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10/04/2020

Our society is good in swiping off the reality of death

A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots to see what each would get. It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews . They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!” In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! Let this Messiah, this king of Israel, come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him. At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” ). When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.” Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
Mark 15:21‭-‬27‭, ‬29‭-‬39

09/04/2020

Tonight Devotion

Listen

Listen to your life. All moments are key moments.

—Frederick Buechner

Be honest with yourself. When was the last time you sat and just had a real, live conversation with someone else, in which you took turns and genuinely listened to what they said? No devices. No TV. No music. No distractions.

No wonder it’s so hard for us to listen to God.

As we read in Habakkuk 1, he boldly asked God all the really hard questions that were on his heart. It’s hard to love someone—even the Creator of the Universe—if you’re holding grudges and hiding your true feelings. Habakkuk clearly loved God, but that didn’t keep him from respectfully challenging God with a request to help him understand the huge gap between what he believed and what he saw all around him.

Once the prophet had finished asking his questions, he knew it was time to listen. The same is true for you. Habakkuk wrote, “I will stand at my watch and station myself on the ramparts; I will look to see what he will say to me, and what answer I am to give to this complaint” (Habakkuk 2:1 NIV, emphasis mine). I love these images. I will stand at my watch and look to see what God will say to me. Sometimes the reason we’re not getting answers to our questions is that we’re not willing to pause and wait long enough for God to reveal himself to us.

The writer of Psalm 46:10 quotes God: “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Notice what God did not say: “Be busy, and know that I am God.”

He said, “Be still.” Be. Still. And listen.

How do you actually listen to God? You can open his Word and let his Spirit bring truth to life. God speaks through circumstances, if you pause long enough to reflect. He speaks through people, offering divine wisdom from heaven. And he can speak directly to you through his Spirit. When you belong to him, spend time with him, and quiet yourself before him, you will learn to recognize his voice.

Maybe you’ve been asking God for what you need. That’s perfectly reasonable; God wants us to reach out to him. But are you willing to listen to what he has to say to you, even if his answer isn’t what you want to hear? Keep listening. God will not abandon you in your time of need; he will tenaciously hold you close and carry you through your pain.

Pray: God, I’m ready to listen. What are your plans in this situation? How can I grow through this?

09/04/2020

Sometimes people choose or make the worst decisions as we draw nearer

Meanwhile Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied. When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate asked him, “Don’t you hear the testimony they are bringing against you?” But Jesus made no reply, not even to a single charge—to the great amazement of the governor. Now it was the governor’s custom at the festival to release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. At that time they had a well-known prisoner whose name was Jesus Barabbas. So when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to release to you: Jesus Barabbas, or Jesus who is called the Messiah?” For he knew it was out of self-interest that they had handed Jesus over to him. While Pilate was sitting on the judge’s seat, his wife sent him this message: “Don’t have anything to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.” But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowd to ask for Barabbas and to have Jesus executed. “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” asked the governor. “Barabbas,” they answered. “What shall I do, then, with Jesus who is called the Messiah?” Pilate asked. They all answered, “Crucify him!” “Why? What crime has he committed?” asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, “Crucify him!” When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that instead an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” he said. “It is your responsibility!” All the people answered, “His blood is on us and on our children!” Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
Matthew 27:11‭-‬26

08/04/2020

They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.” Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him. Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
Mark 14:32‭-‬42

Lets keep watch and pray

14/08/2018

We need to be like Habakkuk at times

Throughout our lives, we all reach points where we find ourselves wrestling with spiritual questions. I knew a man once whose wife of eighteen years was killed by a drunk driver. Sometime after it happened, I was talking with him when he erupted, “A good God wouldn’t let some drunk idiot kill my wife and let the idiot live! I’m not even sure anymore that God exists. And if he does, well, then I don’t want to have anything to do with the kind of God that would let something like that happen.”

I haven’t experienced this man’s loss. But I ache for him just the same. What’s more, I could see that beneath his hurt, he wanted to trust in God. It’s just that in that moment, he couldn’t reconcile the pain he was feeling with the image of God that he wanted to believe in.

I wrote this book and Bible Plan for the many people who are struggling to believe that God cares about them, especially when they find themselves in the middle of a crisis. When you’re stumbling through a valley, it’s difficult to see the light. You want to believe, but you’re having a hard time reconciling the hope-filled message of the Christian faith with what you’re seeing around you.

More than 2,600 years ago, Habakkuk asked many of the same questions people all over the world are still asking today. And in his grace, God relieved some of Habakkuk’s anguish, even as he left other questions unanswered. But on the other side of his doubts, Habakkuk grew into a person with a richer faith, a faith that may not have developed as fully had he not struggled through his doubts. We’ll be reading through his story over the next few days.

Think about it. If you understood everything completely and fully, you wouldn’t need faith, would you? But without faith, it’s impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6). Why? Because faith and trust must emerge from love, not from a business relationship, a transaction, or some situation in which we have no choice.

Are you willing to ask honest questions? To wrestle?

And more importantly, are you willing to listen for God’s answer?

25/12/2017

Merry Christmas everyone

03/10/2017

Have you noticed that human beings have a tendency to mimic the emotions of people across from us? The reason we do this is because of mirror neurons in your brain. They allow you to sympathize and also to mirror what other people feel.

For instance, if somebody gets angry with you, you get angry back. If somebody is really depressed and you hang around that person long enough, you get depressed.

In the same way, when people raise their voice against you, you usually raise your voice back. Then they raise their voice higher. Then you raise your voice higher. Then pretty soon it’s escalated, and your emotions are out of control.

The Bible says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Proverbs 15:1 NIV).

Let me give you a little tip that will save you a lot of heartache and conflict in your life: When other people raise their voice, lower yours — in your marriage, in your parenting, in your friendships, and at work. That’s called strength under control.

Gentleness defuses conflict. It deescalates anger.

Here’s a good verse you’re going to need someday — maybe even this week. Ecclesiastes 10:4 says, “If your boss is angry at you, don’t quit! A quiet spirit can overcome even great mistakes” (NLT, second edition).

When your boss rips into you or your spouse raises his voice in anger, you need to realize it may not have anything to do with you. Instead of getting defensive, practice gentleness. Let your gentle answer disarm the other person and diffuse the situation.

03/10/2017

God's Supernatural Favor

There is a distinction between natural favor and supernatural favor. Natural favor must be earned, but supernatural favor is a gracious gift from God.

First Samuel 2:7 says, "The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and He lifts up." A perfect example of this is found in the life of Esther. God raised her up out of obscurity to become the queen of the entire land. He gave her favor with everyone she met, including the king.

Esther drew upon that favor to save herself and her people from being murdered by the evil Haman. She may have been afraid to go to the king and ask him to intervene, but Esther knew she had favor with God and pressed on with complete confidence in Him.

Like Esther, we should live with the freedom and liberty that comes from living in God's favor. Regardless of the circumstances that come into your life, believe God for supernatural favor.

Despite how hopeless things may seem, God can lift you up. If your life is in His hands, the light of the Lord shines upon you.

Prayer Starter: God, I don't rely on natural favor. Instead, I want to live in Your supernatural favor. With my life in Your hands, I know You can lift me up.

23/09/2016

"5 Stages of Growing Through Life Challenges"

When we face life challenges, we must find a way not only to survive them, but in time, to actually grow from them. We must find a way to keep on keeping on, no matter how hard or painful life becomes. As a result, we can avoid getting "stuck" and live life in spite of our circumstances.

It is my prayer and hope that you will consider the following principles and apply them to your particular life challenge(s). It may be a difficult time in your life right now, and it may take a significant amount of time to make progress, but if you start right where you are, and just concentrate on taking the very next step, you will eventually be able to grow through your life challenge as well.

Step by step...we can do this!
1. Grieve the way you want -Know what to expect -Don't ignore your grief -Don't let anyone take your grief away from you -Run to Jesus -Be determined to keep on keeping on daily

2. Ask God "Why?" -When the pain is deep, "Why?" is the most natural question to ask -Jesus Christ asked God "Why?" -God does not owe you an answer -Even if He gave you an answer, you would more than likely disagree -As we search for the answer, our goal is to develop a relationship with The Answer

3. Keep living -Never use your life challenge as a crutch -Get out of bed every day -Keep up family responsibilities and relationships -Be grateful for those who are still alive in your life -Treasure the breath of life you have at this moment

4. Reach out to others -Remember the love, encouragement, and comfort you have received -Pass it on -It is extra meaningful to receive encouragement from others who are also hurting -Turn on your microphone -Have an outreach plan, and in reach plan, if necessary

5. Sing it loud and proud -Never waste your life challenge education -Take inventory of the treasures God has given you -Life a life of significance from this day forward -Rediscover your melody -Sing through the storm, like never before

19/08/2016

Even in our hardest times let's keep on keeping on Don't Give in to Self-Pity

Self-pity is a destructive and negative emotion. It blinds us to our blessings and the possibilities before us and it steals our hope for both today and tomorrow. People who pity themselves think, "Why should I try to do anything? I'll just fail."

Self-pity is actually idolatry because it is self-focus carried to the extreme. When we allow ourselves to fall into self-pity, we are essentially rejecting God's love and His ability to change things.

I encourage you not to waste one more day of your life in self-pity. When you lose hope and begin to feel sorry for yourself, stop and say: 'I refuse to feel sorry for myself. I may be in a difficult season of life right now, but I will not stop hoping for better things!'

God has thoughts and plans for your good, to give you hope for your future. If you will hold on to your hope and fight for it when the enemy tries to take it away, you will see amazing things take place in your life.

Prayer Starter: God, I refuse to feel sorry for myself. Even if things are difficult right now, I know that You are bigger than my problems and that You have a good future planned for me. I want Your plans to come to pass in my life, and I trust in You to change my circumstances according to Your will.

10/08/2016

The One Who Hears

When you pray, remember the name of the One who hears. Jesus.

Jesus has unimpeachable authority. “He sustains everything by the mighty power of his command” (Heb. 1:3 NLT). “God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name” (Phil. 2:9 NIV).

The Roman government tried to intimidate him. False religion tried to silence him. The devil tried to kill him. All failed. Even “death was no match for him” (Acts 2:24 MSG).

Jesus “disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross” (Col. 2:15 NLT). He was not kidding when he declared, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matt. 28:18 NIV). Jesus is the command center of the galaxies. “Two sparrows cost only a penny, but not even one of them can die without your Father’s knowing it” (Matt. 10:29 NCV). He occupies the Oval Office. He called a coin out of the mouth of a fish. He stopped the waves with a word. He spoke, and a tree withered. He spoke again, and a basket became a banquet. Economy. Meteorology. Botany. Food supply. “All things have been handed over to me by my Father” (Matt. 11:27 NRSV).

When we pray in the name of Jesus, we come to God on the basis of Jesus’ accomplishment. “Since we have a great high priest [Jesus] over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Heb. 10:21–22 HCSB). As our high priest, Jesus offers our prayers to God. His prayers are always heard.

So pray! Since God works, prayer works. Since God is good, prayer is good. Since you matter to God, your prayers matter in heaven. You’re never without hope, because you’re never without prayer. And on the occasions you can’t find the words to say, pull these out of your pocket:

Father,
you are good.
I need help. Heal me and forgive me.
They need help.
Thank you.
In Jesus’ name, amen.

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