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If you're like most Christians, you pray whenever some problem or personal issues comes about. You ask your pastors, friends, and others to pray away your problem. Jesus never promised us an easy life or that life for us would always be smooth sailing. In fact, the Bible says that we will have tribulation in this life (Rom. 12:12)

During his ministry Jesus warned his disciples "As you know, the Passover is two days away--and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified." (Matthew 26:1-2). He said this because he knew he would soon die and not be with his disciples much longer. However, he offered them this ray of hope: "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid". (John 14:26-27,NKJV)

If you think about it, Jesus suffered the most horrible thing any human being could suffer. His suffering pales in comparison to our problems.

So even in the Christian life, stress is unavoidable. It is a natural reaction of the body to any demand or external or internal events (taking an exam, giving a speech, fear, worry, and unresolved anger). Stress is a normal part of every day life and cannot be avoided 100% percent of the time. Chronic stressors such being in an unhappy marriage, living in a place with an intolerable political climate, being subjected to poor working conditions, surviving a terrorist attack, experiencing a death in the family, jail term, pregnancy, chronic illness or disability, foreclosure on a house, retirement, boss trouble, harassment at work, being laid off from work, and hormonal changes can bring on physical and emotional stress.

Too much stress is unhealthy and can cause burnout.

The warning signs of burnout: Frequent aches and pains in the lower back, neck and head; Stomachaches or tensed muscles; Insomnia or disturbed sleep patterns; No sense of humor or fun; Chronic fatigue, listlessness, low energy; Increased alcohol intake, smoking or using drugs; Heart racing, depression, mood changes, or hopelessness; Appetite change, weight loss or gain; Feeling anxious, worried, or nervous; Feeling irritable, losing your temper easily. Yes, stress cannot be avoided completely, but there is hope.

Try the following stress busters:
*Playing soft music
*Turning off the TV and the phone
*Taking a weekend vacation
*Doing light exercising such as walking or stretching
*Getting at least 8 hours of sleep
*Going to bed the same time each night
*Avoiding fast-food or other junk food like sugar-laden snacks and soda
*Avoiding drugs and alcohol
*Practice deep breathing methods and yoga
*Do keep praying
*Seek counseling, if needed
*Tell a friend who can offer good advice about your particular situation
*Don't become a loner--surround yourself who will support you
*Read through the book of Psalms--there you will find many comforting scriptures such as:

Psalm 46:1-2

You have allowed me to suffer much hardship, but you will restore me to life again and lift me up from the depths of the earth.

Psalm 71:20

The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.

Psalm 103:13

Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy. They weep as they go to plant their seed, but they sing as they return with the harvest.

Psalm 126:5

He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds.

Psalm 147:3

"Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."

No one can completely eliminate stress nor live without it. However, by applying stress-reduction techniques, people can greatly reduce the overall amount of stress in their lives.

Let us do as it says in Galatians:" Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up".(Gal 6:9 (NIV). Continue to hang on to the Lord's hope.

What is a Christian Today? Those with only a marginal understanding of Christianity might sometimes wonder what is a Christian? There are many out there who call themselves Christians for a variety of reasons, some of which have nothing whatsoever to do with the Christian religion. To answer the question "What is a Christian?" a look at what the Bible says on the subject is in order.

The Bible states that followers of Jesus Christ were first called Christians in the city of Antioch in the first century A.D. So what does it mean to follow Christ? Is it simply trying to live a good life and keep the golden rule? Again the Bible is quite clear on what it means to follow Jesus, and the first step is realizing that nobody ever can on their own.

The Bible talks of the fallen nature of mankind and how it is impossible for man to serve God out of the "goodness" of his own heart. The sin that a person commits has separated him from God with no hope of reconciliation save one, Jesus Christ himself. It is only through the perfect sacrifice that Jesus made one time to cover every sin ever committed that man can again be reconciled with God.

To be a Christian does not simply mean that somebody believes that Jesus lived, was a pretty good guy, and had some good things to say. It means that a person has admitted the fact that he is a sinner and has no way to have a relationship with God outside of faith in Jesus Christ. The is the first step in answering the question, "What is a Christian?"

It is the faith that is essential. The Bible says without faith it is impossible to please God. By faith a person admits that they are sinful and in need of a savior. By faith that person asks Jesus Christ to save their soul from an eternity without God. Once a person has asked Jesus Christ to be their savior from their sins, they can truly be considered a Christian.

What is a Christian? According to the Bible it is a person who has placed his faith in the saving power of Jesus Christ and turned his life over to Jesus.

A true Christian is a person who has put faith and trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ, including His death on the cross as payment for sins and His resurrection on the third day. John 1:12 tells us, "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." The mark of a true Christian is love for others and obedience to God's Word (1 John 2:4, 10). A true Christian is indeed a child of God, a part of God's true family, and one who has been given new life in Jesus Christ.

Just as I have said earlier, being in a relationship is a beautiful thing and not a crime even though most parents kick against it. The reason why parents kick against it is the fact that 'when we are given allow, we look for allowance (just as the saying goes)'. It points out that when we are given the opportunity to express our thoughts and intentions, we go extra mile. I'll purse here for now because this aspect will be comprehensively treated later on.

Emotional and Physical Fitness: For you to go into any relationship, you must be certain that you are physically, especially emotionally capable of coping with all it takes to be in a relationship. You must be emotionally agile/strong. Relationship is like life and as such it is not a bed of roses. It has its moments of ups and downs. It is only someone who is emotionally capable of taking and tackling the inconsistencies in a relationship that is legible to going into a reason (though just part of the requirements).

Rightness of Time: It points out here that going into a relationship when you are still tender in age is not ideal. Because at that tender age, you might not have been able to take note of or being exposed to other people's relationships taking cognizance of what 'should be' and 'not be' in a relationship. It is more like being in haste to go to the airport by 6am when your flight is meant to be by 6pm in the evening knowing that you will not have to face any inconvenience when you come at that 6pm when you are meant to board a plane. Silly isn't it? The issue of time also points to the consent of one's parent (s) as the case may be. For your parents to give you the consent of going into a relationship, it means that they have the trust and faith as well as believe that you're going into any relationship will be a matter of you being able to handle issues in the relationship. However, the issue of parents giving consent to their children to going into a relationship is restricted to just very few parents because most parents do not believe in their wards going into a relationship. They still have this archaic believe that relationships are not necessary before marriage-that when a man comes with an intention of marrying you, marriage should be planned immediately.

Sex techniques alone DO NOT create a red hot relationship or marriage. Learning about sex techniques is only one aspect of how to create a red Hot Love Relationship and i think it's important to point out that if you truly want to create a passionate, juicy, alive, close, connected red-hot relationship-- there's a whole lot more to it than just the latest "techniques."

Just try using a bunch of techniques without having all the other important elements that like trust, communication, connection and being authentic and your relationship will be hitting the skids before you know what happened.

Why did Jesus Christ choose to teach through parables so much? Or said another way: Why did Jesus have such an affinity for using parables to spark transformation in his audience? From a thorough reading of the Bible (both Old Testament and New Testament), we discover that even before Jesus' arrival on the scene of human history, God had been using parables to teach and topple people's souls all along. The prophets of antiquity taught with parables, and Jesus continued on with this same radically effective form of teaching--but with an even fuller perspective since he was the long awaited Messiah and the Creator of all of creation he used as illustrations of spiritual truth! Jesus spoke into people souls by using the things he had made in creation as water to soften people's souls. Reading parables this way, with ears to hear his words as personally spoken to you is more than earth-shattering--its soul shattering.

Although parabolic teaching arouses thought, stirs affections, arrests and holds the attention an audience,[9] ultimately the fruit of the well-aimed parable is that it reveals true seekers. True seekers came to Jesus to ask questions after hearing a parable they perceived related to them. Herbert Lockyer, whose compendium resource, All the Parables of the Bible, cites James Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible: "Parables sometimes withdraw the light from those who love darkness. They protect the truth which they enshrine from the mockery of the scoffer. They leave something with the careless which may be interpreted and understood afterwards. They reveal, on the other hand, seekers after truth.

Not only did Jesus speak parables to evoke a response from true seekers, but He Himself was a living parable. Throughout the New Testament and the Hebrew Scriptures we see this incarnational principle at work, i.e. how God sometimes uses men and women to be a parable so that the true seekers can see the message, in addition to hearing it. Other researchers have learned that retention heightens when people see something modeled. For instance, a report published by Xerox Corporation some years ago revealed that 83% of what we learn comes through our sight. [16] As an illustration of this point, when Jesus meets Zacchaeus and walks with him to his house, His action is a figurative parable. His behavior must be understood as a prophetic action and sign of the coming of the Kingdom of God…for the forgiveness of God is now offered even to tax collectors (who were regarded as "sinner" types in first century Jewish culture).

Matthew 24 clearly tells us that the sun, moon and stars will go dark before Jesus returns for the rapture of His elect. The timing of the rapture is clearly given by Jesus as being after these things happen.

Three Days of darkness precede Jesus' coming. This is what He called the sign of the Son of Man in Matthew 24. He was quoting from Isaiah 13 in His Matthew 24 discourse on end times. This is apparent if you look at the descriptions of both chapters.

In Matthew 24 Jesus warns not once but twice of those who will say "Behold He is in the desert." and "Behold He is in the inner chamber." Jesus warns us not to believe those who try to tell us He will come before the appointed sign known as the sign of the Son of Man.

He had good reason to warn us of these two things. For Jesus said His coming would be as the days of Noah. In the days of Noah, the sons of God (these were devils) looked upon the women of the earth and had sexual relations with them.

This union is what caused God to destroy the entire human race except for Noah and his family. What Jesus is warning about is that this false rapture will occur again just before His one and only return which will happen only after the sign of the Son of Man He mentions in Matthew 24.

Today's so-called theologians are setting the Church up for the most fantastic deception ever perpetrated by Satan. He will use UFOs to counterfeit the rapture of the Church by having his devils appear to people telling them it is time to go to Jesus who is waiting in the desert or the inner chambers.

This is the reason for Jesus' stern warning not to listen to these devils. We must remember that the Mayans were into human sacrifice which is demonic at its base. Yes, the devils will return as they told the Mayans to harvest or counterfeit the rapture.

The question you must ask yourself is whether or not you will fall victim to what happened in the days of Noah. This is what Jesus was warning His followers about when He said it would be as the days of Noah just before His one and only return.

Don't be led around by the nose by your leaders. Study the Scriptures as they are life or death for you and yours. God expects you to understand His writings not simply accept what you may have heard. Pick up your Bible and READ!

Is God then a failure? Is creation ultimately a sad and cruel zoo, somehow set up for His morbid entertainment? What do you think? In our age the Christian churches largely emphasise a loving father God, a doting Abba, who tenderly cares for His children: 'every hair on your head is counted'. We rightly focus on bible texts that stress this unconditionally loving God, of which happily there are many and wonderful examples. Yet there are also some very perplexing and disconcerting texts, particularly statements of Jesus that are hard to fathom, and the temptation nowadays is to quietly ignore them.

One particularly troubling statement of Jesus is in Matthew, 7: 13-14, where Jesus declares: "enter by the narrow gate, for the way that leads to hell is wide, and many take it".Wow, is Jesus really saying that the pass mark for heaven is super high and only a small number of folk make it? If he is, then isn't he confirming that God is a failure? I for one don't think that God is a failure, nor do I think that Jesus was somehow off-message. How then do we understand his statement about the narrow gate
First of all, we do not earn heaven. Eternal life with God is His gift, and it is a gift that is already given! There is a place prepared for all of us, and our task as such is to accept His gift. No matter how hard we might try, no matter how selflessly loving we are, we do not merit eternal life. Our acceptance of love, our practical living of love, is simply our yes to God's gift, and the only appropriate way for God's children to live.

We cannot enter heaven by right, but, through the sacrifice of Jesus, God's only Son, we can ride piggyback on him. Jesus alone can enter heaven by right, but we can ride on his strong shoulders. Not very dignified perhaps, but then there is no place for human pride here.

What then is the narrow gate that Jesus refers to? To attempt to answer this we have to take on board the full impact of God's gift of eternal life. The gift is already given and it is for NOW. There is both the promise of what is to come, but also the reality that is now. Through the gifts of the Holy Spirit we are already living a redeemed life here and now. Not heaven in its perfection, but life in God NOW. The narrow gate refers to NOW.

To explore this I want to point to perhaps an extreme example of going through the narrow gate: those men and women who have embraced the monastic life. These souls have denied themselves just about every human pleasure, legitimate or otherwise. They have dedicated themselves to a life of selfless love, service and prayer. They pray every day for the world, for you and for me. If you happen to meet them, you might be struck by the deep peace and radiant joy they have. Not an easy life by any means but such fulfilment here and now! A joy and a peace that is impossible to convey in words, and impossible to appreciate secondhand.

That's wonderful, but what about the rest of us? Most Christians, it seems to me, pay lip service to God's will. We go through the motions of prayer and worship. We maybe don't do many terrible things, but we frequently fail to do the right thing - we fail to rise to the occasion. As such we are indistinguishable from the generality of people. As such we have little direct experience of life in the Holy Spirit, and of how His gifts can transform us. Are we then damned along with everyone else? Are we not part of that huge multitude who prefer the wide and easy gate?

Although we cannot say who goes where, and certainly not who goes to hell, for we cannot condemn anyone, I do believe that hell is a fairly exclusive club - that is, most of us are heading for heaven - because we do try to love and to do what's right, and thereby implicitly accept God's gift. When Jesus spoke about how hard it would be for a rich man to enter heaven, the disciples were astonished and said: "who then can be saved?" Jesus' enigmatic answer: "all things are possible for God!" This is surely a strange paradox?

There is one thing that makes the difference for us, and thereby ensures that God is not a failure: MERCY.

Mercy is God's solution to the dilemma of human sinfulness. Mercy negates our death sentence, it cuts across our pride, and overcomes our inability to daily enter into God's life by the narrow gate. And every one of us, even the greatest saint, is radically dependent on His mercy. Mercy was inaugurated by the death and resurrection of God's Son, and poured out in abundance by the Holy Spirit.

What exactly is mercy? Do we really know? It has nothing at all to do with justice. In terms of justice, we are condemned. On the contrary, mercy says: I forgive you from my heart. I let you off scot-free. All debts are paid! If pride is the root of all sin, then mercy is the real deal, the sure antidote to pride.

In summation, God created us for life, for the fullness of life with Him forever. This is the Good News of the Gospel. Few people have the generosity of heart to really open up to the transforming gifts of the Holy Spirit, and thereby taste heaven on earth, but we, all of us, will ultimately rely on God's overflowing love and compassion to see us home to heaven. For God is the Father of Mercies!

Love is emotions, trust, care and sacrifice. If any of these are missing, a relationship will shatter down to pieces within a fraction of a second. You realize it when you come across someone who finds the missing part of your soul, who makes you realize that you're the most beautiful and amazing person on this globe. Love is pious. It's the divine feeling one experiences in his / her beloved's arms. It never cheats, it never gives up before any trial and tribulation. Holding your beloved's hand gives you the strength to fight back with anyone who stands against you, no matter if it has to be the whole world.

Sometimes I wonder why people fall apart, why can't a relationship last life long?

Then after pondering for a while I come up with the conclusion that trust is a vital component in any relationship. People cheat in relationships, give false hopes, break promises which leads to ending up of a relationship. No relationship can stand strong on the base of lies. It has to fall apart.

Life without Love is like a scorching desert craving for rain. One cannot spend his entire life without it. When one is a kid, he needs love from his family. Once he grows up to be a Teen, he seeks the same from his beloved. The teen grows up to be a man and finds it in his wife. Life goes on and one finds love on every stage of his life. Life is hard but love makes it worth living.
Life is inevitable. We never know when it would knock us down. One should live this life to the fullest and love with all his heart. Express it to your kith and kins before its too late.

It ain't bound to humans alone. Even animals cannot live without it. You find love when a lamb is being embraced by a sheep in the cold winter. Love is omnipresent. Everyone deserves to be loved. God never makes junk.

It can heal all your wounds and uplift your soul whereas fake love can hurt you to no extent. It can be a curse if you end up loving a wrong person. Lust is often misunderstood as love. People pretend to love and walk away once their intentions are over. Love, true or fake can be identified on the basis of emotions your beloved has for you. Finding true love is like finding a needle in a haystack. Difficult but not impossible. Once found, never let it go because it's the most beautiful thing one can ever experience in his life.

Christianity is not a religion. It is a lifestyle which depicts the way Jesus Christ lived on Earth and hence the name "Christ-ian" meaning like Christ or Christ- like. Jesus Christ lived a perfect life without stain or spots and a perfect example to all Human kind to follow. But we, Humans are born sinners, we are not perfect and from time to time we fall into sin. How then can we live a Christ- like Life? Is it possible to live a blameless Life without spot or stain? Is the whole Christian stuff just too difficult for a person to follow? In fact, some believe, it is not possible to follow the teachings of the scriptures and hence we have to be 'super-monks' in order to maintain the word of God in our lives.

Furthermore, in Matthew 25:40 "Jesus encourages us to be good to each other for in as much as we do anything to the least of the brethren, we have done it unto him. For the commandments "You shall not bear false witness, "you shall not covet, and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying namely, "you shall love your neighbor as yourself". Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore Love is the fulfillment of the Law"- Romans 13:8-10 (also in Mark12:31, James2:8 and Galatians 5:14). In view of this, the next question is, is there any difficulty in showing Love?

In summary, an easy or free flowing Christian Life is not out of this world to achieve. Live according to the standard of God in the scriptures and above all, Live in Love. 1st Corinthians 13 gives us a good elaboration on how to live in Love. "What if I could speak all Languages of Humans and of Angels? If I do not Love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all Knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others. Love is kind and patient, never Jealous, boastful, proud or rude. Love is not selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. Love rejoices in the Truth, but not in evil. Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful and trusting. Love never fails! Everyone who prophesy will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten. We don't know everything and our prophecies are not complete. But what is perfect will someday appear, and what is not perfect will then disappear. When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways. Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see Him face to face. We don't know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us. For now, there are faith, Hope and Love, but of these three, the greatest is Love.

Living a Christian Life is not assuredly a smooth one. After all, you will face persecution for been associated with Christ (2nd Timothy3:12, Romans 8:35-39, Matthew 5:10, Act 8:1). But overcoming these challenges is based on how well we live Christ- like Lives edging closer to His perfection and maturity in understanding the situations we should face as Christians. But also, is God too inconsiderate to allow us face trials and temptations? God is not wicked and He will not allow us to be tempted beyond our strengths and He will always provide a way of escape (1st Corinthians 10:13). Therefore as Christians, we do not have any excuse for not living righteous lives pleasing unto the Lord. Simply submit to God and resist the Devil (James 4:7, 1st Timothy 6"11-16). So it is very possible to resist the Devil as Christians.

Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
1 John 3: 18

"Love is a choice."

"Why drag a relationship out? Just commit!"

"People today wait too long to get married. They need to find someone in their early 20's and just tie the knot!"

"Only true knowledge of a person makes it possible to commit one's freedom to him or her." This is because, "True love, a love that is internally complete, is one in which we choose the person for the sake of the person - that in which a man chooses a woman or a woman chooses a man not just as a sexual 'partner' but as the person on whom to bestow the gift of his or her own life."

Translation: We must know the truth of the person to whom we're committing and also know ourselves in light of God's truth, otherwise love is "blind" and not love at all. This is because we don't just marry a generic man or woman, but a unique, complex person created with dignity and in the image of God.

Many people ask themselves, why am I here? Or, what's the purpose of my life?, these are questions that many of us had at one point or another, but we have a very important guide that we can follow, the Bible.

Joshua 24:15 "and if seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your father served that were on the other side of the river, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the lord."

Joshua could see that the men and women at that time did not have a clear purpose in their lives, they could not decide what or in whom to believe, I want to mention something very important here, when someone asks; "what's the purpose of my life''? Most of the time this person is going through trials and tribulations, under this circumstances there is a tendency to doughty or change our point of view.

It's in these hard times when you must be firm in your convictions,Joshua was clear about his purpose in this life, the purpose in Joshua's life was to serve God, to serve God is not the same to everyone, there are many ways to serve God, some people have the idea that in order of serving god you must be in some kind of ministry, in reality what God want from us is to be in communion with him every day, this is the first step, to read the bible, to pray, these are the first steps to serve God, after this first steps God will guide you to do something according to his will.

TO DO GOD'S WILL
John 4:34" Jesus said to them, my food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to finish His work." Jesus explains here that if the material food is good and necessary to live, to him, doing the will of the Father was more important. When was the last time you ate? The truth is that we rarely go one day without eating, if we don't eat several times a day we can feel sick, weak, no energy, etc.

The human body must be feed to live, the Spirit that dwells in us must be nourished too, and Jesus said that the way he was nourished was doing the will of the Father. If we pay attention in our spiritual life the same way we do with our body, we will find out that we need more Spiritual food.

The Blessed Birth of Jesus Christ is still the most revered and powerful moment even after more than two centuries there is no interesting topic for theology students and none better bedtime story for kids. Here are some interesting things about the arrival of Jesus Christ.

The native place of Jesus was Nazareth; this is about 80 miles away form the Bethlehem. According to Luke Chapter 2, the ruler asked every one to be present in Bethlehem for registration. This was the reason that Mary had to move to the city which was signified as the birth place by the old prophets.

Joseph took Mary took the long journey which was full of hardship just a few days before the birth of Jesus. The only apparent reason for this change of place is said that Mary living alone behind had no one to take care of while she was alone giving birth to the Jesus. The virgin girl claiming the birth of child would have been treated harshly in the home town so in a way it saved the family too.

The Bethlehem is understandably full of people for registration. This was not a normal situation, the real reason might be the fulfillment of prophesy of birth of Jesus surrounding with the loving souls and animals. The birth of Jesus has blessed humble farmhouse to the most sacred place in the world.

The arrival of Jesus was the moment of joy for Mary. The newborn was covered with few strips of cloth as seen in so many depictions found later. Just think about the cold weather, this was his blessed birth that had given glow to the whole room. The shepherds also saw miracles alongside almost every one who become in contact with the blessed child.

The birth of the Messiah for worlds was not a small event, there are so many signs and miracles still happen on his arrival. Some students try to find the different sides of story the new dimensions about it, but with each step the humanity is gaining his blessings of Jesus Christ more each day

Being a Christian isn't something that's inherited. It isn't something you become by association. It's not even about religion. It's something you become. Being a Christian is a choice, a conscious choice. A true Christian is a person who not only believes in Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God, but a person who willingly exemplifies in his or her life the teachings of Jesus Christ. This person determines in their heart to read the Bible, study the life and behavior of Jesus and emulates it in their own life. They don't try to change the words of the Bible to make it appeal to them, but they let the words of the Bible change them, so they can appeal to God. The key word there is "change." The life of a true Christian will always exhibit change.

So, if a person identifies themselves as a Christian and they haven't even read one of the Gospels in its entirety, do you think they can truly claim to be a Christian? If one of the determining factors of being a Christian is exemplifying the life of Jesus through his word, how can you really know what you don't read? What if you don't apply what you read to your life? What if you know the Bible says to love your neighbor as yourself, but there are people you hate and can't stand? Should you still identify yourself as a Christian? How about if the word says to not commit adultery, but you call yourself a Christian while sleeping around? The Bible answers these questions very easily in Matthew 7:20 which says; "By their fruits, you shall know them." So if you know the word and what it says about morals and behavior, you can tell who isn't and who is truly a Christian.

No one can take credit for being a Christian. Nor can anyone self-proclaim themselves as a Christian. The Bible proves this in John 15:16 when Jesus said, "You have not chosen me, but I have chosen you... " In the natural, there's no reason for anyone to accept Jesus Christ and change their lives to reflect His. This is because we are all born separated from God with a sinful nature. This makes us naturally rebellious towards God and anything that has to do with Him. What happens when we start drawing close to God is that His Holy Spirit is birthing those desires in our hearts, supernaturally. He ultimately leaves the choice to us of whether we want to draw closer or farther away. If we draw closer and receive Jesus into our hearts by confessing Him as our Lord and Savior, at that moment we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit and immediately "born again" out of the sinful nature and into the nature of God. Once again, this happens supernaturally, so in the natural, we don't feel it or perceive it yet.

* I could understand "bad" people going to hell, but what kind of a god would condemn the rest of us to such punishment?

* I have been very disappointed by some "religious" people; is it possible to be a Christian without being religious?

The answer to these two critical questions, I discovered, lie together in recorded history. It is only when we muster our courage to take the challenge that God presents us that we are able to clearly see what He is really offering to the people of the earth. What is that challenge? It is to seriously read the pages of the Bible for yourself, to see what it actually says. "Taste and see that the Lord is good," because "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness."

As we read the book of Genesis in the front of the Bible, we find God enjoying a walk in the garden with His newly created people, Adam and Eve. Notice that God walked freely with His people on the earth in those days, enjoying their company and the beauty of creation. You and I may never know how precious those days were for God's first people as they walked with Him, because...
They were originally created with a pure mind and moral soul like their Creator. Today, we are still made in the image and likeness of God, but our Creator no longer walks in person on the earth with us. What went wrong? At this point, we must also understand that God is not human. He is a powerful being that did not originate from this planet. His very nature, soul fiber and intelligence are so highly developed that He is in fact, absolutely pure.

At this point, we must also understand that God is not human. He is a powerful being that did not originate from this planet. His very nature, soul fiber and intelligence are so highly developed that He is in fact, absolutely pure. As we read further in Genesis we discover that God had an enemy that imposed imperfection and impurity upon His beloved creation. He did this by successfully enticing Adam and Eve to disobey their Creator. It seems that Satan wanted to gain control of God's creation for himself and separate them from Him. Satan knew that once the purity of God's creation was spoiled, the Creator would no longer walk with his people on the earth in person.

Today, far in the future, we use the word "sin" to describe that separation as the disparity between our present human nature and that of our Designer. Originally, the word "sinner" was used to describe a person who had missed the mark, such as an archer who had missed with his arrow.Originally, the word "sinner" was used to describe a person who had missed the mark, such as an archer who had missed with his arrow.So what is it that we modern humans have missed? Clearly, we have lost the purity, or that moral part of us that God designed to be like Himself. In other words, God's highest goal for us is that we could still have His pure character within us; He calls this purity "Holiness or Christ likeness."

Consider for a moment, a child who is born to a mother with AIDS. The child has no power over the fact that he is born with a disease that will cause his death. This child, like us, is born under the judgment of death, a result of the disease passed down from his mother. Sin is the same, in that it is passed down from Adam and Eve, our original parents, to all humankind so that we are also born under a judgment (curse) of death. God's own law teaches that we cannot be free of sin without the cleansing of a blood atonement, (a compensation or kind of purchase). Sadly, "Men loved the darkness of sin rather than the light of doing right." We have all rebelled against our Creator in this way, which again keeps us from our loving God, our blessing, and our inheritance in Him.

Now, because of the sin we are born with along with the sin we consciously choose to do, people are barred from heaven and separated from God. In reality, we are quite simply being quarantined here upon the earth until a time when the world is finally destroyed by fire! This is not God's fault and it is not our choice. What do we do? Can we then earn our salvation? Or have we no hope at all?

The Scriptures tell us that when we believe in Christ Jesus and invite Him into our lives, the original curse of sin and spiritual death is now broken! The Scriptures say, "The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has now made us free from the law of sin and death." By taking our sins upon Himself when He was crucified on the cross, Christ has made our cleansing possible by removing the curse that separated us from Him. Do you remember God saying, "While you and I were yet sinners, Christ died for us?" "Christ died for our sins, once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you and me to God." Then, because Jesus was resurrected (raised to life) and now sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven, His children can also be assured of life after death.Now, if you have become aware that you are in need of God's saving grace and have believed that Jesus paid for your sin, pray and ask Him for forgiveness and invite Him to be your own personal Lord and Saviour (He wants to be personal). Once you have made that commitment, you are then a Christian. Congratulations, you are one of the sons or daughters of God, part of the family of God and of the glorious inheritance that we are promised from our Heavenly Father!

Read your Bible every day, find a good Bible teaching church and join your church family for worship on Sunday. Study to please the Lord; He paid a great and terrible price for you. It is the least we all can do for Him.May the Lord bless you in your journey as you walk with the King of kings

Definition of faithful servant

From Matthew 25 v 14-23, a faithful servant can be defined as anyone who discharges his/her duties with little or no supervision and makes most use of resources given to him.

Who is a faithful servant?

A faithful servant must possess the following qualities:

1. Love Righteousness and Hates Iniquities

A faithful servant loves righteousness and hates iniquities. The love for righteousness means the person acknowledge, see and practice every good thing. The reward for doing that is enormous. The most important ones are favor and good understanding from God and men, good health and longevity on planet earth, and promotion over fellow- men. The practice of iniquities denies the person from getting the said rewards and also brings about separation between us and God.

2. Little or No Supervision

A faithful servant discharges his/her duties with little or no supervision. This means that either with or without authority (God, boss, master, CEO,) they do the right things all the time. They are extremely particular about their work and therefore, allocate and plan their activities efficiently.

3. Contentment

According to Benjamin Franklin, "content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor". A faithful servant who is content makes most use of resources given to him by an authority. The resources given to him, either small or big, do not prevent him from making results. They are happy and value what they have and they work harder to have more when it becomes necessary. On the other hand, discontent can cause one to lose focus and everything acquired for years. Discontent arises from love for money and possession, the penchant to compare ourselves with others, unappreciative attitude and false self-identity.

4. Respect, Humility and Obedient

A faithful servant is respectful, humble and obedient. They diligently listen to instructions and practice them. These prolong our lives and bring prosperity.
It is important that we are faithful everywhere we go and anytime. Our ability to do so will lead us to many places we have never dreamed of. The main priority in our relationship with people and God should be faithfulness. " A faithful man will be richly blessed,... " (Proverbs 28 v 20).

The concept of God and who He is is something that generates heated debates everywhere. It is not possible to fully understand the concept of who God is but different religions have different beliefs. According to Christian teachings, God is a Superior being, a higher power that we are all accountable to. Most of the teachings in the Christian religion are derived from the Bible. From this, they explain who God is and His role in our lives. God is explained as three beings dwelling as one. This is what is known as the Holy Trinity where God is the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. For non-Christians, this is usually a hard concept to grasp but the basic principle in the Christian teachings is faith. That means believing in the unseen and the unexplained.

Christianity believes in monotheism; this is the belief that there is only one God. They have attributed some characteristics to God and use those to describe Him. Some of these include:

- Creator- He created the universe, including man, in 6 days and gave it life.

- Saviour- He saved mankind from sin by sacrificing His only son, Jesus Christ.

- Eternal- He is everlasting and has no end.

- Provider- He provides mankind with everyday needs. He also provides for the animals and all living things.

- Protector- God protects us from all sorts of evil and keeps us safe no matter who we are.

- Powerful- He has the power to give or take away anything. He is also known as the Mighty Ruler in charge of both the seen and the unseen.

- Omnipresent- He is always around. God is always available and present anywhere and everywhere we are.

There is no shortage of terms used to describe God in the Christian faith. He is all things encompassing. He is superior to all things and transcends human understanding and capabilities. He is understood to be a forgiving God and compassionate. The Christian religion also teaches that people should live according to the will of God and should follow the commandments He set. God wants mankind to live as one people with love and unity. Christianity also believes that God punishes those that disobey Him and that some day, He will call us all to judgment. It also believes that all of us are children of God and he is therefore responsible for us. God knows everything in our lives, even our deepest secrets and desires. According to Christianity, everything that happens to us is God's will and that He always has a reason for everything He does. God is also perfect; He does not make mistakes. Being the giver of life, God has a right to take it away. It is believed that when a person dies, they have fulfilled God's purpose for them on earth.

However much we try to understand God, we cannot possibly grasp everything He entails. He is complex and mysterious. All we can do is believe in His superiority.

Does it pay to be a Christian? What kind of life should a person expect having identified with Jesus? When people consider the Christian suffering, they shudder; but the truth is that Christians suffer for two basic reasons. This article explains these two reasons why Christians suffer.

Remember the word that I said to you, A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also - John 15:20 (NKJV)

Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution - 2 Timothy 3:12 (NKJV)

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does- James 1:22, 25 (NKJV, emphasis mine)

It really pays to be a Christian, a follower of Christ. But following God has a price attached to it, which when you really consider is very minute compared to the glory that awaits you. The blessings of being a Christian are enormous and they cover your life on earth and life after death, i.e., eternal life in heaven. However, the list of blessings will be for another time.

Let's consider why Christians suffer. The two basic reasons are: first, for being a Christian and secondly, for being disobedient to God and His words

A. Suffering as a Christian

Jesus made it clear that His followers will suffer persecution because He too suffered persecution - John 15:20. And Paul writing to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:12, expanded it a little more by saying that all who desire to live godly in Christ will suffer persecution. That means, any Christian who is not suffering persecution is not living godly!

Christian suffering means that you have truly identified with Jesus. The scriptures in 2 Timothy 2:12 (KJV) makes us to understand that if we suffer with Him we will reign with Him but if we deny Him, He will also deny us.

Why Persecution, you may ask? The world is in darkness and desires to remain so (Isaiah 60:2, 2 Timothy 4:3-4). Therefore any form of light is prohibited. They will fight anything or anybody that tries to say or show that they in the wrong. The enemy has blinded them that they may not see the light and be saved - John 12:40. So, he will fight anything or anybody that tries to remove the blindfold.

B. Suffering for disobedience

Many Christians suffer all manner of afflictions like sickness and disease, poverty, failure, depression and frustration, etc. This is not suffering as a Christian. This second basic reason is not God's plan for a Christian, follower of Christ. His plan is for you to enjoy the blessings of dwelling in Him and Him in you - 1 John 4:13

The scriptures say in Romans 8:32 that if God did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things: good health, financial breakthrough and success, etc.? But Christians don't enjoy all these most of the time because of disobedience.

Now, the basic areas of disobedience are:

1. Disobedience to the commandment of love.
God demands that you love Him with all your being, your neighbor as yourself and the brethren as Christ loved you (Matthew 22:36-40, John 13:34). Obeying these three commandments of Jesus shields you from all attacks of the enemy. This is because, when you love, you abide in God and God abides in you - 1 John 4:16

God dwells in you in His fullness: His power, riches, wisdom, strength, honour and glory - Revelations 5:12. When you are full of God, no darkness is permitted. And even if they come in for one reason or the other, they can't stay long because they can't co-habit you with God. God manifests Himself in the life of the believing Christian who walks in love - John 14:21.

Therefore, disobeying the commandment of love is opening the door for the enemy to afflict you with all manner of evils. In 1 Corinthians 11:20-34, Paul makes us to understand that when we don't walk in love towards God and man, we become weak,sick and may die an untimely death.

On the other hand, Solomon loved the Lord and had a large heart for his people, and God gave him wise and understanding heart like no one else before and after him, riches and honour like no king all his days. And God promised to give him long life if he kept His commandments - 1 Kings 3:3-14.

When you obey the three commandments of Jesus, you fulfill the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:40)and you stand to enjoy all the blessings of God in Deuteronomy 28:1-14 and avoid the curses for disobedience as recorded in Deuteronomy 28:15-68, which includes sickness and diseases, poverty, anguish of soul and destruction, etc.

2. Ignorance
The second reason why Christians suffer under disobedience is ignorance. God says that His people are destroyed for lack of knowledge - Hosea 4:6. When you don't know what God says about a situation, the enemy will capitalize on your ignorance and afflict you.

There is need for you to voraciously study the word of God to know your inheritance in Christ and what to do to enjoy them. Jeremiah said in Jeremiah 15:16 that he ate God's words and they were to him a joy and the rejoicing of his heart. And King Solomon said in Proverbs 4:20-22 that the word of God when found gives healing and health to your flesh.

Now, take note that ignorance is not an excuse before God anymore because the times of ignorance He overlooked but now commands all men everywhere to repent - Acts 17:30. You must take the responsibility of feeding on God's word. If you remain a child in the things of God you will remain in bondage under the ruling spirits of the universe - Galatians 4:1, 3 (GNT)

3. Hearer only, not a doer
Another basic reason under disobedience why Christians suffer is that many are just hearers only and not doers. God does not reward hearers but doers - James 1:22, 25. It is not enough to know what God says, you must apply them for you to enjoy the blessings they carry.

The word of God will not profit you until you mix it with faith (Hebrews 4:2) and faith simply means acting on God's word. Faith without action is dead - James 2:14-26. For instance, if you have heard of tithing (Malachi 3:8-12) and you fail to tithe, the windows of heaven will remain closed against you and the devourer will be free to destroy the works of your hands.

In conclusion, God does not want Christians to suffer except for His name sake (suffering as a Christian), which is for a while. He has made provisions for us to enjoy our inheritance in Christ but it requires absolute obedience to Him and His word. The blessing of God makes one rich and He adds no sorrow with it - Proverbs 10:22

you have to remember that i ask a question, CHURCHLESS CHRISTIANITY,A MOVE OF GOD? then what is your take? @misreal

Are you a Christian man or woman who has been looking for true love and you do not know if it really exists? Did you give up and marry someone who was not right for you because you did not think you would ever find that special true love?
Ask yourself this question, do I need someone or do I want someone. There is a difference. When you want someone, your life is basically pretty good. You have a good job, nice home and car and you are able to travel when you want several times a year. The only thing you are missing is that special relationship. Dating just anyone does not fill that void. But if you are not happy with your job, home and life, you could be settling for someone out of loneliness and security, for someone less than your perfect match.

Please read the content again! Its seem to me that you misunderstood the whole matter@misreal

Never!

Just as the Egyptian magicians were able to mimic Moses when his rod was turned into a snake, Satan is STILL duplicating and infiltrating whenever possible, muddying up the purity of the flowing river of God, deceiving "even the elect" of Christ's Kingdom. And successfully dissuading many a curious onlooker from diving in as a result of the disjointedness of The Body of Christ.

What is this move of God? It's the incredible mass exodus, the numbers of people who are leaving organized Christianity at an alarming rate, and the ministers who are either leaving the faith, or are ceasing to believe in the inerrancy of God's Word (in a moment well see if these are really men of God at all). Fact is, what most theologians and church people see as a horrific trend, may well be a mighty move of God's Spirit. And when the wind of the Spirit begins to blow, Wisdom cries out for us to adjust our sails.

Some people wonder: is being a Christian hard today? The true answer lies not with being Christian - but with the person themselves. Being Christian can help someone have a great anchor in their life. The Christian life gives one's life greater meaning than leading a nonspiritual life. When you believe in Heaven and that morality has a deeper meaning - you are more conscious of your actions. People that truly understand we live to be reborn into Eternal Life lead different lives than those simply living to gather up as many goodies as they can while here on Earth. If you realized that this Christian life was simply a "dress rehearsal" - wouldn't your life be different from those without spiritual meaning?

One of the most important things in Christian life is prayer. Many Christians pray daily and some pray several times each day. Some Christians like to think they spend their entire Christian Life praying without ceasing - as if in constant connection with God. When you pray you don't have to use fancy or elegant words. You can simply talk to God as if you would talk to a trusted friend or favorite teacher. Because that is what God is, a trusted friend and favorite teacher. God is always there when you welcome Christian life and Christians know they can talk to God about personal matters or anything else that concerns them -- at literally any time of day. There is no specific time to pray. You can be in an elevator, grocery shopping or waiting for a business meeting to start. These are all ideal times for you to pray with God - even though some would not identify them as the ideal times to pray with God. Any quiet moment you want to talk to God is the ideal moment for you.

Matthew 7:7 says, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." This is a favorite scripture of many Christians about prayer. This scripture does not talk about prayer being magical - but more that we can trust that God will listen to our prayers and will respond to them. God always responds to our prayers -- we can trust that God will respond to our prayers when we accept and welcome Christian life into our hearts.

Prayer is one of the facets of Christian life. Many Christians also find great peace and solace in belonging to a church in their community. Church is not just a time to connect with God but also with other fellow Christians that share your beliefs. The fellowship of church can be calming and heartwarming. Many churches have activities for both adults and children to enjoy. Many friendships and romances are started at church, as this is an ideal place to meet people who share your values.

1 Corinthians 13:4 says, "Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant." This scripture is another favorite of Christians because it talks about love and how Christians see and express love in its purest form. This scripture is very popular to use at weddings or other romantic celebrations like anniversary parties or the renewal of vows. When you read this scripture, you realize that love in its very purest form is the expression of God's love for us. That love has no expectation of us to be anything other than exactly who we are. That when you love someone - you are not changing them or manipulating them. This sadly, is often not the love we see in the media of today. Mature Christian love is very different from the way love is often depicted in movies, television shows and even books.

A Christian life is always full of love because when you let God into your heart -- you are filled with love and you attract the relationships you are meant to have. You'll find love when you welcome God's love for you into your life.

First of all, the Bible does not promise that we will be without challenges. As a matter of fact, it says the opposite. The Bible tells us that we will have trouble in this life. God never meant for our lives to be this way. Death, sickness and calamity are a direct result of the fall of man...and sin has had a devastating effect. Am I saying all this death and disease and sickness is because Adam and Eve sinned? That is what the Bible tells us. There was no sickness in the Garden of Eden. This will be the life the redeemed will have again in heaven. God's Word says..."And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." Rev 21:4 (NKJV). Our sins have enormous consequences. Maybe you have been dealing with the affects of the sins of your parents for your entire life? Multiply that by a trillion sins...compounded over thousands of years. May God have mercy on us.
Sometimes God uses the bad situations in our lives to turn them into a blessing..."And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 (NKJV). A good example would be the story of Joseph in Genesis 37 - 50, where he is put into a position to save millions of people from starvation. If he would not have been sold into slavery, it would not have happened and millions of people would have died.
Many times God gets the blame for our own mistakes. We smoke all our lives and when we get lung cancer, we tend to blame God. Everything we do in life has consequences. The good things we do have good consequences and the bad have bad consequences. Yes, through prayer, God in His mercy will sometimes reverse the damage we've done to ourselves. "Whatever we ask in the Name of Jesus will be done by the Father in heaven." Matt. 18:19. Also, read John 14:13-14
None are good. The Bible is clear that all humans are deeply affected by sin. "There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one." "Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit"; "The poison of asps is under their lips"; "Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; Destruction and misery are in their ways; And the way of peace they have not known." "There is no fear of God before their eyes." Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. Romans 3:9-20 (NKJV)
God's Righteousness Through Faith...see Romans 3:20-31 (NKJV)
Something else to consider. After Hurricane Katrina happen, Billy Graham's daughter was interviewed on The Early Show and Jane Clayson asked her 'How could God let something like this happen?...Anne Graham gave an amazingly profound and insightful response. She said, "I believe God is deeply saddened by this, just as we are, but for years we've been telling God to get out of our schools, to get out of our government and to get out of our lives...and being the gentleman He is, I believe He has calmly backed out. How can we expect God to give us His blessing and His protection if we demand He leave us alone?"
Do you call God only when you are in trouble or need help? How can you expect God to answer your prayers if we don't have a relationship wit Him, except when we're in trouble?

Finally, God is more interested in character building than he is in just seeing us enjoying a worldly life. Sometimes He answers our prayers like below.
MOST RICHLY BLESSED (by unknown civil war veteran)
I asked God for strength...that I might achieve; I was made weak...that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for help...that I might do great things; I was given infirmity...that I might do better things.
I asked for riches...that I might be happy; I was given poverty...that I might be wise.
I asked for all things...that I might enjoy life; I was given life;...that I might enjoy all things.
I was given nothing I asked for, but everything I had hoped for. Despite myself, my prayers were answered. I am among all men most richly blessed.
God loves you and me. He hates to see us in pain or trouble. And one day we will no longer have to face these struggles and hardships. Meanwhile, He is waiting for us to ask Him for help to have a relationship with Him in the here and now. We are designed to have relationship with Him. You might have everything...money, power, health and more, however, until you fill that part (a relationship with Jesus) of your life, you will always feel unfulfilled. I've been there...I know. I've had it all, only to find out that the things that we think will make us happy do not deliver happiness. Only Jesus can fill that void... period.

Bad things happen to good people. Many question why this is so - both by the media and Christians. Many people complain about their circumstances - that they don't deserve it. Have you been there?

Jesus asked:

"Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God." (Mat. 19: 17)

We tend to differentiate between bad and good, by blaming and judging others, I.e: 'he must be a bad person because he did... ' or 'How can a good God let bad things happen to good people?' It's like comparing your 'goodness' with others' mis-steps.

"He spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." (lUKE 18: 9 - 11)

So, why do bad things happen to good people? Because we all do make mistakes, and come short of the glory of God. (Rom. 8: 23) Good people:

"are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isa. 64: 6)

An excellent explanation of why bad things happen to good people is found in the Book of Job. Here satan is accusing God for having a hedge of protection around Job so that he cannot tempt Job to curse God. Job was:



"perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil." (Job 1)

The word 'perfect' here means 'one who is morally and ethically pure' (Strong's) He had reverential fear of the Lord, doing all he could to please Him, and offering sacrifices. When you think of good people, would you take Job as an example? He was blessed exceedingly. You know the story, don't you?

God told satan that Job was already in his hands, but that he must not kill him. This story took place ages before the Law was given, it being the oldest book in the Bible. By handed- down tradition since Adam, Job endeavoured to do God's Will as he knew it. Because he did, blessings followed him, and God had as it were a hedge of protection around him.

God does not cause bad things to happen to good people, nor is He the one that tells satan to harass them. Thanks to the cross and resurrection of Jesus, we have the glory of His grace protecting us. It's all about His goodness; not ours. However, satan still:

"as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:

He keeps looking for gaps in the hedge of protection. In Job's case, it was there all along, but he did not recognize it as everything Job did seemed done in reverence to God. However, where Job missed it was that he also offered burnt sacrifices every morning for each of his ten children for fear they had sinned and cursed God. (Job 1: 5) God calls each one of us personally to come to repentance, doesn't He? We cannot repent for someone else. Cain and Abel both offered sacrifices to God; one was accepted; the other was not!

We make our own choices, and are responsible for our own actions which, in turn, result in consequences. We must come to God in repentance daily when we know we have missed it, and/or ask Him to show us where we may have missed it.

Having lost everyone he loved and everything he had, except his wife who wanted him to curse God, Job was struck with painful boils. Yet he refused throughout his terrible ordeals to curse God, and acknowledged:

"the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me."(job 3: 25)

This is where satan found a 'hole in the hedge.' Job could have repented of that as soon as he realized it, but he could not. Although he knew of God, he did not know Him! He had been performing rituals.

Job's so-called friends offered wrong advice, similar to what might hear today, i.e. 'God is punishing you for your sins', or 'God is teaching you something.' Although he would not curse God, Job was full of self-defence, relating the great number of good deeds he had done. He felt that God should answer him so that he could personally tell him how good he had been, and why he thought he did not deserve this! (Job 31: 35 - 37)

This was Job's second major opening for satan to enter: self-righteousness! (Job. 32: 1) The first time I read the accounts of all that Job had done, and how surely he was a good man, I felt that I could never measure up to that degree of goodness!

Self-righteousness is pride in self, isn't it? It is being proud of what you have done; not giving God the glory for what He has accomplished through you. God loves you unconditionally, as he did Job. Satan's snare since the beginning is pride. Fear is the opposite of love. If you don't know God's immense Love for you, you cannot trust Him, and that is an open door to fear.

We see in this story that Job could not trust God unconditionally because he was not secure in His Love. However, thanks to one good friend who knew the truth, Job got to meet His creator face to face, and exclaim in total exultation:

"I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent." (Job 42: 6)



How wonderful! When you see your soul in the light of God's grandeur and Love, surely there is no 'good' in you. Job abhorred himself in His marvellous Light! God looks at the heart - the regenerated spirit - which is the real you, and He only sees Jesus! You are spirit, you have a soul, and live in a body. He loves you as He does Jesus:

" And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. "(John 17: 22 - 23)

Job ended up praying for his friends, and was instantly healed. Furthermore, the Lord restored twice the riches and possessions he had, and also gave him another seven sons and three daughters. (Job 42. 10 -17)

You are so beloved by Him! He does not condemn you, because you have been bought with a price, and all your sins have been forgiven. Be ever so thankful for everything God has done, and is doing in your life. Dear one, whenever you sense the devil trying to get a foothold into your armour of grace. We have an advocate with the Father, and repentance brings us instantly back in right standing with Him. He is our strength, peace, love, provision; our everything, and with Him we can and will overcome!

Unlike Job, you do know God. Endeavour daily to meditate on His Word. The more you come to know just how much you are loved, the more you want to please Him in everything you do, and your soul will be transformed accordingly. Beloved, do everything as unto Him. Holy Spirit guides you in all Truth. In all things acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. (Prov. 3: 5 - 6

Christian entrepreneur is not a very common or accepted term among Christians. You see most Christians have a wrong notion about business. Business as it is today has gained a bad reputation because of many unscrupulous businessmen. Most business today is focused on profits and greed is the motive.

Greed can get the best of you if you do not watch it. Greed is so deceptive it can creep up unannounced on real Christians as well. That is why we threw the baby out with the bath water long time ago in our churches.

But the pathetic syndrome is we go crawling on our knees to businessmen for donations for our ministries. See how inconsistent our attitude is. We abhor business men but crawl to them for money. Many missions and church ministries are supported largely by Christian entrepreneurs, trusts, funds and donations of businesses.

So in this world of greed and illegal business practices how can you as a Christian stand up and do business and make decent money? The bible is not against business but against sinful business practices. The bible says that unethical, illegal and deceptive business practices are frowned upon by God. But he blesses a righteous business man.

You do not have to engage in sinful business habits to make money. God can help you succeed in business with godly principles and practices. As a Christian entrepreneur you need to get involved in the world to be a light and salt to this earth. We should not hide behind our pious holy attitude and stay in a job.

Be brave and get out of hiding and start your own business ventures. There are plenty available today online on the web. There is work at home opportunities that do not demand huge sums of capital or equipment. Most can be started with just a computer and an internet connection.

There are also free training courses if you are new to learn. To be a Christian entrepreneur you can start in your spare time. When you are successful you can go full time. It is not difficult to earn as much or more as you made in a job. As an employee you make money for some one else with your abilities and talents.

Imagine doing the same for yourself and for the kingdom of God. You can be a Christian entrepreneur and show the world how you multiplied the talents God gave you. You will be in a position to give. Only when you make money more than what you need can you give to others in need and missions.

In order to be a Christian entrepreneur you do not need any special calling or talents. All you need is the recognition that God made you special and gave you talents. He said to Adam to take care of the earth, be fruitful and multiply.

Remember you cannot take care of the earth, fruitful and especially multiply when you work as an employee for some one else all the days of your life. Get out of the rut from a job and get into you own business multiply and prosper. God will make you Christian entrepreneur and a blessing to many.

Everyday our heads get filled with all kinds of thoughts and ideas: Some good, some bad, some questionable. As Christians, how do we sought everything out and decide which are evil and which are good; which to act on and which to ignore? This sounds like a simple procedure, but our choices are often complicated by the world's worship of trends and methods that may exist in a gray area for Believers. It's those kinds of decisions that can represent a moral or spiritual dilemma for Christians.

The Bible gives us a good model which we can use to recognize temptations thrown at us by the devil in 1 John 2:15-17 (KJV):

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

It's easy for Christians to recognize the obvious temptations and resist them even when the devil wraps these in pretty packages. He often sells adultery to Christians that are not living for God by reminding them how bad their marriage is or how their spouse has failed them. He uses persuasion as a means to make us enter into sin. Believers that are in the Word and living for God will not be easily swayed by these kinds of persuasions.

The real danger for Christians is that we will be tempted or even forced into a situation that causes us to compromise our moral, ethical or spiritual standards, or one that drives us or others away from the things of God. When I was young I attended public school. I became a born-again Believer at the age of fourteen, so I spent most of my high school years as a Christian facing all kinds of occasions that required me to make decisions about situations that were not easily discerned as necessarily good or evil.

I was not shy about my Christianity, but I never shoved it down anyone's throat either. I invited friends and classmates to youth Bible studies and events knowing that they would hear the gospel until I learned how to lead people to Christ myself. I brought my Bible to school occasionally and read it during lunch or free time. If anyone asked me questions, I tried my best to answer them at that time or later. I sat through endless class lectures which always seemed to ignore anything that had to do with God or the Bible unless it was to disprove them.

When I was faced with a science teacher who was a rabid Evolutionist, I learned to gently disagree with him. I knew it was necessary for me to learn what he was teaching and I did, but I never agreed with it and I politely voiced my objections. We agreed to disagree and that was easy. Not so easy was being pulled between the various religious factions in and outside of my school.

Some Christians felt that any Believer who supported the idea that men can have long hair (a popular hairstyle choice in those days) or that women could wear pants was disobedient. I chose short hair and a conservative look which I felt honored God, but had no problem with Christians who had long or short hair or with women who wore dresses or pants because those were the choices they made. I learned that these kinds of things were side issues that I believe the devil could easily use to distract Believers from the fundamental teachings of the Word and doing the Will of God.

Apart from the clothing issues, it was frustrating to watch Christians argue about how Believers should behave. Some said that Christians had no business being involved with things like amusements, sports or politics. They believed that 2 Corinthians 6:17 (Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you) taught them not to be involved with any worldly amusements, events or issues.

I examined all their arguments and decided that these matters required an acid test. My acid test was a simple one: If Christ came today and found me dressed a certain way or involved with a certain activity, would I be ashamed before him? If so, that was that. As the old saying goes, When in doubt, throw it out!

I would probably not be ashamed if the Lord came and found me playing sports unless it was on a Sunday and kept me away from Church. However, I would not want Him to come and find me watching a movie with nudity and filthy language. As far as dress goes, I believe that's a personal choice. I do recommend that Christians exercise their liberty responsibly by dressing in a modest fashion.

Every Christian is different and the devil knows our weak spots. He tempts us based on what will most successfully drive us away from God. One Believer's weak spot may be another's strength. This is why we must be careful to make choices that compliment, rather than complicate, our lives as Christians. We must also be sure that our choices do not cause other Believer's to sin or backslide. The Bible gives us an excellent example of all this in Romans 14:19-21 (KJV):

Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. For meat destroy not the work of God. All things indeed are pure; but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence. It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.

Christians must make their choices by standards that are far different from the ones used by the world. As the Kosher hot dogs commercial has pointed out for many years, We answer to an even higher authority. We not only have to decide what is right for us, but what is good for our fellow Christians, and what will allow us to maintain a solid testimony before the world. The saying may be old, but it's true: Christians cannot live like their going to Hell all week and then act like they are going to Heaven just on Sunday.

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." - Romans 12:2 (KJV)

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Many religions might say confidently that through their spiritual program their followers can work their way to heaven. However, these religions never successfully address the most important spiritual issue, sin. For no amount of good works can cleanse people of sin and give them a righteous nature acceptable to God.

Everyone born on this earth, except Jesus Christ, has come short of God's glory because they have inherited the fallen sinful nature of Adam. Each person is born spiritually dead, a sinner. So, what is the answer to the sin problem?

Because God is just, there must be punishment for sin. God the Father laid the sins of all mankind upon Jesus Christ and allowed Him to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins on the cross, receiving unto Himself the punishment we deserved. His bloody death, burial and resurrection redeemed mankind from the power and bondage of sin, providing salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. So, you cannot work your way to heaven, but you can put your trust in the shed blood of Jesus Christ to take away your sins and receive a new righteous nature pleasing to God. Sin problem solved.

"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" (Romans 10:9 KJV).



The main purpose of Christ's sacrifice was to reconcile man to God. God the Father longed for mankind to be redeemed and adopted into His family. He wanted to once again have intimacy with His children, showing them His great love by blessing and giving them a glorious inheritance, "which is Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27 KJV).

Once a person receives Jesus Christ into their life by faith (trusting Him), their sins are cleansed by His shed blood on the cross and they receive a new nature, born of God. Their first birth was a natural birth of their mother and father. Their second birth is of God and is spiritual, for God is a spirit. Therefore, the person becomes a new spiritual creature, born again, capable of having intimate fellowship with the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ and God the Father.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV).

Once saved, the Christian is to live a holy life, no longer dominated by sin.

"Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin" (Romans 6:6,7 KJV).

How do you live a holy life free from sin? Not in your own strength. You must trust in God's grace, which is His unmerited favor giving you His power and ability to live a holy life. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Grace. He is to be your guide, helper and comforter as you walk in love toward God and your fellowman.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:5,6 KJV).

But what if you do sin? Simply ask God the Father in Jesus' name to forgive you of your sin. If you have a problem overcoming that sin, ask God the Father in Jesus' name to give you the grace to overcome that sin.

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9 KJV).

If you try to get into heaven through any other way other than by receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, Jesus says you are a thief and a robber.

"Verily, verily,I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber" (John 10:1 KJV).

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6 KJV).



Although reliable testimonies have been left by witnesses to Christ's mighty miracles, death, burial and resurrection, still many people have rejected Him as their Lord and Savior, refusing to worship Him and call Him God. Why? There is an enemy who blinds the minds of the people to the glorious gospel of Christ. His name is Satan.

"But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them" (2 Cor. 4:3,4 KJV).

Receive Jesus Christ into your heart today and become part of God's family, learning who God really is, who you are in Christ, what you've inherited in Christ and what your unique assignment is on earth. Begin now to enjoy your journey of faith as you trust in the finished work of Christ for your salvation. Yes, Jesus Christ is your only way to heaven

The very thought of Hell is terrifying. Such a thought is an intense provoker for many to repent of their sins and revere the word of the Lord. However, others think little of Hell. For example, you may have heard someone say something like €how could a loving, kind, and merciful God send me to Hell?€ Such people who hold this view must be taught the truth of the matter before it is too late and they find themselves in the very place they once believed they would never experience.

The truth of the matter is found in the word of God, for Jesus Himself said to the Father €Thy word is truth€ (John 17:17), we know we can depend on God for a true answer. After all, it was God who created Hell as a place of eternal punishment (Matthew 25:41), thus He is the only divine source of knowledge about Hell and who will go there. Therefore, in response to the question €how could a loving God send me to Hell?€ God's word shows that God is loving, kind, and merciful, and He does not want to send anyone to Hell. Consider 2 Peter 3:9 €The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.€ This scripture clearly outlines God's feelings. He does not desire that anyone go to Hell, instead He wants all to come to repentance of their sins. But the question now arises, what if someone does not repent of their sins?
Romans 2:1-16 should be deeply considered by all who have questions about who will go to Hell and why God would send them. The text explains that God is rich with goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, and that it is these characteristics of God that leads one to repentance (verse 4). For an example of this, consider John 3:16, €For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.€ God is so good and loving to us that He gave us the perfect means by which we can escape Hell. Therefore the problem of people going to Hell does not rest on God, but on man. If you look back at Romans 2:5 it says €in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath.€ The blame is on the individual with the hardened heart, who is unwilling to repent of their sins and allow God to forgive them at baptism. The fault is their own because the loving, kind, and merciful God is there to save them from Hell, but they refuse Him.
For those who struggle to see how the LORD is merciful even when sending someone to Hell, I plead with you to meditate on Psalm 62:12, which says: €Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; For You render to each one according to his work.€ This text shows that God truly is merciful while He either rewards or punishes an individual according to the way they lived their life. And this He will do again when the final Day of Judgment commences: €For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.€ Matthew 16:27.

Ezekiel 18:29-32 perfectly incorporates the truths of our present discussion: "Yet the house of Israel says, 'The way of the Lord is not fair.' O house of Israel, is it not My ways which are fair, and your ways which are not fair? Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways," says the Lord GOD. "Repent, and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord GOD. "Therefore turn and live!€
€The judgment of God is according to truth€ Romans 2:2. On the Day of Judgment, God will judge €according to truth€ and not according to a lie. The lie is that God will not send a sinner to Hell. The truth is much different, for €when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power€ 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9.

If God is omnipresent, is he also in hell?

Wonder why your prayers are not answered or why there is a delay with the answer. You might have done all you know to do but have not gotten any results. You may have given your tithes, spoke His word, decreed a thing, help the poor, prayed for Israel and Jerusalem even rebuked the devil in the name of Jesus but you are still lacking in getting your answer.

When you have done and are continuing to do all these things and nothing seems to happen it can get discouraging but there is still something else that should be considered.

The word said that God is love so the first thing that we need to know is what God is, He is love. If we would put the word love where we see the word God in His word, we can get a deeper insight of Him. For example, John 3:16 says for God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son. We can say it like this, love so loved the world that love gave His only begotten Son. Seeing God as love, which He is, brings a deeper insight of Him to us.

It would make sense that all things come to us through love and we should minister in love just like Him. Deuteronomy 8:18 says and you shall remember the Lord your God for it is He who gives you power to get wealth. We can put it this way; love causes us to get wealth. If we would love, we would prosper.

I heard an interesting message about John; he is considered the prophet of love. He spoke of love a lot and when they tried to kill him, they could not. He was boiled in oil but that did not kill him because he was full of love. They put him on the Isle of Patmos to get rid of him but while there, he was given the book of Revelation. Afterward he lived to be well in age, love cannot be destroyed and John was embedded in love so he could not be destroyed.

Loves causes us to prosper. If we would love one another things will change. What if we have done all those other things but does not love, then our work is in vain. God is love and He requires that we love one another and this is the way to get our prayers answered.

What is love? Well, it is not fussy feeling we get or the panting of the heart, those things are emotions and has nothing to do with love. Love is action. God acted when He sent Jesus into the world. Jesus acted when He died on the cross to save us from our sins, so love is action. Love is doing when you really do not want to do. Jesus gave a parable about a man who had two sons. He asked one to do something, that son said that he would but did not, he asked his other son to do it and he said he would not but did it. Jesus asked which of the two did the will of the father, the people said, the one who said he would not but did, and Jesus said, you have spoken correctly. The son that was said he would not do what the father asked was driven by love to do it. Love is a force that propels us and it is that driving force that will enable us to get our prayers answered.

Love gives us power to get wealth. When we operate in love, the anointing is available to us to get wealth. No, we are not to omit tithing, praying of Israel and Jerusalem, giving to the poor, speaking God's word, and rebuking the devil all these things are a good thing but it is not enough, we must walk in love.

Abraham operated in love when a fight broke out between his herdsmen and Lot's. He said to Lot, we are brethren and there should not be strife between us. He allowed Lot to choose first the direction that he wanted to go in and he would go in the opposite direction. That was love in action; he did not consider himself first.

Love is not puffed up, it does not consider itself first but the good and well-being of others first, it does not stir up strife. It encourages and exalts. It does not see others fault.

God looked beyond our faults and saw our need, we needed Christ, though we were dead in sin yet He looked beyond that and sent Jesus to save us because He loves us.

Love drove God to send Jesus to us to receive more sons and daughters so his love produced. It would make sense that if we love, it will also produce blessings for us.

Christian sex is not spoken about in many churches. Rather than grasping the truth about Christian sex and intimacy in Christian marriage from the liberating teachings of the Scriptures, many Christians are unfortunately learning about sex from the world, and then finding themselves confused once they are in a romantic relationship.

But what does the Bible really say about sex? In this article we will outline the fundamental teachings from the Bible about Christian sex and intimacy in marriage.

1. Sex was created by God to be enjoyed.
2. Sex was commanded and commended by God right at the very beginning when He told Adam and Eve to multiply and be fruitful. He called this very good! (See Genesis 1 and 2)
3. The Bible does not condemn sex, but does lay guidelines for sexual conduct for our pleasure and protection.
4. Within marriage (never without) sex is encouraged and Christian husband and Christian wife are explicitly encouraged to enjoy Christian sex frequently and without shame or fear.

When we take our lead from the infallible word of God regarding every area of our life and marriage we will discover that Jesus promise that when we know the truth it will make us free is indeed true:

And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32

God wants us to be free from confusion regarding sexual intimacy in your marriage so it becomes something beautiful that we enjoy as man and wife. With proper instruction from the Scriptures regarding our relationships, first with God, then with our Christian husband or wife, the realization of the holiness and great gift that Christian sex can be, and how proper sexual conduct within the marriage bed can deeply connect us with our life long partner, will affect our relationship in wonderful and positive ways.