War And Violence Are Not Entertainment!

"War And Violence should not be entertainment!"

These were the words I received from a spirit nudge yesterday whilst trying to find PS3 games suitable for Vini (12 years old) to play at my home when he visits with my brother Ben and his wife Rosie.

My background with video games...

I've played video games my whole life, starting with 'Pong', then my Dad bought a 'ZX80' & a 'Video Genie System' and all I remember playing on it was 'Space Invaders'. Then came the 'Commodore 64' and we broke many joysticks playing 'Way Of The Exploding Fist' and many more fighting and shooting games, then the 'Commodore Amiga!' This was a fantastic games machine in the late 80's & 90's and really stepped up the quality and quantity of these genres.

Now The PlayStation...

Since I was a boy i've always wanted the most violent and brutal shooting and fighting games but nothing could be made as there just wasn't enough processor speed or memory to do the job. 

I've always thought playStations are amazing, I've owned a 'PlayStation 1 & 2' and I currently own a 'PlayStation 3' used as my DVD player for bible studies (this still makes me smile).

Since the release of the 'PlayStation 1' I've loved playing 'Tomb Raider', 'Resident Evil', 'Silent Hill' and 'Grand Theft Auto', GTA was especially brutal and pushed the boundries of just how wrong can we make a game, but I loved it!

📖 Verse 4 2day! 

Romans 12:2 (NIV)
Do not conform 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.

Back to childhood...

For the last couple of years, God's been cleaning out over 36 years of pollution that controls my thoughts, actions and tongue. Now with this latest message I hope to put the final nail in this huge coffin and be free of this addiction.

War and violence are horrific, brutal, destructive and uncaring, it leaves a trail of devastation through generations. It doesn't matter which side you're on, it still kills husbands, wives, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters and on, and on, and on….

Are we that tangled up in the worldly culture that we have been deceived and we don't even know it?

Is God trying to steer you away from something you know you shouldn't really be doing?

Are you just a fan of Jesus? Or do you know him? Do you trust him to transform your life with the renewing of your mind, and turn you into the person that God wants you to be, and not the person the world wants you to be?!

🙏 Prayer 4 2day! 

Father, please help us to be aware of the world and its destructive popular cultures. Help us to be the people you want us to be and not the people that blindly put idols on the throne where you belong, Amen.

Is Your Worship In Vain??

Matthew 15:8-9 (NIV)
“‘These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
They worship me in vain;
their teachings are merely human rules”

Isaiah 29:13 (NIV)
13 The Lord says:

“These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is based on merely human rules they have been taught."

My Thoughts 💭 

We spend countless hours checking, then double checking if everything is plugged in correctly, microphones, instruments, sound desk etc but we fail to leave time to plug our hearts into God! 

• Have you followed the rules (I mean order of service) correctly and to the letter?
• Have you dared to remain seated instead of standing during the song as you wouldn't want to be frowned upon would you?
• Do you make sure you speak nicely during prayer, putting style over substance? 

📖 Another Verse 4 2day!  

Isaiah 1:15 (NIVUK)

When you spread out your hands in prayer,
I hide my eyes from you;
even when you offer many prayers,
I am not listening.
Your hands are full of blood!

More Thoughts 💭 

I hope this will challenge you to focus on connecting your heart to God and not being distracted by what other people are doing, what clothes they're wearing, if they are sitting, standing, dancing, running, kneeling. Just connect with God as you can't worship for someone else! When you do, nothing else will matter anyway!

Don't just go to Church, BE THE CHURCH!

Marriage

My Thoughts 💭 

One of my fave ministries is "Telling The Truth" and this is an article on marriage by Pete Briscoe

💬 Quote 4 2day 

“Getting married for sex is like buying a 747 for the free peanuts.” —Jeff Foxworthy

The Pew Poll reports that 44% of Americans under 30 believe that marriage is heading for extinction, but 95% of Americans want to get married someday.

That’s interesting, isn’t it?

There’s skepticism, but also intrigue. They know there’s something dynamic and special about this relationship, but our culture keeps saying, “Marriage was great for your grandparents, but it’s unnecessary bondage for this age of freedom.”

Time magazine recently ran a cover that simply asked in big letters, “Who needs marriage?” Good question. How would you answer?

Lie number 1: Marriage is an archaic institution irrelevant for enlightened modern people. Many believe this lie, the rest of us need to ask ourselves if marriage is even worth it. Why do we even need this anymore?”

That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. —Genesis 2:24

This is the way God always intended it: one man, one woman coming together, becoming one, enjoying oneness in Christ. It’s God’s original plan, and it’s meant to last. He’s never rescinded it. Marriage is simply one of God’s great ideas.

I’ve done dozens of weddings over the years, and I start them all the same way:

“Marriage is:

• A holy estate.
• Instituted by God.
• Commanded in Scripture for all who enter it lawfully and in true affection.
• Confirmed by Christ’s solemn words and consecrated by His gracious presence at the marriage feast in Cana of Galilee.
• Set forth by the apostle as signifying the mystical union between Christ and the Church.
• Ordained for the consecration of union between man and woman so that the natural instincts being directed aright they might live in purity and honor.
• Ordained for the increase of mankind and that children might be brought up in the fear and the nurture of the Lord.
• Ordained for companionship, health, and comfort, which husband and wife ought to have of each other.
• Ordained for the welfare of human society which can be strong and happy only where the marriage bond is held highly in honor."
• Satan lies. The truth is that marriage is divine, timeless, and significant. You might be in it or out of it—either way, marriage is partof God’s eternal purpose for the Body of Christ… and it will be until death we do part.

🙏 Prayer 4 2day! 

God, make me a vessel of Your truth. When I begin to doubt the validity and need of marriage, make me willing to take that thought captive. By Your Spirit and Your Word, convict me of Your divine purpose in the marriage covenant for my good and for Your glory. Amen.

The A21 Campaign

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stxmmQqKL0E

At our church meeting on sunday morning i was moved by  Rebecca West and her talk about the A21 Campaign, and how she is running a 10k run to help raise money and more awareness for this great charity. Rebecca started by playing the video above then told us a little about what she was doing to help.

Rebecca's message:

Hello, me and two other friends are doing a 10 k run on the 18th of May, called We Own The Night, in London Victoria Park!

We wanted to use this opportunity to raise money for an amazing charity called A21. (More details below)

The charities aim is to abolish sex slavery across the globe and provide medical care, life skills and job training so those that have been effected by slavery.

There are more slaves in the world today than at any other point in human history, with an estimated 27 million in bondage across the globe. Men, women, and children are being exploited for manual and sexual labor against their will.

BUT! we can start with one life and the little amount you can give will release a life of slavery into a life of freedom.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you so much for your support!

Rebecca West

Heres how you can find out more about A21 and donate through Just Giving. How you can donate on the Just Giving Site

http://www.justgiving.com/Rebecca-West2?utm_source=emailvision&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=FR_page_creation

Related post:

My Own Little World

My own little world

This video really challenged me to look at the mission field between my own two feet. I hope it will challenge you too to realise that there is such a huge need right on our own door steps or in our own town/city. It helps show that if we really loved these people around us instead of judging the way they look, act or the situations they find themselves in, then we can understand and show the compassion, grace and love of Jesus and help transform lives!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuVSe1Cz4Es

Related posts:

• Christy Nockels
• Yet I will Praise You
• Britt Nicole

 

Diet or Die✞ - Part 1

Diet or Die✞ - Part 1

We see and hear all around how the world tells us about "Another fantastic new Diet that will transform our lives and bring us happiness." 

Is this true? 

I know from personal experience that any diet is very short lived. Whilst growing up I was encouraged to overeat so I've always had this particular struggle. After seemingly endless attempts at dieting over the numerous years I've tried losing weight. I've always managed to put on more weight than I lost! 

Things finally changed for me on New Years Eve 2012. I read Pete Briscoe's 'Experiencing Life Today' where he was talking about people always making New Years resolutions but failing all the time and then repeating this each year. He said that you need to have an inner "Revolution" NOT "Resolution" - resolutions rely on your OWN strength! 

So I jumped straight into Prayer and asked God for an inner REVOLUTION and as I'm in Christ, for him to grow the fruit of self control within me. It's now the beginning of February and a few days ago I had a Vision/Dream (the photo at top of my post is the picture I designed to help me remember it). 

I felt God was telling me that if I continue to live in the flesh and follow worldly Diet's, then I'd be caught in this cycle for the rest of my life. But if I crucify my flesh as Christ did for me then what Paul said in Galatians 5:24 is the path he's given me to follow.

Galatians 5:24

New International Version (NIV)

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5:24

The Message (MSG)

Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good - crucified.

I was told by my lovely wife Sarah and my true friend and Christian brother Ben to post this on my Blog. I am not a writer by any means but my hope is that this may help you as it's helping me. 

I've tasted the self control fruit - as it's freed me from alcohol abuse, stopped me swearing and ended the uncontrollable anger and rage that I felt whilst I was coping with loosing my sight at the age of 24.  Now I Pray that I'll finally knock down this giant that has been taunting me my whole life! 

" If you focus on the giant then YOU will stumble but if you focus on GOD the giant will stumble."

 "Are you allowing the Holy Spirit, who is inside of you, to have His way with you and your body? Or are you trying to control things yourself? The answer to these questions can make all the difference in the world for you today!" (Pete Briscoe)

✞ Prayer                                                                                             "Jesus, I thank You for my body. Thank You for giving me this temporary vessel to live in on this earth. Today, I offer myself to You. All of me. Take my body and make it an instrument of Your righteousness. I surrender and ask that You would take control of it. Use it for Your glory as an instrument of worship, prayer, and loving service to those around me. Amen."

Follow up Posts

i am working on follow up posts to hopefully help explain how this is applied practically in every day life and to share what has happened(is happening) in my life as i learn what it means to "Die Daily" and to "Pick up the cross and follow Jesus". 

My Name Is "Meth"

Wow i have just read this from a friends Facebook timeline. This is so powerful and real! Please take a minute to read and share!

My Name Is "Meth"

I destroy homes, I tear families apart,
take your children, and that's just the start.
I'm more costly than diamonds, more precious than gold,
The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold.

If you need me, remember I'm easily found,
I live all around you - in schools and in towns
I live with the rich; I live with the poor,
I live down the street, and maybe next door.

I'm made in a lab, but not like you think,
I can be made under the kitchen sink.
In your child's closet, and even in the woods,
If this scares you to death, well it certainly should.

I have many names, but there's one you know best,
I'm sure you've heard of me, my name is crystal meth.
My power is awesome; try me you'll see,
But if you do, you may never break free.

Just try me once and I might let you go,
But try me twice, and I'll own your soul.
When I possess you, you'll steal and you'll lie,
You do what you have to -- just to get high.

The crimes you'll commit for my narcotic charms
Will be worth the pleasure you'll feel in your arms, your lungs your nose.
You'll lie to your mother; you'll steal from your dad,
When you see their tears, you should feel sad.

But you'll forget your morals and how you were raised,
I'll be your conscience, I'll teach you my ways.
I take kids from parents, and parents from kids,
I turn people from God, and separate friends.

I'll take everything from you, your looks and your pride,
I'll be with you always -- right by your side.
You'll give up everything - your family, your home,
Your friends, your money, then you'll be alone.

I'll take and take, till you have nothing more to give,
When I'm finished with you, you'll be lucky to live.
If you try me be warned - this is no game,
If given the chance, I'll drive you insane.

I'll ravish your body, I'll control your mind,
I'll own you completely, your soul will be mine.
The nightmares I'll give you while lying in bed,
The voices you'll hear, from inside your head.

The sweats, the shakes, the visions you'll see,
I want you to know, these are all gifts from me.
But then it's too late, and you'll know in your heart,
That you are mine, and we shall not part.

You'll regret that you tried me, they always do,
But you came to me, not I to you.
You knew this would happen, many times you were told,
But you challenged my power, and chose to be bold.

You could have said no, and just walked away,
If you could live that day over, now what would you say?
I'll be your master, you will be my slave,
I'll even go with you, when you go to your grave.

Now that you have met me, what will you do?
Will you try me or not? It's all up to you.
I can bring you more misery than words can tell,
Come take my hand, let me lead you to hell.

Author Unknown

This is powerful. I think that it should be posted in every school.
In the email that this was poem was attached to it was said that it was written by a young Indian girl who was in jail for drug charges, and was addicted to meth, and that she wrote this while in jail. She was released from jail, but, true to her story, the drug owned her. They found her dead not long after, with the needle still in her arm.
Like · · Share · about an hour ago via mobile ·

Diet or Die✞

Diet or Die✞

We see and hear all around how the world tells us about "Another fantastic new Diet that will transform our lives and bring us happiness." 

Is this true? 

I know from personal experience that any diet is very short lived. Whilst growing up I was encouraged to overeat so I've always had this particular struggle. After seemingly endless attempts at dieting over the numerous years I've tried losing weight. I've always managed to put on more weight than I lost! 

Things finally changed for me on New Years Eve 2012. I read Pete Briscoe's 'Experiencing Life Today' where he was talking about people always making New Years resolutions but failing all the time and then repeating this each year. He said that you need to have an inner "Revolution" NOT "Resolution" - resolutions rely on your OWN strength! 

So I jumped straight into Prayer and asked God for an inner REVOLUTION and as I'm in Christ, for him to grow the fruit of self control within me. It's now the beginning of February and a few days ago I had a Vision/Dream (the photo at top of my post is the picture I designed to help me remember it). 

I felt God was telling me that if I continue to live in the flesh and follow worldly Diet's, then I'd be caught in this cycle for the rest of my life. But if I crucify my flesh as Christ did for me then what Paul said in Galatians 5:24 is the path he's given me to follow.

Galatians 5:24

New International Version (NIV)

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5:24

The Message (MSG)

Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good - crucified.

I was told by my lovely wife Sarah and my true friend and Christian brother Ben to post this on my Blog. I am not a writer by any means but my hope is that this may help you as it's helping me. 

I've tasted the self control fruit - as it's freed me from alcohol abuse, stopped me swearing and ended the uncontrollable anger and rage that I felt whilst I was coping with loosing my sight at the age of 24.  Now I Pray that I'll finally knock down this giant that has been taunting me my whole life! 

" If you focus on the giant then YOU will stumble but if you focus on GOD the giant will stumble."

 "Are you allowing the Holy Spirit, who is inside of you, to have His way with you and your body? Or are you trying to control things yourself? The answer to these questions can make all the difference in the world for you today!" (Pete Briscoe)

✞ Prayer                                                                                             "Jesus, I thank You for my body. Thank You for giving me this temporary vessel to live in on this earth. Today, I offer myself to You. All of me. Take my body and make it an instrument of Your righteousness. I surrender and ask that You would take control of it. Use it for Your glory as an instrument of worship, prayer, and loving service to those around me. Amen."

Follow up Posts

i am working on follow up posts to help explain how this is applied practically in every day life and to share what has happened(is happening) in my life as i learn what it means to be "Dead to Sin" and to "Crucify the Flesh" 

10 steps to keeping your child safer on the internet

Some really important tips!

10 steps to keeping your child safer on the internet

Diet or Die✞

Diet or Die✞

We see and hear all around how the world tells us about "Another fantastic new Diet that will transform our lives and bring us happiness." 

Is this true? 

I know from personal experience that any diet is very short lived. Whilst growing up I was encouraged to overeat so I've always had this particular struggle. After seemingly endless attempts at dieting over the numerous years I've tried losing weight. I've always managed to put on more weight than I lost! 

Things finally changed for me on New Years Eve 2012. I read Pete Briscoe's 'Experiencing Life Today' where he was talking about people always making New Years resolutions but failing all the time and then repeating this each year. He said that you need to have an inner "Revolution" NOT "Resolution" - resolutions rely on your OWN strength! 

So I jumped straight into Prayer and asked God for an inner REVOLUTION and as I'm in Christ, for him to grow the fruit of self control within me. It's now the beginning of February and a few days ago I had a Vision/Dream (the photo at top of my post is the picture I designed to help me remember it). 

I felt God was telling me that if I continue to live in the flesh and follow worldly Diet's, then I'd be caught in this cycle for the rest of my life. But if I crucify my flesh as Christ did for me then what Paul said in Galatians 5:24 is the path he's given me to follow.

Galatians 5:24

New International Version (NIV)

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

Galatians 5:24

The Message (MSG)

Among those who belong to Christ, everything connected with getting our own way and mindlessly responding to what everyone else calls necessities is killed off for good - crucified.

I was told by my lovely wife Sarah and my true friend and Christian brother Ben to post this on my Blog. I am not a writer by any means but my hope is that this may help you as it's helping me. 

I've tasted the self control fruit - as it's freed me from alcohol abuse, stopped me swearing and ended the uncontrollable anger and rage that I felt whilst I was coping with loosing my sight at the age of 24.  Now I Pray that I'll finally knock down this giant that has been taunting me my whole life! 

" If you focus on the giant then YOU will stumble but if you focus on GOD the giant will stumble."

 "Are you allowing the Holy Spirit, who is inside of you, to have His way with you and your body? Or are you trying to control things yourself? The answer to these questions can make all the difference in the world for you today!" (Pete Briscoe)

✞ Prayer                                                                                             "Jesus, I thank You for my body. Thank You for giving me this temporary vessel to live in on this earth. Today, I offer myself to You. All of me. Take my body and make it an instrument of Your righteousness. I surrender and ask that You would take control of it. Use it for Your glory as an instrument of worship, prayer, and loving service to those around me. Amen."

No Favourites Here

 Amazing Life changing talk by Pete Briscoe. This is about an hour long but it is a must watch!

No Favourites Here 

We live in a world that says bigger is better

"Revolution is a complete renovation and reopening under new management." – L. L. Levinson

We live in a world that says bigger is better. Here in Texas, we are all pretty convinced that we are actually better because everything IS bigger. Yeah, that's the way it works in the world – but not in God's Kingdom. So rather than make resolutions that are “bigger and better," it's far better to allow your life to be revolutionized by God, who uses the little stuff to do amazing things. Again, let's look at Proverbs 30:

"Four things on earth are small, yet they are extremely wise:
Ants are creatures of little strength, yet they store up their food in the summer;
Badgers are creatures of little power, yet they make their home in the crags;
Locusts have no king, yet they advance together in ranks;
A lizard can be caught with the hand, yet it is found in kings' palaces.” – Proverbs 30:24
Revolutionary Statement Number Eight: Small is big.

History is littered with "little" people who made great contributions. It's almost as if God takes great pleasure in using people who have to beat the odds:
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, was in a wheel chair.
Homer was blind.
Ludwig van Beethoven was deaf.
John Bunyan spent a good chunk of his life in prison.
Abraham Lincoln was born into abject poverty.
Thomas Edison, who invented the phonograph at the age of thirty, was almost totally deaf from the age of eight.
So if you're feeling small or you're feeling handicapped, you're in good hands – God's hands. He specializes in loving people like us and then working through us for big… or small… things.

Father, renovate my thinking, and open my mind to the way that You work. Take the focus off of me and the size of my contribution, and let me fix my eyes and my hope on You and who You are in me today. Amen.

My Prayer For 2013

"Dear God, my prayer for 2013 is a fat bank account and a thin body. Please don't mix these up like you did last year." – Unknown

New Year's resolutions seem to have more clout when they sound nice and spiritual. Another popular Christian New Year's resolution is this: I'm going to read through the Bible in a year! I'm going to start in Genesis and by the end of December I'll be finishing up in Revelation!

Again, I'm all for that! But that type of resolution is not a revolutionary statement. Try this on for size:

Revolutionary Statement Number Two: The Bible is living, accurate, and adequate. I'm going to allow it to speak to me.

"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar." – Proverbs 30:5-6

God's Word is true. He told us that thousands of years ago and it's still true today. Not only is it accurate, it's adequate. We tend to add a lot of stuff to it like books, CDs, tapes, music, and videos. There is nothing wrong with those things, unless they start to take the place of your Bible.

The big problem with resolutions dealing with Bible reading is (again) that the focus is on you and what you do, rather than on God and what He does. Rather than making a Bible reading resolution, how about this for a New Year's revolution instead? Rather than trying to get through the Bible in a year, what if you ask God to let the Bible get through you this year?

See the difference!? How about opening yourself up and letting the living Word of God impact your life as it chooses? What would happen if your focus was not on reading a certain number of passages a day, but rather on allowing the Holy Spirit to soak the Word into your soul, and change who you are as a person, and change how you live every day?

Heavenly Father, I praise You that You have given me the Living Word – Your words – through which I can hear from You and experience You. When it comes to my Bible, focus my heart on my relationship with You moment by moment, rather than my reading habits over the course of a year. Amen.

The best way to break a promise

"Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right." – Oprah Winfrey

New Year's resolutions usually reveal honorable intentions and horrible implementation. It's not a coincidence that we joke far more about breaking resolutions than we talk about making them. It seems like the best way to break a promise is to make one with your whole heart. What's the problem? Resolutions focus on you. But revolutions focus on God.

Revolutionary Statement Number One: To get an accurate view of yourself, focus on Him!

Agur, who wrote Proverbs chapter 30, gives an excellent example of this kind of focus:

"Surely I am only a brute, not a man;
I do not have human understanding.
I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.
Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Whose hands have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is the name of his son?
Surely you know!" – verses 2-4

The answer to all of the questions is GOD, not ME. But even the best sounding New Year's resolutions focus on what you can do rather than on what God has done and is doing. One of the favorite Christian New Year's resolutions is: I'm going to have a quiet time of prayer and Bible study every day. I'm all for that, by the way, but it sets you up for failure because the focus is on you, and not on Him. Can you see that?

A revolutionary prayer, on the other hand, would be focused on God, asking Him to reveal Himself in any way that He sees fit – through the Word, through prayer, through nature, etc. Someone who makes resolutions believes they can get closer to God by their own strength. But the heart of a godly revolutionary is honest about his ignorance and inability to understand and relate to God on his own.

Lord, I want to know You more. Deep within my soul I want to know You. In the name of Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit, I ask that You would stir up this desire I have to be intimate with You. I depend on You today, and every day this year, to reveal Yourself to me in any way that You choose. Amen.

A New Year Revolution!

"The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes... Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective." – G. K. Chesterton

Over the next couple of days, hundreds of millions of people around the world will engage in one of the most common annual rituals on the planet: The "New Year's Resolution." I did a Google search for "New Year's Resolution" awhile back, and 980,370 sites popped up! That's a lot of "resoluting" going on out there every year!

Personally? I don't like New Year's resolutions. I've never done them, and if I had, I never would have kept any of them.

I looked up resolution in the dictionary, and it said, "Determination with firmness and intention to change what I'm going to do." Theoretically and theologically, I actually have a problem with that.

Think about it! A resolution is supposed to change you by changing your behavior. That is actually backwards from the New Testament which reveals that your behavior is changed by an awareness of this fact: Christ has ushered in a dynamic revolution that transforms you from the inside out.

Revolution, on the other hand, is defined as "a radical change in constitution... to change completely." But the traditional pattern this time of year is to make resolutions, rather than allow revolutions. Paul had something to say about that:

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. – Romans 12:2

Over the next two weeks I am going to take you through Proverbs 30, which contains nine radical revolutionary statements. If taken seriously, they can be used by the Spirit to completely change who you are as a person. These are specific transformations that are caused by the revolution Christ has begun in your heart.

May you start this new year not with temporary resolutions that are bound to fail, but by committing to the eternal revolution that Christ is bringing about in your heart!

Holy Spirit, please take the powerful, unchanging truths of Scripture and make them alive in fresh new ways each day of this coming year. Amen.

More Gifts & Blessings

"What I don't like about office Christmas parties is looking for a job the next day." – Phyllis Diller

What's the heartbeat of Christmas? God loved the world so much that He gave His only Son. In the most significant gift exchange that has ever taken place, God gave first. He gave His Son and, through His Son, He gave the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit has come with more gifts and more blessings than we could ever have imagined.

But it is an exchange. In order to receive this life from Him, you must give your life to Him.

God designed life to work best when everything you have is released back to Him, and put in His control. His desire is to have our lives given over fully to Him, but here's what we do: We make a deal and say, “God, I really appreciate all these amazing gifts You are willing to give. They're really great, really! But, um, I'm really not quite ready to give you all of myself yet. Here, take this!"

And we give Him the part of us that we're willing to give. All the other stuff – the battles we want to keep our claws in, the areas we want to remain king over, the things we want to possess – we try to keep for ourselves, usually with disastrous results.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform 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. – Romans 12:1-2

This Christmas, the best gift that you can give yourself is giving all of yourself away to Him, so that you can fully receive what He is willing to give you.

Lord Jesus, I confess that there are many aspects of me and my life that I am holding on to. These things rightly belong to You, since I belong to You, and I know in my head that I would be better off to release them to You. By the power of Your Holy Spirit in me, by the faith which You promise to give me, I offer these areas of my life to You today, that I might experience true and proper worship! Amen.

The Paradox of our time here in History!

The Paradox of our time here in history is that we spend more but have less, we buy more but enjoy it less, we have bigger houses but smaller families, more conveniences but less time.

More medicine but less wellness, we read too little, watch TV too much and Pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions but reduced our values. these are times of tall men but short character. steep profits and shallow relationships. 

These are days of 2 incomes but more divorce, fancier houses but broken homes. 

We have learnt how to make a living but not a life, we have added years to life but not life to years. 

We have cleaned up the air but polluted the soul!

Impressions about Christmas!

"One act of obedience is better than one hundred sermons." – Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Most of our impressions about Christmas revolve around concepts like "peace" and "harmony" and "unity." But the first Christmas was filled with intense contrasts. On one hand, we have Herod who is willing to murder countless innocent babies in order to save his position as king. Then there are the three Magi, the wise men from the east:

On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. – Matthew 2:11

These were gifts of great monetary and symbolic value:
MYRRH was a substance used in embalming fluid. This little boy had been born to die as the Savior of mankind! So in giving that gift, the wise men said, "You are Savior, You are worthy to be trusted, we trust You fully."
INCENSE was burned in the Tabernacle and in the Temple as an act of worship to God. In giving frankincense, they were saying, "You are God, and You are worthy to be worshiped!"
GOLD was a gift given to kings. In giving the gold to Jesus, they said, "You are King, You are worthy to be followed."
There was a time when your sinful nature was inclined to do what Herod did – clinging to and defending your position as king of your own life. But now that you are in Christ, now that your sinful nature has been crucified with Him (Romans 6), now that His Holy Spirit lives within you (Romans 8), you can listen to His voice that invites you to bow down and worship the Child as Savior and King today.

Jesus, my Lord! With great joy, I follow the leading of Your Spirit in my heart today. I bow before You as my Savior and my King. May my words, thoughts, and actions all be expressions of sincere worship to You. Amen.

ISN'T THERE ANYONE WHO KNOWS WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT?!!!

“ISN'T THERE ANYONE WHO KNOWS WHAT CHRISTMAS IS ALL ABOUT?!!!" – Charlie Brown

"Aren't we forgetting the true meaning of Christmas? You know... the birth of Santa!" – Bart Simpson

I had a young lady in my office recently. In the course of our conversation, I came to the conclusion that she hadn't come to grips with God's love for her. So I looked her in the eyes as I thought of one of the foundational verses in the Bible:

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." – John 3:16

"Let me tell you something, are you aware of this simple fact, that God couldn't possibly love you more than He does right now?" I asked. "That He loves you as much as a perfect God can? That He loves you perfectly, and there's nothing you can do to make Him love you more? There's nothing you can do to earn His approval; you have it. Are you aware of that? Do you realize how deeply God loves you?"

Her eyes filled with tears, and she bowed her head and started to weep. She didn't stop. She just kept crying. Our conversation ended with her thanking me and walking out, still crying. I called a few days later, just to follow up, to make sure she was okay. She said, "Pete, I cried for three days! It just finally hit me that God loves me! I finally got it! All these years, I've been sitting in church and never allowed myself to realize how deeply and passionately He loves me!"

Why Christmas? Because God loves you so much that He gave His one and only Son, sending Him into the world as a poor baby so that He could show you how to live – no, more than that – that He might be your life. He lived perfectly, died a grizzly death, shed His blood so that your sins might be removed, so that you will not perish, but spend forever with Him.

Do you get it? Have you received this gift?

Holy Spirit, today and through this season, give me the ability and the willingness to realize how deeply and passionately You love me. Amen.

The Masterpiece

The Masterpiece

By Michael Youssef, Ph.D.

There is a story about a wealthy man and his only son who travelled the world together collecting priceless paintings by Van Gogh, Monet and many other masters. Tragically, the son died at war while rescuing others. Distraught and lonely, the old man dreaded the upcoming Christmas day.

Christmas morning, a young soldier knocked on his door and said, “I’m a friend of your son. I’m one of the ones he rescued.” Then the soldier presented a picture he had painted of the son. Though the picture lacked genius, the brokenhearted father saw the features of his precious son and immediately valued this painting above all the masterpieces in his home. Every day, the father gazed at the portrait and told his housekeeper of his great love for it.

When the father died, the art world buzzed with excitement over the sale of his extraordinary art collection on Christmas day.

The first item offered was the painting of the son, but no one in the self-important crowd would bid on the amateurish portrait. The auctioneer insisted that the terms of the will required the portrait must be sold before any other paintings could be offered. Finally, the housekeeper, tears streaming down her cheeks, said to the auctioneer, “May I pay ten dollars for it? That is all the money I have. I knew the son, and I know how much the father treasured that portrait.” The auctioneer said, “The bid is ten dollars. Going once, going twice, gone,” and the gavel fell.

The auctioneer then announced that the auction was over. “What do you mean?” said the stunned audience. “There must be hundreds of millions of dollars of art here.” The auctioneer replied, “It is very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever takes the son gets it all.”

Like the art collectors, not everyone can see the real value of a relationship with Jesus. John 1:11 tells us that Jesus came to His own but His own received Him not. They did not accept the precious gift of God’s Son, a gift that brings with it all the blessings and love of God.

If you are not intentional about recognizing and receiving Jesus Christ, you will have nothing in the end, and there will be no negotiation of God’s terms. God’s Son may have been born in the most humble of circumstances in a manger in Bethlehem, but He is coming back in power and glory. The next time we see Jesus, things will be very different from His first coming. Not only will He be the King of kings but He will be a judge and we will be held accountable for our lives.

Read John 3:18-36 and Revelations 3:16. Clearly, there are two categories of people: those who fully accept the Son as the only means to the Father and those who don’t. People who are indifferent or neutral about the Son will miss the opportunity to live eternally with the Father in Heaven. It is not enough to believe Jesus was a good man or a prophet; James 2:19 says that even the devil believes and “trembles.”

Have you said “Yes” to the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior? Luke 15:7 says there will be joy in Heaven when you do. Tell the Father today about your love for His Son. Ask God to protect your heart from being neutral or complacent about your devotion to Jesus. Is there someone you know who needs to acknowledge Jesus as Savior? Pray about being intentional about introducing them to the Son.