FINDING THE TRUE PATH OF GOD

What is a path? a path is a way, not just anyway but way that leads to fulfillment, ways that leads to one's destination, my dear friends how many times have you missed the right path? how many times have you walked in the council of the ungodly?

The psalmist say "make me to go in the path of thy commandment; for therein do i delight, (psalm 119:35), it simply means that, walking outside the commandment of God is walking on the wrong path that leads to destruction.

walking outside the commandment of God is walking in darkness, and sort might result in taking wrong decisions like killing, stealing, insulting and causing troubles to one another, if you are walking in this life or path out of Christ, then you need to repent, and beg God like the psalmist to show you the true path of His commandment.

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FINDING SOLUTIONS IN THE WORD OF GOD

Every problem has a solution, whatever solution you need is found in the word of God, are you barren? the answer is found in the word of God. are you single looking for husband? the answer is in the word of God (Bible), are you sick looking for healing, the word of God is where you can find the only solution.

come to me all who have labored and over ladened and I will give you rest, Says Jesus (Matt 11:28)

A story was told that  a woman was barren for 10 years, she looked for solutions here and there, moving from one doctor to another until one day, they (her and her husband) met with a priest of God, who told them that, "your problems are solved" He opened a Bible verse and asked them, how many Children do you want? and they answered. do you know the following year this couples went back to that same church with a twins giving thanks to God?

whatever problem you have, open the scripture and let the Holy Spirit minister to you, in 2 days or 3, it will be solved.

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PREACHING THE GOSPEL MESSAGE

Every man and woman, infact even animals has the mandate and mission to preach the gospel of Christ to every living creatures.

preaching the Gospel of Christ is a thing that every Christian is suppose to be proud of and happily doing, the Bible says, a man who wins a soul is a wise man, you were converted to a Christian either directly or Indirectly, even though you are were not preached to directly, but your fathers or fore fathers were preached to by the white missionaries who came to Nigeria to Spread the Goodnews of Christ.

How dedicated are you towards the service of God, when Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James and John, He said unto them, follow me and I will make you fishers of men, (Luke 5:10) there a difference between FISHERMEN and FISHERS OF MEN, a fisherman is one who catch fish and who has it as his occupation and vocation, while Fisher of Men is one who goes out to fish men into God's Kingdom, now tell me are you a fisher man or a fisher of men?, how many men have you fished to God's kingdom since you became a true and bonafied  Born again Christian?

Remember the words of the LORD JESUS CHRIST to his Apostles (Me and you) before he ascended to Heaven, He said "Go ye into the world and preach the Goodnews, make you disciples of all nation baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit  (Matt 28:19).

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THE BEAUTY OF NATURE

Have you ever wondered how the world would have been without other humans?, how the earth would have been without vegetation?, how the world would have been without seas and oceans? and how the world would have been without animals?

when you look at the seas and oceans you see God's beauty, when you look at your fellow humans, you see the beauty and nature of God in him or her, when you look at animals, you see the wonders of God.

No wonder Nathaniel Bassey said in one of his released album "Summer, winter auto-spring, mountain, blue sky and the seas, rainbow, sunshine and the trees, Jesus Maker of them all. Everywhere i go, I see you (GOD) right there in the beauty of Nature, you shine all around, for you are everything, and everything is you, precious Jesus, you are wonderful, wonder you are.

Without the beauty of Nature, the world would have been a terrible place to be. Give thanks to God for his amazing beauty.

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A HEART OF WORSHIP IS ALL GOD'S DESERVE

Have you ever worshiped God that you so feel His presence? have you ever worshiped God that you begin to feel the fire in you? is your worship acceptable to God? are you worshiping God in spirit and in truth?.

John 4:24, "For God is Spirit and those who worship Him, must worship Him in Spirit and in Truth.

worshiping God is not just all about murmuring, grumbling, force worship, it is all about praising him, giving Him thanks, blessing His Holy name, Adoring His Majesty, singing to Him like the Cherubim and Seraphim's of Heaven (ANGELS), worshiping the Lord with all thy heart, with all thy strength and with all thy mind.

worshiping Him in tears, in trembling and in fear, have you ever worshiped God that you no longer feel the presence of this world and the presence of the flesh any longer?

when you worship thy Maker, you worship him with a heart full of thanksgiving, a heart full of praise, a heart fill of righteousness and a heart fill of blessing.

The time is now when the true worshipers will worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth, don't wait for tomorrow, for it might be too late. Now is the time. remember, A heart of Worship is all your Creator demands.

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Christian pastor who found one of world's biggest diamonds ever has given it away

                                                             Diamond found in Sierra Leone

The Christian pastor who found one of the largest diamonds ever discovered has handed it over to the government to support his country's development.

Pastor Emmanuel Momoh gave the the 706-carat stone that he found in the Kono region of Sierra Leone to President Ernest Bai Koroma.


The diamond, thought to be worth as much as $62 million, will be used to 'advance' the people of Sierra Leone.

Momoh is among thousands of people in Sierra Leone who regularly go 'artisanal' mining, panning for diamonds and other gems in the open-cast mines of the West Africa nation.

His diamond is the largest found in Sierra Leone since 1972, according Africa Today.

Explaining his extraordinary gift to his country, Momoh said: 'I believe the government can do more, especially at a time when the country is undergoing some economic challenges.' He cited public transport and services such as electricity power supply as among those needed in Sierra Leone.

Mines and Mineral Resources Minister Minkailu Mansaray thanks Momoh for his 'gift', found by Momoh in a village called Yakadu, in an area that has suffered from both civil war and the 2013 Ebola crisis. Sierra Leone was traumatised for years by a civil war financed by the sale of 'blood diamonds'. More than 120,000 people are believed to have lost their lives.

The  706-carat diamond has been locked up in Sierra Leone's central bank in Freetown

The largest diamond ever, 'Sergio', a black diamond weighing 3167 carats, was found in Brazil in 1893.

The famous Cullinan diamond found in South Africa in 1905, at 3,106 carats, was cut into separate stones with two now in the sceptre and crown of the British Crown Jewels.

An 813-carat diamond sold for £51 million at auction in London last summer.

The present government is taking a firm line against illicit diamond trading.

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Church congregation's prayer leads to miracles that save life of baby needing heart transplant

Ella Kate giggles as she is tickled by her mom at the Levine Children's Hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina while recovering from her heart surgery.

Prayer has a way of turning the impossible into something amazingly and miraculously real.

This was proven once again recently when prayers sparked a series of miracles that resulted in saving the life of a baby girl who urgently needed a heart transplant to survive.

Late last year, doctors at the Levine Children's Hospital told parents Melanie Hillman Leitner and Mike Leitner from Charlotte, North Carolina that their baby, Ella Kate, was "in a race against time" after they found a large mass in the left ventricle of her heart that was killing her, WBTV-TV reported. The doctors said Ella might not make it to her first birthday, unless she received a heart transplant.

In November, her name was placed on the transplant list.

The couple's church, the Abundant Life Foursquare Church in Mooresville, found out about their baby's condition, and on Jan. 29, the pastor stopped the service, asking the congregation to pray over Ella and her family as well.

And then the first miracle manifested. "On our way home from church we got the call that changed our world," Melanie said. The caller said they have "the perfect heart for Ella."

"If this wasn't a God moment, I don't know what could be," Melanie said.

Unknown to her at that time, as the congregants were praying over Ella, another prayer was being said for her baby in the hospital in Charlotte where she was being treated. The prayer was said on the occasion of the dedication of the hospital's new MedCenter aircraft—the same plane that would later pick up Ella's new heart, another miraculous coincidence.

The Leitner couple then learned that the heart to be transplanted to Ella was not her blood type. Nevertheless, the surgeons performed the transplant—the first ABO incompatible heart transplant done at the hospital, and it was a success.That was the third miracle.

Ella Kate celebrated her first birthday recently—with a brand-new heart and a new lease on life.

The Leitners said they are "eternally grateful" to the family of a little girl who agreed to have the heart of their little one who died to be transplanted to Ella.

Just days ago, in an earlier report, another child was also miraculously saved from death after prayers were said for the 22-month-old toddler.

Matty Cunningham was found "blue and dead" floating in a neighbour's pond.

Family members "prayed and prayed and prayed" and "begged God for a miracle," Elsa, the boy's mom.

Later at the hospital where they took him, doctors at first thought the boy was already dead. But when they performed an MRI on his brain, the test result showed no brain damage at all.


Hours later, Matty miraculously came back to life to the utter delight of his family.

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Justin Bieber shares Christian message with fans at concert: 'Mark my words Jesus loves you'

Justin Bieber kneels down and brings his hands together for prayer during his 'Purpose' concert in Sydney.

The Word of God has truly touched the heart of Canadian pop superstar Justin Bieber, so much so that he makes it a point to spread His message of goodwill every chance he gets.

On Wednesday, the singer, who is a proud attendee of Hillsong Church, shared his faith to over 70,000 people during his "Purpose" concert in ANZ Stadium, Sydney, according to The Daily Mail.

The 23-year-old singer descended onto the stage while inside a transparent box, and in it, he wrote the message: "Mark my words Jesus loves you!!!!"

This was not the first time Bieber turned his concert stage as a platform for the Lord. During a concert in Paris recently, he even sang an impromptu rendition of the Christian song, "I Could Sing Your Love Forever."

Back in 2015, Bieber surprised a reviewer from the Los Angeles Times, who attended his "Purpose" concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

Bieber started the show by riding his skateboard to the centre of the arena, then began singing acoustic versions of old and new songs. He then shared a film highlighting each song from his new album "Purpose."

Bieber then shared with his audience the deep love he has for God. "Between the skateboarding and the singing, though, Bieber sat on a stool next to Judah Smith, the man described as his pastor, and more or less preached," the L.A. Times said in its review of the concert.


"He talked about the importance of maintaining a positive spirit and surrounding himself with encouraging people," the review said. "He credited his connection with God for helping him to get back on his feet after a string of widely publicized tabloid troubles. And when a fan in the audience — one of a dozen or so selected by the singer's team for a question-and-answer session — asked if he had any advice on how to get through a romantic breakup, he demurred, flashing a bit of the humility that every religious leader knows is crucial in establishing a bond with one's flock."

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How can Christians show love to a selfish person?

Some people are easier to love than others, but God told His followers that they must love all — even those who are selfish and difficult to deal with.

Pastor Rick Warren of Saddleback Church acknowledges that this is not easy to do because love can be absolutely exhausting. "Don't let anyone fool you. The kind of love that really makes a difference in this world will zap everything out of you," he wrote on his website.

Warren said there are people who are very demanding and selfish, and who never reciprocate love. People who have to deal with them may constantly be tempted to throw in the towel and just say, "I'm done. No more."

But while this is a perfect natural and human response, Warren said it's not the standard of love God requires in the Bible. 1 Corinthians 13:7 says: "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance."

To achieve this, Warren said Christians need to get refuelled. "To give the kind of persistent love that God wants you to give, you have to refuel your love tank. Look around at society, and you'll see it's littered with debris from relationships that have crashed and burned because people didn't refuel their love," he said.

"How do you refuel your love tank? You start by letting God love you," the pastor continued. "When you're worn out, tired, and can't imagine showing love to anyone else, remember that God loved you so much that he sent his Son to die for you. Now that's real fuel."

As for God's love, Warren said it's immeasurable because it "extends across the entire world and includes everyone He has created." He knows some people are apprehensive to accept His love because they feel they are unworthy, and therefore try hard to prove their self-worth before accepting His gift of salvation.

But Warren assured everyone that God never made a person that He didn't love, and all they need to do is "understand how much you matter to God."

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Who should I listen to: a nonbelieving expert in a field of study, or a person who's inexperienced but who loves God's Word?

Listen to the Word of God.

In a world of alternative facts, many people, including Christians, are easily swayed by whatever comes their way. Someone posing as an expert says one thing, and the public agrees. Then someone who claims to have credentials says another, and the world turns upside-down.

Who do we listen to at a time like this?

Knowing the right sources

There are a lot of sources of information in the world today. We have books and e-books. We have the mighty internet (which is oozing with fake information, sadly). There are even more sources of info.

Sadly, not because something sounds legit or believable doesn't mean it should be believed. We shouldn't accept the lie and live in it. What we should believe in is the truth.

In John 8:32, the Lord Jesus said "the truth shall set you free."

What is this truth? The Word of God.

"Your word is truth." (John 17:17)

Don't believe the lie

Many may not likely acknowledge the Word of God as the ultimate source for truth and true information. Many may be sceptical on what the Bible says, teaches, urges, instructs, and seeks to reveal. Many may want to consider the Scripture unbelievable and unprofitable.

Truth is, all of these doubts about the Word of God are lies from the devil.

Jesus said of the devil in John 8:44, "He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies." 

All the devil says are mere lies.

Now what does this have to do with the topic at hand? Everything. We can choose to believe anybody. But unless what that person says aligns with and agrees with the Word of God, it shouldn't be believed in.

Choosing what Is of God

Dear friend, it is good to hear legitimate information from experts in their respective fields. However, they should not replace or overtake the Word of God as the primary source of instruction. We are admonished in 1 John 4:1,

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world."

So to answer the question posed in this article's title, "Who should I listen to?" consider what Psalm 1 says and hold fast to it – because it will always prove true.

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; its leaf will not wither, and whatever he does will prosper. The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away. Therefore the ungodly will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly will perish."

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How to respond when others spread false information about you

"You must not testify falsely against your neighbor..." – Exodus 20:16

In this dog-eat-dog world we live in today, we shouldn't be surprised to hear of stories or reports of people making false claims against others. Aiming to destroy reputations in the eyes of others, some people deliberately speak ill – even unfounded – words against their perceived competition.


This kind of evil happens normally in ungodly circles, where much envy and jealousy resides. But this kind of evil also happens inside the church. Have you been a victim of slander? If you are, read on.

When you are slandered

Slander is defined as "the act of making a false spoken statement that causes people to have a bad opinion of someone." Every slanderous act purports to destroy someone's name and reputation so that the slanderer can get ahead of the victim.

Slanderers often think that by lying against another person, they are getting the upper hand. While it might appear to be so at the start, sooner or later the lies will be discovered and the slandered victim vindicated. This is because God sees every injustice done under the sun and will mete His righteous justice upon all the victimisers and their victims.

Friend, if you have been a victim of slander, I urge you to hold on tighter to God's goodness. He is your Avenger, your Vindicator who will not rest until justice is served. The Lord Jesus "will not falter or lose heart until justice prevails throughout the earth. Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction" (see Isaiah 42:4 NLT).

How to respond to slander

Friends, when you are slandered by another, you have the option to respond the right way. God is gracious, and will make a way of escape, even when you are tempted to retaliate. 1 Corinthians 10:13 assures us,

"God is faithful, and He will not permit you to be tempted above what you can endure, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that you may be able to bear it."

Here's how we can respond to slanderous attacks against us, based on Psalm 37.

1. Do not fret

"Do not fret because of evildoers, nor be jealous of those who do injustice." (Psalm 37:1)

Friends, don't fret. If what others say about you are mere lies, there's no reason for you to worry. Their lies will be disproved when people see your conduct and hear your speech.

2. Delight in God and live right

"Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and practice faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." (Psalm 37:3-4)

Instead of fretting and thinking of a way to clear your name, learn to delight in God in the midst of the circumstances and do what is good and right. God will clear your name in time.

3. Don't retaliate, rather adhere to God's Word

"The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom, and their tongue speaks justice. The law of their God is in their heart; none of their steps will slip." (Psalm 37:30-31)


The righteous who trust in God must never ever choose to respond to slander in wrong ways. We must learn to simply adhere to God's Word all the time – He won't let us down.

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Does God approve of all things done 'in faith'?

Not really.

 "...understand what the will of the Lord is..." – Ephesians 5:17

The Bible tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. Pleasing God requires that we do His will in faith. Does this mean that if we do practically anything as long as it is done in faith, we will please God?

Of course not.

Doing what God approves

I've seen people do "by faith" many things that weren't really pleasing to the Lord. God's Word tells us several things that He really hates, things that even if we do them "in faith," He would still be utterly displeased. For example:

    In 1 Samuel 15, we read of how Saul's action displeased God. Samuel commanded Saul to destroy Amalek, but instead of utterly destroying everything in Amalek, Saul spared its king and its flocks because he wanted to "sacrifice to the Lord." While it might sound like an act of faith, it actually caused God to reject Saul as king of Israel.

    In John 18:10-11, we read how Peter passionately defended the Lord Jesus by slashing off the right ear of Malchus. While we could assume that he merely did that to protect Jesus, he actually got rebuked for it.

God says He prefers for us to know Him than for us to merely offer something to Him (see Hosea 6:6). He wants us to know His heart and thus know what we should be doing. Only by knowing Him are we enabled to do what pleases Him.

God's will before our faith

We could go on with the many God-displeasing "acts of faith," but let's consider one last event in the Bible. In Matthew 16:21-23, we read how Jesus spoke to His disciples about His coming death and resurrection, and how Peter (again) rebuked Him for it.

    "Far be it from You, Lord! This shall not happen to You," an impassioned Peter told the Lord Jesus, who responded with an answer we should all take note of:

    "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things that are of God, but those that are of men."

The Lord Jesus' response to Peter is something that we must stand on. We can be passionate about many things, even bold in our faith, but if our faith and passion aren't for the things of God, the things that He wants, they're useless.

Be wise

Friends, the Bible urges us to be wise and to carefully determine what God's will really is (see Ephesians 5:15-17). Many Christians have been carried away by wrong teachings because they have not infused wisdom into their faith. Thus they failed to grow in the knowledge of Christ (2 Peter 3:18). They failed to know the heart of God according to His Word.

They might have faith, but they failed to establish it on the one true Foundation where we must be built on: God Himself. (see 1 Timothy 3:15)

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How do you actually share your faith with a friend?

We make evangelism scary in our heads. In a post-Christian culture, we worry we're going to come across as weirdos if we try to share our faith with our friends. As Christians in the average conversation about faith, we're probably carrying a lot more anxiety and baggage about the exchange than the person we're talking to. Which is strange, because our friends are generally interested in us – that's what makes them our friends.

Sometimes then, we even find ourselves in conversations with our friends where we're literally asked 'to give an answer to anyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have', as Peter writes in 1 Peter 3:15. He's right to tell us to 'always be prepared' for these moments, but the truth is that often we're not. So here are seven thoughts on how to prepare for moments like this – be they at the school gate, in the pub or round the water-cooler (real or virtual). Use them to think about how you might share your faith the next time the subject comes up... and perhaps they'll even challenge you to start a few more conversations along these lines.

1. Less is more

One of the problems we can face with sharing our faith story is knowing which bits of the tale to tell. Especially if we've been Christians for a long time, there's so much we could say that we end up not knowing what to say at all. If someone asks you why you're a Christian, try to give one coherent answer, telling the story of how you came to faith, and the difference God makes in your life today. Tell them one story well – you probably haven't been invited to tell them everything!

2. Draw the contrast

If Christian faith doesn't mean you're different, either from the person you used to be or the non-religious people around you, then it probably isn't very persuasive. So when you tell others about your story of coming to faith, it's helpful to illustrate the point that you came from somewhere. If you've experienced a dramatic conversion from a hedonistic life of sin then this may be relatively easy, but for the rest of us, this simply means pointing out where your Christian faith makes you different. This shouldn't be an opportunity for piety, but may be a chance to say: I once was lost, but now I'm found.

3. Talk about a moment of realisation, even if there were several
You don't have to have a traditional Damascene conversion to be able to talk about the moments where the Christian faith started to make sense to you. All of us, even those who found faith in childhood can refer to times where faith suddenly seemed more real, and from a story-telling perspective these memories are really helpful as a way of explaining how normal people encounter God. It's really helpful for the listener when your story makes logical and chronological sense.

4. Reference a variety of reasons

I believe in God because I believe I've experienced and known his love personally. But that's not the only reason for my faith, and if it was I don't think that faith would be particularly resilient to challenge. I also believe because of the experiences and stories of trusted friends, the testimonies and writings of wise people through history, the ability the Bible has to both make sense of and speak prophetically into my everyday life... and for a host of other reasons. It's because of all of these factors that faith is compelling to me, and I also think it's understanding these many very different arguments that makes Christianity compelling to others. So when we talk about our faith, we should be careful not to present a one-dimensional case. There are many distinct and different reasons why we believe the Good News of Jesus is true.

5. Be honest about the challenges
God does not make your problems disappear, nor is following Jesus an easy road. Yet if we're not careful, we can try to insulate the watching world from these truths as if discovering them would make God instantly less palatable. In fact I think the reverse is true; our friends need to know that Christians are real people, with real problems and aspirations, who still make mistakes and suffer along with everyone else. You can't say 'Yes' to Christianity unless you believe it's something that a person like you could practise. So give your friends the warts-and-all version of your faith; they'll see your integrity, and they'll probably find the whole thing much more accessible.

6. Don't skip sin

It's important in evangelism to talk a lot about the grace and love of God, of course – in fact that should be our primary message to the world and to our friends. That being said, we must not lose sight of the fact that God's incredible love for us is most profoundly demonstrated in the fact that he sent his son as a rescuer (Romans 5:8). Jesus came – and died – to rescue us from something, and that is our own brokenness and 'sin'. I think one of the most common traits in modern evangelistic conversations is the editing-out of this part of the story, and that's a huge mistake which actually devalues God's whole offer to our friends. God redeems the very worst parts of our lives, and it's misguided to think that this idea wouldn't be attractive to hear about. Rather than projecting sin on to others or talking about it in an abstract sense though, personalise it; talk about your realisation of your own imperfection. Most people will find something to identify with in this.

7. Be confident – the Holy Spirit is with you

Finally, the most awesome piece of advice I've ever heard on evangelism came from the Christianity Explored pioneer Rico Tice, who said: 'Just remember that when you're talking to your non-Christian friend about Jesus, the Holy Spirit is also there whispering in his ear: "This is true, this is true, this is true."' Just remember that next time you have a conversation about faith, and may you rightly feel emboldened by it.

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10 Bible Verses Every Christian Should Memorise

The Bible tells us to strap God's commands to our hearts.

''Bind them continually to your heart. Tie them around your neck,' reads Proverbs 6.21.

Some orthodox Jews take this literally and have a small box around their neck as part of their formal dress that contains the Ten Commandments.

But what does it mean for Christians to bind God's words to our hearts?

One way we can do that is to chose a handful of verses to memorise. By learning a few select passages and words it forces us to think over the words and repeat them over and over in our heads, bringing them constantly to the forefront of our minds.

Here are ten Bible verses to get you started. Learn these. Memorise them. Turn them over in your mind. And in this way you will 'tie them around your neck'.

Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Matthew 6:33

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

Philippians 4:6

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Philippians 4:7

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Matthew 6:34

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

 Proverbs 3:6

In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

Psalm 23:4

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

John 3:16

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.

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Feeling far from God? Here are 11 Bible verses on how to hear from him

The Christian journey is full of peaks and troughs. But we are called to remain faithful to God throughout, whether we feel likThe Christian journey is full of peaks and troughs. But we are called to remain faithful to God throughout, whether we feel like it or not.

That means clinging on to our faith even when we feel distant from God.

But what should we do when we cannot seem to hear from God?

Here are 11 Bible verses to help you:e it or not.

That means clinging on to our faith even when we feel distant from God.

But what should we do when we cannot seem to hear from God?

Here are 11 Bible verses to help you:

1. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says (James 1:22).

2. This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us (1 John 5:14).

3. Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock (Matthew 7:24).

4. In my distress I called to the Lord; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears (Psalm 18:6).

5. It is the Lord your God you must follow, and him you must revere. Keep his commands and obey him; serve him and hold fast to him (Deuteronomy 13:4).

6. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs (Luke 12:3).

7. So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard? (Galatians 3:5).

8. Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long (Psalm 25: 4-5).

9. Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act (Psalm 37: 4-5).

10. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths (Proverbs 3: 5-6).

11. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12: 9-10).

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'God is great', cry Islamist extremists as they shoot dead a Christian mum and son, wound husband

Violence by Al Shabaab extremists is increasing in Somalia. Here, relatives carry the body of a man killed by Islamist gunmen in an attack at beachside restaurant Beach View Cafe on Lido beach, in Somalia's capital Mogadishu, last month,

 

Islamic extremists have shot dead a Christian woman and her son and seriously wounded her husband in Somalia, sources told Morning Star News.

The family was asleep at home near the capital Mogadishu a gang of armed men from the Islamist group Al Shabaab opened fire, shouting 'Allahu Akbar' (God is great), and, 'We cannot allow the defiling of our religion with a foreign, Western religion.'

The survivor, aged 38, had converted secretly from Islam to Christianity.

Suleiman Abdiwahab, head of the family, told Morning Star News: 'The gunmen fired several shots, then destroyed the door with a big metallic object and then were able enter into the house. They randomly shot at everyone.'

His wife Faduma Osman, aged 35, and their son Ahmed, aged 11, were killed.

Their two daughters and another son fled through a back door and the bodies of the dead and injured were found by neighbours.

Al Shabaab rebels have been fighting for 10 years, repeatedly targeting Mogadishu and surround farmland.

Peacekeepers from the African Union Mission in Somalia have had some success however in countering the rebels.

Somalia is second to North Korea on the Open Doors' 2017 World Watch List of countries ranked according to which is worst for Christian persecution.

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5 Truths That Assure Us That God Will Always Come To Our Rescue

In life, we might face many things and many situations that we need rescuing from. Whether it's financial stress, relational problems, career slumps, sicknesses, depression or loss, we will sooner or later face something that is beyond us. In times like this we will be forced to call out for external help.

And in this need for a hero, we might look for other "heroes" to save us—money, connections, even deception and corruption. While these things may work at times, they don't work all the time.

What we truly need is a hero who never fails and who will always make all things work together for good. We find that in no one else but God. (Romans 8:28)

God is and will always be the most reliable person to look to when we need rescuing. Here are five truths that establish why that is so.

1. God Is All Powerful

There is nothing in this world more powerful than God. Even sin and death were defeated by the work of Christ on the cross. With that we can be assured that because God is all powerful, He is most capable to rescue us. In John 10:29 Jesus says, "My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand."

2. God Loves Us

God is not just a powerful God. He is a powerful and almighty God who loves and adores us. Because of that, He will not hesitate to use His power for our overall good. It's funny how many times we get in trouble, it's usually because we got ourselves into it. But God is still faithful and will rescue us simply because He loves us.

3. God Made Us For His Purposes

God will also protect and rescue us because He chooses to make us key to His will and purposes. Ephesians 2:10 tells us, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

We are crucial pieces to God's will and kingdom advancement and thus to Him worth protecting and rescuing.

4. Jesus Rescued Us From The Greatest Threat: Sin

Jesus referred to Him as the Great Shepherd—the one who would willingly leave the 99 to save the one (Matthew 18:12-13). In His love for us, Jesus left the comforts of heaven to come down and defeat the power of sin over our lives and rescue us from it.

5. Jesus' Victory Is Something We Share With Him

In 1 Corinthians 15:57 Paul says this: "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

In the end, it will be God who will ultimately prevail, and He will live on forever in glory. Not only that—He also invites us to abide in Him and share in that glorious victory through Christ.

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Does God Hold It Against Me If I Go Against My Conscience?

 

"This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." – Hebrews 8:10

God has given us the wonderful gift of our conscience, which is able to help us judge between right and wrong. Since God implanted in us this inner sense of knowing right vs. wrong, will He hold it against us if we don't obey it? Before I answer that, let's go over a few important things.

A New Guide
God has designed all men to have a conscience. Those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ have it even better than that – because we have the Holy Spirit living in us. Ezekiel 36:26-27 tells us,

    "Also, I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them."

The Right Conscience

While we know that God is the one who embedded our conscience inside us, we also have to know that we can actually destroy our conscience. Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 4:1-2,

    "Now the Spirit clearly says that in the last times some will depart from the faith and pay attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their consciences seared with a hot iron..."

That last line there states that we can destroy our conscience. We do this by paying attention to and believing the devil's lies. If we will take a good look at it, that was how Satan successfully deceived Eve: by making her doubt the truth, and then twisting it into a lie (see Genesis 3:1-5)

We need to realise, then, that while our conscience guides us to righteousness, once it is twisted by sin and lies, it will lead us to wrong decisions.

The right conscience, dear friends, is one that carefully aligns itself with the Word of God. Psalm 119:9-11 beautifully explains how precious the Word of God is in making our conscience work for our good.

    "How shall a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With my whole heart I seek You; do not allow me to wander from Your commandments. Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You."

Sin Not

Friends, God understands that our conscience can be seared with a hot iron, and that's why He promised to give us a new heart and a new Spirit, so that we can live right. Now, He expects us to live according to His Word, empowered by the Holy Spirit. When we do that, we don't sin. That's what matters to Him.

    "Go and sin no more..." (John 8:11)

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Has Science Confirmed Genesis? Study Proves Rainfall Over Africa Thousands Of Year Ago, Pointing to Great Flood

'The Deluge,' an oil on canvas painting by John Martin, 1834, displayed at Yale University, New Haven, Comnnecticut, USA.

The Sahara Desert was once lush and green with high rainfall rates—a finding that fits the story told in Genesis—a new research showed.

The findings were made by a team of international researchers who collected and analysed marine sediments from off the coast of west Africa. The results of their study were published in the journal "Science Advances."

The study's lead author, Jessica Tierney, said she and her colleagues found ancient leaf wax samples that reveal what the African climate was like 5,000 to 11,000 years ago, according to The University of Arizona News.

The evidence suggests that the Sahara Desert, where annual rainfall now is usually less than five inches, was once lush and green, she said.

"It was 10 times as wet as today," Tierney said.

"Our precipitation rate estimates confirm the interpretation that a seasonal tropical climate dominated most regions of North Africa during the Green Sahara time," the researchers wrote in their paper.

"It is therefore feasible that, at the peak of the Green Sahara, monsoonal moisture inundated the entire western Saharan region," they added.

Scientists already know that rainfall rates in ancient Africa were once higher than they are today. But the new study showed that wet, tropical conditions were more widespread than previously known.

"With some notable exceptions, climate model simulations do not predict these high rainfall rates, nor do they indicate that the Green Sahara extended as far as 31°N," the team wrote in their journal article.

Biblical creationists say the new findings provide more historical evidence to the global flood described in Genesis. Dr. Jake Hebert, a physicist with the Institute for Creation Research, said scientific models based on the Bible predict an extremely wet period following the Great Flood, according to Christian News.

"Rapid seafloor spreading and volcanic activity during the Genesis Flood would have significantly warmed the world's oceans," he wrote in an online article published in February. "This would have greatly increased evaporation, putting much more moisture into the atmosphere. This increased moisture would have resulted in much more precipitation, in the form of snow, in the higher latitudes and on mountaintops, and rain at lower latitudes and elevations."


"The conclusion of increased Saharan rainfall in the recent past is in perfect agreement with the history recorded in Genesis," Hebert said.

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7 Things That Happen At Every Christian Conference Seminar

If there's one thing Christians love, it's a conference. We all revel in the chance to get together with other like-minded people, and spend a few days in a cultural bubble where no-one ever swears and everyone buys a pile of books they'll never read. These events always have a host of fascinating foibles, and while some of them are specific to individual events, others transcend across the whole genre. And to anyone who has ever attended a seminar, workshop or other breakout session at a Christian event, there are a handful of sights, sounds and occurrences which will probably be all too familiar.

It starts late

The seminar presenter is always faced with a judgement call at the beginning of her talk. As she looks out at rows of empty seats as the clock ticks past the advertised start time, what should she do? Does she risk blowing her great opening joke before legions of people blunder in late, laden with incriminating coffee cups from that store that was marginally too far away to walk to in the break? Or does she wait, uttering a hopeful 'we'll just wait to see if a few more come' that could come back to bite her if they don't. Almost inevitably, most speakers err toward the latter, the knock-on side effect of which is that they'll run out of time at the end, and have to deliver their final bullet point at speeds undecipherable to the human ear.

Someone realises they're in the wrong room

This also seems to happen regularly at the cinema, suggesting both movie theatres and Christian conference organisers need lessons in better signposting. A few minutes into the seminar, a person in the very middle of the venue realises that what's being from the front in no way relates to the session on 'Becoming a more Christ-like Husband' which they thought they'd signed up for, and makes a loud and very obvious exclamation of their mistake as they disruptively shuffle out of the room. Awkwardly, this almost always means the person has inadvertently attended a talk on 'Beating your pornography addiction.'

The sound doesn't work on a video clip...

...or there's some other technical failure. Despite all the pre-event testing, despite the fact that a professional AV company is on hand, all Christian presentations involve at least a small tech-based slip up. As a result, Christian speakers have developed a familiar self-deprecating patter to keep the audience happy in such situations, although they rarely admit that the problem might be due to the fact that they ripped the video clip illegally from the Internet.

Someone has a coughing fit

Apparently if an audience is starting to exhibit a disproportionate amount of coughing, you're almost certainly boring them. Coughing can both be psychosomatic, and contagious – in a non-medical sense – so when people are distracted during a silent public talk, they'll not only cough but inspire a chain reaction in others. This is the slightly awkward version of conference coughing – at the much worse end of the scale is the total, out-of-control coughing fit, whereby a person is slowly turning pink while everyone around them fumbles around in their bags for a bottle of water. At British conferences, these coughs are alternated with repeated utterances of the word 'sorry.' Even unto death.

The speaker lies about 'coming back to that point later'

It's a classic Christian speaker trick, and revealing it feels a little akin to busting the walls of the Magic Circle. You know you've not quite explained yourself properly, or worse, you lose confidence in what you're saying as you're saying it. So by promising to return to this later, a speaker both assuages audience confusion (I'm sure that'll make sense when he explains it again), and gives himself an escape route after badly losing his way.

There's a self-deprecating book plug

Christian writer/speakers are wracked with angst about self-promotion. Publishers insist on it, and while a few broken platform-seeking souls revel in the opportunity to talk about their own work, most of them find the experience excruciating. As a result speakers feel both duty-bound to talk about their latest book during a seminar, and honour-bound to openly discredit themselves and their work at the same time. An average plug speech goes something like: "I've actually written a book on this subject, although lots of other better ones are available. If you can bear it, it's available in the bookshop. Probably on offer!" This is also why most Christian speakers are useless at selling stuff on eBay.

Someone asks a question, but it really isn't a question

We all know exactly what I'm talking about. In fact, you could probably write a completely seperate article entitled 'Nine non-questions asked in Christian Q+A times'. At the end of a session, the hands go up in the crowd, and everything is going swimmingly until 'Mike the Church Planter from Norwich' is handed the microphone, and proceeds to tell the speaker (and the rest of the room) his own opinions on the topic, a personal story of how God has used him powerfully, and a couple of humblebrags about how he doesn't understand how the church is growing so fast. At the end he'll clumsily wrap it up with a line like "so I just wanted to know your thoughts on that", but WE ALL KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING, 'Mike the Church Planter from Norwich.'

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Pope Francis Asks: Do You Read The Bible As Much As You Check Your Phone?

The Pope delivered an address to crowds in St Peter's square yesterday, where he urged listeners to treat the Bible with the same attention they give to their mobile phones.

Pope Francis has encouraged Catholics to treat the Bible as many treat their mobile phone – 'always with us, close to us'.

Speaking yesterday, on the first Sunday of Lent, Pope Francis implored his listeners to be familiar with the word of God as a vital tool in the battle against sin and the devil.

'During the 40 days of Lent, as Christians we are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and address the spiritual battle against evil with the power of the Word of God. For this you have to become familiar with the Bible, read it often, meditate on it, assimilate it,' he said, as the Catholic News Agency reports.

The pontiff asked: 'What would happen if we treated the Bible like we treat our cell phone? If we always carried it with us; or at least the small pocket-sized Gospel, what would happen?'

The pontiff was addressing pilgrims in St Peter's square at the Vatican, and implored his audience to give the same attention they give their mobile devices, to the Bible. 'What would happen if we turned back when we forget it, if we opened it more times a day', Francis asked.

He highlighted how Christ was victorious against Satan's temptations in the desert because he used the word of God. Likewise, Christians following Christ's desert sojourn through the 40 days of Lent should seek to know the Bible with same familiarity, in order to 'win' against daily temptation.

'In effect, if we had the Word of God always in our heart, no temptation could turn us away from God and no obstacle could deflect us from the path of goodness,' Francis said. The pontiff, who is known for his active presence on Twitter, said the comparison between Scripture and a mobile phone was 'strange, but sobering'.

'We would be better able to live a resurrected life in the Spirit, accepting and loving our brothers, especially the most vulnerable and needy, and even our enemies.'


He concluded his address: 'And, please, do not forget – do not forget! – What would happen if we treated the Bible like we treat our cellphone. Think about this. The Bible always with us, close to us!'

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Is The Peace Of Christ Missing From Your Family? If Yes, Here's What To Do

"Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." –Jesus, John 14:27 (MEV)

Peace is staying calm in the midst of a raging storm. We can go through all sorts of problems and still be able to stay at peace when we are in the Lord Jesus Christ. Since He gave His peace to us, we are assured to have peace in times of trouble wherever we are.

But what do we do when it seems like the peace of Christ is missing in our own home? Let's talk about that.

Peace That Stays Peaceful

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines peace as "a state of tranquility or quiet" or "freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions." Basically, it means that when we're at peace, there's no chaos or confusion in our minds. While worldly peace requires us to have no enemies or be without problems before it can be felt, the peace of Christ is felt even when we are faced with trouble.

When our families are at peace, there's an air of harmony and love that flows inside and through it. When the peace of Christ is the peace residing in our families, we experience the love of God, assuring all of us that no matter what we are going through, we're going to make it through.

Consider how Christ's peace differs from ours:

"So they took Jesus in the boat and started out, leaving the crowds behind (although other boats followed). But soon a fierce storm came up. High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water. Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with his head on a cushion. The disciples woke him up, shouting, 'Teacher, don't you care that we're going to drown?'" (Mark 4:36-38 NLT)

Christ can rest easy in the midst of the storm because He is above it. We need to stop fretting and realise that our God is higher than any storm we can face, including the storms that threaten our family.

So what do we do when His peace seems absent from our homes? We invite Him in.

Bring Jesus To Your Home

Friends, the Lord Jesus is not called the Prince of Peace for nothing. We can't have His peace without Him. Hence, if we want His peace to rule over us, we will want Him to reign over us as well.

Bring the Lord Jesus into your home. Seek His face in prayer, so that His peace that surpasses all understanding may rule your hearts. Let His love be the love that defines how you treat each other at home. Trust in Him for all that you need – for He will never leave you nor forsake you, and He has overcome the world on your behalf.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make your requests known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:6-7)

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3 Ways The Fear Of God Helps Us

The fear of the Lord is a precious thing essential to the life of a Christian. Those who desire to follow Christ and grow in His character will do well to cultivate the fear of God and live in it.

Understanding The Fear Of God

Contrary to how some understand it, the fear of God isn't oppressive, like living under the fear of a dictator, where one feels like walking on eggshells. The fear of God brings freedom, liberty, and the perfect climate for peace, joy, and happiness. In fact, the fear of God itself is a protective shell that shields us from all sorts of wrongdoing, regrets, and the consequences of sin.

To help you understand this better, here are some ways the fear of God helps us in our daily walk as children of God.

1. Accountability

The fear of God reminds us that God sees, hears, and knows what we think, say, or do even in the dark – and helps us grow in accountability to God

Hebrews 4:13 tells us, "There is no creature that is not revealed in His sight, for all things are bare and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

When we fear our all-knowing and holy God, we become more open, authentic, and honest with Him. We know we can't hide anything anyway, so why bother to hide that sin?

2. Wisdom

The fear of God helps us make the right decisions all the time. When we fear God, we choose to do what is right before His eyes, things that please and honour Him.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." (Proverbs 9:10)

Simply put, when we fear God, we will want to avoid things that earn His anger and wrath. We will instead choose to pursue and learn about the things that please Him. We don't do this because we are slaves to fear. Rather, we do this because it is fitting as God's children.

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7)

3. A Blessed Life In Christ

Many of us think that God benefits from us when we fear Him. What we fail to see is that we are the ones who benefit from it! Not only do we gain wisdom and become trustworthy in the eyes of God, we also receive tremendous blessings and honours for fearing Him.

Psalm 145:19-20, for example, tells us that "He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and will save them. The Lord preserves all those who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy."

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7 Bible Verses About The Importance Of Right Friendships

Friendships are important. With friends, we are able to do a lot of things, achieve great feats, and even stay on the safe side of making decisions. Yes, having friends is a good thing.

One thing that's more important than having friends, however, is having the right kind of friends. Not all friends are good for you. There are some who would influence you to do things you'd later regret, things you wouldn't do if you were left by yourself.

At other times, there are those who pose as your friends but are actually just up to get something from you – they have their own hidden agendas for befriending you. Do you know how to spot the difference?

The Right Friends

Dear reader, I am not trying to influence you to be sceptical and cautious about your friendships to the point that you'd rather not have a friend at all. But the truth is that it would always be better to have no friend with you if that friendship won't even be good for you.

The Bible cautions us against having a common ground – a friendship – with the wrong people. While the right friend can help you in your relationship with God and others, the wrong friend can slowly drain you and take advantage of you without you knowing it

Here are some Bible verses that will help you choose the right friends, and discern the wrong ones.

On Wrong Company

1 Corinthians 15:33 – "Do not be deceived: "Bad company corrupts good morals." (MEV)

Proverbs 22:24-25 – "Don't befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul." (NLT)

2 Timothy 3:1-5 – "Know this: In the last days perilous times will come. Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, slanderers, unrestrained, fierce, despisers of those who are good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God, having a form of godliness, but denying its power. Turn away from such people." (MEV)

James 4:4 – "You adulterers and adulteresses, do you not know that the friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God"

Choose Your Friend Wisely

Matthew 7:15-20 – ""Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruit. Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit. But a corrupt tree bears evil fruit. A good tree cannot bear evil fruit, nor can a corrupt tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore, by their fruit you will know them."

Friendship With God

John 15:13-16 – "Greater love has no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you. I no longer call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master does. But I have called you friends, for everything that I have heard from My Father have I made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that the Father may give you whatever you ask Him in My name."

Blessings For A Friendship With God

Psalm 1:1-3 – "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; its leaf will not wither, and whatever he does will prosper."

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3 Ways Your Love For Christ Helps You To Reach Out To Others

Loving Christ means that we will reach out to others. Some of us get confused over the idea that when we love God, it becomes impossible for us to hate people. Why? It's because when we love Him, we do what He says – and He says we should love the people that He loves: all.

Powered By Love

The love that God gave to us through Christ is enough to empower us to love Him back. It's enough to push and challenge us to love the most unlovable of people, for after all, we were unlovable ourselves. And no matter how much we try to be good and acceptable in the eyes of God, our sins made us filthy in His sight. Who we were and what we did caused us to be separated from Him.

Yet, His love for us caused Him to reach out to us:

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16 MEV)

Moreover, His love didn't just reach out to us and tell us that He loved us. Christ Himself died for us:

"While we were yet weak, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. Rarely for a righteous man will one die. Yet perhaps for a good man some would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:6-8)

Passing The Mercy We Receive

It is this great love of God that allows us to love Him back. Because of what Christ has done for us, we are enabled to love Him back. We are empowered, fueled, and encouraged to follow Him hard and do what pleases Him.

It is this mercy that causes us to reach out to others for His name's sake.

Friends, let your love for Christ cause you to stretch out your hand to others. If you feel like you can't love people, then let your confessed love for God help you. Here's how.

1. If you love God, you'll obey Him

"If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15)

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another." (John 13:34)

2. If you love God, you'll love what He loves

"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:35)

3. If you love God, you'll share the love He has for you and for others.

"This is My commandment: that you love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do whatever I command you." (John 15:12-14)

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Does It Matter Whether I Pray Out Loud Or Not?

Confronting the Pharisees, Jesus says this in Matthew 6:5: "And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full."

Some have interpreted this as meaning to say that silent prayers have more power than audible ones. But is that really the case? There's an argument going on about whether prayer should really be done personally or corporately. While we know that both kinds of prayer have their own significance and importance, what most Christians really want to know is which is more effective.


I once met a pastor who was highly gifted in the area of healing. He taught that when praying, making an audible declaration would make the prayer more effective. I tried it out to see if I could get more people healed instantly through prayer. I saw no significant difference in results.

Does it really matter if we pray aloud or in secret? I believe there's no one real answer here. Asking this question is no different from asking the question, "Should I talk to my boss in person or just email him privately?"

There is a time for everything as Ecclesiastes 3 tells us. There is a time when praying corporately is what God would like us to do and also times when praying individually silently is the way we are to pray. More than just the manner by which we pray, the words we use, the diction, the fluency, the floweriness of a prayer, what God looks at most is the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7 says it best: "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."

What is the right heart stance when praying? I believe the stance by which God wants us to stand in is love. As the greatest commandment teaches us, "You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind." (Luke 10:27) That stance affects everything we do: our work, relationships, ministry, finances, and—yes—even our prayer life.

God desires to have us approach Him filled with a love and affection towards Him that will cause us to honour Him, revere Him, thank Him, and trust Him.

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Notion Of Pope Fighting Conservative Vatican Opposition Is A 'Cliché', Top Cardinal Says

Cardinal Gerhard Mueller has rejected claims of conservative opposition to Pope Francis' reforms on clerical sex abuse.

A leading Vatican's official has challenged claims of internal tension in the Catholic Church, underplaying the popular notion of a reforming Pope contending with conservative resistors.


Cardinal Gerhard Mueller rejected the claims that Pope Francis is battling internal opposition to his attempts at administrative reform, including combatting clerical sex abuse, Religion News Service reports.

'I think you should put an end to this cliché, the idea that there is on the one hand the Pope who wants reform and on the other a group of resistors who would like to block it,' he said.

'It is part of our Catholic faith and the work ethos of the Roman Curia to support the Pope's universal mission, entrusted to him by Jesus Christ.'

Mueller, a conservative cardinal, is the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, a key department in the Vatican administration. He was speaking in an interview published on Sunday in the Italian daily Corriere Della Sera.

Marie Collins, an Irish sex abuse survivor, resigned last week from a commission set up by Pope Francis to combat clerical sex abuse. She accused the Vatican of 'shameful' resistance to Pope Francis' attempts at reform on the issue – and said Mueller's conservative office were the main reason for her resignation.

'The work we want to do is to make children and young adults now and in future safer in the church environment from the horror of abuse,' Collins told RNS.

'There are people in the Vatican who do not want to change or understand the need to change.'


Mueller played down divisions, but did admit that the Pope's 2015 proposal of a tribunal for handling clerical sex abuse cases, and judging abusing bishops, hadn't been successful. He said that after 'intense discussion' about 'the fight against clerical paedophilia' the Vatican judged that they already had the jurisdiction, tools and legal resources to 'address any criminal negligence by bishops'.

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What Does The Laying On Of Hands Say About Human Freedom?

In a world where the choices of the individual are paramount and personal freedom is becoming an absolute value, there's a poem that perfectly sums up the idea that we're accountable to no one but ourselves for our happiness and freedom – and it's quite an old one.

Invictus was written by WE Henley in 1875. Its famous first verse is:


Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

It says the "menace of the years/ Finds, and shall find, me unafraid". It concludes: 'I am the master of my fate/ I am the captain of my soul.'

The poem was used in a film about the South African rugby team after the transition to majority rule under Nelson Mandela and provided the title for the Invictus Games run by Prince Harry for disabled ex-service personnel.

It's a brilliant poem and it's impossible not to warm to such an expression of courage in the face of adversity: 'Under the bludgeonings of chance/ My head is bloody but unbowed' is another great line.

On the other hand, if we tried to live up to that ideal, most of us would fail miserably. We are afraid all too often. We sense that we are not as in control as we would like to be; indeed, all too often we feel inadequate to what we have to face.

When Peter and John were in Samaria, we're told, 'they prayed for the new believers there that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come on any of them; they had simply been baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then Peter and John place their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit' (Acts 8: 15-17).

It's a significant moment because of what it tells us about the Church and about the Spirit. It's a recognition that we are not the captains of our own souls – or at least, if we are, we need help and guidance through the storms of life we will experience. And we are not the masters of our own fate, autonomous individuals who can shape our own destiny. We are in relationship, with God and with other believers.

The Samaritans had been baptised into the new community – a horizontal relationship – but they had not entered into a new relationship with God. Without God's Spirit, Christianity is just another philosophy. In praying the Spirit into their lives, Peter and John were offering them something different from anything they had known before: a profound connection with each other and with God. And it happened when people touched each other.

There's much that's good about personal freedom and the ability to make our own choices. But Christians also want to say that we're accountable to God and to others for those choices – and that we can draw on the resources they provide to help us in our times of need.

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10 things you probably didn't know about studying theology

10 things you probably didn't know about studying theology

1. You will be amazed at how little you know. 
People have been writing Christian theology for 2,000 years, and there is a huge amount of material out there. No one can know everything.

2. Some of what you thought you knew will turn out to be wrong.
When you study theology, you can't just assume what you've always been taught was right: you have to go back to the Bible and to the writings of wiser people than you, and prove it. Sometimes you won't be able to.

3. That can be really hard.
Many people who study theology go through some sort of faith crisis as they realise there are many different approaches to a question they thought was settled. Stick with it; God is faithful.

4. You still need to pray.
Textbooks are wonderful and fascinating, but unless you are an atheist with a purely intellectual interest in the subject, thinking about stuff is only part of your discipleship.

5. You still need to go to church, too. 
Theology doesn't happen in a vacuum; you are still part of a community. If something you're learning in the classroom doesn't 'work' with real people in an ordinary congregation, it probably isn't all that useful.

6. You'll need to specialise (see '1'). It's easy to become a magpie, reading bits and pieces from across different eras and disciplines. 
But real growth comes when you find your passion and immerse yourself in long, slow, deep reading about one thing.

7. Humility is really important. 
Theology is not just an academic discipline, like history or literature. The best theologians don't try to be clever, they try to be faithful and listen to God.

8. It will expand your faith.
Theology is about trying to understand more about how God works in human history, and how we can find ways of talking about him that make sense in today's world. It is exhilarating.

9. It is for everyone. 
When you are talking about a Bible passage in your housegroup, you are doing theology. When we talk about 'theologians', we mean people who have devoted a substantial part of their lives to this. But all Christians are students of God.

10. Books aren't everything.
God is encountered in people, in relationships, in the natural world, in all of human life. If you want to be a better theologian, you will need to be a better and more rounded person, too.

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What Does Jesus Mean When He Says, 'Let The Dead Bury Their Own Dead'?

'Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go,' said a would-be disciple of Jesus to him as they were walking along the road. The story's told in Matthew 8:18-22 and it's a good offer, you'd think. But Jesus discourages him: 'Foxes have holes, birds have nests, but I have nowhere,' he says. Someone else in this story also offers to follow him, but says, 'Let me first go and bury my father.' 'Let the dead bury their own dead,' says Jesus; 'You follow me.'

That seems harsh, until we realise that his father was probably still quite hale and hearty. The man was asking to be able to secure his inheritance by waiting until his father had died before following Jesus. He didn't want to risk poverty by offending him through leaving the family farm to follow this vagabond preacher, or by being cut out by other relatives. When his future was secure and he could follow Jesus without risk, he would do so. So when Jesus said, 'Let the dead bury their own dead,' he was saying that there was a choice to be made: following him would cost everything, but it led to life, whereas staying put led nowhere.

In today's world making life-long choices is deeply unfashionable. We don't have life-long careers. Fewer and fewer of us have life-long marriages. We don't even like to plan our diaries too far in advance because if we commit to something it means ruling out a better offer if one comes along.

But Jesus spoke of the importance of being absolutely committed to him, with no reservations and no turning back.

Extremism nowadays has a very bad press. Moderation is supposed to be better; a 'moderate Muslim,' for instance, is someone who speaks up against terrorism. But most Christians would be very offended to be called a moderate Christian; there's nothing moderate about being a disciple of Jesus. He calls us to follow him with everything we have and are.

The German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it vividly: 'When Jesus calls a man, he calls him to die.' We may not be called on to lose our lives for Christ, but we are all call to live them for him.

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