Faith Like a Child

By Cortney Whiting

Matthew 18:2-4 – He (Jesus) called a little child to him and placed the child among them. And he said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.” (more…)

Prayer and sanctification

By Michael Hume

“And for their sake I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.” John 17.79

To sanctify means to make holy. Jesus knew that there was a link between sanctification and being effective in faith. That includes a praying. If Jesus, the most God-like person ever to walk this earth needed to sanctify himself, it follows that we must also. (more…)

DOES GOD HEAR THE PRAYERS OF UNBELIEVERS? (Inspired by Jill Briscoe, Rick Warren and myself)

DOES GOD HEAR THE PRAYERS OF UNBELIEVERS? (Inspired by Jill Briscoe, Rick Warren and myself)
By Sana Edoja

DOES GOD HEAR the prayers of people who aren’t Christians? Yes! Every one of us who came to faith in Christ was an unbeliever once, and God heard our prayer of repentance.

Captain Cornelius is a good example of a good man who was in the habit of praying. He was devout, he feared God, and he gave generously to charity (Acts 10:2). His entire household followed suit. (more…)

THE VALUE OF A GOOD DEED

By Wangari Murathe

“And the fruit of the Holy Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self- control. Against such things there is no law”.

Galatians 5:22-23

It is by faith that we get salvation. Salvation imbues the Holy Spirit to indwell in us; to teach, guide, and encourage us. Through faith we can do great things, even move mountains (Matthew 17: 20-21). However, often the smallest things with do to show love to others in need are the ones which bring more fully to us the fruits of the Holy Spirit. (more…)

Mutual faith

By jacqui julyan aka shofargirl a servant unto Jesus Christ

Romans 1 v 12

“That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me”

As I turned the radio off this morning I sat quietly with the LORD and his Word.

I had walked my dog, picked up the shopping for the day and fed both my cat and dog. I made myself comfortable and mused in my heart ‘Well Lord what have you to say to me today?’

Picking up Gods Word in faith is our food, our very life! (more…)

Psalm 91

Psalm 91
By Steve Countryman

This is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible. When read as written the message lists God’s promises that gives the reader a hope and a future. You can read this chapter from your Bible as a prayer out loud for someone who is sick or ill by inserting their name where the Bible has the word “you” and “him”. It will boost your faith and trust in the Lord as you hear yourself proclaim God’s will. The other morning I read it as a prayer inserting my name in it. Then I took it one step higher and read it with my name inserted while addressing it as a NOW word. When you read it as a NOW word you bring the future into the NOW and it empowers your faith! Read this out-loud and inset your name where it says to. Do this over and over again and you will see what I mean. (more…)

God’s Guidance (Part 3)

God’s Guidance (Part 3)
By Robert Driskell

First Corinthians 2:9-16 records, in a most clear fashion, the reality and importance of listening for the guidance of God’s Spirit. It is to this passage we now turn.

9 but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Those who have no relationship with Jesus have no way of understanding the rich relationship and joyful existence that union with God makes possible. They have rejected the source of all the wonderful things that a relationship with God brings things too wonderful even to imagine. Too many people pursue wealth, fame, prestige, and other worldly things thinking that they will find fulfillment and peace in them. However, the only true lasting peace one can be assured of is found in a relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. (more…)

The ‘Angel-wings’ Prayer

By Laura Swindon-Ross

Lord, if these angel wings are heavy

Then, do not take them from me

I will try to learn the faith of flight

Though dark days are haunting me (more…)

POSITIVE PEERS BY JILL BRISCOE AND MYSELF

By sana edoja

Peers have so much power with our children. Young people who hang around together exert enormous influence on each other. It’s difficult not to go along with the group’s decisions. Peers so often take precedence over parents.

I asked a teenager in my Sunday class one day, “What have you been doing with yourself?”

“Oh, just hanging around”, was the reply. (more…)

Faith in Jesus: Saves

By Fergus Davar

Hello people, I write yet again, I’ve noticed that quiet a few Christian writers including me have received hate and abusive mail following the recent row over burning books which some consider holy. I find it hard to believe that such hatred sprang up within a span of a week or two, it felt rather like this hatred was nurtured, may be by handed down religious teaching and this time they found reason to express their hatred. So far I have had a horrible 2 weeks and I’ve learned that even the closest of friends can be manipulative and strut two hoots attitude. (more…)

The Task of Being the Light of This World

By Carl Marshall

The light of this world is a task that not many are able to complete. It is a difficult task, because we journey by faith, which will frustrate us at times. Our frustration usually stems from us not knowing where God is leading us, but realize that it is also a period wherein we develop a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We must be able to endure by faith the task that we are given, and continue with this task until it is finish. God is the one who will guide us along the way, and though we are guided along the way, the decisions by us are done independently. (more…)

Contending for the Faith (Part 1)

By Robert Driskell

Christians are often criticized for arguing amongst themselves. Discussion and debate within the Body of Christ is healthy, it keeps us focused and learning. However, bickering and backbiting are to be heartily avoided. We should concentrate on the essentials not the peripherals.

Many times, when the statement is made that Christians should not be arguing about peripheral issues, someone will bring up Jude 3, which says, (more…)

Standing firm in the Lord, no matter what

By beatrice ofwona

A soldier is trained to fight; a soldier is trained to fight in war. When we get saved we become soldiers of defending the faith. 2 Corinthians 7:11 gives insight of what happens to us but also encourages us to stand firm no matter what. Ephesians 6:12 tells us how our struggles are not against flesh and blood but against rulers of darkness. The Holy Spirit has put a weapon in our hands, his powerful presence, because in salvation we are in warfare. No matter what has happened to us or what we have been through, we serve the ever living God who exists all around us and who is constantly at work in laying a shield of protection over us. (more…)

Personal Happiness and the Bible

By Robin Calamaio

Before I became a Christian, my refuge was song writing. As my personal circumstances became more intense, my “Songs Notebook” still had lyrics and ideas, but it became more like … a diary. It was active into my early Christian months. Years later, leafing through it, I found references to a feeling that plagued me as I awoke to my pre-Christian day. It was a feeling of dread – a deep dread. It was a mixture of frustration, purposelessness, fear and hopelessness. It was sickening. I called it, “that rock gut feeling.”

Recently, a reader asked me to consider writing an article, “Personal Happiness and the Bible.” That caused great pause and reflection. Webster’s New World Dictionary defines happiness as: “1. favored by circumstances: lucky: fortunate 2. having, showing or causing a feeling of pleasure, joy, etc.” While such definitions may capture the meaning of happiness, the elements giving rise to such a state are what really matter – and the point of the forthcoming material. Some of the perspective I will bring may sound a bit cliche, but some of my supportive thoughts may surprise you. So, here goes. (more…)

Stepping Out In Faith

By Cindie York

Part 1: You Feed Them

Matthew 14:13-21

As soon as Jesus heard the news, he left in a boat to a remote area to be alone. But the crowds heard where he was headed and followed on foot from many towns. Jesus saw the huge crowd as he stepped from the boat, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick.

That evening the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves.”

But Jesus said, “That isn’t necessaryyou feed them.”

“But we have only five loaves of bread and two fish!” they answered. (more…)