₦airaland Forum

Be Courageous (2)

Tue, 5 Apr 2022

‘You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ John 8:32

Jesus said, ‘You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ It takes courage to face a painful reality. It’s easier to bail out of a troubled marriage than to stay and work your way through to a better place. It’s easier to give in to despair and self-pity than go back to school and train for a new career. It takes guts to stand up for your convictions when you’re under fire.

It’s often said, ‘Unless you stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.’ The truth is, anytime you’re willing to stand for something or try something new, somebody will take a shot at you. The English word courage is derived from the French word cœur, meaning ‘heart’. Hence the phrase: ‘don’t lose heart’. It’s easy to be brave when you feel strong, but it’s much harder when you feel weak and inadequate. Yet, that’s when you need courage the most.
General Omar Bradley remarked, ‘Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.’ And the courage he is referring to isn’t hollow hype. It has nothing to do with a ‘fake it till you make it’ mentality. Courage means saying, ‘If God promised it, I believe it,’ and moving forward despite the obstacles.

If you need an injection of courage today, read and meditate on these verses:

(1) ‘Be strong and do not give up… your work will be rewarded.’ (2 Chronicles 15:7 NIV)

(2) ‘Strengthen the limp hands and steady the feeble knees! Say to those with anxious hearts: “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come… He will come to save you.”’ (Isaiah 35:3–4 BSB)

Now that’s courage!

Be Courageous (1)

Mon, 4 Apr 2022

‘Be strong and of good courage.’ Joshua 1:9

Knowing the battles he would have to fight in order to conquer the Promised Land, God told Joshua three times: ‘Be strong and of good courage.’ Anytime you move forward, obstacles will block your path. Count on it!

H.G. Wells asked, ‘What on earth would a man do with himself, if something did not stand in his way?’ What did he mean? That adversity is your friend—even when it feels like your enemy. Every obstacle you face reveals your strengths and weaknesses, shaping you and making you wiser and more confident.

Poet Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote: ‘Whatever you do, you need courage. Whatever course you decide upon, there is always someone to tell you that you are wrong. There are always difficulties arising that tempt you to believe your critics are right. To map out a course of action and follow it to an end requires some of the same courage that a soldier needs. Peace has its victories, but it takes brave men and women to win them.’ Anytime you leave your comfort zone and step out in faith to follow God, you will be tested. But you will also reach heights you thought were beyond you and go further than others with greater talent who settled for less.

Paul wrote of suffering in this way to the people of Corinth: ‘All this is for your sake so that, as His grace spreads, more and more people will give thanks and glorify God. That’s why we are not discouraged… This light, temporary nature of our suffering is producing for us an everlasting weight of glory.’ (2 Corinthians 4:15–17 ISV)

Courage can be defined as simply ‘not giving up’.

......where is the William face, make I see?

......tell me how good it is. And be sincere please.

Lord Jesus, carry me too ooo in all my ways.

Say No To Sin

Sun, 3 Apr 2022

‘You live under the freedom of God’s grace.’ Romans 6:14

If you want to grow roses, you must declare war on weeds; otherwise, they will run amok in your garden. In other words, you must beware of weeds! There is a spiritual parallel at work here, and it’s this: unless you deal decisively with sin, it will take over your life.

Paul tells us: ‘We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with Him. We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and He will never die again. Death no longer has any power over Him... now that He lives, He lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.’ (Romans 6:6–14 NLT)

So, the word for today is—say no to sin!

This people can lie!

Choose Peace

Sat, 2 Apr 2022

‘When the Holy Spirit controls our lives He will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace.’ Galatians 5:22

Panic and anxiety are often our first reactions to conflict and problems. In those initial moments, choosing peace seems impossible. Your subconscious whispers, ‘If you really care, you will worry.’ As panic begins to rise, it’s important to turn to the Holy Spirit and tap into the peace He offers. Panic is the enemy, not the situation. Anxiety just empowers and enlarges the problems we’re facing. Your best problem-solving resource is always peace.

Fear and anxiety block solutions; answers flow more easily and naturally from a peaceful state of mind. And God’s peace is always available to us—if we choose to use it. Paul writes, ‘When the Holy Spirit controls our lives He will produce… peace.’ Refuse to let your negative emotions run uncontrolled. Don’t let them decide your response.

Jesus said, ‘Stop allowing yourselves to be agitated and disturbed; and do not permit yourselves to be fearful… intimidated… cowardly and unsettled.’ (John 14:27 AMPC) That means you have options; you can choose between peace and inner conflict. In the same verse, Jesus also said, ‘My [own] peace I… bequeath to you’ (John 14:27 AMPC), and ‘bequeath’ relates to executing a will. When someone dies, they leave their most cherished possessions to the people they love. But just because Jesus left us His peace doesn’t mean it will automatically operate in us. Plus, when we lose our peace, it’s harder to hear from God.

When Paul says, ‘Let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from Christ rule… in your hearts’ (Colossians 3:15 AMPC), the word ‘rule’ means ‘to govern and to control’. So instead of letting yourself get anxious and panicky today, choose peace.

Living By Faith

Fri, 1 Apr 2022

‘The just shall live by faith.’ Hebrews 10:38

Living by faith is something you learn to do by practising it daily. Before you became a Christian, you trusted in your own ability and intellect. But those things only took you so far and no further, right? Now you’re trusting God for the wisdom, guidance, resources, and ability to fulfil His will for your life.

The Bible tells us, ‘By faith Noah… prepared an ark for the saving of his household.’ (Hebrews 11:7 NKJV) Think about it: when Noah built the ark, there was no sign of rain. Living by faith doesn’t always make sense. It doesn’t mean your problems will vanish into thin air. Sometimes faith changes your circumstances; other times it changes your perspective. How? By giving you the tenacity to hang in there when the money doesn’t arrive in your account, or the doctor says the condition is incurable, or your spouse asks for a divorce, or the kids are acting berserk, or the company where you have worked for the last twenty years closes its doors.

Faith gives you the fortitude to endure, confident that God will work things out on your behalf. Scripture tells us, ‘Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.’ (Hebrews 11:1 NIV) Living by faith means:

(1) obeying God and believing He will never let you down;

(2) following in the footsteps of ordinary people who did extraordinary things for God;

(3) using your faith because you know it’s the only currency Heaven recognises.

When the Bible says, ‘The just shall live by faith,’ it doesn’t mean little, sporadic bursts of faith; it means making faith a lifestyle.

festacman:
Why rush back? He still looks a bit distressed. He needs more rest to recover well. Human body heals slowly.

.......and he also needs to do something about his weight/stomach.

........you need a soil test to know if your farm soil is suitable for cashew plantations.

Yoked Together With Jesus

Thu, 31 Mar 2022

‘Take the yoke I give you.’ Matthew 11:29

Jesus spoke to people who had given up on religion. People who were burned out trying—and failing—to observe a long list of rules and regulations. Here is what He told them: ‘If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens, come to Me and I will give you rest. Take the yoke I give you. Put it on your shoulders and learn from Me. I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest. This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light.’ (Matthew 11:28–30 CEV)

The ‘yoke’ Jesus spoke of was a harness that went around the necks of two oxen so they could pull the plough in the same direction. In each team of oxen, one was the leader and the other would follow. There is an important lesson here—don’t miss it. Jesus will take the lead, but you must stay in sync with Him to enjoy His blessing on your life. He promises His yoke won’t choke you; it won’t be wearisome or confining, and you won’t chafe under it. In fact, if you want to be truly free, you must let yourself be yoked to Jesus by submitting your will to His.

But it doesn’t work to accept Christ’s yoke for a while and then start pulling the other way when things don’t go the way you want. When you do, the load gets heavier and you start to feel worn out. Peace and rest come when you relax in the yoke and let Christ lead. Jesus said, ‘You will find rest.’ That means your options are to resist Him or to rest in Him! Which will it be?

Campaign after election.

Self-Control

Wed, 30 Mar 2022

‘Do your best to improve your faith by adding goodness, understanding, self-control.’ 2 Peter 1:5–6

Ever notice how we tend to blame our circumstances for our character deficiencies? We attribute our problems to poor upbringing, financial difficulties, or other people’s shortcomings. Your circumstances may be beyond your control—but your character isn’t. You can no more blame your character flaws on circumstances than you can blame a mirror for how you look.

Integrity is always a choice, and every time you make a character-based decision, you take a step forward in your spiritual growth. Think about the times you have faced temptation and adversity. Jot them down, and beside each one, note your choice: to escape, excuse, capitulate, avoid, persevere or overcome. What problem areas can you identify? How can you do better?

If the things you listed were due to circumstances beyond your control, then choose to take greater control of your life. How? ‘By adding… self-control’ to your arsenal. Our lives resemble icebergs, in that 15 per cent is visible; that’s our reputation. The rest, our character, is hidden below the surface. Character is what we think but don’t necessarily share. It’s based on what we do when nobody’s looking, how we handle life’s little aggravations, how we handle failure—and success.

At the end of a brilliant career, Joshua challenged Israel with these words: ‘Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.’ (Joshua 24:15 NIV) Character is based on self-control, and self-control is about making the right choices. And the good news is, you don’t have to do it alone: ‘God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey Him.’ (Philippians 2:13 CEV)

.....how come the baby is wrapped in ankara?

Be A Restorer (2)

Tue, 29 Mar 2022

‘And that is what some of you were.’ 1 Corinthians 6:11

After listing some of the worst sins imaginable, Paul told the Corinthians, ‘And that is what some of you were. But you were… justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.’ (1 Corinthians 6:11 NIV) So, before you pass sentence on someone else, remember what God has lifted you out of! Many of us think a ‘good’ sermon is one that goes over our head and hits our neighbour squarely between the eyes!

In Scripture, the word restore has two shades of meaning. One is to remove a tumour. A tumour can kill you, and it needs to be removed. Paul writes, ‘If someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently… in this way you will fulfil the law of Christ.’ (Galatians 6:1–2 NIV) Make no mistake, sharing someone’s shame and humiliation can be a burden. Nevertheless, ‘we should… give special attention to those who are in the family of believers.’ (Galatians 6:10 NCV) If you tend to be quick to condemn others—something we have all done from time to time—ask yourself this question: if people don’t find grace among the people who preach it, where can they find it?

The other means to reset a broken bone. Scripture tells us, ‘Christ makes us one body… connected to each other.’ (Romans 12:5 GWT) In fact, your spiritual family is more important than your earthly family because it will last forever. By lifting a fallen family member, you help heal their pain and enable them to become a vital, functioning part of Christ’s body again. So, the word for today is—be a restorer.

War is not a good thing. Imagine 2 brothers at each other's throats.

Be A Restorer (1)

Mon, 28 Mar 2022

‘You who live by the Spirit should restore.’ Galatians 6:1

Sometimes when we fall we can get up by ourselves; other times we need someone to help us. And sadly, not all Christians are willing to help. Sometimes they feel that by extending grace to someone they are condoning their sin. But Paul knocked that argument down when he wrote, ‘Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.’ (Ephesians 4:32 NIV) Why should we be restorers?

(1) Because God tells us to. ‘If someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves… you also may be tempted.’ (Galatians 6:1 NIV) It’s pride that causes us to point an accusing finger instead of extending a helping hand to those who fall. It makes us think we’re better than someone else; incapable of falling like they did. You would be surprised what you would do in certain circumstances! Paul writes, ‘These things happened to them as examples for us… If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.’ (1 Corinthians 10:12 NLT)

(2) Because Jesus is our example. Jesus had no time for the Pharisees who hid their sins behind a religious mask. But not one time did He condemn someone who was caught in sin and overtaken by temptation and failure. The minute they reached for Him, He willingly restored them. Someone has said the church is the only army that shoots its wounded. Today, others are watching us to see if the grace we preach to others is the same grace we extend to one another. Let’s not disappoint them.

........but where is his mother?

Woman with the issue of blood.

Look For God’s Hand In It!

Sun, 27 Mar 2022

‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvellous in our eyes.’ Matthew 21:42

Sometimes the rejection of others, turns out to be ‘the Lord’s doing.’ After Joseph had been betrayed by his brothers and slandered by Potiphar’s wife, he said, ‘You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.’ (Genesis 50:20 NKJV)

How often has something happened in your life, that you later realised was necessary? If you hadn’t sustained this, or walked through that, you wouldn’t be ready for the blessings you’re enjoying right now. It’s when you see the hand of God in it that you begin to understand what the enemy meant for your destruction, God used for your development.

Jesus, the Chief Cornerstone, was continually rejected. And His example shows us the way forward. To be more than a conqueror means to stand up and say, ‘Here’s how I see it. It took all I’ve been through to make me who I am today, and to teach me what I know. I choose to be better, not bitter. I trust the faithfulness of God more than ever. If faith doesn’t move the mountain, it will give me strength to endure until tomorrow. And if it’s not gone by tomorrow, I’ll still believe that God is able and trust Him to come through.’

Rejoice! Your steps (and your stops) are being arranged by God. They’re also being observed by Him. When you get through this, you’ll realise that ‘the worst thing that could have happened’ is, in reality, ‘the Lord's doing’ and it’ll become marvellous in your eyes.

Humm

Heaven Is Real

Sat, 26 Mar 2022

‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ Revelation 21:5

John the Revelator wrote: ‘I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of Heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is… among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be His people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then He said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”’ (Revelation 21:2–5 NIV)

When an atheist died and his friends filed by his casket, one of them remarked, ‘How sad—all dressed up and nowhere to go!’ Not so for the believer! As a redeemed child of God, you’re assured of a home in Heaven and citizenship in ‘the new Jerusalem’.

John continues, ‘The angel who talked with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city.’ (Revelation 21:15 NIV) The city is an exact square of about 2200 km (Revelation 21:16). It would stretch from Cairns to Melbourne or from Adelaide to Perth. It’s approximately 63% of the size of Australia. And that’s just the ground floor! It’s as tall as it is wide; six hundred thousand storeys high—more than enough room for billions of people to come and go. So here is the question: when you die, will you go to Heaven? To be sure, click here.

God save this man tonight

Plumstead.

GoooodHardDick:
Apart from me. Who else regretted wasting his time watching this stupid match by the stupid chicken eagles?

me

Have You Sinned? God Will Forgive You!

Fri, 25 Mar 2022

‘He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.’ 1 John 1:9

The story of David and Bathsheba is the stuff movies are made of—lust, adultery, premarital pregnancy, murder, and cover-up. And it looked like David was home free, except for one important detail: ‘The thing that David had done displeased the Lord.’ (2 Samuel 11:27 NKJV) In the Bible, God refers to David as ‘a man after His own heart’ (1 Samuel 13:14 NLT), but the same Bible says, ‘Be sure your sin will find you out.’ (Numbers 32:23 KJV)

So God sent the prophet Nathan to tell David, ‘I anointed you king… Why then have you despised the Word of the Lord?’ (2 Samuel 12:7–9 NLT) Then God passed sentence: ‘I am going to bring calamity on you… before all Israel.’ (2 Samuel 12:11–12 NIV)

From that day on, tragedy and turmoil plagued David’s family. On many levels, ‘the way of transgressors is hard’ (Proverbs 13:15 KJV), not the least of which is that sometimes God takes away your peace so that you will acknowledge your sin. It took an unplanned pregnancy, the murder of an innocent man, a child’s death, a prophet’s persuasion, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit before David’s heart softened and he admitted, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.’ (2 Samuel 12:13 NIV)

And when he prayed those words, God treated David’s sin the same way He treats ours: ‘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) As long as you keep excusing, defending, and rationalising your sin, God can do nothing for you. But the minute you confess it to Him, He will forgive you. Isn’t that wonderful?

RIP maa

Okay ooo

Listen To The Right Voice

Thu, 24 Mar 2022

‘This is the way; walk in it.’ Isaiah 30:21

Joni Eareckson Tada tells of a group of friends who were on a mountaintop discussing which direction to go. One man said, ‘That’s south!’ Another countered, ‘No, that’s east.’ Everybody threw in their two-cents’ worth, until finally someone produced a compass and said, ‘We can settle this real fast.’ Within seconds the compass confirmed they were, in fact, facing due west!

The only reliable source had the final say, and nobody was about to argue with it. During the day, many voices vie for your attention, and some so-called ‘experts’ can be dead wrong. Bottom line: you had better know which voice to listen to, because if you look only at your circumstances, you will become disoriented. An unexpected phone call, a floundering relationship, a lost job, or a sick child can make north look like south and east look like west. When that happens, it’s easy to lose your bearings, jump to conclusions, and end up on the wrong path.

The Bible says, ‘Whether you turn… right or… left, your ears will hear a voice… saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”’ There is only one true source of wisdom and truth, and Peter recognised that when he asked, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.’ (John 6:68 NIV)

You don’t need to know every detail in advance; that’s not how God works. Often, He doesn’t show us the big picture because we would be overwhelmed and think it was impossible. He wants to develop in you an unshakeable trust in His character and goodness; an acceptance that in order to fulfil His plan, you must depend on His strength.

Isn't water free again?

Stick With God’s Plan (2)

Wed, 23 Mar 2022

‘God is the one who began this good work in you.’ Philippians 1:6

Paul writes, ‘God is the one who began this good work in you, and I am certain… He won’t stop before it is complete.’ (Philippians 1:6 CEV) You will notice that Jesus regularly took time out of His busy schedule to pray. In fact, He sometimes prayed all night. And He tells us why: ‘The Son can do nothing by Himself. He does only what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing.’ (John 5:19–20 NLT)

Under the weight of our sins, He cried from the cross, ‘My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ (Matthew 27:46 NIV) And His words teach us three important things:

(1) We can be following God’s plan and still feel overwhelmed and alone at times.

(2) When God doesn’t answer, we must practise standing on the promises He gave us in His Word.

(3) The pain we’re feeling will eventually give way to the joy that awaits us on the other side of it.

So stick with God’s plan; as long as you do that, there is nothing the enemy can do to destroy you. The Bible says, ‘No weapon turned against you will succeed… These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord.’ (Isaiah 54:17 NLT) When you feel like you have reached the end of your rope, do what Jesus did and pray, ‘Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ (Luke 23:46 NIV)

In other words, turn it all over to God. Trust Him to do what you can’t do and to bring you through in victory.