.....::::: What Are God's Standards Concerning Sex? :::::.....

"More than half."

"That is the number of Americans (minus the rest of North America) that think that the Bible has little influence on a culture they see in moral decline." (source: Religion News Service)

"More than three quarters of Americans (77 percent) think that the nation's morality is headed downhill, according to a new survey from American Bible Society." (source: Religion News Service)

Moral decline means that our standards have been lowered. But why did I reference moral decline?

"The same survey shows that 88 percent of Americans said they own a Bible, 80 percent still think the Bible is sacred, 61 percent wish they read it more […]." (source: Religion News Service)

Stop. Hold that thought!

In the day and age we live in, sex is EVERYWHERE. And I mean EVERYWHERE! We find sexual images in public transportation, schools and don't get me started on television. This is important because the images, commercials and various types of media tell us that SEX, the act of love that is supposed to and was intended to be sacred, is available to you almost freely. This mixes up our generation a lot. Our standards have been mixed up with God's standards that we try to find a common ground or "gray zone" where we can compromise; still do bad things even though we know we shouldn't.

The shocking thing about all this is that whether we believe it or not, Christianity is very well known in the world today. It is often misinterpreted though. Sadly, many Christians don't even read their Bibles very often. Many non Christians and even Christians alike practice pre-marital sex, even though they know that they shouldn't. But many don’t know in reality what God has to say about pre-marital sex besides that it is forbidden. That is why I said "hold that thought earlier. Many men have no clue whatsoever about God's standard about sex.

Here is a FUN FACT! Did you know that in nearly every book of the New Testament, we are commanded to avoid sexual impurity? Don't believe me? Let’s visit what God’s standards are for this intimate act.

1) Matthew 5:28 - "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart."

Sex was intended to be a means to express ones love, self-sacrifice, and union in a marriage relationship. What Jesus is saying here is that the desire to have sex with anyone who is not your spouse is mental adultery and thus sin. He emphasized that if the act is wrong, then so is the intention. Jesus is not saying that sex is bad or that a natural interest in the opposite sex or a healthy sexual desire is wrong. No. He is saying that when we fill our minds with sexual thoughts, we will be more likely to act on our thoughts. He wants us to avoid that.

2) Mark 7:21-23 "For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder,  adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and defile a person.”

When we want to do things that we know are wrong, we THINK about it first. An evil action ALWAYS begins with a single thought. Paul mentions this and even advises us to think about what is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, and admirable. (See Philippians 4:8)

3) Acts 15:29 - "You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell."

Uhmm...I think it is pretty clear. But just in case it is, focusing on sex will just lead you to "situationships" and not relationships. This means more problems and less love.

4) Romans 13:13 - "Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy."

5) 1 Corinthians 5:11 - "But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people."

6) 1 Corinthians 6:13 - "You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body."

In Jesus, we find love, protection and freedom. But we should never abuse this freedom because if so, it has the potential to hurt others and even ourselves. The same way drinking too much leads to alcoholism, gluttony leads to obesity, sex in the wrong context can turn into a bad habit that controls you.

7) 1 Corinthians 6:13 -  "You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body."

8) 2 Corinthians 12:21 - "I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged."

9) Galatians 5:16,19 - "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. […] The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; […]"

10) Ephesians 5:3-4 "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving."

11) Colossians 3:5-6 "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed,which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming."

Men and women should be open to true love - and to sexual intimacy - WITHIN the commitment to lifelong fidelity.

12) 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5,7 "It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; […] For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life."

God created sex for pleasure and procreation. If you are not ready to have kids or start a family with that person, why find yourself in that situation? It is an expression of love between a husband and wife. Sexual experience must be limited to the marriage relationship to avoid hurting ourselves, our relationship to God, and our relationships with others.

13) Hebrews 13:4 - "Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral."

14) 1 Peter 4:3 - "For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry."

15) Jude 7 - "In a similar way, Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding towns gave themselves up to sexual immorality and perversion. They serve as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire."

16) Revelations 2:14 - "Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality."

17) Revelation 2:20 - "Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols."

18) Revelation 21:8 - "But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

Sounds harsh right? The Bible warns us of many things. It warns us of sexual sin and that we shouldn’t take it lightly. For too long, we have heard sermons or people speak about “running from sexual sin” but never in detail (please read our earlier post “The Truth About Sex”). God created sex to be a beautiful and essential ingredient of marriage, but any form of sex outside of marriage always hurts someone. It hurts god because it shows that we prefer following our own desires instead of being led by His Holy Spirit. It hurts others because it violates the commitment so necessary to a relationship. Ever notice how when two people finish having sex, the guy tends to not care and the girl is either emotionally hurt or emotionally dependant of the guy? You see! It deeply affects our personalities in the long run!

With that being said, we find that God’s standards for sex can be found in more than half of the books in the New Testament. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we enter a relationship with God. The example that I love to use is this: see God as your “lover”. When you are in a relationship, you do everything to please and keep that person happy and satisfied. Sleeping with someone else before God hands you over to your true life partner, is basically as if you cheated on God with someone else. Even though infidelity is very popular in our generation, that does not make it okay to do so. Think of the people who get hurt as a result of your actions, before you think of doing it. Hope this clears up some things for people. No one is perfect. We are not here to judge anyone. On the contrary, if you have done this or are living a life where sexual sin (sex before marriage) is dominant or present, it is not too late to stop. Sexual sin can be enslaving but Jesus died for those sins already; not so you can continue and still do it but so that you can have access to a LIFE that is way better and one that fulfills better than 5 minutes of body to body pleasure. We all struggle with something; some it is lust and others it may be something else. But if this doesn’t concern you, feel free to share it with someone who might need to read this. Stay blessed and much love to you on your walk with God. Peace & Blessings!

(This post used Stephen Arterburn’s book “Every Man’s Battle: Winning the War on Sexual Temptation One Victory at a Time.” as a reference.)

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: Can You Translate Your "Christianese" Please? :::::.....

"Christianese" is a communicable language within the Christian subculture with words and phrases created, redefined, and / or patened that applies only to the Christian sphere of influence. In other words, it's an invented word used to express the use of Christian theology terms that may seem like bibberish to those that have no idea what the speaker is talking about.

How often do we do this though? How often do we talk to people about Jesus, but we use terms and words that they have an easier time understanding Chinese or Sign Language rather than understanding us? Jesus used metaphors, similies, and analogies to portray and demonstrate God's goodness, message and invitation to Life. Why is it that we must show how spiritually intellectual we are by using big words or words that seem to make no sense or are even frightening to our listeners?

My sister and I moved to Canada in 2004, after the death of our parents. We understood little to no french at all. The only thing that truly helped us was the fact that we are Haitian American. Haitian Creole is some what close to French. Anyway, if a Montreal Canadian had come up to us (which happened quite often in our first two years) to announce, in French, something like how we were being offered a chance to live in Prime Minister Stephen Harper's house or even better; a chance to live at the White House with President Barack Obama and reap the benefits of living there, that would've been AWESOME! But at that point in time, if someone didn't translate everything that person would've said to us from French to English, my sister and I would've missed out on such a ONCE IN A LIFETIME, GOLDEN opportunity. Why? Just because French was such a foreign language at the time.

In the same way, God's message and invitation to Life must be translated into language people can UNDERSTAND. Using words like KINGDOM, REPENTANCE, and SAVED sound scary and uncommon to most people. It is as if we are speaking a language that is foreign when we use terms like being "justified," "sanctified," or "redeemed." Please, don't get me wrong, these terms are important, but we must first understand the truth of God's message enough to translate them into a language or vocabulary that ordinary people (those who have yet to know these things) can understand.

Why though? Why would someone turn from what they are used to, what they have grown to know and love, from the only semblance of life, love, and security they have ever known (apart from God) and turn to God if they don't believe that He is good or has good intentions towards them? That is where Jesus steps in. He used creatuve language and many analogies to paint and demonstrate an accurate picture of the Father's goodness in terms people would and could understand:

"He runs to the prodigal son with open arms (Luke 15:11-32)" and "He values you more than many sparrows (Matthew 6:25-34)."

Yes, Jesus did speak in parables (moral stories) to provoke people's hearts that were on the verge of being responsive or those that were hardened, but He also gave life to a linguistic picture so others may understand and see God's goodness.

We should do the same! Sometimes, it is not that people don't want to believe in Jesus. It is just that they don't have a clue what we are saying. We try to seem high and mighty by using terms that we believe will spike their curiousity but in reality, all we do is cause even more confusion. In order for people to turn and trust God with their whole lives (repent and believe), we must stop speaking "Christianese" and just be us. Use words that they will comprehend and most importantly, just be yourself. It is important that we listen to their needs and invite them to Life.

Have a blessed day and don’t forget to spread for Christ!

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: Do You Judge or Show Mercy? :::::.....

Hey guys! Long time no see! We hope all is well with you! Let's jump right into Scripture for this one.

Jesus offered mercy to people who deserved judgment (by normal human standards). In Luke chapter 4, we see Jesus as He is reading from the scroll in which the prophet Isaiah foretold the Messiah's mission.

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because He has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then He rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on Him." (Luke 4:18-20)

What does that mean? How is it relevant though?

Jesus was basically saying, "I've come to let struggling people, brokenhearted people, people captive to addictions, people stuck in dark spiritual places know that now is the time of God's favor-God is on your side, not against you!"

As a Christian or even a non Christian, do people get that vibe from you? Do they feel you are judging them or that you are only here to expose their flaws while making yourself look good?

One important thing to highlight in this passage is that Jesus cut Isaiah's word off in mid-sentence. Don't believe me?

Isaiah said, "[...] to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn [...]" (Isaiah 61:2)

But Jesus said read, "to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor," then He rolled up the scroll. Why did He leave out the part about judgment?

Mercy.

The other half of the Scripture is sure to come but He offers mercy to everyone who realizes they need it. He offers restoration to all who need and will receive God's help. Jesus clearly states in John 12:47 that He did not come to judge the world or condemn it but restore and free it.

But do we give that message?

When people think of Christians, they think of hypocritical, judgmental and non transparent religious people. People who value the technicalities of the law more than the people the law was there to serve. Some of us value "speaking truth" and "being right" way more than actually lifting a finger to help those in need. In blunt terms, people think of us Christians, the way Jesus saw the Pharisee.

But we have got it all wrong! We have lost the truth about the heart of Jesus! Mercy matters to God! Mercy and compassion defines God's character! It is this very compassion that leads people to repentance. In Matthew 18:33 Jesus gets annoyed when faced with people who have been shown kindness and mercy, but refuse to extend it to others.

Pharisees love to judge people. Why? Judging makes us feel good because it puts us in a better light than others. Whether we know it or not, we put ourselves in God's place. The Pharisee felt superior and showed no mercy for people who didn't live up to their standards.

Now my question to you is this: Do you tell yourself that "you don't do this or that-look at what a good person you are-at least I am not as bad as this person"? Or do you truly believe that you are holier than others? If so, we will pray for you. This is something that is far too present in our generation, whether you are a Christian or not. God wants hearts that receive His mercy, and then offer it to others.

Have a blessed day and don't forget to show mercy. (This post was inspired by John Burke's book "Mud and The Masterpiece - Seeing Yourself and Others Through The Eyes Of Jesus.)

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE :::::.....

Do you ever feel that your life is too complex for God to understand?

Do you feel that your problems are too hard for God to solve?

Do you feel like God would not comprehend what you are going through?

Jesus goes by many names. One of them being "Immanuel", which means “God with us.” When Jesus was born in Bethlehem, He was God in the flesh. We can’t see God with our eyes or touch Him with our fingers, but people could see and touch Jesus. And because Jesus was human (while still being God), He completely understood what it was like to be human—to be tired, hungry, thirsty and tempted.

Here is a parable that I was reading and I hope that it may help you better understand.

Once upon a time, there was a man who looked upon Christmas as a lot of humbug.

(Humbug is deceptive or false talk or behavior.)

He wasn't a Scrooge. He was a very kind and decent person, generous to his family, upright in all his dealings with other men.

But he didn't believe all that stuff about God becoming man, which churches proclaim at Christmas. Why would God want to do anything like that?

So when his family left to attend midnight services on Christmas Eve, he stayed home. Shortly after the family drove away, snow began to fall. He went to the window and watched the flurries getting heavier and heavier. Some time later, as he was reading his newspaper by the fire, he was startled by a thudding sound that was quickly followed by another. Then another.

When he went to investigate, he found a flock of birds huddled miserably in the snow. They had been caught in the storm, and in a desperate search for shelter had tried to fly through the window. I can't let these poor creatures lie there and freeze, he thought. But how can I help them? Then he remembered the barn. It would provide a warm shelter. He quickly put on his coat and boots and tramped through the deepening snow to the barn. He opened the doors wide and turned on the light.

But the birds didn't come in.

Food will bring them in, he thought. So he hurried back to the house for breadcrumbs, which he sprinkled on the snow to make a trail into the barn.

To his dismay, the birds ignored the breadcrumbs and continued to flop around helplessly in the snow. He tried shooing them into the barn by walking around and waving his arms. They scattered in every direction — except into the warm, lighted barn.

They find me a strange and terrifying creature, he said to himself, and I can't seem to think of any way to let them know they can trust me.

If only I could be a bird myself for a few minutes, perhaps I could lead them to safety.

Just at that moment, the church bells began to ring. He stood silently for a while, listening to the bells pealing out the glad tidings of Christmas.

Then he sank to his knees in the snow. "Now I understand," he whispered. "Now I see why You had to do it."

http://youtu.be/iAT_kv4ZNng

Need I say more? I think it is pretty clear. Have an amazing day and stay blessed!

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: CAN YOUR IMPACT BE FELT? :::::.....

To impact is the means of having a strong effect on someone. It also means to hit something or someone with great force.

So, to have an impact on someone would signify having a strong influence on someone; one so strong that it changes their way of thinking or their life as a whole.

Before Steve Jobs, Abraham Lincoln, Bill Gates, Rosa Parks, Harriott Tuddman, Oprah, Barack Obama, Martin Luther King and Malcolm X just to name a few, there were other influential people before our time, there was Abraham, Moses, Isaac, Joseph, David, Peter, Paul and the greatest of all influential men; Jesus Christ.

What did Jesus do though?

Yeah, He was the Messiah. He was the one for whom the Jews had waited to deliver them from Roman oppression. Yet, tragically, they didn't recognize Him when He came because His kingship was not what they expected. During His time on earth, Jesus Christ healed the sick. He fed multitudes. He gave legs to the crippled. He granted sight to the blind. He opened the ears of the deaf. He showed genuine love for prostitutes, tax collectors and those who society, even today, shuns. He touched the untouchable. He loved the unlovable. He forgave the unforgivable. Even today, just the name of Jesus Christ saves the otherwise unsavable!

Yeah…that’s right! I said it! 2000 plus years later, this guy's name still impacts today's generation, whether some believe it or not and even if some like it or not. Jesus Christ is the most famous person in history.

A friend of mine said this to me once:

"Do not look to be famous ONLY in the church. Because if you are or if that is your goal, then you haven't accomplished anything."

Til this day, that means so much to me. But why? Jesus was famous. That much we can agree on but if you pay attention to everything He did, His ministry, Jesus was famous in the synagogues but He was even more famous on the outside of the four walls of what we call the church in today’s society.

Can YOUR impact be felt?

Ask yourself that question. Can your impact be felt? What are you doing to better those around you? To push them to do good. Are you doing so or are you doing the opposite? Are you a positive example for those who come before and even after you? Are you lazy?

Can YOUR impact be felt?

Do people know you? If not, do not use humility as a means to justify your stagnation. How are you impacting your community and other communities as well?

Does your church have an impact?

Do not take this the wrong way, I am not blasting anyone’s church or their church’s vision. When I mean impact, I mean is your congregation known just amongst other congregations or does your church impact the whole neighborhood? Can its presence be felt? Do people want to come visit and even make your church their place of worship? If not, there is something wrong. It is nice that every Sunday, one or two people come and accept to become a member of your church but does the neighborhood where your church resides, is it being changed because of the very presence of your church?! We have done nothing until our presence is felt.

I have been given the privilege to read my fair share of books in my 23 years of age and one book that truly impacted me was "Jesus: Pure And Simple" by Wayne Cordeiro. For those who know me, I talk about this book a lot and can get really excited. Anyway, the quote that really stood out to me was:

"You can not judge a church by the number of people on the inside, but by the number of people still on the outside."

What that basically means is if your church is impactful, if your church is truly doing and fulfilling its purpose as the house of God (that should reach out and help those in need, as well as be a place of worship), those on the outside should want to come to Jesus. That means the less fortunate, the widows, the orphans, the sexually abused etc. These people should not feel like they have to find a solution in a bar, a strip club or a crack house. Is your churches impact felt?!

This is actually a testimony. Last night, while I was at work, the door bell rang so I went to open it. When I pressed the button that unlocks the door, a friend of mine walks in. We used to attend the same high school together. We knew who the other was, we had a few friends in common and we had a mutual respect for one another. Basically, he walks into the store, greets me and begins to shop in the store. As I waited, I did some of my daily tasks. When he was ready, he came to the cash register so that he can pay for what he decided to buy: jalepeno beef jerky and a relaxant drink. (He ended up buying two but that's another story.) As he took his money out to pay, I asked him what has he been up to and what he does for a living? I am an observant person (sometimes it rubs certain people the wrong way but hey, I can't help it). I would see him in the city bus or subway station in a suit and tie. But I never personally asked him why. Until last night that is. He then began to tell me about how after a few career experiments and job failures, he is now a part of a marketing firm that helps build and train others to become entrepreneurs. I was impressed! I couldn't believe it! But what he said to me next was what really got my attention. He then said that one of the main things that drove him to that point was something that I said to him years back. He also told me that he pays attention and sees all my posts on social media (Facebook to be precise). The positive message from the Bible and just the love in general helps him. God made an impact through me and it helped him.

If I recall, I told him to be positive and that he should chase his dreams but never to let his entourage distance him from that dream; that if his entourage was on the verge of making him do so, it had to go.

Hearing him say that really messed me up. All I could do is smile. Not because I said that to him but because I knew that this was God telling me something. Earlier thay day, I was asking myself if my impact or the impact that I wish to have, can be felt in this generation or at least amongst those in my community. A few hours later, this happened. I was so grateful because God's impact through me, helped impact another. We are all vessels for God's grace. We have to be a blessing for those around us. And it sure did feel good to be. We then proceeded to talk about God, recommended books and then he left. Once he left, I went into the employee bathroom and as I thanked God, I cried. Yeah...

All that to say, you never know who you can impact when you think no one is paying attention. You do not need to be super famous so that God can impact others through you though! Look at Jesus, He was a carpenter, born in a manger, in a not so rich family. He didn't wear a shirt that said I am the Messiah! He was the Word made flesh and came as a normal guy and changed the world in an extraordinary way! God uses normal people for His incredible will!

So my question to you is this: Can your impact be felt? And what are you doing to make it so? How will you make an impact? How will you leave your mark? Forgive me for asking...

(Special thanks to you Ted for inspiring me for this post. I told you that God brought you to the store tonight for a reason. God bless you and much love and abundant blessings to you!)

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: WHERE EVERYBODY KNOWS YOUR NAME :::::.....

Let's use our brains for a few seconds...

Imagine for a second that you walk into a place and no one recognized you.

How would that make you feel?

Would you feel alone?

Hurt?

Angry?

Now imagine for a second that you were the head of a multi-billion dollar company. So you walk into YOUR COMPANY, and no one recognizes you.

They disrespect you.

They pay no attention to you.

How would you feel?

Third scenario...imagine you come home from work after a long day and your own family didn't recognize you? Not only that but the place you occupied in the household was being occupied by someone else.

What would you do?

All the time invested in building relationships with the house members only to see that you have been replaced. How would you feel?

Regardless of the example, whether you are a celebrity or someone that is mildly known, if we were to walk into a place and not get recognized, it would harm us deep down inside. We would all like to go somewhere where everybody knows our names. It makes us feel wanted and cared about.

Ironically, there is this itinerant preacher by the name of Jesus that felt the same way in terms of wanting those He loves to accept Him. Some of us have heard of Him but not all of us truly recognize Him.

Let’s try and imagine what it was like when Jesus claimed to be Messiah and how the people responded.

"Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.” (John 1:45)

People waited centuries to see the Messiah but once they heard that it was Jesus, they did not believe nor did they accept this. Why? Was it because they saw him grow up so they never considered Him to be the Messiah? The Jewish leaders, most if not all, laughed at the very suggestion that a low-born, uneducated carpenter from Nazareth, of all places, could be the very Messiah that they were waiting for.

But He was and is.

Just as any human being, you can imagine what the religious leaders were like when confronted with the questions regarding Jesus being the Messiah. They would probably go on and ask why certain prophecies were not fulfilled yet, how come He was not a king on a throne instead of a carpenter and that the Messiah was to abolish war forever. But let me tell you, this is proof that  God has a weird way of functioning til this day. He does not fulfill man’s expectations but He does things His way; whenever and wherever.

The first time Jesus told people that He was the long awaited Messiah, He was in a synagogue in Nazareth, reading from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah.
"He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read […]"

Pause.

You have to understand that what makes Jesus’ declaration so special is that Luke 4:16 states that “He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up […]” That means that He was surrounded by people that knew Him, most likely since He was a child. You would think that the people would be happy since the long awaited Messiah was FINALLY here! You would think that they would throw a party or a banquet of some sort…nope. They actually ran Jesus out of town and wanted to throw Him off a cliff but He escaped.

The people of Nazareth did not even try to consider that maybe what Jesus was saying was true. They did things their way according to what they believed. To them, He did not fulfill the messianic expectations.

Let’s use another example.

In Matthew 16, we find Jesus in the region of Caesarea Philippi with His disciples. He proceeds to ask them this question:

“Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

His disciples answered Him like we all would; they said that He was one of the greatest prophets come back to life. But then He asked them who do they think He is.

Jesus asked His disciples the same question but using a different perspective. Everyone has an opinion and a point of view. The sad part if that these people were with Him almost all the time…but they had yet to see it. The amazing thing is that Simon Peter, was the one who answered and his answer was worthy of the Messiah.

“Simon Peter answered, you are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

Peter confessed that Jesus was divine and that He was the promised and long awaited Messiah.

"When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:13-16)

And our last example…

Near the end of the events at Golgotha, where Jesus hung on the cross, amazing things happened. His death was accompanied by at least four miraculous events (darkness the tearing of the curtain in the temple, an earthquake, and dead people rising from their tombs). Jesus’ death could not have gone unnoticed. Everyone knew something significant had happened! So much that in Mathhew 27:54, it states that a roman centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw these phenomena and recognized Him as the Son of God.

"When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54)

The irony in all this is that the ones who were supposed to recognize Him since they were the very ones waiting on His arrival, didn't recognize Him. Instead, they were the ones who sent Him to His death. But strangely enough, God’s plan can never be undone. It was all according to plan. A lot of Christians today believe that they would be able to discern and see Jesus as the Messiah if He came incognito again. Do you fall under this category? Have you yet to recognize Jesus as Messiah? Do you recognize Him as Lord, Savior, Prince of peace, Counselor by excellence, the Lamb of God or the Lion of Judah? Or are you one of the ones who walks past Him and ignores His words, message and messengers? Are you still not sure that Jesus is the Messiah? Do you need some kind of proof to admit that Jesus is indeed the Messiah? Sometimes we want to go where everybody know our names...

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: GOOD FRIENDS ARE SAFER THAN BEING ALONE :::::.....

In one of our previous posts, in our early beginnings, we spoke about “friends” and what a good friend should be like. Let’s revisit that again shall we?

A friend is a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond or mutual affection. A person who acts as a supporter of a cause. A person who is not an enemy or who is on the same side.

The words that should stick out in that definition are “supporter” and “who is on the same side”. They may seem one in the same at first and though it is true, it brings us to the essence of this blog post.

I do a lot of reading in my spare time and by God’s grace, I fell on one of my favorite books of all time by Mark Atteberry called “ The Samson Syndrome: What You Can Learn From The Baddest Boy In The Bible”. It is an amazing read! Moving on…

Throughout the book, it sheds light on Samson and his weaknesses even though he was technically the strongest man to ever live. But in chapter seven, something got my attention. The author began talking about when we repeatedly make the same mistakes. So he offers a solution to this problem.

“Once you begin to solve the mystery of why you keep repeating the same mistakes, it’s time to start thinking about how to stop.” - Mark Atteberry

This is why I wanted us to revisit what a friend is. The author suggests that we find a friend who will hold us accountable.

For example, Samson, whom the book is about, throughout his story, we never see him with a friend. That is why he continually made the same mistakes over and over again. Why is that? Here are a few examples of some of the Bible’s dynamic duos or factions.

- Lot had Abraham
- Moses had Aaron
- Caleb had Joshua
- David had Jonathan
- Paul had Barnabas and Silas

But in the end, Samson didn’t have anybody. There is a study that shows that 85% of the violent crime victims in America are alone when they are attacked. Bad guys are successful when their targets are isolated. In the Bible, it says that Satan prowls around looking for some victim to devour.

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." - Apostle Peter (1 Peter 5:8)

I don’t know if you paid attention to that last part but it said “victim” and not “victims” with an “s”. Singular, not plural. That’s how Satan works. Ever notice how 90% of the time, when we fall to temptation, we usually are alone? He loves to pick on someone who is alone.

But what can we do to stop this from happening over and over again? Find a friend. Not just any friend though. Do not be fooled, not everyone is your friend. If they lead you to sin, rather than help you stay away from it, run like Usain Bolt away from this person! Pray for them of course but your spiritual well being is way more important than your friendship with that person!

To conclude, find someone you can trust. Not a “yes man,” but someone who cares enough about you to tell you the truth, even if it hurts. Find someone who will point out your blind spots. Find someone who will get in your face if necessary to keep you from doing something self-destructive. Of course God is your friend and wants what is best for you but find someone like a Jonathan who will be there for you regardless. Not telling you what you want to hear but what you need to hear! Stay blessed and I hope this helps someone. Have a marvelous day and don’t forget to spread for Christ!

"Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses."

"As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." - Solomon (Proverbs 27:6 and 17)

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: ARE YOU DANGEROUSLY IN LOVE? :::::.....

Have you ever been dangerously in love? I know it might sound “cliché" but you would be surprised how many of us have actually been there…

What does it mean to be dangerously in love? Have you ever heard the saying, “love is blind”? It means to love someone so much that you don’t see anything or anyone else but that person, even if he or she is not the right person for you. 

Jesus Christ wants a relationship with you. But we find ourselves focusing on finding our soul mates but in reality Jesus already died for our souls…

I won’t say much. I believe that this video will do the trick. I will just share this with you and hopefully you enjoy it! Have a blessed and marvelous day!

Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keOhYs8-rs0

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: DON'T BE AFRAID TO SHARE YOUR TESTIMONY :::::.....

Have you ever been in court or at least watched a t.v show where the setting is a courtroom and the bailiff (police officer) asks that the person who is about to speak, to place their hand on the Holy Bible and he then proceeds to say this:

“Do you solemnly swear that the testimony that you are about to give is the truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?”

Yeah…I know…for those who watch Law & Order or Criminal Minds, this is right up your alley. But how does this apply to us?

A while back, I blogged about how our testimonies can change a life. It’s true! But for some reason, some of us are afraid to share our past experiences…

We are afraid that we will get judged or the person listening will not take into consideration what it is that we are saying because at the end of the day, we are no different then them. We are ashamed because our lives don’t always match what we know God has done in our lives.

But we have misunderstood what testimony is. Testimony is evidence or proof provided by the existence or appearance of something. What that means is that it has to be something true and something that we know. And what do we know better than anyone else? Where we have been and came from. We are to testify to others what God has done in our lives.

But how though?

If we want others to take what we have to say seriously concerning Jesus Christ, we have to show them that our lives reflect His reality. We must do good. We have to talk the talk and walk the walk!

“Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” (Galatians 6:10)

Throughout the Bible, Jesus did many miracles and the people He healed or spoke to often ran and told others through testimony. Regardless of what their previous state was, they were unashamed and ran to tell others of what Christ had done!

Speaking of one of Christ’s many miracles, let us look at Paul. Before his personal meeting with Jesus Christ, Paul hated the Christian faith and persecuted Christians without mercy. I have spoken about Him previously in a few of these posts but I can not guarantee that this is the last time you will hear his name in one of these post!

In 1 Timothy 1:15-16, Paul was not interested in creating an image of anything. He was using himself as an example. He was never reluctant to share his past because he knew that by God’s grace, his past failures would serve to bring others to the light. But in this verse, he lowered his guard (transparency) to communicate the Gospel. That is a very important step! People will not always believe that the Gospel is important if it is not a crucial part of your life.

“Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners-of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His immense patience as an example for those who would believe in Him and receive eternal life.” - 1 Timothy 1:15

To make a long story short, people think that God will never forgive and accept them because of their pasts. But when you think that way, think of Paul’s past. He literally went against Jesus’ teachings and had many of Jesus’ followers killed before helping shape the history of Christianity. At times we hesitate to share our past struggles with others because we think that they will judge us or will say that we are no different from them. But in reality, we aren’t. And that is what is amazing with God’s grace! It is available to anyone and everyone! We are no better than anyone else but we do have something in common: there is a God that is willing to forgive us regardless of our sins. All we have to do is repent and seek out Jesus Christ.

Jesus came into the word to save sinners, and no sinner is beyond His saving power. Regardless of your background, your ethnicity, your mistakes, your past choices, your past luggage, your infidelities…REGARDLESS…share your testimony! The world needs Christians who are not afraid to live their faith and share their testimony! In Matthew 28:19, Jesus commands us to go into the world and preach the Gospel but we can only do that when we realize the power and importance of our testimonies. Don’t be afraid to let others know from where Christ reached to save you and all that He has done for you! God does not waste our time; He will use our past and present so we may serve Him with our future. Like a friend of mine would say: "The past is the past!!!" Spread for Christ!

We would love to hear from your testimonies! Contact us via spread4christ@gmail.com and send us your testimonies! Tell us what Jesus Christ has done for you! Stay blessed!

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: YOUR SITUATION WILL CHANGE! :::::.....

Shame is a painful emotion caused by a strong sense of guilt, embarrassment, unworthiness, or disgrace. This feeling may bring dishonor, disgrace, or condemnation.

Have you ever felt this way? Has a certain situation ever made you feel like you weren't worthy? Have you ever felt so embarrassed that you told yourself that it was pointless to go on? Has this emotion set in motion or given birth to anger, shyness or anxiety in your life?

Almost everyone has felt like this at least at one point in time but we should not let this feeling stay! We have no reason to let guilt reign in our lives! Why? Because God will CHANGE your situation!

Take this into consideration:

Back in Israel, during the times of the New Testament, a woman's value was largely measured by her ability to bear children, to be without children often led to personal hardship and public shame. This was the case for Elizabeth and Zechariah. They were both old and and came from priestly families. One would believe that because of this, they would have God's favor but it did not seem that way. Then one day, Zechariah received an unexpected blessing! He was chosen to be the priest who would enter the Holy Place to offer incense to God for the people. Suddenly, he found himself face to face with an angel bearing a message that Zachariah and his wife would have a son (John The Baptist). The angel's message was too good to be true! Things worked out better than she had ever hoped!

Luke 1:25 - “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days He has shown His favor and taken away my disgrace among the people."

Let us move in reverse...

Before Zechariah and Elizabeth, there was Rachel. Her story is another tale of a sterile woman but unlike Elizabeth, she felt the need to compete for Jacob's love even though she already had it because of her lack of children. But in Genesis 30:22-23, God eventually answered Rachel's prayers and gave her a child of her own.

Genesis 30:22-23 “Then God remembered Rachel; He listened to her and opened her womb. She became pregnant and gave birth to a son and said, “God has taken away my disgrace."

And lastly, let’s talk about Job. Job was a wealthy man of upright character who loved God. Yet God allows Satan to destroy Job’s flock, his possessions, his children, and his health. Job refused to give up on God, even though he did not know or understand why everything that happened to him was taking place. And I bet you can guess what happened after all that…God changed Job’s situation!

Job 19:25-27 “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!"

Regardless of your situation…

Whether you are sterile…there is a God that will change your situation!

Whether you are on the brink of poverty…there is a God that will change your situation!

Whether you are sick…there is a God that will change your situation!

Whether you are going through depression…there is a God that will change your situation!

People will say that you were “this" or “that" yesterday and that you are the same today but God is the one who will have the last word!

Whether you are going through something that is unbearable…there is a God that will change your situation! Even if you do not see the results right away, you can have faith because God is the master of time and circumstances! Everything that man has said, has thought and taken you for, does not matter. When the world has counted you out, and said that you are “finished”, it is not over! So do not be afraid to tell people who you were yesterday because when God changes your situation, He will do it so that the ones who knew you before can hardly recognize you now! All the time that you spent being ashamed because of the things you have done, will not come back but things will get better.

Isaiah 61:7 - “Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs."

God is not human that He should lie (Numbers 23:19)! God has not forgotten you, regardless of what you were or are. God will take care of you. He will handle your situation. Trust Him and believe! He is not a genie (let us not make this mistake) but He listens to the prayers of His children! Although we go through difficult times or situations, we can call upon Him in confidence that a change will take place! Surely God could take care of our needs without our asking. But when we ask, we are acknowledging that He alone is God and that we cannot accomplish in out own strength all that is His domain to do. When we ask, we must humble ourselves and lay aside our worries because He is the situation changer. We should not despair because we have God’s presence, the privilege of prayer, and God’s grace! God can be sought and found when we seek Him wholeheartedly. There is no situation or thing that can make Him love us less or that can break that communion! If He did it before, He can and will do it again! Stay blessed and in faith!

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: HELP IS ON THE WAY :::::.....

We would normally do a written post but change is good. To some this may be an oldie but it is still a classic with so much truth to it. Hope you enjoy it and hope this serves as a reminder of how great Jesus is in our times of need. Stay blessed and have an awesome day!

.....::::: DON'T MISS THE SUBWAY! :::::.....

Hey everyone! Whether some people who visit this blog know it or not, we at Spread4Christ live in Canada. I am originally from the States and the other members from other parts of the world but that is another story. But what is there to say that is good about Canada? Plenty! But one of the things I enjoy to be honest is it’s effort towards public transportation. I know what you are going to say…”how is this relevant to God in any shape or form?” Well let me explain…

I was taking the subway the other day (I forgot where I was headed) and it hit me...what if this subway represented or could be compared to when Jesus makes His glorious return? What do I mean? The subway comes and stays at a station for only 30-45 seconds right? And sadly, it does not necessarily wait on anyone (see Matthew 25:1-13)…depending on who the conductor is. But in the Bible, in Revelation 16:15, it says:

“Behold I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.”

What that means is that Christ’s return will be unexpected. And by unexpected, it will be swift and come quickly! We must be ready when He returns! We can prepare by standing firm in temptation and being committed to God’s moral standards.

But then again, you ask how is this relevant to the subway?

Every time I take the subway in the morning, it is jam packed! There are people already in it: those who stay and those who are getting off. (Let’s ignore the ones getting off and look at the people in the station.) What if there are 3 types of people at the subway station?

1) The ones standing at the station waiting for the subway.

2) The ones who are running to catch the subway.

3) And lastly, the people who are walking and taking their precious time to get on it.

What if...? (This is where everything I said becomes relevant). Where do you find yourself amongst the 3 types of people? The ones who are already there (firm believers in Christ and His return who are patiently waiting)? The ones who are running to get there (those who will try to become believers at the last minute but were doing something else (living a certain way) just before) or those who are walking and taking their precious time (those who believe they have all the time in the world to come to Jesus or they just don't really care)? Forgive me for asking... Think about it as you continue your faithful walk with Christ!

- Spread4Christ -

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: GOD IS IN CONTROL :::::.....

Have you ever been in a situation where all seemed lost? Where it felt like God was not there? Or that He stood on stand by as you suffered? This happens to us a lot and it is not for the reasons that we may think, as we are filled with emotions. Our emotions can cause us to believe that He is not there or that He is watching but doing nothing. But in reality, this is FALSE!

Want proof?

In the book of Job, God teaches us that He is in charge, in control, what He says goes and that what He does is done for a reason, we have no right to question Him, and no power to stop Him. I know what you are thinking…sounds dictating right? It might but it isn’t that. The concept of God being in control is called the “sovereignty” of God. His sovereignty is His complete, total, and independent control over every creature, event, and circumstance since the beginning of time. God is influenced by none. If this were the case, that would not make Him God. But since He is absolutely independent, God does as He pleases, what He pleases and always as He pleases. He controls every moment in the universe, and everything that happens is either caused by or allowed by Him for His purposes, all the way down to moving molecules.

Now back to Job…

God bet with Satan that Job was the godliest man on Earth and that he would never curse God. God basically got Satan to bet something that God knew He would win. He knew Job. He was the One who created and forged Job, so it is only normal that He have confidence in His creation. God allows Satan to take away Job’s possessions, all the way down to his children. But even through that, Job refused to curse God. God rubs this fact in Satan’s face, causing Satan to raise the stakes. God allows Satan to torture Job’s body with all sorts of anomalies but did not give him the right to kill Job. In the end, God comes to Job in a storm. He answers and then questions Job. He explains that He is the one who created everything that exists, existed, that will exist, and that He does not abide by the rules because He is the one who created the them. Control.

Moving on…

Let’s fast forward a bit shall we? Jesus, being the teacher that He was (amongst other things), was teaching near the Sea of Galilee. He wanted a short period of rest from the crowds so He decided to take a boat and go to the other side of shore where no large towns could be found. Not long after they started sailing, Jesus fell asleep and a storm appeared (Mark 4:35-36, Luke 8:23).

Timeout! Don’t you think it is ironic that Jesus would give orders to take a boat to the other side and that a storm came? Control. He knew the storm was coming. Throughout life, there may be storms. The Lord never said that storms wouldn’t come but He did however say that He would never leave us and that with perseverance, we will overcome. (Deuteronomy 31:8 and James 1:12). The amazing thing is that while His disciples struggled, He was PEACEFULLY sleeping. This confirms Proverbs 3:24 and Psalm 4:8. How? It is said that the sleep of a believer will be sweet and peaceful because the believer knows that the Lord is with Him. So after rebuking the disciples lack of faith, with one quick word, Jesus calmed the storm. This is proof that faith in Christ is never misplaced and that He can and will calm the storms of our lives! Control.

Believe me yet? Let’s try one more example…

Does the name Lazarus ring any bells? He was Jesus’ friend and brother of Mary and Martha. His brief sickness proved stronger than any medicine available. Jesus knew that Lazarus would die but chose to stay where He was and delayed. Jesus' disciples were afraid to go back to Judea, but Jesus had other plans. He commanded them to go with Him, stating: “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe.” By the time Jesus go to Bethany, Lazarus was dead for four days. Woah…FOUR DAYS?! I know what you are going to say…did this guy even care? FOR SURE! Yes, He did weep with the sisters but Jesus also showed us that regardless of the situation at hand, He is in control and that He has the last word. Always.

Jesus called to Lazarus after praying to God and Lazarus came out, his hands and feet were wrapped with strings of linen.

Now what about you? Are you going through something that may seem catastrophic at the moment and seems like God is no where to be found? Do you feel persecuted by life or the enemy, like Job and are questioning why God is letting this happen to you? Are you stuck at sea in a proverbial storm and feel that God is resting while you are panicking? Or do you feel that all hope is lost and that God will fail to arrive on time to save your situation from utter destruction? Rest assured that God IS there! God is not a man for Him to lie to us (Numbers 23:19). But there is one thing though…How can we trust someone we do not try to get to know? Can you trust someone that you have never spent time with? No. There is one way to know God though and that is through His Word. Scripture is not magical but it makes the impossible possible with a small dose of faith! Trusting in God is not a over night process. It takes time. And that is understandable. He knows this and that is why things happen in our lives (all situations that He controls). They happen so that our faith and trust in Him grow. Life is a journey with many lessons to teach; one of them being that we should intimately and completely trust God; who controls all this for His perfect purpose. Stay blessed and in faith!

Spread4Christ

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: TELL ME WHO YOUR FRIENDS ARE... :::::.....

A friend is someone who acts as a supporter of a cause. A person who is not an enemy or who is on the same side. A person whom one knows and with whom has a bond of mutual affection. But most of all, a friend is someone who listens, helps, encourages in making the right decisions and gives. But sadly, this isn’t always the case. We tend to be influenced by the “wolves in sheep’s clothing”, also known as fake friends. People tend to become like those with whom they spend a lot of time. Even the negative characteristics and habits sometimes rub off. The Bible exhorts us to be cautious in our choice of companions. Choose people with qualities you would like to develop in your own life.

A person that you call friend should have most, if not all of the following qualities:

1. The person should not be judgmental. Regardless of what you do, he or she will not think any less of you. You can turn to this person with anything because they understand that at your core you are a good person.

2. They have to have good morals. ( 1 Corinthians 15:33)

3. They are modest. (1 Timothy 2:9)

4. They abstain from living life like they did in the past before coming to Christ. (1 Peter 4:3)

5. They control their tongues. (James 1:26)

6. They are honest. (Luke 8:15)

7. They are law-abiding. (Romans 13:1-7)

The friends we surround ourselves with determine who we become. Whether that be positive or negative. They either support us in making wise decisions, or lead us down a path of bad choices. I pray that you choose to surround yourself with friends who make wise choices. Find a friend like Jonathan was to David, one who encourages you to seek God's wisdom.

The decisions we make define the person we become. So in our day-to-day moments, we must constantly look to God. He gives us His wisdom for a purpose--so that we may live the life He intended for us.

We must pray and remain connected with Him so that when it comes time to decide, we choose the right path. And in choosing the right path, we choose to be defined by God's wisdom. That means that in everything we do, even in choosing friendships, God must be our reference.

In the end, it is good to have friends. But it is better to have one friend who will help us stay on the right path with God, rather than many would could cause us to lose our souls. A friend who respects God and everything that is spiritual is highly recommended. This does not mean that you cannot befriend someone who doesn’t follow these qualities. Jesus hung out with the worst of the worst, by societies standards but He was not influenced. He was the one doing the influencing. Keep that in mind and have a marvelous day! Stay blessed and in faith! If you are looking for a friend with these qualities, I know a guy named Jesus that really lives up to these standards without a hick!

Proverbs 22:24-25 "Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared."

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: DO YOU KNOW HOW TO LOVE? :::::.....

Hey everyone!!! Hope all is well with you! A couple of months ago, we at Spread4Christ posted a blog entry called: “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” It explaining what love is as written in 1 Corinthians 13 and why it is important. The crazy thing is that we sometimes treat love as if it was this new thing that just randomly showed up. But it was always here! What we aim to do in this post is show you “how” to channel this love and how if demonstrated properly, it can change someone’s day and even their life.

Being a avid social networker, it allows me to truly see what people think sometimes. If you haven’t noticed, there are those certain people that post everything they are going through on social media. (I am guilty of it…sometimes…okay…often). Where am I going with this? I have had the chance to see many posts about love; from tumblrs, tweets, statuses on Facebook and even Instagram pictures. Some people, because they have been hurt or betrayed or disappointed by love, they bad-mouth it. You know those posts that I am talking about. The ones that say “I’m doing me” or even the anti-love posts. But there is something wrong with that. How can love be bad if God is love? What the person probably experienced was “immature love”. Not that it was bad but it just wasn’t the right time. A friend of mine once used this parable to explain mature love.

“Have you ever eaten a fruit that isn’t ripe? Love is the same way. Anyone can say, “I love you”, but if the love isn’t mature, it doesn’t taste good. For a fruit to be ripe, it has to spend time in the sun. For our love to be mature, it has to spend time in The Son.”

Deep right? Well in 1 Corinthians 13, it clearly states what love is supposed to be. But what if the person isn’t receptive to that kind of love? What if you are doing it wrong? What if the way the world loves is not the way we should ACTUALLY be loving one another? But how do we love one another though? Love is more than a simple warm feeling. It is a call to action. It is an attitude that reveals itself in action. But how can we REALLY love others as Jesus loves us? Well, have you ever tried to show someone love and they were completely unreceptive? Jesus loves us regardless. Nothing we do can make Him love us less (do not take it for granted) so since He forgives all and loves all, we should do the same. Loving another the way Jesus loves us is to let bygones be bygones and move forward together in peace and love.

Loving someone the way that Jesus loves us is;

...helping someone when it is not convenient. There may be that one person that no matter how many times you see them, they may annoy you or even make you uncomfortable but if that person needs you or even if they don’t come out and say that they do, love and help them anyway!

…giving when it hurts. Yeah…this one right? It is easier to say than do, right? But that still does not make it any less important. Above, I spoke about when the person you are helping or showing love to is not receptive, do not take your love away. Nor should you suffocate them with love. I know a few people who have gone through relationships where all the other person did was take, take and take but never gave. And eventually the other person ended up cheating or leaving. I know it sounds crazy and I know it may sound like something impossible, but trust me, loving someone that does not necessarily love you back is one of the best feelings in the world. Why? Well, Jesus goes through it everyday with us in my opinion. In the Bible it says that if we love God, we will obey. No one is perfect and we mess up sometimes so obey on a 24 hour basis is hard. But Jesus still loves us even if we do the things that hurt Him. What fun is it to love the ones that everyone else already loves? You accomplish so much more by loving the people that love you back and even the ones that don’t.

…by devoting energy to others’ welfare rather than your own, by absorbing hurts from others without complaining or fighting back. Basically, when showing love, you must forget yourself and put others before you. This kind of loving is extremely hard to do but it is not impossible.

What makes loving like Jesus so amazing is that when you do it, people do notice. People never understood why and how Jesus was able to love and approach the people He did even today. How come? Because, to love others the way Christ loved other was and still is revolutionary! Love keeps believers in Christ strong and united in this world that is hostile to God. And you never know how you can impact and change someone’s life with love. Let’s change the world! Reach out and love someone today!

John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: A WOMAN'S WORTH :::::.....

Hi everyone!!!! Anyone who knows me knows that I am an avid social networker! What that means is that I love everything about social media. I love the fact that we can interact and “communicate” with people around the world even if this form of communication is somewhat artificial and not concrete. So basically, I was on Instagram the other day and saw a picture with a very powerful quote that got my attention…

“It’s best to wait for God’s very best. Because second best is not good enough for His daughter.”

Wow…I read that and was touched. Why? Because we live in a society (not all of it) that makes our women believe that they deserve anything but the best. But to truly understand what is best for you, one must know what it is that God wants for you and how He sees you.

Since God is our Father, what father wouldn't want what is best for his child? Then again, what father wouldn't want what is best for his little girl? To all you girls, women and ladies out there, God cherishes you and loves you so much!!! In my opinion, one of God's greatest creations, if not the greatest, is the woman. Why? Because you are just beautiful, strong and awesome! Let no one tell you otherwise!

God doesn’t want your existence to be defined by anyone but Him. We live in a world where we give women the idea that they need a man to be someone in today’s society. But that isn’t true! And far from the truth I might add! There are countless women who have excelled without the presence of a man in their lives and even those that do have a man in their lives, still strive to not conform to this way of thinking. For example, one of the women I respect the most, my older sister, is one of those women. To make a long story short, losing both our parents at a young age was tough but not once did my sister call it quits. She strived to prove everyone wrong and where did it lead her? She is happily working and has her own house and a successful career. She did that without necessarily needing the help of a man. I am not saying that being dependent is wrong. No. What I am saying is that instead of seeking the attention or the presence of a man to define you, lean on God. He is the ONLY one I know that can heal you when you are broken, give you rest when you are tired and fulfill your needs when you don’t even know what they are. Instead of needing a spouse and, in some cases, kids to find your worth as a woman, realize that success is measured only in following God and making the most of where He has you in life. With God shaping your perspective, there's no such thing as failure.

But how does the Bible see or portray women though? Well you will be shocked…IT COMPLETELY DOES THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT SOCIETY TELLS WOMEN THEY ARE! (Did you like my sarcasm?…No? Not funny? Okay…I tried…)

Proverbs 31:10-31 "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. 11Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. 12She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. 13She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. 14She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. 15She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. 16She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. 17She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. 18She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. 19In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. 20She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. 21When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. 22She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. 23Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. 24She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. 25She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. 26She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 27She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29“Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” 30Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. 31Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

Yes, the renown proverb recited by many and even used as a model by most women around the world. The Bible acknowledges and celebrates the priceless value of a virtuous woman. Pay attention to verse 10 though: “She is worth far more than rubies.” So basically, to back my claim that women are one of God’s most amazing, (if not the most amazing) creations, Proverbs 31:10 states that women are worth far more than this very precious, expensive and valuable stone! When someone tells you that you are worthless, remind them that you are worth more than rubies but that no amount of money can buy you! Know your worth! The Bible rightly exalts women against cultures that distort, degrade, and debase them. But like I stated, not everyone sees this…

It is sad because women are actually used and abused more today than at any time in history. How so? Well trafficking women, making them sex salves and trading them like animals for sexual slavery is something that is very much alive and visible in the world that we live in. Literally selling women for money or favors is allowed today. Prostitution is one of the world’s most infamous sources of revenue. There is also the pornography industry that turns women into objects and victims. Here in America, the so-called more "civilized" places, men routinely use women for no-consequence, no-commitment sex only to leave them pregnant, without care and support. Even ancient cultures were no better...some Greek philosophers, yeah, the ones considered to have the brightest minds of their era--taught that women are inferior creatures by nature. Woah…what?! These people TAUGHT others that women, one of God’s greatest creations were INFERIOR…!!!!??? This has got to stop! But it can only stop when women understand what it is that they are TRULY worth! KNOW YOUR WORTH!!!

Enough of the negatives, let’s revisit the positives again because there is still so much!!!

In the very first chapter of the Bible, if you pay close attention, we are taught that women, like men, bear the stamp of God's own image (Genesis 1:27; 5:1-2). So basically, men and women were created equal! The role that women play is a VERY IMPORTANT ONE! Wives are seen as venerated PARTNERS and CHERISHED companions to their husbands, not merely slaves or pieces of household furniture (Genesis 2:20-24; Proverbs 19:14; Ecclesiastes 9:9). Even in the 10 commandments, God commanded that children are to honor both father and mother (Exodus 20:12).  

Jesus Christ, God Himself, loved and respected women. Jesus’ disciples included several women too. Don’t believe me? Read Luke 8:1-3. What did it mean to be a disciple though? It meant that you were a personal follower of Jesus during His life on Earth. For example, the twelve Apostles. But they weren’t the only ones to follow Jesus. His disciples that were women consisted of Lazarus’ sisters (Mary and Martha), Mary (His mother), Mary Magdalene and the list goes on. This was a something almost unheard of among the teachers of His day. Being the revolutionary that He is, Jesus even encouraged their discipleship by showing everyone that their service was something more useful than staying at home (Luke 10:38-42). When I think about it, Christ even revealed His own identity as the true Messiah to a Samaritan woman (John 4:25-26). We should follow His example because He always treated women with the utmost dignity--even women who might otherwise be regarded as outcasts and rejected (Matthew 9:20-22; Luke 7:37-50; John 4:7-27). He blessed their children (Luke 18:15-16), raised their dead (Luke 7:12-15), forgave their sin (Luke 7:44-48), and restored their virtue and honor (John 8:4-11). Thus He exalted the position of womanhood itself. (http://www.gty.org/resources/articles/a265/the-biblical-portrait-of-women-setting-the-record-straight)


To finish up this post, I just want to say that the most significant women in Scripture were influential not because of their careers, but because of their character. It doesn’t matter how much money you make because that doesn’t define you. It doesn’t matter who you date or marry, because that doesn’t define you. It doesn’t matter what you have done in your past, that doesn’t define you! Regardless of what the world tells you, that you need makeup to be beautiful, or you need to dress a certain way or your body needs to be a certain way, don’t buy into that! God is an artist. He creates masterpieces. True works of art! Be proud and embrace the fact that you ARE ONE OF HIS MANY PIECES OF ART!!! That is why God doesn't want you guys "testing waters" before finding your "Mr. Right” for example. He wants you to stay focused and pure while He prepares you to embrace and receive your other half. Ladies, a father does not want his daughter with just anyone. He wants his daughter to be with the BEST! And what is the best in this case? Someone who is a mirror image (at least tries to be) of God. Be vigilant though! What you might think is best for you at the moment, may not be what God wants for you. Why would He let you compromise following Him for someone who will make you stray away from Him by doing things you shouldn't? Stay blessed, God wants the best for you ladies and know your worth!!!


"True feminine beauty is not about external adornment, "arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel"; real beauty is manifest instead in "the hidden person of the heart...the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God."

(Devotions/ Devotionals)

.....::::: EVERYBODY NEEDS A HERO :::::.....

When you think of the word “hero”, what comes to mind? What is a hero exactly? A hero is a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Now what is a super hero? A super hero is a benevolent fictional character with superhuman powers, such as Superman. Besides Superman, there is Batman, Spiderman, Wolverine, The Green Lantern, The Green Arrow, Wonder Woman amongst MANY others. But what qualities must a hero have? 

A hero must be willing to sacrifice for his or her cause. A hero must show signs of determination, loyalty, courage, dedication, selflessness, conviction, focus, gallantry, fortitude, compassion, and bravery. The Bible states it best when it says in John 15:13, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” In my opinion, this is what makes Jesus Christ the greatest hero that this world will ever know. Why? Because He willingly laid His life on the cross for those He calls His friends. 

What makes Jesus Christ a hero…? No…a SUPER HERO?! Well THAT’S EASY!!! Let’s start in the garden of Eden. 

In the Garden of Eden, we find Adam and Eve after they have been created by God Himself. Fast forwarding a little, we find the same Adam and Eve after they have eaten the forbidden fruit that they were warned not to eat. They were tempted and fell to Satan’s plan. Enter THE hero!!! In John 3:16-17, it states that “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to SAVE the world through Him.” Some might read this and wonder what that has to do with Adam and Eve but the reason those two verses are so important is because the entire gospel comes to a focus right here! Man was separated from God by his desire to act on his own. However, God already had a plan in motion to overcome the effects of the rebellion. Enter Jesus Christ. 

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No…IT’S THE CROSS?! Jesus Christ is a good guy of course. Like many super heroes, Jesus goes by many aliases; Son of God, Son of Man, Son of David, Word, Lamb of God, Christ, Savior, Rabbi, Teacher, Alpha and Omega, Lion of Judah, and many more! Like most super heroes, Jesus has one enemy; Satan. Throughout the Bible, there is a never ending struggle between the forces of good and evil but let me tell you, I have read the ending and God wins!

Jesus demonstrates various traits of a hero throughout the Bible. Jesus never made any mistakes. He knows all, created all and has authority and power over all. John 1:1 states: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” What this means is that He couldn’t make mistakes since He already knew everything. Even though Jesus was fully human, He was also fully God. Even though He made Himself fully human, He never stopped being the eternal God who always existed. Rest assured that since this hero knows everything, He knows you too! He knows when you need help, when you need saving. He will be there!

Christ was also fearless. He willingly gave Himself to be crucified for us to fulfill the Will of God. He never possessed a spirit of fear and neither should we! “For God has not give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (2 Timothy 1:7). Jesus was also even-tempered. When you think of an angry super hero, you may think of the Hulk. Let’s face it, Jesus did get angry but not the same kind of anger that we tend to get when something goes wrong for us. Jesus displayed righteous anger for the misuse of God’s house, He never possessed selfish fleshly anger. 

For those who follow and read comic books, we all know that super heroes have their weaknesses. When we think of Superman, we think of his near invulnerability but even the fictional Superman has his own weaknesses. For example, Superman almost instantly becomes weak when exposed to green kryptonite. But Jesus Christ on the other hand has no weakness. He has powerful words that still cause people’s heart to change towards allegiance with the Kingdom of God.
Satan tempted to weaken Jesus in the wilderness but could find no weakness in Him. Every time satan would tempt Him, Jesus replied by stating the scriptures. 

Super heroes also tend to wear masks to hide their true identities. Some super heroes, like Spiderman for example, wear a mask to avoid placing their loved ones in danger. Jesus didn’t have to wear a mask. He was transparent. He didn’t need a created identity or a double-lifestyle. He simply walked with God. Because He was fully human and fully God, even the demons knew His true identity. This is shown in Luke 4:34-36. Jesus has the authority to drive out demons and destroy them. Though He did tell them to be quiet because it was not the right time to let it be known, this scenario proves that Jesus Christ truly is Lord. 

A hero is also compassionate. On numerous occasions, Jesus showed compassion towards people’s signs of faith. But you can imagine, Jesus had to be a busy man. He constantly healed, prayed and taught. But that’s what makes Him so amazing til this very day! He is never too busy! Jesus connected with people. Even though He would find time to pray to His father, He loved helping others and found time to help those in need. 

Super powers…Superman has super strength and the list goes on…Wolverine can regenerate and has adamantine claws…but Jesus has the greatest power of all…the right to call Himself God! God controls everything right? From the very dirt to even the weather. Speaking of weather, some super heroes fight during the storm but in Mark 4:35-41, Jesus told the storm to calm down and it obeyed. He controls the elements. Unlike Thor, Jesus didn’t need weapons because He IS God’s ultimate weapon against the enemy. 

And last but not least, a super hero always defies the odds. Jesus did exactly that! Jesus defeated death. He defeated the one enemy that heroes all succumb to. Though He accepted to take on the punishment of sin for all mankind, He rose after 3 days and foiled Satan’s scheme! The reality of the resurrection brings joy! Because He defied the odds and rose from His death, we can be assured that He will accomplish all He promises. 

In the beginning, I said that Jesus was a super hero. And in it’s definition, it says that a super hero is a "benevolent fictional character […]”. But that is wrong! Jesus is real and He is eager to save you. Jesus was not your ordinary person. He is fully human yet fully God and He died to save you. He was determined to trade His life for yours. We all want to be saved by someone, at some point in our lives. Let Jesus come to your rescue. Not as your “Superman” but as your Savior. How can Jesus Christ save you today? I pray that He saves you from any shape or form the enemy may come in to try and harm you. Everybody needs a hero! Just call on Him!

Luke 19:10 - “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."