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Seven Reasons Why Problems Pass from Fathers to Sons

Be careful how you criticize your daddy because the devils that fought your daddy will one day fight you. They are just waiting for you to grow up.

Whether you like it or not, one day, you will have to fight“your daddy’s devil”.

One man of God said to me, “People want to retire me! They want me to be removed from my position in this nation. They think I have too many problems.”

He said something I will not easily forget: “When I amgone, the ‘thing’ that was fighting me will begin to fight them.”

This is an eternal principle and it will be wise to grow up and understand it quickly. Many sons have had to swallow their words as they walked into their father’s footsteps and made the exact same mistakes. Notice how this happened with Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, and Solomon.

A son who criticizes his father usually inherits his father’s problems and devils. Being critical of a person opens you up to the person’s problems for a number of reasons.

Seven Reasons Why Problems Can Pass from Fathers to Sons

1. Problems pass from fathers to the sons who murmur and criticize.

Murmuring and criticizing is a sin and sins open the door to evil spirits.

Evil spirits operate in the darkness of sin. There are sons who criticize their father and pay heavily for it.

The evil spirit of incurable sickness attached itself to Miriam when she criticized Moses.

The evil spirit of death and destruction fell upon the Israelites when they murmured against Moses. None of them passed into the Promised Land.

Similarly, the spirit of demotion, affliction, inferiority andmediocrity came upon Ham when he despised his father. Noah was disgraced and embarrassed by the exposure of his nakedness. But now, Ham and his descendants would be disgraced and embarrassed by the mediocrity of their lives.

And MIRIAM AND AARON SPAKE AGAINST MOSES because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.

And they said, Hath the LORD indeed spoken only byMoses? Hath he not spoken also by us? And the LORDheard it.

(Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

And the LORD spake suddenly unto Moses, and unto Aaron, and unto Miriam, Come out ye three unto the tabernacle of the congregation. And they three came out.

And the LORD came down in the pillar of the cloud, and stood in the door of the tabernacle, and called Aaron and Miriam: and they both came forth.

And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.

My servant Moses is not so, who is faithful in all mine house.

With him will I speak mouth to mouth, even apparently, and not in dark speeches; and the similitude of the LORD shall he behold: wherefore then were ye not afraid to speakagainst my servant Moses?

And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed.

And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, MIRIAM BECAME LEPROUS, WHITE AS SNOW: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, shewas leprous.

Numbers 12:1-10

Problems pass from fathers to the sons who mock at their fathers and bring upon themselves a curse.

Seven Reasons Why Problems Pass from Fathers to Sons

Mocking a father attracts a well-known biblical curse in which birds pluck out the eyes of children.

There are sons who mock at their fathers. Even having a despising attitude brings a curse. A son who despises his fathershould expect certain curses to be fulfilled in his life. A son caninherit curses that will give rise to his father’s problems andmore. Children who despise their fathers are simply cursed!

The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

Proverbs 30:17

3. Problems pass from fathers to the sons who despise the advice of their fathers. Despising the advice of a father makes you a fool.

There are sons who despise the advice of their fathers and that makes them fools. Being a fool gives you many painful strokes in this life.

Read it for yourself: “A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent” (Proverbs 15:5). “... a foolish man despiseth his mother” (Proverbs 15:20). Becoming a fool causes you to receive strokes in life. If you had not despised your father you would not have received those strokes. Many of the sad experiences of your life are the strokes that you arereceiving for despising your father and mother. You will alsonotice that many of the strokes you get are the strokes that your father got in his time.

4. Problems pass from fathers to sons because of the pride in their sons.

A fool’s lips enter into contention, and HIS MOUTH CALLETH FOR STROKES.

Proverbs 18:6

It is only when you feel you are as good as someone that you criticize the person. A humble person does not speak great swelling words of pride. When sons begin to have arguments with their fathers, they reveal how big and proud they have become. Only by pride comes contention (Proverbs 13:10).

Pride comes before a fall. Pride in the sons comes before the fall of the sons. The mistakes of fathers stir up the critical spirit of proud children.

They speak heatedly and angrily about the person who brought them into existence and made them who they are. They criticize what they do not understand and this spirit of pride opens the door for their own destruction.

Problems pass from fathers to the sons because they do not take their fathers’ words seriously before a fall.

Proverbs 16:18

Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit

5. Problems pass from fathers to the sons because of the blindness of the sons.

When you are blind you cannot see any good thing in yourfather. Blindness is the affliction that strikes critical people. Thereare sons who are blinded because they despise and dishonour their fathers. The blindness of the son is caused by their lack of respect. Blindness comes about when people casually dismiss the importance of their fathers. As they dismiss the relevance of their fathers, they are unable to perceive his wisdom; they are unable to learn from his experiences, and they are unable to understand why he made the mistakes he did. They do not seeor understand his trials and difficulties. Because of this, they setthemselves up to walk in exactly the same path.

The eye that mocketh at his father, and despiseth to obey his mother, the ravens of the valley shall pick it out, and the young eagles shall eat it.

Proverbs 30:17

Despising your father will cause you not to take his words seriously. The Bible describes this as ‘not holding fast to his words in your life’. Many sons do not pay attention to details when their fathers are trying to teach them something. When he explains why certain problems exist they do not take them seriously. Notice how Solomon urged his son to pay attention to the things he was saying.

When I was a son to my father, Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother,

Then he taught me and said to me, “LET YOUR HEART HOLD FAST MY WORDS; Keep my commandments and live;

Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth.

“Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you.

“The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding.

“Prize her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her.

“She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty.”

Hear, my son, and accept my sayings, And the years of your life will be many.

Proverbs 4:3-10 (NASB)

7. Problems pass from fathers to the sons who do not recognize and honour the great men who are given to them as fathers.

Desolation will happen to men who do not recognize the great men who are given to them as fathers. Desolation is predicted for those who do not recognize the greatness of the people sent to them. People have great men as their fathers but do not recognize them. Instead of honouring them they kill them. This is exactly what happened to Jesus.

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

Behold, YOUR HOUSE IS LEFT UNTO YOU DESOLATE: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

Luke 13:34-35

by Dag Heward-Mills

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

What Every Christian Should Know About Divorce

The Definition of Divorce

The word translated “divorce” in the New Testament is “apostasion”, which means, “a defection”. Imagine a soldier who has been enlisted and drafted in the army, who runs away without permission. He is a defector. If he is arrested he is likely to be shot. The dictionary meaning of defect is “to forsake a party”.

The Scriptures on Divorce

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Genesis 2:24

But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.

Matthew 5:32

What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Mark 10:9

For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband.

Romans 7:2

And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

1 Corinthians 7:10,11

Yet ye say, Wherefore? Because the Lord hath been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth, against whom thou hast dealt treacherously: yet is she thy companion, and the wife of thy covenant. And did not he make one?...That he might seek a godly seed...For the Lord, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away:..

Malachi 2:14-16

Whose Fault Is Divorce?

(a) God places the responsibility of cleaving on the man. He leaves and cleaves (glues) to his wife.

(b) Divorce occurs when he is not able to cleave tightly enough to become inseparable.

(c) Marriage rests on the shoulders of the man, just the same way divorce also does.

(d) Whatever happens in the home is the man’s responsibility, although it may not be his fault.

Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Genesis 2:24

When man fell and God came to the garden, He first called out to Adam and placed the responsibility for eating the fruit at his feet. There were no questions for the woman.1

Complications of Divorce

God, generally, does not like broken fellowship of any sort. The concept of a broken home or broken lives hurts God.2

(a) An unending hurt is inflicted.

The beginning of strife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be meddled with.

Proverbs 17:14

(b) A bitter personality is created.

The spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can bear?

Proverbs 18:14

(c) There is a permanent break-up of relationship/fellowship.

A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle.

Proverbs 18:19

(d) Destruction of happiness.

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

John 10:10

e) A broken/wounded spirit and emotions:

i. Marriage involves emotions, so a breakdown leads to the tearing apart of soul ties.

ii. Both partners are often destroyed, sometimes beyond full recovery.

iii. Separation is the termination of a commitment with emotional involvement.

iv. Divorce is legalized separation.

v. A vow is unto death: Don’t make it if you are not going to keep it.

When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

Ecclesiastes 5:4,5

(f) Bitterness (long-standing and degenerate unforgiveness).

(g) Tremendous pain.

(h) A permanent scar.

(i) You will be handicapped. There are things you can’t do well anymore.

(j) Distress––similar to the feeling of bereavement that follows the death of someone close to you.

(k) Depression:

i. Caused by contrasting how you thought things were going to be for the rest of your life and how they apparently will be following the divorce.

ii. Depression stems from feelings of rejection which can lead to withdrawal from everybody.3

Difficulties of Remarriage and Singlehood

(a) You will probably encounter the same problems again.

(b) You will always wonder whether you could not have made your marriage work.

(c) The children will be greatly affected and may become social deviants. This is very common.

(d) You may always suffer from the broken/wounded spirit, bitterness and deep seated resentment, which will have a very bad effect on your spiritual and prayer life.4

Predisposing Factors to Divorce

(a) Adultery––when adultery occurs, it leads to mistrust and eventually a breakdown of the whole marital union.

(b) Unresolved hurts and offences leading to a state of chronic unhappiness and depression.

(c) Violence in the marriage––where one party resorts to violence and sharp abusive words to resolve conflicts.

(d) Childlessness––some people allow a situation of childlessness to degenerate into a break-up of the relationship.

(e) Long separation––where one spouse travels to live in another country and the other is unable to join due to inability to obtain the necessary visa.

(f) Interference from relatives and friends:

i. Too much parental influence and control.

ii. Too many dependents from extended family members.

(g) A bad attitude––a persistent and deliberate bad attitude that cannot respond to advice, rebuke, admonishing or entreaties from anyone, including the pastors.5

Notes

1. See divorce cases and causes analysed in Chuck and Barb Snyder, Incompatibility: Still Grounds for a Great Marriage (Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah Publishing, 1999), 225.

2. Charles Swindoll, Divorce: When It All Comes Tumbling Down (Portland, Oregon: Multnomah Press, n.d.), 6.

3.. Derek and Ruth Prince, God Is a Matchmaker (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Chosen Books, 2003), 141 - 4.

4. Alex Dan and Tremper Longman, Intimate Allies (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House, 1995), 253 - 55.

5. These and other factors, when unresolved, may cause the marriage to so degenerate beyond the point of repair. Divorce then becomes the unfortunate alternative. See M. G. Mcluhan, Marriage and Divorce: God’s Call, God’s Compassion (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale House Publishers, 1991), 43 - 44, 87 -147.

by Dag Heward-Mills

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Definition of Marriage

Introduction

Marriage is an institution ordained and ordered by God.1It is the only institution that was established before sin came into the world.

Three Ways of Getting Married

1. Civil Marriage

(This is in accordance to the civil laws of the land.)

(a) In most countries, the Marriage Ordinance prescribes that a certificate must be acquired from the local or municipal authority, granting a 3-month period during which a couple must be married after their names have been published at the Municipal/City Council or the church for three weeks. If no one opposes the marriage within these three weeks, the marriage may take place.

(b) A legal register must be signed by at least two witnesses.

(c) Parental consent is desirable, encouraged and very much sought after, but not 100% essential if the couple is above 18.

(d) Marriage is only broken by a legal divorce.

(e) It is a crime to marry again while still married under the Marriage Ordinance.

2. Customary Marriage

(This is for the involvement of the families.)

(a) Families get together and traditionally hand over their daughter after customary rites are performed.

(b) The rites vary depending on the family and tribe.

(c) Some families consider this to be a full and proper marriage and expect the couple to live together afterwards.

(d) Some families consider this as merely an engagement, that is, an agreement to marry.

(e) This church does not recognize customary marriage as marriage unless it is blessed by the pastors. Customary marriage is a polygamous arrangement. (This means a man can marry as many wives as he wants.) The church believes that it is important for its members to marry under the Marriage Ordinance because legal marriage under the Ordinance does not permit polygamy.

3. Spiritual Marriage

(This is so that the couple vow to obey God’s law in relation to marriage and also to have the marriage sealed by God.)

(a) The church conducts the vows and blesses the couple.2

(b) As far as the church is concerned, you are not married unless this is done.

(c) The church also publishes the names of all couples getting married, on its notice board for at least three weeks, so that if there is any objection to the marriage it may be voiced.

We require all couples to fulfil all 3 forms of marriage to avoid confusion and dispute later on, as to whether they were or have indeed been married.3

Notes

1. Al Janssen, The Marriage Masterpiece (Wheaton, Illinois: Tyndale, 2001),3 - 4; Evans

A. Laryea, Joining of Lives (Accra, Ghana: PAL International, 2002), 33 - 38; Derek and Ruth Prince, God Is a Matchmaker (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Chosen Books, 2003), 51-52.; Christopher Ash, Marriage Sex in the Service of God (Leicester, England: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 66 - 69.

2. Marva J. Dawn, Sexual Character: Beyond Technique to Intimacy (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdman Publishing, 2001), 207.

3. Christopher Clulow, ed., Women, Men and Marriage (London: Sheldon Press, 1995), 40 -43; Joshua Adjabeng, Before You Marry (Accra, Ghana: Olive Publications, 1999),63-67.

by Dag Heward-Mills

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

Communion Service

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

1 Corinthians 10:16

EIGHT-POINT FORMAT FOR COMMUNION

PRAYER PURPOSE

(i) 1 Corinthians 11:23-29

For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.

(ii) John 6:51-56

I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the breadthat I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life ofthe world. The Jews therefore strove among themselves,saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you,Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwellethin me, and I in him.

SONG: Sons of God

Chorus

Sons of God, hear His Holy Word Gather round the table of the Lord Eat his body, drink his blood And we’ll sing a song of love Hallu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah!

Chorus

Sons of God, hear His Holy Word Gather round the table of the Lord Eat his body, drink his blood And we’ll sing a song of love Hallu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah!

By James Thiem

KNEELING AND PRAYER OVER BREAD AND WINE : SHARING OF BREAD AND WINE TO ALL

LIFTING AND EATING OF BREAD (i) Luke 22:19

And Jesus took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, this is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

LIFTING AND DRINKING OF WINE (ii) Matthew 26:27-28

And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is My blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

PRAYER

Brothers, sisters we are one And our life has just begun In the Spirit we are one We can live forever

Shout together to the Lord He has promised our reward Happiness a hundred fold And we’ll live forever

8. SONG: The Old Rugged Cross

On a hill far away, Stood an old rugged cross The emblem of suffering and shame And I love that old rugged cross Where the dearest and best For a world of lost sinners was slain

by Dag Heward-Mills 

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

What it Means to be Married to a Loveless Oldie

Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the Lord; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown.

Israel was holiness unto the Lord, and the firstfruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the Lord.

Jeremiah 2:2-3

I once sat by a fifty-eight year old pastor who was reminiscing about his broken marriage. He described how his wife would take the stage and speak so sweetly to the congregation. He said, “My wife was charming and very beautiful. The congregation just loved her. She was like an angel.”

He continued, “She would say to the church, ‘I just love my wonderful husband and children. They are so precious to me.’”

Then he said, “Every time she said things like that from the stage, I wanted to jump up and scream, ‘You are a liar! You are a liar! You are a liar!’”

He continued, “She did not love me. You should see how she treated me at home. An angel at church and a beast at home!”

He ended by saying, “To have a bit of sex, I had to negotiate and virtually beg.”

It is interesting to observe the passionate love between young couples and the passivity that exists between Loveless Oldies. Lovers seem to go on a long journey from “first love” to Loveless Oldies.

Love and marriage can go through amazing deterioration. Jeremiah 2:2 is the classic scripture that describes the deterioration of love. In the scripture above, the Lord laments to Jerusalem about the changes that have taken place in their relationship.

He says, “I remember the kindness of your youth.”Many ladies are very kind in their youth. Many older experienced wives are not so kind to their husbands. They often seem irritated with their troublesome husbands. Is it any wonder that the older men go around looking for young girls?

The Lord goes on to remember “the love of thine espousals.”This means the love of ‘thy bridehood’. Many older men long for the love of a young and exciting bride. All they are left with is a dried up, old and bitter woman.

The last problem that the Lord lamented about was how she no longer sought him, followed him and desired him. He said, “I remember when thou wentest after me in the wilderness.”How nice it is for the girl to go after the man she loves. Many pastors desire their wives to initiate love as it was in the days of the first love.

Many men long to be desired and loved. Instead, they are tolerated and accommodated.

Unfortunately, the man who was once desired is now seen as a bother and a source of irritation. This same lady was once out there seeking for a husband. She was looking for love. She would attend prayer meetings and seek the pastor’s help. “Please help me to find a husband. Please choose someone for me. Please do you know anyone who could marry me? Please recommend me to someone. Pastor, will I get married this year? Please bless me! I really want a husband. Anyone will do!”

This was the cry of the woman seeking love. Today, she is irritated when her husband tries to touch her. She cannot stand the constant inconvenience that he brings to her life. She considers him to be a nuisance. Amazing!

Our love for God easily deteriorates. That is why God knows all about deteriorating love. He experiences it from us all the time. When love deteriorates, you are just left with a Loveless Oldie. The Lord is our lover. Everything to do with God has to do with love. He loves us and He expects us to love him passionately. All through the Bible, God refers to His people as people He has married.

Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord; FOR I AM MARRIED UNTO YOU:…

Jeremiah 3:14

For THY MAKER IS THINE HUSBAND; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.

Isaiah 54:5

This wonderful relationship we have with the Lord deteriorates just like human marriage relationships deteriorate. A deteriorating marriage goes through these amazing stages until you end up with a Loveless Oldie. It is important to study the stages of deterioration of nice marriages. Each of these stages is distinct and worth understanding. (See chapter 14)

It is time to remember the virtues of Ruth. Boaz recommended Ruth for showing even more kindness in the latter stages of her life. Most people show less love in the latter stages of their lives. Less love, less romance, less kindness, less tolerance, less obedience, less humility in the latter stages of their lives! God is telling you that you can show kindness when you are older. Boaz decided to marry Ruth because she was a lady who could show love and kindness when she was older. Many young, cheerful, giggly and eager girls can show intense love. But how many of these eager young girls will show love when they are older?

And when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn: and she came softly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down.

And it came to pass at midnight, that the man was afraid, and turned himself: and, behold, a woman lay at his feet. And he said, Who art thou? And she answered, I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman.

And he said, Blessed be thou of the Lord, my daughter: for THOU HAST SHEWED MORE KINDNESS IN THE LATTER END THAN AT THE BEGINNING, inasmuch as thou followedst not young men, whether poor or rich.

And now, my daughter, fear not; I will do to thee all that thou requirest: for all the city of my people doth know that thou art a virtuous woman.

Ruth 3:7-11

by Dag Heward-Mills

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

Warning: A Warning from History

Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I CALLED HIM ALONE, and blessed him, and increased him.

Isaiah 51:2

The call of God is a lonely call. It is lonely because you are called alone. All through the Bible, you will not find God calling groups of people. You do not even find God calling couples to work for Him.

None of the patriarchs whom God used had one wife. God did not use any of them as specially anointed couples in the Bible. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Solomon and Saul all had a number of wives and different groups of children. It appears that one woman was not able to cater for the needs of these men.

The call of Moses, the call of Samuel, the call of David, the call of Solomon, Abraham and Isaac, were all individual events. No one was called as a married couple.

On the other hand, we as Christians present couples as though they were called together by God. It is as though they were raised up and anointed together from the womb to serve God as a team.

We also present committees and councils to God for His blessing. But God never called a committee or a council! God never called a couple! When couples have worked together nicely, each of them had an individual call. Committees and councils are set up because human beings do not trust each other enough to give a lot of power to any one person.

Why is all this important? It is important because many people do not realise that God is working with a manthat He has chosen. Whether you join to help the man or not does not really matter. It is the person whom God has called that really matters. With or without an associate, a wife, a friend, a helper or a co-minister, the call of God will go on. Once God has purposed a thing, nothing can disannul it.

This is the purpose that is purposed upon the whole earth: and this is the hand that is stretched out upon all the nations.

For the Lord of hosts hath purposed, and WHO SHALL DISANNUL IT? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?

Isaiah 14:26-27

A Warning from an Evangelist

According to one evangelist, there was a man who was assisting him by praying for the sick during his crusades. The evangelist would preach and this man would pray for the sick. One day, this man decided to leave the team. This was a big blow to the evangelist, who would now have to learn how to pray for the sick himself. Apparently, when this man was leaving, he told someone, “The evangelist is finished!” Perhaps he thought that his departure would deal the deathblow to the evangelist’s ministry.

I want you to remember the Scripture in Isaiah 51 about Abraham; “I called him alone.”God does not call groups! God did not call an evangelistic team. God called the evangelist! After this man left the ministry, the evangelist’s ministry flourished and became a worldwide ministry.

A Warning from a Healer

I know another great healer whose wife left him unceremoniously. He woke up one morning and found a message that she was leaving him. In one of their heated arguments, she said to him, “I will finish you. I will destroy you.” She really thought that her departure would be the end of this healer’s ministry. To her surprise, the healer’s ministry continued successfully after her departure.

A Warning from a Great Pastor

I know another great pastor who had a huge church and a thriving international ministry. He had great conflicts with his wife. At a point, divorce became inevitable. Her husband described to me how he begged her not to leave him. She also said to him, “I will finish you!”

She was so convinced that her departure would finish off the great pastor’s ministry that she asked to be paid her divorce settlement before the announcement of their divorce was made public. She felt that the announcement would cause the ministry to crash and there would be no money to settle her. However, after she was paid and the divorce announced, this great pastor continued to flourish and his ministry became even bigger. This rebellious wife was unable to “finish off” her husband’s ministry.

A Warning from the Two Goliaths

I remember another pastor who had two mighty assistants nicknamed “the two Goliaths.” These two Goliaths and their senior pastor seemed to be a mighty spiritual triad whom God was using in their nation. Unfortunately after many years, cracks began to appear in the triad and there was a great strife that caused them to split up and go their separate ways.

As the years went by, the two Goliaths fizzled out into nothingness. However the original pastor, who was the leader, went forward and became very great. The two Goliaths mistakenly thought they could destroy their leader’s ministry.

Remember the prophecy of Isaiah! “I called you alone.”God does not call people in groups of three, groups of five, groups of seven or groups of nine. He calls people alone! Your presence or absence from someone who is called, does not change what God will do. It is a great deception to think that someone’s ministry depends on your presence or absence.

I have a whole lot of people around me in the ministry. Some of them do what I say and some do not. Some obey me and some do not. But God called me alone. Their presence, their obedience or their absence, will not change anything.

A Warning from William Carey

William Carey, known as the father of modern missions, was a missionary to India. He is the person who inspired the worldwide church to begin sending missionaries to the ends of the world. He translated the Bible into Bengali and twenty-nine other languages, printed the Bibles and supplied them to hundreds of thousands of Asians.

He was married to three different women during his ministry in India. His first wife was called Dolly. She was six years older than him and uneducated. William Carey married her whilst he was a teenager and a new Christian. Dolly knew very little of the Lord herself.

His first marriage to Dolly was very difficult because he was married to an unwilling, rebellious, accusative and mentally unstable woman. She was very difficult to be with on the mission field. Initially, she did not even want to go along with her husband to the mission field, nor allow their children to accompany their father. She only went along after much pleading. Their marriage was also further affected by her bouts of depression and later, mental illness, following the loss of three of their children to disease.

In her mentally unstable state, she would accuse her husband of having affairs with women, including their closest friends and the mission’s servants. After twelve years of suffering from delusional paranoia, Dolly died. They were married for twenty-six years.

Six months after she died, William Carey married Charlotte, a Danish countess who lived next door to the mission. They were both forty-six years old. She was a petite, well-educated woman, fluent in seven languages and a supporter of the missionary work. In her teen years she had been severely burned in a fire that had injured her legs.

Though she had to spend much of her day resting, she was an enormous encouragement to her husband. She helped him with his challenging translation work and their growing ministry. Their thirteen years of marriage were happy ones. William Carey was happiest with this second wife; and when he was dying, he requested to be buried by his second wife who had made him the happiest. He clearly did not want to lie by his first wife, even as a dead body.

William Carey married Grace, his third wife, after a period of mourning. She was a forty-five year old widow who loved the Lord and served faithfully beside Carey in the ministry. Grace lovingly cared for Carey during their eleven years together.

As you can see the presence or absence of any of these women did not in any way prevent William Carey from fulfilling his calling. He was not called as part of a group. He was called alone!

In fact, his first wife did not even want to go on the mission with him. Each woman that was attached to him was privileged to be part of the great mission that was accomplished. But it was he, William Carey, who was called and set apart for modern missions. God called William Carey alone.

A Warning from Adoniram Judson

Adoniram Judson was a great missionary to Burma. He had a great burden to go to Burma and labour for the people of Burma (present day Myanmar). He became “the father of American missions”, being the first American citizen to become a foreign missionary. Judson’s vision was to translate the Bible directly from the Hebrew and Greek into the Burmese language. He worked on the translation for twenty-eight years, and with such precision that his translation is still used in Myanmar today. He was also married three times and had three wonderful women at his side for three different seasons of his life.

In his years in Burma, Adoniram Judson saw thousands of lives transformed in Christ. He also faced years of persecution, imprisonment and family tragedy.

Adoniram’s first wife was Ann. She felt willing to spend her days in heathen lands with her husband and give up all her comforts to go where God saw fit to send her. They first went to India, but Adoniram was set on going to Burma.

They arrived in Burma to find a country with Buddhism as the only allowed religion. Adoniram worked for hours each day to become an expert in the language. Ann, on the other hand, exercised her gift of hospitality in Burma and through that became more fluent in understanding and speaking the Burmese of the common citizen.

Six years after arriving in Rangoon, Judson conducted his first public Christian service. Following a threat of war between Britain and the Burmese emperor, Adoniram was thrown into prison for seventeen months. Prisoners were not given food and many starved to death. A prisoner could only get food from friends who visited and prisoners underwent special torture sessions in the prison. Ann went to see every important person she could to help secure the release of Adoniram.

After his release from prison, Ann became sick. Whilst Adoniram was away in another city doing some important translation work, Ann collapsed and died. Not too long after he got back home, their little daughter also died after a bout of dysentery.

Adoniram continued his work of translating the Burmese Bible and in 1834, at the age of forty-six, he finished translating the whole Bible. This was twenty-one years after he and Ann had arrived in Burma as missionaries.

Eight years after Ann died, it was time for Adoniram to get his second wife. Adoniram married Sarah who was a young widow of another missionary and had continued in the field after her husband died. Adoniram and Sarah began a vibrant ministry life together.

Sarah suffered from dysentery and the doctors insisted that the only way to recover was a sea voyage to America; away from the terrible heat and the parasites in the tropics. Sarah died during the journey and was buried on the island of St Helena.

It was time for the third wife. Whilst looking for a biographer to write Sarah’s life story, Adoniram was introduced to Emily who had a great deal of writing talent. She was twenty-seven years old, half Adoniram’s age and had harboured a desire to become a foreign missionary. Adoniram proposed marriage to Emily within a month and they were married the following June.

They went back to Burma and Adoniram worked to complete a Burmese-English dictionary for new missionaries entering Burma. There were, by this time, thirty-six thriving Baptist churches.

Adoniram later caught a severe cold accompanied by a high fever. Dysentery followed and Adoniram had to spend most of his time in bed. As he grew worse, doctors recommended another sea voyage. Emily booked him on a French ship, which was sailing to the Isle of France. She could not go with him because she was advanced in her second pregnancy. Before setting sail he confided in his wife that, “I am not tired of my work. Neither am I tired of this world. Yet when Christ calls me home, I shall go with the gladness of a boy bounding away from his school. Death will never take me by surprise; I feel so strong in Christ!”

Adoniram died during the journey and was buried at sea, three weeks before Emily delivered their child. It took three months for her to receive word of Adoniram’s passing. Four years later, she also passed away.

The presence or absence of each of these three wives did not in any way destroy Adoniram Judson’s mission to Burma. As you can see, Adoniram Judson was not called with any particular woman.

He was called alone and three women were privileged to be attached to him for three different seasons of his life! Always remember the prophecy of Isaiah.

A warning from John Wesley

After the early church movement, one of the greatest ever movements to rise was Methodism, founded by John Wesley. John Wesley struggled with his violent, fighting, challenging and accusing wife from the day he entered into marriage with her.

Because she was loud and open about her confrontation and unhappiness with John Wesley, the story of his marriage is known by many. All the titanic struggles of John Wesley’s life and ministry had to do with his dreadful marriage. Perhaps John Wesley would have achieved much more for the Lord if he had not been married to this difficult woman.

A warning from marriages all around

History shows that many pastors have had serious marital problems. We know about these problems when the final announcement comes that they are to be divorced.

When the final announcement comes, we find out that they have been living with intractable problems for many years. Some of the divorcing pastors have been at the brink of divorce many times but managed to swing back just in time.

Often, no one is aware of what is going on, because they constantly present the picture of a blissful marriage. They often leave ordinary Christians wishing that their marriages were as good as the man of God’s seemingly perfect marriage.

Thank God for blissful marriages. There are indeed many pastors who have blissful marriages. But do not be deceived that all is rosy. Today, when people encounter a few challenges, they think of divorce. Apostle Paul did not present a rosy or easy picture of marriage. He said, “But and if thou marry, thou hast not sinned; and if a virgin marry, she hath not sinned. Nevertheless such shall have troublein the flesh: but I spare you” (1 Corinthians 7:28).

I recently heard the testimony of a daughter of a very, very great man of God. I shall not mention his name here, but you know of him very well. This daughter was experiencing great difficulties in her marriage.

She told her husband, “My parents never had such problems. There is something terribly wrong with our marriage.”

As her marital problems multiplied, she went to her parents and confided in them. For the first time, her parents revealed that they had had the same marital problems that she was having.

They told her, “We never argued in front of you children. We never let you know when we were having challenges.”

The daughter was amazed. “But we never saw any kind of problem in your marriage.” But her parents insisted, “We had all those problems. You just didn’t know because we did not want you to know.”

People have problems that they are not sharing. Do not curse yourself because you do not have a perfect situation. Just assume that things are hidden from you. Your marriage is probably better than that of others.

Conclusion

The fact that you are married to someone does not mean God called you with the person. My wife was not with me when God called me. God called me when I was an unmarried student. I was called to the ministry and started working for the Lord long before I got married. I founded my church before I got married. It is possible that I was even called before I was born.

Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Jeremiah 1:5

Getting married did not change my calling into a “joint calling”. The nice family picture that perfect couples present, gives the impression that they have a joint call. This is a delusion that only comes along with many great dangers.

It deceives the assistants, the wives and associates that they are more important than they actually are. It causes them to challenge the one who is called. It feeds a deception that they can destroy or finish off the man of God.

Most rebellious top associates and wives launch out based on this delusion. If you understand the message of this chapter, you will never think you can destroy someone whom God has called. Your presence or your absence cannot change God’s plan.

by Dag Heward-Mills

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

Steps to Avoiding Fornication

How can we save ourselves from this disgraceful sin? We are all men of like passions subject to the same temptations as everyone else.

I believe the Lord has shown me some important steps that will keep us all from sin.  Four of these steps are spiritual and six are physical.  Let us start with the physical steps.

1.              No untimely relationships

Very young people should not enter into relationships for courtship.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

Ecclesiastes 3:1

There is a time for entering into a relationship.  Why do you want to enter into a relationship when you are still in school? You do not even have a job in sight!

In my church, I do not recognize relationships of teenagers.  I will advise you to break it in the name of Jesus! You worry yourself for nothing when you play with relationships at the wrong time.

2.                 Relationships only unto marriage

You must only enter into relationships that lead to marriage.  The only intimate relationship between men and women that God approves of is marriage.

A Christian man and woman must move towards God’s plan, and God’s plan is marriage.  When I proposed to my wife many years before I actually married her, I asked her two questions: “Can you marry a doctor? Can you marry a pastor?” Marriage was what I had in mind.  She was in love with me so she said yes! I had decided that I was going to marry her.  She was not just a friend or girlfriend.  She had passed on to become someone special—the person who was going to be my wife and the bearer of my children.

I remember asking a young man who had been in a relationship with a sister in church for two years, “Are you getting married?” His response was “I don’t think we will.  We are just in a relationship.”

I think a lady must be foolish to be in such a relationship.  The man is just using you, and will throw you away one day.  The relationships that God approves of are relationships that are headed towards His will; and His will is marriage!

If you know that your relationship is not going towards marriage, then it is just going towards fornication.  Stop right there!

3.                Holy relationships

The Bible says there is a time to “refrain from embracing.”

...a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;            

Ecclesiastes 3:5

If you are in a relationship, there is a time to refrain from embracing.  I can hold my wife, I can hug her and I will not be doing anything wrong.  But those of you who are not married are not expected to do so.  Even when you touch your fiancée’s hand, “osmosis” begins to occur!

In my church we have a few rules for counselling young people in relationships.  We do not just tell you to live a holy and a pure life, but you are specifically told what living holy entails.  You must only have holy relationships!

4.                Early marriage

I encourage people to marry young.  The more Christians delay the marriage ceremony, the more likely they are to end up living in sin.  What are you waiting for? In certain churches there are road blocks to marriage.  Couples are presented with so many obstacles to delay marriage.  But that should not be the case.

Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy YOUTH.

Proverbs 5:18

The Scripture encourages you to have a wife when you are young—the wife of your youth.  

Do not use the lack of money as an excuse, because you can marry if you really want to.  Marry whilst you are still young.  Do not wait until you have all the comfortable things in life before venturing into marriage.

When I decided to get married, somebody whispered to my wife to marry someone who had everything in life.  I certainly did not qualify because I had nothing!

I have been through some really hard times with my wife, when we did not have any money.  We had to warn our visitors to sit in a particular way because our chairs were weak and broken.  She even had to go abroad to work to buy us some furniture.  I have truly struggled with my wife, so I love her.  I did not have to wait until I was an old man to get married.

I love the people with whom I have been through struggles and difficulties.  They are different from those who have come in a time of total blessing.  When you are already established in life, you will have people interested in you because you are already blessed.

But the wife of your youth will marry you not because of what you have, but because of who you are.  It is a blessing to marry young.

5.                Non-polygamous marriage

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

Genesis 2:25

The only person you must be naked with is your wife; not your girlfriend, fiancée, nurse or secretary.  You are not supposed to have any other wife.  God does not endorse polygamy.  A polygamous lifestyle encourages fornication.

In Ghana, we have “official” polygamy, where a man maintains two or three wives.  But there is an “unofficial” version of polygamy which is practised by most successful people in Ghana.  They have an official wife whom they take to official functions and appear in public with.  

There are also the unofficial women in the lives of these men.  And this is common practice by most of the “big shots” in our society.  Such men have no intention of divorcing their wives.  They will spend the weekends at special places with these “side” girls.  They travel with them to Paris, and generally have a good time with them.  But they still maintain the official marriage.

We must keep this culture of unofficial polygamy far from us, if we want to avoid fornication.

6.                Sexually active marriages

We need to have sexually active marriages.  There are many marriages which are not sexually active.  It is amazing that before people get married they want to hold and touch each other, but when they get married they can lie by each other like logs.  Why commit fornication when you can commit love.

Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.  

Proverbs 5:15  

Sex can be likened to drinking water.  And we drink water several times in a day.  So the Bible admonishes you to have sex several times, so you will not thirst for any other woman.  There is more symbolic language in Proverbs 5.  

Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad,

Proverbs 5:16

What in sex looks like a fountain? God’s rule for healthy marriages is that the fountains should be allowed to disperse abroad.  You must allow the fountains to flow.  Some fountains have been closed two weeks or six months.  Such fountains are not blessed!

…and rivers of waters in the streets.

Proverbs 5:16

What could these streets be? If the fountains are going to flow into the streets, then God says:

Let them be only thine OWN, and not strangers’...

Proverbs 5:17

Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times...                      

Proverbs 5:19

If you are married, your wife’s breasts must satisfy you at all times! Why should you be playing with somebody’s breast, when you have your own wife’s?  

One of the ways to prevent fornication if you are married is to have sex regularly.  When you eat and are satisfied, you do not feel like eating any more.  

Women, especially, should know that when they have sex regularly with their husbands, they prevent them from having extramarital affairs.  A man of God fell into sin.  I was sitting with him after he admitted he had impregnated one of his church members; he was crying.  I was so sad, and I wanted to know how it happened.  

He described the difficulties of sex he had with his wife.  She did not want to have sex with him.  She kept complaining that she was tired, or cold.  As soon as the husband committed adultery, she became active.  She realized her husband’s adultery was a product of what was going on at home.  

Some wives are just waiting for their husbands to commit adultery and then they will wake up!

by Dag Heward-Mills

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

Daughter, God Will Give You a Child

And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

Genesis 29:31

My dear friend, have you ever watched a soccer match without knowing who was really playing? As you watched for a while you began to notice the side that was losing. Most of the time, we tend to instinctively support the losing team. As they say, “People support the underdogs.”

That support you have for the underdogs is a God-given instinct to support the disadvantaged.

Today, if you are in a disadvantaged situation, be it known unto you that God is on your side. Woman, the Lord is helping you right now! It may seem as though you are disfavoured, but that is what provokes God.

The Bible says very clearly that when God saw that Leah was not liked, he compensated for it by showing divine favour.

And when the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb: but Rachel was barren.

Genesis 29:31

God opened the womb of Leah and made her have children. Suddenly, Leah was a favoured person. She was the only one who could bring children into the family.

Dear sister, perhaps you are not Miss Ghana or Miss Universe. That is the reason why Jesus is giving you extra favour. Today, as you hold this book, remember these words, THE LORD’S FAVOUR IS UPON YOUR LIFE!! He is going to change your misfortunes. You don’t have to be discouraged. Daughter, you have tender eyes! Daughter, you shall surely have a child.

by Dag Heward-Mills

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

Daughter, It’s Your Honour!

And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go: but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go. And she said, I will surely go with thee: notwithstanding the journey that thou takest SHALL NOT BE FOR THINE HONOUR; FOR THE LORD SHALL SELL SISERA INTO THE HAND OF A WOMAN. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.

Judges 4:8, 9

In this story, a woman was given the opportunity to take the honour from a man. A man’s job fell into the hands of a woman! Instead of a man rising up to his God-given role of leadership, a woman had to take up the challenge and do his work. This is what is happening in the church today. There are many men who have shirked their responsibilities as leaders and spiritual heads.

Women are doing the things men are supposed to do. And I am happy to say women are doing these jobs very well. There are Deborahs who are ready to take the honour and win battles for the Lord.

I suggest to every pastor, to release the Deborahs into the harvest fields. What the Baraks cannot do, God has raised up Deborahs to do. In my own experience, I have found that women are very good pastors and shepherds. When they get their hands to the plough, things really get moving.

I have found women to be more receptive to the anointing and more open to spiritual leadership. Perhaps the original plan was that men should occupy these great leadership positions. Perhaps in the original plan men should have borne all the fruit. Unfortunately, there are always men like Barak, who for various reasons do not do what they are called to do. This is why God has to fall on people like Deborah to accomplish his will.

Dear friend, the will of God is fixed, settled and unchangeable. God has decided to save this world. Jesus trained twelve disciples (men). I believe that the divine plan is that men should be used to lead the church into victory. However, the reality is that there are men like Barak with us. There must be Deborahs who are going to fill the vacuum created by unfruitful, fearful and indecisive men.

The Scripture tells us that once God’s plan is established, he does not turn back his hand. Once he is determined to build his church, he will do it whatever it takes. He has threatened to use stones in the past. If stones can be used, how much more human beings? That’s why I believe that women can also be used! Once, a donkey was used to send an important message to a stubborn pastor. Dear friend, if donkeys can be used to preach, so can anyone; and so can women.

If you were drowning and someone threw you a line, you would not ask whether it was a man or a woman who had thrown you the line. Of course, if a man throws you a line, he is more likely to have the strength to pull you out. But when the man does not throw the line, you would be grateful for a line that comes from even a child.

Perhaps this explains why there are so many women in the ministry. There is no need to fight what is already happening. It is better to flow with the reality than to hide your face in the sand and deny it.

Daughter, it is your honour!

by Dag Heward-Mills

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

Signs of Lingering Unforgiveness

Sometimes unforgiveness lingers on and on, even long after the offence has been committed. People even bear grudges against dead relatives and enemies. It is a dangerous condition!! What are the signs of lingering unforgiveness?

1. Malice

According to Ephesians 4: 31, one of the signs of unforgiveness is malice.

...and evil speaking, be put away from you with all malice.

“Malice” according to the dictionary means, “a desire to harm others”.

When Brother “A” does something against you, and you have the desire to harm or hurt him, that is malice. The desire to harm others shows you that you haven’t forgiven the offender.When you have truly forgiven, you won’t desire to harm the person. Do you think God desires to harm you? Can you imagine what would happen to you if ever God should decide to harm you?

If you are a wife and you have a secret desire to harm or punish your husband, then that is malice. Sometimes wives punish their husbands by denying them sex. Some women cannot “commit” love with their husbands because of something they did. I have heard some women complain, “I can’t bring myself to take off my clothes and do this with him. I’ll go crazy if I have to sleep with him again.”

Once you feel this way, you have not forgiven.

One way you can tell that you have not forgiven, is when you feel uncomfortable at the mention of the offender’s name.At the point when you can say, “Lord, I let him go,” or “God will take care of it,” then malice is gone. When you curse the offender, wish him ill or plan how to hurt him, then malice is still lingering.

You might complain and wonder why people hurt you so often. That is not the point! God expects us to forgive. Malice must go away!

2. Anger

The dictionary defines “anger”as “a strong feeling ofhostility and displeasure”.

I remember one lady came with her husband to the church office. The husband said something which was not exactly complimentary about his wife. She exploded. The hostility was so glaring, and her behaviour was so bad that her husband rebuked her, “Is this the way to talk? Don’t you respect the pastor?” he asked her.

Then I sensed that the strong feelings of hostility between the husband and the wife were because of unforgiveness.

If you have this strong feeling of hostility whenever you see someone who once offended you, then there is some unforgiveness lingering in your heart.

3. Wrath

“Wrath” can also be defined as “extreme anger”.

One sign of the presence of extreme anger is that the person begins to act “wild”.

Once, a man was so angry that he threw all the lunch that had been set before him on the wall. Afterwards, when tempers had cooled down, he had to struggle to clean the stained wall (anger really makes you do some foolish things)!

Extreme anger or wrath is a sign of lingering unforgiveness.

4. Clamour

The dictionary defines “clamour” as “loud abusive language, and loud demands or protests”.

How can you come to church so nicely dressed, looking so sweet and holy, and then go home and quarrel everyday with everyone?

If your next-door neighbour decides to record the string of loud abuses, your pastors would be surprised at your behaviour. I believe that a Christian should not be loud and abusive in any circumstance. Clamour or loud abusive language is a sign of lingering unforgiveness.I know of a Christian church where there was so much disharmony that the pastors fought openly in church. They shouted at each other, and even used tear gas on each other. What a disgrace!

5. Evil speaking or slander

To “slander” is “to say bad things about someone, or to backbite”.

When someone slanders another person, usually what is said about that person is false. Those who slander, often have the intention of destroying another person.People who slander their spouses must be watched very carefully. Slanderous people are often full of bitterness. There may be genuine complaints. But when it is continuous, then such a spouse has a deep-seated problem of unforgiveness.

A husband once complained to me, “Pastor, my wife is very wicked. In fact, she is a witch! If you have ever seen a witch before, you’ll know what I’m talking about.”

I told him, “Then you must have been a wizard to have married her!” I take particular notice of people who say negative things to bring others down.

I have heard pastors speak carelessly and negatively about other ministers. Sometimes these are people with whom they claim to have a good relationship. I take particular notice of such ministers.

From my own experience, I have come to know that, “He who talks to you about others will talk to others about you.”

6. Bitterness

“Bitterness” can be defined as “degenerated unforgiveness”. I define bitterness as a “long-standing degenerated unforgiveness”.

The word “degenerate” is defined as “to pass into a worse state than one which is considered normal or desirable”. Thus, when a situation passes from one stage to a worse state, it can be described as degeneration. Unforgiveness which stays in your heart for a long period of time, degenerates into bitterness. The cardinal sign of bitterness is that it begins to poison other people.The Bible cautions that when bitterness is permitted, it will spill over and defile others.

...lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;

Hebrews 12:15

I know some people who are so filled with hatred for their wives, husbands, mothers, fathers, or other relatives.

A good example of a bitter person is a woman who has been hurt by a man.

The story line is often similar: The man approached you and told you, “I love you honey. You are the sweetest lady I’ve ever known, and I want to love you. When I saw you, my heart moved from the left to the right. I want you to know that if you were on the other side of the Mediterranean, I would swim across just to bring you some ice cream!”

Perhaps he also said, “There is only one pebble I see whenever I walk on the beach and THAT IS YOU!”

You believed it when he told you he had seen many ladies, but that you were different. What you didn’t know was that he had other pebbles on the beach, and that he had told other ladies these same stories.

You were a virgin and wanted to remain so until you got married, but he convinced you to give in to him, with the promise that he would marry you anyway. So he began sleeping with you. You did things you never dreamt of doing with your body. In fact, you also had to commit several abortions because you were not ready for babies.

Then, one day, he lets out the bomb that he cannot marry you after all. So many suitors wanted to marry you at the prime of your youth, but you refused them because of this “sweet talker”. After you turned thirty-eight, most men shied away from you.

Now, you bear this man a grudge. You begin to hate him. Soon, you begin to hate him with a passion. With time, you have come to hate all men.

You could not forgive that man, so you have lumped all men into this category. Your hurt has become a long-standing degenerated type of unforgiveness bitterness.

Sometimes, such people begin to champion women’s causes out of bitterness.They may remain unmarried for the rest of their lives. It can even develop and degenerate further into lesbianism. Lesbians are often bitter women; bitter against men who perhaps hurt them sometime in their lives.

Men can also be bitter against women.I remember a London taxi driver told me of his experience. Because of this experience he had vowed never to marry.

He once had a live-in girlfriend whom he looked after. He took her to school, paid her fees, fed her and gave her everything she wanted for years. If she wanted anything, all she needed to do was to ask. She was almost like a wife. Then at a point, he began to suspect her of infidelity.

So one day, he told her that he was going on a business trip and would return after a week. To be certain that she would believe his story, he asked her to see him off. He went to the Kings Cross Station with her, got on a train and waved goodbye to her. However, at the next stop he got down, took another train and returned into town.

He did not go straight back home, but went to a drinking pub to while away the time till two a.m. Then he went home. When he climbed upstairs and entered the bedroom, here was his “girlfriend-wife”, in his bed with another man. Both of them were stark naked in hisbed. So he threw her out of his flat, naked, and called the police.

After this experience he decided never to get married or to trust any woman. He could not forgive that girl, and he had now extended it to all other women. When such hurt degenerates into hatred, it is bitterness! Beware of becoming bitter after bad experiences! When a bitter person speaks, it affects, influences and poisons others.

Dear friend, as you read this, ask yourself: Am I bitter?

by Dag Heward-Mills

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

The Psychology of Backsliding

The psychology of backsliding deals with the way backsliders think. It deals with the attitudesof a defecting Christian. You see, the Bible says we should guard our hearts with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.

Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Proverbs 4:23

Backsliding is one of the issues of life. The issue of backsliding comes from the heart. A thought in the heart becomes an attitude. An attitude becomes an action. And these actions become behavior patterns.

Let us look at the attitudes that form in the heart of a backslider. It is these attitudes that give him the false confidence in his backslidden state.

ATTITUDE 1

"I'm Not Alone, Others Are Backsliding Too."

I have noticed that one of the things we do, is to find out who else is in a condition similar to ours. And when we get involved in something we also try to take others with us (like drowning men). But the Bible says,

…every man shall bear his OWN burden.

Galatians 6:5

You may take confidence in the fact that others seem to be doing as badly as you are. But that is a false assurance.

I remember when I travelled to a city in Ghana and visited a brother whom I had known to be very zealous for the Lord. Unfortunately, this brother whom I even considered to be in the rank of a minister had backslidden, and had made a young lady pregnant. He no longer went to church regularly.

When my wife and I got to his house, we chatted a bit, and asked, "How are you doing spiritually?"

He said, "Oh, God is good."

Then he immediately changed the topic and asked whether we had heard about another good friend of ours who had backslidden terribly.

But My Condition Is Better Than His

"Brother X's condition is very unfortunate," he lamented.

He added, "Have you heard? He's fallen into very bad company, and doesn't go to church at all."

He was trying to make us see that this brother's condition was even worse than his.

As we were going home in the car, I asked my wife if she noticed that this brother seemed to have taken some reassurance in the fact that our other friend was in an even worse state.

You can tell when people are trying to reassure themselves. Just listen to the things they say. They say things like: "Nowadays a lot of people don't go to church... City life is too busy for regular church attendance… There are now many Christians who drink a little beer with their food…"

Dear friend, don't be deceived by the existence of a crowd. You may think that everybody is sinning just like you are. But when Christ comes you'll be very surprised to find people whom you thought would go to Hell with you, passing you by on their way to Heaven!

A friend once told me about an incident that jolted him into becoming a Christian.

What?! Are You Also a Christian?

He told me, "I was a party-going, night-life person with lots of girlfriends. One day, I was going home in a friend's car after one of our usual parties when I noticed that the car was unusually quiet."

"So I decided to slot in some good old disco music to liven up the atmosphere. I picked up one of the tapes lying in the front of the car and inserted it. To my utmost surprise, instead of music, I heard the sound of preaching."

I exclaimed, "Hey, what's this? Since when did you start listening to such things? Are you also one of those born again people?"

And his friend replied, "Hey, I am securing myself."

My friend said to me "I began to think very fast; if our car was to have had an accident and we were both to die, he may have gone to Heaven, and Iwould have gone to Hell!!"

My friend suddenly realized that he had been deceived into thinking that every one of his friends was a ruthless sinner like he was.People were secretly seeking God and securing their places in heaven.

You better make sure that you are doing the right thing. Do not look at the crowd. You are born alone, and you will die alone. Do not even look to your husband or your wife. It is unusual for husbands and wives to be born on the same day. It is even more unusual for them to die on the same day.

You will stand before God as an individual. Never forget that fact of life.

ATTITUDE 2

"I Have a Lot of Time; Christ is Not Really Coming Soon."

The world is truly amused when we say that Christ is coming soon. They think it is a theory cooked up by some deranged people.

On the other hand, some Christians know that Christ's Second Coming is a reality. But they think that it won't happen very soon. At least, not in their lifetime. They suppose they can enjoy themselves and forget about the future. But what they forget is that Christ's coming will be a very unexpectedevent.

...the day of the Lord so cometh AS A THIEF IN THE NIGHT. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

1 Thessalonians 5:2-3

A pregnant woman who is due might be all right one moment, and the next moment, go into labour. Severe pain will strike her and a baby will be born. So will the coming of the Lord be. Everything will be all right one day and the next, total chaos in the world.

Jesus Could Come This Friday!

Jesus compares his coming to the coming of a thief. No one expects a thief. I remember years ago when thieves broke into my father's house. We were not expecting anything of the sort, but it just happened. The whole world will be very surprised when Jesus comes again.

Many of you have taken God's grace period of repentance for granted. Indeed, this grace period means nothing to some of us. The grace period has rather become more time to play the “fool”. This is how backsliders think.I have more time! I have much more time!!

You may be planning to have your grand wedding. But it may never come on. Perhaps, those who are in school may never complete their courses. The trumpet will suddenly sound, and those of us who are washed in the blood of the Lamb, and ready for the Saviour would be caught up in the clouds to be with Him forever.

ATTITUDE 3

"There Are Short Cuts to Everything, Including Going to Heaven."

The world is under the delusion that there are short cuts to everything. Unfortunately, some Christians think in the same way. They assume that there must be some short cut to Heaven since there seems to be a short cut to almost everything.

I Learnt the Hard Way!

You cannot escape the Christian rudiments and go to Heaven. You cannot escape the cross. Jesus said, "Take up thy cross and follow me." There is no short cut around the cross. You must take it up. In this day and age of instant coffee, instant tea and jet travel, everybody wants to have things fast, quick and short.

When I was in boarding school, I learnt the hard way that short cuts must be avoided.

Those of us in the junior forms were asked to do some general scrubbing in school. I obtained an excuse duty slip from the doctor. It exempted me from any assigned duties for the next four days.

I happened to discuss this excuse duty slip with a friend, and excitedly told him how I wouldn't have to do any hard work for the next four days. Then he came up with what I thought was a bright idea.

He suggested, "Why don't you write “1” before the “4” so it reads “14” days instead of “4”? You will then have fourteen whole days to relax."

As I mused over this suggestion, I thought, "What a good idea! No one will notice."

The Day I Met My First Judas

But this friend was the first Judas I was to meet in my life.

After I had taken hissuggestion and changed the '4' to '14', this same friend reported me to the seniors. He told them that I had forged my excuse duty slip.

Everyone pounced on me, and I was charged. I tell you, I suffered greatly for that mistake. First of all, my four days of excuse were cancelled. I was given the most difficult jobs to do. And then I was given extra punishment.

From that time I decided: No more short cuts in life. I realized long ago that there was no short cut to Heaven. I will have to go the hard way.

We may think that there is a shorter way to Heaven, but there is only one way to Heaven. It is not through Allah, Islam, fetish, chanting or meditation. It is only by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour and being born again. There is no short cut.

In the secular world, wise businessmen are wary of any “get-rich-quick” schemes.Many however, are not tired of trying one quick scheme after the other. So they take advantage of every opportunity to make some quick money.

They Said, "Your Church Will Be Rich."

Someone once asked our church to join a new 'get-rich-quick' bank.

He explained, "As a growing church you will need a lot of money to help complete your building project."

But I immediately said, "It sounds too good to be true, and too quick to be real."

So we didn't join it.

A few weeks later, I heard of how that new bank had collapsed. Many people lost their money. I also heard of how some churches had lost huge sums of money by saving there.

The Bible says the Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed, which needs time to grow to become a great tree. When you put the seed into the ground, it will need to go through the long process of dying and growing before yielding fruit. Unfortunately, some of us want to escape the processes of dying and growing up. You cannot expect to just put money in the offering and hope that everything will be all right. You cannot avoid the reality of fasting, praying, fellowshipping and witnessing. These are Biblical standards we just cannot avoid!!

ATTITUDE 4

"God Loves Me Too Much To Punish Me."

I have heard Christians say that God will never punish them. They quote, "For God so loved the world…"

They argue that since God loves the world so much He will not destroy them. They say, "I know God will forgive me." Because of this they add sin to sin without batting an eyelid.

Two Sides of a Coin

God's nature is like two sides of a coin. One side of the coin shows the head, and the other side shows the tail. One side of God's character shows His great love, and the other side shows His judgement.

A Christian sister spoke of a woman who was having an affair with her best friend's husband. Because the two ladies were good friends they would often speak on the phone. Every time this adulteress put the phone down, she would sigh and say, "O God, forgive me for what I'm doing."

Strangely, she still didn't stop destroying her friend's marriage. Some people feel that God will not punish them. That is why they continue in sin.

When God shows you one side of His character you will see love, forgiveness and mercy of the highest order. God will forgive and forget your sins. But a time will come when God will show you the other side of His nature; which is judgment, justice, fairness, equity and jurisprudence. These are the two sides of God's nature. We are now in the Dispensation of Grace. God is showing you mercy and love.

Think about all the wicked sins you have committed, but still receive His forgiveness. At a certain point, the Spirit of the Lord will not strive with man anymore. God has to judge you, otherwise there will be chaos in the Kingdom.

The king by judgment establisheth the land…

Proverbs 29:4

God loves you so much that He will punish you when He has to.

ATTITUDE 5

"I Have More Time; I'm Not Going to Die Soon."

People think that because they are young they still have a lot of time. Also they think they have enough of their lives ahead of them to sort things out with God.

I wrote this book at a time when the whole world shook at the news of the death of Princess Diana and her millionaire companion. No one in his wildest imagination would have thought that someone so young, so charming and so beautiful could be taken off the face of the earth so suddenly.

The security of an armour-plated Mercedes Benz with airbags all around could not prevent her death in a car accident in Paris. I tell you, none of us was expecting this!

Everyone thinks that there is more time. I'm sure Princess Diana thought there were many more years ahead. We all did. But it was not so. That is why the whole world trembled with shock. It is not safe to assume that there is more time. The Bible warns us that because we don't know the day or the hour Christ will come, we must be ready all the time. The key word here is preparation and readiness.

…thus will I do unto thee...because I will do this unto thee…PREPARE to meet thy God…

Amos 4:12

In Luke 12, the Bible tells the story of a man who had a successful business. He had so much that he wondered what to do with the profits. He decided to build bigger barns to store his goods. In our time this would be equivalent to opening new bank accounts. When he completed his projects, he said to himself, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years. Take thine ease, eat, drink and be merry."

Come Up for a Meeting

God reacted immediately from Heaven and said, "…This night thy soul shall be required of thee." In other words, I want to have a discussion with you tonight. God has the right to call you up for a discussion at any time. God is showing us here that there is just a step between us and death.

There are three times in your life when people will gather to honour you. They gather when you are born and christened. Then they gather again when you are getting married. And finally, they will definitely also gather for you when you die. Somebody might contend that he or she is too young to die. But go to the mortuary, and you will discover that even little babies die. I was once in a hospital ward with one of my assistant pastors when we happened to see the body of a little baby who had just died. Although it was a tiny baby who had just began to live, it died. That baby was not too young to die.

Dear Christian friend, do not put off your godly obligations because you think you are still young and there is more time. You never know when God will summon you to account for your life.

…thus will I do unto thee,...because I will do this unto thee…PREPARE to meet thy God.

Amos 4:12

by Dag Heward-Mills

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

Confessions for Overcoming Disappointment and Emotional Problems

The Lord is my light and my salvation! Rejoice not against me, O my enemy! When I fall I shall arise! Although it seems that I am down today, the Lord is raising me up right now! I will not be down forever! This disappointment will turn around for my good! This setback is working out for my advancement! The Lord is my light. Although it is dark around me, I see the Lord lifting me up! I am not afraid of the darkness! The heaviness in my heart is gone! I will shed no more tears. My days of crying are over! I shall not be sad forever! I boldly declare that this experience shall work together for my good! My life is moving ahead! I will not be depressed anymore. In fact, I am not depressed anymore! No man can break my heart. No human being can break my heart! My trust is in the Lord who is my strength and my salvation! I am pressing on! This experience is a stepping stone! This complex situation is a stepping stone to my blessing! All things are working together in my favor and for my good! My enemies are being used to promote me! The Lord is the strength of my life. I don't feel weak anymore! Disappointment has no power over my life! Depression has no power over my life! Grief has no power over my life! Every trace of sorrow, fear, terror and panic is gone from my life! No man on this earth can frustrate my life! I am not a frustrated person! I am a blessed person! I am flourishing! Things are getting better with every passing minute! I feel myself rising! I declare that I am rising above every experience in my life! Everyday is a learning experience for me. I have learnt my lesson! I will not make those mistakes anymore! Improvement has come into my life! Although everything around me seems bleak and hopeless, my heart shall no more be afraid! I am confident! From now on, I will desire one thing. I will desire the Lord! I will seek after the Lord. Early in the morning, I will come to the Lord. I will seek for Him in the evening! From now on, I will dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life! I see God setting me upon a rock! I see God hiding me in His tabernacle! From this moment, I am safe. I am secure! I see God lifting up my head. God has lifted my head high up above my enemies who are round about me! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel! After every night, there must be a day. My day is coming! I see the sun rising on my life! I know that it looks impossible but I'm rising again! I am beginning to sing. I'm singing praises to the Lord! I'm rejoicing in the Lord! I would have fainted. I would have died. But because I believed I see the goodness of the Lord! God is showing me His goodness right now! Things are getting better! I have hope for my life. I have hope for the future! I shall not be ashamed because the Greater One is in me!

by Dag Heward-Mills

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

Claim It!

To "claim it" means to confess your faith about what you desire from the Lord. Traditionally, confession has always revolved around the subject of sin. However, it is important for us to know that there are five types of biblical confessions and not just one.

Five Types of Confessions

Confessing Your Sins to the Father

The first type of confession is a confession of sin to the Father. This is the well-known type of biblical confession. It is important for Christians to confess their sins to God on a regular basis. The Bible tells us that if we think we have no sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. None of us is without sin.

No matter how hard you try, sin is part of our flesh and our minds. That is why the scripture says if we say we have no sins we are actually deceiving ourselves.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 1:8, 9

It is a dangerous thing to think that you are sinless by your own strength.

Commission and Omission

There are three types of sins: the sins of commission, the sins of omission and the sins of the heart. Sins of commission are the things you actually do. Those sins are easy to recognize and therefore easy to confess. When you have a negative thought, you definitely know that you have had a negative thought. It is easy to recognize and to confess this to God.

Sins of omission are the things we don't do. They are things we are supposed to do that we don't do.

Therefore for him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

James 4:17

Maybe God wants you to win somebody to Christ and you fail to speak out. That is a sin of omission. Perhaps God wanted you to pray and you failed to pray. Perhaps God wanted you to support His work financially and you didn't do it. You may not even be aware of the fact that you are sinning. That is why you need to confess your sins on a regular basis.

Heart Sins

Sins of the heart are even more difficult to recognize. What we often do not recognize is that the heart of man is a very deep thing. There are times when your heart is full of evil and you are not even aware of it. That is why the psalmist cried out, "Search me, O God, and know my heart..." David wanted God to take evil things away from his heart. Sometimes our hearts are full of pride and rebellion and we do not even know it. But God looks at the heart.

For the Lord seeth not as man seeth; man looketh on the outward appearance, but THE LORD LOOKETH ON THE HEART.

1 Samuel 16:7

The cry of the psalmist is an important prayer for us all.

Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23, 24

Why did King David want God to look into his heart? Couldn't David see whether there was something wicked in his heart? Perhaps not! We sometimes do not even know ourselves. No one knows Toyota like the people who make Toyota. No one knows Ford like the people who make Ford cars. No one knows you like the God who made you. The creator knows the creature better than anyone else!

Confessing Your Faults One to Another

The second type of confession is the confession of faults one to another. Although confession of sins to the Father results in forgiveness, there are times it is necessary to speak to someone else about the problem you have. Confessing your faults to someone else is not done in order to receive forgiveness. Forgiveness is received from the Father when you confess your sins.

There are times when we need healing and restoration within our spirit. Talking about these things and confessing them out loud helps to heal and eventually overcome the psychological wounds that are acquired through sin.

The King James Version of James 5:16 says, "Confess your faults one to another... that ye may be healed..." The Amplified Bible throws more light on this same scripture.

CONFESS TO ONE ANOTHER therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray also for one another, THAT YOU MAY BE HEALED AND RESTORED (TO A SPIRITUAL TONE OF MIND AND HEART)…

James 5:16 (Amplified Translation)

We all need to be restored to a spiritual tone of heart and mind. When you have made a mistake, you need restoration. Restoration comes through confessing to one another. Of course telling your problem to the wrong person will only lead to complications.

I have noticed that people experience permanent healing and restoration through this second type of confession.

Confessing Christ for Salvation

The third important type of confession is the confession of our faith in Jesus in order to receive salvation.

If thou shalt CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Romans 10:9

Contrary to traditional opinion, it is not the confession of sins that leads to salvation, but a confession of Christ as your Lord and Saviour. It is important to confess your sins and repent genuinely, but the Bible makes it clear that it is the confession of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior that leads to the salvation of the soul.

Whenever you lead someone to Christ, in addition to whatever you say, ensure that the person is led to confess Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Confession of our Faith

Let us hold fast the profession [confession] of our faith without wavering…

Hebrews 10:23

The word translated profession in the King James Bible comes from the Greek word, homologia. This word means "to agree". It is sometimes translated "profession" or "confession".

As a Christian body, there are things that constitute the essentials of our faith. Our Christian faith can be confessed or professed. We can speak out and declare what our essential beliefs are. What we call the Apostles' Creed is a good example of the confession of our faith. It is a good thing to say because it constitutes the essentials of what Christians believe. Virtually every line of this creed has a deep meaning.

The Apostles' Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth;

And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost; born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty; from there He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit; the Holy Catholic (universal) Church; the Communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

You will notice that we believe that Jesus was born of a virgin and not just of a "young woman" as some are claiming today. There is a difference between a virgin and a "young woman"!

This confession also states that Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate.

Pontius Pilate is the only other person whose name is mentioned in this statement. He tried to wash the murder of Jesus off his hands but the church did not allow him to do so. That is why his name is mentioned here. We will never forget how he had Jesus killed!

This reminds me of some authorities today. They behave just like Pontius Pilate and refuse to do the right thing. They also cannot wash their hands! One day when the history books are being written, it will be stated that the church suffered under the hands of such people. Dear friend, beware, you cannot easily wash your hands!

This confession also speaks of Jesus rising from the dead. Our faith rests on this great fact of history. It is this and only this fact of his resurrection that separates Christ from every other religious leader. The tomb is empty! There is no place which is as revered as the tomb of Christ. His followers knew that He rose from that place!

Another interesting part of this confession is that Jesus will return to judge the living and the dead. When we say this confession, we remind ourselves of the coming judgement. We remind ourselves of the day of accountability. We declare that Jesus will return from the skies to judge people. Such a thing sounds crazy! Only mad people would believe something like that, some may say. But that is the Christian's faith! And when we say these things, we affirm our faith.

Finally, we declare that we believe in the church and in the communion (fellowship) of saints. We believe in spending our time in fellowship with other Christians.

We confess that we are glad to go to church. We enjoy the company of other Christians.

This is the confession of our faith. We must say it to remind ourselves of what we really believe. When we declare our faith, it becomes real to us.

God wants us to say things that agree with our faith. Our words must confirm specific things we believe in our heart. Claiming what you believe shows that you have the spirit of faith at work in your life! When a person has a spirit of drunkenness, he drinks a lot and is often drunk. When a person has a spirit of immorality, he gets involved in immoral acts. When a person has a spirit of faith, he confesses positive things that he believes in.

We having the same SPIRIT OF FAITH, according as it is written, I believed and therefore have I spoken; WE ALSO BELIEVE AND THEREFORE SPEAK.

2 Corinthians 4:13

Confession of Specific Faith

Remember that you take your place in Christ and in Heaven by making a confession. You will also take your place in this life by confessing boldly the things that you desire from the Lord. It is time to rise up and claim them. It is time to rise up and speak them out. Declare that you will live long. Declare that you are unbeatable and unquenchable by the devil. Declare that you are undefeatable, "undiminishable", "unmolestable" and "undieable" before the age of seventy!

What do you lose by speaking out boldly? Instead of allowing thoughts of fear and panic to ravage your mind, declare that Satan cannot disgrace or limit you in this life. Declare that you are healthy, blessed, prosperous and rich!

What do you have to lose? Open your mouth and declare that your enemies are disgraced and disappointed! Proclaim that God has given you beauty for ashes. Your life is beautiful from today! Your marriage and business are beautiful from today! Declare that beauty characterizes everything you do! Take no notice of the frightening events all around you. If a thousand seem to be falling on your left and ten thousand on your right, declare that it will not happen to you. You have nothing to lose by declaring your faith. Speak it out for that is the spirit of faith at work!

How to Monitor Your Faith Level

The claims you make in life are what we use to assess your level of faith. The Bible says that because you believe you speak. That means that your claims are a direct result of your faith level. If you want to assess yourself, listen to your proclamations and declarations. The bigger your claims the bigger your faith. Great faith brings forth great declarations!

It is time to speak about living long! It is time to speak about healing power! It is time to declare how God has prospered you by faith! It is time to declare that you are fruitful in the vineyard of the Lord! Claim your place among God's generals!

Claim your place in God's glorious army! Declare that you are one of the righteous trees planted by the Lord! Do not be afraid of falling. Declare that you will stand and not fall!

You Can Have What You Say

Can you really have what you say? The answer is yes! You are actually experiencing what you have said with your mouth. Mark 11:23-24 tells us that mountains will respond to what you say. Begin to say big things, because you have a big God. Say them consistently! That is how you make your claim. It is time to name it, claim it and take it!

Take no notice of the doubters. There will always be an opposition party. There will always be a commentator.

Notice how many times the word "say" appears in this verse.

For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.

Mark 11:23, 24

It appears five times. God is telling you that you will have what you say. The promise is not that you will have what you think! This verse is not promising that you will have what you hope for, it is promising that you will have what you say!

Enter in like a little child right now and receive great breakthroughs by claiming your blessings. You are what you say you are! And you can do what you say you can do! You are beautiful because God has made you so! You are successful because you say so! You are intelligent and wise because that is what you are claiming to be!

"Oh pastor, is it that simple?" It is as simple as you make it to be!

You cannot experience any of the blessings of the kingdom of God unless you enter in like a little child. If you live in Africa, you will find yourself surrounded by many unsolvable problems. There are many hopeless situations in this great continent. Today, I am offering you an answer which is not found through governments or politicians. The master key to your blessing is to name it, claim it and take it!

Paul said that he could do all things through Christ. I also believe that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Never say, "I cannot do it!" You will have what you say. You will experience the things that you say. I am not telling you to be unrealistic, I am telling you to exercise faith. I am a very realistic person, but I am continually exercising my faith. It is important to balance the handling of certain realities with the exercising of faith.

You may have to take medicine in order to stay alive. That does not mean you do not have faith. You can exercise your faith as you take that medication, by constantly declaring your faith and victory over disease and sickness. Remember; you will have what you say.

Apostle Paul was the greatest teacher of faith, yet he was also a practical man. He advised Timothy not to drink water but to use a little wine for his stomach and other diseases.

Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities.

1 Timothy 5:23

Tongue Power!

Did you know that there is power in your tongue? And no ordinary power at that! The power of life and death is found in the tongue:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

Proverbs 18:21

You must tap into this great power of the tongue by naming it and claming it! Claim your victory over darkness. Pronounce your deliverance from the spirits of inferiority and self-pity! You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you! Declare that you have overcome the demons of worry and anxiety! You are free from nervousness and headaches! Depression and madness have no power over your life!

I see you having favour in all that you do! The power for abundance and wealth rests in your ability to claim it! It is time to rise up and pronounce yourself free from cancer and disease. Claim a healthy and long life, in the name of Jesus. You are free from genetic and demonic curses.

Conversations and Commands

The power to live on is in your tongue. There are two types of confessions or claims: conversational confessions (claims) and commanding confessions (claims).

You must be careful with what you say, even in casual conversation. Often it is in casual conversation that you declare the things that you really believe. At other times you can make deliberate commanding confessions. During these commanding claims, you lay hold on victories and breakthroughs by conscious and deliberate confessions. Both of these types of confessions (conversational and commanding) have power.

A trap is a trap! Whether you put your foot in the trap intentionally or unintentionally does not matter. The trap will still function and grip your leg. You must know from today that your words will trap (snare) you whether you spoke intentionally or unintentionally.

Thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, thou art taken with the words of thy mouth.

Proverbs 6:2

I remember how a distant relation would jokingly speak about a pimple on his face. He would point to the pimple and say, "This is my cancer". Obviously, he had no intention of acquiring cancer on his face. A few years later this same man developed a cancer on his face and eventually died of it.

You are trapped by the words that you speak. Don't say things you don't mean.

Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

James 3:10

I know that most people think that the tongue is a small and insignificant member of the body. However, you must realize that it is like the power of a small rudder that controls huge ships.

I have ridden strong African racehorses. These horses often had the power and strength to run for miles at very high speeds. Yet, I was able to control these mighty horses by means of small bits in their mouths.

Your life is an important and complex thing, but it can be controlled by your tongue. Declare that your blessings are permanent! Claim your promotion in this life, in the name of Jesus! Openly thank the Lord that no weapon formed against you will prosper! Declare that you are marching on! I see you marching on and the gates of hell cannot stop you! I see you free from the power of sin, shame and disgrace!

It's Time to Frame Your World

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear

Hebrews 11:3

Some people wonder how this world came into existence. Stop searching and read the Bible. God made the world through the power of the spoken Word. He simply said, "Let there be…" and there was! He spoke the world into existence by simple and powerful pronouncements. "Let there be light…" and there was light!

And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly…

Genesis 1:20

When God spoke to the waters to be fruitful, the waters had no choice but to be fruitful. God wants us to imitate Him. Ephesians 5:1 tells us to be imitators of God. That means that we must be holy, because God is holy. That means we must be righteous, because we are imitating a righteous God. It also means that we are to frame our world by making declarations.

Let there be happiness in my home! Let there be abundance of all things in my life! Let my cup run over! Let my children live long and prosper! Let my body be healthy and live long! Let my enemies be blown away like the chaff of the wind! Let those that hate me wither and fade away! Let the crooked paths in my life be straightened! Let poverty run away from my home! Let righteousness characterize my life! Let holiness be part of my life from today! Let me be fruitful! Let me be pleasing to God in all that I do!

Be an imitator of God in this aspect of commanding, claiming, announcing and insisting on your blessings! Begin to imitate your Heavenly Father by affirming, declaring, demanding, maintaining, asserting and pronouncing your breakthrough. That is the God-kind of faith.

Did you know that you can speak to things that do not have physical ears and they will respond?

Jesus did that all the time. He once spoke to a fig tree and said,

No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever.

Mark 11:14

Jesus spoke to the wind and the sea. Does the sea have ears? The answer is no, but it can respond to your commands of faith!

And he arose, and rebuked the wind, AND SAID UNTO THE SEA, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

Mark 4:39

One time Jesus even spoke to a dead body. He commanded the dead person to listen. Jesus interrupted the funeral procession and raised a young man back to life in the city of Naim.

And he came and touched the bier [coffin]; and they that bare him stood still. And he said, YOUNG MAN, I SAY UNTO THEE, ARISE. And he that was dead sat up…

Luke 7:14, 15

I see you commanding your dead business to resurrect! Declare over your shop the victory of Jehovah! Speak to your bank account and tell it to come alive! Announce to every mountain facing you that it will have to move! Affirm the fact that every impossible situation will be made possible! Insist that you have the victory everyday, in spite of what you see or feel! We walk by faith and not by sight!

For we walk by faith, not by sight:

2 Corinthians 5:7

Naming it and claiming it, is not the same as seeing and feeling things. We do not live by our feelings. Feelings are real, but God has not asked us to live by them. We are to live by our faith. The father of faith, Abraham, believed that he would have a child. In spite of how he felt, he called those things that were not, as though they were!

(As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and CALLETH THOSE THINGS WHICH BE NOT AS THOUGH THEY WERE.

Romans 4:17

I know that there are many things that do not seem realistic. God is not asking you to be realistic; He is asking you to walk by your faith. God is telling you to believe in His Word. You will never be the same after you apply these laws to your life.

In this next section, I want to share with you some biblical things that you should name and claim.

by Dag Heward-Mills

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

Seven Steps to an Effective Quiet Time

Step 1 - Pray to Begin Your Quiet Time

It's time to give the Lord praise and worship for His goodness. Pray thanking the Lord for another day. Thank Him for who He is, what He has done and what He can and will do. Now ask God to speak to you.

And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation. And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.

Exodus 34:6-8

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.

Psalm 119:18

Step 2 - Read a Passage from the Bible Expecting God to Speak to You

Read the passage for the day expecting God to speak to you from it. There are several ways of choosing your daily Bible reading passage.

How to Choose Your Daily Bible Reading Passage

1. Choose a book from the Bible of which you read a few verses every day.

You must always remember where you ended so you can continue from the same place on the next day. In the New Testament, I have had wonderful quiet times as I have read through the books of Luke and Ephesians. In the Old Testament, I have also had wonderful quiet times as I have read through the books of Genesis and 1st and 2nd Samuel.

2. Choose a personality from the Bible whose life story you follow. A few verses from passages about Moses will give you much revelation for your life. You must always remember where you end your reading so that you can start the next day from that point.

3. Take the passage suggested in your daily reading guide.

When I first became a Christian, I depended on Our Daily Bread for my quiet time.

Step 3 - Meditate (Think Through and Soberly Reflect on What You Have Read)

If you do not think about what you are reading you will lose a major blessing of the Word of God. Paul told Timothy to think about the Word of God.

Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

2 Timothy 2:7

Seven Keys to Effective Meditation

1. Read the passage slowly.

2. Do not read a very long passage unless it is necessary.

3. Stop at any verse that strikes you and think about it.

God's Word is so powerful that only a single word in a verse is enough to change your life. Each quiet time should be a search for that single word that can change your life.

4. Think about the meanings of the words that you are reading.

5. Think about how the Scripture applies to life in your generation.

6. Whisper to the Holy Spirit.

Say, "Help me Holy Spirit to understand your Word. Father, give me the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation." I have prayed for many years that God should give me the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation of His Word.

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him:

Ephesians1:17

7. Decide on a practical way to implement the scriptures that you have learnt.

Without thinking of a way to apply the scripture directly you will often not benefit from your quiet time.

Step 4 - Move into Deeper Bible Study and Make Further References to Things that Strike You during Your Quiet Time

There are times that you will need to have a longer quiet time. God may minister to you about something. You must be prepared to study further. This is why it is important to have a good reference Bible.

Look through the passage again for as many of the following as possible:

1. What does the passage teach me about the nature of God: the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit?

2. Is there a promise for me to believe, and to claim, taking careful note of any conditions attached?

3. Is there a command for me to obey, or a good example for me to follow?

4. Is there a warning for me to heed or a bad example for me to avoid?

5 Is there a prayer for me to pray or remember?

Step 5 - Use Your Bible Reading Guide

You may refer to your daily Bible reading guide. These Bible reading guides are very helpful in developing a regular quiet time habit. You will benefit from anointed teachers whose ministry will help you to grow.

Step 6 - Write Down Whatever the Lord Tells You

It is important to develop the habit of writing the things that God speaks to you about.

The very fact that you have acquired a notebook shows that you have faith in an invisible God. You believe that He has spoken to you and you have written down His words. You have taken a great step of faith. Without faith it is not possible to please God.

Step 7 - Now Spend Time Praying to the Lord. Listen to the Voice of the Holy Spirit

The last step in your quiet time is to pray. At times you will pray for a short time, but there are other times you will pray for a long time. As you have your quiet time regularly, this prayer time will become longer and longer. You will soon desire longer hours with the Lord.

During the prayer time, God will speak to you through His Spirit. There are things God needs to tell you directly through His Spirit. The Holy Spirit is real and you must believe in Him as well.

by Dag Heward-Mills

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

How to Talk to a Great Person

Prayer is talking to a great person called Jehovah: I am that I am!  He is the greatest of all.  He is the creator of Heaven and earth. He is the Lord of Lords. He knows the beginning and the end! There is none like Him!  No one else can touch our lives that way that He does! How great is our God and how great is His name!

Whenever we pray, we come before the great and everlasting God.  There must be a way to speak to Him properly.  We must learn how to speak to this great God.  A simple way of learning how to pray is to learn how to speak to a great person.  Indeed, many of the principles that must be used when talking to a great person are the principles that are used in prayer.  

What are the principles you must have in mind when you are speaking to a great person?  

1. DO NOT ASK FOR OR MENTION YOUR NEEDS AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR INTERACTION.  

You may have a legitimate need and the important person may be the right person who can solve your problem.  The need you have may be something very noble and very right.  

But the timing of the mention of your need is critical. It is very tempting to ask an important person for what you need.  You may know that the important person has what you need. You may also know that he can easily supply your needs.  But you must control yourself and not mention your needs to this great person.

Many years ago, whilst living in London, I was really broke and in need.  Every time I met an uncle or a relative I immediately wanted to inform them of my need for a few pounds.  I could see that they had lots of pounds. I could see that they did not know that I did not have any money. I could see that they were completely unaware of my dire situation.  O how I was tempted to blurt out, “Please give me fifty pounds.”  It is natural to want to tell great people what you need when you see them.  

But when Jesus taught us to pray, He taught us not to mention our needs first.  Our needs are to be mentioned much later in the discussion, if at all.  Many years ago, on my first interaction with a great pastor, Yonggi Cho, I invited him to come to Ghana to dedicate my church. But that was a mistake.  He flatly refused and I left the meeting dejected and depressed. He cited some bad experiences he had had with other African pastors.  I could not blame him because he did not even know me.  The dedication of my church was thrown out of the window.

However, after years of relating with him, he himself decided to come to Ghana at his own expense and dedicate my church.  There are also many other things I have asked him for which I easily receive.  I just send an email and I get a positive answer from him.  

I learnt the valuable lesson of not mentioning my needs at the beginning of a relationship or a discussion. Jesus taught us to pray after this manner or in this pattern.  The pattern is clear; bring up your needs later on.  

After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Matthew 6:9-13

2. DO NOT ASK FOR OR MENTION YOUR DESIRES AT THE BEGINNING OF YOUR INTERACTION.

When Esther, the Queen, went to see the king to make request for the lives of her people the Jews, she wisely used this time-tested strategy of talking to an important person.  She did not immediately ask for her desires.  She avoided the mistake that many people make when they desire help or assistance from a great person.  She did not ask the king for what she wanted until the second night of interaction.  

She just stayed in his company, chatted with him and enjoyed his presence.  On the second day, it was the king himself who began to press her to say what she needed and what she wanted. Read it for yourself:

So the king and Haman came to banquet with Esther the queen.

And the king said again unto Esther on the second dayat the banquet of wine, Whatisthy petition, queen Esther? and it shall be granted thee: and what isthy request? and it shall be performed, evento the half of the kingdom.

Then Esther the queen answered and said, If I have found favour in thy sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request:

Esther 7:1-3

Avoid this great mistake of saying what you want at the beginning of your interaction with a great person.  Many people have destroyed their relationships and ended their conversations with important people by asking for a laptop, a bicycle or even for money.  

If they had learned just how to talk with an important person without bringing up their needs or desires, they would probably have developed a strong close relationship and one day received their desires, anyway.  

3. LEARN HOW TO GENUINELY TALK ABOUT THE GREATNESS OF THE GREAT PERSON.  

If you talk about the greatness of a great person in a way that is not genuine, you irritate the great person.  Great people can see through the words of a flatterer.   We are to start our interaction with the Lord by thanking Him, honouring Him and praising Him.  Every important person will warm up to you when you say nice things to him.  

One day whilst chatting with a rich man, I asked him whether he supported a political party.  He laughed and said to me, “I once supported a political party and gave them a lot of money but I do not do that any more.”

“Why not?” I asked

He laughed and said, “Some years ago, some politicians came to me and spoke nice words to me. They told me I was one of the wisest people in the country.”

Then he continued, “Being so foolish, I swallowed this story and believed that I was one of the wisest people in the country. So I gave them a lot of money.”  Nowadays, I do not believe whether they say I am the wisest, the most intelligent or most clever person in the world. I just do not give my money away.”

You see, the politician had spoken wisely to this great man and told him nice things that he liked to hear.  Everyone would like to hear that he is the wisest person in the country.  The politician had learnt the art of talking to a great person. God is equally impressed when we approach him with praise, worship and honour that come from our hearts.

Of course, God can see through hypocrisy and empty words.  

“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking” (Matthew 6:7).  

Indeed, we must learn the art of coming to God with words of genuine praise and honour.  We must tell the Lord words that we believe are true. We must enter His gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise.  That is how to start talking to a great God – with thanksgiving, with praise and with honour.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Psalm 100:4

4. LEARN HOW TO STAY COMFORTABLY IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IMPORTANT PERSON FOR A LONG TIME WITHOUT BEING NERVOUS.

The ability of a person to stay in the same place with a great person without wishing to leave or checking the time is an important thing.  Great people notice those who are fidgety and uncomfortable in their presence.  No one wants to be ‘unwanted’.  I do not want to be in the presence of people who do not want to be with me.  I do not like being with people who are constantly looking at their watches and wishing for their time in my presence to end.  

You can learn to be comfortable in the presence of God by playing music or preaching messages. These create an atmosphere which make it possible for you to stay comfortably in the presence of God for a long time.

Also, you can put on videos and play church services from the very beginning and to the very end. This creates an atmosphere where you can stay in His presence for even longer periods. Somehow, you become more relaxed, less fidgety and less in a hurry to run out of His presence. God loves people who are not in a hurry to leave. God loves to talk to people who are not in a hurry to go somewhere else.

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.

Psalms 37:7

But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Isaiah 40:31

5. LEARN HOW TO TALK TO THE IMPORTANT PERSON ABOUT THINGS HE HAS SAID OR WRITTEN.

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

John 15:7

How impressive it is when you speak to someone who knows what you have said or written.  Make sure you remind the important person about things that he has said by quoting statements he has made before.

You reveal your intelligence when you are able to play back the important person’s words. You reveal your understanding of important wisdom.

As an author, I am always impressed when I meet people who know what I have written and what I have said.  The easiest way to get into conversation with an important person is to start talking about the many things that the important person has ever said.  

I once spoke to a little girl in a church service to see if she could maintain a conversation with me. I was amazed as she quoted different things that I had said in the past. She quoted from my book on The Art of Hearing.  She told me that I had written about twelve kinds of voices which were important for every Christian.  I was amazed at her knowledge of my different teachings.  She kept talking to me for an hour and I warmed up to her because I was impressed that she knew me so well.  

Jesus said, “if my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will and it will be done unto you.”  The more you know about what God has said the more you will be able to speak to the Lord.  The more you know about what God has said, the more you will be able to speak to Him intelligently and properly.  

When you know the words that God has spoken, you will speak with the Lord according to His own words.  

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will,he heareth us:

And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

1 John 5:14-15

6. LEARN HOW TO TALK ABOUT THE IMPORTANT PERSON’S GREATEST PURPOSE AND GOALS IN LIFE.

In the natural, the purpose of most great people in this life hinges around things like business, politics and the events of the day.  If you cannot talk to a great person about these subjects you are not likely to be able to stay for long in his presence.  

In the same way, God has great interests.  His great interests are His eternal work and His eternal purpose.   The more you are able to talk to God about His eternal work and His eternal purpose, the more you will have to say in prayer.  

Matthew 28:18 encapsulates the great interest that the Lord Jesus has in the earth.  His great purpose is saving all the nations by building churches, planting churches and teaching the Word of God.

If you are involved in building the church, you will have a lot to talk to God about.  You can be with Him for hours as you pray for His will to be done in the church.  

This is why pastors and those who work for God have more to pray about.  If you want to improve your prayer life begin to work for God.  The more you work for God, the more you will have to pray about.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, evenunto the end of the world. Amen.

Matthew 28:19-20

Jesus Christ spent three hours praying in the garden of Gethsemane for the will of God to be done.  Anyone who works towards the will of God being done will spend hours in the presence of God. Jesus spent hours putting His life in the hands of God and entrusting Himself to the will of God. He was amazed that up and coming pastors like Peter and John could not do that for at least one hour.   Peter and the other disciples were just students. They were not yet working for God.  It is Jesus who was actively working for the Lord. That is why He could not sleep that night.  The students slept but the worker stayed up and prayed to the Lord for three hours. This is the pattern you find all over the church. The workers pray and the members sleep!  Are you a worker?  When you become a genuine worker you will pray for many hours.

And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?

Matthew 26:40

6. LEARN HOW TO TALK ABOUT WHAT A GREAT PERSON LOVES.

Great people love different things.  Some great people love soccer.  Some great people love golf.  Some great people love tennis. Many great people love money, stocks and bonds.  

These things may not be the purpose of the great person in this life but he loves them and he loves to talk about them.  If you have nothing to say about golf, you may not be able to sustain an interesting conversation with the great person.  If you have nothing to say about business, politics, money, stocks and bonds, you may have very little to say to the great person.

In the same way, there are things that God loves.

What does God love?  God so loved the world that He gave His Son.  God loves sinners. God loves evangelism. You will have to learn to talk to God about the lost people in the world and the sinners that He came to die for.

People do not pray for long because they do not pray for souls to be saved. They have no interest in souls and therefore they have no interest in what God loves.  Because of this, they are unable to sustain a conversation with the Lord.  

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3:16

For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

Luke 19:10

People do not pray for long because they are not interceding for those who are about to go to Hell and burn in the lake of fire.  All Christians who spend a long time calling on God for the lost will have a lot to pray about and will spend hours in the presence of God.  

Abraham spent hours negotiating with God about the people of Sodom and Gomorrah who were about to be burnt in the fire of judgement.  He was interceding for lost people.  That is why his prayer is recorded as one of the famous prayers in the Word of God.  

7. LEARN TO ASK FOR WHAT THE GREAT PERSON THINKS YOU NEED.  

Do not ask for things the important person has no intention of doing.  Do not waste your time asking for things that are clearly not in His will or plan.  You must analyse and judge what you think is the great person’s wish and will for you.  That is what you must ask for.  Ask for what the great person thinks you need.  That is what you will get.  And then you will begin to get other things.   We can glean the will and the wishes of God from the Bible. There are many things that are clear that He wishes and wills for us.  Those are the things we must spend our time asking for.  It is far more productive to ask for things which are specifically laid out than to make strange requests which the great person has no intention of giving you.  

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:

I John 5: 14

Most rich and great people do not think that poor people need money!  Most rich nations do not think that poor and developing nations need money per se. The presidents of America and Europe think that poor and developing countries need democracy and the rule of law more than anything else.  They think that poor nations need to do away with corruption. They also think that poor nations need good education and good health.  

Have you not noticed that when rich countries are assisting poor nations they give help in specific areas? They help with elections, they help with education and they help with health.  But they do not help by donating presidential jets and presidential helicopters.

God does not think we need money too. God thinks that we need wisdom and the Holy Spirit.

As you read through the Bible, you will discover that there are very few prayer topics that are given to us. These are the most important things to pray for. They are what God thinks we need.  God thinks that we need the Holy Spirit.  Jesus promised us the Holy Spirit to help and empower us.  When you ask for these things you will receive them. When you ask for presidential helicopters you will not receive them.  

If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?

Luke 11:11-13

There are many reasons why Jesus told us to pray for the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is God and He will help us to live a supernatural, holy and upright life.  Instead of wasting time to pray for things that will never be answered, let us start asking for things that can and will be answered.  

Praying for wisdom and revelation is one of most important things to pray for. It is one of the prayers God will answer.  It is one of the requests God is impressed by.  This is one of the reasons why Solomon is considered to be wise. When God asked him what he wanted he asked for wisdom. Through wisdom he had everything else given to him.  God was so impressed with his prayer topic that He gave him everything else that he did not ask for.  

In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.

And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it isthis day.

And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am buta little child: I know not howto go out or come in.

And thy servant isin the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.

Give therefore thy servant an understanding heartto judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

AND THE SPEECH PLEASED THE LORD, THAT SOLOMON HAD ASKED THIS THING.

And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;

Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

1 Kings 3:5-13

by Dag Heward-Mills

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

What You Must Know About Water Baptism

1. Baptism comes from the Greek word “baptiso” which means “immersion”.  Water baptism is therefore the immersion of a person totally into water.  It is not sprinkling or pouring of water.

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway OUT OF THE WATER:...

Matthew 3:16

And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, BECAUSE THERE WAS MUCH WATER THERE: and they came, and were baptized.

John 3:23

A lot of water is needed for baptism by immersion.

2. Water baptism is a command to anyone who becomes born again.

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Mark 16:15-16

3. Water baptism is a direct act of obedience to Christ’s instruction.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Mark 16:16

4. Baptism is not for church membership, but an open declaration of our new stand in Christ.

For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.

Galatians 3:27

When you are baptized you are openly declaring that you have by faith “put on Christ” so that men may see Christ in you.

5. We identify with the death, burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ in baptism.

Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:4

The lowering of the convert completely under the water pictures Christ’s death; the submersion of the convert speaks of His burial and the raising of the convert from the water signifies His resurrection.

by Dag Heward-Mills

[christianlivingtoday-blog]

Read Your Bible: Four Reasons Why the Bible Can Be Trusted

1.  The Bible can be trusted because promises made generations earlier have been kept.

Blessed be the Lord, that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he promised: THERE HATH NOT FAILED ONE WORD OF ALL HIS GOOD PROMISE, which he promised by the hand of Moses his servant.

1 Kings 8:56

2.  The Bible can be trusted because God stands by His Word until it comes to pass.

For I am the Lord: I WILL SPEAK, AND THE WORD THAT I SHALL SPEAK SHALL COME TO PASS; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God.

Ezekiel 12:25

For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Matthew 5:18

Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it.

Jeremiah 1:12

3. The Bible can be trusted because it is unchanging in a changing world.

But THE WORD OF THE LORD ENDURETH FOR EVER. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.

1 Peter 1:25

4. Heaven and earth will pass away but the Word of God will remain forever.

Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY.

Matthew 24:35

by Dag Heward-Mills