Monthly Archives: January 2012

Let not your heart be troubled

30 Monday Jan 2012

Posted by in Belief, Christianity, Faith, God, People, Religious Studies

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Cover of Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

And Jesus said to His disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.” (John 14:1).

Those are the words Jesus used to console His disciples, who were apparently troubled after He had broken the news to them that He had to go back to His Father.

It seems the disciples were doubtful that they could make it on their own—their hearts were troubled. After all, they had been with Jesus since the beginning of His ministry, and had gotten accustomed to having Jesus ministering to them, and providing for them—He was their source for everything.

Jesus knew His disciples were troubled. He could tell by the look on their faces. He knew that a troubled heart is a doubtful heart, so He immediately tried to dispel the doubt with the reassuring words of: “Let not your heart be troubled; ye believe in God, believe also in me.” The disciples, I am sure, were delighted to hear those words. Still, they were not enough to convince them. Doubt and fear had overtaken their thought process, and they could not see themselves surviving without Jesus (See John 14:18-24).

One of the ways “troubled” tries to attack you is to plant the seed of doubt in your heart. The presence of a “troubled” heart is due to the absence of a believing heart. But faith is like a strong gate that keeps all unwanted visitors out of the fortress of our hearts, while keeping safely within, all the welcomed promises of God’s kingdom. Isn’t that beautiful?

Jesus never wants the visitor named “troubled” to gain any entrance into your life. “Troubled” wants to stir you up inside, like the river rapid. “Troubled” wants to attack your emotions and keep you disturbed and miserable. “Troubled” uses weapons of fear, doubt, and perplexity. “Troubled” will try to harass you, annoy you, and defeat you.

But faith has mightier weapons! Faith’s victory is in the stillness, the calm, the quiet, the rest, and the peace of Jesus Christ within you.

Living in the Light of Jesus

25 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in Belief, Christianity, Faith, God, People

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“You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light” (Psalm 18:28 NIV).

When God lights up your life, He lights up your spirit with His glory. When you were outside of Christ you lived in spiritual darkness. God was a person you did not know, He had a voice you did not hear, and He worked in ways you could not see. Your spirit was like a candle in need of the flame of God’s love.

But when God places His light within you everything changes. The voice of God becomes discernible, the ways of God become understandable, the presence of God becomes enjoyable, the will of God becomes desirable, and the fellowship of God becomes delightful.

The beauty of being in the light and living in the light of God is that you can live in unhindered communion with Him.

In the darkest of the night,
when it’s most difficult to see,
I follow the light of Jesus . . .
It’s the only path for me.

He shines His light of goodness,
upon the narrow way.
He gives me Hope eternal,
at the break of each new day.

Whenever I’m lost and stumble,
without direction, and in despair.
I follow the light of Jesus,
knowing He’s the One Who truly cares.

Whenever afflictions strike me,
and I’m sick and feeling defeated;
I call upon His strength,
when mine is depleted.

Whenever trials and tribulations
seem to oppress and blind, so that I can’t see,
I follow the light of Jesus,
the only light which sets us free.

—-Sandra Lewis Pringle

A Prayer of Blessing

23 Monday Jan 2012

Posted by in Belief, Christianity, Faith, God, People

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English: Don Moen

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Scripture say there is a time for everything under heaven (see Ecclesiastes 3:1-8), that is the reason I am dedicating this prayer to all the good people who read this blog. Thanks a lot for your support.

“The Lord bless thee, and comfort thee: the Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace” (Numbers 6:24-26).

May God‘s richest blessings be yours today. May His grace abound toward you, may His love cascade over you, and may the rivers of His goodness flow abundantly through you.

May He bless you with health in your body, joy in your soul, and peace in your heart. May He grant you strength for your daily tasks, wisdom in your decisions, favor in your labors and provision for your daily needs.

May God’s great outstretched hand of protection be over you and each family member. May He keep you throughout the day and bring you home safely from every journey.

Above all, may He bless you with His presence, keep your faith strong, cause your hope to remain steadfast, and keep your heart forever faithful.

Stand up for Jesus ye soldiers of the cross

21 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by in Belief, Faith, People, Religion, Religious Studies

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Jesus is considered by scholars such as Weber ...

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Do you believe the age of blind faith is slowly coming to an end? Apparently Uncle Tree thinks so. In one of his most intriguing and otherwise thought-provoking posts, the author of Uncle Tree House, which happens to be one of my favorite blogs, states that: “The Age of Blind Faith is slowly coming to an end.” According to Uncle Tree, “Church goers are dwindling in number, whilst atheists groups continue to add members.”

Everyone is entitle to their opinion, true or not, but I have to agree with Uncle Tree. It seems followers of Jesus Christ are not as dedicated and committed today, as they were twenty, thirty years ago. Part of the reason, I believe, is the advancement of Science and Technology. Where as in the old days, Christians had no alternative but to look to God to bring them through a particular illness, today they have an alternative in science and technology.

No reasonable person can deny that science and technology have made astonishing advancements. Doctors everywhere are using technology to do god-like miracles. Many diseases that were deemed incurable in the past are classified curable today. People are healthier, and are living longer than ever.

But despite the miracles in science and technology, the dwindling number of Church goers and the slow but imminent end of blind faith, God is still God. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). I expect to see miracles performed because Jesus said so: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father” (John 14:12).

So fellow believers, I am not worried, neither should you; because my God reigns supreme. He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful, and there is none like Him.

Let us stand up for Jesus and lift His banner high.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross;

Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss.
From victory unto victory His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the solemn watchword hear;
If while ye sleep He suffers, away with shame and fear;
Where’re ye meet with evil, within you or without,
Charge for the God of battles, and put the foe to rout.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day.
Ye that are brave now serve Him against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer;
where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, each soldier to his post,
Close up the broken column, and shout through all the host:
Make good the loss so heavy, in those that still remain,
And prove to all around you that death itself is gain.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the strife will not be long;
this day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song.
To those who vanquish evil a crown of life shall be;
they with the King of Glory shall reign eternally.


					


	



	

					
Tapping into the unlimited resources of Jesus Christ

										

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			Monday
			Jan 2012
		

		

		

			Posted  by  in Belief, Faith, People, Religion, Religious Studies		

		

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It is amazing how believers like to boast about their heavenly Father—how He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and how He is their provider, their Rock and their hiding place. Yet many of us fail to tap into the unlimited resources of our heavenly Father. We are just like Jesus’ disciples who were willing to turn away the multitude, because they thought they did not have enough food to feed them.


Look yonder believers, and “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not better than they?”  (Matthew 6:26).


The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes
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Our heavenly father has an unlimited amount of resources and He wants us to tap in.


Jesus tapped into His Father’s resources and fed over five thousand with 5 loaves and 2 fishes.


“And when it was evening, His[Jesus]  disciples came to Him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.


But Jesus said unto them, they need not leave; give ye them to eat. And they say unto Him, we have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, bring them hither to me.


And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, He blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.


And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.  And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children” (Matthew 14:15-21).


As you look around, the needs that you see are often great and overwhelming. Your own resources seem so small, and your own abilities seem so limited to meet such great needs.


if you tried to quench the thirst of others out of your own fountain, no one would be satisfied; if you tried to feed the hungry with your own bread no one would be made full; if you tried to reassure others with your own thoughts, no one would be comforted; if you tried to bring meaning to the lives of others with your own plans, no one would be fulfilled.


Jesus asks you to give all that you have to Him. And as you place your life in His hands, He will break you as bread, multiply you, and use you to meet the needs of others with His unlimited resources.


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