THE YOUTH FOR JESUS

How The Devil Went on an Evangelism Mission with One Famous Preacher

2013-08-15T10:43:00.000-07:00

As incredulous as it may sound, this story is actually true. Indeed, the devil went on a soul-winning mission with one famous preacher known in almost all Christian circles. The good news however, is that the preacher in question is not a false preacher but a good one. “How do you know? You may ask. Well, we will find out together. Keep reading…

Being a Christian myself, I was shocked to the bone when I came to the realization of the facts of the story. It is out of that astonishment that I decided to write this post and share the story with all the believers out there. This way, we can take caution and watch against these things repeating themselves in the Church.

Many Christians would confidently say they would be able to easily identify the devil should they set eyes on him. But what I learned today proved to me that most of us have a skewed perception about the devil. What is your perception of satan? What or how does he look like? Is it a horned and tailed beast with fumes of evil emanating from his face, and from every pore of his skin? Better yet, is it a fearful goat-headed or ‘baphometed’ being, an epitome of fear? Obviously these were the images of the devil that had being let down from generation to generation, and in recent times have been fueled by movies, books and the media.

Well, I also do agree with the above descriptions of the devil. The truth however is that, satan does not look scary and evil all the time. He only looks evil and fearful when he is in his habitat – hell. This is because in hell his main aim is to fright and torment his victims. Taken out of hell and brought to earth, satan does not take on the scary and fearful image that most of us have about him. The reason for the change is because on earth he has a totally different mission. The devil’s main aim on earth is to deceive and take people captive. Surely he would have been unable to deceive no one if he were to come looking scary.

So it was this strategy of changing appearance that I believe eluded the famous preacher and made him go out on his gospel preaching mission with the devil. Anyway, the preacher in question is Apostle Paul. Yes, the same powerful man of God who wrote about two-third of the New Testament under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It is that same man who went on preaching mission with the devil. To satisfy your curiosity, here is the story:

And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel possessed with a spirit of divination met us, which brought her masters much gain by soothsaying: The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation.

And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour.

(Acts 16:16-18 KJV)

Wait a minute! Even Paul could not identify the devil when he joined his evangelism team. And for many days the devil followed him proclaiming, “These men (i.e. Paul and the other disciples that were with him) are the servants of the Most High God, and have come to show us the way of salvation.” (see Acts 16:17).

What would you do if the devil speaks well of you? Obviously you would not accept his good report if he appears in the form of the devil we all know. But what if he did come in the appearance of someone you never imagine could be used by the devil to deceive you? That’s the kind of situation apostle Paul found himself. The devil followed him for many days and kept proclaiming great things about them. None of the apostles including Paul himself discerned that young girl was possessed by the devil. This is a great lesson to all of us.

We saw in the scripture above that young girl was possessed by the “spirit of divination”. This spirit is not part of the seven manifestations of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2). The word ‘divination’ also means prophesying or soothsaying. It is regrettable but most of the prophets in churches today are actually soothsayers operating under the influence of the spirit of divination. By the help of the devil, these false prophets are able to give accurate and outstanding words of knowledge. The spirit of divination is a very powerful deceptive spirit that satan is using to deceive many Christians. This is why believers must be very careful and check all prophecies with the Bible (2 Peter 1:19) to see if they are correct or not.

Also, we can overcome this deception from the spirit of divination by doing what Paul did. How did Paul finally know that the girl was possessed by an evil spirit? The Bible says, “…But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the spirit, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her. And he came out the same hour” (Acts 16:18). The key word here is ‘grieve’. True prophesies come to exhort, to encourage and to lift us up. Beware of prophets who prophesy to scare you or make you afraid. “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

I believe Apostle Paul was able to discover that the young girl was possessed by the devil because her words of prophecy did nothing than bring grieve to the apostle. So as soon as he became grieved he did not hesitate but turned to the girl and commanded the spirit out of her. Another lesson is the fact that Paul did not cast the evil spirit out by his own power but by the power and name of our Lord Jesus Christ. This too is a lesson to us that the battle over the devil and his demons can only be won when we stand in the name and power of our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ.

Finally, my prayer for all Christians is that we will begin to see the devil for the deceptive being that he really is, and not only as we have known him to be. Also we must not be ignorant of the satan’s goal on earth which is to deceive as many as he can. May God deliver us from every deceptive plot of the devil, in Jesus’ mighty name. Amen!

Vision of Demonic Army Raiding The Earth

2013-07-29T06:45:00.001-07:00

In the wee hours of today (29/07/2013), while on a nap break at work I saw in a dream, I was walking with someone on the road. I can't remember who it really was, but suddenly we saw a military truck which was completely off the road and approaching our direction. We were walking on the left side of the road and had to run rightwards to escape the truck, otherwise it would have hit and killed us instantly.

As we continued walking, another military vehicle approached from behind and we had to run to the left to dodge it. As we climb a little hill of the road we came to a junction on the left and saw other military vehicles on top speed coming from the road on the left. Then I saw that the vehicles were fully packed with soldiers and it seemed that a war had broke out.

So I perceived indeed a war had broken out and therefore we rushed to the nearest bush on the left to hide. Just as we entered the bush to hide, I noticed footsteps everywhere. What followed was a great shock. I saw dirty, human-like creatures everywhere. They were all naked and very filthy with wild eyes which moved to and fro as if in each for a prey.

We developed a strategy to hold our breath and act dead as a way of not drawing the attention of the dirty creatures. So we held our breath and acted dead. Then one of the creatures which I perceived to be female approached us. It looked at us carefully, intending to figure out if we were really dead. I could not hold my breath any longer so I breathed silently but the creature seemed to have noticed my breath so it held my toe to bite it. I played cool initially but I suddenly happened to have remembered the scripture that says, "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). So in adherence to that scripture, I resisted and spat out the contamination that seemed to have entered into me from the dirty creature.

While I had this encounter with one of the dirty demon-like creatures, the rest (many of them, probably in thousands) passed on and were everywhere, and seemed to be attacking other humans beings.

I woke up suddenly after resisting the one that was attacking me.

I understand this vision to mean that demons are infiltrating the earth in a grand military style, and this calls for prayer and fasting for ourselves, our families, our friends, the Church of God and the world as a whole. If you are reading this then please fast and pray for yourself, your family, friends, your church, the Church of God, and the any individual or organization that you feel led to pray for. We are victors and conquerors in the mighty name of Jesus, so let's take victory in Jesus' name over any demonic attack.

Open Letter to Ladies Who Think "All Guys are The Same"

2013-07-11T01:23:00.000-07:00

Dear Sisters,

It is very regrettable that most of you resent us so much. In spite of this, most of us in most cases do not reciprocate your resentment towards us. Those of us who do this do it for one major reason: whether we like it or not you ladies will always be our mothers, sisters, girlfriends, fiancées and wives and the cycle will continue on and on.

While we may put up with you on many things, one thing most of us can’t stand, which we wish you could change is your rather ‘erroneous’ perception that all guys are the same. I am writing this letter to all the ladies out there and hope to, at the end, prove to you all that all guys are not the same! So let’s get into it.

I've found there are two types of ladies. The first type thinks that all guys are the same. Sadly, I've found that ladies with this ideology hardly find true love because (1) they most often encounter bad guys which reiterate their belief that “all guys are the same.” (2) They never realize it when a good guy comes around and treats him with the same resentment they would treat the bad guys.

I also realize that the perception that all guys are the same is just the symptoms; the real cause of such notion is a history of abuse by men, fathers, uncles, brothers, bad relationships. This is what had created such a bad and sometimes very evil notion about guys in the minds of these ladies.

Many a time, the ladies who have this perception that "all guys are the same" easily become players, moving from one guy to another, and they may also easily fall prey to temptations of lesbianism. So, what often starts as a mere resentment of the male figure could deteriorate into something serious and detestable such as lesbianism and promiscuity.

What can one do if she finds herself in the situation described above? Well, I wish I have a perfect answer, but honestly I don't. So I will just suggest two solutions. The first solution is God. Yes, the reason many women resent men so badly is because they have been hurt in the past and have not healed completely. If you are going to heal completely from the hurts of the past then you are going to need God's help to do that. Jesus Christ came to the earth as a Saviour, but also as a Healer. The scriptures say, "By his stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53:5). So trust God to heal you from all the hurts of the past and pray for grace to approach life with a renewed sense of hope.

The second thing one could do is to stop generalizing. There are millions of men in this world and if indeed you have been hurt by some, the number will be very minute if compared to the average number of men in your country or community. So with all due respect, I think it is unfair to use the misbehaviour of the 'few' men you have encountered as a yardstick to say that all men are the same. Learn to use the legal principle, "every suspect is innocent until proven otherwise". In other words, think of all people to be potentially good until you have cause to doubt their integrity. This will ensure you don't treat good guys badly when they come around.

Now back to the second type of ladies in the world. The second type is those who may have been equally hurt by men in the past, but unlike the first group, these think that most guys are the same but there are still good guys out there. Know the difference: the first group thinks "all guys are the same" but the second group thinks "most guys are the same but there are still good guys out there".

Due to the notion of the second group that there are still good guys out there, they use what I call the "back up plan". That is, they fall in love initially with just one foot forward, study the guy carefully, and if he is good then they then give him their hearts completely.

In life we don't always get what we want, but with wisdom and faith in God, we can conquer every problem and live a joyful life. Issues of the heart have to be dealt with carefully and we will therefore be blessed to follow the command in Proverbs 4:23: "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life"

What All Gay People Must Know: The Abnormality of Homosexuality

2013-07-02T12:38:00.000-07:00

The problem with homosexuality is that it is unnatural. Assume that you have a daughter who's six (6) years old. Now one day upon returning from work you see this young girl in bed having sex with a man of about 20 years. What will be your immediate reaction? Then to make things worse, imagine you asked your daughter about the incidence and she tells you she's attracted to older men. Would you accept such attraction as normal? Please, let's be realistic. The natural order is for someone of one sex to desire another of the opposite sex. Anything short of that is perverted and unnatural.

Many gays also argue that gay sex is just another sin but that's a weak argument. Every wrongdoing is sin but there are sins that lead unto death and those that do not. Homosexuality is not just a sin but also an abomination. It is detestable and abnormal.

In law, there's a clear distinction between what a crime is and what a tort is even though they are both wrongs committed by people. Crimes are considered heavier than torts because they are wrongs against the whole of humanity and not just one person. For example, murder is considered a crime because it is believed that the murderer is a threat to the entire society and not just the victim. Torts on the other hand, are wrongs against individual persons which does not pose a threat to the entire community. It is the same with homosexuality. Homosexuality is a sin like any other wrong but it is an abominable sin. It is unnatural and

should never be encouraged.

Is being gay a choice or not? I believe it is both a choice and also demonic. Being gay is a demonic perversion of the natural order. Now that is the starting point. The individual has to make the choice weather to satisfy his attraction to another of his/her own kind. A preacher once discovered that he's dispositionally gay but because of his love for Christ, he never satisfied his desires by having sex with a man. As a straight and unmarried guy, I have a high inclination every now and then to go find a girl and have sex with her. But that’s fornication and I know better. Sex was designed for marriage and that is how it has to be. Just because I desire to be with a girl does not mean I should go in for one while unmarried.

So the existence of a proclivity is not justification to satisfy it. If this is the case then the world must brace itself for more surprises because the arguments that would be used to attempt to normalize homosexuality would soon be applied to normalize other abnormalities such as sadism, masochism, pedophilia and misogyny just to mention a few.

Please don’t get me wrong; I don't hate gays, I detest the act of homosexuality just as I don't hate criminals but detest the act of crime. As a Christian, I am, per my beliefs, to love everybody. Now, there's BIG difference between accepting people and accepting their abnormal lifestyles. The church is a place for sinners who consider their ways as sinful and therefore seeking redemption, not sinners who are seeking their sins to be accepted as normal behaviour. Any church that accepts homosexuality as being normal is not worthy of being called a Christian Church because being gay and being a Christian are so divergent that they can never meet. God bless you!

The Reasons Why Every Human Being Is A Sinner

2013-04-06T14:34:00.000-07:00

The Bible says that we have all sinned and have fallen short of God's glory (see Romans 3:23). Two dimensions explain why everybody is a sinner. The first is the fact that we've all not been able to obey the commandments of God. We have lied; we've all stolen something before, have not respected our parents 100% and have worshiped other gods apart from the almighty God because anything that takes the place of God in our lives becomes a god to us.

Some of the things that take the place of God in our lives are not all bad at all. Some are actually good things such as education, jobs, marriage, and even children. For instance, a lady may be praying to God for a husband but as soon as she gets married she stop seeking God. Again, the Bible teaches that anyone who hates his brother is a murderer. Most of us have hated on at least one person before. So we are all liars, thieves, fornicators, adulterers, idolaters, disrespectful to parents and so on. Each of us fits into at least one of the above categories of sinners.

In James 2:10, the Bible says that if we keep the whole commandment but fail in one point, we are guilty of all. This is so because the same God who said, "Thou shall not lie" also said, "Thou shall not kill." So if we have never killed but have told countless number of lies, then we cannot say we are just before God.

The second dimension that makes everybody a sinner is the fact that we are not only sinners because of the wrongs we do but also because our very nature is sinful. We were conceived in sin and birthed into sin (see Psalm 51:5). There are people who are naturally principled and very moral. They don't cheat others, don't steal, don't lie and don't do many things that are considered to be sin. Yet no matter how upright we attempt to live, the fact that we are sinners still holds because we were born in sin.

There are consequences for sin

Just as there are consequences for wrongdoing in every country, there are also consequences for sins. Rom 6:23 says, "The wages of sin is death..." The 'death' referred to in this scripture is not the physical death but rather the death of eternal separation from God. God told Adam and Eve that the day they eat the forbidden fruit they will die. For a fact they didn't die physically after eating the fruit. However, they experienced a spiritual death. They became separated from God.

Similarly, if we continue in our sins and do not repent then we will be eternally separated from God. Assume that you owe a bank a huge sum of money, and out of the blue, someone opts to pay the debt for you. You will ONLY be debt-free if you allow the person to settle the debt on your behalf. However, if you disagree then your debt will remain and you will face the consequences thereof.

God has a better alternative for everyone who believes

Even though the wages of our sins is death, God is giving us a better alternative. The second part of Romans 6:23 says, "... but the gift of God is everlasting life THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD. Everyone had sinned and everyone will go to hell if those sins (debt) are not atoned (paid). Jesus' death on the cross and the shedding of his blood is the only thing that can atone for our sins and that is why every sinner must believe in Jesus Christ to be saved.

Why is Jesus' blood the only thing that can atone for sins? The answer to this question can be found in Leviticus 17:11-12 and Hebrews 9:22. In Leviticus, God established to the Israelites that "life is in the blood" and that He had given it to them to atone for the soul. Base on this, the people of Israel used the blood of animals like sheep, goat, cattle etc. to atone for their sins. However, as sin multiplied, the blood of animals were not sufficient to atone for the sin of man and that is what necessitated the coming of Jesus and his subsequent death and shedding of blood. The shedding of blood is necessary because "almost all things are by the LAW purged with BLOOD, and WITHOUT THE SHEDDING OF BLOOD THERE'S NO REMISSION" - Hebrews 9:22. The word 'purge' means "to make clean" or "to make pure" This means that only the blood of Jesus Christ can cleanse our sins and make us pure.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believe in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life" - John 3:16. Read verses 17 and 18 as well. God sent Jesus Christ to die to save mankind because He loves us greatly and don't want any one of His creation to be eternally separated from Him. As much as God loves us, He cannot force us to believe in Him. That choice is given to us and He wants us to CHOOSE Him willingly. If we choose Him we will have eternal life and if reject Him then we will be condemned forever. He himself will not condemn us but our sins will, because nothing that is sinful can come close to God. The choice is in your hands!

Jesus Christ is ever ready to receive you. You have struggled with religion for so long, you have search for truth for a long time, and now I have good news for you. The GOOD NEWS is that Jesus is Truth. His death on the cross and the blood that He shared for all mankind is available right now to wash and cleanse you from all your sins and make you pure and whole before God. All you have to open your mouth right now and speak to Him. Tell Him you are sorry for your sins and repent from them from now on. Tell him to come into your life, forgive all your sins and be your Lord and personal Saviour. Tell Jesus you want to start a new relationship with Him and ask Him to help you endure to the end. Jesus Christ is waiting to forgive all your sins and transform your life for the better. Surrender everything to Him and speak to Him right now!

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Conflict Resolution, the Christian Way

2013-03-16T05:37:00.000-07:00

That God desires His children to live in peace and exhibit genuine love towards one another is an essential dogma in Christianity. The need for agreement among believers is so crucial that God, through Amos the prophet, asked, “Can two walk together? Except they be agreed” (Amos 3:3). It can be sufficiently said that majority of us are aware of, and would really love to live harmoniously with each other. No matter how we try however, jealousy, hatred and contentions set in and some even become more fierce and deadly than we ever imagined they could be. The end result is that friendships are destroyed, relationships broken, and members of families turn against each other. This is something we are often not particularly happy about. The need for conflict resolution thus comes to play.

In this little write up, we are going to look at two important keys that the early Church, particularly, Apostle Peter, used to resolve a contention that ensued between himself and “the apostles and brethren at Judea” ( read Acts 11:1-18). I am of a strong believe that these conflict resolution keys, which have been discussed below, are particularly applicable to resolving conflicts between Christians, Churches and even organizations.

1. Patience

The first key to resolving conflicts among us is patience. In Christianity, many a time those who contend with us do so because of great concern either for our present situations as well as future and eternal consequences. This is why patience is extremely important. The "apostles and brethren in Judea" (Acts 11:1) were unhappy and ended up contending with Peter about his dealings with the gentiles because there was an outstanding instruction in the Law of Moses that Jews should not mingle with the gentiles. Moses faced a similar contention from his brother Aaron and sister Miriam when he married a foreigner (an Ethiopian woman, see Numbers 12:1).

Now before anyone rules out the "apostles and brethren at Judea's" attitude as misbehaviour, we must be reminded that they did what they did because they were very concerned about the Word of God being fully obeyed and also concerned about Peter not erring from the faith.

I am confident that Apostle Peter was fully aware of their concern for him and that is why he exhibited patience in handling the situation. The scripture says, "But Peter rehearsed the matter from the beginning, and expounded it by order unto them..." (Acts 11:4). This is sheer patience at work. Peter had other choices such as brushing them off, or even counter-contending with them for disputing with him for doing the Will of God. Instead, he chose to use patience by taking his time to explain the whole issue from the beginning. This clearly depicts to us how powerful and necessary it is for us to exhibit patience when resolving conflicts among ourselves.

2. Details matter

This is yet another great lesson that Peter left for us. In addition to being patient he was also detailed in his explanation to the apostles and brethren that contended with him. He actually told the story from scratch, told every detail, and ensured they were orderly presented. He explained to them the trance he had about the "heavenly vessel" (see Acts 11:5-10), then spoke about the vision that Cornelius had and the subsequent action that he took which led to the involvement of himself with Cornelius, and also gave details of all that went on when he visited Cornelius (see Acts 11:6-17).

Guess what happened after Peter told them all these details of the matter? The Bible says, "When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life." (Acts 11:18). Hallelujah to that! Many times people dispute and fight things they don't understand. It is therefore not surprising that after expounding everything to them in detail, they now held their peace and glorified God.

As Christians, it is imperial that we live together and in harmony with each other. However, things get screwed up sometimes and we find ourselves contending each other and disputing among ourselves. I believe God, through these two conflict resolution keys would help us settle our differences and live harmoniously as Jesus want us to be (see Psalm 133:1, Acts 2;44), and we would be blessed as take practical measures to avoid conflicts, resolve existing ones, forgive each other and live peacefully with one another.

Have you been blessed by this post? Kindly share it to bless your friends and others. God bless you.

The Tiny Line Between Faith and Foolishness

2013-01-18T01:18:00.000-08:00

Someone once told me that there is a thin line between Faith and Foolishness. I could not agree with him then but I have grown to know the statement is true. In order words, in one's attempt to apply faith, one could end up being foolish. Now, as Christians, let us not misconstrue this foolishness to the fact of the world thinking we are foolish for believing in the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ. The foolishness being referred here is that resulting either from ignorance or failure to utilize discretion.

The emphasis is not on appearing foolish, but actually acting foolishly. A typical example is engaging in premarital sex then praying and hoping that God will cause you not to be pregnant. This is ridiculous because a drop of semen contains millions of sperms that have been assigned one sole responsibility of getting you pregnant.

Paul, as a new believer and disciple (Acts 9:22), grew in strength and even ended up confounding the Jews at Damascus by proving to them that indeed Jesus is the Christ. However, no matter how strong Paul became in faith, he and the other disciples did not make fool of themselves when they learned that the Jews had planned to kill Paul (see Acts 9:24).

What did they do? They applied wisdom! The scripture says:

"Then the disciples took him by night, and let him down by the wall in a basket" - Acts 9:25.

Obviously, what happened in Acts 9:25 above, is not an act of faith but that of wisdom. The disciples could have thought that because they are Christians with a strong faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the death threat by the Jews in Damascus is but a mere joke. Instead, they took the threat seriously and applied discretion. I am particularly glad that this scripture is recorded in the book of ACTS, it clearly shows that we as Christians in our generation must learn this act of wisdom to complement our faith in Jesus Christ.

Faith does not come to replace our senses and I believe to walk successfully in faith, we must know the times and seasons. Just as there is time and season for everything under the Heavens (Ecclesiastes 3:1), there is also a time to apply faith and a time to apply wisdom. Thus, we must not be overly enthused with our faith in God that we fail to use our senses when we have to. Shalom!

The Real Meaning of Christmas

2012-12-25T16:01:00.000-08:00

Later today, Christmas day, a Muslim colleague of mine asked me what the meaning of Christmas is and why we celebrate it. So I took some time and with patience tried to explain to Him the whole concept and meaning of Christmas. The discussion covered Jesus’ birth, life, death and his honourable and complete work of salvation to all those that believe. In this write up, I am going to share with you portions of the discussion that I had with my Muslim friend, and in the end I pray that you will come to the truth of the celebration and know the REASON for the season.

What is Christmas?

Christmas is a time of the year where Christians and unbelievers worldwide join their families to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It must be noted that not all Christians celebrate Christmas, some still have some reservations about the celebration and this had given rise to such questions such as whether or not Jesus Christ was born on December 25, the date on which Christmas is celebrated worldwide.

Also, it is worthy of note that majority of the Christians and unbelievers who join in with the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ do it without purpose. I say this in reference to the manner in which Christmas is celebrated nowadays. The real purpose of Christmas is to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world. Therefore, the use of Christmas as a time for wild parties and orgies, reveling and heavy drinking is shamefully out of place and very inappropriate.

Who is Jesus Christ?

Jesus Christ is the Son of God whose birth, life and death were prophesied several years before they actually started to unfold. The prophet Isaiah spoke vividly about how Jesus will be born, his life, and death.

About Christ’s birth, Prophet Isaiah wrote:

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” – Isaiah 7:14.

About a thousand (1000) years after this prophecy was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, the prophecy became fulfilled when Mary who was a virgin conceived and gave birth to a Son and named him Jesus Christ just as she had been told by an angel who visited her (see Luke 1:30-37 below).

And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

For with God nothing shall be impossible.

And about the life of Jesus Christ, the prophet wrote in Isaiah 9:6-7;

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Then about the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, Isaiah the prophet writes again in Isaiah 53:1-10:

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and theLord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.

How does the birth, life, or death of Jesus Christ make Him a Saviour of the world?

The wages for sin is death (see Romans 6:23). Jesus Christ became the Saviour of the world because God used Him as a lamb (see Isaiah 53 quoted above) and his death atoned for the sins of all mankind. When John the Baptist saw Jesus Christ, the first utterance he made was, “…Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). In order words, John being a prophet himself saw vividly the purpose for which Jesus had come to the Earth, to save sinners.

Luke 19:10 teaches us that Jesus came to seek and save the lost. All of us were lost in our sins, and those who have not acknowledged and accepted the complete work of salvation done by our Lord Jesus Christ, are still lost in sins. We have “all sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). If we continue in our sins then we will have to pay for them by being eternally separated from God in hell.

In order words, we deserve to be forever separated from God like the devil because sin makes us unholy and nothing that is unholy can come close to God. Jesus Christ as a Saviour came to redeem and save us from our sins and make us holy and righteous before God so that we will able to live forever with Him in Heaven.

Jesus Christ is the real meaning of Christmas and not parties, orgies, and heavy drinking. Therefore, the BEST Christmas gift you can give to yourself is to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour and receive forgiveness of sins and everlasting life in Heaven. Jesus Christ does not want you to go to hell. He want you to come to Heaven and live forever with Him, and this is why He left his throne and glory and came down to the earth to die for you and me. And it is written in the Bible (the Word of God) that “God had given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son (Jesus Christ), whosoever has the Son hath the life and whoever has not the Son of God does not have everlasting life” (1 John 5:11).

Dear friend, God is inviting you to have an awesome relationship with Him through His Son, Jesus Christ. All you have to do is to repent of your sins and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. You can do so by saying the prayer below and believing with all your heart that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came from heaven and died to save us from sin and bondage as it is written in the Word of God, the Bible. Make this decision today, say the prayer below and believe it:

Dear God, I thank you for sending Jesus Christ to die for me.

I acknowledge I am a sinner and needs Salvation.

Today, I accept Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour.

Jesus, please forgive me of all my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness.

Help me to serve and live my life to please you all the days of my life.

Please, write my name in the Book of Life.

Thank you for saving me. In Jesus’ name I pray.

Amen!

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Thrashing The Word ‘Sexy’ Out of The Church

2012-10-12T22:33:00.000-07:00

It is quite obvious that we are living in a sex-crazed world. Even our churches are becoming sex-crazed too, it is very pathetic! Most Christian ladies nowadays prefer to be called ‘sexy’ rather than beautiful, modest, intelligent, or virtuous. I often watch with dismay how our Christian sisters get elated when guys tag their Facebook photos with the word ‘sexy’.

What does the word ‘sexy’ mean? Well, the last time I checked it means:

“provoking or intended to provoke sexual interest, or feeling sexual interest; aroused” – World English Dictionary.

Dear ladies, when a guy says you’re sexy, what he actually means is that “your appearance is provoking or inviting and makes him want to have sex with you.” As a Christian sister, I don’t think this is something you should be elated about. A Christian must never be happy if his/her appearance ignites a sexual desire in another person who is not his or her spouse. This is why we must watch the dresses we wear and ensure that we are not exposing things that must not be exposed.

While we have no control what others think of us, we do have control over which compliments we endorse. In some cases, the compliment ‘sexy’ does not match our appearance and therefore it is our duty not to endorse or even be thrilled by it.

With all these being said, it must be mentioned here that being sexy itself is not wrong. Sex was created to be enjoyed within the confines of marriage. Any sexual act outside marriage is a sin (see 1 Corinthians 6:18). I stand to be corrected, but I honestly don’t think there is anything wrong with a husband telling his wife she look sexy. God in His wisdom had assigned time and season to everything on earth. Obviously there is a time to look sexy and a time not to look sexy. The time to look sexy is if you are married and it must only be for your spouse and not the outside world. There is also a time to have sex and a time not to have sex. The time to have sex is when you are married and it must be only and only with your spouse. The Bible is quite clear on this; Hebrews 13:4 says:

Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

1 Thessalonians 4:3 says:

For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication.

And 1 Corinthians 6:18-20 says:
Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Dear ladies, you are not sexy you are beautiful; the value is not the same. Know your worth and let no one look down on you. You have been fearfully and wonderfully created and chosen to show forth the glory of a great and might God. You are a Princess, the cherished daughter of the King of kings and Lord of lords – the Lord Jesus Christ. So accept nothing less!

Christians are supposed to change the world, but it seems the world is rather changing us. It is time for us to wake up and take our place. Let the brothers from now on learn to give edifying compliments about the ladies, and let the ladies also resolve to dress decently.

If this post has blessed you then kindly share it to bless others. Thank you.

Why Christians Should or Shouldn’t Tithe, Part 1

2012-09-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

Tithes and Offerings are not the same
There's a blessing for tithing and there's a blessing for giving, the two are not the same. The blessings for tithing are (1) Open doors of blessing (2) God rebukes the devil for the "tither's" sake, (3) God prevents Satan from destroying the fruits of our ground (i.e. fruitfulness in our various endeavors such as education, business, etc), (4) We receive recognizable blessings; the scripture says, "And all nations shall call you blessed!" (See Malachi 3:10-12).

The blessings for giving on the hand had appeared in several places in the scriptures. One of it is 2 Corinthians 9:7-8. My favourite scripture about the blessings of giving, however, is Luke 6:38 where God said, "Give and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again"
Tithes and offerings are not the same thing. The Tithe is one-tenth of our income while offering is anything that we cheerfully give to God after honouring Him with one-tenth of our income. God himself in his rebuke to the Israelites stated that they have robbed Him both in tithes and in offerings (see Malachi 3:8).

Does all who tithe receive blessings from God? The answer is a bold YES! God is not a liar and He always stand by His Word to perform it. Any ‘tither’ who is not blessed is probably not "counting his blessings" (see Psalm 103). Blessings come in different forms – both small and big. Sometimes it takes real humility to recognize our blessings and accept that they're coming from God.

The new covenant objection to tithing
Now, I want to talk about the “new covenant” objection to the principle of tithing. Many of us are tempted to hide behind this ideology to object to valuable and fundamental aspects of our most cherish Christian faith. As Christians, it is our duty to embrace the Bible in its totality. The New Covenant, also known as the New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ does not in any way do away with the old covenant. The New Testament came to complete the Old Testament. In football, we have two halves; the New Covenant is the second half of God's relationship with mankind. There would've been no New Covenant if there was no Old Covenant. Jesus himself said emphatically that He didn't come to put away the Law (the old covenant), but instead to fulfill it (read Mathew 5:17).

In the Old Testament there were laws like "do not kill, do not commit adultery, do not worship any other god, and, respect your parents" (see Exodus chapter 20). Can we say that it's okay to kill another person, commit adultery, worship idols, or disrespect our parents, because as it is we are no more under the old covenant? Similarly, in the old covenant God complained that His children (Christians) were robbing Him in tithes and offerings, and even went further to tell them that if they do not repent and pay their tithes then they will be cursed. But if they repent and honour Him with their tithes then He will open heaven's windows and bless them greatly.

Dear friends, God does not change. In the Old Testament God's children were called Israelites, and today they're called Christians. Our identity had changed but our God hasn't. And God's Word about tithing applies to every Christian today. Christians who refuse to tithe are stealing from God and amassing curses on themselves. And Christians who tithe will receive the blessings of God just as He has promised (Malachi 3:8-12).

So, instead of arguing about the principle of tithing and trying to find scriptures to justify our disobedience, we should rather pray for God's mercy and His grace. This will help us to be obedient to our loving God and be able honour Him with our tithes and receive the blessings that come with tithing.

List of Christian Denominations That Won’t Make it to Heaven

2012-09-09T18:22:00.002-07:00

Contrary to the title, I wish to emphasize that this post is in no wise an attack on any particular denomination. I choose this title to address a very serious issue in the church today; the issue of denominationalism, that is, the division of the Church of God into several denominations.

Many church folks today love and would rather associate with a particular denomination rather than the Christian faith. We love to say we are Catholic, Pentecostal, Charismatic, Adventist, Jewish, etc., instead of saying “I’m a Christian.” I have seen many stickers on people’s cars telling how the owner is “Proud to be a Catholic,” “Proud to be a Methodist,” “Proud to be a Presbyterian,” “Proud to be a Jewish,” etc. and only very few saying “I’m Proud to be a Christian!” Besides all these, I feel that the Church is currently experiencing a new and more severe form of division where people side with one man of God, and despise and criticize other men of God and their followers.

As Christians, I believe we should first and foremost identify with Christ! We are Christians first, and church members second. Second Timothy chapter one verse nine (2 Timothy 1:9) teaches us that Christ saved us first before calling us into a particular ministry or church. In essence, we are to see ourselves first as Christians.

While denominations in themselves are not wrong, it must be noted that prioritizing them over the Christian faith breeds divisions and contention. In the Bible, the word “Church” is used to refer to the entire body of Christ. The scripture says, “… Christ love the Church and gave himself for it” – Ephesians 5:25. By this scripture, I believe the Bible was not saying that Christ died for only the congregation of the Church of Pentecost, or Trinity Baptist Church, or T.D. Jakes’ Church. Jesus sees all churches as one, so far as He is the center of concentration. As a matter of fact, Christ’s aim on earth was to build a Church, not churches. Jesus said He will build His Church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).
Denominations that would not make it to Heaven

While on earth Jesus taught on many issues, pivotal among them was how to make it to Heaven. As it turned out, belonging to a particular denomination or another does not guarantee entry into the Kingdom of God. The following denominations will not make it to Heaven: Pentecostals, Charismatic, Calvinists, Adventists, Catholics, and all other denominations you know on this earth, including yours. There is only one denomination that will make it to Heaven, and it is called “Christians.” Yes, Jesus emphatically taught that the only way to make it to Heaven is to accept Him as your Lord and Saviour and become a Christian. In effect, only CHRISTIANS will make it to Heaven!

The Bible has an interesting story on this. A man named Nicodemus, who belonged to a very notable denomination called the Pharisees, went to see Jesus to inquire of his eternal destiny as to whether or not he will make it to Heaven. As their tradition was, Nicodemus started his inquiry by raining some praises on Jesus Christ hoping to prove to Jesus that he was very religious, because he belonged to the then famous and most notable denomination. However, Jesus, who is all knowing, knew exactly what Nicodemus had come to find out and said to him without hesitation, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” – John 3:3.

Dear friends, we cannot go to Heaven based on our affiliation with any particular denomination but only by accepting Jesus as our Lord and Saviour. Our Lord Jesus Christ was very explicit on this, He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6 NLT. We should therefore learn to identify with Christ and with the Christian faith first. If indeed we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour, then we must always see ourselves as Christians and one body and not allow our denominational differences to divide us.

Effects of Secular Music on People and Society

2012-03-05T20:55:00.001-08:00

I remember meeting a girl from Chicago, in an online chat room who told me, “Over here we dress and do things like hip hop.” People tend to practice what they hear more than what they see. There are many people out there who will argue and say, “Oh yeah, I listen to secular music, but it has no effect whatsoever on my life. I just listen to it and that’s it.” You can’t just listen to something without it having an impact on your life.

Oftentimes we start acting out what we hear before we know it. How did we become educated? How did we learn how to talk and speak the various languages that we speak? It all came about as we sat in classrooms and listened to teachers who imparted knowledge into us. How did that happened? It happened as we listen to what our teachers said and acted out what they consciously and unconsciously instructed us to do. The Bible says faith (to believe), comes from hearing. As you hear you believe, and as you believe you do according to what you believe. That is what it is. A lot of young people engage in casual sex, crime and other social vices because that is what they hear in the songs they listen to. A large number of hip hop songs cover sex, money, crime, whoredom, and hardcore (stubbornness and rebellion). Innocent listeners, with time, begin practicing these things and become threats to their own societies.

Do you believe the News?

Many people worldwide use the News provided by the Media agencies as their main source of information. Do you believe the News you hear? I am sure you do. The same media that provide the news also provide the hip hop and R&B songs that we listen to. It is therefore not justifiable for any of us to say that we believe news has effect on our life but don’t believe that hip hop and R&B and other secular music do. What we listen to influences what we believe. What we believe influences what we do. Thus, our actions are a product of what we listen to and what we believe. Remember “faith comes by hearing” – Romans 10:17.

The moral degeneration among our youth today can largely be blamed on the kind of content presented to young people by the entertainment industry. It is so surprising how deviance had become so mainstream nowadays. Contents adjudged inappropriate for young people just few years ago, have now been fully embraced and broadcasted to the public with little or no censorship at all.

As you turn on your television, you are greeted with music from the likes of Lady gaga, Rihanna, Beyoncé and their like, flashing their almost naked bodies in front of you. And when you go out, you see the real effect of the profanity presented in the music of these hip pop stars. Fans of these stars, mostly young people are seen trying to dress and act out what they watch in their favorite artists’ music videos.

All these have contributed to the increase in social vices such as rapes, drug use, prostitution, insolence and rebellion as witnessed in the world today. News of gunmen shooting and killing people are becoming very rampant these days. Have you ever wondered how or where those gunmen get their inspiration to commit the atrocities they do?

I once heard the testimony of a gangster who admitted that naturally it is difficult and almost impossible for one human being to point a gun to another and shoot the live out of them. He said as they do drugs, sit in the car, and put the music on, they receive some power that make them to shoot without realizing they’re shooting human beings.

Although many deny the adverse impact of secular music on their lives, the effects of secular music on individuals are not hidden but are all around us; even within us. A little introspection will reveal to us the actions, decisions, choices that we have opted as a result of the songs we listen to.

Want more on secular music? Read the following posts:

1. What The Bible Says About Hiphop And Secular Music

2. Why Christians Should Not Listen To Secular Music

3. The Truth About Beyonce Becoming Sasha Fierce

4. Katy Perry Says She Sold Her Soul To The Devil

Does The Dead Really Rest In Peace? A Case Study On Whitney Houston's Death

2012-02-11T21:36:00.001-08:00

Whitney Houston has been one of my favourite musicians for a very long time. It was her sweet and powerful voice that drawn me to her songs in the first place. But as I listened to, and watched her videos, I found myself being enthused with her stage performances. Whitney has a great deal of stage control and stage power, and I admire that about her.

As my relationship with God through Christ kept growing, I came to a point in my life where I had to put away secular music completely. So I sidelined a good number of secular songs and secular artists, and Whitney Houston fell among the list of artists I had to put away. (I have written a couple of articles about why Christians should not listen to secular music. Here is the list to check some out). The truth is that there is a BIG difference between good music and godly music. Godly music goes beyond just good lyrics, and looks at the life of the artist in question as well as the inspiration behind the song.

The news of Whitney Houston’s death is a sad one, not only because I used to be her fan, but mainly because I am concern about where she may be right now as you read this post. I received the news of her death via Facebook when The New York Times posted it on their Facebook page. Just below the NYT’s post, a friend of mine posted, “Whoa that actually hurt my feelings -_- RIP Whitney Houston” See the photo below.

“R.I.P Whitney Houston,” millions of people have already said and ‘tweeted’ this same statement and similar ones since the news broke out. As I thought about that statement for a while, the question that kept ringing in my mind is: “Does the dead really rest in peace?”

What does the Bible say about the dead and death in general? In Hebrews 9:27, the Word of God tells us that, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”

There’s an ultimate statistic that says that ten out of every ten people die. What this simply means is that, everybody dies. Some die young and others die old, but they die all the same. And how old you are depends on when you die. If you are 20 years today, and you know for certain that you won’t die until you’re 70 years, then of course you can say you are young. On the contrary, if you’re 20 years today and you will die tomorrow then you’re already old. Would you say that Whitney Houston died young or old?

We’ve all at some point in our lives had a relative or a friend die and all we said to bid them farewell was “rest in peace.” But ask yourself; are they really resting in peace?

When you walk out of this world, what do you think is out there, what do you think is after death? This is the question I have been asking people I meet on the street, in buses, and wherever I get the chance to pop it out. And I must confess to you, many people have no idea where they will go after death. This includes Christians and non-Christians alike. Kindly read our article on “what happens after death” if you honestly don’t know where you will go after you die.

And if you do know where you will be going after death but are not sure, then you might want to read this other article to be sure. God bless you. Share this article with your friends and anyone you think will find it helpful.

Should Christians Celebrate Valentine’s Day?

2012-02-09T22:54:00.000-08:00

I cannot think of any holiday or anniversary that is surrounded by so much controversy like Valentine’s Day. In his award-winning book, Hamlet, William Shakespeare writes:

To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I am maid at your window,
To be your Valentine…

History of Valentine

The original history of Valentine’s Day can be traced as far back as 500 A.D. The original story is linked to three martyrs:

“Valentine of Rome (Valentinus presb. m. Romae) and Valentine of Terni (Valentinus ep. Interamnensis m. Romae) Valentine of Rome was a priest in Rome who was martyred about AD 269 and was buried on the Via Flaminia. His relics are at the Church of Saint Praxed in Rome and at Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland. There’s a third martyr/Valentine who is believed to have died in Africa” –Wikipedia.

It is interesting to know that the Christian martyrs were referred to as Valentine. It was sort of a title for them; just like we have Bishop, Pastor and Reverend for today’s ministers of the Gospel.

It is believed that the above mentioned Valentines were commemorated and celebrated yearly on February 14. The original celebration of Valentine’s Day did not have the linkage to romantic love as we see in modern day Valentine’s Day Celebrations. The celebration marked support and affection for the Valentines who even at death held steadfast to their faith in God.

Romantic Association

How did Valentine’s Day become associated with love and romance? The attachment to romantic love as we see in modern day Valentine’s Day celebration is believed to have come about as a result of a romantic poem which a duke, Charles, duke of Orleans, wrote to his wife. This of course is not the first recorded romantic association with Valentine’s Day. The first recorded romantic association to Valentine’s Day can be found in the Parlement of Foules (1382) by Geoffrey Chaucer.

Chaucer wrote:

For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.

That’s:

"For this was Saint Valentine's Day,

When every bird cometh there to choose his mate.”

Shakespeare also made mention of Valentine’s Day in his Hamlet (1600-1601). He has this to say:

To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I am maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.
Then up he rose, and donn'd his clothes,
And dupp'd the chamber-door;
Let in the maid, that out a maid
Never departed more.

—William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 5.

The romantic associations mentioned above contributed largely to the established modern romantic association with Valentine’s Day celebrations worldwide.

When is Valentine’s Day?

Valentine’s Day is February 14. It divides every 28 day February month into two equal parts. Valentine’s Day is celebrated worldwide by both Christians and non-Christians. A lot of romance and affection is associated with the celebration, with people buying Hearts, Red Roses, and Greeting Cards inscribe with loving words, for their partners (i.e. Wives, husbands, girlfriends and boyfriends).

The colour red which is usually interpreted as the colour of love is also the colour of Valentine’s Day. It is interesting to know that some people even refer to Valentine’s Day as “red day.” People celebrating Valentine always flood the system with red things every February 14. People dress in red, hold red bags, wear red earrings, drive red cars and if possible they’d love to have the roads tarred red on Valentine’s Day.

Is Valentine’s Day for Christians?

Having looked at the historical and modern view of Valentine’s Day, let’s now move to the business of the day: Is Valentine’s Day for Christians? This question comes up as a result of the strong stance of some Christian sects against celebration of Valentine’s Day. Their argument usually, is that, Valentine’s Day is paganism and Christians should not be associated with paganism.

Coincidentally, the same Christian Sects that condemns the celebration of Valentine’s Day also condemns a number of other celebrations such as Christmas and other national day celebrations of some nations. Someone would ask, ‘So is their argument justified?’

Well, let us check that from the good book called the Bible. The Bible is God’s official guide to Christian living. In fact, it is the official guide for the entire universe. And it is very fascinating to know that the Bible answers all questions –including the ones we think it does not. No wonder God entreats us to meditate on His Word (the Bible) daily (Joshua 1:8).

What does the Bible say about Valentine’s Day?

Here is what the Bible says on Valentine’s Day celebration,

“Let NO MAN therefore JUDGE you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an HOLYDAY, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: Which are a SHADOW of things to come; but the body is of Christ.” –Colossians 2:16-17.

I was so blessed to find this scripture in God’s Word. The instruction is simple and clear. Let NO MAN JUDGE you concerning holidays; which ones to celebrate and which ones not to celebrate. Why? It is because these things are only SHADOWS. They are not the real things. Our lives are not base on what we celebrate or what we don’t celebrate. Our lives are based on God, His love and His salvation. Remember “…by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” – Ephesians 2:8

What’s more, Valentine’s Day, historically, was invented by the Church and so we as Christians have every right to take it up and celebrate it. Of course, the world may be abusing the celebration by some acts of promiscuity which they have attached to the celebration, but that is the world. We Christians would use it as a moment to show love to one another and also reach out to the world with God’s Word.

Therefore, there is absolutely nothing wrong with Christians celebrating Valentine. It all depends on what you on that day. The world may use it for clubbing, but we will use it for preaching. How about that? February 14, Valentine’s Day, as it is called, is also a “day that the Lord had made and we will be glad and rejoice (celebrate) in it.”

I believe many who had doubts before reading this article have had their doubts cleared and they can now go all out to show real love to friends, families and colleagues this Valentine and on every Valentine’s Day by reaching them with God’s Word. Make it a point in your heart to make someone feel loved this Valentine. May God richly bless you!

“For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love.” – 1 Corinthians 13:13 (CEV).

Happy Valentine! Show us some love by sharing this article and leaving a comment.

Meet ‘Serious’, A Christian Rap Artist From Brooklyn, N.Y.

2012-02-04T09:26:00.000-08:00

Well the normal trend I do see in rap music is to see ladies sing, and guys rap. So whenever you see a guy sing, and a lady rapping in a rap song, then of course you can tell that song is serious. Did you just say “Serious?” Well good. ‘Serious’ is the name of the Christian rap artist I am about to introduce to you.

She is not called Serious for naught, she is really serious and her lyrics and confidence show for it. Just take a look at her below, and read on for more about her.

After 10 years of battling with the idea of rapping for Christ, Serious’ music ministry finally got birthed in Johannesburg, South Africa. “She was at an evening evangelical meeting, sitting in the stadium chairs, waiting for others to minister in song when a reverend called her out and said ‘you're going to get on stage and sing and rap for Christ.’” DaSouth.com said about her in a review. She responded positively and ministered that night to the glory of God.

Since that night, God has been using her to minister and reach out to this generation through the preaching of the Word through rap.

Her real name is Brigitte James, but popularly known as “Serious” or “Serious Voice of New York.” She has many songs to her credit. Her songs include “Dat Doctor,” the “Yes” song, which she performed in Africa, “Light it up,” a collaboration with gospel reggae artist Marshall One, and my favourite of them all, the “Live” song, an evangelistic song, just to mention a few. Watch Serious do it all for Christ in the official video of the “Live” song below.

Find out more about Serious by following her on Twitter at @serious_voiceny.
For booking or interview opportunities contact Serious PPL Music/Holy-wood Records at 1-646-450-4087

Is The Holy Spirit A Person Or A Thing?

2012-01-31T20:29:00.000-08:00

So you have read our previous article on what or who the Holy Spirit really is, where we shared over 30 names and attributes of the Holy Spirit. This article will go a step further by proving with biblical evidence whether the Holy Spirit is a person or a thing.

Growing up, I have always thought of the Holy Spirit as a Dove. Do you remember the baptism of Jesus? The Bible says the Heavens opened and the Spirit of God descended on Him like a Dove. So after all, it wasn’t wrong to think of the Spirit as a dove. And if a dove, then it is possible to conclude that the Spirit is a thing; not a person, right?

Until recently, I have always thought of the Spirit as a ‘thing’ and used the pronoun ‘it’ whenever referring to the Holy Spirit. Thank God I know better now. The truth of the matter is that the Holy Spirit is more than a dove. In fact, the Holy Spirit is a person; not a thing.

Here are some evidences in the Bible that prove the Holy Spirit is a PERSON not a THING:

1. 1. There are three in Heaven

In 1 John 5:7, the Bible says, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” Although the Bible did not clearly say the ‘three’ are persons or things, we can easily figure that out. How? We know the Father and the Word (Jesus), are all persons. So obviously the third entity (the Holy Spirit) is also a person, not a thing.

2. 2. Jesus categorically used the pronoun ‘he’ for the Holy Spirit

- He shall testify of me… (John 15:26)

- Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. (John 16:13)

- When he comes, he will reprove the world of sin… (John 16:8)

- He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine… (John 16:14)

3. 3. The use of ‘him’ and ‘himself’ justifies that the Holy Spirit is a PERSON.

- He shall not speak of himself… (John 16:13)

- … the world don’t know him (John 14:17)

- … but if I depart, I will send him… (John 16:7)

In view of the above references, it is evident that the Holy Spirit is a PERSON, and not a THING. He is the third person in the Godhead.

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What or Who Is The Holy Spirit?

2012-01-30T02:47:00.000-08:00

Growing up in Christ, the true personality of the Holy Spirit (also called The Holy Ghost) had always been confusion. So the question, “Who is the Holy Spirit?” used to be a big blow to me. In this post, I want to cover who the Holy Spirit really is, and whether the Holy Spirit is a person or a thing. Let’s go…

Who is the Holy Spirit?

The Holy Spirit, also referred to as the Holy Ghost, is the third entity in the Godhead (the Trinity). The Holy Spirit has many attributes or names. Most of these names are as a result of the functions or roles that the Spirit plays in our lives.

Below is a list of some names of the Holy Spirit and their references in the Bible.

Some names and attributes of the Holy Spirit

Comforter (John 14:16, 26; 15:26, 16:7)

Spirit of Truth (John 14:17, 16:13, 1 John 4:6)

Holy Ghost (John 14:26)

Promise of the Father (Luke 24:49, Acts 2:33)

Breath of the Almighty (Job 33:4).
Eternal Spirit (Hebrews 9:14).
Free Spirit (Psalms 51:12).
God (Acts 5:3, 4).
Good Spirit (Nehemiah 9:20; Psalms 143:10).
Holy Spirit (Psalms 51:11; Luke 11:13; Ephesians 1:13; 4:30).
Power of the Highest (Luke 1:35).
Spirit of adoption (Romans 8:15).
Spirit of burning (Isaiah 4:4).
Spirit of Christ (Romans 8:9; 1 Peter 1:11).
Spirit of counsel (Isaiah 11:2).
Spirit of glory (1 Peter 4:14).
Spirit of God (Genesis 1:2; 1 Corinthians 2:11; Job 33:4).
Spirit of grace (Zechariah 12:10; Hebrews 10:29).
Spirit of holiness (Romans 1:4).
Spirit of judgment (Isaiah 4:4; 28:6).
Spirit of knowledge (Isaiah 11:2).
Spirit of life (Romans 8:2; Revelation 11:11).
Spirit of might (Isaiah 11:2).
Spirit of prophecy (Revelation 19:10).
Spirit of revelation (Ephesians 1:17).
Spirit of the Father (Matthew 10:20).
Spirit of the fear of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2).
Spirit of the Lord (Isaiah 11:2; Acts 5:9).
Spirit of the Lord God (Isaiah 61:1).
Spirit of the Son (Galatians 4:6).
Spirit of understanding (Isaiah 11:2).
Spirit of wisdom (Isaiah 11:2; Ephesians 1:17).
Spirit (Matthew 4:1; John 3:6; 1 Timothy 4:1).

(List provided by: Embassyofheaven.com)

Now that we know who the Holy Spirit is, and the various names, functions and roles that he performs, we can move on to tackle the next question: Is the Holy Spirit a person or a thing? Our next post will give us the answer. So stay informed, click here.

Meanwhile, let me ask you this: Who is the Holy Spirit to you?

Where Will You Spend Eternity - Heaven or Hell?

2012-01-16T16:47:00.000-08:00

Does life ends at death? This question comes up because death is inevitable. Every human being once born is bound to die one day. In a previous post, we talked about a very important question: What happens when you die?

In this post, we want to look at the two destinations beyond the grave – Heaven and hell. Where will you spend eternity, Heaven or Hell? Many people, especially atheists and evolutionists don’t believe in a hell or Heaven. While it is possible to live a life of disbelieve in hell or Heaven, such unbelief does not change the reality of these two destinations beyond the grave.

Dr. Donald Whitaker, a physician atheist-convert who had a near death experience, acknowledged, “It is easy to be an atheist, but it very difficult to be an atheist on your death bed. You start to think, ‘What if truly God exists and there is a hell and a heaven?’” Dr. Whitaker after considering the possibility of a hell and a heaven repented and received Jesus Christ as his Saviour at the hospital and got healed from a deadly disease.

Heaven and hell are very real. Let’s consider this true story:

There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:

And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,

And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.

But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.

Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house:

For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.

And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.

And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.

- Luke 16:19-31

The scripture tells us that the bodies of the rich man and Lazarus were buried; nevertheless, they had all the features of a normal human being in the afterlife. The rich man still had eyes to see (Luke 16:23), he could also cry, and had a tongue that he wanted cooled because he was in great torment (Luke 16:24). Most importantly, he also had a mind to remember that he has five brothers back here on earth.

Surely, the rich man’s dead body was buried and had decayed. Who then was the rich man in the afterlife? That is the soul. The soul is the real you. The body is just like a container which inhabitrd by the soul. When someone calls out your name, it is the soul that responds, not the body. Dying signifies the moving out of the soul. This explains why a person is unable to respond to their name when they die. The real person (the soul) vacates the body at death and goes to God for judgment (see Hebrews 9:27).

At death, the body may be buried but the soul lives on either in God’s presence or in His absence. In Luke chapter 16, we find real life examples of a soul (the rich man), living in God’s absence, and another soul (Lazarus), living in God’s presence.

Where will your soul spend eternity? Is it in hell, full of torments, agony and gnashing of teeth? Or in Heaven, where God will live forever with all His Children? The choice is in your hands. I wish to remind you however, that your decision today (even right now), will vibrates into eternity, and will determine where you spend your eternity.

Accepting Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, who came to this earth to die to cleanse us from our sins(see John 3:16) and make us right with our Maker and Creator of the Universe, the LORD God Almighty, is the only way to be saved. Why is Jesus the only way to God? You may ask. He is the only way because He was the one that died on the Cross as atonement for you and me. He is therefore the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. No one goes to the Father except by Him (John 14:6).

Ever since I gave my life to Jesus Christ, I can tell you without shame that I have enjoyed great peace I never knew existed. God has been so good to me, and had blessed me on every side – physically, academically, emotionally, financially, and the LORD keep increasing me every day.

Your decision to accept Jesus and surrender your life to serve Him is one of the greatest and most important decisions in your entire life. God loves you and He desires only the very best for you (See 3 John 2 and Jeremiah 29:11). Although God loves you so much, there’s sin between us and God, and that’s where Jesus Christ comes in. God sent His son (Jesus) to the earth and He was crucified on the cross and died to save us from our sins.

“Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” – Philippians 2:9-11.

1 John 5:11-11 says that, “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” Eternal life comes through confessing and believing in the Son of God – Jesus Christ.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” – Romans 10:9-10, 13.

Dear friend, God is calling you. He want to save you from spending eternity in hellfire. Christ died for you and for me. If you will believe in Him and ask Him to direct your life according to God’s Word, then He will make your life joyful and you will have peace you never thought existed. You can be saved today; don’t wait till tomorrow because tomorrow may never be yours. Call on Jesus right now.

Say this prayer with all of your heart:

Dear Lord Jesus, I come to you today.

I thank you for loving me and dying on the Cross to save me.

Please forgive me of all my sins, and cleanse me with your blood

That you shared for me.

Today, write my name in your Book of Life.

Help me to live my life to please you.

All the days of my life, may I worship you and honour you.

Thank you for saving me, In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN!!!

Congratulations if you just prayed the above prayer. I welcome you into the family of God. Find a Bible-believing church near you, and fellowship with other Christians to help grow your faith. If you have any questions, feel free to email us: theyouth4christ@hotmail.com. You can also drop your message on our Facebook page.

God bless you!
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New Year, New Resolutions... Same Hope, Same Jesus!

2012-01-07T17:15:00.000-08:00

Days passed and the clock ticked, like a journey we made a ‘successful’ end to 2011. Although I couldn’t achieve all I planned to achieve in 2011, I am grateful to God for the mere fact that I made it to the end. If we look back, we will be greeted with the fact that we began 2011 with so many people who did not make it to the end. So for a fact, I am grateful to God for His Mercies, Love, and Grace showered on me throughout the past year.

How was New Year’s Eve with you? I was at church on New Year’s Eve. And few minutes before we entered 2012, a friend shouted, “Two minutes more.” Then we began to pray; thanking God for His goodness and mercies. We prayed our way into the New Year, and crowned it with singing and dancing to the glory of God who had dealt wondrously with us.

With all the anticipation and anxieties, 2012 is finally here and we’ll have to live it out. It is New Year, and of course, new resolutions. I don’t know about you, but I did not achieve all I wanted to achieve in 2011. But that is not keeping me from making new resolutions.

Talk of new resolutions, this question keeps crossing my mind: "Does the devil make New Year resolutions too?" I think he does. Think about this more seriously; what’s the number one thing that hindered the achievement of your resolutions for 2011? The Bible said, “The thief comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy, but [Jesus] came that we might have life and that we will have it more abundantly” – John 10:10. And if Jesus be for us, then no one can be against us. So as it is New Year and we are making new resolutions, the devil too will probably be making new resolutions against us. But No weapon formed against us shall prosper!

This year is the year of God’s divine governance. No weapon formed against us shall prosper, and every tongue that rises against us in judgment shall be condemned in Jesus’ name. The Lord had said that those that trust in Him shall be like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved nor shaken (Psalm 125:1). That is our portion for 2012; we shall not be moved nor shaken in Jesus’ name.

If there is any good thing we could not do in the past year, LORD we are asking for the strength to do it this year. Equip us with the right tools, right wisdom, right knowledge and understanding, and help us to live out our lives to please you, both in 2012 and beyond.

I don’t know what your New Year resolutions are, but one thing that I want to battle out this year is lying. As Christians, we know we shouldn’t lie (Exodus 20:16), but it seems lying has been woven into our culture so perfectly that we don’t even see it what it happens. Like Peter, we sometimes even lie about our faith. But God wants to deliver us, and I believe He is doing it this year.

The Holy Spirit taught me something today and I want to share with you all. For my Bible study today, I read Romans 9:1 where Apostle Paul said, “I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost.” As I meditated on this scripture, I heard the Holy Spirit say to me, “Revelations chapter 3. So I moved to Revelations chapter 3 and here is what it says:

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

As I read the above scripture, I was like, “Lord, this is me. Please forgive me.” And with that I repented and ask forgiveness from my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. This year, I want to walk in TRUTH, cherish the TRUTH and embrace the TRUTH in all my dealing with people and with God. This is my resolution for 2012. What about you?

Happy New Year!

What Happens After You Die?

2011-12-28T22:09:00.000-08:00

What do you know for Sure?

Oprah Winfrey said that one question she enjoys asking her show guests is, “What do you know for sure?” I don’t know what you’re thinking, but there is a very simple answer to that question. What I do know for sure is that each one of us will die someday.

We are all part of the statistics that say, “Ten out of every ten people die.” The young dies, and so is the old. The rich dies and the poor is not left out. Death is inevitable. No matter how we try to ignore the idea of dying, it doesn’t change the fact that we will all face it one day.

So the question isn’t any more about ‘what we know for sure,’ but what happens after we die? Have you ever thought about that? Since you will one day end up in the grave, don’t you think it’s important to consider what happens beyond the grave?

A doctor once said to his team of medical students who were examining a dead body, “If life were only of the flesh then even goats are better, because when a goat dies, its flesh can be eaten, but the body of a dead human being is not edible.” To my utmost surprise, I read in Mark Cahill’s One Heartbeat Away that about two-thirds of atheists and agnostics believe in the existence of an afterlife. Mark Cahill also wrote that, “Eight in ten Americans believe in some sort of afterlife. And 79 percent agree that ‘every person has a soul that will live forever, either in God’s presence or absence.’”

Here’s something to think about, “What happens after you die? What are we here for? Is it just to have an education, party a little, get a job, make money, save some, retire, and then die? Is that all there is to life? Or is there something more?

The Bible offers some important facts about what happens after we die. Hebrews 9:27 for example, tells us that, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” And there is Luke 16:19-31, which talks about the afterlife events of the rich man and Lazarus (a beggar who fed from the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table). For your reading, below is the full story:

Luke Chapter 16

“There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: ₂₀And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, ₂₁And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

₂₂And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;

₂₃And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. ₂₄And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. ₂₅But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.

₂₆And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. ₂₇ Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house: ₂₈For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.

₂₉Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them. ₃₀And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. ₃₁And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.”

The above scripture proves beyond doubt the existence of an afterlife. It must be noted that, both the rich man and Lazarus were living before they died (see Luke 16:19-21). Then after death, there was still interaction between them (Luke 16:22-31).

Why was the rich man in hell?

It is because he was not a child of God. Many people think that everybody is a child of God. The fact is that, everybody is a creation of God, but not everybody is a child of God. Why do our parents call us sons and daughters? Isn’t it because they gave birth to us? Similarly, to be sons and daughters of God, we must be birthed by Him. That is what being born-again is about. Jesus said it best, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” – John 3:6-7.

Dear reader, God cannot accept us into His glorious Kingdom if we are not His. This is why we have to surrender our lives and heart unto Him. There are only two destinations after we die; there is Heaven and hell. Heaven is a place of peace, joy, love, and a place where our tears shall be wiped forever. Hell on the other hand, is a place of torment and eternal fire. Decide today where you want to go after you die. Is it Heaven or hell?

God’s Word (the Bible) says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” – Romans 8:1. Take action now. Ask Jesus into your life, and live a fulfilling life here on earth and eternal life with God in Heaven.

Let’s pray together, say:

Dear Lord Jesus, I come to you today.

I thank you for loving me and dying on the Cross to save me.

Please forgive me of all my sins, and cleanse me with your blood

That you shared for me.

Today, write my name in your Book of Life.

Help me to live my life to please you.

All the days of my life, may I worship you and honour you.

Thank you for saving me, In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN!!!

Kindly email us at theyouth4christ@hotmail.com if you prayed the above prayer. Or leave us a message on our Facebook page.

Arguments For, And Against Christmas

2011-12-26T06:02:00.002-08:00

Christmas is celebrated to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world and the only begotten son of God the Father (See John 3:16). With this definition, one could easily think that all Christians celebrate Christmas. But that’s not the case. A good number of Christians worldwide celebrate Christmas, and many also do not. It must be noted that there are strong believers as both ends. So in this post, we bring you face-to-face with some of the arguments against Christmas and those in support of its celebration. Remember to share your own thoughts about Christmas via the comment box at the end of this post.

Arguments against Christmas (By: Kielenstijn Favour)

In the Scripture, no one is recorded to have kept a feast or held a great banquet on his birtday. It is only sinners (like Pharaoh and Herod) who make great rejoicings over the day in whitch they were born unto this world. Christmas was not observed in the first centuries of the Christian church, since the Christian usage in general was to celebrate the death of remarkable persons rather than their birth a feast was established in memory of this event in the fourth century.

In the fifth century the Western Church ordered the feast to be celebrated forever on the day of the Mithraic rites of the birth of the sun and at the close of Saturnalia as no certain knowledge of the day of Christ's birth existed. In the Roman world, the Saturnalia (December 17) was a time of merrymaking and exchanging of gifts. December 25 was also regarded as the birthday of Iranian mystery god Mithra, de Sun of Righteousness.

On the Roman New Year January 1 houses were decorated with greenery and lights, and gifts were given to children and the poor. To these observances were added the German and Celtic Yule rites where the Teatonic tribes penetrated into Gaul Britain and central Europe. Food and good fellowship, the Yule log and Yule cakes, greenery and fir trees, gifts and greetings all commemorated different aspects of this festive season. Fires and lights, symbols of warmth and lasting life, have always been associated with the winter festival, both pagan and Christian. The December 25 festival of natalis solis invicti, the birth of the unconquered sun, was decreed by the emperor Aurelian in A.D. 274 as a Winter Solstice celebration, and sometime later was Christianized as a date to celebrate the birth of the Son of Light.

Arguments For or In Support of Christmas (By: Bob Godwyll)

Thank you Favour. All your arguments against Christmas may be valid, but they in no way affect the way I celebrate Christmas. Yes, Jesus may not have been born on December 25, but that's of little importance to the meaning of Christmas. There are thousand and one things linked to each day of the year, and Christmas day (Dec 25) will be no exception.

I celebrate Christmas, but do not hate or criticize those who don't. It's just a matter of differences in our beliefs. And the Bible says it is given to each of us a measure of faith.

Secondly, I see nothing wrong with one day of the year set aside to commemorate the birth of Christ, the Saviour of the world. My only problem with Christmas is how it has been secularized, and even such secularization has not made it lost its power of bringing families, friends, old classmates and school mates together to show love to each other.

Each day is a day that the Lord has made, December 25 is no exception, and so we will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24). The names given to each day of the week are believed to have different traditional, mystical, and even pagan backgrounds. However, none of such affects what we do or don’t do in each day of the week. It’s the same with Christmas. Whatever affiliations that other gods or traditions have with December 25, had nothing to do with what we Christians do on that day, because December 25 is also a day that God has made.

Different churches across the globe use the Christmas season to reach out to many people of all kinds. One church in Ghana, organizes an event for all the disabled and all people living on the street. At the event, they eat, drink and feel accepted and receive medications to combat some health issues. As Christians we are obligated to show kindness to the poor, needy and disabled in our societies. Would you say that it's wrong to help the poor in Christmas?

From experience, I have noticed that, church attendance is amazingly higher during Christmas. I know lot of researches will also prove the fact that more people go to church during Christmas. Although going to such does not guarantee salvation, it is a good opportunity for people to come and hear the Word of God. And the Word of God is what eventually changes their lives as they accept Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. The Word is Spirit and life, remember? – See John 6:63.

Finally, it is important to note that, the Bible is not against the celebration of Christmas, as has been erroneously taught and perceived by people who don't celebrate it. In Apostle Paul's letter to the Colossians, he wrote, "Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ." - Colossians 2:16-17. The scripture is self-explanatory: no one is in a position to judge another on why he celebrates a 'holyday', like Christmas. The reason being that, all the arguments and debates about Christmas are nothing but shadows, Christ is the main thing. So whether you celebrate Christmas or not, let your focus be on Jesus Christ.

Family-friendly Movies For Christmas!

2011-12-19T05:16:00.000-08:00

Christmas and other occasional events like Easter, Thanksgiving, and Valentine’s Day are all characterized by the coming together of family and friends, colleagues, and old school mates and classmates, to have fun, share, and celebrate the joys of each other. However, the gathering could be very boring in the absence of something that can bring joint fun.

During holidays, most people resort to movies as a great source of entertainment. But in a world where obscenity is becoming as popular as President Obama, parents are becoming more and more cautious about the kind of movies their families are exposed to. The following family-friendly movies are perfect for the holidays. They are safe to watch and also full of fun and thoughtful lessons.

My Top 7 Family-friendly movies

1. 1.The Encounter

The desire to save a lost soul at all cost caused Jesus to move Heaven and Earth to become a Waiter at a diner known in the film as LAST CHANCE DINER. But after the lost soul arrogantly rejected His(Jesus’) offer of salvation after all persuasions, others in the diner stand to benefit in the most greatest form; both in the form of more food, as well as eternal life. This fulfills the scripture at John 1:11-12 which says, “He[Jesus] came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name” You will surely encounter Jesus as you watch the movie The Encounter. Buy it from Amazon.

2. It is a Wonderful Life

It’s Christmas in a snowy western US town, but George Bailey (a resident of the town) is thinking of taking his own life to avoid a possible jail sentence after one of his workers misplaced huge sum of money belonging to his company. Minutes before his suicidal thought could materialize; he encounters an angel and confesses to him that he wished he was never born. Following, we see the angel showing George Bailey what the world would have been like without him. As it turned out, the world is better off with him than without him. The lesson is, never say you wish you were not born, because your own life touches a million others. Example, you were born to become somebody's daughter/son, wife/husband, sister/brother, friend, colleague, etc. and all these people's lives wouldn't have been the same without you. It's A Wonderful Life is a great movie.

3. Flywheel

It is obvious that being a Christian goes a lot beyond just going to Church on Sundays. How do you ‘be-a-Christian’ in your business? In Flywheel, the husband of a devoted Christian woman dupes his customers by overcharging them for cars bought. But thanks to his loving wife (a true Proverb 31 woman) who was very supportive spiritually. Her husband suddenly repents from cheating his customers, and like Zacheus, returned money to every customer he had ever cheated. His good behaviour is rewarded when a secret study of a television network finds that he is the only vendor selling cars at the right price. Buy Flywheel from Amazon.

4. To Save A Life

After his best friend takes his own life, Jake Taylor (RANDY WAYNE) is torn between becoming the basketball ball star his dad wants him to be and becoming a life saver by ensuring that no other student take their own life. He is for the latter and finds a man of God who wants to help him achieve that. He became a Christian and seemed to be doing well with the church. Then his past life starts to haunt him. He learns that his girlfriend is pregnant. All his relationships (with his parents, girlfriend, as well as the church) start to deteriorate. Nonetheless, there’s hope for the future, because if God be for us, who can be against us? Buy To Save a Life now!

5. The Freedom Writers

It’s always said and believed that “Behind every successful man there is a woman supporting him.” Well, is it true for the ladies too? I mean, can we say that, “Behind every successful woman there is a man supporting him?” The Freedom Writers movie has the answer. In the film, a woman is divided between becoming a good teacher to troubled high school students and becoming a good wife to her husband. The man appeared supportive initially, but as she made remarkable gains at school, her marriage paid for it dearly. The good news came when she changed history because for the first time in history many of her class students made it to graduation. You surely will enjoy this movie. Get Freedom Writers!

6. In The Blink of An Eye

This movie is about the rapture of the Church of God. It starts with a police officer and his friend saving a kidnapped lady. The lady’s boyfriend offers them an all-expense-paid cruise trip on a ship. The two officers with their wives together with the lady and her boyfriend set off for their trip. The officer’s wife, his colleague and his wife, are all born-again Christians, but he is not. On the ship he receives series of visions in which his wife, his friend, and his friend’s wife get raptured but he is left behind. He finally became born again and tried to save his boss but there isn't much time for the real rapture to occur. Buy this movie from Amazon!

7. Letters to God

If you were a postman where would you send letters that have been addressed to God? That’s the kind of problem that one postman had to deal with in this amazing movie. The film tells the story of a little boy who despite having been stricken with a severe cancer, still had such an amazingly strong faith in God. He would write letters about anything; his feelings, family, friends, and even about his sickness, and would address them to God. Then he will hand it over to the postman when he comes. Did God reply his letters? The movie has the full story. Get it from Amazon!

Do you know of other family-friendly movies? Add them in the comment section below.

7 Reasons Why It is Good to Marry

2011-12-04T20:31:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Francis and Bridget’s wedding. When are you having yours?

In a world where you have a wedding that cost about twenty million dollars ($20m) end in 72 days, it quite make a lot of sense to have a lot of people dreading marriage and turning a deaf ear when the topic is brought up. Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries’ wedding reportedly cost $20 million. This amount included $2 million Lorraine Schwartz engagement ring, Kim’s wedding dress costing about $20,000 and a $50,000 wedding day facelift for Kim Kardashian. If these were not enough, Huffington Post reported that the venue for the wedding costs approximately $30 million.

Despite all these spending on the wedding, Kris and Kim called it quit in just 72 days after the nuptials. News of their divorce got world talking. Well, not just talking but people have begun questioning the integrity of one of the best gifts of God to mankind – marriage. People are rethinking their marriage decisions and finding alternatives. Here’s a question for you all: Is marriage worth the investment it requires in today’s world?

Mr. & Mrs. Francis Dunyoh (3/12/2011)

There’s no doubt that people are loosing faith in the institution of marriage and considering other alternatives. The recent increase in lesbianism, bisexuality and all homosexual activities in societies across the globe is evidence of the fact that people are loosing faith in the union of marriage. But there’s hope, a lot of it for that matter. In this article I share with you seven (7) reasons why I think it is good to marry. You are invited to share your thoughts, comments and feedback via the comment box at the end of the article.

In no particular order, the following are some reasons why it is good to marry:

1.    You can be hopeful of a successful marriage
It is good to marry because you can be hopeful of a successful marriage. Psalm 91:7 says, “A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” You may have heard and seen Kim Kardashian’s marriage come to ruins in 72 days. And you definitely have seen and know too many people (family and friends) whose marriages had hit the rock, but we walk by faith and not by sight and God is saying, “although you have seen so many divorces, your marriage is not going to end in divorce. Divorce is not your portion in Jesus’ name!

How many divorces have you witnessed? Is it up to ten thousand, or even a thousand? God is saying that, even after you have witnessed thousand divorce cases at your left a ten thousand on your right, still have no fears because divorce shall not come near you (Psalm 91:7 NKJV).

What’s more? “Christ in you the hope of glory” – Colossians 1:27b. Jesus said He came so that we might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). Beloved, that abundant life includes our physical, spiritual, and emotional well being. In Christ Jesus you can be hopeful of a successful and joy-filled marriage.

2.    It is better to marry than to burn with desire
The apostle Paul told the early Christians that, “… it is better to marry than to burn with passion” – 1 Corinthians 7:9b NKJV. Apostle Paul never married but he was fully aware of what it’s like having to exercise self-control for one’s entire life. Although we’re Christians, we’re also human beings with blood flowing through our veins and arteries. And we have a flesh which has a high propensity to sin.
Just a few pages after stating that it’s better to marry than burn with passion (1 Cor 7:9b), the apostle Paul gave the reason why it’s so important to marry. As it turned out, it was because of our body’s tendency to fall into sexual sin. Paul said, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified”- 1 Corinthians 9:27. Dear friend, it’s good to marry than to burn with desire.

3.    Marriage attracts favour from God
“Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD.” – Proverbs 18:22. Marriage is God’s own institution which He established from the beginning with Adam and Eve being the first couple (Genesis 2:24).Please take note of the word ‘wife’, it’s clear who the favour is for. It’s for he who finds a wife not a girlfriend.

Marriage is obedience to God, and in response he gives favour to the couple. Dear brothers, may we obtain that favour of the LORD as we plan to marry this year and in the years to come. Dear ladies “you will get married and all those who say, ‘over their dead body will you get married’ will see you and they will die” – Dr. David Oyedepo.

4.    Marriage is honourable
“Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.” – Hebrews 13:4.

5.    Marriage brings unity
Genesis 2:24 talks about man leaving his family and cleaving unto his wife; and the two (the couple) become one. Although marriage first and foremost binds two people together, it also brings unity among families, societies and even nations. Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of the Republic of Ghana married an Egyptian. That marriage had built a lasting relationship between Ghanaians and Egyptians even to this day.

6.    It’s not good for the man to live alone
“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” – Genesis 2:18

7.    Unity is strength; two is better than one
“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer.” – Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 NLT.

How Loosing Your Job Can Be a Great Blessing – Brandy's Story

2011-11-19T03:43:00.000-08:00

“Getting fired from my job was the best thing,” says Author and Spoken Word artist, Brandy Rankins (a.k.a BrandyWine). In this post, I share with you the full discussion which transpired between BrandyWine and I on LinkedIn on November 12, 2011. It’s my prayer that you will find hope, inspiration and encouragement from the story of a woman of God who at some point in life felt all hope was lost, but God intervened and gave her “hope and a future” as promised in Jeremiah 29:11 NKJV.

Brandy’s story followed when I posted the statement below:

“This evening I felt really depressed, and as I began to pray the Lord gave me this scripture: "But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved." - Matthew 24:13. So I want to ask, what have you been enduring as a Christian?”

Brandy's reponse to the above statement is as quoted below:

Brandy Rankins

"Love and needed this scripture! As a Christian I've endured A LOT! My hope, belief, and confession is that the most challenging trials are behind me. I've endured some great hardships such as becoming a widow at the tender age of 21. I was devastated by the loss and since I was new to the church, I left God because of my confusion and pain. "Why would you let this happen to me Lord?" I thought daily. From there I went into the world drinking, smoking, and clubbing heavily trying to do everything to fill a GOD SIZE VOID. I found out the hard way only God could fill that.

I returned to the church and began to sit under God and allowed Him to minister to my pain. What I LOVE and remember about my time away from God is that He was still with me. He continued to PROVIDE, and look out for me, even though I left Him. He was and is so Faithful. Seven years later, I was blessed to remarry a wonderful man but then my mother and best friend passed with lung cancer. We literally had to raise the money to bury my mom in three days because she didn't have any life insurance. We held two carwashes, sold hot dogs, and went through the community with signs that read "Please Help Us Bury Our Mom."

The next month, my husband's grandfather passed away, I was fired from job because of the time I took off to bury my mom, the next month my mom in law was diagnosed with heart failure, the next month we received the keys to our first home but a few days after getting the keys my husband pulled up to the property to find the police there because someone had broken and stolen all the copper piping and plumbing; they did over $9,000 worth of damage. The next month our van was stolen from in front of the church during morning service and it was broadcasted on the morning news.

If all that wasn't enough we found out at the end of the year that we were pregnant with our first daughter however, our 30 week ultrasound showed that she had extreme intestinal damage. I went into labor 2 months early because my baby began drowning on her fluids which started backing up due to the blockage. She had her first major surgery when she was two days old. I had her in one hospital and they rushed her to another hospital that was more equipped to help her. Can you imagine having a baby with no pain meds only to have her taken away from you an hour or so after she was born? I just kept hearing God say "Trust Me." I could barely walk and had to get discharged the next morning because I had to get by my baby's side for her surgery. She went on to have 3 major surgeries, was on the ventilator 3 times, and spent the first 7 months in the hospital. We lived at the Ronald McDonald House to be by her side all that time. Meanwhile, we had three other small children to tend to, can you imagine that?
But the Bible says:

1 Peter 5:10

“And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.”

So I say AFTER YOU HAVE SUFFERED A LITTLE WHILE!!! JESUS I FEEL A SHOUT COMING ON, MY GOD! I'M A WITNESS GOD WILL RESTORE, STRENGTHEN, AND ESTABLISH YOU!

Today my daughter is completely healed! So many months doctors said she wouldn't grow, her brain wouldn't grow, and all the reports we received about what she wasn't doing. For months the charts would show she was below....Today she is above in the 95% percentile for height. She's 3 and wears a 5T! She's as tall and smart as my 4 year old. Getting fired from my job was the best thing because now I have SpeakLife Ministries and I get to work in the area of my calling and purpose. I have written three books, one about my testimony in full, that Speak LIFE to the hearts and minds of the people. I, alongside my husband, have shared my testimony to over 170 nations on the major international television station TCT not once but twice, even taking my baby girl to the second show for her first international appearance to say "LOOK AT WHAT GOD DID!"

I was on TBN in September, and as a bonus we were contestants on two episodes of the acclaimed game show "The Family Feud" twice (Oct. 7th & Oct. 24th 2011)! God is AWESOME! And although we still go through obstacles, because it rains on the just, just like rains on the unjust, I just remind myself of what God did for me yesterday. Even this morning, I was down about some things but typing all of this reminds me that if God showed out yesterday SURELY, SURELY, SURELY HE WILL SHOW OUT ON MY BEHALF AGAIN! God bless you!”

Did you find Brandy’s testimony helpful? I want you to always remember that “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” Kindly leave your comments below.

In our next post, I will be sharing another testimony. If you haven’t already subscribed then click here to do so or use the subscription form below to subscribe and stay in touch with all our future posts.

A Closer Look at Christian Hip-hop and Christian Rap Music

2011-11-08T21:38:00.000-08:00

We recently posted an article on what the Bible says about hip pop and secular music. As I read through that post, it impressed on me the need to take a look at Christian hip pop (a.k.a Christian pop or holy pop), and Christian rap music. So let’s get into it; let’s take a closer look at Christian hip pop and Christian rap music.

Personally I find Christian rap and Christian hip pop to be cool. While secular hip pop fills your mind with sex, women, drugs, crime etc., Christian rappers preach the Word of God through their music. Fans of secular artists raising their hands in excitement as they watch their artists perform is a form of worship to satan (the lord of most secular artists). On the other hand, fans of Christian artists/rappers raise their hands in support of the Christian message that the Christian artist/rapper is presenting. This gives glory to God because His name is being honoured.

The issue with secular music or secular hip pop is not the rhythm of the songs but rather the words/lyrics of the songs and the obscenities found therein. Rhythm is like language. There are thousands of languages in the world. As far as I know, it is accepted for each clan or tribe to praise God in their language. You may look at it this way; God created sex but does that mean he supports pornography?

There are many Christian artists who have adopted the rhythm of hip hop and R&B to sing songs of praise and worship to God. Very often, these Christian artists are people who once were in the world and passionate lovers of hip hop, R&B and secular music. After coming to Christ, they inculcated the rhythm of hip hop and other music genres to do Christian music. Their songs are so inspiring to listen to. While hip hop talks about sex, crime, promiscuity and money, Christian hip hop and Christian rap music deals with man’s struggle with sin, the salvation of Jesus and everlasting life for believers. It is same beats, same rhythm but different lyrics and different purpose. Whereas the secular rapper talks about sex, money, drugs and women, the Christian rapper bargains for your soul; he tells you about the love of God and how Jesus Christ can save you and give you an invigorating life both now and forever.

What’s The Way Forward?

Our greatest desire as Christians should be to please God in every area of our lives – including what we listen to. I was also an avid lover of hip hop, R&B and secular music. My biggest stars were Akon, Chingy, and Sean Paul. After becoming born again and coming to Christ, I realize something must change. I needed to set my priorities right. Who do I please, God or the world? Remember “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” –Luke 16:13 KJV. Mammon refers to anything that competes with the place of God in our lives. Dear Christian friend, we cannot serve God and hip-pop, we need to choose one and as Christians our choice is obvious – God.

Many Christians are very aware that secular music is not right in the site of God, but their sheer love for the songs is making it difficult for them to break off completely. I can feel their pain because I was once in the same boat. But I thank God for delivering me. The Lord is about to deliver somebody.

The way forward is to set your priorities right. Put God first in your life. If God becomes number one in your life, all other things will fall in place. Also instead of worldly Hip-hop, R&B and secular music resort to Christian music. Kirk Franklin, J Moss and Tye Tribbett are some cool Christian music artists you can begin with. Also check out Mary Mary, they are a nice Christian gospel duo and they’ve got some nice Christian songs you surely will love. For Christian rap music, check the brethren at Reach Records. Clicking each of the following links takes you to a list of songs by the following artists: Lecrae, Trip Lee, Tedashi, Andy Mineo (C-Lite), Jai and Sho Baraka. Thank you for reading. Leave your comments below.

With all these been said, let me emphasize that not all good music is godly music. We therefore need to be apt about what songs we listen to. “You can't listen to lustful music all day and wonder why your mind is full of lustful thoughts. Help yourself and change that.” – Joshua Farley.

More on hip pop: WhyChristians Should Not Listen to Secular Music