* All children are different (note: nobody likes a fake/counterfeit/imitation)
*Children always know what they want but seldom know what they need (note: that’s your job)
*Children are only little clever combinations of two different personalities (note: find yourself in your child)
*Children are not computer drones (note: you can’t just tell them what to do, show them what to do)
*Your Children will definitely grow physically (note: If you’re going to apply discipline apply style(s) that will remain effective for a long time)
*SAY only what you want to see not what you see (note: you’re the first prophet your children will ever have. Use this opportunity well!)
*Only HOLY SPIRIT has the true map of training your child! (note: Get HIM introduce HIM to your children)
*Your children love you, they can still change for good, just get into the word and keep on praying, THERE ARE BETTER DAYS AHEAD
God bless
-a Kid’s point of view
NUMBER YOUR DAYS WELL
I’ve recently been reflecting on a verse that I think is worth all of us reflecting on. It’s from the psalms and it says: Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. (Psalm 90:10 NIV)
Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:12 NIV)
I did the math and realized I only had 13445 days left (including that day) if I made it to 70. 17095 if I made it to 80. My first thought was that I need to hit the gym. But seriously if, by being healthy, I can add 3650 days to this one shot of this speck in eternity where I get to make an impact for the kingdom of God, I want to do that.
The second thought I had was a need to intentionally avoid routine over-busyness.
If we are honest, most of us will admit that we have experienced seasons when the moments, days and weeks seemed to slip away without us noticing. Perhaps we were absorbed by the busyness of everyday routines, or by a difficult season when mere survival was challenge enough. Regardless, we often look back on these seasons with a sense of regret and the feeling that moments were ‘wasted’.
I remember listening to a broadcast where the speaker spoke about a conference in the 50’s where they were making so much progress with computer technology that they predicted we’d all be working half days in 50 years. Well they couldn’t have even imagined the kind of progress we would make in IT, and yet we’re only working harder, faster, longer. Busyness itself isn’t bad, and for most of us its necessary, but routine panic and missing out on what God is calling us to is a mistake we don’t want to make.
My last thought was reflecting on the end of the verse that said ‘gain a heart of wisdom’. I believe that in this context, wisdom is perspective. If we’re going to number our days well, we need to have the right perspective.
I recently watched a movie about a guy who could travel back in time. There’s a scene where he’s told that the secret to this gift of time travel is to live each day twice, “The first time with all the tensions and worries that stop us noticing how sweet the world can be, but the second time noticing”
He does this and you see the difference in the way he lives an ordinary day, stressing, not engaging people and not celebrating victories the first time, but then completely appreciating every moment the second time. Finally he learns he doesn’t need to travel back and re-live each day, he can just live to the fullest the first time round. We obviously don’t have the opportunity to travel in time, but we can all choose to have the right perspective for each day. But as Christians, it’s not just a motivational carpe dime thing about having a good attitude, it’s about having God’s perspective. Recognizing the incredible opportunities he’s given us and making each second count.
I think if we, in Christian media, can get this right, number our days well, we can make a phenomenal impact for the extension of His Kingdom.
Culled from the ACM(Association of Christian Media)
unNATURAL
RHETORICAL!
*What are the names of the two people shaking hands when you switch on a Nokia phone ?
*If the past tense of Take is Took, what is the past tense of Make ?
*Who ate the missing part of the apple logo?
*Whats the name of the lady that says “please enter your secret number” at the ATM machine.
Court Date
After living what I felt was a ‘decent’ life, my time on earth came to the end.
The first thing I remember is sitting on a bench in the waiting
room of what I thought to be a court house.
The doors opened and I was instructed to come in and have a seat by the defense table.
As I looked around I saw the ‘prosecutor.’
He was a villainous looking gent who snarled as he stared at me. He definitely was the most evil person I have ever seen.
I sat down and looked to my left and there sat My Attorney,
a kind and gentle looking man whose appearance seemed
so familiar to me, I felt I knew Him.
The corner door flew open and there appeared the Judge in full flowing robes. He commanded an awesome presence as He moved across the room, I couldn’t take my eyes off of Him.
As He took His seat behind the bench, He said, “Let us begin.”
The prosecutor rose and said,
“My name is Satan and I am here to show you why this person
belongs in hell.”
He proceeded to tell of lies that I told, things that I stole, and in the past when I cheated others, Satan told of other horrible
Perversions that were once in my life and the more he spoke, the
further down in my seat I sank.
I was so embarrassed that I couldn’t look at anyone, even my own Attorney, as the Devil told of sins that even I had completely forgotten about.
As upset as I was at Satan for telling all these things about me, I was equally upset at My Attorney who sat there silently not Offering any form of defense at all.
I know I had been guilty of those things, but I had done some good in my life – couldn’t that at least equal out part of the harm I’d done?
Satan finished with a fury and said, “This person belongs in hell,
is guilty of all that I have charged and there is not a person
who can prove otherwise.”
When it was His turn, My Attorney first asked if He might approach the bench.
The Judge allowed this over the strong objection of Satan,
and beckoned Him to come forward.
As He got up and started walking, I was able to see Him in
His full splendor and majesty.
I realized why He seemed so familiar; this was Jesus representing me, my Lord and my Savior.
He stopped at the bench and softly said to the Judge, “Hi,
Dad”, and then He turned to address the court.
“Satan was correct in saying that this person has sinned, I won’t deny any of these allegations.
And, yes, the wage of sin is death, and this person deserves to be
punished.”
Jesus took a deep breath and turned to His Father with outstretched arms and proclaimed, “However, I died on the cross so
that this person might have eternal life and has accepted Me as Savior, so this person is Mine.”
My Lord continued with, “This person’s name is written in the Book of Life, and no one can snatch this one from Me.
Satan still does not understand yet. This person is not to be given justice, but rather mercy.”
As Jesus sat down, He quietly paused, looked at His Father and said, “There is nothing else that needs to be done. I’ve done it all.”
The Judge lifted His mighty hand and slammed the gavel down.
The following words bellowed from His lips..
“This person is free.”
“The penalty has already been paid in full.”
“Case dismissed.”
As my Lord led me away, I could hear Satan ranting and raving,
“I won’t give up, I will win the next one.”
I asked Jesus
as He gave me my instructions where to go next, “Have you ever lost a case?”
Christ lovingly smiled and said,
“Everyone that has come to Me and asked Me to represent them has received the same verdict as you,
~Paid In Full~”
Pass this along, your effort in sharing this could save a soul!!!
-Anonymous
why YOU didn’t want to HEAR iT!
Yes it’s good we all have heard it, but no we really didn’t want to, verse 15, and chapter two, God prepared for man all he would need to make do, at 8 He kept him in a place after he was formed, hold on! So man was not created in this Eden he was kept there to tend it, if you haven’t figured it out yet, check Genesis.
That was a little hard to take right? Just don’t fight, cos just as the tendency to look back is when I say “don’t look back”, the almost certainty that man would do that which was just pointed out he shouldn’t, shouldn’t be surprising. We should take full responsibility till infinity before heaven cos it all began when we ate of the forbidden fruit in Eden. But that is not even what we do not want to hear; this is not the time to lose concentration, please lend me not only your ears but also every part of you that would allow you drift, let me say it like this: we always want the most candid of opinions but truly do we want to take it? Well, just like you, I also find it hard to take the truth but I try not to fight, cos unlike lies and all its falsehood, the truth is actually easier to…
Wait!!! I’m drifting… I’m shifting from the purpose slowly not even knowing, well I did find out quick enough and before I go off again, I’d hit the nail on the head.
If the hardest thing to take is the truth, then the best truth should be the greatest hardest thing to hear, right? Maybe now you get why the full story about Christ coming to die and His love actually makes people tend to close up and act all repulsive when they hear it
I mean, someone came, died, resurrected, gave authority, ascended and sent another for our comfort. Though He said His work was finished, for now we are all free from sin, sickness, poverty but really we have to wait on Him in trials, and what have you! Now you tell me, how does this make any sense to the logics you have been taught in school but you see, that’s the point I’m trying to make! He’s the creator I am His creation, He’s the porter, I’m the clay; you try explaining to car how the taste of sweet potatoes is and the use of vegetables yet he’d prefer to run miles in his own single mind, shifting gears, using wipers, then feeding on crude oil and most of the craps well arranged from elements in the periodic tables.
So we’ve got to take His word for it, reminds me of the bible; mehn! If only those cars could read they might behave better than we do! You still asking what you didn’t want to hear is or maybe this doesn’t apply to you?
Here’s where I’d like to draw a line between Christians and unbelievers or maybe we should all go into this next phase together; let’s start from things we all believe to where we have a problem.
There is a God; that is a fact, now hold on Mr. Non-Christian I’m not getting into the bible, YET!!!
The greatest need of man is the desire to be wanted, appreciated, welcomed; in essence LOVED. Now if there is a good God who created man with this desire, don’t you think He would have what it takes to meet it? Stop looking for the rhymes we don’t have the time and things are getting serious, I have seen and heard of many religions but non has satisfied my curiosity on how these shambles and fragments of love we profess here can meet the standards for a God who loves, and surprisingly wants to be lived in return, so He gave us all His love in the place of Jesus His son, so we can get the light and He can free us.
I am sorry we agreed to stay off the bible and all the religions to solve this but am bringing you Christianity. Not the one you heard is a religion but a way to live in, because it gave me the answers and they are quite simple, … ”are you tired?, well I am tired too”, but of what use would it be to have all this bottled up inside of me?
You know what, I would let you ask direct questions if you need to, just get my whole drift; God made man, man fell, He tried the prophets, tried various ways to heal man but man still could not get well, so provided a life line, He dialed JESUS. Now if you come to Him you have no sin, no sickness; a restored love relationship and life everlasting amongst others. That was one deal I could not pass by.
Now I am engaged, I do not care what you might say but God did not save me for me to do anything to get saved; I just believed Jesus in my heart, Confessed Him with my mouth and that settled it. I am FREE, how easy is this? Believers! Hope you know it was easier than you have heard it preached? And UNBELIEVERS, you are missing. Now if your religion honestly satisfies your needs, wants and desire to be loved remain there.
If you sincerely believe it does not, or you as a Christian has never experienced a relationship of total love, then allow me to introduce to you; my lover, my brother, my Lord, Jesus. Please accept Him. Please allow Him come in.
by
Njoku Uchechi
fOoD FoR tHoUghT
*Emulate Excellence
*Exceed Expectations
*Engage in Exploits
*Eradicate Excuses
CHANCES
I cried out to Him…
“Have mercy master, give me a second chance”
but
He said to me “I have no need for you anymore, you are broken! Any content in you spills out even for the dogs to lick”
I was made a vessel, a vessel of gold, a vessel unto honour! The finest amongst all, I was used by the master molded with the finest gold, made with loving hands of the potter, solid, strong, perfect, beautiful and useful.
Along the line something changed in me, I became proud!
Wasn’t I the best?
I mean a vessel of gold, unto honour, used to make exploits, of course! I was the best amongst bests. In fact the best the potter had ever made! I allowed pride to eat me up starting with a little crack in my “supposed” solid nature and it deepened, finally breaking me and rendering me useless
The master saw no need for me, so he decided to throw me out. Seeing my mistakes I cried out!
Shhh….
My master said to me…
“I’ll send you back to the potter to break you, crush you, melt you and remould you”
What a wonder! “Thank you Father” I cried out!
“Thank you Master, but even as I am remoulded, help me to bear the pain”
“My grace is made sufficient for you. For I am strong in your weakness”
by
Odimbu Promise
Christ a poet 