A Meaningful Life Includes Jesus Christ

Have you ever spent much time thinking about the significance and meaning of life? Are there times when life just doesn't seem to make sense? Does life often seem purposeless? Do you sometimes feel like you are floating in the middle of the ocean struggling to keep your head above water? Or at times does your life seem like a three-ring circus that is out-of-control? Several years ago, a young man we will call Bill ran a poll to discover what it was people most wanted out of life. And the results were rather surprising. The things people most wanted out of life were not money, houses, and cars. What people most wanted in life were peace, love, and joy. Three things that money cannot buy. Now, if you are like most people then most likely you are looking for meaning, purpose, peace, joy, and love in your life also. You too probably sense a void deep within that you have not been able to fill no matter how hard you try. Fortunately for you, the answer is much closer than you thought possible. By now you probably know what...or rather who the answer is. Right? Before the 'Answer' showed up about two thousand years ago, a man arrived on the scene who proclaimed, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!" And soon after, the 'ANSWER' appeared...bringing the hope that so many desperately struggle to find. If you need help and hope...simply call upon the NAME that is above every other name both in heaven and on earth...the name of Jesus. Now, pay close attention to what God (Jesus) says here in His word: "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded." James 4:8 And... "When I close up the sky so that it doesn't rain, or command locusts to devour the land's vegetation, or send a plague among my people, if my people, who belong to me, humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their sinful practices, then I will respond from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 Look! It just cannot get any clearer than this. God has already taken the first step toward giving you the peace, love, joy, and everything else you desire to be happy. Only He can fill the void that you sense in your life. Only He can give you the purpose and the meaning you search for in your life. Do not wait another minute. Seek Him now. He is waiting for you! God says in His word, "And you will seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13

Jesus Christ Teaches Us Obedience to the Spirit of God.

What a special thing it is when we read that Jesus saw the Spirit of God in Matthew 3:16; it teaches us something very important about the word of God. We will try to learn the message and teaching of the Bible. The important thing for us, who read the Bible, is to understand all that Jesus said or meant, and that is why we must pay close attention to the word of God. For that we can read different versions of the Bible, and compare and get a better idea of??God's message to us. For example, here is how important the message of the Bible is, and this is because we can read what is written, consider the following scripture; Luke 2:49-52 49-50He Said, "Why Were You looking for me? Did You Know That I had to be here, dealing with the Things of my Father?" But they had no idea What He WAS talking about. 51-52So He Went back to Nazareth with them, and obediently lived with them. These Things His mother held dearly, deep within herself. And Jesus mature, growing up in both body and spirit, blessed by Both God and people. Obedience is something we hear from childhood, and the truth is that obedience is something we learn. Being obedient allows us to learn things that will benefit us in the future. Put it another way, to obey is to our benefit. The Lord Jesus Himself was an obedient child, he knew the will of God for obedience, and He practiced it, the Bible says that this time the parents of Jesus were concerned, this was because Jesus was gone, but after he was found, He return with them and lived in obedience to them. But we will see that Jesus said something we have to watch carefully, Jesus replied that he had to obey and be involved in his Father's spiritual affairs, says the writing that Jesus parents did not understand the importance of those words, but Jesus obeyed and returned with them, Jesus as a child was interested in obeying God. In the Bible we learn about the life of Jesus, and we can apply its lessons to our own lives, most important, of these Bible verses,it is to understand that we must obey God just as Jesus did. Remember that obedience is for our own good and for our benefit, and God knows exactly what is the best for you and me.

What Is the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ?

The gospel refers to the good news of Jesus Christ. The good news is that anyone who believes that Jesus Christ died and rose on the third day can inherit eternal life in the kingdom of heaven (Romans 10:9-13). The gospel books in the bible comprises the first four books in the New Testament including Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The gospel books provide narrations about the life of Jesus Christ, from the time he was reincarnated into the world through the virgin Mary to the time he was betrayed by the Jews and crucified on the cross at the Calvary. They provide some similar contents that are parallel to each other, which includes the teachings and parables of Jesus Christ as well as the miracles he performed in Israel during his lifetime. The message of the gospel is simple. God created human beings to be with him. The first human beings that God created is Adam and Eve. They sinned by letting themselves be tempted by the devil, who told them nothing will happen if they eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. After they ate, their spiritual eyes are opened and they became ashamed by their naked bodies because they now know how to discern between right and wrong. It is a sin that they ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil because God's commandment to them is to not eat from any tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden. There were only 2 trees in the Garden of Eden including the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil (Genesis 3). Sin creates a wall between us and God so that we can no longer approach him face to face (Isaiah 59:2). As a result, all humans will go to hell except the Israelites who is God's people. This is the law of the Old Testament. Later, Jesus Christ came into the world through his reincarnation as human being via the virgin Mary. The purpose of his coming is to become a ransom for the sins of the people of the world because everyone is a sinner at birth as a result of being the descendants of Adam and Eve. Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins to become a sin offering for everyone, like how the Israelite priest must offer a sin offering of bull for his sin and two goats (one goat as scape goat and the other as sin offering for the people) during the Day of Atonement. Blood is the requirement of atonement to sin in the Old Testament so Jesus Christ fulfill this requirement by shedding his blood on the cross for our sins (Hebrews 9:7-14; Hebrews 9:22).

Believing In The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ

The Apostle Paul teaches us that the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, celebrated at Easter, is the foundational truth on which Christian faith, and life is based: "If Christ had not been raised from death, then we have nothing to preach, and you have nothing to believe" ( 1Cor 15:14 ). But the majority of Christians, sad to say, are satisfied to believe in the truth of our Christian faith, but are not interested as to how this truth is related to their lives. The majority of Christians go through their dutiful attendance at Sunday service, but do not find any relevance to what they hear at Sunday Eucharist that could be applied to their lives for the rest of the week. Only an authentic Christian ( may their tribe increase ) understands that salvation is not a simple matter of only confessing with their lips that Jesus is Lord, and believing that God the Father raised Jesus from the dead. Only an authentic Christian will understand that believing in the resurrection of Jesus is to believe in certain truths that are crucial in our Christian life. Believing in the resurrection of Jesus is to believe that, no matter what happens to us, God the Father is in full control of our lives, just as he was in full control of Jesus' life, while he was on earth. Believing in the resurrection of Jesus is to believe that the forces of life will ultimately prevail over the "culture of death" that surrounds us. Believing in the resurrection of Jesus encourages us not to be overcome by the evil in this world, but leads us to hope, and this hope strengthens us in our spiritual warfare against the forces of evil: "The world will make you suffer. But be brave! I have defeated the world" ( Jn 16:33 ). Believing in the resurrection of Jesus is to believe that the fullness of life, which we all seek, will only be gained by resisting and rejecting the present destructive culture of egoism - built on the principles of self-glorification, self-pleasure, self-profit, and self-power: "If anyone wants to come with me," he told them, "he must forget self, carry his cross, and follow me...." ( Mk 8:34-37 ). Believing in the resurrection of Jesus is to believe that death is not the last word in our dreary lives, but a doorway to abundant, everlasting life. Only atheists regard death as the ultimate absurdity. Is it surprising, therefore, that so many give themselves over to a life of pleasure, profit and power? They live for today, enjoying life to the fullest, for they see nothing after death. If ever we need to strengthen our faith in the resurrection and the significance of the risen Jesus in our lives, it is today. Only our resurrection faith will empower us to withstand the forces of evil in the society we live in, to promote the culture of life, and to emerge victorious no matter what the attacks of the powers of darkness ( 2Cor 4:8-11 ).

The Three Major Reasons Why Jesus Christ Came

God is a God of purpose and does nothing without a reason. Jesus was sent to earth by God for a purpose, which He started and finished. An understanding of this purpose will help you to appreciate the coming of Christ and His mission on earth. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." Matthew 1:21 (NKJV) Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation -2 Corinthians 5:18-19 (NKJV) And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight--- Colossians 1:21-22 (NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly - John 10:10 (NKJV) Jesus Christ came to save, reconcile men back to God and give them life in abundance. Salvation of souls When the angel of the Lord visited Joseph to assure him that it was okay to take Mary as his wife, he gave him the name of the baby and his purpose on earth: to save His people from their sin. God, from the time of the fall of man via Adam, made a plan to redeem man from his fall and restore him to his original position before the fall. When the Lord created man he was without sin before Him and only knew sin when they disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:1-11). So, through Adam, sin entered the world and people became sinners (Romans 5:12, 19). Jesus was God's wisdom and power (1 Corinthians 1:24) to save man from his sins and restore him to his original state before the fall. In Genesis 3:15, God declared this plan of victory over the devil - the Seed of the woman was to defeat the devil. The enemy expected it, tried to abort it many times but failed because he didn't know how God was going to execute His plan. When the birth of Jesus was announced to King Herod by the wise men from the east, the enemy tried to kill Jesus through Herod but he failed, he only succeeded in killing innocent babies - Matthew 2:1-18. And when Jesus started His ministry fully, the devil tried many times too to kill Him through the people (Luke 4:28-30) but couldn't touch Him because it wasn't time for His death (Luke 22:53). The wisdom of God was a great mystery to them because if they had known it, the devil would not have allowed the people to crucify Jesus (1 Corinthians 2:7-8). He thought Christ's death would be his victory not knowing it was going to be his downfall (Colossians 2:13-15). Christ, who knew no sin, became sin that we might be saved and become the righteousness of God (2 Corinthians 5:21). On the cross, Christ carried our sins in our place so that we can be pure before God, our sins were washed away and we stand totally new before God; old things are passed away and behold all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity (Habakkuk 1:13). So, when Jesus was on the cross with the sins of humanity, God turned His back on Him and that was why Jesus cried out, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" - Matthew 27:46 (NKJV). For the first time, Christ addressed God as God instead of Father as He had always done. But He achieved His purpose which was to save man. Now anyone who receives Him receives the gift that was fully paid for: sins washed away and salvation of soul. Reconciliation unto God Before the fall of man, man was having a great fellowship with God. It was recorded that the Lord came in the cool of the day calling on Adam, and then confirmed that Adam had disobeyed Him (Genesis 3:8). This shows that they had an intimacy before the fall. When man sinned against God in the Garden of Eden, the Lord drove them out of the garden and the usual fellowship between God and man ceased. So, part of God's plan for salvation of man was to reconcile man back to Himself through Christ and not remember the sin that put up the barrier between them. Christ made peace through the blood of His cross (Colossians 1:20). Now, every believing Christian receives the spirit of adoption at new birth by whom he cries out, "Abba, Father" (Romans 8:15). You can now relate with God as a father and son would. Before your salvation, God was just your maker but now He is also a father to you, since you received His son as your savior. Christ, through His death had reconciled you to God, to present you holy, blameless and above reproach in His sight. You can now come boldly unto the throne of grace to obtain mercy and find grace in time of need (Hebrews 4:16) Abundant life The enemy's mission on earth is to steal, kill and destroy but Christ came to give us life and to give it to us more abundantly (John 10:10). Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for Christ's sake, shall surely receive many times more in this present time and in the age to come eternal life (Matthew 19:29). This is abundant life. Galatians 3:13-14 makes it clear that Christ had to go to the cross to deliver the blessings of Abraham to us as promised by God in Genesis 12:1-3: in you shall all families be blessed. Abraham was a great nation and a blessing, those who blessed him were blessed by God and those who cursed him were cursed by God. Abraham enjoyed abundant life and Christ was hanged on the cross that we may be partakers of these blessings. Abundant life is life without sickness or disease, filled with wealth and riches, coupled with a tremendous spiritual growth (3 John 2). It is also a life full of power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing - (Revelation 5:12) Furthermore, abundant life is long life till you are satisfied (Psalm 91:16), like Paul who had to choose whether to continue living or not. However, he chose to live for the sake of the spiritual growth of the Philippians (Philippians 1:21-26). In conclusion, Jesus Christ's mission on earth was to obey God (Hebrews 10:5-7) and restore man to his original spiritual position that would give him unlimited access to God and to all that He can offer (Romans 8:17)

The Salvation That Comes Through Jesus Christ

Right from Genesis chapter three after Adam and Eve fell in the garden; man lost the authority and dominion given to him by God. Satan became the god of this world from then on. The situation was so pathetic because it appears as if the plan of God for mankind has been foiled. Right from Genesis chapter three verse five God promised a savior in the form of 'the seed' of the woman. It appears as if that word of prophecy will not come to pass because for several years after that there was nobody that appears on earth that was able to take up that title of 'the seed of the woman' that will defeat the devil and take back the dominion that he stole from Adam. Everybody became a sinner right from the time they were conceived in the womb because they were conceived in the likeness of Adam who sinned. This Adamic nature had already condemned everyone as sinners. Rom 3:23. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The person that must come to save the world must be born in a different way not in the order of Adam. Looking at the birth of Jesus we would see that it was not in the order of man, the genes and chromosomes of man was not in Him, so He did not carry the sinful and condemned Adamic nature which all of us are carrying. Hence it was only Jesus Christ that qualifies for that all important position. Matt 1: 21. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins. And also the meaning of the name Jesus is Savior. Did Jesus live up to that? The answer is yes because the account of His life in the bible shows that €He went about doing good and healing all that were oppressed because God was with Him.' Act 10:38. How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. John3:16 says For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. This tells us that there is no other person approved by God to save man but Jesus Christ. Act 4:12 also says that €Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.€ Salvation is a spiritual thing which no human words can completely explain, it is better experienced, that is why it is difficult to explain to people some times, except by the help of the Holy Spirit. When you get the salvation that comes from Jesus Christ you will be in tune with your maker because that old Adamic nature will be removed and you will now begin to enjoy a new life in Christ through the help of the Holy Spirit. Get daily bible verses for your spiritual growth, for man does not live by bread alone.

Kingdom of God

Around one billion individuals claim Christianity. Christianity follows its inception and its convictions to the teachings of Jesus Christ, who existed very nearly 2,000 years prior. Yet it is a mystery that large portions of the followers to Christianity are not mindful of Jesus' main teachings. Therefore, it is once in a while announced. The heart and center of Jesus Christ's message was that the Kingdom of God would be created on earth. The pupils of Jesus clearly comprehended His message. References to the Kingdom of God€"or the Kingdom of Heaven, as the Gospel of Matthew typically alludes to it€"seem commonly in their works. Matthew alone contains 37 references. Together the four Gospels particularly say God's Kingdom 86 times notwithstanding other, sideways, references to it. The rest of the New Testament, from Acts through Revelation, specifies God's Kingdom commonly. The supporters perceived with gem clarity that, when Jesus discussed the Kingdom of God, He talked as far as a genuine government€"an organized, sorted out element with the very power of God behind it. Certain rulers who heard Christ's message perceived the political ramifications and saw His words as a danger to their energy. Disagreements regarding the Kingdom of God idea have excited religious exchanges for a considerable length of time. The issue has not been what the Bible says. Researchers and scholars realize that the instructing of the Kingdom of God is in the Bible. Over the last few hundreds of years another meaning of the Kingdom of God has cropped up. What did they close about the Kingdom of God? This common sort of philosophy is established in the thought that personal inclination is progressing. This perspective, be that as it may, is negated by both the Bible and common history. Man's numerous wars and barbarities particularly those in this bloodstained twentieth century€"challenge this perspective. Further, the Bible offers not the smallest indication that human force and inventiveness could ever make an honorable world. Unexpectedly, it demonstrates that man's mismanagement will bring humanity to the edge of annihilation Life brings numerous dissatisfactions and trials, testing our confidence in God's guarantees. A Christian defies these now and again. All entice us and occupy us from what ought to be our essential center in life€"to "look for first the kingdom of God and His exemplary nature" To Jesus and His trains, the term Kingdom of God implied an administration that would be created on earth. In showing the message of this Kingdom, Jesus was basically augmenting the focal subject of the Old Testament. The kingdom of God has long been a unique enigmatic presence among the beings on this earth and we are heading towards His abode in course of the activities of our life and not through any special methodology.

The Ten Success Secrets Of Jesus Christ On Earth

Have you ever considered how Jesus succeeded on earth to the point that His words and acts are still being celebrated, and His followers are increasing tremendously by the hour? Jesus came on a mission and He finished within a short but good record time. What could have been His success secrets? This article gives the secrets of Jesus' success on earth.

And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him- John 8:29 (NKJV)

How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him - Acts 10:38 (NKJV)

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, - Philippians 2:8-9 (NKJV)

Jesus' ministry on earth was only for three and half years but was so impactful and successful; within this period He laid an unshakeable foundation that His disciples are still building on and will continue to build on till He returns. His success secrets (which if you act upon) are able to reproduce the same success story in your life. Let's look at them:

The Success Secrets of Christ.

1. Obedience

Jesus was very obedient to the instructions of His father. He came first and foremost in obedience to God. God needed someone to redeem man and He sent Christ to do so - Galatians 4:4-5. And throughout His stay on earth, He lived a life of obedience unto God. This enabled Him to carry God's presence all through His time on earth (John 8:29).

And according to John 3:2, no man can do the miracles that Jesus did except God is with him. In other words, Christ's obedience to God led to the miracles that occurred through Him. Furthermore, obedience led to His name being exalted above every other name - Philippians 2:9

2. Wisdom

Jesus was the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24) but He needed to be filled with wisdom to be able to succeed in His assignment - Luke 2:40. In many occasions He applied wisdom to overcome the Pharisees' plots. And His teachings were done with great applications of wisdom.

In John 8:3-11, when they brought the woman caught in adultery, Jesus through wisdom gave the Pharisees no room to accuse Him, and at the same time rescued the woman from being stoned.

His teachings and manner of teaching them were profoundly out of wisdom, to the point that the people wondered how he got such wisdom being only a 'carpenter's son' - Matthew 13:54-55. His illustrations and ability to relate His teachings to everyday life made it easy for the people to understand and believe in Him.

3. Anointing

This is another success secret of Jesus. The anointing of God in His life enabled Him to go about doing good and healing all who were oppressed of the devil - Acts 10:38. It was when Jesus returned in the power of the Holy Spirit, after His temptation by the devil, that the news of Him went out through the entire surrounding region - Luke 4:14

This was one of the reasons why Christ asked His disciples not to leave Jerusalem until they were endued with the power of the Holy Spirit - Acts 1:4, 8. The anointing was to enable them fulfill their assignment on earth successfully. The power of the anointing manifested in the life of Peter immediately after the baptism of the Holy Spirit; the man who could not face a young girl before the death of Jesus (John 18:17)was now bold to speak to multitudes, at the end of which three thousand men were added to the kingdom of Christ - Acts 2:14-42

4. Humility

Christ's humility enabled Him to finish His assignment in spite of the words and actions of the Pharisees against Him. He endured the disrespect and insults of the men He created (Colossians 1:16) that He may finish successfully His mission on earth.Though He was God, being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross - Philippians 2:8.

Humility is a quality that attracts God to you. God detests the proud (Proverbs 16:5) but the humble will He guide in justice and teach His ways - Psalm 25:9. Jesus Christ enjoyed God's guidance because He was humble and the very words He taught the people were the words He got from God - John 12:49-50.

5. Self awareness

Christ knew who He was and believed in Himself and His mission on earth. He didn't need any man's opinion of Himself but God's approval. Self awareness enabled Him to remain focused on His assignment in spite of distractions from here and there, and it helped him to respond positively to people even when they were against Him. On the cross He asked God to forgive His crucifiers because they didn't know what they were doing - Luke 23:34.

He was so aware of Himself that the soldiers sent to arrest Him returned to the Pharisees without Him - John 7:45-46. In John 4:1-42, we see the power of self awareness. The Samaritan woman who challenged Him over a well got saved along with some others from her city. And when His disciples urged Him to eat physical food, He had this to say, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work" - John 4:34 (NKJV)

6. Vision

Jesus was a man of vision. Hebrews 12:2 tells us that Christ for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God. This joy was His vision. The joy of being exalted at the right of God amongst the redeemed kept Him going even in the midst of heavy persecution.

Jesus envisioned God's kingdom being filled with the redeemed of the Lord and God sitting with the multitudes reconciled back to Him. This vision was so strong in Him that He told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them - John 14:2-3.

Christ's desire was to please His father and one major way to do that was to restore man to his original state before the fall. He knowing how much God loved man and wanted him delivered from destruction, came and endured the cross to achieve the heart desire of His father. He had the vision to see the world saved from their sins and restored back to their original fellowship with God.

7. Word of God

The word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path - Psalm 119:105. Anyone who wants to succeed in life needs to have the word of God as his guide. And Christ being the Word Himself (John 1:1-3, 14) was very conversant with the scriptures and used them as the need arose.

When the devil tempted Him in the wilderness, He used the word of God to defeat him - Luke 4:1-13. And when He was given the book of Isaiah to read, He knew the very place that talked about Him and His assignment on earth; these verses He read in the synagogue, introducing Himself and His mission to people - Luke 4:18-21

And when the Jews accused Jesus of blasphemy, He used the word of God to prove that He didn't blaspheme but only agreed with the word of God - John 10:33-36. Christ was born of the word and lived by the word.

8. Prayer

Prayer is the power house of any believer, and Jesus never played with it. Before He commenced His ministry full time, He engaged in forty days fasting and prayer, after which He returned in the power of the Holy Spirit - Luke 4:1-2, 14-15. And when He wanted to choose His twelve disciples, He prayed all night - Luke 6:12-13.

Furthermore, when it was time for Him to be crucified, He prayed so earnestly that His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground - Luke 22:44. And the bible recorded that an angel came and strengthened Him - Luke 22:43

Prayer was a channel of reinforcing Himself spiritually and a channel through which He received wisdom, instructions, guidance and directions from God. So, if Christ who is God needed to pray without ceasing, then we surely need to pray more.

9. Delegation

For you to succeed in your field or assignment, you need to learn to delegate some aspects of your work. Team work achieves more than what one man can do. Delegation helps you to achieve more within a shorter period and it gives excellent results.

Moses tried a one man's squad style and he and the people got tired easily. Jethro, his father in-law suggested delegation to him, which he heeded to and it worked out for him and the people - Exodus 18.

Jesus Christ also employed the delegation method in His ministry and this is why up till today the gospel is still being preached though Christ has returned to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God - Mark 16:19.

In Mark 6:7-13, Christ sent out the twelve two by two to go and preach the gospel. They went and people were saved, delivered and healed. Also, in Luke 10:1,

They were to go and prepare the cities for His coming so that the result would be more profound by the time He entered the cities. And they went and returned rejoicing that even demons were subject to them in His name - Luke 10:17.

10. Trust in no man

Jesus loved everyone but He did not put His trust in any man. The scripture says in John 2:24 -25, that Jesus didn't commit Himself to any man, because He knew all men and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.

There is no help in man; when his spirit departs, he returns to his earth and in that very day his plans perish - Psalm 146:3-4. Man is not reliable, he is like grass that is today and by tomorrow is no more. Man is naturally selfish, unstable and limited; putting your trust in him is to jeopardize your success.

Cursed is the man that puts his trust in man and makes flesh his strength; he will not see any good coming his way and he will dwell in parched places of the wilderness -Jeremiah 17:5-6. This connotes failure and Jesus wanted success. To put trust in man is to sign for failure.

Christ put all His trust in God, who is forever stable, unlimited and has all the power to keep His promises to Him. God is answerable to no man and depends on nobody for His operations. Blessed is the man that puts his trust in the Lord; he will be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; its leaf will be green and will not be anxious in the year of drought and it will not cease from yielding fruit - Jeremiah 17:7-8. That certainly is success!

Therefore trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths - Proverbs 3:5-6

In conclusion, Jesus Christ truly succeeded in His assignment on earth. He engaged in the above success secrets and His success knew no bounds; His success is still on and multiplying even though He is no more physically here on earth. You too can engage in these and enjoy success in life.

How Much Do You Believe The Kingdom Of God

Around one billion individuals claim Christianity. Christianity follows its inception and its convictions to the teachings of Jesus Christ, who existed very nearly 2,000 years prior. Yet it is a mystery that large portions of the followers to Christianity are not mindful of Jesus' main teachings. Therefore, it is once in a while announced. The heart and center of Jesus Christ's message was that the Kingdom of God would be created on earth. The pupils of Jesus clearly comprehended His message. References to the Kingdom of God€"or the Kingdom of Heaven, as the Gospel of Matthew typically alludes to it€"seem commonly in their works. Matthew alone contains 37 references. Together the four Gospels particularly say God's Kingdom 86 times notwithstanding other, sideways, references to it. The rest of the New Testament, from Acts through Revelation, specifies God's Kingdom commonly. The supporters perceived with gem clarity that, when Jesus discussed the Kingdom of God, He talked as far as a genuine government€"an organized, sorted out element with the very power of God behind it. Certain rulers who heard Christ's message perceived the political ramifications and saw His words as a danger to their energy. Disagreements regarding the Kingdom of God idea have excited religious exchanges for a considerable length of time. The issue has not been what the Bible says. Researchers and scholars realize that the instructing of the Kingdom of God is in the Bible. Over the last few hundreds of years another meaning of the Kingdom of God has cropped up. What did they close about the Kingdom of God? This common sort of philosophy is established in the thought that personal inclination is progressing. This perspective, be that as it may, is negated by both the Bible and common history. Man's numerous wars and barbarities particularly those in this bloodstained twentieth century€"challenge this perspective. Further, the Bible offers not the smallest indication that human force and inventiveness could ever make an honorable world. Unexpectedly, it demonstrates that man's mismanagement will bring humanity to the edge of annihilation Life brings numerous dissatisfactions and trials, testing our confidence in God's guarantees. A Christian defies these now and again. All entice us and occupy us from what ought to be our essential center in life€"to "look for first the kingdom of God and His exemplary nature" To Jesus and His trains, the term Kingdom of God implied an administration that would be created on earth. In showing the message of this Kingdom, Jesus was basically augmenting the focal subject of the Old Testament. The kingdom of God has long been a unique enigmatic presence among the beings on this earth and we are heading towards His abode in course of the activities of our life and not through any special methodology.

Biblical Believers

Many, if not all, believe in something or someone. Man is born to believe and worship someone because God created man to worship Him. Man is free to believe but to whom one must swear allegiance? How we do know we believe the right thing or the right person? Here are some guidelines that spell out the indicators to see whether we can be called Biblical Believers. A biblical believer is GENUINE when it comes to believing. "But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He rewards them that diligently seek him" (Hebrew 11:6). The initial contact with God is by grace through faith. When it comes to worshiping, a biblical believer is TRUE. Being true means in accordance with the actual state or conditions; conforming to or consistent with a standard. A biblical believer worships the true God, the God of the Bible. Jesus said that the hour comes, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth (John 4:23-24). A biblical believer is EXCELLENT when it comes to working. Mediocrity is never their standard. A biblical believer rarely settles for anything less than the best. A biblical believer adheres to this admonition, It is admonished to study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). When it comes to fighting a battle, a biblical believer is VICTORIOUS. The Bible declares that for everyone born of God is victorious and overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has conquered and overcome the world-our continuing, persistent faith in Jesus the Son of God (1 John 5:4). A biblical believer does not easily succumb to conflict and hostilities in life. They stand to fight and fight because the victory is sure. When laboring for Jesus Christ, a biblical believer is FAITHFUL. They remain true up to end and longs to hear this commendation, "Well done, good and faithful servant: you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things: you enter into the joy of your Lord" (Matthew 25:21&22). When it comes to fellow shipping, they prefer to PRIORITIZE their relationship with Jesus Christ as best exemplified by Mary and Martha found in Luke 10: 40-42, While Martha was very busy and distracted with all of her serving responsibilities; she noticed her sister Mary sitting close with Jesus. She approached Him and requested Jesus to tell Mary to help her. But Jesus reprimanded Martha. Instead of telling Mary, she told Martha that Mary has chosen the good part that which is to her advantage, which will not be taken away from her. Mary is an example of one who do not allow busyness in life to get in the way of fellow shipping with Jesus Christ. Biblical believers FOCUS their love of God. They followed this truth to the letter, They do not allow the joys of this world to cloud the joys of heaven. They have fixed their eyes on Jesus who is the Author and Finisher of their faith. Another characteristic of a biblical believer is when they witness, it is POWERFUL. A true believer in Jesus Christ is one who entered into the relationship by faith and acknowledges that he is a workmanship of God. They acknowledge that the power is generated from God and not from them. When it comes to giving, they are GENEROUS AND CHEERFUL givers. These people believes that they are merely a reservoir of God's riches and so do not hoard their blessings. They believe that as they are blessed by God they should share their blessings to others. They are also winsome AMBASSADORS for Christ. They are representing a Divine kingdom and has set an example worthy of emulation. Finally, a biblical believer is a courageous WATCHMAN. A watchman blows the alarm when there is an impending danger. They are alert and responsive to God's still, small voice and may suffer being misunderstood but they stand steadfast to the truth. It's always advisable to set goals and targets. These indicators could be one of them. It will not only improve the quality of our lives, it will surely prepare us to meet our God. It is hoped that after assessing and evaluating ourselves, may we find ourselves one of the biblical believers in this present age. We want to improve our lives. We want to look good. The best look however springs from the inside and flows outside. The best example we can find are the people who made a strong and deep relationship with their Creator, Maker and Lord. Let us challenge ourselves to become these kind of people. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9169538

Is Kissing a Sin?

Kissing becomes a sin when you know so well in your heart, mind, body and soul that your thoughts regarding the person you practicing it with aren't so pure. Why do I say this? Now let's have a glance into the bible where we get to read the instructions of God as telling man not to harbor in their hearts lustful thoughts. The book of Matthew 5:28 outlines Gods instructions to man to abstain from any thought that leads to the committing of sin. 'But I say unto you, that whosoever looks at a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.' You don't necessarily have to get that physical with someone before you get to commit the sin of fornication with them. The more your thoughts of negativity outdo your whole being; you end up with no choice but to succumb to the desires of your flesh. To have that passionate attraction towards another in an impure manner is a definite way of committing to worldly pleasures which can be equated to sin. Kissing is not an exception as clearly seen here and its practice when leading one into stepping outside that boundary of being purely innocent, and entering that phase of becoming negative, filthy and impure, then automatically becomes a sin. The bible says that every sin a man commits is outside his body, but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18. Your whole emotion centered on kissing someone becomes sinful when you manage to cross the line of taking things too far and deep. Be not consumed by thoughts that defy your being and whole outlook as a Christian. Lust is clearly a sin and the bible never failed to hammer on this point of Christian growth and development. So the question isn't really concentrated on one just kissing, but it is about what you feel in your heart and your thoughts directed towards that person with which you doing it with. You need to go deep within yourself and really ascertain whether you are doing the right thing or not being the Christian you claim to be. Ask yourself these simple questions to help you in identifying where your fault lies when you practice this act. Do you have pure thoughts when kissing someone? Do you feel the urge and need to go further with that person aside the kissing aspect? If you answer positively to these questions, then by all means know that you are committing a grave sin when and if you kiss with a lustful mindset backing it. While not all kisses in relationships are sinful, there's the need to exercise caution in any relationship you find yourself in just so you don't go against the word of God and end up defiling your being. Absolute self-control is needed here if you ask me especially if you know you are the kind who can't seem to restrain from going further after initiating a kiss. Kissing, should not lead you to the point of committing a sin. Temptation arises when you allow yourself yield to lustful desires of the body and flesh.

I Never Knew You, Depart From Me - Who Is Jesus Talking to?

For many years I have pondered this verse in the book of Matthew. Who are these people who hear these words saying Jesus never knew them and that they have to depart from Him. It is a scary verse and I would never want those words said to me, so I have been wondering for many years what it meant. Now I feel I know what it means. Read with me. Jesus starts the discussion with some words that give us a key to interpret what He is saying in these verses. Matthew 7 13- 15 13 "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. 14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. 15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. The proper Christian life is best expressed by when Jesus said, we must deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. A life that does not have self-denial in it, is not one that is pleasing to Jesus. Jesus and the apostles talk a lot about how people who have wealth should really be careful about the way that they live their life. Paul warns that money can be the root of all types of sin. Jesus says you cannot serve God and money. Jesus tells a parable about the rich man and Lazarus pointing out that wealth can be a barrier to eternal life. We live in a world where the be rich, healthy and blessed Gospel is being preached and millions of Christians are being told that having the best that can bought in life is quite okay. People do not understand the truth of self-denial and sharing with the poor that Jesus and His apostles taught. There are millions of Christians headed down the broad way that leads to destruction. Many people do have any concept that focusing on the things of this world is a form of Idolatry. God will not stand for people whom are called by His name to have idols in their heart and people who preach that you can be rich and enjoy everything that takes your fancy are teaching you into error. Teachers that use the platform of a pulpit or write books saying that God wants you to be blessed without measure, without any form of self-denial and giving up some your wealth to the poor are the revenues wolves that are masquerading as sheep. The wolves prey on sheep. They eat sheep and in this case I am speaking about they are people who preach the prosperity gospel who teach you that if you give to them, that God will bless you a hundred-fold so you to can enjoy your wealth just like them. They preach something that does not work for anyone but them. They prey on their listeners and readers and people are so desperate to get ahead and prosper in life that they even go into debt on their credit cards to give to them. They preach a doctrine that people really want to hear and who really want to happen for them. Paul spoke about these teachers here when he said: 2 Timothy 4:2-4 2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. 3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; 4 and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. If you seek to be rich and give to God so that you will become rich, then I can assure you of something, God is not going to make you rich. You are believing fables and carefully worded stories. People want to be rich, have an expensive house, two to three cars and all the best that money can buy and they want God to bless them with it all. Yet Jesus said if we want to follow Him we must first deny ourselves and take up our cross and follow Him in the way that He lived. If you are really free with your money and give to the Lord because you love Him, and you give to missions and charities because you are full of love and want to see people blessed, then God is more persuaded to give you more money because He knows you won't change and you will still keep giving to worthy causes. False prophets don't just appear out of nowhere and lead people astray. We as selfish people who want everything for ourselves heap up to ourselves teachers that will say what we want to hear. Many of us are so selfish and yet cannot see that we are. Peter spoke of the false prophets saying that they speak great stories of emptiness( fables) and lead people away through people lusting for things of the flesh. 2 Peter 2:18 18 For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through lewdness, the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. It is almost scandalous! The fact that we could be saved by the grace of Jesus and then because we want to be materially rich and happy with the worldly trappings that brings be deceived through false prophets and teachers and end up losing our inheritance with Christ. In the Old Testament a false prophet was identified as a person that leads people to serve another God. In those days if a prophet was caught doing that, they were stoned to death. I put it to you that we have ravenous wolves in our churches preaching the prosperity doctrine that are teaching people to serve the lusts of the flesh and money today. These Charismatic and Pentecostal preachers may lead people to salvation, they may prophesy correctly and cast out demons, and yet they have a heart set on Mammon. These teachers are those that Jesus spoke about when He said. Matthew 7:21-23 21 "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9171269

Church of The Living God

The church of the living God is the center of all sorts of controversies and human opinions. Despite these, the house of God remains the most essential place in the life of a born again believer. I am fully aware that the Lord can meet us at any place that we set aside to seek him but this doesn't replace the house of God. Right from the Old Testament times when God wanted to speak to his people, they were always called to assemble in a chosen place for this purpose. The church is a place where believers dedicate unto God and come together on regular basis to worship God and have fellowship one with another. Here are six guiding principles of the church of the living God. 1. Grace is not abuse of divine institutions. There is so much discussion on grace in relationship to the church of the living God. It's important to understand that grace also call for accountability, order and stewardship. The casual attitudes of Christians towards God's house on the premise of grace is a dangerous phenomenon. The early church under the circumstances they operated on, still had a place they assembled together for worship and fellowship. We make excuses and substitutes but God still says, "My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people" The church of the living God is the ground and pillar of truth. 2. The desire for his church must be intentional and purposeful. There is no place that I rather be than the church - a place set aside holy unto the Lord for worship. It's been the center of my life for over forty one years. King Hezekiah immediately he ascended to the throne, set his heart to repair the house of God he restored sacrifices, set the priest in their rightful services and called the people back to the temple. See 2 Chronicles 29: 2-3 Once our desire towards the church of the living God is intentional and not by compulsion our services to God's house flow through us with joy. God prospered Hezekiah immensely when his heart was set to his house. See 2 chronicles 32: 27-10 3. The church of Christ is holy and endowed with his abiding presence. The Lord Jesus drove away those who turned the church into a place of merchandising. Yes there are those who abuse their power in the church for personal gains yet the church of the living God remains holy. What the Lord expects of us individually pertaining to holiness, the same is expected of his physical church which is the house of God. 4. A place of answered prayers. 1 Kings 2:22-56 It doesn't mean that the Lord cannot answer prayer in any other place but the church is a unique place set aside for corporate sacrifices unto him. We know that the Lord is a spirit and also omnipresent yet this house (the church) remain a place of prayer for all nations. When you walk into the church with a hungry heart, you can always feel the intensity of his presence. The church of the living God provides us that solitude for esteemed fellowship with the Lord in prayer. 5. A place of fellowship, friendship and caring. The Bible says except God builds his house (the church) the laborers work in vain. True Christianity come with a heart of compassion and there is no better place to demonstrate this than in the church of the living God. It starts from here and spreads to our communities and the world at large. 6. A place of rest, peace and unity. James 4:1-6 True peace abides in the church of the living God because his presence dwells there continually. The message of peace and unity are the brand in his church. The Bible says those that carry this message in the church are blessed. We must not forsake the church of the living God for any reason. It's in the church, that the fullness of Christ is rained down upon us, it pays to set our hearts and minds to the church than any other institution around. Dr. Ephraim John Udofia is the founder and Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Apostolic Ministries. International Mission-intensive ministry, both in foreign and home missions with currently over six churches in three countries. Dr. Udofia is the author of over seven life-changing books. He's passionately involved in church planting, crusades, conferences and ministers' training since the seventies. Dr. Udofia holds a Bsc. in Management, minor in accounting, an MBA, and Doctorate in Ministry (Dmin) with major in Missions. He is a former CEO of Precious Jewels Inc. for 19 years. Also a former banker and security representative holding both State and Federal licences. A financial counselor, motivational speaker, mentor, marriage counsellor and an outstanding dedicated family man. He is happily married with five grown children. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7080361

The Power of Abiding in God's Love

Can you imagine the wonders of abiding in God's love? In a world full of wickedness, abiding in the love of God is the escape route from being a victim of wickedness. God is committed to protecting those who abide in Him. This article explains why you should dwell in the love of the Lord. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love - John 15:10 (NKJV) Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him - John 14:23 (NKJV) He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust." Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence - Psalm 91:1-3 (NKJV) Many people have done so many things in order to protect themselves from the wickedness in this world but to no avail. Some of the things they do give temporary protection while others disappoint woefully. But abiding in the love of God never disappoints! Abiding in God's love not only gives you the good things of life and ultimately eternal life in heaven, but also makes you untouchable by the enemy (Psalm 105:15). Surely, they will try but they will fall for your sake (Isaiah 54:15) What does it mean to abide in the love of the Lord? It is to keep God's commandments, His words (John 15:10). It's letting God's words dwell richly in you to the point of it guiding you in what you think, say or do. It's letting His words be a lamp unto your feet and light unto your path (Psalm 119:105) The power of abiding in God's love When you keep God's words, you commit the Godhead to come and make their home with you and manifest themselves to you (John 14:21, 23). And when you are God's dwelling place, who will dare to attack you and succeed. When God makes His home with you and He is in charge of your life by His words, the Lord becomes the owner of the house of your life and will be the one to answer any knock on the door of your life and not you. Can you imagine what will happen to the enemy when he knocks on the door of your life and the door opens and he sees God and not you? Psalm 91 gives a download of the safety in dwelling in God's presence. You come under God's protection He becomes your refuge and fortress He delivers you from every trap and pestilence of the enemy You will no more be afraid of any evil whether in the day or night Wickedness may be happening all around you but none will come near you No evil will befall you, nor will any plague come near your dwelling; God will give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways; they will bear you up, so that you don't dash your foot against a stone. God will set you on high and answer you any time you call upon Him In times of trouble, He will be with you. He will deliver and honour you He will satisfy you with long life and show you His salvation. In conclusion, if you are wondering how to protect yourself from the wickedness in this world, know that the answer is not farfetched from you. Only keep God's words, abide in His love and you commit God to protecting you absolutely. And the bible is the word of God. Ngozi Nwoke is a teacher, speaker and a counselor. She has a passion to teach people how to enjoy peace, God's love and christian living for more fulfilling life. Want more fulfilling life? Subscribe for free email updates today. http://stepswithgod.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9182681

We Are Never Too Old To Serve God

It's not surprising that all of us seniors recognize our advancing age. We need only to climb a flight of stairs, or to move an ottoman, or (gads) to look into a mirror to realize that we're no longer that twenty-year-old youth able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. That's normal, though, and perfectly okay. But we're mistaken to wrongly accept the notion that our best years are behind us. Lest we forget, Ronald Reagan became President of the United States at the age of seventy-two and served brilliantly in that office for two full terms. And we need only to look at the Apostle John to realize that we are never too old to be of service to God; and perhaps have yet to contribute our most awesome accomplishment as a Christian for His purposes. So let's consider the Apostle John's ministry in his later years as proof that we senior Christians, despite our age and adverse circumstances, are never forgotten or overlooked by God for future service due to our age. The Apostle John, as you know, was the young fisherman that faithfully followed Christ as a disciple throughout His three-year public ministry and then later wrote the Fourth Gospel and three Epistles in the New Testament that bear his name. In other words, John was extremely fruitful throughout his lifetime. So when Rome banished him to the remote island of Patmos for his testimony of Christ, the ninety-year John could have easily considered his work and ministry finished. But that wasn't God's intention for the aged Apostle because he was chosen to record and distribute the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Okay, now think about that a moment. This was not teenager John who first became a Christian; this was old man John who was long past what might be considered a practical age for such an arduous task as to record the most complete future installment of God ever beheld by a man. In fact, we might regard John as an unlikely selection for the same reason we tend to disqualify ourselves. Given our age group, where strength of body and mind has been declining for decades, it just seems improbable that our most rewarding years to serve God are yet to come. Nonetheless, if we refute the cunning devices of the devil and the vain philosophies of our culture, and instead make ourselves wholeheartedly available to the Lord to accomplish His own wise and holy ends, we are correct to anticipate future rewarding years of service. An elderly Christian woman once said to me, "My body has aged, but the Spirit inside me has not aged." She surely got it. That the Holy Spirit is not subject to whatever the ravages of time have done to our flesh so He will continue to empower us to exalt the glory of Jesus Christ as long as we have breathe. How God will manifest this in us is known only to Him. But rest assured by the witness of others that a failing body has nothing to do with Spiritual matters; and that each of us seniors, regardless of our age, are still amply qualified as a servant of God who still has more to offer Christ and others. "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Ephesians 2:20). Dear Senior, if you've been seating in the stands wrongly convinced that you're too old to serve God, confess it immediately. Offer yourself back to our Heavenly Father and allow Him to complete all that He's ordained for you. Jesus will be blessed, others will be blessed, and you will be blessed by your faithfulness. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9127461

Paul's Guide to the Christian Life

Years ago, a prominent minister once had a very eccentric man in his congregation who was trying to be a zealous Christian. Unfortunately, the man usually did the wrong thing. The man was a barber. One day he was lathering up a customer for a shave. He came at the man with a razor in his hand and said, "Sir, are you prepared to meet your God?" The customer was scared out of his senses, jumped up and fled the barbershop with lather on his face! (Pause, esp. if the congregation laughs) In the reading we just heard from Ephesians 5:15-20, Paul gives general instructions about how Christians are to live holy lives. He calls on Christians in Ephesus to imitate the life of Christ, and he calls on us to do the same thing today. For example, we must take advantage of every opportunity to do good works. Just as Christ emptied himself of his deity to come to earth to minister to us, we are to empty ourselves of our worldly lives and habits to serve others. As believers we must live our lives very carefully. We must put each step of our lives exactly where it belongs. The path of Christian living and holiness isn't always clear until we study God's Word. Our lives must be seen as constant conversations with God. In order to discern his holy will, we need wisdom, especially in our sin-filled world. The only way to gain that wisdom is to study God's Word all of the time. When we understand what God wants us to do we can go out into the world and share both the Good News of the Gospel and Christ's love to a hurting world that desperately needs to hear words of hope and see those words put into action. As children of God, we are to imitate God. We are to do what God would do, including loving our enemies. We are to be active participants in worship, and not merely spectators. We want to move in and out of God's plan for redemption, but it can't be so. We must expose the darkness of our sin-filled world to the light of Christ's love. We must use the wisdom of God's Word to make our conduct consistent with our faith. Sometimes it's easy for us to allow our eagerness to get in the way of common sense. Sometimes we are in a situation where emotions are high, such as after the death of a loved one. It's at times like this when we feel the need to say something about Jesus, but that would be a mistake. The best way to minister in that situation is simply to be there and love the person who is experiencing loss. That does not mean that we are to curb our enthusiasm for spreading the Good News. We have much to do and not enough time to do it. God has numbered our days. Because our lifetimes are limited, we need to view each day as a precious gift to be lived wisely and according to God's will, which is laid out in the Bible. Wine is a short-lived ecstasy that is destructive but the Holy Spirit is a genuine ecstasy that is creative and uplifting. It's no secret that bars and taverns draw more people than the church. In fact, most sinful, earthly pleasures draw more people than the church. These earthly pleasures give short-term pleasure and long-term pain. The vitality of the Holy Spirit brings permanent pleasure and meaning. It truly lifts people out of themselves into a higher mood in which they can commune with God and understand his will. We need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We have to depend on him every minute of every day. We are to make the most of our time on earth fulfilling God's purposes. We must take up every possible opportunity for worship and service. In other words, we must continually live under the Holy Spirit's influence by letting God's Word control our lives. Just like a person drunk with wine gives control of his/her life to inebriation, the Christian who is filled with the Holy Spirit gives over control of his/her life to the Holy Spirit. The command is in the present tense, which indicates that being filled with the Holy Spirit is not a once-for-all experience but a continuous one. Spirit-filled Christians exhibit the characteristic of speaking, singing, making melody with instruments, giving thanks and submitting. To be filled with the Spirit is to be filled with joy and gratitude. The only way to be filled with the Spirit is to eat what wisdom and the bread of life (aka Jesus) have set before us. Once we are filled with the Holy Spirit we have to pay attention to how we spend our time. We must spend our time on eternal things instead of spending time on worldly things. We are to spend our time imitating God by doing God's work in our world. We must do God's work with a sense of urgency. We are living in a time between the start of God's reign and its completion when Jesus returns. We must have a sense of urgency because Jesus could return at any time. During this time, our duties to God must include singing and thanksgiving. Our Christian faith is not to be used to escape the world. It is a sanctuary for strength and renewal, but it is also a staging ground for the battle against the forces of evil. We can't relax our witness or lower ourselves to the moral standards of our world. We must never take our eyes off of Jesus. We need to tread carefully in our sin-filled world so that we won't stumble and fall. We need to take each step cautiously, and we need to take each step with Jesus by our side. In order to discern God's will, we must not neglect prayer, Scripture reading or worship. Through these we listen to the Word, and we talk with the Lord and with others who are talking and walking with God. As we go through this process, we clarify God's will. Life is short. In fact, it could end at any time. It is so short that when we get to heaven we might be amazed that our lives went by so quickly. There are timeless moments that must be lived right now. These moments can be as small and precious as smiling at your waiter or waitress in a restaurant or saying "God bless you" to the grocery store cashier. We must make the most of every moment of every day, and the best way to do that is to love and serve God in each and every way each and every day. Everything we do in our lives is a chance to bring the mind of Christ to bear on the reality of our world. The only way to do this is to think ahead to what's happening next in our lives and stay in a prayerful frame of mind. We must learn to understand the mind of Christ so we can let his thoughts, words and teachings guide and direct our decisions and actions. He can even use our problems as opportunities for us to trust him more. Before we can be filled with the Holy Spirit, we must want to be filled with the Holy Spirit. We must remove anything that hinders us from being filled with the Holy Spirit. Being with the Holy Spirit is to be under his control moment-by-moment. If we want our lives to count for something, we must make God's will a main priority in our lives. Our world needs to know what God wants us to do. God wants us to live our lives with purpose. When the Holy Spirit lives in us, our lives will reflect the love of Christ. Faith begins when we know God's will. Without understanding God's will, we can't have faith in what he wants us to do in our lives. When we understand his will, we are wise. The way of wisdom involves a life filled with the Holy Spirit. It involves adopting the attitudes of joy, gratitude, humility and respect. It's a way of life defined by showing God's grace and mercy to others. Just think of how much better our world would be if everyone loved God and loved people. As the old song goes, what a wonderful world it would be. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9135453

Why You Need To Go To Church In This Present Age

Why would you not want to go to church? Do you need encouragement before you can attend church services? There are one thousand and one reasons why people, including "Christians" don't go to church. But despite their reasons, God still desires that His people go to church and He has packaged great blessings for those who will obey Him. This article gives the benefits of going to church. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching - Hebrews 10:25 (NKJV) But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel - Hebrews 12:22-24 (NKJV) The house of God (church) is an appointed place to meet with God and the hosts of heaven (Hebrews 12:22-24). It is also a house of prayer, as Jesus reminded those who were buying and selling in the temple (Matthew 21:13), and prayer is a two-way communication with God. God meets with His people in the church. His name is designated on every living church and his eyes and heart are always there - 2 Chronicles 7:16. The Scriptures in Hebrews 10:25 admonishes that you shouldn't forsake the assembling of Christians (which is done in churches), most especially as the day of the Lord draws near. And I tell you it is more crucial now than then, because the Day is nearer than that time! Yes, you can read your bible and pray in your house, and watch men of God preach on the television or internet but it is never the same compared to when you are in the house of God, otherwise Paul wouldn't have stressed the need to go to church. You go to church not just to meet with your fellow Christians but also to meet with God the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit and other hosts of heaven. An understanding of this fellowship with God and the heavenly beings will change your perspective towards going to church. It will make you to go with great expectation and you will never need to be encouraged again to go to church. So, what are the benefits? Encounter with beauty When you go to the house of God, (Zion, which also means where God dwells - Psalm 74:2) you encounter beauty - Psalm 48:1-2, Psalm 50:2. You encounter beauty of unity and the glory of God. If you are in the spirit, you will encounter the beauty of God, from the opening prayer, through the Word time to the closing prayer and you will leave the church most satisfied, desiring to return again and again. King David couldn't help expressing the beauty in God's house that he declared in Psalm 84:1 how lovely God's house is and how his soul longed and fainted for the courts of the Lord. Strength The house of God is a source of strength, for they go from strength to strength as many as appear before God in Zion - Psalm 84:7. You can't be in church spirit, soul and body and return weak. It is a service center where you are attended to; spirit, soul and body. When you encounter the Almighty God, you are strengthened. As iron sharpens iron, so God sharpens the countenance of everyone that appears in His house - Proverbs 27:17 Joy Another benefit of going to church is joy. In the presence of God there is fullness of Joy and at His right hand pleasures forever more - Psalm 16:11. The joy of the lord is contagious. You can't be in God's house and not contact the joy of the Lord, and remember it is your strength - Nehemiah 8:10. Joy is one of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and so encounter with the Holy Spirit in the house of God is also an encounter with joy. Wisdom, knowledge and understanding The house of God is also a place where you gather wisdom, knowledge and understanding - Psalm 73:17. These three always go together - Proverbs 24:3, Ephesians 1:17-18 and Daniel 1:17 and they are given by God. So, church where God dwells is a perfect place to receive them. Many times, I have entered the church with questions about certain things quite disturbing in my spirit but I always left with better knowledge and understanding of such issues, coupled with the wisdom to handle them. The Lord prepares a word for me via the mouth of His servant on such occasions. Answered prayers God answers prayers in the church. It is a house of prayer (Isaiah 56:7) and God does not store these prayers, He answers them. Hannah went to pray in the temple and she returned with her answers - 1 Samuel 1:10-20. God hears prayer and so people go to church to pray (Psalm 65:1), and if you know that He hears you, then whatsoever you ask according to His will, you will surely receive - 1 John 5:14-15 King David understood these benefits and maximized it greatly as is evident in the scriptures in the book of Psalms. The enemy has an idea of these benefits and will do anything to keep you away from church. He will even tell you that watching men of God on television or the internet is the same or even better than going physically to church. Be wise and resist the devil. Even our Lord Jesus Christ and the apostles never missed going to the synagogue as church was called then. Luke 4:16 says that it was the custom of Jesus Christ to go into the synagogue on Sabbath days. So what will be your excuse now? Ngozi Nwoke is a teacher, speaker and a counselor. She has a passion to teach people how to enjoy peace, God's love and christian living for more fulfilling life. Want more fulfilling life? Subscribe for free email updates today. http://stepswithgod.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9044740

The Suffering of Christians: Should True Believers Experience a Trouble-Free Life?

Once a person becomes a Christian by trusting in Jesus Christ alone for salvation and eternal life, would he or she experience less suffering in the world? Answer: Being a Christian will bring more suffering of one kind, and less suffering of another kind into our lives. What it will not bring is no suffering. The kind of suffering that a Christian will not experience (or experience less of) is the suffering that is the result of living a lifestyle of sin. For example, if we obey the Bible's commandment to love others as we love ourselves, we will not commit crimes that would send us to jail, such as stealing, kidnap, rape, and murder. If we heed God's Word to stay away from adultery, fornication, and other sexual sins, we would avoid unwanted pregnancies, STDs, a soiled reputation, and hurt feelings. Ultimately and most importantly, true Christians will avoid the ultimate punishment and suffering: an eternal guilty verdict from Yahweh God on Judgment Day. Those who refuse to accept Jesus as their only Savior will be sentenced to eternal death, never to be resurrected again. The kind of suffering that a Christian will experience is the suffering for Jesus' name and for living according to God's will. Jesus said, "If the world hates you, you know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because you are not of the world, since I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." (John 15:18-19, WEB) During his earthly ministry, Jesus was heavily persecuted because he openly exposed and rebuked the hypocrisy and evil deeds of the religiously self-righteous. It was for this reason that he was falsely accused and convicted during an illegal trial held in the wee hours of the morning, and then was wrongly executed hours later (little did his murderers know that Jesus' death was actually a God-purposed sacrifice that would open the door to eternal life for those who believed in him). If we whole-heartedly follow Jesus our Lord by teaching the righteousness he taught and correcting people's sins, it's no surprise if we would be persecuted the same way. In actuality, if we have never experienced persecution as a Christian, then we must wonder: are we really living up to our title as a Christian? When our culture conflicts with God's principles, do we live by our cultural standards or God's? When our spouses, parents, friends, and co-workers tell us to do something that is against God's commandments, whom do we obey? If our allegiance is to principles and laws that conflict with God's, then we will certainly be loved and viewed as successful by the world's standards, all the while not realizing that we are actually people most miserable in the sight of God. If we want to be true Christians--people who are Christians by their deeds, not merely their words--we are guaranteed to suffer for righteousness' sake, because when we, as the light of the world, expose the works done in darkness, those who work in the dark will hate us, "for everyone who does evil hates the light, and doesn't come to the light, lest his works would be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his works may be revealed, that they have been done in God." (John 3:20-21) To sum it up: True Christians will experience innocent suffering for Jesus' name. This is to be expected. If Christians don't experience persecution, then there's something wrong. Jesus said, "Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you." (Matthew 5:11-12) So, if you're a Christian, "don't be astonished at the fiery trial which has come upon you, to test you, as though a strange thing happened to you. But because you are partakers of Christ's sufferings, rejoice; that at the revelation of his glory you also may rejoice with exceeding joy. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed; because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." (1 Peter 4:12-14) Learn the Entire Bible in Depth from Genesis to Revelation via E-mail Would you like to know your Creator, understand your origin, and fulfill your purpose? Do you desire to obtain true, enduring wealth, happiness, and wisdom? Then embark on your path to wisdom by learning about your Creator and His will from His Word, the Bible, and apply His principles to your life, as the fear of Yahweh God is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). Obtain an in-depth knowledge of the Holy Scriptures (both the Tanakh and the Greek Scriptures) by signing up for the free virtual class at http://www.ultra-ability.com

The Power Of Giving-A Must Have Key For a Prosperous Life

How much of the giving power do you have? The wisdom of giving cannot be over-emphasized. How disposed you are to giving determines your level of prosperity. A giving person will always enjoy a prosperous life. This article gives the relationship between giving and a prosperous life.

There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty- Proverbs 11:24 (KJV)

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again - Luke 6:38 (KJV)

I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive - Acts 20:35 (KJV)

The world system says hold back as much as you can but God says give as much as you can if you want to prosper. This is most common in the area of finances. But I am happy to point out now that the world is learning to adopt God's own principles for a prosperous life.

All round prosperity can never be complete without giving. The more you give the more you receive. What you make to happen for another, God will make to happen for you. Certainly what you sow, you will reap.

What can you give? You may be saying now, that you don't have to give. But you do! You can give love, your time and energy, money, your knowledge and skill, hospitality, your possessions, etc. So, can you see what you can give now?

The power of giving never leaves the possessor empty. He is the first beneficiary. The benefits are enormous and encompass the spirit, soul and the body of the individual, which results to prosperous life. For example, you have joy when you share whatever you have with another. When you put a smile on someone's face, you inevitably do so also on your face.

It has been proven that if you are depressed and you go and help another depressed person, your spirit gets lifted too. Also, when you share a useful knowledge or skill, you tend to learn more. Furthermore, when you help anyone in need, God sends help to you when you are in need too.

It is more blessed to give than to receive. You don't wait to receive first before you give. No! You have to initiate it first. A farmer does not receive any harvest before he plants his seeds. One thing is certain; your harvest will be more than your seeds.

Consider our father, the God almighty, He gave His only son Jesus and He reaped and is still reaping multitude of saints. Also, mother Theresa gave love and reaped among other things joy, honour and fame. Again, Bill Gate gave his time and knowledge and reaped a lot, financial prosperity inclusive. The power of giving is amazing!

Furthermore, my mother offered our house to many people for different reasons and when we, her children, needed accommodations, people were eager to offer their houses to us. In addition, I derive joy and fulfilment sharing my knowledge by writing articles and publishing them. When someone is blessed by them, I get blessed too.

A prosperous life is impossible without the power of giving. You don't have to go far to give what you have. That person near you needs it. Receive the giving grace today.

Ngozi Nwoke is a teacher and a counselor. She has a passion to teach people how to enjoy peace, God's love and christian living for more fulfilling life. Want more fulfilling life? Subscribe for free email updates today. http://stepswithgod.com

A Christianity WITHOUT Christ?

Christianity, in its pure Gospel form, is in a right old mess today. We have famous, celebrity-styled, household-named so-called ministers (no names mentioned) of the 'gospel' preaching that "there is no hell, so it's technically okay to sin" and messages being taught that leave out Jesus. Sorry for my rant but " minister, my Bible is all about Jesus, from Genesis to revelation and without 'Christ' in Christianity, you have no Christianity, Christianity is Jesus Christ" - End Time Evangelist. Don't agree? Well "what would Jesus say?" Jesus always stuck with the 'Word' (the Bible), He quoted from it, taught from it and spoke from it," therefore as the Bible says in that we are meant to 'imitate Christ' and behave like Christ, then we too then, should 'stick with the Word.' Let's look at a Christianity with 'Jesus' NOT in it (+ what the Gospel ACTUALLY says) we would have no saviour! ('For God so loved the world, He gave His only son. 'John 3:16) We would have no one to take the sacrificial penalty for sins and we would always be guilty, meaning no forgiveness ever! we would be condemned to hell for our sins ('There is no condemnation to those in Christ Jesus.' Romans 8:1. 'In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace, that he lavished on us.' Ephesians 1:7) Getting into heaven would be based upon us being absolutely perfect, which is impossible. We would never see God or enter heaven ('No one can come to the Father except through Me.' John 14:6) We could never be 'born again' and have a new start ('You must be born-again' John 2:3, 'You are a new creation in Christ Jesus' 2 Corinthians 5:17) We would have no help in our lives ('I can do all things through Christ Jesus, who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13) We would have no one to follow, to guide us, to encourage us or learn from. ( ' just as Christ suffered for you, He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.' 1 Peter 2:21) We wouldn't be loved by our creator. ('Greater love has no one than this, tan to lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13) We wouldn't be righteous. (God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God 2 Corinthians 5:21. 'It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30). These are just a few of the many reasons that without 'Christ' in Christianity, there is no access to salvation and no hope of salvation, just an expectant of an eternity in hell. Jesus himself says in John 14:5: 'I am the way, the truth and the life! He, CHRIST JESUS, not us, make us holy, makes us sanctified, righteous, redeemed, cleansed, makes us whole, makes us delivered, forgives our sins, sets us free, protects us, guides us, loves us etc, etc, etc and gives us hope and eternal life! Think about that, next time pastor 'so and so' tells you different. I don't care who he/she is - 'But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that person be condemned' (Galatians 1:8). Always check it out in God's Word, as HIS word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119:105) Remember Jesus in your Christianity, because without knowing Him, you will never see the Father in heaven (Matthew 7:21-23). Jesus is Christianity, without Him you have no Christianity or can even call yourself a 'Christian!'. Imitate Him in your walk, get to KNOW HIM and the power of His resurrection! (Philippians 3:10)

Why Christians need to be Teachable

Recently I wrote a book claiming that homosexuals were made by God. It was not a surprise when many religious book reviewers picked up my book and refused to believe what I wrote about God supernaturally intervening on my side: Was True! They even claimed they liked my true life story, but they were not changed by it. Instead they expressed displeasure with the church that ran me out of town and made my life a living hell. Of course they would have never did to me what my church did to me! They ignored the scriptures I used to support the homosexual lifestyle, instead they held tightly to biblical scriptures believing their literally meaning against the homosexual lifestyle is true. Many of the Christian book reviewers were mad and claimed I had tricked them into reading my book because I didn't plainly state that it was a book about homosexuality. I couldn't believe what they wrote. They were clearly prejudiced against homosexuals. They were like the Pharisees and teachers of the Law in the Bible. They listened to the messages Jesus spoke during their time but they refused to believe that what Jesus said was true.
Matthew 23:1-5a: Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples. The teachers of the Law and the Pharisees are the authorized interpreters of Moses' Law. So you must obey and follow everything they tell you to do; do not, however, imitate their actions, because they don't practice what they preach. They tie onto people's backs loads that are heavy and hard to carry, yet they aren't willing even to lift a finger to help them carry those loads. They do everything so that people will see them.'
Another thing I noticed about these righteous book reviewers is that all of them came together and gave me a three star review or less. Yet they all said the book was well written. It wasn't surprising when two of the reviews got the facts wrong about Eric. He is not a minister. His father was a minister. If they can't remember one of the main characters job descriptions then it must be too much for them to understand scriptures that state that God is love!
Matthew 23: 13-15: How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You lock the door to the Kingdom of heaven in people's faces, but you yourselves don't go in, nor do you allow in those who are trying to enter!
How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You sail the seas and cross whole countries to win one convert; and when you succeed, you make him twice as deserving of going to hell as you yourselves are!'
I wrote a very controversial book about what happened to me. It told of how the Southern Baptist Church rose up to fight against me and how they took away my children even when I was proven in court to be the better parent. It was a book that had much more than the homosexual lifestyle in it. It presented the world as a complex game of life. It is a life game that teaches people the difference between good and bad; love and evil; God against Satan. I wrote this book to help Christians to look at their lives differently. I wanted them to not judge what they didn't understand. I believed that if they were educated about the correct scriptures concerning homosexuals that they would stop the hate and love.
Matthew 23: 23: How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You give to God one tenth even of the seasoning herbs, such as mint, dill, and cumin, but you neglect to obey the really important teachings of the Law, such as justice and mercy and honesty. These you should practice, without neglecting the others.'
Homosexual teenagers are killing themselves because of the persecution they go through in school and church. Homosexuals are giving up church altogether because the churches they went to in childhood refuse to acknowledge their long time partners. Homosexuals are being denied justice in the courts. Their children are being ripped from their arms. They are being persecuted and mistreated by people who are denying them the ability to lawfully marry.
Matthew 23: 29-31,How terrible for you, teachers of the Law and Pharisees! You hypocrites! You make fine tombs for the prophets and decorate the monuments of those who lived good lives; and you claim that if you had lived during the time of your ancestors, you would not have done what they did and killed the prophets. So you actually admit that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets.'
God called me to write this book. He held my hand and gave me the strength to stand up to those who took away my children and made my life a living hell. Everything I owned was taken from me. I was jailed and homeless. I was persecuted for being the person God made me to be. God loved me and my family when no one else would. I am afraid for the book reviewers and all Christians who refuse to believe my story. When you refuse to believe because it is easier to hold onto the popular belief that homosexuality is wrong then you become unteachable. Good people are killed, like Martin Luther King. Without him African Americans would not have the rights they have today. Susan B Anthony would have never been given a voice to free women and give them the equal rights they needed in order to survive in a man's world.
Matthew 23: 34 & 35a: And so I tell you that I will send you prophets and wise men and teachers; you will kill some of them, crucify others, and whip others in the synagogues and chase them from town to town. As a result, the punishment for the murder of all innocent men will fall on you,'
Education comes from reading stories that make us think differently. We must be open minded so we are teachable. We don't want to be the persecutors. We need to be the followers of Martin Luther King when society believed he was wrong. We need to be the Susan B. Anthony's that brought about a better life for women when society believed she was wrong. We need to read and not judge before we even open the book to find out why persecuting homosexuals for love is clearly wrong. Dare to take a stand for what may be unpopular in many churches today. Dare to read:I Want to Know My Future. Do not be an unteachable Christian!

Wedding Commitments That Are Christian

All the planning and preparation has led up to this sacred moment. The Bride and Groom say their "I dos". Then they repeat their Christian Wedding Promises to each other, and the minister pronounces them to be husband and wife.

The words they speak are described as Christian WeddingVows, but what makes them particularly Christian. Are they sanctified by an ecclesiastical authority? Have they been handed down by Almighty God on tablets of stone? I do not think so.

Vows are statements of promise or pledge. Essentially they are commitments from Groom to Bride and Bride to Groom. They define what each brings and offers to the other. Partly because a Minister officiates, they are called Christian Special Event Vows. It is not quite that simple, however.

The history behind Christian Special Event Vows is quite interesting. A quick glance at American History reveals the dominance of the Church of England or Episcopal Church as it came to be known. The structure and format of Christian Nuptial Promises can be traced back to these religious traditions regardless of their contemporary variations.

You may attend a Methodist or Baptist or even a Pentecostal church, but when it comes to your promises made during your Special Event ceremony; they are all classified as Christian Special Event Promises and derive from the same original church roots. You may find variations, but they can still be Christian Special Event Vows.

The core content of these Christian Special Event Commitments arise from the Biblical record and views of marriage. This includes the special roles of husband and wife in the marriage relationship. The Christian Wedding Promises affirm these Biblical values and perspectives.

When we retrace the Biblical record and teachings concerning marriage, we find some very definitive view of what marriage should be. For example, in Genesis the first book of the Bible, God makes Adam - the first man. He commissions Adam to have dominion over creation, to name the animals, and later to work the ground to provide sustenance. He is also instructed to lead and protect his wife Eve.

Therefore in Christian Special Event Vows, the Groom pledges to take responsibility in the marriage relationship to provide the essentials of life, to protect his bride and family, and to lead his home according to the principles and values of the church. This self sacrificing and giving approach to the marriage relationship assures that the wife feels loved and together they can face the challenges of life.

Eve is made according to the Bible from the rib of Adam to be a companion and helpmate,. The role of a wife then becomes one of helping, working with, sharing with, being with her husband as a companion enjoying mutual love, work, and family mission. Her special role is the giver of life and the mothering of children. It is especially noteworthy that from the beginning, the Bible decrees mutuality between husband and wife. Had woman been made from a foot, she would be trodden down. Had she been made from a hand, she would have been used. Had she been made from a head, she would have dominated. Instead, God ordained that she be companion.

When the Weddingis officiated by a representative of the church such as a minister, and the promises made advance the traditions and views of the church, and the couple affirms Biblical values; the exchange is describes as Christian Special Event Vows.

The core nature of marriage is lifted up in Christian Special Event Vows, and you can see many different samples of Promises and pledges that are valuable as Christian Nuptial Vows.

Dr. David Trumble is a Wedding Minister in Austin, Texas with over 30 years of ministry experience. Christian Wedding Vows and Personal Wedding Vows are featured with other sample wedding vows and resources available online. Click the link so you can download your own free ebook - Dr Ts Top Ten Wedding Tips, and Wedding How Tips Ezine.

How Can Christians Apply the Law of Attraction?

If you are reading this, chances are high that you have watched 'The Secret'. The basic premise of this movie is the law of attraction. Simply put, this means that you get what you put out or, like attracts like. How can Christians apply the law of attraction? The good news is that the law of attraction does not contradict with the teachings of Christianity. As a Christian, you already believe in God. In other words, you are aware that there is a higher power at work; in fact, God is the source to all things that you see. Fortunately for us all, this law organizes everything effortless. We just have to be ourselves. We may sometimes fool ourselves into thinking that we have created something; however, it is more accurate to say that it is the law of attraction that has organized it to our summoning. Essentially, it all begins with you. What you think about or meditate on is what you create. The Bible says as a man thinks in his heart so is he. These are not judgments at all; just the way the universe works, whether you understand it or not. One simple way that you can start using the law of attraction is to begin with an intention. An intention is something that you want or would like to see happen in your life. How do you know if the intention is right for you? By the way you feel. God said if our hearts do not condemn us that we have confidence towards God, meaning, we are in alignment with God's plan for us. It also means that there is nothing standing in between us and God's blessings. When you are feeling good and at peace in your heart, rest assured that you are headed in the right direction. When you are feeling bad or lacking peace, you may be going the opposite way or your plans may not be alignment with what God has for you. I use my feelings quite often to determine what direction I should take. One time I was going to buy a car, but everything inside of me was screaming, "don't buy it." There was no visible reason not too and I had even had the car checked out by a mechanic beforehand. Unfortunately, I didn't listen to my inner spirit and bought it anyway. It was one of the worst regrets of my life because that car gave me nothing but problems. If only I would have listened to my spirit or inner feelings. If you have taken the time to notice, it is not really the things, people or circumstances that make it better or worst for you. It has more to do with where you place your attention and this, you have absolute control over. You don't control your feelings either because that is just a feedback mechanism for you; meaning, your emotions are like a signal letting you know what's going on in your head. How can Christians apply the law of attraction? By utilizing their feelings in order to direct the attention of the mind. Thank goodness that every individual on the planet actually has access to these things, free-of-charge; some just do not know that they have it in them.