transforms relationships. You have hope for tomorrow because Jesus promises to work with you in your life to help you become all that he created you to be. You have hope for eternity because he promises that you will live in heaven forever, where your body will have no illness or disease and your life will be meaningful, peaceful and fulfilling.

Does God's approval have to be earned?

Romans 3:27-28 - "Where then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law."

Galatians 2:19 - "For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God."

God's approval cannot be earned because he already approves of you! His approval of you is not based on performance but on the fact that you are his creation. When you obey God, you are expressing your gratitude and love for him; not trying to win his approval.

Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

Romans 10:9 - "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord', and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

God may love you unconditionally, but he does not approve of your sinful behaviour. You will only realise how much God loves you when you understand that it is your sin that separates you from him and that Jesus died and rose again to take away your sin so that you can be reconciled to his Father.

When, at the moment of salvation, you confess your sins to him, seek his forgiveness, and commit to following Jesus, you are given approval to enter heaven for eternity.

 

He already approves of you!!!

Be Restored

Romans 5:10 - "For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!"

Sin separates you from God, and as long as you remain separated from him, by your sin, you will never experience a relationship with him. The very worst thing about this is that separation from God sentences you to eternal death. That is why God sent his Son, Jesus, to die in your place and take the punishment for your sins so that you would not have to. He then gave you the chance to overcome the sinful nature you were born with.

When God raised Jesus from the dead, it showed his great power over sin and offers its total assurance of his promise that you can have eternal life with him. When you come to believe that Jesus died for your sins and was raised from the dead, you confess your sins and ask God to forgive you, you also commit yourself to obeying him. At this point you are restored to him forevermore.

Looking for God

1 Chronicles 28:9 - "If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever."

Psalm 145:18 - "The Lord is near to all who call on him, and to all who call on him in truth."

James 4:8 - "Come near to God and he will come near to you."

Humans are naturally sociable and like to communicate and forge bonds with others. When you have close friends, you do your best to stay in touch with them and keep the friendship fresh. You talk almost every day. One day you might phone them, then the next day they will phone you. You might go out and do things together which you both enjoy or sit at home chatting, gossiping and reminiscing.

A relationship with God is no different. It requires effort, pursuit, frequent contact and memories. When you are developing a relationship with God, you need to try to talk to him on a daily basis. Speak openly and honestly, just as you would with any of your other friends. Then, take time to listen to what he has to say.

Set aside a period each day for you to have some quality time with God. During this time you can express your worries, talk about your future and remember ways that he has been with you and helped you in the past. Also ask God what he is doing, around the world and in your life.

Read the Bible daily to open yourself up to what God may be saying to you. Remember that God is with you all day, everyday; talk to him about anything that happens in your day to day life.

As you get to know him by being with him each day, you will begin to build memories with him and gain the relationship you are looking for. God promises that if you search, you will find him.

 

Shall we go a hunting???

Do Christians experience pleasure?

Psalm 1:1-2 - "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night."

Psalm 112:1 - "Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who finds great delight in his commands."

Living a Christian life brings untold pleasures. Some of the greatest pleasures come from pleasing God. Two of the rewards of living a faithful life of purpose are experiencing deep peace and joy. God wants you to enjoy the life he gave you.

Psalm 16:11 - "You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

John 10:10 - "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

God created you in such a way that you would have the capability to find pleasure in developing and having a relationship with him. When you are in your quiet time, in prayer with God, you will probably feel some pretty awesome emotions and discover new things out about yourself. There are times when you will, without a doubt, feel God's presence around you and those moments are indescribable and are to be cherished. Celebrating God's goodness and love form the basis of many enjoyable occasions.

John 4:34 - " 'My food', said Jesus, 'is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.' "

The best kind of pleasure to experience comes from being obedient to God and doing what he wants. This brings us great satisfaction and a sense of fulfilment. Just as earthly children love to please their parents, we, as children of God, long to please our Father.

Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 - "I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no please. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labour. Yet I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had when toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun."

Not all pleasure is good, and sometimes we pursue the wrong pleasures, those that will bring harm to us or that bring no purpose or meaning to our life. If you persistently seek out inappropriate pleasures, your life will eventually seem meaningless when you discover that you have been wasting your time chasing after the wrong things.

Forgiving those who have hurt you

Matthew 6:12 - "Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us"

Luke 6:37 - "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."

Luke 23 :34 - "Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'"

God forgave you of all your sins even though you did not deserve it. By the same token, you must forgive others even if they do not deserve it. This is what is so amazing about God's forgiveness - it is complete and undeserved. Once you have forgiven, the act of forgiveness can go to work it's miraculous healing power. Forgiveness however, is a choice. It is a commitment to reflect God's love to others.

Romans 3:23-24 - "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ."

Colossians 3:13 - "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you."

Forgiveness is not an option. It is a command. It is entirely necessary for your own health and your relationship with God. Jesus shows us the perfect example of forgiveness. Giving your forgiveness doesn't mean that you are saying that the hurt does not exist or that it does not matter, nor does it make everything 'all right'. What it does do is allow you to let go of the hurt and let God deal with the one who hurt you. Forgiveness sets you free and allows you to move on with your life. It isn't always easy, but forgiving those who caused you hurt is the healthiest act you can do for yourself.

 

Set yourself free!!!

What is forgiveness?

Colossians 1:22 - "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation"

Forgiveness means that God sees you as never having sinned. When you receive his forgiveness, you are totally blameless before him. When God forgives, he doesn't just partially get rid of your sins, they are well and truly swept away down the river.

Colossians 2:13 - "When you were dead and in your sins in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,"

When we have sinned and we are conscious of it, we can sometimes feel really guilty about it. Forgiveness brings great joy because it releases you from the guilt and you cease to be a slave to your sinful nature.

Acts 2:38 - "Peter replied, 'Repent and be baptised, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'"

God forgiving you for your sins allows you to receive his gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit taps you into the very power of God to help you battle against temptation and to guide you through life.

Romans 10:9-10 - "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

Forgiveness for your sins is the only way that you can be assured of receiving eternal life in heaven.

Spiritual Enemies

Matthew 4:1 - "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil."

We know from what the Bible teaches us that human beings are involved in a spiritual battle. We also know that at times the war is raging. You are not excluded from this spiritual battle, in fact you are part of it. Faith puts you right in the centre of it. You need to recognise that you are battling for your soul and you need to arm yourself with weapons that will resist spiritual attack or you will be defeated. Ephesians 6 tells you to put on your armour of God, which comprises of the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness, shield of faith, helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit. Going into battle with all this armour in place is a sure sign of victory, even before the battle has begun.

Ephesians 6:12 - "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

1 John 2:16 - "For everything in the world, the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does, comes not from the Father but from the world."

The devil is very much alive and active in this world. His legions of demons are always out prowling, on the attack. There is a battle that rages in the spiritual realm, a battle that you cannot see but you will experience it when you seek to serve God. In order to stand strong and resist temptation, you need God's power, not your own. Because you do not always know or understand that the devil is threatening you, you need God's power to give you the strength to face an unknown enemy. Take peace from the fact that God has already won the battle over death and has the power to save you in this battle too.

Love your enemies

Matthew 5:43-44 - "You have heard that it was said, 'Love your neighbour and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you."

1 Peter 3:9 - "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."

Romans 12:20-21 - "On the contrary: 'If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."

Loving your enemies may seem like an unreasonable and impossible task, until you reach the point where you fully realise that you yourself were an enemy of God, until he forgave you. When you love your enemies, you see them as Christ does - people in need of grace. We all have people in our lives that have done us wrong or hurt us in some way. The wrong doing could be fairly minor or much more significant. Both are the actions of our enemies and both need forgiveness. Achieving this needs prayer and as you will know, you cannot pray for someone without feeling compassion for them. This is one of the ways in which God can turn your enemies into friends. It takes more effort to hate and feel bitter towards someone than it does to forgive and love them. And whilst there is bitterness in your heart you will never be at peace or at one with Jesus.

Luke 6:27-29 - "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic."

Luke 23:24 - "Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'"

No matter what your enemies do to you, always respond with forgiveness. The actions you take towards your enemies should include saying a prayer for them as well as acts of kindness. Your attitude towards them should not be one of revenge or ill will, and the words you speak should be gentle. This is what sets you apart from the rest of the world, as Jesus did exactly the same.

The grace of God

Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."

Ephesians 2:8-9 - "For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, not by works, so that no one can boast."

The core meaning of grace is sometimes misunderstood. Grace is when you do a big favour for someone without expecting anything in return. In a biblical sense, when scripture says you are saved by grace, it means that God has done you the biggest favour of all: He has pardoned you from being sentenced to death as you deserve for having sinned against him. You do not have to earn God's grace, nor do you have to work your way into heaven. There is a place there for all those who have declared Jesus as their saviour. By grace you are forgiven of your sins and restored to full fellowship with God.

You cannot take credit for the gift of life when you have a baby for example. Life is God's gift and not the product of your own wants and deeds, and this ought to bring you a feeling of great hope, comfort and security.

 

Do you accept the gift of God's grace???

Liar, liar, pants on fire!

1 Peter 3:10 - "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech."

The Bible speaks out strongly against lying. There are different types of lying, from subtly only telling a partial truth to telling a big, blatant lie, for example if evidence of the truth is clear to be seen. Lying is deceiving someone and that is far from being acceptable behaviour.

Lying is a selfish and self serving act from which the liar will usually benefit. When you lie, you attempt to hide and deceive, to gain ownership of something (material or otherwise) that you have not earned, or to make an impression of yourself which you do not deserve.

To not tell the whole truth in any way, shape or form, is to be lying. Whilst you continue to tell lies, even so-called 'small' ones you simply cannot follow the God of truth. Lying shatters and breaks down trust, and it is trust that is the key to strong relationships. This is why the Bible promises us that a happy life is an honest life.

 

How many more lies are you going to tell???

Dignity

Psalm 8:5 - "You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowded him with glory and honour."

Psalm 149:4-5 - "For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation. Let the saints rejoice in this honour and sing for joy on their beds."

Dignity is the quality of worth and significance that every single one of us has been given because we were all created in the image of God. There are two aspects of dignity; recognising your own worth before God and secondly, recognising that same worth in other people.

As part of human nature we have a tendency to go against this. We often find ourselves ranking in importance, from insignificant to of high importance, based on worldly goods such as job title and type of car driven.

A true view of dignity will encourage you to see others as God sees them: entirely worthy of your love and respect, no matter where they live or what they do. This creates in you a deep respect for others as you build them up rather than devaluing them.

On the other side of dignity, when you behave in a respectful way, have strong faith and good self control, and are loving and patient you show personal dignity. And as dignity becomes fully engrained in you and you realise how esteemed you are by God, you will find that the opinions of others will matter less.

 

Can you listen and accept just one opinion - God's???

Breaking the devil

You need to expect to be aggravated by the devil, it's what he lives for, to inconvenience and corrupt you. But as you fight your battles with the devil, you need to remember you are fighting from victory, not for victory - you already have that. The devil has various means of communication, he puts thoughts in your mind and also speaks to you through other people.

1 John 4:4 - "You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world." - He who lives in you is greater than the devil. If Jesus is already living in you then you have already defeated the devil. God has given us the power to remain godly amidst our problems, we need to use that power.

Romans 8:37 - " No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."

Colossians 1:13 - "For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,"

Luke 10:19 - "I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you."

It is possible for us to win the war against the devil if every believer gets out in their neighbourhood and lets their light shine. The war is not going to be won sat on a pew on a Sunday morning. There are far too many unbelievers out there, you need to love them into the Kingdom! Serve them, do good deeds for them. People cannot argue with consistent, real love. You will be surprised how receptive people will be to you if you start acting how you profess to be. It's often the small things that make a difference. Put yourself out to do good to others, it will reap dividends. We all don't mind giving till it hurts, but more importantly, you need inconvenience yourself. Use the Bible to protect and teach you.

Luke 4:3 - "The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." - The devil speaks to us, frequently. We need to take on the role of encourager to others. Say as many good things as you can to as many people as you can to edify and lift them up. The holy spirit is an encourager and a perfect example.

Luke 4:8 - "Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'" - Jesus said to devil that you should only worship the true God.

Everyone has to fight their own Goliath in their life.

Luke 4:12 - "Jesus answered, "It is said: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'" - God says that we are not to test him by flirting with the devil.

Luke 4:13 - "When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time." - The devil is never going to leave you completely alone. Temptation will come in sporadic cycles as the devil walks in and out of your life. However, greater is he that lives in you than in the world. Make sure you know who you are in Christ.

John 17:11-12 - "I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of
your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled."
- There is great safety in having a good knowledge of the Bible. Praise the Lord for your knowledge. When you really know the Bible and put it into place in your life you will help deter the devil. When you speak the word of God, angels go to work on your behalf.

 

Greater is he that is in me than he who is in the world!!!

Forcing the enemy out

The devil is well and alive on this earth and he is causing all of our problems. We need to remember that we have got authority over him and use it. We need to understand the devils strategies. He is so clever that he goes around committing bad deeds and everyone else gets the blame. We need to keep one step ahead of him.

2 Corinthians 2:10 - "Anyone you forgive, I also forgive. And what I have forgiven if there was anything to forgive I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake," - Being ignorant and lacking knowledge causes unbelievable problems for us. The Apostle Paul said if we are to forgive it is for our benefit as it stops the devil getting in which is what will happen if we stay mad at people.

1 Peter 5:8 - "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." - You need to get to know the devil's nature and character. Train yourself to know what is God speaking and what is the Devil calling to you. Five facts about the devil:

1. The devil is a liar and a deceiver.

2. He is the destroyer of all things good.

3. He is a controller and manipulator and will steal your freedom.

4.He is an accuser of the brethren.

5. He comes for one purpose only - to kill, steal, destroy.

John 10:10 - "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." - Jesus came so we that we might have life, AND enjoy it too. The devil does not want you to enjoy anything, your life, yourself. Enjoying yourself makes the devil mad.

IF you don't like yourself you can't like anyone else. We need to remember that the devil is the source of evil all over the world, rape, theft, greed etc. People don't realise that the more they obtain through immoral ways, the more unhappy they will be.

If God is so powerful then why does it seem like the devil is winning? People are passive generally but if you actively accept God and his ways into your life then that is a light in the dark for the right side. The dark being the devil. God gave you faith but he doesn't want you to use it to just get everything you want. It's so that you can help get others the same thing that God brought you.

"You cannot be selfish and be happy" If you are unhappy you need stop blaming it on something or someone and ask yourself what can you do to help someone else. Doing something to help others will help bring you happiness. If enough people walked in the light and did this we wouldn't have the problem that we do with regard to the devil. We all have a responsibility to spread the light and cast out the devil and we need to live up to that. When people do nothing, evil takes over, as believers are not active enough nor are they numerous enough. Being a Sunday Christian just isn't enough. You need to live and breathe the Word. Get God out of the Church and on into the world. Get out there and be a light in a dark place. When the light comes, the darkness, ergo the devil has to go.

Haggai 2:12 - "If someone carries consecrated meat in the fold of their garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, olive oil or other food, does it become consecrated?'" The priests answered, "No."" - They couldn't become holy just by carrying something holy, being holy was a personal choice. 'you can catch disease but you can't catch health' Godliness has to be chosen. Ungodliness runs rampant in the world and we as Christians need to help put a stop to it. But we Christians have become passive, we want to "feel like" we are doing something, but most times we don't actually do anything. We need to start listening to those feelings and acting on them.

Haggai 2:13 - "  Then Haggai said, "If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?" "Yes," the priests replied, "it becomes defiled."" - Evil can be caught if you stand around and do nothing to fight the battle against it. It's a big bad world out there full of evil and it will sneak up on you. People don't know what is good and evil anymore, the boundaries are all mixed, people are getting wrong and contradictory messages in the world.

God is God and he is to be reverently feared by all, including the devil. You cannot do something which you know is wrong and expect to be protected by him. You must not wait for someone else to make the right choice, make it yourself. Start a revolution of righteousness! Stand up and start making the right choices, all the time, without exception. People are looking for something or someone righteous and good to follow and that should be you. Stop being passive. Be aggressive at spreading the word every single day. Passivity is one of devils greatest joys, he loves passive people. Don't be passive!

John 8:44 - "You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." - The
devil works endlessly to get us to believe lies to the point that your lies will become your own reality. The devil is behind every bad emotion that you have: rejection, unforgiveness, anger, selfishness. Once we realise this we can begin to push the devil out. We need teach people to be what God wants them to be and to live the life that Jesus died for them to have. Jesus did not die just for us to "get by". He wanted us to have life in abundance.

 

Will you join the battle against the devil???

Surrendering your life

Luke 14:33 - "In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."

Mark 8:35 - "For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it."

Surrendering your life to God means that you give up pursuing what you want in life so that you can receive what God has planned for you. Jesus is not saying that in order for you to follow him you must give up everything. He is saying that you must be willing to give up everything to follow him.

Only once your willingness to give up everything for God is evident, will you be able to receive everything that he wants to offer you. This is where the issue of control and surrender comes in. You want to keep control of everything, but if you do so then it is impossible to surrender to God too. There are many battles fought against God and his will because people want to control their own lives, they don't want anybody, God included, seizing that power.

There comes a point when surrender is necessary along with the realisation that ultimate power over a life is not possible by Man. The act of surrendering is now seen as a good and necessary thing. Surrendering to God comes when you finally realise that you cannot run your life and defeat sin all by yourself, and you hand the control panel over to God. This will lead to success in your battle to defeat sin. You will also start to experience the greatest freedom of all as you pursue victory in this life and in eternity.

 

Are you willing to turn your life upside down???

Plugging your earphones in properly

Proverbs 8:32 - "Now then, my sons, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways." - As your relationship with God grows you will begin to hear him more and more clearly. It's as if your earphones haven't been plugged in quite right then one day you realise that the muffling sound has gone and all you can hear is the perfect voice of God. As God communicates to you through his Word, you will begin to hear, or discern exactly what he wants of you. With time you will become a good listener, your earphones will pick up the sound of God calling you to do a certain task.

Psalms 46:10 - "Be still, and know that I am God;"

Proverbs 1:23 - "If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured my heart out to you."

God speaks to us in various ways, but you will only hear him if your earphones are connected correctly and you are paying full attention. Many Christians set aside a period of silence each day where they can be still in his presence and Word. God often chooses these times to speak to us. He might also speak to you through another person or a song.

You need to try really hard at all times to ensure that your earphones are connected and pay attention to the variety of ways in which God speaks to you.

 

The more you listen, the more you will hear - do you hear me???

Money matters - or does it?

Matthew 6:21 - "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

There are many mentions of rich people in the Bible, David and Abraham being two of those. These people were both wealthy and also loved God. There is nothing derogatory said in the Bible about the amount of wealth these people had. Instead, it focuses on what you do with the money you have, regardless of whether you have a lot or just a little.

As verse 21 says, where your money goes, your heart will follow. If you put your money to good use, you will have a happy feeling in your heart. It is good to work hard to earn money but it is equally important that you find ways to use your money which will please God.

Psalm 23:1 - "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want."

Some people find themselves entering a spiral of greed, selfishness and dishonesty - all traits are worthy to be condemned. We need to remind ourselves that it is God who must come first in our lives, not money. Money will never ever satisfy your deepest needs. Jesus will.

Deuteronomy 8:18 - "But remember the Lord your God for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today."

Wealth, riches and financial prosperity should not be your goals in life. They are not healthy neither are they clear signs of God's blessing. There are many, many people in the world who are rich beyond compare but they don't have a penny to share between them. These people have been blessed with prosperity from God which has been received with gratitude and humility. These people would never, ever dream of exchanging what they have for material wealth.

Hebrews 13:5 - "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have," - Money is not the root of all evil - it's the LOVE of money that is!

Proverbs 19:1 - "Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse." - It is much better to be a poor and honest than to be a dishonest fool. No amount of money is worth deception or dishonesty. These will destroy your soul, and is it really worth gaining wealth if you lose your soul is the process?

 

IS IT???

Joyfulness

Psalm 16:11 - "You will make known to me the path of life; you will me with joy in your presence,"

Psalm 68:3 - "But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful."

Joy is not the same as being content or happy. Joy is a happiness deep within you that is not affected by any circumstantial situation around you as it is based on a strong relationship with Jesus. Joy is, put simply, the celebration of walking with God. When you get to the stage where you feel pure joy you will feel entirely at peace with God. You will start to realise how privileged you are, not only for being friends with our great God but also because you now know that your sins are forgiven and that one day you will join Him in eternity.

When you allow the Holy Spirit in to control your heart and thoughts there will be such an amazing change in your life; joyfulness being one them.

Philippians 4:12 - "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation."

James 1:2 - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trails of many kinds,"

One thing that God does not promise is constant happiness. However he has promised to those that give their lives to him endless joy. Despite living in a world full of problems you can still be continually joyful, you won't however be constantly happy. Joyfulness once achieved is a permanent state. It's deep within you and nothing or no one, except God, can take that away from you. No matter what problems you are facing in life you can still feel that deep, eternal joy.

 

May you be filled with joy forevermore!!!

Not guilty!

Isaiah 26:21 - "See, the Lord is coming out of his dwelling to punish the people of the earth for their sins."

Romans 2:6 - "God, 'will give to each person according to what he has done'"

God is the way, the truth and the light! Not only is he those things, he created them too, in particular Truth. God is truth itself and he has set the standard for truth and justice. God will never lie to you and in return he expects that you will not lie to either yourself or others. God promised judgement and punishment to all those who sin.

Colossians 1:22 - "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you are holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation."

If you have chosen to follow Christ, you now belong to him and as a result of that you have been freed forever from condemnation. Part of putting your faith in Jesus means that you will not be condemned. When you gave your life to Jesus you recognised, believed and accepted that Jesus died for your sins. He took the punishment for you. He died for YOU so that you might live and be declared 'not guilty'.

 

How awesome!!!

Something needs to change 2

God will never ask you to do something that he will not enable you to do.

Joshua 1:1-3 - "After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses." - God has given us everything we need to have a blessed life. We need to get up and change. Do everything that we need to do to make the changes in our life. But first we need to change our minds and our attitudes. Do not spend any more time in a state of self pity, this is the enemy trying to push God out. Don't let him. You are far stronger than that. Make the decision to change! Then ask God to show you what you can do to improve a situation, then promise to do it.

Isaiah 60:1- "Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you." - We are being urged to get up and change and not just sit waiting for God - or anyone else to do it for us. How many people out there ignore God's presence on a daily basis but then in a time of crisis or tragedy we ask where he was to stop the situation occurring?! 'Miracles come in cans not can'ts.' Do what you can do and God will do the rest. Don't pray for a miracle quick fix so that you don't have to do anything, God won't grant that. We have to pay some sort of price so that we learn not to make the same mistake again. You may be sat wondering why you are not getting your miracle. You're sat waiting for God to appear but actually God is waiting for you!

Judges 6:6-10 - God points out that if we had listened to him in the first place we wouldn't be in the mess that we find ourselves in. As a whole world we would not be in the mess we are in now if we had listened to God.

Judges 6:13-16 - You never know what God is going to ask you to do but you need to be prepared to do it. God will use your skills and if there are spots where your skills are lacking then he will join forces with you. Stop telling God what you are not and look at who he is! God needed someone, just one person to stand up and say "we can do this!". We need to constantly remember that we can do anything in Christ.

1 Samuel 16:1 - "The LORD said to Samuel, "How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king." - While we are consumed with mourning what we have lost, God already has a new plan for us, a better plan.

2 Kings 7:3-5 - "Now there were four men with leprosy
at the entrance of the city gate. They said to each other, "Why stay here until we die? If we say, 'We'll go into the city' the famine is there, and we will die. And if we stay here, we will die. So let's go over to the camp of the Arameans and surrender. If they spare us, we live; if they kill us, then we die." At dusk they got up and went to the camp of the Arameans. When they reached the edge of the camp, no one was there," - Are you going to make a change or just sit there and wait to die? The answer is - make a change! You can't just sit around all of your life being sad and full of self pity. Pity is not power. You can be pitiful or powerful, which would you rather be? Does something need to change or do you need to change something? If you are not happy with something, change it! Take control and start to make the changes that you want and need to see in your life. You never know what God will do after you have done your part.

Be the change you want to see in your life!

Something needs to change - 1

Do you feel that something needs to change in your life? Do you find yourself stating that something needs to change but doing absolutely nothing about it? What is going to change if you don't start that change? - Nothing! Being stuck with a passivity and procrastination attitude with bring nothing to you. YOU are the only one who can make the change you wish to see.

What do we do when we get into this situation? We get angry, depressed and bitter. We blame others and are full of self-pity. We are stuck in victim mentality. But we need to find the determination to go against all that and change. 'If we do what we can do, God will do what we cannot do'. Stop focusing on what you can't do and find something that you can do and do that. If you won't make the first move to change something in your life then why should God? Start by sowing a few seeds, find something that you can drum up a bit of positivity about.

Isaiah 43:18-19 - "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." - Don't let the past steal your destiny! Let go of the past. You can't get those lost years back but you can get them off your mind. Whilst you remain focused on the past you will never be able to make the right changes to your life. You need to start magnifying the good things and downplaying the bad so that you can get on with your life. God will not bless laziness and procrastination. Start doing what you can do, don't mourn what you have lost for there is nothing that can be done about it now. Start acting on the Word, change the way you talk, your attitude, your actions and mentality. Get educated on the Word and you will find that it works and that God will give you double for your trouble (Isaiah 61:7).

It's far more important how our life turns out than how it started. Build and repair your relationships, get out of debt, lead a more obedient life. It's not too late. Remember, do what you can do and God will do the rest.

There were many people in the Bible who changed their destiny, Jacobs story in Genesis 32 being particularly poignant. If we are not careful we will spend our life in a victim mentality maintaining that we can't change anything and expecting others to make the changes for us. We are often self-deceived and have no idea how damaging our thoughts and beliefs really are.

Confess the wrongdoings in your past life to God then set about getting out of your victim mentality and striving determinedly to make those much needed changes in your life. You are not a hopeless case. It's not too late to change. Break free from the past and have what Jesus died for you to have!

 

Don't let the past steal your destiny!!!

The greatest change of all

2 Corinthians 5:17 - "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here!" - The greatest change that can happen is when God changes someone completely restoring their life. Changing someone from having no fruits in their life and moulding them in Jesus' image is an awesome miracle. Sadly too many of us are "turned off" and need our light bulbs turning back on about how exciting it is to be a creature of Christ.

'The old has passed away and the new has come' - That's right - its already happened. The change has already happened. Sit back and think, are you searching for something that you have already got? Has it already happened or arrived? You may well find that God has done what he needs to do at his end and is waiting for you to realise that and make use of it. Maybe you're not sure how to unwrap the gift that God has blessed you with or maybe you are not sure how to use the gift that you have been given.

If you are truly born again you have everything inside you to equip you use your gift and begin a brand new life in a brand new way. If you are not able to believe that then you will not change and will remain frustrated. God is inside you, his seed is planted in you. Nurture them so that they grow and bear you good fruit that others can feed off and so that you can blossom too.

Ephesians 1:3 - " Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ." - You don't need to pray to get blessed. You are already blessed. God blessed you before you were even a seed. The one thing we really need is to know who we are in Christ and what inheritance we have received through Jesus' death and resurrection. Jesus received from God and we received the same. We have the Holy Spirit within us which means that we are 'In Christ'.

You need to let your soul live larger than your body so that you are living true to God. God has a hold on our soul and the devil simply does not have the power to keep anyone out of heaven unless they truly want to go to hell. There is nobody out there who cannot be saved if they knew of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:8 - "
Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God." - You need to know who you are and what you are in the new - you are new, reborn, resurrected from sin. We have to learn to believe God above what we feel. Trust in God first. Stop letting your feelings rule you.

God gives us the gift of salvation. Not all of us open that gift, and those of us that do need to read the Manual or it won't work right. It's easy to try to avoid reading the Manual but we just simply can't ignore the Bible. Every single answer that we need in our life is in the Bible.

Ephesians 1:3-7 - Every time you repeat what the Word says you are renewing your mind and that needs to be done on a very regular basis. We are chosen because we have faith in Jesus Christ. We are 'blameless in sight' and can basically do no wrong. Everything we need is in Christ.

Ephesians 1:14 - "who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession to the praise of his glory." - God has given us a guarantee that if we give ourselves to him everything will be ok and turn out right in the end. The Holy Spirit is inside of us because we need him to help us work it all out.

2 Corinthians 5:20 - "We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God." - God has provided us with what we need, we need to find out how to use it all without wasting a single part of it. We are overly eager to open a birthday gift or similar so why are we so hesitant to open this awesome gift that God has given us?

2 Corinthians 5:21 - "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." - Jesus took your sins and gave you his righteousness. This doesn't have to be earned, it is given to us. However it is huge and we need to grow into it by learning and meditating on the Word.

 

Is your light bulb turned off?