The same applies with our relationship with God. God has provided us with His Words (Scriptures) that are meant to inspire us and build faith in our heart. This is what many understand to be religious inspiration. Our relationship with God is sustained and strengthened by the inspiration of His Word to man. Relationship with God is created by believers. In the same vein our relationship towards God is sustained through praise and worship. This is our own religious inspiration towards God. Psalms 22:3 helps us understand that God inhabits the praises of His people.

This is not recently adopted practice but for centuries people and believers are expressing their faith, belief in religious inspiration. It is based on this inspiration by God that man has been able to produce art and tapestry. Arts expression is a product of divine expression. People still search for ways to express their true feeling for religious connection.  Most people find it easy to sing towards God as an expression of their inspiration from Him. But it doesn’t have to be limited to singing. You can learn to channel this energy of God’s inspiration to other aspects of your life to produce results beyond the ordinary.

Spirituality is all about individual’s inner discipline. This defines the values of life and spirituality of religion. Building up social relationship along with the aim to sharpen one another through religious inspiration is healthy for the growth of society. One must learn to build a relationship based on this core and not superficial or material things.

Religious inspiration allows people to live life with spiritual values. Combine this with the understanding of the inner discipline important for an individual’s life and social relationships and we will have a strong society. Religious inspiration based on God’s Word leads people toward the truth of life and the eternal. It is in receiving eternal life from God that we are able to enjoy true inspiration and are able to inspire other people with the light of eternal life through the Word of God (Religious Inspiration).

The Following Articles will  inspire you:

Eternal Realities: Learn the way to live beyond what you see

Stretch: How to push yourself to greater heights

What to do when victory seems lost: What’s your attitude when it seems you can’t go further in life?

Jealousy: What do you feel when you see others that have what you desire?

Jesus Cleanses the Temple, John 2:13-22

¹³ Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ¹⁴ And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. ¹⁵ When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. ¹⁶ And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” ¹⁷ Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”¹⁸ So the Jews answered and said to Him, “What sign do You show to us, since You do these things?” ¹⁹ Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” ²⁰ Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?”²¹ But He was speaking of the temple of His body. ²² Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

John begins this narrative with the picture of Judaism; he states that “the Passover of the Jews was at hand”. It was an ordinance that the Jews celebrate the Passover for generations to come as a festival to the Lord (Exodus 12:24). It was a reminder of how God had delivered Israel from the bondage of the Egyptians―a redemptive theme. All Jewish males were required to present themselves at the temple in Jerusalem. Jesus in fulfillment of this Law went to the temple at Jerusalem.

The setting at the temple was not for a place of worship. The Jewish authorities had turned this ordinance from its purpose to honor God to another exploitative procedure against the people. The people by Law would come to the temple to make peace offerings, fellowship offerings to God at the temple, and by requirement of the Law their sacrifice must be an animal without blemish for it to be acceptable on to God(Leviticus 22:1). The inspectors at the temple would be in the practice of finding something wrong with the animal that is to be sacrificed, thereby forcing the people to buy an animal at astronomical prices in the temple.  Also the temple tax had to be paid in Jewish currency, and the money changers were charging exorbitant exchange rates.

Jesus witnessed all of this and was disheartened. In His anger He began to clear the temple of this filthy merchandising. This was a demonstration of the fact that God freely gives to us. Salvation is to be free for all who come to Him.

Jesus exclaims, “Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise”. It is important that He calls the temple “My Father’s house”. The body of a person is called the temple of God (1 Cor.16:9). We see the first reference to this theme when Jesus said “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” He spoke in reference to His own body and the resurrection. The body of a believer belongs to be God and is to be honored as such. Not defiled with vile passions and whoring for that which is perishable. The body is to be used in service to God, in passionate devotion to the things of the kingdom of God.

The Jewish authorities were aware of their sin and rather than arrest Jesus for “disorderly conduct” or “desecrating sacred things”, they stood and watched, only to ask for a sign to prove His authority. One would imagine the disgust Jesus felt at their pettiness, and in response He offered a sign “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Still carnal in their thinking they cite how they built the temple in 46years.

The resurrection from the dead is the greatest display of God’s power. It is the same miracle that occurs when a person becomes born again. The spirit is recreated and giving new life. In this miracle, God clears out the temple (i.e. the body) from all filth, and He makes His dwelling with the person.

-The wedding at Cana/Jesus Turns Water to Wine

On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. ² Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. ³ And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him, “They have no wine.”

⁴ Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.”

⁵ His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”

⁶ Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. ⁷ Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. ⁸ And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. ⁹ When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. ¹⁰ And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”

¹¹ This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee, and manifested His glory; and His disciples believed in Him.

¹² After this He went down to Capernaum, He, His mother, His brothers, and His disciples; and they did not stay there many days. John 2:1-11

The First Sign

The first miraculous sign by Jesus is set at a marriage ceremony in Cana of Galilee. It is the hometown of Nathaniel, one of Jesus’s disciples (John 21:2). Cana was a small town and of little significance. Jesus and His disciples―at that time there were five; Andrew, Simon Peter, Philip, Nathanael, and John― were invited to the ceremony, and Jesus thought it necessary to honor the invitation. Mary the mother of Jesus was also present at the feast.

At some point during the feast, they ran out of wine, and Mary brought the attention of Jesus to that fact. It could be that Mary was a friend of the family or a relation to one of the parties involved. It is understood in Jewish culture that it is a huge embarrassment for wine to run out at such a feast. Jesus response to Mary’s gesture was not quite welcoming. Not that He was rude, but He was highlighting that the fullness of time had not yet come for Him to manifest. Nonetheless Mary instructed that the servants carry out whatever command Jesus issued.

One would think that from Mary’s gesture she knew by experience that Jesus was capable of producing results at such difficult times. It must have been common practice for Jesus to offer counsel that confounded natural logic in the midst of seemingly impossible situations which produced outstanding results “for the wisdom of God is foolishness to man” (1 Cor.1:25)

The Holy Spirit thought it necessary to state that there were six waterpots reserved to hold water for the Jewish rights of purification, each one large enough to hold between twenty and thirty gallons. This is a picture of the Old Order. Jesus instructed that these waterpots be filled with water. After this He asked that the servants draw “some” out to be served to the master of the feast. Notice He didn’t say “draw some water out…” He was careful with His words. When the master of the feast tasted the drink, he was amazed at the quality of the wine and said “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”

The turning of the water into wine was the first sign; the expression of His divine powers in a public setting. In this story we see a picture of the Old and New Covenant. The old way of thinking is that you put up your best front and when people have been deceived and convinced of the phoniness, and then you begin to bring out the subpar.

God’s way is to save the best for the last. We see the Old covenant here passing away. The rituals and rights of purification are to be no more―represented by the empty water pots―and on the other hand, the joy associated with the New Covenant as it is being poured out. In the New Covenant is the sweetness of the gospel.

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord,
“When the plowman shall overtake the reaper,
And the treader of grapes him who sows seed;
The mountains shall drip with sweet wine,
And all the hills shall flow with it.

Amos 9:13

Before this joy can be experienced, one must obey the simplicity and irrationality of the command “fill the waterpots…take some to the master of the feast”. The gospel is a simple message, and it is foolishness to human logic, but with obedience comes the sweet experience of salvation.

The quality of the wine was said to be the best wine. It was a taste that had never been experienced before. Legalism and moral fortitude is no match for the experience of salvation. Along with salvation comes the glory, satisfaction, sufficiency, and lavishness of the grace of God.

Sonship refers to the state of being an heir to the Father’s resources. When a person receives Christ, that person receives the right to be a son in the kingdom of God. This means by right of sonship the person can lay claim to all of heaven’s resources. The 13th verse of John 1 reveals that this sonship is not of blood, of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, in essence this right of sonship is not a  physical experience. It is by adoption. God’s word represents God’s will. When Scripture says that the one who receives Christ is born of the will of God, it refers to being born of God’s Word. By God’s word, sonship becomes a right and nothing can change it. Your past experiences and what anyone else thinks about you will not change the will of God for you as a son because it is settled!

The Book of John:

A continuation of my study on the Book of John. Sharing my thoughts, and revelations by the Holy Spirit.

John 1:6-11, 29-34

⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. ⁸ He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. ⁹ That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. ¹¹ He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ³¹ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”³² And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. ³³ I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

John the Baptist was a man of purpose. He understood his purpose as a forerunner of Christ, and he did his job effectively. Israel had been without any prophet for over 300 years since Malachi. The word of God was lacking for centuries, and there rises a fiery preacher, anointed of God, proclaiming the word of God concerning the coming Messiah. It was obvious to all that John was anointed of God because if he were a false prophet, the judgment according to the law was that he be stoned to death (Deuteronomy 18:22). John’s purpose was to bear witness to the true Light (Jesus), despite the fact that he had a huge following, he made it clear to all that he was not the Messiah.

Research shows that light is required for all things to live for without light plants would die, animals would not be able to feed, and through the food chain all life begins to die. This parallel is true concerning things of the spirit. Without illumination of God, there can be no life. This was why in the beginning the very first thing that God spoke into being was “light” (Genesis 1:3), consistent with John 1:10 “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him”. Likewise to restore the life that had been lost in the heart of men, God had to re-introduce light to the world in the form of Christ. That’s why it is said in verse 9 that Jesus is”the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world”.

The people had been in darkness for so long that when they saw the light, they squinted. They had to shrink back and go back to where it was comfortable for them which is why they did not receive Christ as the light. From verse 19 of Chapter 1 of John, it seems that the local council was threatened by this  revival that was brewing through John the Baptist. They sent messengers to go inquire of John’s purpose (19-22). The Pharisees had legalized religion, it had now become a sectarian cult by which they controlled the people under Roman rule. It was no longer that they held the law in anticipation of the Messiah (Galatians 3:24).

God had spoken of the Messiah after the fall of man in Genesis 3:15- of the seed of the woman who wold crush the head of the serpent. It must have been passed on from generation to generation from Adam. Judaism was supposed to hold the people in anticipation of the Christ. Though they were at “school” waiting for the “Teacher of the Way”, they were not able to see when He (Jesus the light) came to reveal to them the way. They saw the true light and they did not recognize Him and neither did the receive Him because they loved the darkness more than the light.

John the Baptist identified himself to the messengers of the Pharisees as “‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness:’Make straight the way of the Lord’” (John 1:23). This was spoken by the prophet Isaiah. As I meditate on this my eyes are open to the fact that this verse is prophetic. The One here refers to God almighty; John was the voice of God, he was God’s prophetic voice in the wilderness. The wilderness is an arid land with little vegetation and fruitfulness. This may be literal in that John was proclaiming these things in the wilderness, but this was in reference to the spiritual condition of Israel at that time. Their worship and lifestyle was not producing any fruit, but John the baptist message and baptism was to prepare men for the Messiah. He would give light to men and would the cause men to be fruitful again.

The sign of the Messiah according to John’s witness was given by God “Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ ³⁴ And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”

Is your life experiencing any dryness today?  Get the word of God and declare it. As you expect God to manifest in your situation, be the voice of God in that wilderness of yours and proclaim His truth. As you do so, you are preparing the way for the Lord to intervene massively in your life!

The word multitasking is defined as the activity of doing more than one thing at the same time., To a certain degree our lives are dependent on some form or level of multitasking in our personal and professional lives. There are other levels of multitasking that researchers have found to be detrimental to healthy functioning of the human mind and body and may actually slow down your productivity. Multitasking is the buzz word of many corporate environments; resumes and interviews tend to not be complete without the phrase “my ability to effectively multitask”.

Many experts including business coach Dave Crenshaw argues that the usual types of multitasking that we are all used to engaging in  doesn’t boost productivity—it actually slows you down. In his new book, The Myth of Multitasking: How “Doing It All” Gets Nothing Done, Crenshaw explains the difference between “background tasking”—like watching TV while exercising—and what he calls “switchtasking,” juggling two tasks by refocusing your attention back and forth between them, and losing time and progress in the switch. Crenshaw’s goal is to reduce stress, distractions, and burn-out while creating avenues that let individuals see through tasks with their full attention before moving onto the next thing.

It has become socially and culturally celebrated to multitask and most people really think it increases productivity. I invite you to think on these a little bit. Think about your typical day and the progression of each activity that you concurrently engaged in throughout the day.  How did you feel at the end of the day? If you felt extremely elated and accomplished then you probably thrive on the adrenaline high which is only temporary. If you felt stressed then the recommendation is to take control, Crenshaw offers a few tips for reducing switch tasking and  making better use of your time.

You have control over technology: Your cell phone ringer (even on vibrate) doesn’t need to be on all the time. You can turn off email notification on your computer as well. Become master over the nagging beeps and buzzes by creating some silence.

Schedule as much as possible :Set regular times in the day and week to check your voicemail and email. Inform people that you will be using that schedule so they know when to expect a reply.

Don’t lose sight of the person :When you switchtask when dealing with a computer, you simply lose efficiency. But if you switchtask on a human being, you additionally damage a relationship. Be present, listen carefully, and make sure everything has been taken care of before moving on.

Kemi Adegbite  2011

Sometimes, when life gets too hard to handle, we need a shoulder to cry on. When everything is already shattered and you have no one to go to, most of the time you rely on the power of words to help you pick up the pieces that are left. Inspiring stories from survivors of any calamity or struggle usually help us heal from a heart breaking scenario. A simple call from an unexpected friend might cheer us up during the lowest low of our lives. Inspirational Christian quotes are often a source of strength for many of us.

When it comes to inspiration biblical scriptures, this is even more so the case. For many Christians, reading the Bible is a daily fact of life. The Bible can bring hope to those who are sick or in need of comfort, and it can also bring meaning into everyday occurrences like household chores and schoolwork. Along with reading the Bible piece by piece (such as in the daily devotional Bibles), it can be helpful for Christians to read some of the many Inspirational Christian quotes and biblical scriptures daily, so that they can feel the uplifting voice of God.

Some Christian quotes are made by simple everyday people who want to share God’s goodness to the rest of the world. There are quotes coming from church deacons, priests, teachers, authors, pastors and even philosophers. You can actually make your own Christian quotes. All you have to do is delve into your personal experiences. Let go of your inhibitions and write what you feel. How has God touched your life? What made you into the Christian that you are today? Don’t allow fear or worry to stop you from taking the very actions that could change your life. Use the power of pain and gain to turn motivation into motive-action.

You now know that you hold the power of choice. You understand the power of self-perception. You know “how to” define your mission and “how to” use your imagination, belief and emotion for empowerment. Add to this you’ve created specific plans for the achievement of each of your goals. All of that to say this: knowing what to do is not enough. You must do what you know! Plenty of people have had the same information. They’ve read the same books. They’ve been to the same seminars. Nevertheless, the ones who have created success in their life are the ones who took action!

To find the best Inspirational Christian quotes for your situation, there are many different resources you can use. Many books are meant to be used as companions to the Bible itself, so that you can more easily sort through the scriptures to find your inspirational quote. Finally, the Internet is a wealth of resources for Biblical quotes.

I like to think about purpose as a calling because it suggests to us that there is something (or someone) bigger than just myself. This thought helps bring the thought of highest and best use in focus. The idea of the highest potential of a person’s life suggests that there ought to be a creator bigger than the individual, that introduced a person to the world as a human asset for highest and best use. I believe God created humanity, and in each one of us there is a calling to something great.

In the creation of Adam, the very first words God spoke were “be fruitful and multiply”. In these words we find the essence of purpose. Our lives at best use ought to be driven by the passion to produce fruit in multiplicity. The potential within you is a seed that you must passionately cultivate until it produces a fruit that gives others a foretaste of the divine. A life without purpose is a fruitless and dead life. The beauty of each of our lives is that we have something to offer. There’s a taste that we give to the world around us. Unfortunately many people have not taken the time out to cultivate the fruit of their potential so it becomes attractive and desirable.

I find fulfillment in inspiring others to live their best life. My passion and my life’s calling is to empower people to live the life God created them to live. I want to be instrumental in reaching billions of people and stirring up the potential within them, forcing them to bear fruit. In doing this I believe we would have a better world. Life was not meant to be lived ordinarily but with passion. Passionate living is purposeful living. Many people today are living beneath their fullest potential because they have not set out to accomplish anything with passion. Your passion should inspire others and bless others.

What is it that you can do with passion? The probelm with many people is that they are not aware of their inner consciousness. God has placed an eternal purpose in your heart that yearns for recognition. It is a gentle wooing to something great. Too often we look for validation in order to do what we are called to do, and when the validation does not come we engage in all sorts of gymnastics with the hope to get noticed, consequently extinguishing the embers of our calling.

Pay attention to the inclinations of your heart, and begin to take actions accordingly. You don’t have to do what someone has done before or what every other person is doing. Recognize the fact that you are unique, and embrace the beauty of your individuality.

I find that another hinderance to passionate and purposeful living is the entrapment of the soul. Too many people are trapped in mistakes and failures of the past, and rather than look ahead, they keep looking at the rear-view mirror of life. This is a numbing activity because your thoughts eventually lead to your emotions. If your thoughts are focussed on past failures, mishapps, addictions and nightmares, your emotions will be held bondage by fear and the result of which is a life without passion. Never let your emotions keep you from taking action. Decide against emotional weights to do what needs to be done that will take you to the next level. Fear never leads you to your destiny, but the step of faith against fear sets you on the path to the fulfillment of purpose.

The Spirit of God through Paul gave us the secret to purposeful and passionate living in Philippians 3:12-14:

¹² Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me. ¹³ Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul says the following in the above verses of Scripture:

1. I recognize i’m not where I need to be, so I press on

2. I don’t count even my past victories/success as anything, but I forget them- I forget anything that is behind me and I reach forward

3. Again I keep my eye on the goal, and I keep pressing towards it

To live the life you were called to live and fulfill the calling of your purpose, you must acknowledge the magnanimity of your life. There’s so much ahead of you that what is behind you should matter very little. Forget your past success, victories and failure. Leave the past where it belongs, in the past, and make a decision to press on to a higher goal. Look to the future, look to what you can be, what you can do, and have a plan to attain it.

I find that it is impossible to live a life of purpose without a positive outlook on life. Your hopes must be bigger than your past failures! Your dreams must be brighter and more colorful than your nightmares! Your faith must be graeter than your fear! Your vision must be clearer than your background! Stir up yourself and be enthusiastic about life. Focus your thoughts on the beautiful things around you. Begin to appreciate yourself, your strengths, talents and abilities. Cheer yourself up. Be attracted to yourself.

Become aware of your inner calling. Take a break from the daily routine and meditate on the words “be fruitful and multiply”. Acknowledge God, and the purpose planted in you. Ask yourself: What can I do passionately that will produce fruit in multiplicity? What is my contribution to the world?

Originally posted at moyomamora.com, Purposeful Living (Used by permission)

This article is a repost from the Christian Personal Finance website, run by Bob Lotich.

The article was written based  on a wishlist of over 400 readers, so it is a top 10 list based on dedicated visitors to the ChristianPF site.  You’ll also find some good pricing here based on Bob’s research. Hope you enjoy reading here, and feel free to visit the ChristianPF site at www.christianpf.com and show some love.

Here goes the list:

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10. Digital Camera

$120 and up

Some people were wanting point-and-shoot digital cameras, while others were interested in spending a few more bucks on a DSLR. This Panasonic Model is a very well-reviewed 16.1 Megapixel that records HD video for under $120. And for those who want a DSLR it seems that the Canon Rebel T3 is a great choice for most at $488.

9. Wii (and games)

$149.99

We got my mom a Wii 2 Christmas’s ago and it was a lot more than this. Apparently now you can get the Wii Console with Mario Kart for under $150.

8. Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University

~ $100.00

I took the Dave Ramseys Financial Peace University course with Linda about 2 years ago and it should be mandatory for American newlyweds. It is beneficial for anyone, but if we help the newlyweds learn this stuff without having to make all the dumb mistakes the rest of us have, we could save them some heartache!

7. Running Shoes

$100ish

Since there were a lot of different athletic shoes mentioned I will just show you my favorite and Linda’s favorite.  I had never spent much on running shoes (since I wasn’t a runner why should I?) until I bought a pair of New Balance 993 Running Shoes and I now can outrun a cheetah.  But seriously, they are very supportive and it was one of those purchases I am very glad I made.

Linda I started on the couch-to-5k journey and seem to have been sidetracked by cold weather, but as a result she needed something to run in other than heels, so she saved up for the Nike Free Run and she claims that they are one of the most comfortable shoes she has ever owned.

6. KitchenAid Standmixer

$199.00

I have to say I was surprised to see that so many people were interested in the KitchenAid Classic Stand Mixer, but it does look like a pretty cool kitchen toy.

5. Samsung Galaxy Tablet

$314.99

There were also a surprising number of people wanting the Samsung Galaxy Tab. I honestly hadn’t heard much about this tablet, but apparently a lot of you have!

4. iPod

$46 and up

What kind of top 10 list would this be if it didn’t have an iPod on it? You can get aniPod shuffle for under $50 or you can get theiPod touch for about $189 at Amazon.

3. Kindle/Kindle Fire

$79 and $199.99

I never had too much desire for a Kindle, but with them being this cheap it is hard not to throw it on the Christmas wishlist! You can get the regular Kindle for $79or the new iPad competitor the Kindle Fire for $199

2. Laptop

$400 or less

From what I have been reading there are going to be some great deals on Laptops this Christmas season, so if you are in the market keep your eyes peeled. Here is a pretty good deal on an entry-level Laptop on Amazon for under $400 . But definitely compare prices and watch the ads the next couple weeks, there will be some good deals to be had!

1. iPad 2

$500 and up

Surprise, surprise. The iPad 2 is the top Christmas gift idea for 2011. Isn’t Apple’s marketing strategy amazing? They make us want something that we never knew we needed. Anyway, the prices for Apple products are normally pretty similar at most places. But keep in mind if you buy it from the Apple store you will need to pay sales tax, whereas I don’t get charged sales tax when I purchase from Amazon.com (not sure if that applies to all states or not).

For more posts on gift ideas, see the following:

1. Careerealism

2. Bucks, NY Times

3. Radiant God blog

PS:

While not on the list, The Believer’s Covenant of Health will be a great gift for Christmas. This book unveils a beleiver’s divine right to healing and walking in divine health. In the process of teaching this, the book gives a good fundamental on the covenant that we have in Christ Jesus.

You can get it on Amazon!

Blessings…

Many people assume that once a person professes to be a Christian, then they should automatically have good character and act in a certain stereotypical manner. Many of you will attest to the fact that this notion is far from the truth. Why do so-called Christians still engage in patterns of negative behavior such as arrogance, adultery, selfishness, anger and a score of other character flaws?.  The simple answer is this, every individual’s history based on their childhood backgrounds, life experiences, early family life, social environment, personality and will power all determines the character they adopt. As Christians the single decision to follow Christ gives rise to a new nature of God that guarantees us eternal life. The responsibility now lies in our hands to critically examine our lives on a routine basis to begin to work on divorcing these habits, based on the tools that we have been given in the holy-spirit and the word of God.

The first step is to identify and accept the fact that we need help. This can be done by setting fellowship time apart and alone, away from all the church business and activities. A lot of Christian get caught up in church work and activities at the expense of their personal fellowship with God. In reality what is cultivated is a bunch of good church workers with very poor personal spiritual lives.  It’s time to look back and think on patterns of negative characters or behaviors that may exist in our lives and analyze their root causes based our individual backgrounds and history. The second step is to gain knowledge surrounding this issue through the use of written materials and self help topics on the issue. The third step is to actively seek to develop new and more positive coping skills. This can be done through the process of mentorship and accountability with fellow Christians or leaders that exemplify this character trait that you desire. This can also be done through the process of professional Christian counseling. Positive coping skills are developed when negative mind sets and belief systems about oneself and the perception of others are replaced with new belief patterns.

As a Christian the word of God provides us with various promises that enable us to develop a positive image of who we are meant to be in the eyes of God. This scripture in 2 Corinthians 5:17 further emphasizes this transformation and newness that life as a Christian brings. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” The development of new coping skills will occur over a period of time and produce more positive patterns of responding to situations.

Our goal as Christians should be that of developing our character in order to conform to the likeness of God and to rise above the typical character flaws that are common to our human nature. This scripture in Romans 7:19-23 talks about the human nature of sin “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.”

Character growth comes through the process of time and a conscious acceptance and acknowledgement by each individual that there is a need for change in their character. According to the Webster’s dictionary, character is defined as the strength of mind of a person to develop distinguishing and good moral features, attributes, traits, and abilities. The Strongs concordance gives a biblical definition of character as proof of genuineness, trustworthiness, acceptability. (Strongs 1382). The bible talks about character development in Romans chapter 5 verse 3-4 ‘and not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance character; and character, hope. The apostle Paul commends Timothy’s character in Phillipians Chapter 2verse 20-22 ‘For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for your state. For all seek their own, not the things which are of Jesus Christ. But you know his proven character, that as a son with his father he served me in the gospel.’ These references to scripture, emphasizes the importance of character growth and development in the life of a Christian.

According to a 2008 article by Johnathan Taylor, we ought to examine our character daily against those Godly character traits listed as fruits of the Spirit in Galatians chapter 5 verse 22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Kemi Adegbite 2011