Category Archives: Christian Life

Love: God’s Most Important Requirement For the Year 2016

Love: God’s Most Important Requirement For the Year 2016

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Can love create a necessary and sufficient condition resulting into having the kingdom of God (as our inheritance)? (Photo | EMS OF ECWA Widows Seminar)

The idea of cause and effect is very important to all of us.  We want to know if the action of X has brought about what happens to Y.  In this case, we want to know if the action is a necessary cause for what happens to Y.  If it is not, could it be a contributory cause?  We may also want to know if it is a sufficient cause or not, because something can be necessary and not be sufficient to create the condition for something to happen.  For an example, if your car is not of the electric type, you must have gasoline in it before it can start.  Gasoline is very much necessary but by itself is not sufficient for your car to start.  Other things must contribute to that condition. We need something that is both necessary and sufficient to bring about something.  For a student to graduate with a bachelor degree in sociology, one necessary thing he or she has to do is to declare for a major in that discipline.  However, declaring a major does not create a sufficient condition for graduation.  Something can be necessary but may not be sufficient to get us what we want.  Just one academic core requirement not fulfilled by student can prevent that student from graduating, even if he exceeds the total number of credit hours for graduation.  Love for all people is the most powerful requirement that God wants us to fulfill in the year 2016.

Christianity has many requirements for its adherents, including the fulfillment of the Ten Commandments.  While these requirements are necessary, they cannot qualify us for the inheritance of God’s kingdom. Our good works cannot give us eternal life.  Faith without work is empty or nothing.  Thus our good deeds may be necessary but not sufficient.  Love satisfies both conditions (necessary and sufficient).   Logic explains a necessary cause as a condition that must be present if a particular effect is to occur.  This is different from the explanation for a sufficient condition, that is, one thing by itself bringing about an effect.  This is what love is to the kingdom of God.  Love conquers it all!  No amount of “good” works or religious activities will make us inherit the kingdom of God.  We are discussing the relationship between two things in which one is claimed to affect the other.  The issue here is about the relationship between having love and inheriting the kingdom of God. 

The question is asked, “Can love create a necessary and sufficient condition resulting into having the kingdom of God (as our inheritance)?  Most people will definitely say, “Yes.”   John 3:16, a most quoted Bible verse in evangelism, answers the question in the affirmative as Jesus said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.”  Love is the answer.

A few people’s encounters with Jesus explain how important love is to the kingdom of God.  Without it, there is no Christian life.  No eternal life.  No kingdom.  He who knows no love does not know God because God is love.  In other words, to know God is to love.  At the birth of Jesus Christ angels celebrated with the world as they sang, “Glory be to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests” (St. Luke 2:14).  It is God’s love that we are celebrating at Christmas.  It is sad for anyone who doesn’t have it.  Human beings must make every effort to find the truth.  When they find it, they find the truth, Jesus the prince of peace.  A Bible teacher in his imaginative power told the story in a different way:

Once upon a time God said that the world must know the truth about his love.  So, from His throne He cast the Truth down into the world.  Upon landing, the Truth scattered into uncountable fragments.  God asked human beings to search for the pieces and fragments. 

Jesus came and claimed to be the Truth, the Way and the Life and that no one comes to the Father except through him.  His body was broken and his blood shed for us that we ay find the truth of God’s love. Jesus brings to us love, peace, and joy.  That love gives life and it is required that we love as Christ loves us.  The mistake, in fact, an error of reasoning that is common today is to believe that one can have joy without having love and peace.  One cannot have joy until one has love and what follows is peace.  So, to have joy, we must have God, the Giver of love and peace.  Who brings down that peace?  Jesus, who said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.  I do not give to you as the world gives” (St. John 14:27).    You must have seen some people around   you who would like to have joy but without love, and of course, without peace.  They are so screwed up as to believe that they can steal someone’s joy or peace and make it their own in order to have joy.  They believe that what they have stolen can give them joy.  The one who steals from the other has no love and peace that should have come from Jesus the prince of peace.  Jesus said, “Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (St. Luke 12:15).  God’s love gives peace and He asks us for that love.

Prophet Micah proclaimed what God wanted, “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.  And what does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and walk humbly with your God” (6:8).  Acting justly, showing acts of mercy and walking humbly with God means nothing if one does not love God.  In fact, it is the love of God that makes one have mercy and walk humbly with God.  Today many people engage with works of mercy but in some cases self is at the center; ungodly motives are involved.  God called Moses, “my humble servant,” because all that Moses did as a leader for Israel did not arise from ulterior motives.  They were all for God and His kingdom.  God asks that we show love in the year 2016.  If we are truly God’s people, loving becomes a lifestyle.  We love not because of anything but because God loves us first and to whom much is given much is expected.

The Ten Commandments are reduced to one Law.  This is the Law of love and life that has been God’s standard for communities.  The laws were written originally on two slates.  The commandments are in two parts.  The first part deals with our relationship with God and the second deals with our relationship with one another.  It is love and not laws that make the relationship positive.  It is a covenant of love.  Covenant relationship between husband and wife cannot work if there is no love.  Man’s inhumanity to man that has been on the increase today is as a result of not having love.  Political injustice, war, terrorism, violence, torture, ethnic cleansing, women and children trafficking, rape, jealousy, armed robbery, and the likes, come upon us as a result of the absence of love in our human society.  The African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) has captured the truth of love being the binding agent for God and human beings.  The motto says, “God our Father, Christ our Redeemer, the Holy Spirit our Comforter, humankind our family.”  God created humankind as a family.  This religious motto brings the divine community to bear upon the human community and all is made possible by love.

Conclusion:  What does God ask of us in the year 2016? It is Christian Love for all people.  Jesus said, “A new commandment I give you:  Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (St. John 13:34).  The greatest commandment for 2016 for all human beings is this:  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  The second is this:  Love your neighbor as yourself.  There is no commandment greater than this” (St. Mark 12:30-31).  Show your love for God in the year 2016 and thereafter.  May God give you the spirit and the power to show your love for Him all the days of your life and you will find goodness and mercy pursuing you all the time.

Have a blessed Christmas and a happy new year!

Rev. Dr. Daniel Adebayo Iselaiye has been educator for most of his adult life. Some of his religious activities include sporadic teaching/preaching engagements at several Colleges and Universities across the U.S.. He is now associate professor of religion and philosophy; and  the Chairman of ECWA USA DCC. You can reach him via email

 

Signs of a Good Father

Signs of a Good Father

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You know you're a good father when your children enjoy spending time with you. (photo © blackvibes.com)

Carrying a sixty pound backpack in Colorado’s rocky wilderness is hard. If you are used to breathing air at sea level, the high altitude makes it even more physically grueling. When our guides stopped and surveyed the land with a puzzled look, my heart sank. Something was wrong. We should have come to a creek which would confirm we were on the right track. But it wasn’t there. We had taken a wrong turn. Eventually we backtracked and found the correct path and the creek.

As fathers we can sometimes feel lost. We can have self-doubt about how we are doing as dads. While we will never be perfect this side of heaven, if you practice the following 10 things consistently you’ll know you are on the right track to being a good father. You will know you are setting the example your children need.

  1. When you help your kids with their schoolwork.
  2. When you take an interest in their hobbies.
  3. When you show affection to your wife in front of them.
  4. When you advocate that they speak to you and each other respectfully.
  5. When you just enjoy being with your children and they with you.
  6. When your son or daughter comes running to you when they get hurt.
  7. When your calendar is full of things to do with your children.
  8. When you calmly and gently discipline your children without yelling or screaming.
  9. When you tuck your children into bed at night and tell them: “I love you”.
  10. When you know their friends by first name.

For the original article, visit allprodad.com.

 

An Authentic Man

An Authentic Man

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Some traits of an authentic man (Flickr)

I want to destroy a very persuasive lie that has crept into the church and into the hearts of men.

The over-masculinization of men.

How often are we told that "getting in touch with our feelings" is getting in touch with our "feminine side"?  We have been encouraged to be stronger, more stoic, more independent, more … well, you get the point.

The truth is it's a lie. A myth.

We are being told that to truly be in touch with our masculine side is to go outside and kill something or build something or eat something or doing something "manly."  I am not knocking those things, but are those the things that truly define being a man?

Churches have typically responded with one of two extremes:

  • Men's retreats, where we provide all the "manly" activities
  • We offer a space at a table to share our deepest darkest secrets with complete strangers. Neither of these are bad in and of themselves; but God calls us to something greater.

Why am I passionate about this? Because it's killing us:

  • Men are alone: recent research suggests that men have no close friends.
  • Men commit suicide at a rate 4 times higher than women.
  • Depression in men is being called a "silent epidemic."

The reason? Because expressing our God-given emotions is seen as somehow un-masculine. Nothing could be further from the truth.

What Defines Manhood? 

Are there certain stereotypes that men are constantly trying to live up to or down to?  My dear friend and former co-worker Glenn Stanton wrote a book called Secure Daughters, Confident Sons.  He writes this:

"Don't you think the world becomes a better, happier, and healthier place when men are encouraged to become the best version of who they already are? That's part of our job as parents raising boys. Still, we are wise to remember that Clint Eastwood is not Albert Einstein is not Harrison Ford is not George Washington Carver is not Abraham Lincoln … is not your husband or your son." (p.20)

Each man that Glenn highlights is so different, yet in their own innate being, they help us define masculinity. In fact, we are commanded to live differently. I believe there is a better way.

Here is a familiar passage:

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:12-17, ESV).

In some circles within culture, and even the church, we would look at some of these words and sentiments and believe this was written by females for females; compassion, kindness, meekness, love, harmony, singing psalms and spiritual songs, thankfulness.

Do you see it? Do you hear it? We are called by Christ to live and do this life differently. We are being called into true relationship with each other.

We are more than the stereotypes that our culture has defined man to be. No one completely lives up to any stereotype because each of us is unique, defined not only by our DNA and genetic makeup, but also by our own experiences and education. Truly, there is no one else—living, dead, or yet to come—that will ever be exactly like you.

Aren't all men just trying to find their purpose and motivation? Whether believing in God or not, all men are trying to live up to or down to expectations placed on them by the people and culture that surrounds them.

What if our lives as men were identified by the characteristics of Colossians 3? This passage of Scripture reveals four traits of an authentic man:

1. Be authentic. "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Look, we can't keep the work of Christ to ourselves. We have to be in relationship with other men. Let me challenge you to find one other man—one man—and develop a close friendship where you can be truly authentic.

2. Extend grace. "… compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony." As men we need to be able to speak both truth and grace into each other's lives.

3. Affirm men. "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved …" Honestly, we need to stop telling men where they keep falling short. Stop lecturing men. No one is harder on a man than a man himself. Start leading them. Create a safe place for men to be true to who God is calling them to be …

4. Be thankful. "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." As Christ transforms us and we surrender to His process, we are grateful for the work He is doing in our lives.

Authentic manhood occurs when we fully embrace the person God is calling each of us to be as well as instilling that in each other. We do that in a community where men feel safe enough and cared for enough to truly come to terms with that.

Not only will we be thankful but also the families, churches and communities we serve and lead will be strengthened.

Roy Baldwin is a husband, dad, son and Director of Monadnock Bible Conference. His life mission is to lead and love his family & extend grace to all. Former Director of Parenting and Youth at Focus on the Family, Roy has also worked for over 20 years with at-risk youth and families. You can follow Roy on Twitter @Baldwin_Roy.

For the original article, visit authenticmanhood.com.

 

Loving the Unlovable

Loving the Unlovable

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How to love the unlovable – Matthew 5:38-48 (photo, Timmy Gibson)

What is love, and how do we truly exhibit love?

I think we all go on these love craves during which we desire to show God's love as much as we can. We have an encounter with love and want to pour out love every second we get and then we then don't pour out His love as well as we should.

I believe God's love becomes a fad like a W.W.J.D. bracelet. They were a hot item for a while and probably made the creator a lot of money. They then, however, wore out naturally and spiritually.

Aren't we supposed to be all about God's love? The first place we can start being about God's love is in the home. How can we show God's love in the world if we are not showing it in our own home? What does this mean? It means spending time with your loved ones.

In the day and age of modern technology, we can be in a room together with one another, but are we with each other? No. We have our laptops on, phones within reach and a movie or video game on the TV screen. How is this showing love?

What about getting irritated with our family members? Should we snap, get angry, have sharp tones and comments and get irritated with what another person said or did? Is that truly showing God's love? I think that is where the W.W.J.D. bracelets come in. How would Jesus react to another family member? The answer is with love.

We need to learn how to extend and be love to those people who sometimes "drive us nuts," to those "we can't stand to be around" and to those who"drain us emotionally." But why do we even feel that way about "those people?"

I was talking to the Lord recently about whom the world would label "high maintenance people to whom we need to extend a little extra grace." I mean the people who don't seem to want to do anything for themselves or who ask you to pray for them all the time. How many times do you want to shout back at them: "Pray for yourself! You have two lips and a tongue!"

In all seriousness, why do we get irritated with them? Because we do not love enough and because we do not love as Jesus loves.

When will we get back to the place of compassion and love; of pouring ourselves out on people and truly serving them and being a channel of love? When will we do it right? When will we love like Jesus loved? When will we be a stream of constant love?

You know why those people do the things they do to us; because they need love. They are hurting, lonely, rejected, insecure, inferior and they need love. They need someone to pour into them. They need someone to invest in them and to say, "You know what, you are valued and loved, and you are important to me." They should be important to you because they are God's children. Aren't you supposed to love as He loves?

I challenge you to be love. You know who that person is who maybe you would rather have not bug you so much. Perhaps you would be happy if they were not in your life. I want you to love them abundantly. I want you to make them your love assignment. Be nice to them. Go out of your way to love on them and pray for them. Pray that God would give them a love encounter and that they would receive the love of God that comes through other people in their lives.

Make it a practice and a way of living to outlove the other person. Think about how much you are loved. I want you to pour that much love out, that you outlove the person to next you, who loved on you. Yes, a love mission. Learn to outlove the next person. Learn to be love; and when you think you accomplished your mission, when you think you have achieved love, ask the Lord to help you love even more, because it's all about L-O-V-E!

Kathy DeGraw is the founder of DeGraw Ministries, a ministry releasing the love and power of God. She travels hosting conferences, teaching schools and evangelistic love tours. Kathy empowers people to release and be love with her #belove campaign. Kathy enjoys writing and is the author of several books that educate, empower and equip people, including A Worship Woven Life and Flesh, Satan or God. Connect with Kathy at degrawministries.org.

 

Why We May Not be Living in the Last Days

Why We May Not be Living in the Last Days

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The last days may not be here yet as some will led you to believe (Flickr)

I love to speak to others about my pervading hope for spiritual awakening. Despite all of the great darkness and unrest, I see the gospel spreading throughout the earth. The beauty and wonder of Jesus is literally transforming the nations.

Nevertheless, when I share things like this, there are those who seem to find fault. They have a hard time accepting my heartfelt optimism.

I was talking with a well-meaning leader just the other the other day who began discounting my outlook. He said, "J.D., your view is preposterous. Don't you notice how terrible things really are? Don't you know what the Bible says? 'In the last days perilous times will come'" (2 Tim. 3:1).

Another man suggested that I was a "scoffer." He said, "Don't you know what Jude, the half-brother of Jesus, declared? 'In the last days there will be scoffers who will walk after their own ungodly desires' (Jude 1:18). If you don't see things getting worse, you're nothing more than a scoffer—rejecting the Word of God."

Many insist that the Bible foretells disaster and trouble—particularly as we descend into the "last days." They're convinced that, in the grand biblical narrative, cataclysm and destruction are imminent. It seems that there can be no goodness or hope in "perilous times."

This kind of worldview is understandable. A superficial reading of the New Testament would certainly suggest this disruptive reality. However, things are not always as they appear.

The term "last days" is arguably one of the most misunderstood phrases in the Bible. Contrary to popular opinion, it's not talking about the end of the world, but the end of the "old covenant" era.

Rather than referring to the destruction of the earth, it is a depiction of the "last days" of the Temple, animal sacrifices and Levitical priesthood. Much of the talk in passages such as 2 Timothy 3:1 and Jude 1:18 speaks to the unrest and volatility that took place during this tumultuous transition. It was to be the "last days" of an religious era—the end of all that they knew and experienced. Nevertheless, it was also the beginning of new era that brings beauty and wonder.

It might surprise you to hear this, but the writer of Hebrews makes it clear that the "last days" were transpiring in the first century. He declares to his audience that the revelation of Messiah was being received, "in these last days" (Heb. 1:2). Elaborating on what he meant by this, he goes on to declare that "Jesus has now obtained a more superior ministry, since the covenant he mediates is founded on better promises" (Heb. 8:6).

The phrase "last days" or "end of the age" is really about a first-century transition to the New Covenant order. It is the end of what was and the beginning of something new!

It really comes down to this: it was the "last days" for them, not us.

This biblical phrase was never meant to be used as an excuse to distract the good news of Jesus' gospel.

J.D. King, author and speaker, is the director of the World Revival Network.

 

The Girl Who Didn’t Need a Wheelchair

The Girl Who Didn’t Need a Wheelchair

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Freweyne’s story of survival and triumph (Compansion.com)

Imagine a life where every step you take requires extra caution and a lot of energy; where every breath feels like your last one; where two or three fast-paced steps lead to you gasping for air and passing out; where a simple cough results in you vomiting blood; where even if your heart’s desire is to run around with your friends, it simply refuses to let you.

Imagine a life where your family’s life revolves around taking turns to keep an eye on you while you sleep; where life becomes so hopeless that you attempt to end it by overdosing on your medications.

This was young Freweyne’s life.

Freweyne was suffering from congestive heart failure, specifically an aortic valve stenosis in which two of the valves were narrow and another one was deformed. It’s a condition that none of the hospitals in Ethiopia were equipped to repair. The recommended surgery available in India and the travel costs were astronomical.

“My husband and I cried when we heard the news from the doctors. Even if we raised funds and begged from each citizen in the town, it was just impossible to come up with the money for her treatment. I have never felt so hopeless in my life,” says Hule, Freweyne’s mother.

Enter the Compassion Child Development Center Staff where Frewyne was enrolled and the loving donors who funded her lifesaving heart surgery. After a month in India and two complicated surgeries, her mother recalls the day she came home.

“I went to the airport in Addis with the center director, Alem. When I expected someone in a wheelchair, my daughter came almost running to me with a big smile and her arms as open wide as possible. That day I felt like I was given a brand new baby girl. My girl’s smile was back, bringing the family’s laughter with it.”

Life went back to normal for Freweyne and her family. Two years after she quit school, she returned back with zeal and energy.

“I don’t know why God chose to give me a second chance in life. I just know that He has a special purpose for my life. I have invited Him into my heart – the heart He only healed. I love reading the Bible and I try to live to bring glory to His name. I also want to change my family’s life because they went through a lot trying to take care of me while I was sick. I bless the day I joined Compassion. I believe it was also a day God decided to bring healing to my dying heart He only saw,” says Freweyne.

Watch Freweyne share her journey from a helpless life to one filled with hope on Compassion.com!

If Christianity Bores You, Then You Haven't Met Jesus

If Christianity Bores You, Then You Haven’t Met Jesus

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It's a true miracle to meet Jesus. (photo © Dr. Ashraf Fekry)

I used to think Christianity was boring, dull and hands-down a waste of time.

I was never a fan of going to church or getting dropped off at yet another youth group event when I was younger. It all seemed to be pointless and irrelevant to my current stage of life. I felt this way for the first 19 years of my life, that is, until I actually experienced Jesus for who He really was and not who I assumed Him to be.

I dropped my pride and finally let God in. Only then was my life transformed. This didn't happen overnight, but with persistence and humility, my relationship with God truly started to grow. 

For a lot of people, the idea of Christianity doesn't bring much excitement to the table. The thought of reading a Bible, attending a church service or even praying makes certain individuals cringe. And let's not forget to mention those who claim to be believers, yet still think the wondrous life of a Christ follower is still not what it's cracked up to be. For the two groups I have previously mentioned, I beg to differ. 

A True Encounter

When one truly encounters the consuming love of Jesus, one's life is anything but mundane and stale. It can't be, as the love and power of Jesus is too marvelous to walk away from once tasted. Worship will become exhilarating, reading the Bible will become fascinating, and prayer will become a conversation with God that you can't seem to stay away from. The Bible says that we are sanctified (set apart) by the blood of Christ, and we must realize that one cannot truly digest this truth and not find the eternal joy that comes along with it. 

The Bible paints a very clear picture of what happens when someone belongs to Christ. The old fades away, and a new life will begin. Only through Jesus can we truly come alive into the existence and community we were created for. Life in Christ encompasses the totality of Christ Himself, which characteristically is anything but monotonous and mind-numbing. 

"But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and He raised us up and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one should boast" (Eph. 2:4-9).

A life in Christ brings purpose, restoration, grace and eternal identity. The adventure that awaits a follower of Jesus is one this world simply cannot match, let alone keep anywhere near to. Every day is a new experience, a new facet of God's glory, and another opportunity to deepen one's personal relationship with the Creator. There is always room for growth, which means there is always room for adventure. So if you think Christianity is boring, then you haven't met Jesus.

Understand that the Christian life isn't always going to be roses and sunshine. Everybody encounters doubt, anxiety and even fear—we wouldn't be human unless we did. What we need to remember is that even during these times of darkness and uncertainty, we have a light at the end of the tunnel to run toward. Jesus' Spirit, our comfort and peace, is an ocean of eternal euphoria.

The fear of rules and regulations are false. Don't let the talk of religion keep you from experiencing an unfathomable relationship with Christ.

Jarrid Wilson is a husband to Juli, dad To Finch, pastor, author, blogger and founder of Cause Roast. He's helping people live a better story. For the original article, visit jarridwilson.com. For the original article, visit jarridwilson.com.

 

7 Damaging Sins Which Can Cripple Every Marriage

7 Damaging Sins Which Can Cripple Every Marriage

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Damaging sins you need to watch out for in your marriage (iStock photo)

Did you know there are sins that can cripple every marriage? Yes, there are.

You realize there are no perfect marriages because there are no perfect people. Right?

Let me repeat that. There are no perfect marriages because there are no perfect people. 

Every marriage will have seasons that are more difficult than others. I often encounter couples in our church that think they are unique. Because we tend to put on our happy faces at church, they believe theirs is the only marriage in a bad season.

In fact, I'm convinced not understanding how many couples have weathered through these rocky places in marriage may be a reason many couples give up on their marriage. If they understood how normal they are, they might be more willing to raise the white flag—ask for help—and work to restore the marriage. 

I have observed over the years there are some issues in marriages that, if not addressed, can be crippling to the marriage. These are the "biggies." They may manifest themselves in other ways, but if you could trace back to the origin, you would find these to be at fault.

And let's not sugarcoat. They are sins. We have all sinned. We all sin. Every marriage is comprised of two sinners. 

This is the real reason there are no perfect marriages. 

Left to fester on their own, these sins will eventually be the destroyer of the marriage or certainly keep it from achieving the oneness God commanded. 

So, what are these damaging sins? I'm glad you asked.

Here are seven damaging sins that can cripple every marriage:

1. Selfishness – Marriage won't work without mutual submission. Read Ephesians 5:21. Marriage is not a 50/50 arrangement. Ideally it's to be a 100/100 bond—where both spouses willingly yield their all. (I used the word ideal, because your marriage is not there and neither is mine.) When one spouse demands their way or will never work toward a compromise the relationship can never be all it should be. One person is happy—the one who got their way—the other is miserable.  

2. Discontent – I've said before—boredom is perhaps the No. 1 destroyer of marriage. There will be seasons in every relationship that aren't as "exciting" as others. Some days you will "feel" more in love than other days. But the key to a long-term relationship is a commitment beyond emotion. 

3. Pride – When one spouse can never admit they are wrong or see their own flaws, it opens the door for a wedge of bitterness in the other spouse. Pride is also destructive when the couple is too proud to admit their struggles or get the help they need. 

4. Unforgiveness – Holding on to past hurts not only damages the marriage bond, it destroys the person who refuses to forgive. Trust can't be developed until forgiveness is granted. Isn't grace received expected to be extended? 

5. Anger – The Scripture is clear: We should not go to bed in anger. There is a reason for that command. Anger is a wedge, one that only grows wider over time when not dealt with. 

6. Complacency – As soon as you think you're marriage is above the problems of other relationships, you're in trouble. The enemy loves to attack the unaware. 

7. Coveting – Couples who compare themselves to other couples will almost always be disappointed. There will always be people with more—and it likely isn't making them as happy as you think it does. Keep in mind, many times people disguise their struggles well. The couple you think has it all may wish they had what you have. Every couple is unique. Comparison only leads to frustration. 

Ask yourself this question: Which of these sins is most prevalent in my marriage today? Which is causing the greatest harm? Which of these, while it may not be an issue today, could become an issue if we don't get serious about it soon?

Be honest with yourself—and ultimately—with your spouse.

Ron Edmondson is the senior pastor at Immanuel Baptist Church in Lexington, Kentucky. For the original article, visit ronedmondson.com.

 

Coping with Healing

Coping with Healing

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Why is hard for Christians to receive healing? (Christina Hibbert)?

As a healing evangelist, I am asked many questions concerning healing. One common question asked is: "Why do you think it is hard for Christians to receive healing? It seems most are already resigned to go the medical route because God uses doctors." This is a reasonable question, and there is an answer for it.

It has been difficult for Christians, especially in the Western World, to receive healing because they have not been taught about faith for healing on a consistent basis.

People are willing to wait seven to 10 days for an antibiotic to heal their bodies, because they have been taught for many years that if they take one tablet of this medicine three times a day, they will be healed. They are even willing to overlook physical symptoms of the illness, because they have been taught that the symptoms and the sickness will be healed as long as they take the medicine faithfully. So, their faith has been activated, they follow their doctor's instructions, and they are healed by the medicine.

But God's people are not willing to wait this amount of time for divine healing to manifest, because they have not been consistently taught that if they will be faithful to take God's medicine, His Word concerning healing, three times a day, morning, noon and night, that their bodies will be healed. And because of the lack of faith teaching for healing, if they experience any type of symptom after prayer, they doubt the power in God's medicine and are not healed.

When God's people hear the message of faith for healing on a consistent basis and put faith for healing into action, then they are healed. And not only are they healed, but they walk in divine health and avoid sickness all together.

Our faith to believe God for healing will automatically activate when we are taught the Word for healing on a consistent basis.

This is why it has been difficult for Christians to receive healing in the past, but we can change this and start to teach the healing message to those around us.

Becky Dvorak is a prophetic healing evangelist and the Destiny Image author of DARE to Believe and Greater Than Magic. Visit her at authorbeckydvorak.com.

 

Bible Verses on Giving

Giving this Holiday Season

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Let the Scriptures, and the Holy Spirit, be your guide in giving this holiday season and beyond (image:St Leodegar's Church).

November and December are both months filled with the spirit of giving. We give not to get anything in return, but because Jesus gave his life for us.

Here are 20 Bible verses to chew on during this wonderful season.

1. Deuteronomy 15:10 – "Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to."

2. Deuteronomy 16:17 – "Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the LORD your God which He has given you."

3. Proverbs 21:26 – "The righteous gives and does not hold back."

4. Proverbs 3:27 – "Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it."

5. Proverbs 11:24-25 – "There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered."

6. 1 Chronicles 29:9 – "Then the people rejoiced because they had offered so willingly, for they made their offering to the Lord with a whole heart, and King David also rejoiced greatly."

7. Proverbs 22:9 – "He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor."

8. Proverbs 28:27 – "He who gives to the poor will never want, but he who shuts his eyes will have many curses."

9. Malachi 3:10 – "'Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,' says the Lord of hosts, 'if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.'"

10. Matthew 6:3-4 – "But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you."

11. Mark 12:41-44 – "And He sat down opposite the treasury, and began observing how the people were putting money into the treasury; and many rich people were putting in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, 'Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.'"

12. Luke 3:11 – "And he would answer and say to them, 'The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise.'"

13. Luke 6:30 – "Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back."

14. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 – "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed."

15. Luke 6:38 – "Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return."

16. John 3:16 – "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him wouldn't perish, but would have eternal life."

17. Acts 20:35 – "In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"

18. Romans 12:8 – "Or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness."

19. James 2:15-16 – "If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,' and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that?"

20. 2 Corinthians 9:10 – "Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness."

Jarrid Wilson is a husband Juli, dad To Finch, pastor, author, blogger and founder of Cause Roast. He's helping people live a better story. For the original article, visit jarridwilson.com.

 

Frank Powell- Place Jesus Back In The Manger. Celebrate Advent This Christmas Season.

Place Jesus Back In The Manger. Celebrate Advent This Christmas Season.

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There is no better time of the year to celebrate Advent than now. Walk through Advent with your loved ones.

Growing up, I loved Christmas season. December meant lights, decorations, gifts, family, and two weeks out of school. It was the most wonderful time fo the year.

But, as life transitioned from college graduation to marriage to children, an uneasiness swelled up in my heart as December approached. The things I enjoyed as an adolescent contributed to the storm of uneasiness as an adult. Parties. Gifts. Decorations. Even family outings were stressful, as we had to divide time between two families “appropriately” (whatever that means).

As a teenager, with no responsibilities, expectations surrounding Christmas were huge. Anticipation built as the calendar inched closer to Christmas Day. And the day never seemed to disappoint. As an adult, however, the anticipation and expectations always felt empty. Christmas day never lived up to its enormous billing. For several years, I battled a legitimate case of the “Christmas blues.”

Don’t get me wrong, I love watching my boys open gifts. It really is better to give than receive. But, after the presents were put away, I found myself alone, disappointed, thinking, “Surely there is more to Christmas than this.”

Three years ago, while bracing myself for another underwhelming holiday season, I discovered something that changed Christmas.
Advent.

I want to introduce you to the present that saved Christmas for me. I believe it will do the same for you.

What is Advent?

Advent is traditionally observed on the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. The word “Advent” simply means “arrival” or “coming.” For Christians, Advent refers to the arrival of Jesus Christ, God greatest gift to the world. For hundreds of years, God’s people waited eagerly for the Messiah. Then, in a small, sleepy town, in the most humble of circumstances, “the word became flesh.” The heavens opened, and God took the form of a man. The angels rejoiced! Emmanuel – God with us!

Today, much like the Israelites, we wait. Our hope is firmly placed in the inevitable return of Jesus. Advent is a time for remembering, rejoicing, watching, and holding to God’s promises.

Why should you observe Advent?

1.) Placing Jesus at the center of your holiday season adds meaning to everything else.

Family, gifts, decorations and holiday gatherings are shadows. Jesus is the substance. Shadows aren’t inherently bad. They are revealing. My shadow can tell you my presence is near. But my shadow is empty. If someone focuses on my shadow more than me, you would think they are stupid.

A similar thing happens during the holiday season. The events surrounding this season are good. For the most part. But they’re shadows. The joy of seeing family. The anticipation of Christmas day. These are shadows, designed to point you to the substance, Jesus Christ. If you focus more on the shadows than the substance, you won’t discover the fullness of this season. Jesus is the only one who can satisfy the weight of enormous expectations.

Observe Advent because it focuses on the substance, and adds meaning to the shadows.

2.) The demands surrounding this season can be overwhelming.

The increasing demands during the holiday season can be overwhelming. If you’re like me, you have something going on almost every night. Combining a packed schedule with life’s normal demands, and the result is often exhaustion and stress.

By the time the calendar flips to December 25th, you’re excited returned to the North Pole. You say, “I love the Christmas season, but I’m glad it’s over.”

What if you arrived at December 25th wanting more? Is it possible that your “I’m glad it’s over” attitude is a sign? It was for me. Advent focuses your thoughts around Jesus Christ, the only one who renews your tired heart and weary mind. Advent releases you from the burden of this season’s demands by aligning your sights on a manger, not a calendar.

3.) God can be trusted. His promises are always true. 

When you focus on the shadows of Christmas, you miss something huge. The promises of God are fulfilled in Jesus.

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.1 Corinthians 1:20

Every promise finds its “yes” in Jesus. In other words, the birth of Jesus reminds you that every word of God is trustworthy. If God’s people could grasp this one reality, Satan wouldn’t have much of a kingdom on earth. If Christians could believe, I mean really believe, that EVERY word spoken from God is true, we would change the world. Overnight.

But if you’re like me, I read the promises in Scripture, I hear the promises from the pulpit, I pray the promises to God, but I don’t believe the promises. I don’t actually believe every word in Scripture is true. If so, I would let go of my comfort-driven, fear-controlled life. I would not care whether someone ridiculed me or killed me. To live would be gain and to die would be Christ. As it is, I wrestle with the promises, allowing my flesh to win most days.

Advent is about the arrival of Jesus. Emmanuel, “God with us.” Visible proof of a promise-keeping God. And, in a culture predicated on fear and a season driven by speed and materialism, we need this proof.

How do you place Jesus at the center of this season?

In case you missed the first link, here’s how to receive your free Advent daily devotional.

I know the transformative nature of Advent. I want you to experience a similar transformation. So, I created an Advent daily devotional guide. Everything you need to center your heart and mind around the substance of Christmas, Jesus Christ, is included in this guide.

This year’s theme is “Standing On The Promises.” If you sign up, you will receive a devotional every morning in your inbox, beginning November 29th, the first day of Advent (if you sign up after this day, you will receive your first devotional the following morning). Each day’s devo includes:

  1. A truth about God to guide your day
  2. Scriptures building on the day’s truth
  3. A reflection centered around the day’s truth and corresponding Scriptures
  4. A prayer as you prepare to transition into your day’s activities

In addition to the daily devotionals, each week has a theme undergirding the overall theme and tying together the daily readings.

Here are the weekly themes.

If you take a few minutes every day to soak in the divine truths of Christmas, I think God will do something amazing in your heart. Even if you love the holiday season the way it is, I challenge you to try Advent. I believe it will change how you see Jesus forever..

_______

We serve a promise-keeping God. And one day, in a moment, Jesus will return. This time, death, brokenness, sin, and Satan will be forever divorced from God and every person who loves Him.

Until then, we wait. But we don’t passively wait. We wait with eager expectation, anticipation, and hope. We serve a God who ALWAYS keep his promises. That’s a gift worth opening and proclaiming to others!

I love you all. To God be the glory forever! Amen.

Frank Powell is a blogger and a devoted follower of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.He is married to Tiffani Powell, also a passionate follower of Jesus. They have two children, Noah Riley Powell and Micah Grayson Powell. You may read the original article on his website at frankpowell.me.

 

Why are Millennials Sick of Church?

Why are Millennials Sick of Church?

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Ministers should know that millennials don't need a lot of frills in a church service. (ECWA Archive)

There are literally thousands of articles online about why the millennial generation is disillusioned with church, church culture and church politics. And while I applaud the attempt to wrap one's head around the issue, I've noticed that most of the articles seem to be written by people who know nothing about the millennial generation. Weird.

I've talked with thousands of young people over the years who have told me, "I'm just sick of church." I've heard everything under the sun when it comes to one's reasoning for leaving, and I believe many of them carry a lot of heavy truth. Here are some of them …

1. "It's not authentic."
2. "It's too corporate." 
3. "I don't like the political side."
4. "I feel like I can't be open about my struggles."
5. "I hate the cliques."
6. "It's too judgmental." 
7. "Their attempt at being relevant comes off as cheesy."
8. "They don't spend enough time outside of their building."
9. "They aren't really welcoming of people who are different from them." 
10. "They focus too much on what they know instead of whom they are showing love to."

 

And while I believe not all churches deal with the complaints I mentioned above, it's safe to say there are many who probably do. That's why I'm writing this. This needs to be discussed.

Authenticity Is Key

If churches want to see more millennials walk through their doors, they need to stop trying to entice them with free stuff, and instead allow their spaces to be filled with authentic relationships and transparent conversations. The Acts 2 church was a perfect example of this.

"They continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread and in the prayers. Fear came to every soul. And many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common. They sold their property and goods and distributed them to all, according to their need. And continuing daily with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart" (Acts 2:42-46).

Some people say there is a decline in millennial church attendance, while others say they don't see much of a change at all. We must realize that just because millennials aren't showing up to church buildings doesn't mean they aren't part of a thriving community of believers, or are without a biblical relationship with God.

Millennials aren't looking for brighter lights. Millennials aren't looking for more free coffee. They want Jesus-founded authenticity, a safe-place to share burdens, real answers to real questions and a community of action.

Jarrid Wilson is a husband to Juli, dad to Finch, pastor, author, blogger, founder of Cause Roast. He's helping people live a better story. For the original article, visit jarridwilson.com.

 

5 Reasons You Shouldn't Cohabitate Before Marriage

5 Reasons You Shouldn’t Cohabitate Before Marriage

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Studies shows after living together before marriage, the odds of staying together decreases significantly (image © Andy Ward)

Are you single or dating someone you think may be the one? Or do you have kids who are dating and may be thinking wedding bells at some point?

If so, you may want to consider the importance of marrying before moving in together or of teaching your kids about the pitfalls of shacking up.

More and more couples are choosing to move in together before marriage. One reason is to save on rent. Yes, saving on rent. Saving on rent is not, and should not be, a reason to live with someone who may or may not become your spouse. In fact, it is a really bad reason. Below are five reasons shacking up is a bad idea:

1. No blessings from God. The Bible considers shacking up the opposite of a legitimate marriage. A legitimate marriage consists of a union between a man and woman who have made a covenant and commitment. Shacking up involves neither. Marriage was a union created by God and is a union God blesses.

2. Your relationship will probably end. An article on examiner.com states that 80 percent of shacking-up relationships end before marriage or in divorce after marriage. So, it is 80/20 against you getting married or staying married to that person. One reason is because there is not a commitment when you move in before marriage. A relationship without commitment will not last, and marriage is the biggest commitment you can make in life.

3. Your children will be negatively affected. To the parents who have children, your kids are three times as likely to be expelled from school or get pregnant, five times more likely to live in poverty, and 22 times more likely to be incarcerated—all because you choose to live with someone you're not married to.

4. It makes you lazy. As a married man, I know that once dating ends, the relationship changes. Living together removes the "being your best" part of your relationship. Kind of like most job interviews—you wore the suit to the interview, but once hired, you show up in khakis and a polo. And if you're living with a woman and getting some of the "benefits" of marriage—sex, having someone to help around the house, sharing the bills—you can also get lazy about taking the next step in your relationship.

5. Saving on rent. Mentioned above.

 Related Resources: 

How will you educate your adult children about the dangers of shacking up?

All Pro Dad is Family First's innovative and unique program for every father. Their aim is to interlock the hearts of the fathers with their children and, as a byproduct, the hearts of the children with their dads. At allprodad.com, dads in any stage of fatherhood can find helpful resources to aid in their parenting. Resources include daily emails, blogs, Top 10 lists, articles, printable tools, videos and eBooks. From allprodad.com, fathers can join the highly engaged All Pro Dad social media communities on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

 

Why All Churches Should Address Depression and Anxiety

Why All Churches Should Address Depression & Anxiety

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Awareness must be created among Church members to deal with depression and anxiety (The Express Tribune with the International New York Times) by Jarrid Wilson | jarridwilson.com.

 

It's no secret my past was riddled with mental health issues—ones that kept me from wanting to live for much of my teenage life. I'm very vocal about this truth, and I will continue to be as along as my story may have an impact on others who need to hear it.

And while I do believe today's church is doing better at addressing the issue that is mental health, I believe there can be so much more done than what is currently taking place in regards to depression and anxiety. Let me explain.

I never tried to take my own life in my younger years, but I frequently found myself googling painless ways to commit suicide, and really had no remorse once finding what I was looking for. It was a sad state to hold myself. The reality is that my life was infected with the burden of depression and anxiety, and the only places I could find reliable information from were not churches in my local area.

Why? It's because mental illness wasn't really talked about much.

I felt as if all the "Christian" resources were outdated, and really didn't address the fact that taking medication was okay in the eyes of God. There really wasn't much information at all. It was as if all the answers I was finding were suggesting that I just needed more faith.

Seriously? The last thing someone contemplating suicide wants to hear is, "Just have faith." I understand that Jesus has the power to conquer anything that comes in my way, but please don't throw Christians clichés at me. I wanted real, authentic and practical information, and I assume there are millions in this world who would want the same. It's what Jesus would have done.

I really wanted to find help in the church, but there were no ministries or non-profits working within the walls of local congregations that I could reach. All the counseling and help I received came years after I actually needed it, and it was found in the secrecy of a local medical facility, not a church—where it should have been all along.

Mind you, the church has come a long way since my teen years in regards to helping those with mental illness, but I believe we can still do a lot more.

Some Statistics
1. It is reported that 1 in 10 Americans are affected by depression. 
2. Over 80 percent of people who are clinically depressed are not receiving treatment. 
3. The number of people diagnosed with depression increases by 30 percent every year. 
4. An estimated 121 million people around the world suffer from depression. 
5. In 2013 41,149 suicides were reported, making suicide the 10th leading cause of death for Americans.
6. In 2013, someone died by suicide every 12.8 minutes.

 

We Need The Church

"Cast all your care on Him, because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7, MEV).

Here's the thing. I understand that there is importance to seeing what many would call a "professional" in the field of mental health issues, but this doesn't mean that the local church shouldn't be prioritizing leadership roles and ministry efforts to help those who deal with these issues. I understand that not all churches lack in this area, but I bet there are more who do than don't.

My wife and I have met with and counseled dozens of young people over the past year. All shared with us the brutal battle that is taking place within their souls. Suicide attempts, cutting, depression, and anxiety are just the beginning of what these young people were facing.

We NEED the church to step up in its efforts to be more vocal in regards to mental illness. Whether that is through a sermon series, free resources, creating non-profits or even a cultivating a designated year-long ministry. Regardless, the church should be on the front lines of this battle. People need a safe place where they can be honest and transparent with what they are going through.

There is nothing wrong with admitting you are depressed, cutting, have attempted suicide or are even contemplating it. There is nothing wrong with seeking medical attention and being prescribed medication to help you along the journey. And, there is nothing wrong with admitting you need help. 

A Few Resources

1. Heart Support.

2. My Broken Palace. 

3. To Write Love On Her Arms.

4. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, anxiety or has even thought of suicide, please give them the resources above and do not wait another minute.

What are your thoughts? Leave a comment below.

Jarrid Wilson is a husband to Juli, dad to Finch, pastor, author, blogger, and founder of Cause Roast. He's helping people live a better story. For the original article, visit jarridwilson.com.

 

Living the Christian Life

Living the Christian Life

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It's all About Following Jesus (ECWA Archive)

What does the Bible say about how to live the Christian life?

How to live the Christian life is a topic that is discussed in many Bible passages. One of the most notable discourses was between Jesus and Nicodemus. Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish council, went to Jesus during the night to discover how to live the Christian life. Jesus explains to Nicodemus that he must be born again: "…I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again" (John 3:3). Salvation is the beginning step in living a Christian life. In John 14:6, Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Jesus encourages all believers to grow in relationship, commitment, and obedience to Him. This is the essence of how to live a Christian life. Our relationship, commitment, and obedience are done out of love, not constraint. John 14:21 says, "Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."

Living the Christian life is not abiding by an agenda or following a set of strict rules. Instead, the Christian life is characterized by:

  • Understanding that you are a new creation! 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"
  • Transforming and renewing your mind. Romans 12:2 says, "Do not conform any longer 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."
  • Treating others with love. Philippians 2:3-4 says, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
  • Living out the teachings of Christ. Jesus taught: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3-10).
  • Sharing your faith. Matthew 5:14-16 says, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

Living the Christian life does not mean enjoying a life of ease and never experiencing problems. 1 Peter 5:8 says that there is an enemy who wishes to destroy us: "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." But we also read that Jesus has overcome the world!

No matter what opposition you face, living the Christian life is worth it! Enjoying a relationship with God and His Son Jesus, being confident of where you will spend eternity, and living in day-to-day fellowship with Him is far greater than any opposition you may face.

What is your response? For the Original article, visit All About God, PO Box 507, Peyton, Colorado 80831, AllAboutGOD.com