Envy
‘The high priest and his officials, who were Sadducees, were filled with jealousy. They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail’ Acts 5:17-18.
Over the next few days we will be discussing three major reasons why we face persecution as Christians. Let this better prepare you and help you endure. The first reason why you will face persecution is envy both from religious people and the world. People are going to be envious of you because you have chosen to walk with Jesus. If nobody is envious of you then something is wrong. In this case of the disciples, the religious people could not stomach their Read the rest of this entry
Get Used To It!
‘But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats’ 1 Pet.3:14
Craig Groeschel says, “the easiest way to forget what God thinks about you is to be obsessed with what people think about you”. You go to church but your entire focus is on who is saying what about you or how the worship session and sermon have been crafted specially to ridicule you. It’s not about you so get over yourself! Stop being worried about being criticized as a Christian because as you up your commitment to God you will attract criticism to 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
Costly Reward
‘In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted’ 2 Tim.3:12.
With the beatitudes, Jesus strikes down two major monsters in our Christian walk. The first monster Jesus struck down is the monster that says you can be saved without being changed. Jesus is saying the power to save you can and will change you. The second monster that Jesus struck down is the monster that ties materialism to blessedness. Jesus never said blessed are they that own mansions in the choicest parts of town for they shall be Read the rest of this entry
Ready Or Not?
‘About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water… So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water towards Jesus’ Matt.14:25 &29
A number of people struggle with the notion of rapture. To some the whole idea sounds funny and their concern is, ‘is the Bible speaking figuratively?’ If you say that rapture sounds funny, then what would you say about the virgin that conceived? What would you say about the red sea parting and the children of Israel walking on dry land? Or water coming out of a rock in the wilderness? How about resurrection or perhaps the turning of water into wine? If Read the rest of this entry
Relationships
‘Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?’ 2 Cor.6:14
Does loving God mean giving up or cutting off friends who are of other religious beliefs regardless of how long the friendships have lasted? This is a struggle for a lot of people especially because of the strength of their emotional ties to these friends. They want to know what happens to those ties when they give their lives to Jesus.
Male Or Female
‘For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit’ 1 Cor.12:13
A number of people today, male and female, alike do not believe that women should be allowed to speak in church or be ordained into leadership positions or allowed to become lead pastors. As far as they are concerned scripture states that it is a shame for women to speak in church [1 Cor.14:34-36]. Again when Jesus chose his twelve disciples none of them was a woman so why are women now being allowed to step out of line? There are three schools of thought – Read the rest of this entry
Why?
‘Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come’ Isa.57:1.
A lot of us are consistently weighed down by the thought ‘why do bad things happen to good people?’ Particularly when a lot of intercession has gone into averting the bad thing, for instance the death of a loved one. For starters I would say you need to read Psalm 73, it will help you understand why bad things happen to good people sometimes. Secondly, there are some things we will never get answers to on this side of eternity. Some situations we will never Read the rest of this entry
Shape Up!
‘Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us’ 2 Tim.3:16 [MSG]
We have to consistently rely on the Word to shape us up so that we can align with the tasks that God has for us. Some people want to know if it right for Christians who run restaurants to sell alcoholic drinks. Again for me this deals more with your relationship with the Father. What is your focus – the Kingdom or your pocket? ‘Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit’ Eph.5:18. While there Read the rest of this entry
Love And Obedience
‘And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?’ Matt. 16:26.
Knowing God is learning and understanding the things that He approves of and the things that don’t please Him. Loving God is moving beyond the afore mentioned into doing the things that please the Father. Jesus says ‘if you love me, obey my commandments’. John 14:15. So when a young lady comes to me and says she has been living with a man for five years and this man has paid her school fees. The first question is ‘do you really know the Father?’ Read the rest of this entry
