Culled from Holy Bible App.

Genesis 14:1-16:16

3. Receive God’s mercy

Two crucial passages in the Old Testament reading for today point to the way in which God’s mercy is made possible.

Receive God’s mercy through Jesus
It starts with what appears to be a rather strange and disconnected account of four kings defeating five kings. Then the connection is made with Abraham’s nephew Lot being captured by the four kings (14:12) and then rescued by Abraham (v.16). Then mysteriously Abraham, returning from his victory, is blessed by Melchizedek (vv.18–20).

This is expounded in Hebrews chapter 7, which explains that it all points forward to Jesus. Melchizedek’s priesthood is superior to all the other priests in the Old Testament (the Levitical priesthood). Abraham, who was the great grandfather of Levi (who was therefore ‘in his loins’) gave a tithe to Melchizedek (Genesis 14:20). In other words, Levi recognised the superiority of Melchizedek.

Melchizedek foreshadows Jesus, the great high priest, whose one perfect sacrifice on the cross made it possible for all our sins to be totally forgiven. Therefore, this brought to an end the need for the old priesthood and sacrificial system.

The ‘bread and wine’ (v.18) foreshadow the bread and wine of the communion service. They point to the one perfect sacrifice of Jesus, whose body was broken and whose blood was shed so that you and I could be totally forgiven and receive God’s mercy.
Receive God’s mercy by faith
The account then moves on to God’s promises to Abraham – in spite of the fact that he and Sarah are old and childless, their descendants are going to be as many as the stars they can count. ‘Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness’ (15:6).

Not only are you forgiven, God in his mercy declared you ‘Set-Right-with-God’ (v.6, MSG). The New Testament often refers to this verse because it shows that mercy, forgiveness and righteousness are obtained by faith – that is, believing God (see, for example, Romans 4:1–5; Galatians 3:6).

It is encouraging to see that, although Abraham is listed in Hebrews 11 as one of the great people of faith, when we look here at the original story you see that his faith was not entirely unwavering.

When their prayers for a child do not seem to be answered, Abraham and Sarah hatch a plot to achieve God’s ends by human means (Genesis 16:1–2). They agree that Abraham should sleep with Hagar and Ishmael is conceived (vv.2–4). One sin leads to another and Sarah ill-treats Hagar (vv.5–6).

This is the first time that God is called El Roi, the God Who Sees (16:13). It is easy to feel that you have been forgotten by God, particularly at moments when, like Hagar, you feel unjustly treated. But knowing God is the God Who Sees can help you to live by faith. God is a God who finds you in the midst of the wilderness and sees you.

The God Who Sees is a God of mercy. The New Testament suggests that God overlooks the sin of Sarah and Abraham and only remembers their faith (Hebrews 11:11–12).

Prayer:

"Lord, thank you for your amazing mercy made possible through the one perfect sacrifice of Jesus, our great high priest, dying for me. Thank you that I can never earn your mercy but I receive it as a gift by faith."

EVERY CHRISTIAN MUST WATCH THIS!


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzcfRQt10ig

Culled from Holy BibleApp.

Nothing is Too Hard for the Lord

Are you facing a seemingly impossible situation in your life? Is there an apparently irretrievable breakdown in a relationship? A serious health issue? An almost impossible challenge in your job? Is there a habit or addiction that you are finding hard to break?

Whatever challenges you may face in the year ahead, nothing is too hard for the Lord.

Abraham was a hundred years old. His wife Sarah was ninety. God promised them a son. They said, in effect, ‘That is impossible’. This is the context of the great rhetorical question: ‘Is anything too hard for the Lord?’ (Genesis 18:14). The answer is ‘No’. If Sarah could conceive when ‘already very old, and… past the age of childbearing’ (v.11), then nothing is too hard for the Lord.

In each of the three great challenges we see in today’s passages we need to remember that nothing is too hard for the Lord.

Proverbs 1:8-19

1. Resisting the temptations

Jesus never tells us to withdraw from the world. The challenge is to be ‘in the world’ but not ‘of the world’. We are called to resist the temptations of the world around us.

The book of Proverbs gives practical advice on how to achieve that balance. Don’t let others entice you into sin: ‘If bad companions tempt you, don’t go along with them’ (v.10, MSG). ‘If they say, “Come along with us…”’ (v.11), we are not to give in to them.

When I was practising as a barrister I noticed how many people were led into crime by others saying to them, ‘Come along with us.’

In the midst of the global financial crisis, some banks in the UK defended unethical practices on the basis that other banks were doing the same thing.

Don’t be enticed into sin by the fact that everybody else seems to be doing something – evading tax or travel fares, getting drunk or being promiscuous. Don’t follow the crowd: ‘Do not set foot on their paths’ (v.15). Something is not acceptable just because others are doing it. I can’t justify my actions on the basis that it is the way in which the world works.

In the end, if your ‘feet rush into sin’ (v.16), or you go after ‘ill-gotten gain’ (v.19a), it takes away your life. ‘When you grab all you can get, that’s what happens: the more you get, the less you are’ (v.19, MSG).

The enticement of the world is very strong. Yet, nothing is too hard for the Lord.

Prayer:

"Lord, I pray that in the year ahead you will give me the strength to resist all the temptations of the world and not to be enticed into sin."

Culled from Holy Bible App.

Matthew 6:25-7:23

2. Living the Jesus lifestyle

Jesus’ words are the greatest words ever spoken. They are so challenging. For example, he says, ‘do to others what you would have them to do you’ (7:12). This golden rule is beautifully simple but seems almost impossibly hard to live out. ‘Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them’ (v.12, MSG).

The great challenge is putting Jesus’ words into practice. His instructions are clear, but some of the standards seem impossibly high. Yet, nothing is too hard for the Lord.

Stop worrying and start living
Jesus commands you not to worry about your life or material things (6:25,28–31). Think ahead, plan ahead, but don’t worry ahead. Trust in your Heavenly Father to provide (v.26). He knows your every need (v.32). Faith is the antidote to worry.

You cannot add a single hour to your life by worrying (v.27). As Corrie ten Boom put it: ‘Worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrow; but it empties today of strength.’

Live in day-tight compartments. Live one day at a time. Don’t borrow trouble from tomorrow: ‘each day has enough trouble of its own’ (v.34b). Make a decision today not to worry about tomorrow. Trust God to provide for you one day at a time.
Sort out your priorities
Jesus tells you to change your ambitions and priorities. Seek God for who he is and not for what he can do for you. Like us, God does not want his friends only to be interested in what they can get out of him. He wants you to seek his ‘presence’ not just his ‘presents’.

Take on a new set of responsibilities that are both exciting and challenging: ‘seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be yours as well’ (v.33).
Do not be judgmental
We are not to take pleasure in judging others, not to enjoy seeking out other people’s failings or presuming their actions spring from bad motives. If we knew what people had been through, their sorrow and their suffering, we would not be so quick to judge. Jesus tells us to get our own lives sorted out first. We are to change ourselves before we try and change other people (7:1–5). Rather than sowing harsh criticism and judgment, sow mercy, kindness and love.
Persist in prayer
Don’t be repetitious, but be persistent. Jesus makes wonderful promises of answered prayer (vv.7–8 ). He promises ‘good gifts’ as you pray (vv.9–11).
Choose to live a radical life
Stay on the narrow road that leads to life (vv.13–14). On the narrow road there is no room for pride, dishonesty, anger, hatred of enemies or un-forgiveness.

Humility is the order of the day. You have to give, pray, exercise self-control and seek first the kingdom of God. It is a road of purity, integrity, honesty and forgiveness. It is a road where you are required to ‘do to others what you would have them do to you’ (v.12). You are to show good fruit – by your character, lifestyle, teaching, actions, impact and relationships (vv.15–23).


Prayer:

"Lord, as I face the challenge of living the Jesus lifestyle this year, thank you that nothing is impossible with you. Fill me today with your Holy Spirit and help me to live the kind of life that deep down I long to live."

Hello house, well I have a writing offer for anyone who is interested. I could as well give this offer to anyone around the world, but if there is something we are good at as a Nation, then Christianity probably tops the list.

I need 5 people to write a 12k to 15k word document (or more) for me, and I am willing to pay 1000naira for 1000 words. I have the topics, and you can draw-up a table of contents which you can work with. As soon as we agree on a table of contents, even before you start the actual writing, I will pay 3k and the remaining will be paid in 2 installments. If you can write more than 15k words, it's all good, I will pay for additional contents in equal measures.

Requirements
Sound knowledge of the scripture
A decent command of written English.
You should write with the global audience in mind.
duration is 2 weeks.
Transfer of ownership.
You can use whatever resources at your disposal but you cannot just copy and paste other people's work.
If you also have a work (finished or not) and you want to transfer the rights, send me an email.
if you want some SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS about ANYTHING in the terms, let me know in the email.

Tell me why you can write a 15k words document, and a 200words writing sample (or a link to you ariticles) and email on [/b] robowriter36@yahoo.=com[b] (remove the "=" sign).

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My youth choir will be doing this amazing song by Travis Greene Titled Intentional
Get it Here you'll love this amazing song... www.gospelholic.com/2017/01/download-gospel-musicintentional-trevis-greene-lyrics.html

Culled from Holy Bible App.

Genesis 17:1-18:33

3. Trusting the Lord in difficult times

The Lord appears to Abraham and sets before him a huge challenge: ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless’ (17:1). Then he makes a wonderful promise: ‘I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers’ (v.2). No wonder Abraham ‘fell face down’ (v.3).

God makes a covenant with Abraham. He promises him the land of Canaan, and also that many descendants and nations will come from him (vv.4–8 ). This promise is highlighted by God in the name change from Abram to Abraham, as Abraham means ‘father of many nations’ (v.5). God also changes Sarai’s name to Sarah – who was to be ‘the mother of nations’ (v.16). The sign of the covenant was circumcision (v.9 onwards).

God did not just say once to Abraham that he would have a son. He confirmed it time and time again (15:4; 17:16; 18:10). You can expect God to speak to you about major matters in your life and confirm them many times over.

Abraham’s relationship with God is very intimate. God engages in conversation with Abraham. Abraham pleads with him about Ishmael. God’s response is ‘Yes, but...’ (17:19). He says he is not only going to answer Abraham’s prayer for Ishmael, he is also going to do more than Abraham could have ever asked or even imagined (vv.19–21).

The third time that God made this promise to Abraham he sent the ‘three visitors’ (18:1–15). As we read this through New Testament eyes, we can see an image of the Trinity here. It is clear that there are three of them (v.2) and yet it seems they speak as one: ‘Then the Lord said’ (v.13).

Indeed, this is famously illustrated by Andrei Rublev's painting in 1410 (see below), which reflects the communion of the three angels who visited Abraham and symbolises the tri-unity of God (one God in three persons), and the fellowship of love at the heart of God’s being.



God promises, ‘I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son’ (v.10). Sarah laughs. She thinks, ‘After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?’ (v.12).

It is encouraging that Sarah also had the usual human weaknesses. The Lord says to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, “Will I really have a child, now that I am old?”’ (v.13). ‘Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh”’ (v.15). We all are tempted sometimes to lie to get ourselves out of trouble. With the exception of Jesus, the Bible never presents the great men and women of God as faultless.

The Lord’s response is to repeat his promise and ask rhetorically: ‘Is anything too hard for the Lord?’

Prayer:


"Lord, help me this year to continue to trust in you. Thank you that, whatever the issues I am facing in my life, nothing is too hard for you."

Culled from Holy Bible App

Trust God to Put Things Right

Pippa and I enjoy doing crosswords together. When we are stuck on one clue we don’t give up, we move on to the next clue. Every time we find an answer it helps us in resolving some of the other clues. In the end, we are sometimes able to solve most of the puzzle (although rarely all of it!)

In a way, reading some of the difficult parts of the Bible is like trying to solve a crossword puzzle. Rather than getting bogged down in a tricky section, you can use the passages you do understand to help you resolve some of the more difficult ones.

Often I find it hard not only to understand some of the difficult passages in the Bible, but also to understand why certain things are happening in our world. There seems to be so much injustice. There are no easy answers.

I love the second great rhetorical question from yesterday’s passage, ‘Will not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ (Genesis 18:25).

One thing that you can be sure about is that on the last day, when it is all revealed, you will see God’s perfect judgment – and everyone will say, ‘That is absolutely right.’ God has all eternity to put things right. In the meantime, we wrestle with many other clues we cannot yet solve. Each of today’s passages tells us something about the fact that, in the end, God will put things right.

OPEN HEAVEN DAILY DEVOTIONAL... DATE : SUNDAY 29th JANUARY 2017 THEME : DIRECTION FOR TRUE SEEKERS Memorise: But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is acceptable with him. Acts 10:35 Read: Acts 10:1-8 (KJV) 1 There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the band called the Italian band, 2 A devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, which gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway. 3 He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming in to him, and saying unto him, Cornelius. 4 And when he looked on him, he was afraid, and said, What is it, Lord? And he said unto him, Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. 5 And now send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter: 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the sea side: he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do. 7 And when the angel which spake unto Cornelius was departed, he called two of his household servants, and a devout soldier of them that waited on him continually; 8 And when he had declared all these things unto them, he sent them to Joppa. MESSAGE: “And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.” Romans 1:27-28 From the scripture above, it is true that nature abhors a vacuum. Your mind was designed to retain the knowledge of God. However, if it is not used for that purpose, do not be surprised that it will become filled with junk and warped reasoning. How true the word of God is throughout the ages! What this scripture foretold centuries ago is exactly what we find being manifested right before our very eyes today. One reason why some people attach themselves to sodomy, lesbianism, bestiality and all kinds of abominable acts today is because they have shut their hearts to the truth of God’s word. This includes those gays who profess to be religious. Such people do not have a true, inward relationship with God. Are you battling with evil thoughts? Then fill your mind with the knowledge of God, His word, His ways and His testimonies, and there will be no space for junk and the lies of the devil in it. Do you know that God is seriously searching for those who are seeking for Him? The Bible in Psalms 14:2 says: “The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God.” Wherever He finds them, irrespective of the religious sect they belong to, one way or another, He charts a path for them to come out, get to know and serve Him in the right way. This was the experience of Cornelius. This officer in the Roman army was still practising Judaism after Jesus had come to introduce salvation by faith in Him. Despite the fact that Jesus had come and had finished the work of salvation, and the gospel was being preached, Cornelius continued worshipping God the same way he had always done before. Nevertheless, God saw the sincerity of his desire for Him, and He arranged for Him to meet Apostle Peter, who taught him the new and living way to God. There are people in different faiths who are truly seeking God but are doing so wrongly. Pray that like Cornelius, God will lead them the right way, out of where they are into His kingdom. Key Point: Having a PhD in an academic discipline does not necessarily make you wise before God. Wisdom comes from seeking God. BIBLE IN ONE YEAR :Luke 8 and Isaiah 26:1-19 AUTHOR: Pastor E. A ADEBOYE HYMN 11: I HAVE DECIDED TO FOLLOW JESUS 1. I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; I have decided to follow Jesus; No turning back, no turning back. 2. Though none go with me, I still will follow; Though none go with me, I still will follow; Though none go with me, I still will follow; No turning back, no turning back. 3. My cross I'll carry, till I see Jesus; My cross I'll carry, till I see Jesus; My cross I'll carry, till I see Jesus; No turning back, no turning back. 4. The world behind me, The cross before me; The world behind me, the cross before me; The world behind me, The cross before me; No turning back, no turning back.

Culled from Holy Bible App.

Psalm 7:1-9

1. Trust that there will be a just judgment

Some people might think that belief in a God who judges would lead to more violence in the world today. In fact it is the opposite. When people stop believing in God’s just judgment, they may be tempted to take it into their own hands and seek revenge against their enemies.

David trusted that there would be a judgment – that God would be the judge and he would judge justly. ‘My accusers have packed the courtroom; it’s judgment time. Take your place on the bench, reach for your gavel, throw out the false charges against me. I’m ready, confident in your verdict’ (vv.7–8, MSG). In other words, David trusted that God would deal with his enemies.

If you believe in a God who is going to execute judgment with perfect justice, then you can leave it in his hands and do what Jesus told you to do: love your enemies (see Matthew 5:43–48; Luke 6:27–36).

In fact, as Miroslav Volf put it, ‘The practice of non-violence requires a belief in divine vengeance.’ So many of the world’s problems today would be solved if people believed in the fact that there is a God who judges justly and that we can trust him to put things right in the end.

Prayer:

"Lord, I take refuge in you (Psalm 7:1). Thank you that as I can be confident in your perfect judgment I need never to seek revenge but rather love my enemies and pray for those who persecute me (Matthew 5:44)."

Culled from Holy Bible App.

Matthew 7:24-8:22

2. Trust in Jesus, to whom God has entrusted all judgment

Jesus knew all about building houses. He was a craftsman by trade and had worked as a carpenter. The illustration he uses is down-to-earth and practical: two men who each decide to build a house (7:24–26). No doubt they intended to live in and enjoy them, perhaps with their families. Both were building something of long-lasting significance. Our lives are like the houses, yet their significance is for all eternity.

The most important feature of any house is its foundations. These houses differed little in appearance. But only one had ‘its foundation on the rock’ (v.25). Similarly, two lives can look alike, but the difference in the foundations is evident when, inevitably, the storms of life come.

You will face challenges in this world. They will come in many forms: misunderstandings, disappointments, unfulfilled longings, doubts, trials, temptations, setbacks and satanic attacks. Success, too, can be a test. There is also pressure, suffering, sickness, bereavement, sorrow, trauma, tragedy, persecution and failure.

Ultimately, all of us will face death and God’s judgment. The image of ‘rain... torrents... winds’ is used in Ezekiel to refer to God’s judgment (Ezekiel 13:11), but the language of judgment is not confined to the Old Testament. Here, and elsewhere, Jesus warns of the coming judgment, as do the other New Testament writers.

When ‘the rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house’ (Matthew 7:25,27), the house built on the rock ‘did not fall’ (v.25), but the one built on the sand ‘fell with a great crash’ (v.27). These are solemn words of warning. The trial may be during this life or it may come on the day of judgment. What is certain, according to Jesus, is that it will come.

However, you need not live in fear. It is not easy, but there is a way to be sure that, when the foundations of your house are tested, they stand firm. It is possible to know that your future is secure.

Jesus tells us that the key difference is that the wise man not only hears the words of Jesus, but he also ‘puts them into practice’ (v.24). The foolish man, on the other hand, although he hears Jesus’ words ‘does not put them into practice’ (v.26).

Knowledge must lead to action – our theology must affect our lives or else we are building our lives on sand.

The words of Jesus are, first of all, a call to believe in him (John 6:28–29). Our salvation is by faith in Jesus, lived out in obedience.

You can have absolute confidence in Jesus’ judgment, because he has the authority of God himself. Jesus was amazed at the centurion’s faith in him. He said, ‘Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith’ (Matthew 8:10).

The evidence for this faith came because the centurion believed that Jesus’ word alone was sufficient to heal his servant (v.8 ). His rationale for believing this is profound. The centurion recognised that, as in the army, authority comes from being under authority – so Jesus’ authority comes from being under the authority of his Father. The centurion saw that when Jesus spoke, God spoke.

Furthermore, this perfect Judge is not aloof from human suffering. We know Jesus experienced injustice, imprisonment, torture and crucifixion. But in this passage we see that he also experienced sickness (on our behalf, v.17) and even homelessness (v.20). There is little in human suffering that Jesus himself did not experience.

Prayer:

"Father, thank you that not only is Jesus able to sympathise with my weaknesses, but he also died for my sins bearing the judgment for me so that I need not be afraid."

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Culled from Holy Bible App.

Genesis 19:1-20:18

3. Trust that, in the end, the Judge of all the earth will do right

Yesterday, we saw how Abraham pleaded for Sodom and Gomorrah. We do not know exactly what their sin was, but, ‘the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous”’ (18:20).

It appears from today’s passage that their sin included a horrific culture of group rape (19:3,5). We read in Ezekiel 16 that their sins also included being ‘arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and needy’ (Ezekiel 16:49). This could be a description of our own society in the West.

God says that if there had been ten righteous people in Sodom and Gomorrah he would have spared it for their sake: ‘For the sake of ten, I will not destroy it’ (Genesis 18:32). He gave every opportunity for the only ‘righteous’ people to leave. When Lot hesitated, the angels ‘grasped his hand and the hands of his wife and of his two daughters and led them safely out of the city, for the Lord was merciful to them’ (19:16).

The judgment on Lot’s wife seems very severe (v.26). Whatever the reasons for it (and I am not confident I know the answer) it certainly stands as an example. Jesus said, ‘Remember Lot’s wife!’ (Luke 17:32). We are not to look back. If we have left a life of sin, then we must not turn back to it. They were told, ‘Flee for your lives!’ (Genesis 19:17). In the same way, we are told to flee from evil desires (2 Timothy 2:22).

Even Abraham was not without sin. Indeed, he repeated the same sin over again – trying to pass off Sarah as his sister and almost causing her to commit adultery. The message of the Bible is that not only does God save sinners, he also uses sinners. He blessed Abraham and answered his prayer (Genesis 20:7). God uses us despite our sin because he is merciful and God, in Jesus, has taken the judgment upon himself.

Prayer:

"Lord, thank you so much for the difference the cross of Christ makes to the day of judgment. Thank you that I can be confident that, in the end, the Judge of all the earth will do right."

IDENTITY CHECK!

The way we think about ourselves, the way we see the world, the way we understand reality, the way we interpret all of life’s experiences, our understanding of purpose, and the way we respond to what happens to us and around us; good or bad, success or failure, shows how much knowledge we have of our identity. Identity is who we are. It is the very core of our being. It is our true self; the self that lies on the inside. Identity is not about what we do but who we are. It is our state of being. However, our identity inspires greatly the things we do.

Unfortunately, many of us often spend our lives living out of sync with who we are. We thrive to fit into the box that others have created for us instead of standing out. We define our lives on the basis of what others think with little or no idea of who we are. We define our lives based on our financial stability, our occupation, academic qualifications and other superficial stuff and when these stuffs are not there, we feel our entire live is a mess! We feel we are nothing, like our life is a mistake. This is a proof we are in crisis; identity crisis.

Identity crisis is a feeling of unhappiness and confusion caused by not being sure about who you are or what the true purpose of your life is. It is trying to be who you already are. Identity crisis is a prison both literally and figuratively. It traps who you are and places a barrier or restriction on you. It is frustrating living life without a deep-rooted sense of identity. It is the source from which manipulation, guilt, fear, and pressure spring. Peace of mind comes when we are in harmony with our true self: our identity.

People with identity crisis live from the outside in. They are like a thermometer, they conform to their environment. They adapt to their environment more quickly; adjust themselves to the situation rather than adjusting their situation to the person on the inside.

Identity is the place of fulfillment in life: the station of our being where all that we are about resonates from. The place where we are simply human being and not human doing. The place of freedom with no yoke or burden placed on us, no room for complacency: Freedom of thought, freedom of passion, of purpose, freedom to allow your inner self shine and allow your soul glow, freedom to soar beyond limitation.......

Follow the link to continue: http://www.myrealityblog.com/2017/01/identity-inview.html

Culled from Holy Bible App.

Facing the Storms of Life

On 31 July 2003, the adventurer Bear Grylls led a team of five across the North Atlantic Ocean in an inflatable rigid dinghy. They set out from Halifax, Nova Scotia, heading for John o’ Groats, Scotland. On 5 August, a great storm arose. There were 100-foot waves. They lost satellite contact. They (and we) feared for their lives. Thankfully they survived to tell the tale (see Facing the Frozen Ocean by Bear Grylls).

Not all of us will have to face physical storms of this kind. But Jesus said that we would all face the storms of life (Matthew 7:25–27). Life is not easy. The storms of life are many and varied. As we see in today’s passages, Abraham, David and Jesus’ disciples all faced storms in their lives. What can we learn from their example?

Psalm 7:10-17

1. Take up the shield of faith

In the midst of the storms David says, ‘My shield is God Most High… I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High’ (vv.10a,17).

If we fall for temptation and start to enjoy and nurture it, David warns, ‘those who are pregnant with evil and conceive trouble give birth to disillusionment’ (v.14). In another image he likens it to digging a hole, scooping it out, and then falling into the pit we have made (v.15).

The apostle Paul says that you are to take up a shield with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one (Ephesians 6:16). The shield is the ‘shield of faith’ or, as David puts it here, his shield is ‘God Most High’ (Psalm 7:10). This is the best protection you could ever have against the attacks of the enemy.

Prayer:

"Lord, thank you that I am able to say with the psalmist, ‘My shield is God Most High.’"

" UNGRATEFUL SOUL" A 3MIN SHORT FILM BY APOTIERI Your life today is another man's dream. Some people are fasting and praying to be at the level you are. Please be grateful!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6GsQfFvgNc

Culled from Holy Bible App.

Matthew 8:23-9:13

2. Trust in Jesus the Saviour

Sometimes the storms in our lives appear without warning. Jesus was in the boat with his disciples sleeping when ‘without warning, a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat’ (8:24).

Presumably the disciples were used to storms on the Sea of Galilee; it was renowned for sudden flash storms, stirring the water into twenty-foot waves. However, this storm must have been a particularly serious one because the disciples woke Jesus up and said, ‘We’re going to drown!’ (v.25).

During the storms it is natural to panic (certainly, I tend to). Sometimes it appears that Jesus is ‘sleeping’ (v.24). He does not appear to be doing anything about our problems. Thankfully, we can all cry out, as they did, ‘Lord, save us!’ (v.25).

The natural response to the storms of life is doubt and fear. Jesus tells them that the response to storms should be trust (‘You of little faith’, v.26a) and that you should not be afraid (‘Why are you so afraid?’ v.26a). Jesus is quite capable of calming the storm and that is exactly what he did.

Having shown his control over the elements (‘Even the winds and the waves obey him!’ v.27), he goes on to demonstrate his control over evil powers by freeing the two demon-possessed men (vv.28–34). Jesus was far more concerned about people than possessions, unlike the people who pleaded with him to leave their region (v.34).

Jesus goes on to make the point that forgiveness is more important than healing. But healing is not unimportant. Jesus does both. He shows his power over sickness and disability by healing a paralysed man (9:1–2). ‘The crowd was awestruck, amazed and pleased that God had authorised Jesus to work among them this way’ (v.8, MSG).

In the midst of the storms there are moments of calm. Today’s passage ends with such a moment as Jesus calls Matthew to follow him. Jesus is invited to dinner at Matthew’s house.

The Pharisees are surprised to see Jesus eating with ‘a lot of disreputable characters’ (v.10, MSG) and say, ‘What kind of example is this from your Teacher, acting cosy with crooks and riffraff?’ (v.11, MSG).

‘Jesus, overhearing, shot back, “Who needs a doctor: the healthy or the sick? Go figure out what the scripture means: ‘I’m after mercy, not religion.’ I’m here to invite outsiders, not coddle insiders”.’ (vv.12–13, MSG).

God’s ‘mercy’ is his kindness and forgiveness towards people who do not deserve it. Today, receive and enjoy his mercy yourself and then be merciful to others.

Prayer:

"Lord, thank you that in all the storms of life I can cry out, ‘Lord, save us.’ Help me to trust you in these times and not to be afraid."

potiglo:
" UNGRATEFUL SOUL" A 3MIN SHORT FILM BY APOTIERI Your life today is another man's dream. Some people are fasting and praying to be at the level you are. Please be grateful!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6GsQfFvgNc

Wow! This is indeed a great reminder.

Thanks for sharing!

Culled from Holy Bible App.

Genesis 21:1-23:20

3. Thank God for his provision

Abraham certainly faced storms in his life. The passage for today is full of struggles, but it starts with a wonderful moment of calm in the midst of these storms. ‘The Lord was gracious to Sarah... and… did for Sarah what he had promised’ (21:1). Like us sometimes, they had had to wait a long time, but eventually God’s promise was fulfilled. During the waiting period the challenge is to keep on trusting God.

‘Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him’ (v.2). It was a moment of great joy. Sarah said, ‘God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me’ (v.6).

But very soon Abraham faced a storm in his own household. Ishmael mocked Isaac (v.9), and this led to deeper divisions in the family (v.10). Tragically Hagar and Ishmael left (v.14). These divisions were ultimately the consequences of Abraham’s previous sin in making Hagar his mistress, following his lack of faith in believing that Sarah would have a son.

Sometimes the hardest situations in life to face can be those of our own making. Even so, God is still with Abraham (vv.12–13), and he watches over and blesses Hagar and Ishmael (vv.17–18). This is another rather strange story that is hard for us to understand, but through it all we see God’s grace at work in the midst of a sinful situation.

Abraham was about to face the biggest storm of his life: ‘God tested Abraham’ (22:1).

God sometimes allows us to be tested. Personally, I don’t think God ever intended for a moment that Abraham should actually sacrifice his son Isaac. The sacrifice of children was always an abomination to the Lord. But, he wanted to establish Abraham’s priorities.

The New Testament reminds us that this test came after God’s promises to Abraham about Isaac (Hebrews 11:17–19), and was therefore a test of both Abraham’s faith and his priorities.

The test was of his faith, because it challenged him to trust that God could fulfil his promises about Isaac, even if Abraham was willing to sacrifice him. Abraham had to trust that no matter what happened, Isaac would be restored to him (v.19).

Yet it was also a test of Abraham’s priorities. Your relationship with God is meant to be the number one priority of your life – above all other loves, the vision God has given you for your life and even above your closest human relationships. Abraham was willing to obey God whatever the cost. His great strength was that he loved God more than anything or anyone else.

Thankfully, God provided the sacrifice that was necessary (‘God himself will provide the lamb’, Genesis 22:8 ). This foreshadows the great sacrifice God was to make on your behalf. As you think about how Abraham must have felt at the thought of sacrificing his only son, you get a glimpse of what it cost God to give his one and only Son for you and me (John 3:16).

Jesus is ‘the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’ (John 1:29). If God provided the ultimate sacrifice to meet your greatest need, will he not also provide for all your other needs? Here Abraham calls God ‘Jehovah-Jireh’, or ‘The Lord Will Provide’ (Genesis 22:14). He is acknowledging that God providing is part of his character.

God is the great provider. So often, I have found this to be true in my own life and in our community. God is true to his promise. As the apostle Paul put it, ‘My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus’ (Philippians 4:19).

Our task is to obey God (to ‘seek first his kingdom and his righteousness’, Matthew 6:33a) and he promises that if we do that, he will provide for all our needs (‘All these things will be given to you as well’, v.33b).

God’s provision and blessing is almost unbelievably great (Genesis 22:16–18). It included this: ‘And in your Seed [Christ] shall all the nations of the earth be blessed’ (v.18, AMP).

Prayer:

"Lord, thank you that you are a shield, a Saviour and a provider. Help me to keep trusting in you and to not be afraid. Help me to keep you as the number one priority in my life."

.

TheSlyone2:
Hey, Makydebbie,

The name is ________ A graduate of _________

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And you won't tell me your age

makydebbie:
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And you won't tell me your age

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TheSlyone2:

He's male. The age part, I'll upload my dp. Just check it out

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makydebbie:
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.

TheSlyone2:
Hey Makydebbi_e,

I'm really sorry for what just happened.

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makydebbie:
Its okay

.

Culled from Holy Bible App.

What is 'Success'?

How to Be a Huge Success is a little book of quotations and tips from a variety of well-known ‘successful’ people. The back cover asks, ‘Are you on a collision course with fame, fortune or greatness?’ This is so often how ‘success’ is perceived in our society.

Perhaps because of some of its negative connotations, sometimes in the church we are a little wary of the word ‘success’. However, ‘success’ is not a dirty word in the Bible. It occurs at least five times in our Old Testament passage for today (Genesis 24:12,21,40,42,56) – each time in a very positive light.

Success is a blessing from the Lord (vv.31,50). Success is a good thing. However, the ministry of Jesus and the message of the Bible redefine success.

Psalm 8:1-9

1. Praise God for the success of his creation

In our galaxy there are probably over a hundred-billion stars like our sun. Our galaxy is one of a hundred-billion galaxies. When we consider the vastness of the universe it is easy to feel small and insignificant.

David starts and ends this psalm by worshipping God for the success of his creation (vv.1–2a,9).

As he stares into the night sky (perhaps remembering the nights when he was a shepherd boy), David says, ‘I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous, your handmade sky-jewellery, Moon and stars mounted in their settings. Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?’ (vv.3–4, MSG).

David marvels at the fact that human beings are the pinnacle of God’s creation – a masterpiece – made in his image. Not only does God love you and care about you (v.4), but he has given you extraordinary privileges: ‘You made them a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned them with glory and honour. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet’ (vv.5–6).

We have been put in charge of everything God has made. Knowing this, Christians should be at the forefront of the protection, preservation and care of God’s amazing creation.

Of course, we are all fallen, sinful human beings and God’s original plan for our dominion over creation has been distorted. However, in the New Testament, we see these verses are also applied directly to Jesus (Hebrews 2:8 ). In Christ creation is restored (Ephesians 1:19–23; 2:5–6), and one day it will be complete and we will see everything under his feet (1 Corinthians 15:24–26).

Prayer:

"Lord, as I look at the vastness, beauty and success of your creation I can only praise and worship you: ‘O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!’ (Psalm 8:9)."

Culled from Holy Bible App.

Matthew 9:14-38

2. Pursue success modelled on Jesus

Jesus redefines success. If we want to know what true success is, we have to look at the model of Jesus – his vision, life and teaching. It is the kind of success that is not universally recognised as such.

Jesus was both admired and hated. Success does not necessarily mean popularity. Some admired him: ‘There’s never been anything like this’ (v.33, MSG). Others hated him: the Pharisees said, ‘It’s nothing but hocus-pocus. He’s probably made a pact with the Devil’ (v.34, MSG).

As followers of Jesus, you also may be both admired and hated. For example, because of his campaign to end the slave trade, it was said of William Wilberforce that he was the most admired and the most hated man in England.

In his Gospel, Matthew sets out the success of Jesus’ ministry (ch.5–9). He summarises, ‘Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and illness’ (9:35).

In word and action Jesus ushered in the kingdom of God, bringing the reality of God’s rule and presence into the lives of those around him. This is what Jesus-style success looks like and this is what you and I are called to emulate.

To achieve Jesus-style success you, like the twelve disciples, need to model your life on Jesus and share his vision:

The need is urgent
Jesus saw that ‘they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd’ (v.36). Today, we see millions who don’t know Jesus and are spiritually lost. In addition, we see millions who are starving, homeless, suffering from preventable diseases and without even the most basic education.
The motive is love
Jesus had compassion (v.36). This is the strongest word for love in the Greek language (derived from the Greek word for ‘guts’). It is used only of Jesus. It could be translated ‘he was gutted’ – his heart broke.

Jesus was unconcerned about worldly categories of importance or success. Here we see him helping two very different classes of people – an important ‘ruler’ (v.18) and a woman whose menstrual bleeding would have made her unclean and left her on the fringes of society (v.20). Yet Jesus had compassion on them both.
The trigger is prayer
Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field’ (v.38). Pray for more people to be raised up who will follow Jesus and reap the harvest.
The potential is vast
Jesus said, ‘The harvest is plentiful’ (v.37). Jesus has modelled what success looks like – proclaiming the kingdom and demonstrating its in-breaking into history. Now he calls you to follow his model – to share in his mission, multiplying its reach.


Prayer:

"Lord, there is so much need in our world yet it seems that the workers are few. I pray that you would raise up and send out more workers to go out into the harvest field and change the world."