No need for amusement:Part1

I'm currently in the Libray and there's a female student laughing while she's watching idols.I pity her.That used to be me last year.I used to watch comedy and TV just so I could be amused.But thanks be to God for the working He's wrought in me and still continues to do.I need no comedy,novel,tv or whatever to amuse me.The human body that I'm currently studying and the Bible are enough and they are amusing enough for me.

I look at precious moments I've wasted in such amusements as TV,novels and others and I wish I could reverse the time.But I'm grateful for the time the Lord still affords me.I never knew the joy that came from reading the Bible and Spirit of  Prophecy.The great thing about these is that they make you understand God and his will for your life more and your secret faults are revealed so that the Lord can help you in them while time affords :).

While many are laughing at comedy and are being fascinated by the most current series,drama,soapie;the devil is doing all he can to lead them to eternal ruin.The thing about such amusements is that they draw you away from reality and life's realities such as probation,putting away of sin are put off.

We have no time to waste in such amusemens.

"Everything that does not strengthen our piety imperils the soul. Everything that does not strengthen our Christian walk puts our soul in danger"

MY BURDEN:IS THE CHURCH PREPARING GOD’S PEOPLE TO MEET THE LORD?

I’ve been thinking a lot about the soon coming of our Lord and the state of the church.As much as we must individually prepare so that we are ready for the soon coming crisis and Christ’s return,I can’t help but wonder if the church is really preparing God’s people for the crisis and is helping them to be ready.
I look at things like AWM,Pathfinders and Adventures.

I personally don’t see their purposes.Take AWM for instance.Every time people come back from AWM meetings they’ll start saying:dress reform is not crucial;it’s okay to show what you have and make-up is there to enhance our beauty.

I’ve also found many who point at AWM leaders and start saying there’s nothing wrong with having female pastors;while the word of God is clear about it.Instead of yearly conferences,why not go about sharing the Good News,feeding and clothing the less fortunate?

You look at Adventures and Pathfinders.I remember there was an adventurer’s event this year in Cape Town and the children were competing against each other.Can we say that God was part of it,since he condemns competition?I looked at the kids competing but I couldn’t help wondering: “If Jesus came today,will these precious souls be ready”? in fact,when they go to mini-fairs do they come back with an understanding of who God is?The minds of children can understand spiritual truths,but little is done for them spiritually
.
My concern is always about those who don’t have parents in the church.I mean,the goal should be to get these precious little souls to have a relationship with God so that they accept Him for themselves.
You go to Pathfinders:are they really being equipped to live in these last days?Up until now,I still don’t understand the purpose of knots,etc.Shouldn’t they be taught how to be independent from the world?Why not teach them how to garden,sew,crotchet so that they are less dependent on the government.If we this dependent on shops for everything,won’t it be difficult to not yield to the mark of the beast?

If we could grow our own food,sew etc it would be easier to adhere to God’s conditions and more time would be spent in useful labour and there’ll be more time to share the truth?Why not prepare a generation of young people that will lead others to the truth.But if Pathfinder fairs occur in a jolly,frivolous manner,whereby the young do not see the urgency of Christ’s return,How will they be made ready?

You also look at music festivals-they turn into choir competition and God is not in sight.I remember how people were walking up and down in God’s presence,how much noise there was etc.The whole thing brought excitement-focus turned to the voices and choirs,instead of drawing people to God.

"Peace,Peace" is all that's being encouraged.It seems as if we don't even believe the message of Christ's return.You compare the seriousness around 1840 and now and there's huge difference.

May God help us wake us from our slumbed,from our Laodicean church 

What the world needs (Woman's month)

The world is not in need of women that are fluent in English or eloquent in speech.The world is in need of women whose speech is filled with grace,kindness,and purity.The world is need of women who are  soft-spoken,whose words are like “apples of gold”.The world is need of women who do not speak harshly but are ever sensitive to the feelings of others. Abigail was one of a kind (1 Samuel 25) and the world is need of more ladies like her.God will impart such words even to us,if only we ask and act according to our prayers.SOP comments concerning 1 Samuel 25 and her speech:

“These words could have come only from the lips of one who had partaken of the wisdom from above.

The piety of Abigail, like the fragrance of a flower, breathed out all unconsciously in face and word

and action. The Spirit of the Son of God was abiding in her soul. Her speech, seasoned with grace, and

full of kindness and peace, shed a heavenly influence. Better impulses came to David, and he trembled

as he thought what might have been the consequences of his rash purpose. "Blessed are the

peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." Matthew 5:9. Would that there were many

more like this woman of Israel, who would soothe the irritated feelings, prevent rash impulses, and

quell great evils by words of calm and well-directed wisdom.

A consecrated Christian life is ever shedding light and comfort and peace. It is characterized by purity,

tact, simplicity, and usefulness. It is controlled by that unselfish love that sanctifies the influence. It is

full of Christ, and leaves a track of light wherever its possessor may go. Abigail was a wise reprover

and counselor. David's passion died away under the power of her influence and reasoning. He was

convinced that he had taken an unwise course and had lost control of his own spirit.”~Prophets and Kings,Chapter 64,p.667

"THE DEAD GO TO HEAVEN"

This morning I found myself thinking about the false doctrine concerning the dead and the sad thing is, many devoted Christians hold this false doctrine.But I pray that,as the Christian journey is progressive,many will come to know what God has revealed in His Word concerning the dead.

First of all,Biblically,the dead do not go to heaven or hell.I'll share what happens in my next blogpost.

But let's focus on the lie for a minute: "the dead go to heaven"

IF it were true that the dead went to heaven when they died,then that would mean:

There's no point in Christ coming again (Second advent),He might as well wait till we all die.

There's no point in living morally,according to God's law,since we're all going to heaven anyway.

That would also mean that,there's no jugdement taking place in heaven,since  everyone would ultimately go to heaven

That would also mean there's no first and second ressurection and there's no second death

Which will go on to mean that there's no Book of Life in heaven

This will also mean there's NO millenium

 This would mean that the Bible is a lie and God is lie and ultimately,there's no point of being a Christian since the reward is the same.

Lastly,that would mean that Christ's death is in vain


But praise be to God it isn't so








  

Confidence IN Christ

We live in a society that encourages boldness and confidence and believing in ourselves.But my confidence doesn't lie in myself,because I'm weak.I'm afraid that while believing in my own capabilities,I'll become boastful and too trustful of myself,to the extent that I take God's glory.

Looking back,I really hated public speaking in high school-whether it be presenting or reading in front of people,it just made me nervous.I preferred writing and I concluded that speaking in front of people wasn't for me.

Fast forward to 2015,I get to Uni and I had to do 8 presentations in first semester.You can imagine my night mare.I dreaded these-felt like I wasn't an "extrovert',wasn't eloquent enough" etc.The more I looked at my own strength,the more I felt defeated.

Then God reminded me to place my confidence in Him because he's not weak.He taught me to look at Him,instead of placing my confidence on myself and it's been great :).I'm now aware that I'm just a vessel-so I'm no longer scared of making mistakes.It's no longer about "what if I forget the word  in English" or what not.This has enabled to remember it's not about me,but about God-even when presenting school work.Working with God is humbling :).

Sad thing is,some many times we focus on our weaknesses and fear and we end up making excuses.We end up saying things like: "I'm shy",'i'm scared","I'm not like so and so".But I've come to realise that we need to focus on God and what He is able to accomplish to do through us.We need not to end at our weaknesses;we need to then give God the go-ahead since we are only vessels.We need to place our weaknesses in Him.Satan uses our weaknesses to make us stumbling blocks to the salvation of others.Often,we'll hear God commanding us to speak with someone,but we'd let fear of rejection to get in the way-Jesus faced it way back.

On other side,we face a danger of trusting too much of ourselves.After all,"every good gift comes from the Lord".Our confidence and boldness must be in Christ and NOT in ourselves.

No reason to doubt God

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."~Jeremiah 29:11


"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord.
 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."~Isaiah 55:8-9 versus "The heart is deceitful above all things,and desperately wicked: who can know it ?"


"And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,
 Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation."~Exodus 34:6-7

"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love."~1 John 4:8

From the Scriptures above,I can make the following conclusions;

-We are in God's thoughts-that's how special each one of us is.
-God's thoughts concerning us are only of peace

When we compare our thoughts and hearts they are wicked;but not so with God-because God is holy and is love.So,God doesn't ever do anything out of hate,envy or vengence.

We also learn that God is merciful,gracious,longsuffering,abundant in goodness AND truth.

Lastly,God is love and because of love,He sent Jesus to die for us (John 3:16)

1 Corinthians 13 goes on to say:


^"4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; ⁵ does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; ⁶ does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; ⁷ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

If we are to replace "God" in the place of love,we learn:

God suffers long and is kind;God  does not envy;love does not parade itself,is not puffed up.God does not behave rudely,God does not seek his own-always seek thst which will benefit us,God thinks no evil and so on...

When we truly understand who God is,when we understand that God only seeks the best for us,then we'd stop asking, "why me Lord?".Manier times we question God's love when life isn't as rosy,when we're not where we thought we'd be in the next few years,when we're trying so hard but we're still facing trials.We often wonder where God is,when we're rejected,hated,hurt.But do we ever take time to think of Jesus?

^"3 He is despised and rejected by men,
A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief.
And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him;
He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

⁴ Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
⁵ But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.
⁶ All we like sheep have gone astray;
We have turned, every one, to his own way;
And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

⁷ He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.
⁸ He was taken from prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken."~Isaiah 58:3-8

Christ was despised,rejected,a man of sorrows,acquainted with grief,oppressed,bruised,wounded.He had to bear everyone's sin.Imagine.I mean one sin is so much burdensome,yet he carried everyones-even of those who'd reject His love and salvation.Yet "He opened not His mouth".We will never suffer like he did.

I pray that we reach a point where we'd appreciate God's love and understand nothing that He witholds or allows us to face is actuated by hate,for he cannot hate.But is all for our good.Ponder on the passage below:

^"35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
³⁶ As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
³⁷ Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
³⁸ For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
³⁹ Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."~Romans 8:35-39

 

Who will be model the life of Jesus for the young ones?

I remember growing up in the church.I yearned for a role model (apart from my mom and the elderly women),a young lady who could model out what it really meant to be Christ-like.There were young ladies and I often admired listening to them share the Word during Pathfinder programmes and the likes.But one thing confused me:the same dear ladies who stood up front,were the same ones who made me not get what Pathfinder fairs and Camp Meetings were all about.Pathfinder fairs were about meeting the opposite sex and so were Camp Meetings.It was also about new outfits instead of meeting with the Lord.So in my young mind,I ended up thinking these events were all about looking good and meeting the opposite sex.

After some time,I lost interest in Pathfinder events since they weren’t doing anything for my spiritual life.I got discouraged since I didn’t see much difference from the wordlings and us.
In the end,I thought it was all about beautiful outfits and the company you keep.

When I got to matric,I stopped attending church and I pursued my education-that’s what I lived for.In 2012,I had the privilege of studying at Rhodes University.I now look back and see God’s leading in my being there.I remember being amazed at what I saw at Rhodes SDASM.For the first time,I saw young people who loved serving the Lord,who were so disciplined and so committed to God.Not only were they Christians on Sabbath but throughout the week.They would actually beg me to come to church and the likes.The more time I spent with them,I desired to know the God they were serving,since I had only been a churchgoer and on the 11th of August,I decided to follow God.

And I can never thank God enough for such people and because of their example.And because of the light that God has revealed to me I feel accountable to God and to the young girls and boys in the church.Last year, I attended an AWM programme and there were young girls and some young boys.Some of the young girls were throwing themselves at boys-hugging,making arrangement etc and I was pained.I wondered if this was what God wanted for these young souls.But at the same time I felt accountable,since the young generation is imitating what we do as the youth.

This is my prayer for each one of us as young people,I pray that we may live according to the light that God has given us so that the young ones may be drawn to God through us.As much as we are not the standard,”Christ is waiting with eagerness to see the manifestation of his character in the church” and I believe when we start living for God,the young girls and boys,will be drawn to him and they will seek to have an experience with God.

I feel like Christianity has stopped being a lifestyle and it’s now an event.It ‘s now all about going to church to meet with friends,take pics and post on facebook.We are not even acquainted with each other.We know each other on the surface.We lack love and it’s my prayer that God may give us His love.Love that will make us carry each other’s burdens,love that will make us pray with and for each othe.Love that will find out why the other sister/brother is no longer coming to church.

Young girls need ladies that will model what Christianity is all about.We owe it to them and to God.They need to know what it means to have a ‘”meek and quiet spirit” by looking up to us.We have a responsibility of modelling out what it means to be covered by Christ’s righteousness.By our speech and conduct,they need to see what it means to have the mind of Christ.And so do young boys.It’s not enough for young men to stand up front and preach and sing,they need young men who’d actually resemble Christ through and through.Won’t we ,as young people,start leading the younger ones to Christ by our conduct?

ARE MERIT AWARDS REALLY OKAY

( Disclaimer: I haven't made any conclusions:I'm still trying to figure this out )

When I got to grade 10,I changed to a new school.The school had a Top 20 list for well performing students and it was released each term.As much as I enjoyed learning,the list was the driving force in all that I did (good side I guess);but the downside was that I never really studied to gain knowledge.The top thing on my mind was getting the first place or being in the top 3.

I remember when my twin got to the first position,I had mixed emotions.Happy because he's my blood,he represented my family there;but another part was disappointed and I felt a need to prove to the world that I can get there and I was smarter-eventually did and the pride that I had!But then again,I'm the one who suffers with pride and I guess the merit awards or all the achievements we receive highlight our defects-the Holy Spirit rather highlights our defects through such events.

Four years down the line,God is teaching me what it really means to study.Now,I understand that "to do all to the glory of God" means working hard even in my studies.I now understand that I have to do my utmost-but I understand that I do not possess any strength and God is helping me,so there's nothing to boast about.When I don't get a concept,I consult him,since he's all knowing (and other methods).Secondly,my field of practise requires that I have a well understanding of what I'm learning and to be able to apply it,or it'd kill many lives.

My point is:the underlying motivation in our studying shouldn't be to get better marks than the next person.As much as we need to have goals,they should be underlined by the fact that we want to be a true representative of who God is and serve mankind.What happens when you've been memorizing all along?How will you be able to apply the knowledge?

And sadly,we sometimes apply this mentality in our spiritual lives.We treat God as the judge of "well-performing" Christians.Hence,it is easier to fall into being a modern-day Pharissee.
God isn't comparing you to anyone.The Standard is Christ-Christ alone.

‪#‎As‬ I continue to ponder on the pros and cons of merit awards and the likes

My Dress Reform Journey: By Sis' Thandi (Imperfect mom of three blogger)

It is so true that "sanctification is a work of a lifetime." Daily, God shows us how far we are from Him, how to get closer, and what our next step towards Him should be. That's how it was with my dress reform journey too! I was 'born in' the church and was just a normal SDA. Dressed like the world, ate like the world (minus the pork and unscaled fish), acted like the world and went to church on Saturday. Until I met my husband and I studied a book he had on Righteousness by Faith and read his SOP library. Those were heady days. I felt renewed and refreshed. I realised I had been parched and finally the Spring was flowing for me. I even wanted to quit university and just open up all my time to God. Of course he ('boyfriend' at the time) said no :-)

It was my darling who first made me think about my clothing and how it relates to God by bringing it to my attention how odd it was that females never wore pants to church but wore them elsewhere. Wasn't God everywhere? So why fake holiness at church and not just be unholy the whole time? I tried the "But there are pants for women" argument but honestly, it was just my meat-eating brain that was arguing. Once I started reforming my diet, my brain was more receptive to truth. Just because Satan has made a way for an abomination to be acceptable doesn't mean it's not abomination. I cringe when I think back to the day a female shouted, "Nice butt!" at me. Talk about unholy! So, the pants dropped off. Then back on for work uniform in England and when my conscience seared me, I quit work. (We had to climb up ladders and it would not have been modest for me to do so wearing skirts with men below.)

So, the pants went off and the skirts and dresses stayed on. 

Next, was the head. While we were still courting but with him now overseas, there was an International Sabbath at church. We were told to wear our traditional gear and I was all for it. But the more people spoke about the programs for the day, the more I pictured the outfits, the more uncomfortable I grew. The day was now about us and not about God. I quit being in charge of the Sabbath School programme and changed my mind about looking for a traditional outfit. Instead I thought, "Hmm, we are spiritual Israel, I'm going to dress like a Jewess." And on went the heacovering. The week after that Sabbath, I studied headcovering. It didn't make sense to me why women weren't covering anymore. After studying 1 Cor 11, I knew that I needed to do it for any time I spoke about God, or prayed. So on it went for church and prayer. I remember calling my 'guy' and asking, "Did you know women are meant to cover their heads? Why didn't you tell me!" Like God, he had been patient with me. He knew it, but could see that I was still wrestling with pants. His other reason was that he could see that I was sincerely studying so I'd definitely find the headcovering truth too. Only years later did I think, "Wait a minute. I'm always talking to God. I'm always therefore, praying. I need to cover fulltime." What brought this to mind. The Headcovering group I was part of on Facebook. Run by non-SDA. And on the headcovering stayed all day, every day.

Next? Lengths! I wore dresses and skirts but the lengths were all over the place. None above the knee but still not proper. We were in Tanzania as missionaries when the light came. It was simple. God gave Adam and Eve coats that covered their arms and their legs fully. And when you study the SOP, this principle is still meant to be adhered to. Uh oh, what to do now? I only had two long sleeved jerseys and VERY few long skirts. But God had spoken. So even on the hottest day I wore jerseys and my one long skirt, every day. Obedience needs to be immediate and though pride said no, God said, "Yes." At the same time, I had to discard my high heels too! What was already a small store of clothing (seeing as we'd had to pack a lot of things for our entire family including rice, baby food etc in our car) grew even smaller. But my joy grew larger. There is something about knowing you are following God that makes the uncomfortable heat comfortable. That makes your dismay in wearing the same thing every day, disappear. 

My journey of a lifetime continues. I got rid of my wedding band, as did my husband. I changed my hair styles too. No braids, no health deforming things like relaxers. Just natural hair. And the type of clothing is also changing. I got rid of a lovely long skirt that had some sequins on it. No need to bring attention to myself. Same reason I went from formal hats to headscarves (doeks) to church. My hats were the type you'd see at weddings and when people would comment on how beautiful they were, I knew it was time to change to something more modest. Plus I'd found a quote about large hats and being in people's way in church so they couldn't see the preacher. 

Sanctification is truly a journey of a lifetime. Covering the head is a huge act of humility for most women. And dress reform is linked to health reform. Every step we take towards God gives us more light. I pray that as pride is laid in the dust, we lay ourselves at Christ's pierced feet. Ellen White said that dress reform is a cross. I agree. But like her, I thank God for that cross. When I was still beginning this journey, a day in actually, a woman ran towards a friend and I. She said she was on the taxi but glimpsed us and had to get off just to tell us that she could see by how we were dressed that we were Christians and that we should keep it up. We happened to be wearing long loose skirts that day. A few hours later at a bookshop, another lady said she could tell by our dress and the way we carried ourselves that we were unashamed Christians. Our dress is preaching a message. Are we gathering with Christ, or are we scattering from Him. I know what I want to do, and He is able to keep me from falling. He is able to keep you from falling too.

(My comment:Note that modesty is not conditional:at all times we are to represent Christ in our dress,even at the beach :-))

Sexual Sin

I think we need to talk about it and ways we can avoid it.It's sad to see so many Christian sisters falling pregnant-especially the ones who have served as a lot of inspiration to others.Even if they don't fall pregnant;knowing that they partake in it is sad,because they are harming themselves and they are dishonouring God.

But it all starts with God.If sexual purity is not practised because we seek to please God, it is easy to turn from it.When we understand that God loves us and he seeks to keep us from harm,then we'll understand that sexual intercourse has it's context,which is marriage.And seeing that God is loving and merciful,he will not  withold anything if it's for our benefit.

As women who profess to be Christians,we need to uphold high standards and that's why we are admonished to have "shamefacedness and godly reserve".I believe if we do not entertatin flirting or drawing attention to ourselves then it won't be easy for brothers to enter into these conversations with us.

"A woman who will allow an unchaste word or hint to be uttered in her presence is not as God would have her; one that will permit any undue familiarity or impure suggestion does not preserve her godlike womanhood."~Adventist Home,ch.55,p.333

As much as the bf is the leader in the relationship (courtship),this doesn't mean you should agree to everything,even when you know it's sin.Pre-merital sex is a no go area.If he tempts you in this area,he still needs to learn of God's love- that love which is pure,that never compromises one's dignity and seeks to preserve.He will wait for marriage if he loves you,because love is patient (1 Corinthians 13:4).

Secondly,it all starts in the mind.You may not be doing it physically,but if you're still cherishing sexual thoughts-God takes it as if you've done it.The only thing stopping you is opportunity.Hence,we hear that a man who "looks lustfully at a woman has committed sexual sin"/adultery"-stealing what's not his.It all starts with purifying the thoughts and we are to remember what ever we hear,see,read forms our thoughts.

I remember how filthy my mind was when I used to read romantic novels to such an extent that I did not have an appetite for spiritual things.To have pure thoughts we need to totally turn away from all that is not "true,pure,just" (Philippians 4:8).This includes movies,novels,secular songs,certain posts on fb,etc.We need to purpose in our hearts to not let anything impure/wicked to come before us.Like David,we need to make this commitment:

^" I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me."-Psalm 101:3

"He that worketh deceit shall not dwell within my house: he that telleth lies shall not tarry in my sight."-Psalm 101:7

Thing is,the more you read,see and listen to impure things you are slowly being drawn to them and these are able to make you even practise it."By beholding we become changed".The more you see it,the more you start to doubt it's evilness and the next thing you know,you're practising it because your stand against it is becoming weakened.

Also,we need to stop cherishing impure ideas-daydreaming and castlebuilding also.SOP says that the character is not formed by one wrong act,but by cherished feelings and thoughts.And so if we want to be perfect as God has called us to be,we need not to entertain such unbecoming thoughts.Whenever I get an impure suggestion,I pray and it helps.It also helps to realise that God sees even our thoughts and when we live knowing that we are in God's presence,it becomes easier to refrain from evil.

We must not allow our minds to be idle.Keeping busy keeps the devil at bay.


" In His (Jesus') industrious life there were no idle moments to invite temptation. No aimless hours opened the way for corrupting associations. So far as possible, He closed the door to the tempter. Neither gain nor pleasure, applause nor censure, could induce Him to consent to a wrong act. He was wise to discern evil, and strong to resist it."-The Desire of Ages,chapter 7:As a Child,p.72


Thirdly,we need to LITERALLY "flee fornication" (1 Corinthians 6:18) as advised in God's Word.This passage is not conditional,it doesn't say, "if you know you're not strong enough,then flee".Sin,is one of those things we need  not to even entertain.Many have seen themselves as strong and have thought themselves wise.Many have said they will never be overcome by this sin but they fell.The truth of the matter is,we are weak.If we want to be pure,we don't need to prove how much we can resist,but to run.If Joseph didn't flee,I'm sure the passage would read differently.Had David fled,/averted his eyes from the naked woman,I'm sure we'd have a different story.

Some of the practical ways we can "flee":

-Don't be alone with your bf in a room-bring a friend,sibling etc

-Don't entertain impure suggestions:Some conversations start innocently with the bf talking about you being married,the next thing he's talking about the honeymoon phase.As a godly woman,you need to not let the conversation go further.Tell him the context is not appropriate,you are not married and you save yourself and him from sinning.Even with your female friends,refrain from such talks.

-No kissing,touching-these  activities have a way of leading to sexual thoughts.You may not be thinking such,but the other person may be. 

-Meet outdoors where you're surrounded by people

Fourthly,fill your mind with God's Word.

"Thy word have I hid in mine heart that I might not sin against thee"

Memorizing verses that talk about refraining from sexual sin is crucial as these will remind you when you're tempted.

Also,praying for strength to be pure really helps .

As ladies we have a responsibility to guard ourselves and those we love (bf,fiance).It is not loving to allow the guy to mislead you.Christ has died for us and the least we can do is to honour him even in our relationships.We need to stand for what is true and we need to lovingly lead our bfs to God.Hence,we are admonished to be "sober" and to "watch".We need the presence of the Holy Spirit and we need to be attentive to His still voice.

Also,we need to dress appropriately.I personally believe in order for a man to "look lustfully at a woman" there are parts (cleavage,thighs,legs) that will lead to such thoughts.So,we need to hide every suggestive part,so that our brothers do not get tempted.

They are lying to us!

I live in a society that paints a picture that life is all about being happy!You always hear,"if it makes you happy,then it's fine".But what makes you happy is rarely for your own benefit and it might hurt God.The Christian is far more different than the normal person who doesn't have a personal relationship with God.It's a race,it's about gaining victory over sin and it's about leading others to the Source of life-God.It's about leading others to see that there's more to life.God is drawing us to Him and it is His desire to have a relationship with each individual,to help each individual to be like Him as the Creator and at the end of it all,to live eternally with Him.

But sadly we live in a society where we are constantly bombarded with self-centered living.A life that revolves around ourselves,our wants,our needs.We live in a society that says we should fight for what we want,even at the expense of the other person.But Christ is our perfect example.Not once did He live for Himself nor did he seek to always gain but He gave,up to the point of giving Himself.

And he calls us to do the same,he is calling us to self-denial.He is showing that life of joy doesn't revolve around going to the cinema to watch the last movie or spending thousands on new clothes or having the coolest boyfriend;but it is centered on serving others.On denying ourselves that which we want so that others may be benefitted.

We are called to a higher standard-we are called to be God's hands and feet.The world is dying,the world is full of hopeless,struggling souls and God wants us to spread his love and bring hope to these souls.Isn't that something worth more living for?Isn't that much more than the attention,the likes and the applause?

When all is said and done,when you have lived your life,would you look back and be glad that you've added value to someone's life?Will you be glad that you have helped encourage the weary?With all that you cherish be worth it at the end of the day or will you look back and regret for having believed that life is all about you?

We are NOT called to seek happiness,popularity,fame or love!The first thing we are called to seek is the kingdom of God and His righteousness,for this will ensure we fulfill God's purpose for our lives.But sadly,we still haven't denied ourselves and we want the "that will be added unto us" before God.But until we stop consulting broken cisterns and seek and pursue God,we will forever feel the void and nothing in life will fulfill.We'll be forever be slaves to fashion,movies,relationships and man's opinions UNTIL we put God first.And when God is put in his rightful place-before all,there is unspeakable joy!  

GLORIFYING GOD EVEN IN OUR SPEECH

As Christians,we are called to a higher standard of living.God commands us to be "perfect as He is" and he goes on to tell us how we can practically live for His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31).It's important to realize that on our own and by our own strength we cannot,but "through Christ who strengthens us" all is possible.But we need to co-operate with God.

For a long time I didn't get what Christianity was all about.I thought it was enough to confess that I believe in God.I thought it was enough to attend church,do my devotion and talk about God.But God convicted me that it is not enough,He wanted me to surrender everything to him.And he has been teaching me this since then.I've come to realise that if we want to reach the standard God has called to,we are to offer our lives to Him and allow Him to direct every aspect in our lives.

And it is God's desire to have a say over every aspect of our lives:from what we eat,how we speak,how to serve Him and more.The reason for this is because He wants to help us to be like Him and he wants to give us victory over every area of our lives-including our speech-our words.The Bible tells us that our speech "to be always seasoned with grace"(Colossians 4:6) and we are called to "speak in hyms" (Ephesians 5:19) and "to let no corrupt talk to come out of our mouths" (Ephesians 4:29).

Jesus always spoke to edify and he spoke a word in season (Psalm 45:2;Isaiah 50:4) and that's what God would like us to do.Our speech should prove that we have been with Christ.When Peter denied Christ,His spech betrayed Him.It proved that He had been with Christ.Our words can either draw others to Christ or away from Him.So many times we fail God by our words-instead of encouraging and  expressing kindness,we often criticise and find fault.Or sometimes our words are all about us-our achievements,our desires,our opinions and at the end of the day,people end up seeing us instead of God.

God wants us to please Him even with our words.Instead of speaking of ourselves and focusing on us,instead of spending time speaking of ourselves,instead of being rude and ever expressing anger,God wants us our words to lead others to Him.He wants us to be pure-not only abstain sexually or in thoughts,but to be pure even in our words.

God's word defines a perfect individual as one who has control over her tongue.When we look at Jesus,even by His words he blessed people.Never do we see him snapping at others,calling them "stupid",complaining but he always spoke about God and the salvation of others was first.
 

James 3:5-12

⁵ Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. ⁶ The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
⁷ All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, ⁸ but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
⁹ With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.
  
From this Scripture below,we learn that we need to be mindful even of our words because they can either displease or please God.

"The power of speech is a talent that should be diligently cultivated. Of all the gifts we have

received from God, none is capable of being a greater blessing than this. With the voice we convince

and persuade, with

it we offer prayer and praise to God, and with it we tell others of the Redeemer's

love. How important, then, that it be so trained as to be most effective for good."-COL,p.325

"Not one word is to be spoken unadvisedly. No evil speaking, no frivolous talk, no fretful repining or

impure suggestion, will escape the lips of him who is following Christ. The apostle Paul, writing by the

Holy Spirit, says, "Let no corrupt communica

tion proceed out of your mouth." Eph. 4:29. A corrupt

communication does not mean only words that are vile. It means any expression contrary to holy

principles and pure and undefiled religion. It includes impure hints and covert insinuations of evil.Unless instantly resisted,these lead to great sin"-COL,p337

"As followers of Christ we should make our words such as to be a help and an encouragement to one

another in the Christian life. Far more than we do, we need to speak of the precious chapters in our

experience. We should speak of the mercy and loving-k

indness of God, of the matchless depths of the

Saviour's love. Our words should be words of praise and thanksgiving. If the mind and heart are full of

the love of God, this will be revealed in the conversation. It will not be a difficult matter to impart t

hat

which enters into our spiritual life. Great thoughts, noble aspirations, clear perceptions of truth, unselfish

purposes, yearnings for piety and holiness, will bear fruit in words that reveal the character of the heart

treasure. When Christ is thus rev

ealed in our speech, it will have power in winning souls to Him."-COL,p338

WE ARE ACCOUNTABLE FOR OUR SPEECH

#A_Higher_Standard_of _living

The authority of God’s Word

The authority of God’s Word

The Christian’s guide is the Word of God.It is a “lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path” (Psalm 119:105).But this is not really the case for many Christians and in most cases it happens without them being aware of it.I’ve been speaking to a lot of Christians and I’ve realised that most of their practice aren't based on what the Bible says but on what their pastors and other people they esteem highly say and this is dangerous because men is ever likely to err.

Secondly,when we become Christians,opinions of men shouldn’t  determine how we live;but the word of God. When Jesus was tempted in the desert he mentioned that “man shall not live by bread alone,but by every word that comes from the mouth of God”(Matthew 4:4).So,we understand that the Word of God is not only useful for morning and evening devotion but it is crucial for the survival of the Christian.

But how important is it? 2 Timothy 3:16-17 gives an answer:

“ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

ALL SCRIPTURE IS INSPIRED BY GOD

It is crucial to understand that the Word of God wasn’t written out of boredom nor is it a good book for a good read;but it is the direct word of God.It is God speaking through the word.

Looking at the Scripture above it’s important to note that “all” Scripture is inspired by God. I’ve come across Christians who claim that the Old Testament was done away with.But this is untrue because the New Testament makes us aware that the Bible as whole is inspired by God and that fact means one part cannot be more important than the other.

In fact,we see that the Old Testament is quite crucial in that it tells us about the origin of the earth and of mankind (Genesis 1-2),it tells us about how sin entered (Genesis 3) and it tells us about the first Christians and how God  led them.We also learn about God’s moral law and we also find prophecy about Jesus’ first advent and his mission (Isaiah) and we also find prophecy concerning the end times that which we live in (Daniel).

In fact, we cannot fully understand the New Testament without reference to the Old Testament. We see how Jesus often quoted the Old Testament –which means it was not made absolete.In fact,we find that Paul and other writers often recited the Old Testament.So, the Old Testament is the key to unlocking the New Testament.For example,Revelation goes hand in hand with the Book of Daniel and they are both end time prophecy.

In fact,we learn that one of the purpose of the Old Testament is this :

“Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (1 Corinthians 10:11).We find many lessons from the Israelites and as spiritual Israel we can learn from them.In fact,we often draw inspiration from those who have been faithful to God,like Daniel,Joseph,Abraham and many others.

Also, most of the doctrines we hold as Christians are found in the Old Testament:God as the Creator,the Godhead,the fall of Lucifer (now known as the devil),the state of the dead,the Sabbath, the moral law and the sanctuary message which is very important in us understanding the plan of salvation and what Jesus is doing presently is all found in the Old Testament.

But t I must highlight:some of the things that were practised by the people mentioned in the Old Testament are no longer practised now since it’s not present truth (1 Peter 1:12) for this time. Present truth is a specific truth that relates to the people of that time from God.For example:During Noah’s time,the present truth was that people had to get into the ark to be saved from the flood that was going to destroy the world.

We also know that during the time prior Jesus’ death,for the people to receive forgiveness of their sins, they had to bring a goat or pigeon and confess their sins and kill it.But nowadays we no longer need to do that so since Christ died.We only need to pray directly to God to obtain forgiveness for our sins (1 John 1:9). The other present truth we hold is that Jesus is coming again (Matthew 24) and we find the doctrine in other passages in New Testament.

So,the only difference between the new and the old testament is that some doctrines or practices were done away with since they were nailed at the cross through Jesus’ death and were pointing to Christ's death (Colossians 2:16-21)-this being the ceremonial laws and the festivals which the Israelites celebrated.But it’s important to note that the Moral law (thou shalt not kill,the Sabbath,etc) were not done away with and Jesus and His disciples continued to do them and so should we.

SCRIPTURE IS PROFITABLE FOR DOCTRINE

One of the signs  that signifies Jesus’ soon coming is false teachers who teach people false teachings/doctrines (2 Peter 2:1;Matthew 7:15) and the only safety for the Christian is in knowing the Word of God for Himself. We are admonished to “study the Scriptures”.

From 2 Timothy 3:16-17 we also learn that the Word of God contains doctrines for Christians.So,if we need to know what we believe in,we should not consult pastors,websites,blogs but God’s Word.Also,since there are so many false doctrines going around,we can use God’s to prove if they are true or false.

So,if we want to know whether we are being obedient to God and hold the right teachings we need not go far.The answers are found in His Word.

“ To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” (Isaiah 8:20)

SCRIPTURE CRUCIAL FOR REPROOF AND CORRECTION

Every household has rules to ensure that it runs smoothly.Often the parents set ground rules to ensure the well-being of their children and so that there is a clear distinction between right and wrong.God,as our loving Father has done the same for us.As a loving father who has the best thoughts towards us,he has made known what is right and wrong.God is not a God of confusion and His word clearly marks out what pleases God and what doesn’t.

So,if we want to know if we’re pleasing God we don’t need to consult a pastor or a certain church,we can get all the information directly from His Word.

SCRIPTURE PIVOTAL FOR INSTRUCTION IN RIGHTEOUSNESS AND THOROUGHLY FURNISHED IN GOOD WORKS

When God created mankind,he made him in His own image and in his own likeness.One of the defining traits of God is that he is holy (Isaiah 43:15) and when he created us,we were also holy.But when sin entered,the human heart became immune to righteousness (Romans 8:7).But God in his love,throught the death of Christ is trying to renew His image in us (Ephesians 4:23-24;Colossians 3:10).

God has commanded us to “be perfect as he is” and God has made it clear how we can achieve holiness in every aspect of our lives.It is through the aid of the Holy Spirit that we are able to achieve this.God tells how we can glorify Him and has given instructions (moral law and other commands) to ensure we can achieve this.

8th August 2015

This was the best Sabbath of my life.I really thank God for yesterday's message as it was really directed at me.I learnt a lot of things and some views I held were corrected.I thought I knew,but  I didn't and praises go to the most high God who seeks to lead us to repentance.And how can I forget the company?I was really blessed by the sisters-kind and through speaking with them I learnt a lot about myself and things I need to correct.

One of the things we discussed really got me and it's something that has been on my heart for quite some time and the Lord recently reproved me of.

One of the sisters I was speaking to mentioned how we as sisters are so far apart and we do not get along.This is because we judge each other and sometimes even pretend to be people we're not,such that it becomes hard for us to approach one another.It's sad!

And I'm learning that we're really need to do something about this.Many of our sisters are suffering in silence and we actually need to start being there for each other so that we can support each other.And it starts with being real:not acting like we have it together so that others can feel comfortable with coming to us.

I also think when we are so focused in Christ,so focused on pleasing Him and being what He would have us be.When we do,we won't have time for other people's faults;instead we need to pray.I am learning we have poor idea of what it means to "carry" each other's burdens.We literally need to be sisters-there for each other but at the end of it all,we should be strengthened to stand alone in Christ and be content in Him.

It's easier when you know you're not the one struggling.And you're encouraged to take your burdens to the Lord :).


#Lessons
#Learning from other sisters
#Together,as Heirs of Heaven