Category Archives: Spiritual Growth
Blessedness of Mourning I
‘Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted’ Matt.5:4 [NIV].
The first blessing in mourning/grieving is comfort, the sweet comfort of the Holy Spirit. Maybe you are grieving because you are currently experiencing a season of lack. Or maybe you are grieving because there is a promise you are trusting God for and it is so excruciating waiting for it. Whatever reason you may be grieving for, comfort is coming your way by the ministry of the Holy Spirit and of believers.
Cleansing Effect
‘Better to spend your time at funerals than at parties. After all, everyone dies- so the living should take this to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us’ Ecc.7:2-3
God is saying if you have two invitations, one to a funeral and the other to a wedding, then set the invitation to the funeral above that of the wedding. You will be instructed more if you go to the funeral. I struggled with this for a long time as a person because I just don’t like seeing people suffer. It crushes me and I am not able to bear it. Visiting the sick in the hospital is not my ministry but there are some people who are gifted to see people whose legs are suspended and they are fine. I cannot stand it at least for now. I Read the rest of this entry
It’s Your Decision!
‘How blessed are the meek! for they will inherit their land’ Matt.5:5 [CJB]
So many times the land we desire of God is tied to the work of God in our hearts. Our Promised Land is tied to the extent to which the Holy Spirit is able to bring us under control. The more the Holy Spirit is able to bring you under control. The more He is able to tell you or nudge you not to talk and you don’t talk, the more power, land or whatever you desire is released to you. I’ve been among Christian friends heard them relay how they would put the Read the rest of this entry
Blessedness!
‘How blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the land’ Matt.5:5 [CJB]
There are things that we all want from life. Things such as face to face communication with God, access to the resources of heaven, comfort when we are going through affliction, to inherit the earth, we want people to call us children of God, and we want to have possessions and prosperity. Jesus has His own way to achieving this ‘blessedness’ and we are trusting God to open our eyes and teach us Himself as we walk daily with Him. ‘Blessed Read the rest of this entry
His Dislikes vs His Delights
‘Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ Matt.5:10 [NIV]
God allows us to go through persecutions in different forms and shapes so that it can bring about what He is working in us. For some of us the gospel that was preached to us was that once Jesus is in your life everything will be perfect. I used to say that also. But God’s Word guarantees that ‘…everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted’ 2 Tim.3:12. The reality is that you will still face trials when you give your life to Read the rest of this entry
Not Weakness
‘How blessed are the meek! for they will inherit their land’ Matt.5:5 [CJB]
Wikipedia.com defines meekness as power under control. Real meekness is power under control and not weakness. If you look at the root word for meekness in the Greek Prautes it means the middle point between two extremes – getting angry unreasonably [the Greek word orgulotes] and not getting angry at all [the Greek word aorgesia]. In other words, meekness is getting angry at the right time, in the right measure, and for the right Read the rest of this entry
Poor In Spirit
‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’ Matt.5:3 [NIV].
Jesus wants you and I to know today that the resources of heaven are at the disposal of the poor in spirit. So what does it mean to be poor in spirit? Does it mean I am poor in spirit when my bank account is reflecting a double negative? Of course not! To be poor in spirit simply means to realize one’s desperate need for God. For you and I to be poor in spirit means realizing our desperate need for God. Therefore if you are in fellowship simply because you want recognition for the material things you possess it means you have not Read the rest of this entry
You Are Blessed!
‘The blessing of the LORD makes a person rich, and he adds no sorrow with it’ Prov.10:22.
If you were to describe with one word a person that has the command of the resources of Heaven? What would that word be? How will you describe someone that whenever he is going through challenges, because everybody will go through challenges, he always has comfort and help? How will you describe a person who on this earth is prosperous financially, physically, and in marriage? How will you describe a person that among his/her peers is perceived to have things work out for him/her differently? How would you describe Read the rest of this entry
Pleasing Lyrics!
‘People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart. The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just then when we offer Him sacrifices’ Prov.21:2-3
Music is one art form that many of us were surrounded with growing up and it was not necessarily music with Christian lyrics. And so today there is a lot of concern about listening to or dancing to secular music. For me dancing and listening to secular music really is neither here nor there especially if they are just neutral lyrics. ‘Lean on me’ for example does not have Christian lyrics but I consider it neutral music. I know there are people who will fight you for singing songs like that. I would say don’t bother yourself with those Read the rest of this entry
You Have Control!
‘And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise’ Phil.4:8
There is a battle going on in our minds, the age-old battle between God and evil. Young men and woman find their minds going off on a tangent based on what their eyes have seen. Yet God is saying to us today that you can control your mind. In fact, the quoted translation says ‘fix your thoughts’. The only way to survive in our present day world is to exercise your God given control over your mind. ‘Finally, my brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever Read the rest of this entry
