Are you good enough?

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...

Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was arrogant
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt

Eight Things That God Loves

In chapter 5 of the book of Matthew in the Bible, there is a sermon commonly called the Beatitudes. Jesus said that people were blessed when they have any of these 8 qualities. Being blessed speaks of receiving the ultimate in well-being and spiritual joy.

1. God loves those who are poor in spirit. This means they are humble, not prideful. They consciously depend on God and not on their own abilities.
   Their gift from God: They will receive the kingdom of Heaven.
2. God loves those who mourn. They are those that recognize their needs and present them to the One who is able to help them.
   Their gift from God: They will be comforted. 2 Corinthians 1:4 says that He is the God of all comfort who comforts us in our troubles.

Gideon

Adult Sunday School Part 9:  Gideon 

How do you go from rejection, bitterness, accusations and humiliation to arrogant and steadfast faith? How can any man go from the one extreme to the other? 

Just ask Gideon. 

For me he is an example of what can be done if you are touched by God - more than once. Many of us are touched by God and it stays a touch - and even soon disappears.

Do you hear the people sing?

I saw Les Miserables for the umpteenth time last week and was once again touched by the depth and complexity of the show and it's characters. Val Jean is the typical symbol of Grace & Freedom, where Javert is the Law and Bondage.  I just realised again that we can not judge people, because we do not know what their journey is about. How many of us will give someone who has wronged us a second chance, or more important, who will USE the second chance they get. 

As in my previous blogs, I say again: Do not let an encounter with God leave us untouched.

The secret of Christian living and victory

The most important thing for any person is to be transformed into the image of Christ. 

Romans 12 says we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds that we might be able to know what is the good, acceptable and perfect will of good for our lives. It’s almost like living on a 30, 60 or 100 fold blessing. Good, acceptable and perfect. 30, 60 and 100. With the measure that we are transformed is the measure that we will move into the degrees of the levels of the will of God. 

The Caveman Experience

1Sam 22:1-2  And David left there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And his brothers heard, and all his father's house, and they went down to him there.  And every man in distress, and every man who had a creditor, and every man bitter of soul, gathered themselves to him. And he became commander over them. And about four hundred men were with him. 

In the passage above we discover that David went to hide in a cave when he was persecuted by Saul even though he defeated the bear, the lion and Goliath! He was destined to be the king of Israel and yet he hides in a cave. The people that gathered around him in the cave were not people of importance but people who were distressed, who were in debt and with bitterness pushed around by life and in a mess.

The Lamb of God

Adult Sunday School - Part 15 - Revised for Easter

The story of Jesus Christ as the Lamb of God runs through the whole bible. It is not as if God suddenly realised he made a mistake by making man, and now he has to redeem him. He made plans for the redemption of man when Adam and Eve ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. I will therefore talk very little about the manifestation of the Lamb in the New Testament and take the prophecies in the Old Testament to turn your eyes on the Lamb of God.

Easter 1 - What is Easter?

What happened on Easter? Why is the Resurrection important?

Easter Sunday is the day of rejoicing that follows the sorrow of Good Friday. For Christians, Easter is the celebration of Christ's resurrection from the dead. It bears witness to God's enduring promise of eternal life. As the climax of Holy Week, Easter is a time of hope and assurance. It is humanity's turning point from destruction, to glory and salvation.

Jesus died to pay the penalty of death that we deserve for our sin, was buried, and rose with a glorified body, gaining victory over death and the grave. When we put our faith in Him by believing through faith alone in Christ alone, we have the promise of one day having a body like our Lord’s and reigning with Him in heaven.

Who is the Centre of your world?

 James 4:8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.

Are you?

Salt and Light: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ 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 others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.