You Are Better Than This

I woke up today a little down in my spirit. There wasn’t a specific reason why – just a combination of different things. I decided to get up and go for a run and pray as well. God reminded me that I am not where I need to be but I am well on my way. I knew that I am better than where I am right now and that there is so much more that I could achieve if I just stretched out my hand a little more. If I just had more courage – courage to move out of my comfort zone and out of the box that circumstance and life has placed me, magical things would happen.

My personality type is driven. I am always reaching for the next goal; the next dream. In my world, absolutely nothing is impossible if I can envision it. The only challenge is actualizing the vision. Life, trials and different circumstances sometimes seem like they are designed to drag you down but from an optimistic perspective, they actually give you strength; strength to push past the ceiling above your head and reach for your dreams.

If today, you feel a little overwhelmed, don’t despair. It happens to the best of us. I encourage you to keep pushing and stay focused. See distractions (people and situations) for what they really are. Take a stand and refuse to allow anyone or anything rattle your cage. See yourself as God sees you – accomplished and strong for the kingdom.

No-One Can Love You More

Before I became a believer, I was looking for fulfillment and love in all the wrong places. I was looking all around instead of up above and I paid heavily for my mistakes. Real love is not what we all sometimes think that it is. That fluttery feeling in the pit of your tummy when a certain person walks by or the tingling we feel when we are close to that certain person. All these feelings are temporary and very transient. Real love is much more than that. It’s unique, it’s lasting and circumstance independent. Most importantly it starts with a relationship with Jesus Christ.

My first real insight into love came to me when I realized what Jesus Christ did for me on the Cross. How he gave his life so that I can be free. No-one could ever love me more – not my father, mother, my children or my siblings and definitely not a member of the opposite sex. By developing a relationship with Christ, He taught me the following facts:

* No-one could ever love me more than He does.
* Nothing I do or say will ever take his love away.
* The void that exists within me can only be filled by his love.
* Since he loves me, I need to begin to love me.
* The love that I have because of his grace I must extend to others.

Loving one’s self is sometimes the most difficult thing for to do. We find it impossible so self-destructive behavior is employed. It may be because of things that we’ve done in the past and we wonder how God can love still love us. Or it may be things that others said to us in the past that has so destroyed our self-image such that we see ourselves the way people see us and not the way God does. Either way, we must begin to see ourselves the way that God sees us and put self-defeating attitudes and destructive behavior behind us so that we can grow in the love God has for us.

Buyer Beware

I once went through the drive-through of a fast food restaurant. I placed my order into one of those things, paid up and preceded to the pick-up window. I had ordered a chicken wrap – grilled not fried. I was very specific. I picked up my order and drove away, not bothering to check the contents of the bag. I got home, got a drink of water and settled down to eat my chicken wrap and discovered I had been given the fried chicken wrap not the grilled like I had requested. So I drove back there and complained and I was able to get the order corrected. That seems relatively easy as I could get the order changed but sometimes an exchange is impossible.

We as a society often do not investigate and research before we buy into things. We are a generation who picks a product by the package. Just because it says on the package that a certain skin cream will remove all your wrinkles in 7 days doesn’t necessarily mean that it would work. Or as a single girl, you meet a fine looking brother who looks the part and talks the talk. He says he’s a Christian and comes from a long line of generational Bishops so you think you are in good company, only to marry him and discover that your reality no where near what you expected.

Picking a product by the package puts one in a precarious position – where you either lose out financially or lose out spiritually, physically as well as financially. Things aren’t always the way that they appear – hardly ever. Time will however reveal all if patience is not in short supply. The fact that something looks good does not automatically guarantee that it will be good. More often than not, it’s those things that do not look terribly attractive that are normally sound and will stand the test of time. Next time you need to make a like changing choice remember two things – all that glitters is not gold and the grass is never greener on the other side.

Living a Life of Service

I have come to a point now in my life where I am more concerned about what I can give to the world more than what I can take away from it. I am not rich by any means – far from it. I am still struggling in many ways but God has been faithful; more than I can ever imagine. I realized that now when I go into job interviews, I have a different attitude. Before it used to be the employer trying to find out if I am good enough now it’s more if the employer can give me what I need. I need a place that’s more than where I can get a paycheck and more a place where I can make a difference.

Salary is good – definitely but it’s not the end of the world. It is the lack of an attitude of servitude that allows some of us to keep job-hopping – going from one employer to the next trying to find fulfillment that only God can bring through an attitude of servitude. The same analogy will apply to all areas of life. If we develop the mindset that focuses around serving others, we will have better, healthy and lasting relationships and a more fulfilled life. If we go into things with an attitude centered on being a giver, it brings immense joy.

When I really think about it, I am happy and grateful to be of service to my daughters. Being able to serve them in the way that I do gives me hope that they in turn will grow up and be of service to others. It’s important for us all to start deviating from the “me” mindset where all we care about is ourselves. We do what is right for us when we feel it is right and justify it with all sorts of crazy excuses only to abandon the real calling God has placed on our lives which are to serve others! The real truth is when you serve others, your own life is full.

We need to all start by being of service to our immediate family – our spouses, children and family. We need to then move out to serve others.

Do We Really Believe?

We all profess to believe in the work of Christ at the Cross but many of us are living lives contrary to what we claim to believe. We fuss and fight over minor issues and create mountains out of molehills. We envy one another therefore creating strife and division within the body of Christ. We all claim to believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ yet a well known priest brazenly says in public that only the Catholics are real Christians. In his ignorant utterances, he has unconsciously created a wealth of division in the hearts of many. As I read the published article on his views, the only question that came to my mind was “What does this dude really believe?”

Maybe we all need to covert to Catholism before we can enter the kingdom of God. I don’t know about you but my bible talks of no such thing. The downfall of humanity is certainly evident in the church where one denomination suddenly believes that they are superior to another. This kind of belief hangs onto the ridiculous premise that once we get to be with Christ in the heavenly realm, we will be divided into groups based on our denomination.

With all that’s going on in the world today, I have a sense that it won’t be long before Christ comes to take us home to be with him. It’s time to put our house in order as Christians and tend to the garden of our hearts. We need to evaluate our beliefs and make sure that our hearts are indeed right with God. I don’t think God’s desire is for us to elevate one over the other – the only key is accepting Christ and his work on the Cross. Jesus Christ is all we need – nothing more; nothing less.

Healthy vs. Unhealthy Faith

Today has definitely been a long day and it's nowhere near end at this time! I needed to talk about faith today. It's the only thing that gets me through. Without my faith, I have nothing. Faith is a dynamic and developing process. Our faith should be continually evolving. Questions are continually asked based on the Word of God we hear. It seems the more you know about God, the more you don’t know. Faith comes from intimate contact with God – walking with God through the trials of life. And believe me - some life events will bring your faith down to its knees.

There is Healthy Faith and Unhealthy Faith. It is possible to confuse the two – especially when religiosity is concerned.

Healthy Faith:

1. Healthy Faith is total reliance on God.
2. Healthy Faith embraces the realities of life – accepting that we are all sinners and have all fallen short of God’s glory.
3. Healthy Faith is the kind of faith that understands that the Christian faith is not an escape route from discomfort, conflict, pain or warfare. It does not protect us from the realities of life.
4. Healthy Faith is not a faith that lives in denial. It refuses to sweep all the daily struggles of life, our carnal and sinful nature under the rug.
5. Healthy Faith is a faith that understands that we are a fallible but we have a powerful and loving God.
6. Healthy Faith encourages us to bring all the issues and the negativity that we suffer into the light of God’s word and the scrutiny of the Holy Spirit.
7. Healthy Faith acknowledges the supernatural power of God and does not need a miraculous intervention to prove that God is real.
8. Healthy Faith does not magically look to God to change or situations or circumstances but hold on to him in the midst of trials.
9. Healthy Faith encourages us to do our part to resolve issues that we face the best we can and trust God to do the rest.
10. Healthy Faith provides perspective, perseverance and purpose through tough times.
11. Healthy Faith allows us to express our faith as individuals not just as conformists to some rigid religious system.
12. As Healthy faith grows, shame diminishes.
13. Healthy Faith makes one to exercise humility as there understanding that there is no need to prove anything to anyone.
14. Healthy Faith makes us feel valuable without material possessions being a part of the equation.
15. Healthy Faith means we do not have to hide our feelings.
16. Healthy Faith allows us to understand that it is not human effort or background that counts; it is Jesus Christ.
17. A Healthy Faith is developed by negative events.

Unhealthy Faith:

1. Unhealthy Faith makes you believe that the valleys of life do not exist.
2. Unhealthy Faith makes you believe that God will solve all your problems – all you have to do is ask.
3. Unhealthy Faith denies reality.
4. Unhealthy Faith desires to see magical solutions that stop pain.
5. Unhealthy Faith believes that when you become a Christian, life will become easy – God will simply take care of everything, miracles will occur and there will be no more problems.
6. Unhealthy Faith believes faith in Christ can be measured by material possessions.
7. Unhealthy Faith is an insurance policy against pain in the present.

Culled from More Jesus Less Religion By Stephen Arterburn and Jack Felton

What kind of faith do you have?

Be The Best You Can Be

We are all called to leadership - each and every one of us. We are called to be a leader in whatever we are do. It is intended that we let the kingdom of God come down here on earth and be reflected in this piece of earth that is our bodies. So that others will look at us and want what we have. Whatever it is that you do, you be a leader in that.

If you work on a regular 9-5 job like most of us do, make every minute of it count for God. Bring skills learned at the workplace and apply it to God's work where applicable. Be a king in your own domain. Michael Jordan has a domain - Basketball; Tiger Woods has a domain - Golf. What is your domain?

We all need to operate as both a leader and a priest:

Pray as a priest and plan life as a leader
Dream as a priest and execute as a leader
Gain entry as a priest and maintain your presence as a leader.

To act as a leader requires knowledge - study to show yourself approved. All leaders are readers but not all readers are leaders as it is possible to be reading the wrong thing. What do you spend your time reading? What kind of information are you imbibing?

Godly wisdom supersedes all. Start by reading the Word of God. Ask him for direction on other books to read that will promote your life and your well-being. Don't focus on your weaknesses. Whatever you focus on is only going to get bigger. Ignore the folks that are quick to tell you where you've been and concentrate on where you are going.

It's never too late to start being the best that you can be.

Life is Like a Box of Assorted Chocolates

I sometimes look back on my life in awe as to how far I’ve come and all the curves life has thrown at me. It’s certainly true that children do not come with a set of instructions! But ultimately I have to believe that my parents did the best they could in line with what they knew about parenting. We can only be as good as the information that we have – our lives are often an indication of the wealth we carry in our information bank. And all we go through is designed ultimately to bring us to an expected end. Even though God may allow trials to happen, they are not always caused by him. He nevertheless uses these different experiences to mold us into who he desires us to be.

And no matter how spiritual and disciplined you are, you will have troubles. You cannot always know what is coming around the corner. The only thing that you can do is make some preparations in case certain situations occur. But control over life is only in the hands of God not man. Life is similar to a box of chocolates, you never really know which one you’re going to get. I’ll like to be superficial for a minute and believe some people get a box of milk chocolates hence their lives are relatively plain sailing, nothing terribly strange occurs. Others get a box of assorted chocolates containing samples of almond chocolates and milk chocolates. Milk chocolates simulate some periods of ease and the almond encrusted chocolates simulate trials and tribulations. The good news is almond encrusted chocolate builds strength and resilience that the smooth milk chocolate could never provide. Trials build the spirit and emphasize very clearly where our help comes from and where our total dependence must reside.

Life is very unpredictable so we must have a stable anchor that we rest on. This anchor is God. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we have this precious anchor so even when we are dealing with the almond filled chocolates, we are at peace and if we are dealing with smooth milk chocolate, we still have joy – either way it’s all good!

When I Encourage You, It Encourages Me

No one is an island. We all need somebody to be there for us, in good times and in bad. When things are going well we can laugh together and when things aren’t so great, we can lean on one another. God created us as one body – arms, legs, feet and hands; all different parts but working together. It is imperative that we support one another. It is impossible for the teeth to be angry with the tongue. The joy of strong legs is to the benefit to the arms. When I see people who can longer use their legs due to some accident or disease, I notice that the arms have to become much stronger as they have an extra task to accomplish. The load that should normally be shared between the arms and the legs is now all the arms alone.

Let us start to encourage one another. I know since I started my writing in the last few years trying to encourage my readers never to give up on themselves or their dreams, I am constantly encouraged never to give up on mine. So as I encourage you, I myself am encouraged. Keep up the good fight of faith; trust in the Lord your God. It’s never over until God says it’s over – regardless of what people or circumstances around you might be dictating.

You Can’t Change What You Won’t Confront

Living in perpetual denial is a great danger. Denial is when we fail to acknowledge the issues we have or the errors in our ways. It occurs when everyone around us is wrong and we are the only one that is right. It is often the problem when everyone else is responsible for our problems and nothing seems to be our fault; when we choose to finger-point rather than grow up and accept responsibility.


We are often good at confronting others when we believe they are messing with us but we often don’t confront ourselves about destructive attitudes and mindsets that we have. We cannot continues to expect different results using the same set of tools – truth be told, it’s a retarded expectation. Whatever issues we refuse to face head on in our lives will bring pain and regret later in life. If there’s something wrong with our choices or our mindset, we must take radical steps to renew our minds. We cannot remain blinded by the virtual rewards that may appear from hanging on to opinions and ideas that are contrary to the word of God.


If your issues are surrounded against tradition, it is important that you understand that even if those ideas and philosophies worked for our elders in the past, they must be re-evaluated as they may not really be applicable in the world we live in today. The Bible clearly states than man-made traditions have rendered the word of God ineffective – I think God knows what he was talking about! Even though tradition is good, majority of it belongs in history. The only tradition you must follow is the word of God.

You Are Stronger Than You Know

Sometimes we underestimate ourselves. For those of us who have been unfortunate to be part of abusive relationships, someone may have said something to us that has now resulted in a huge amount of self-doubt. We now base what we can do and what we can achieve on how others have evaluated us. A father may have continually reinforced the notion that you will amount to nothing or maybe a mother who continually said you are no good. Or maybe you are married to somebody who has categorically stated that you can be nothing without them. Regardless of the reason for your poor self worth, its time to rid yourself of the baggage and realize the power that you carry inside of you in the form of the Holy Spirit.

When we accept Jesus Christ into our lives, the Holy Spirit comes and dwells in us. He empowers us in unimaginable ways – well beyond our imagination. Unfortunately we often do not tap into this power that is available to us because we fail to spend adequate time in the presence of God. Being in God’s presence on a regular basis strengthens our inner man thereby strengthening the manifestation of the Holy Spirit within us.

I once heard that the gospel is designed so that Christ can be on the throne and our flesh on the Cross. If we find ourselves struggling in any area of our lives, Christ is probably not reigning in that area. When we are on the throne and we place Christ back on the Cross, all we are asking for is avoidable pain, strife and conflicts.

Let God reign in your life today so that you can experience the wonderful supernatural power readily available to all that are his and are called according to his purpose.

A Pattern for Living

I was listening to a man of God preaching the other day about having a pattern for living. I was deeply intrigued and moved by what he had to say. Just like we have to have architectural plans developed in an attempt to build a house or for the technical folks, a stable and solid design when trying to build new software, we all need a pattern or design for our lives. When we have this pattern clearly defined, then we can start to build according to the pattern. In reality no-one can build according to a pattern they have never seen.

When we do not have a pattern, we are simply living each day as it comes. Every opportunity looks like a good one and we are continuously in practice mode – trying all sorts of things and getting nowhere fast! Having a clearly defined plan or pattern allows us to make better choices and turn down offers that do not meet up with the pattern we have. When you have no idea where you are headed all roads will lead you there.

Find out what excites you and makes you tick. Understand that you cannot be everything to everyone. Focus on the things that you love and build on it. Our pattern should surround our gifting. Once we have something written down, the next task is to follow it. The pattern may be updated and goals are accomplished but the core should remain the same.

I don’t know about you but I was challenged by this information. I believe I am special and gifted in many areas but I realized my pattern is not clearly defined. Do you have a pattern for your life?

Recognize Your Need For God

We are not created to exist in isolation. When God created us, he put a void in our hearts that only He can fill. Material things will not fill that void and no-one else can. We need to give our hearts to God and be completely reliant on him. Sometimes we try to justify our feelings of a lack of a need for God with our worldly successes. I know a lot of people who think that because they have made achievements in their lives, they have no need for God.

Children of God are what we all are and we all need him in our lives. Without him we can do nothing and apart from him we can be nothing.

What's Your Foundation?

A house is only as strong as the foundation that is built upon. A house built on a weak foundation will never stand – all you need is a strong wind and the house will be reduced to pieces. Likewise we are only as strong as the foundation we stand on. When we have a weak foundation, we are easily moved. That is the reason why a lot of us crumble when adversities come. The firm foundation required to assure security is non-existent so immediately hard times come, we start to run around like chickens with our heads cut off when in reality we are meant to be still and know that He is God.

God is the only solid foundation that exists. When we rely on God, we are secure. Things might shake us but they will not destroy us. God is a sure foundation – one that we must all rely on. We cannot afford to place our hopes in material things or in other human beings. Our reliance must totally on God. If we make the mistake of depending or placing our security in others, they will surely not meet up with expectations at some point in time. If you are sick and in pain, your Lexus SUV will not bring relieve. If you’ve just lost a loved one and are sinking into a state of depression, a big house in Hampton will not bring relieve. Should you lose your job and have no idea where your next meal is coming from, depending on your brother to feed you might leave you near death with hunger.

Only a foundation strongly built on God and the work of His Son at the Cross brings security. Placing our hope and faith in Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only thing that will bring us peace and joy. No-one or nothing else will. So having said that – what is your foundation? Where is your hope placed? When trouble comes, what makes you stand?

Keep Your Head Up

We all face disappointments in life – times when things don’t go our way. Sometimes nothing we do seems to produce the desired results. We pray and we fast. We seek God with all our heart but God seems to be saying wait or no. When we are facing attacks from the enemy, it’s vital that we stay strong and never give up. We may be bowed down on the outside due to our circumstances but we must stand upright on the inside.

The enemy loves to see you have a hard time. They like to see the effect of their actions on your life but don’t give them the satisfaction. Be a living testimony that God always makes a way and he never fails. We all have problems at one time or another in our lives. We will all experience potholes. But no-one stays in a pothole forever. It’s just a phase and it will all pass.

God has a supernatural plan for our lives when we come to know him, we work with him to make that plan come to fruition. Once we know that we know that God is in control of our lives not man, circumstances make shake us but it won’t destroy us. It’s important that we keep our head up and walk away from anything that is not of God. That is when people will often come around making statements like “I thought she is a Christian. Why is she having all these problems? Where is the God she goes on and on about now? Let him rescue her. Let him save her.”

Being a Christians is not a parachute that keeps disappointments from happening but it is the assurance, security and presence of the Holy Spirit that helps in overcoming disappointments – allowing us to learn and grow from them. So whatever you may be dealing with today – disease in your body, a failed relationship or a child that’s acting the fool, trust in God and keep your head up as you go through it. It will surely all come to pass – In The Mighty Name of Jesus.

No Prayer; No Power

When we really love somebody, we make time for that person. But a lot of us say we love God but we spend no time seeking his face. We make life changing decisions based on how we feel and not on the word of God. We deviate drastically from the commands of God and we have the audacity to blame God for the consequences of our actions when we are busy going our own way.
The modern world is fast paced. Every body has something important to do; somewhere important to go. We put God in a box we bring out on Sunday mornings and place him back on Sunday evenings. So from Monday to Saturday, God is nowhere in sight in our lives. We do not spend time with him nor do we seek his plan for our lives but we wonder why everything around us is going wrong.

A prayer-less life is a powerless life. I have read that prayerlessness in the life of a believer is a sin. It’s like having a car that has no engine. It looks the part but goes nowhere. Without daily conferencing with God, we are more focused on worldly things; we have all the things that are not of God slowly creeping into our spirits. We feel as far away from him as we can possibly be. His presence cannot be felt. We begin to hide our sins. We dress like a Christian; talk like a Christian; practicing a form of religiosity and deny the power of therein.

If you find that your prayer life is dead, admit your sin and ask God for help. Ask him to teach you how to pray. Perfecting a prayer life takes practice and a lot of discipline. Start to make time with God a priority. Living a life of constant prayer is neither a choice nor an option; it is a must. Pick a time that works for you, discipline yourself and stick to it.

When Will We Stop Repeating The Same Class?

When we first give our lives to Christ, we are often excited and overjoyed. A real life; life in Christ is suddenly revealed to us and we embrace it with vigor. We suddenly start to search enthusiastically for meaning to our lives. Living life without direction or purpose no longer seems acceptable. But over time we go through different stages as we embrace the new life we have now been given. And failure to understand and appreciate that life as a Christian is one of continuous repentance may put one in a very horrible position.

We need to know that no-one immediately attains the perfection of Christ that is our ultimate prize but we stumble and we fall but the key is that we get up and keep going on our walk. We need to have faith and complete confidence in Christ’s work on the Cross and the finality of his sacrifice. Once we believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, it is crucial that our eyes never shift from our goal because that is what motivates us to keep moving in spite of the mistakes that we will make. Having a life in Christ, does not mean that we keep re-dedicating our lives to Him; once is definitely enough. The drama of back-sliding and coming to Christ should really not be our potion. The common tragedy is seeing Christians that come forward and then back-slide, re-dedicate and then back-slide again; taking the same class over and over again. The life they so desperately desire now brings with it a feeling of defeat and hopelessness.

Repeating the same class is almost always accompanied by works of the flesh. Instead of believing in the work of Christ as being all that we need for salvation and staying in that faith, we think that something we are doing is adding to his already completed task and when we fail, we think we need to go back to the beginning and start over. In an attempt to recapture the same excited feeling we had at the time we gave our lives, we keep giving our lives over and over again. The only way to keep the excitement alive is to maintain constant dialogue with God. Having a real and active relationship with God helps us to firmly keep our eyes on the prize even when we fall we find that we get up again stronger than ever. The spirit starts to take greater control over our flesh when we spend time in God’s word. We find out that we do more right than we do wrong. The concept of constantly coming to Jesus and then back sliding becomes a thing of the past. We no longer find ourselves repeating the same class over again.

Whatever your struggle in life is, with the commitment to spending quality time in the presence of God will surely come deliverance. You suddenly find that the thing that had a strong hold on you loses its grip on your life over time.

Hearing From God

I took a few lay counseling training classes and during one of the sessions, we were asked to close our eyes and pretend that we were on a beach in any country of our choice - imagine we were walking along this beach and we saw Jesus approaching up ahead. What would we do? What did he say? So everyone took a deep breath, shut there eyes and went on a ride of imagination. After about 3 minutes, the session leader asked that we open our eyes and each of us describe to the conversation we had with Jesus.

As we went round the table, some recollections were pretty dramatic - basically everyone had something to say except for this one lady. She was in tears - "God never speaks to me" she said. "I never hear from God", The religious folks who have never known a time without God could not believe what they were hearing. "How can there be a Christian who does not hear from God?" That may be what you are asking. Really hearing from God and fictitiously hearing from God are however two different things! Some hear the most bizarre things from God forgetting that God speaks through wisdom and common sense. God is interested in the intricate details of our lives for sure but not like what color jeans to select at a department store or whether to have a caramel mocha latte or a banana mocha latte. He's given you a will and a personality for decisions like this. Will to wear what you like, style your hair the way you choose and eat what you enjoy.

To hear from God, you need to understand how God communicates to us. God appearing to us like he did to Paul on the way to Damascus is not that common anymore but He can communicate with any of his children in any way he chooses. We cannot put God in a box. And as of the traditional folks expecting God to speak in some rigid specific way, I really don't know what to say to them except that they might miss God when he speaks.

God wants us to always maintain a listening ear and to be attentive to the lifetime partner he has give us - the Holy Spirit. No one can ever connect with us or minister to us like God can. To know God's voice, we must know his word as his voice will never contradict what his word says. However it is possible to know his word but not his voice. The right word at the wrong time can cause havoc in our lives and the lives of others. In reality, we often learn God's voice in hindsight. When we thought we heard from God in a particular situation and stepped into it believing it was God and then after we are neck deep in it, we suddenly realize that it's not God - we then start asking after the fact God if it can turn around and be from him!

God speaks to us on a daily basis in a variety of ways. Some examples are:
1. Through conviction in our hearts. When we are called to repent over a situation/action.
2. By giving us inner peace about decisions that we make.
3. Through other people - people with prophetic gifting.
4. Through supernatural revelation.
5. Using natural things such us our gifts and abilities to speak to us on what to do as a vocation.
I leave you today with something to think about - Abraham obeyed God and did as God directed. He took his only son whom he loved and waited a long time to have and went to a specific place to offer him as a burnt offering. He was about to kill his son when God told him not to lay a hand on the boy. Just imagine if Abraham did not know God's voice - he would have killed his son. God is still speaking - he speaks everyday to all who believe in him.

Lord, Have Mercy On Us

The world is full of tragedy today. Natural disasters, young adults, children and adults involved in all sorts of crime, drugs and sexual immorality and most importantly - families are falling apart. I don't have to look far to find God's opinion on the crisis. It definitely saddens him. Some folks have gone as far as saying these are like the days of Ezekiel and the wrath of God is simply upon us.

I pray that God has mercy on us. I know that He is a forgiving God that abounds in all those who call out him. I pray that he hears our prayers and listens to our cry for mercy. The only thing that can change the world is the love of God - nothing else will work. Not programs, committees and organizations; simply the love of God. Even though lust exists in abundance, love is in short supply in the world we live in today. We often turn a blind eye to the pain and grief of others. We concentrate only on ourselves and aquiring all the material things we can get our hands on.

We need restoration from God and we need it now. Pray that God will show mercy on his people as a whole - even if your own personal life could not be better. Pray that God will revive us again as a body and show his favor.

Choose Your Relationships

Even though God has called us to live in perfect peace with everyone, he hasn't called us to be friends with everyone. The associations we make and maintain in life will determine how far we will go. Our relationships can make or break us.

I once heard a man say that when you become the smartest in your group, it may be time to make new friends! I couldn't agree more. Some think friendships can bring joy and fulfillment to them - the jury is still out on that. But depending on age, vision, goals and current responsibility, the concept of the importance of friendship may be very varied. I for one have very few people I call friends. I am very careful now about where I place my trust. My trust only belongs in one place and I have no regrets on that decision. However, we can still have people we say we "trust", we only need to be careful who those people are.

Be vigilant, be smart and apply wisdom when you make friends - just like with every other aspect of your life, choosing friends and relationships involves choices. Use the wisdom of God in the decisions you make in this area of your life.

Let's Walk Together

The older I get, the more I understand how much we need each other. None of us is an island - we cannot exist in isolation. There is so much work that God has called us to do as a people. There are so many souls out there that are lost and need to be brought home. When we become a part of the body of Jesus Christ, we are accountable to one another. We are to give each other a helping hand and be there for one another. We all need someone to watch out for us, to weep and wait with us.

Romans 12: 4 clearly says that just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body and each of us has a different role to play. And since we are all members of one body in Christ, we belong to each other and each of us needs all the others.

I strongly believe that the body of Christ is God's answer to loneliness. We are to open the doors of the church to all whose heart and mind is open to receive the love of God and no-one should be judged or exempted. No member of the body should feel alone or ostracized. We are to love and look out for each other as a direct result of God loving us first. His love for us (just as we are) should kindle and flame our ability to love others. When we isolate people for any reason or abandon them, we are in direct disobedience to God.

Scripture says where two or more are gathered together in his name, He is present. We are to walk and work together to maximize growth. If we are concerned about another, we are to pray not gossip. If we cannot be part of the solution to an issue, we should never make the problem worse. We should constantly think of ways to encourage one another – be a source of strength to each other not an instrument of discouragement.

Let us not waste any more time judging one another because it is only by the special favor that God has shown us that we are saved. No one can take credit for his or her salvation – it is a gift from God. It is not earned based on anything that we have done in the past or are doing right now so none of us can boast. We need to put away any attitude of spiritual arrogance that we may possess in our hearts and hold on to the truth in love and aim at becoming more and more in every way like Jesus who is the head of the body – the church.

The Main Thing

The graveyard is said to be the richest place on the planet - buried there are books that were never written, magazines that were never published, businesses that never commenced and dreams that were never realized.

With this in mind, it's important that we grasp and never lose sight of the "main thing". The "main thing" we are called to do as believers is be a fisher of men. We are called to go into the world and testify about Jesus Christ - be the best we can be and let our lives speak the message. I once saw a sign that said - "Preach the Word of God - use words only when necessary". We should be witnesses to the ends of the earth. Obviously we cannot go everywhere but passing the information on like a baton in a relay race can accomplish this.

How will people hear if no one preaches to them? We all worry about what people might say or think when we share our faith - I know I definitely do! But we need to pray that God help us with our unbelief. There are 8 main reasons why we won't share our faith:

1. We think we don't know enough.
2. We don't want to appear as religious freaks.
3. We are afraid of saying the wrong thing.
4. We fear that we may be a bad witness - we say to ourselves "Look at my life. Who will believe me with the way my life turned out? If I knew so much, how did I end up the way that I did?"
5. We don't know how to get started.
6. We are afraid people might laugh at us.
7. We are scared that we may make no sense to others.
8. We are afraid we might get beat up.

Whatever our individual excuse(s), we must remember Paul - he was weak, in fear, not eloquent and could not demonstrate any strength. But being a witness is not about our strength but God's strength working through us.

We must all spend sometime praying that God will stir our heart and help us. Method is not as important as effort. God simply wants us to be willing and available. He ultimately does the work to reach his people in the fullness of time.

In Bondage or Free?

I was talking to a couple of people yesterday about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the wonderful joy in being a Christian. While the truth of what was being said was acknowledged by all, the rigidity that has been portrayed by many as the Christian way of life was evident as the main put off for these people. In reality, there are some Christians in bondage and some that are free. Which one are you?

God never intended for his children to be rigid. His son Jesus Christ made friends with many people of questionable character in the bible and he was able to bring his children home to him that way. When we are rigid, we put people off. When we come off high and mighty and act like we are the elite – the chosen few, nobody wants a God that allows people to be arrogant in their beliefs. God wants rigidity to be a thing of the past. God wants us to talk a walk in the shoes of others by showing empathy and trying to understand where they are coming from. He wants us to be sympathetic to the plight of others.

I have since learnt (even from my own actions) that most people that are in bondage can trace the history back to a situations in their past. It takes time to get rid of the heavy baggage from the past. Jesus helped me to the point I am right now without feeling any shame or guilt and I believe he is still going to take me very far. Based on what I learnt from my conversations today, it’s a shame that there are many models of Christianity that puts people in bondage rather than set them free. A religion filled with standards of perfection, rules and regulations that people find impossible to meet leaving many depressed and worse off than they were before they became Christians. A religion so legalistic that it bars people from coming to Christ rather than attract them to a life filled with joy.

Take a minute and evaluate your Christian walk today, are you under so many rules that you are having a hard time obeying them all? Are you trying too hard to win your salvation via good works that you feel trapped instead of free? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, it’s time to really come to Christ and accept that his work at the Cross is more important to God than any good work you could ever do in your own strength. Accept the totality of the gospel of Christ today so that you can truly be free.

Total Reliance on Jesus Christ

I think it is extremely important to have people in your life that you can trust. Some may be fortunate to have many people that meet the mark. For me, trust is a very delicate subject. Putting my total trust in another human being is not one of my strong suits. I have been burned too many a time. In any case I have since learnt that the key to my peace of mind is entrusting God with every aspect of my life. To trust him fully and never feel any need to prove myself to anyone. It’s is reassuring to know that I do not need to have great scriptural knowledge or be able to quote every scripture in the bible in order to trust God. I have met people who cannot read nor write but have great faith simply from listening to the word of God. Their trust in God is based on the faith in their hearts not their knowledge of the bible.

It’s extremely important to me to be completely dependent on God and place my confidence in him and not on myself. I now realize that being vulnerable is not a sign of weakness but a clear indication of a need to be reliant on God and to have a healthy faith. I no longer need to look to the world to validate me or measure my worth. Apart from the fact that I live in the world, the world really has no hold over my life. It is so very easy for us to get swept up in the superficial things and place the value of our lives on those things that are not eternal. Our self worth should always be based on who God says that we are not how the world defines us. I once heard someone say that it’s not what people call us that matters; it’s what we answer to. No-one can make you feel inferior or inadequate unless you permit them to do so. So it really amuses me when people put any emphasis on backgrounds as if they amount to something. Now I know that all those things don’t really matter – the only thing that counts is Jesus Christ. I am grateful that Jesus is not a respecter of lineage or backgrounds. None of us are perfect and we don’t have to be. We don’t have to defend ourselves to people or be offended by critics or what others feel or say about us. A healthy faith based on the work of Christ and Christ alone allows us to use these evaluations as an opportunity to grown, learn and build relationships with others. It allows us to listen to what other people have to say and be grateful for what they have to offer.

Now that my reliance is totally on Jesus, I can safely develop relationships that are not governed by conditions or rules but based on love. I can also safely walk away from all situations or people that bring me hurt and pain. I really feel that I am in the right place at this very moment to develop the kind of faith that will help me fulfill my purpose in Christ. Total dependence on Jesus brings an insurmountable amount of peace and joy that no-one and nothing can take away from you. Even when in want or there is abundance, that special joy and peace is not disturbed.

We All Need Jesus

Have you ever felt alone in a room full of people? Do you long for an intimate relationship with someone who can and will always be around? Is it your deepest desire to develop a relationship with a person who welcomes you and loves you just as you are? Do you sometimes imagine what it would feel like to be in a relationship with a person who knows all your weaknesses, accepts them and loves you in spite of them? If your answer to any of these questions is YES – you need Jesus Christ. Being a real Christian means a true relationship with Jesus Christ and not many of the religious doctrines that float around in the world we live in today. Jesus plus nothing brings salvation. Baptism will not get you saved, confessing at a booth will not do the trick neither will tongues and tithes help get you to heaven. Only accepting and following Jesus brings real salvation. It’s time to take emphasis off all those things we are doing and look to a loving and powerful God.

God loves us just the way we are. He may not always like the things that we do just like I frown on some of the things my children do, but he loves us anyway. As we do grow in his love, we are more prone to following his ways; sin will desist from having and hold or satisfaction in our lives. If you find yourself constantly doing the wrong thing or living in sin, the issue is not that your spot in heaven is in question, the real issue is your relationship with Jesus is probably not growing and as such your quality of life while you are on earth will be nothing to write home about. When we are in relationship with Christ, we manifest a life that is different because Christ living in us is now working in and through us. We have a life that is new and one that follows his ways.

The truth is that no matter how hard we try, the realities in life will never change. There will always be times of pain, discomfort, distress and conflict. Being a Christian does not shield us from the harsh realities of life nor is it a passport to a trial free life. Unfortunately we live in a fallen world full of sadness, loneliness and grief but it is liberating to know that he is there with us when we suffer all these things. Jesus gives us the strength and the grace that we need to get through those dark valleys that we all must experience in order to grow. The desire for us Christians to attain a high level of sanctification where we would no longer sin is impossible to achieve and a mere myth. We will all fail at one point or another in our journey through life and that we are all sinners – no one is exempt from that classification.

When I really met with Jesus, I felt burdens lifted and a great sense of peace. I was glad to learn that I did not have to conform to anyone’s definition of what they thought I ought to be. I could simply be me and experience a fulfilling relationship with Jesus that was personal and tailor made just for me. I was happy to learn that it was ok for my experience as a follower of Jesus to be different from another person’s. I have since discovered that the way that God works in and with each one of us is very individualized. We are not all created from a cookie cutter. The more I trust God and the gifts he has placed within me, walking within the guidelines of his word as best as I can, I am becoming a tremendous blessing to others – Christians and non-Christians alike. The call upon my life is personal and not the same as the call on anybody else’s life. I now understand why some religious people that I have met along the way had a great knowledge of the scripture but seem to be unable to share the loving nature of Jesus. I now know how it is possible to know about Jesus but not really know Jesus.

Learn To Be Thankful

I want to take a minute to remind us that we all need to be thankful. Are you grateful about you? About your situation whatever it may be – understanding that God is going to use whatever you are dealing with to make you better and others better? Or are you taking God for granted? Are you treating the ones God has put in your care however and whichever way you want? Are you busy doing your own thing and ignoring the important call God has placed on your life?

I am thankful to be me; too many ungrateful, dejected, rejected and frustrated people in the world today. I am grateful and glad about me. Life can be tough we all know but it’s our reactions to hard times that make the difference. Being able to find reasons to be thankful, peace and joy when it looks like you should be crying is simply a sign of the grace of God on one’s life. Every day is a brand new day, a new chance to do things differently and to make better choices and decisions.

We all need to learn how to be thankful. Regardless of where you are and where you think you ought to be – be grateful to Almighty God. Somebody told me about a father that got shot dead two mornings ago in Oakland. He was simply getting out of his car and someone in a hooded jacket walked up to him and shot him. He will never see his children again; he will never be able to tell his family that he loved and cared about them. I just hope he remembered to tell them before he left home that morning.

Everyone is guilty of taking God’s grace for granted to some degree. I have learnt that tomorrow is never promised so I refuse to monkey around with the time I have with my children for example. I never fail to be there for my kids – even when people who truly care about me have offered me help, I have turned them down. Not because I am arrogant or proud and not because I am “Ms Do-It-All” - oh no. I however believe that the harder life is, the better the appreciation of it and the greater the propensity to make better decisions. I work full time to support us so their 9-5 is with other people. I look forward to the time I show up at their schools, the smile on their faces and the little treats I have for them. They are always glad to see me. That is what I look forward to while I do my job – meeting my children again after a long day. I am thankful that God thought me worthy enough despite all my errors and mistakes that I care for these ones. I cannot afford the luxury of being ignorant of that fact.

Being thankful often comes from past trials and issues. You come to a point in your life when you know for sure how things could have been if God did not rescue you. How horribly your life could have turned out if not for God. My motto is “Only by God’s Grace I Go”. There is no other fuel in my engine but the grace of God for which I am eternally grateful.

Why I Think God Saved Me

Before I started on the journey of discovering God for myself, my life didn’t amount to much. Yes I was living but my view of Christianity was from the eyes of people who simply looked the part. They knew the scriptures but nothing in their lives or the way they treated others proved that they lived what they knew. I am truly grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It gives real meaning to my life. I am grateful to be saved by God’s grace. I am chuffed that God thought me worthy to sacrifice the life of His Only Son so that I could get eternal life. I sometimes wonder why God loves me so much. It’s not that I always obey nor is it because I live a holy and blameless life – far from it! I am not a picture of perfection by any means. The one and only reason that I can approach God’s throne of grace for mercy is because of His Precious Son who stands as an advocate on my behalf. I thank God for Jesus!

God’s love is something I cannot ignore or forget. It’s something I also cannot explain. It just is. It is an amazing and expensive love that I am privileged to experience. I sincerely hope that it is the same for you. Even in the midst of my struggles, his love still shines through. Hard times have not been successful in questioning God’s love for me. If anything, they have reinforced his love because it is only through it and remembering it at every turn that I stand tonight. It is extremely comforting for me to know that nothing and no-one can separate me from the love of God. It doesn’t matter what people do to try and break my spirit nor does it matter what they say while trying to kill it, God’s love is my anchor and my assurance that there is more to life than all that I see or experience.

None of us really want to go through anything but with all the pain and turmoil, I don’t believe God saved me so that I can sit on my blessed assurance and keep the wonderful news to myself. The world is in chaos and the only thing that can change all of that is God’s love; no laws, programs or self-help will do the job. I also don’t think that I am saved so that I can hang around living life the way I want and doing with I like because I know at the end of it all, I am going to end up in heaven anyhow. Knowing the word, ignoring it and doing as I feel is not my calling. I am sure that God saved me so that I can show other people that God is compassionate and that he is a healer; so that I can be living proof that God’s love changes everything. If you asked me today what my number one priority is, I will say it is to share the Gospel. To talk about the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and what it has done for me.

I know that it’s a lot quicker to dress up like a Christian that it is to act like one; easier to quote the scriptures than to live it but God has called all believers to a life of giving and sacrifice.

Learning Never to Take on More than God Intended

God has a purpose for each and every one of us. Just like no two people have the same DNA or fingerprint, each purpose is unique and individualized. But sometimes we often find ourselves busy and doing different things but getting no real satisfaction from what we are doing. That is why we often find ourselves going from career to career or from employer to employer – never quite finding where we fit in. We keep going round and round in cycles repeating “failed classes” over and over again as we busily tackle assignments not intended for us.

Taking on exactly what God intended for you will bring with it a huge level of commitment. Flakiness is a good indication that you may be on the wrong train. Getting off the train to take a bus headed in the same direction will do no good – the end result will painfully be the same. It’s important that we know what God has purposed for our lives – zero in on it and refuse to quit regardless of the obstacles that come our way. Bailing out when things don’t work out the way we have planned is more difficult to do when you are walking diligently with God and have a passion for your purpose. When we take on just what God planned for us, beginning, starting and quitting with attempts to justify our actions with lame excuses will not be our portion.

Focusing on only God’s desire for our lives allows us to grow because we are less burdened by the demands of life. For a long time, I took on trying to manage the expectations other had from me. I spent a lot of time trying to be what someone else would want me to be and doing everything I could to fit in a spot that was never designed for me. The task not only wore me out; it almost killed my spirit. It was a revelation to learn that all the things I did and all the sacrifices I made meant nothing. All the unfruitful works brought no return. People that can’t be pleased won’t be – regardless of what you try to do to satiate them.

I have since discovered how not to add any more to my life than God planned for me. If I needed to cut some people off so that they do not burden me, I humbly did. When we discover that what God intended for us is just perfect and if we continue to walk with him, we will never miss it – our lives take on new meaning. That secret is not with anyone else but with God so trying to take on what people would like us to do or be is really pointless. When we are what God wants us to be, the right people, the right resources and the right opportunities that God intended will definitely come our way and not a minute too late.

Choosing To Be Better Not Bitter

When people do us wrong or the life does not go the way we want or expect, there is a tendency to be angry or disappointed. There is nothing wrong with a little dismay or anger but the issue is how long it lasts and whether it transcends into bitterness. We should never allow ourselves to become bitter over any situation. It’s quite normal to decide to terminate or limit certain associations if holding on will continue to invoke feelings of anger. As a Christian, I have learnt that there are some people I must leave alone so that I don’t share in the judgment or consequences that are surely coming their way. But I have come to discover that it is indeed necessary to minimize interaction with certain people and places for your protection.

Being bitter serves no fruitful purpose and only hurts us. It stops us from enjoying fellowship with God. We inevitably lose our peace and our joy. When we harbor bitterness, we invite other horrible emotions such as anger and hatred into our lives. We become our own worst enemy – emanating bad vibes and stopping us from being approached by others. We lose the ability to show empathy and to understand the feelings of others. God has called us to comfort others; a command we can never obey when we allow bitterness to take root in our hearts. Bitterness poisons us and gives the desire to get even or to seek revenge a high priority in our lives. The bible reminds us that we should never let any bitter root grow up in us. We can choose to be bitter or be better. The enemy would encourage and motivate you to pick the bitter option but you cannot allow this to happen. Every wrong doing we go through (however senseless it may seem) is for a reason. We must use our experience to become better people and help others who may be having a hard time or finding it difficult to avoid being bitter.

The only real weapon for bitterness is the word of God. Hearing the word renews our faith and brings peace, hope and joy into our hearts. Where faith, hope, love and joy exists, bitterness cannot stay. We must continuously meditate on the word of God to renew our minds and avoid people who have become the source of bitterness at all cost if we need to. Seeing the source of one’s bitterness as God sees them can be hard to do sometimes but we must let them go and let God have his way with them and in their lives. Our focus should be on God’s plan and his point of view – period. When we focus on whom or what has hurt us, the bitterness produces un-forgiveness. It’s not what others do to us that kill us, their wounds may hurt us but it’s what we do to ourselves as a result of what happened to us that determines whether we will become bitter or better. When we allow God to help us remove the remnants of un-forgiveness from our hearts, we are victorious in not allowing the bitterness of the past to pollute our future.

Additional Reading:

James 3:14-16
Matthew 6:14-15
Hebrews 12:15