Run away from the noise

Have you notice that they will post pictures on social media and a large number click and 'like'?

They post Church/government rumor, many click and digest and even forward on.

But a few post the following kind of messages and it is boring to their eyes, what a generation🤗

Please take the next few minutes and read this life-altering article from my like-minded in Christ, feel free to share it; it is needed at this time.

"The blaring (loud unpleasant noise) music from the speakers of the stereo, prevented Lady A who was standing afar off, from hearing clearly the words of Lady B. But if Lady A was determined to know what Lady B had to say due to the importance of the 'information', all lady A needed to do was to move closer to lady B and listen attentively! ISN'T IT???

Likewise also, no matter the 'noise' around today, via false prophets, worldly songs and videos from the entertainment industry, high rate of moral decadence, etc; the VOICE OF TRUTH cannot be silenced nor changed. It is now left for whoever cares to listen to the Voice of Truth, knowing it's importance, and that it is LIFE to his/her soul; to move closer to the SOURCE(God), Read His MANUAL (Bible), and give full concentration, avoiding the 'distracting noise'!

These days, we see a lot of misinterpretation to God's Word all in the bid to satisfy the flesh, a lot of preachers(even social media preachers) who now fail to speak the Truth on Holiness to their congregation, just because of their selfish gains; all they do is make 'empty proclamations'! A lot of 'it doesn't matter', worldliness even in the church; all in the bid to CHANGE, SILENCE, DILUTE THE TRUTH.

This has even made a lot to be confused as to know what God's Word really says; and many have left the narrow way to the broad way, where anything goes!!! BUT, I tell you, whether we like it or not; WE HAVE NO EXCUSE! We have the Bible, The Holy Spirit, and other Faithful Preachers of God's Word, if indeed we desire to what the TRUTH is, what GOD's Word really stands for, and His Pattern of Holiness!

This is also a CHALLENGE to those who have been saved by Grace, and God has revealed HIS TRUTH to them; but fail to preach this TRUTH to others, fail to rescue the perishing: Ezekiel 3:18 says: "When I say unto the wicked, thou shalt surely die; and you givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but HIS Blood WILL I REQUIRE AT THINE HAND".

WHATEVER FORM YOUR MESSAGE/TEACHINGS TAKES, IF IN THE END, IT DOES NOT POINT OTHERS TO CHRIST, THEN IT IS 'MERE NOISE'! The 'TRUTH TELLERS' have their reward in Heaven, the 'NOISE MAKERS' have their reward in Hell; what group do you belong?

My Beloved brothers/sisters, irrespective of the 'noise' around, the Word of God remains unchanged! It is wise for us not to be carried away, but FOCUS on the TRUTH God has given to us, and hold on to it tightly!

The world is preparing for the Antichrist, let's make our 'VOICE OF TRUTH' loud enough even to our immediate family, and let's all get prepared for the imminent return of Christ; it is just around 'the corner'! Let's keep our eyes fixed on the PRIZE, and not be distracted from the narrow way. My Beloved, whatever it will take us to walk that street of gold, to enter in through the pearly gates of Heaven, to wear that golden crown; Let us all do!!!
 
I'll also like to invite you, still living in sin, to COME INTO THE ARK (JESUS) NOW; because, the 'flood of God's wrath and indignation' is coming upon this world! JESUS is the ONLY WAY, and He is going to judge all based on His Word! Your Pastor, friends, parents, cannot save you on that day; NO EXCUSE will be tenable on that day!

Mere Religion cannot save you, PRACTICAL LIFE OF HOLINESS WITHIN and WITHOUT is the key! ACT FAST! ACT RIGHT! ACT NOW!!! Revelation 20:15: "And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire". WHERE IS YOUR (MY) NAME WRITTEN??? "

Give your life to Jesus today, and be set free. Look for a bible believing Church and grow in your faith.

Blessings, Mrs. Rabi E. [Original article from Funmibi O.]

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I want more: More of what?

I live in a very materialistic and capitalistic country, where money or the lack of it, is a perennial problem for people, including a vast majority of Christians. Unfortunately since it is America, this idea has spread to other countries of the world. After all people from other countries come over here to seek the “American Dream”. 

It’s so easy to buy into its idea that more money and material wealth will bring us happiness. It promotes the elusive fantasy that more things bring happiness, and that just a little more than what one has right now will be enough. Because of this, companies prey on our human psychology by giving us credit cards to spend more money than we actually earn, and we are hooked into it. 

How sad! 

If you tune in to the news lately you will hear of the financial decisions that a major financial institution (Wells Fargo) got itself into, and it is backfiring on its leadership and employees; this is all evidence of this idea of wanting more. We often feel a hunger and emptiness that drive us. We want to fill it with more: more money, more food, and more fleshy love. 

However, trying to fill these desires which is a hole, is futile. Edward, in C. S. Lewis’ The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, could never be satisfied with enough Turkish taffy. He always wanted more. Likewise, we think more will satisfy us. 

We feel deprived when we don't have it, we ache, and we constantly fret for more. I have encountered some ladies who even become severely depressed, feeling caught in a black hole of emptiness, simply because they want more than they have, including skinny body like mine (sorry, mine is gene from heaven, not the one given by deliberately starving yourself in the quest for external beauty, lol). 

Friend, “enough” never comes, unless we confront the lie itself. The Bible calls this “greediness” in Ephesians 4:19 when it says, 

“Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness”

This longing for more is the earthly symptom of incompleteness and sin that we live in. Hmmm, brothers and sisters, it’s a frame of mind more than a circumstance. The desire for more should be a universal hunger for heaven, a longing for the only One who can truly fill us – God Himself. We can be satisfied, fulfilled, and content with Christ. I wish we can shun this other hunger for only material things and focus on the everlasting.

Don’t get me wrong, genuine financial or physical material problems are difficult, but we must seek them in the right way, without allowing discontentment and greediness. Our discontentment often comes when we make comparisons and when we envy other people even when we clearly see that they are not acquiring such wealth with clean hands. 

Imagine ministers of the gospel comparing and competing with the wealthy people in their congregations. 

Hi ministers: with all due respect to you and your ministry, I thought you are to follow a sacrificial call into the ministry. Sorry, if you are not happy about your call, then take that feeling to God instead of engaging in money making in the church that you are in charge of.

John Stuart Mill said, “I have learned to seek my happiness not by trying to fulfill all my desires but by limiting them.” What a better idea! Friend, you need to train your appetites, not be driven by them. 

Yes so many things we cannot afford surround us, but limiting your expansive desires and interests can lead to peace. Joseph Novello, in his book The Myth of More, says, “I desire to want what I have and not want what I do not have.” Think about that. Together, let's begin to challenge the myth that more makes us happy. 

Practically speaking, there is peace in simplicity. Personally I don’t like going about buying too many fancy purses and wrist watches, as I replied to a friend who once asked me the surprising question as to why I'm always carrying the same purse for so long, then later she found out that one of my only four purses is enough to buy all her 32 purses together with her 102 pairs of shoes. 

At that point, she was humbled and resolved that life is not just about more things, but quality…of course I say this not to brag about the quality of the few material possessions I have, but to point out that a few nice-looking outfits are better than a stuffed closet the world is getting you to get entangled with. 

The bulging closet brings the stress of choosing what to wear, what fits, what matches, and what to wear occasionally to justify buying it in the first place. It may take a little humility, but is pride worth the price?

Jesus said He neither had a home nor bed of His own. He lived a simple life. People mattered to Him, as did doing the will of His Father in heaven. Satan tempted Him in the wilderness with the myth of more. Satan promised, “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9). 

Ironically, as with all of Satan’s lies, Jesus would not have gained more, He would have lost everything. It is a blessing to have enough money to live without fear. Yet, we need to be wise and discerning about what we need and what we chase after to gain happiness. Jesus spoke to this issue when He challenged us to build up heavenly treasure that will not be destroyed by moth or rust. 

Friend, you and I need God’s help on a daily basis, but you cannot get His help without a walking relationship with Him. Jesus is standing at the door calling you away from your current state of life, so that you can walk with Him. You cannot say no, and this is not a time to play church or religion games. He wants to save you, so confess your sins today and repent of them completely. 

I advice you to look for a bible based church and fellowship with believers. May God receive you as you come now, so that you can escape the wrath of God that is to come upon those who refuse to yield to His call. Amen. I am also praying for you.

Bible References:

I Timothy 6:10:

“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Proverbs 28:25:

“He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat.

I Timothy 6:9:

“But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and [into] many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”

Luke 12:15:

“And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.”

Matthew 6:24:

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”

Proverbs 15:27:

“He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house; but he that hateth gifts shall live.”

*Written by Mrs. Rabi E. 
*Shared by  Koinonite

Photo credit: youtube.com 

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The small dare not be humble

If you have been following this devotional, "Everyday with Jesus" you will know that we've been discussing about the fruits of the Holy Spirit. We are currently on the fruit "Gentleness" which can also be called Humility or Meekness.

Today we read John 13:1-15, Numbers 12:1-11 and Exodus 18:13-16.

John 13:3,5 says: 

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power... he poured water... and began to wash his disciples' feet.

Commentary from Everyday with Jesus:

This passage of Scriptures have long been one of my favorite sections of the New testament. It was the consciousness of His standing in the Father that enabled His humility. The small dare not be humble. Let me explain what I mean by "standing". Jesus's standing was rooted in God. 

Being in God made Him great and humble. Great because he is humble-humble because He is great. A Hindu remarked to a missionary, 

"I used to believe in idols but now I don't believe in them at all. I'm coming round to the belief that I myself am a god." 

He gave up the idols and made one of himself!

When we lose sight of God, we loose sight of humility. It is as simple as that: no true vision of God, no true vision of humility. Humility is not a cringing, servile attitude, although, sadly many Christians seem to view it in this way. 

Phillips Brooks, a nineteenth-century American preacher, once said, 

"The true way to be humble is not to stoop until you are smaller than yourself, but to stand at your real height against some higher nature that will show you what the real smallness of your greatness is. Stand at your highest and then look at Christ, then go away and forever be humble." 

The truly humble are conscious of His greatness before they are conscious of their own humility.

Questions: 

1. Contrast Miriam and Aaron's attitudes with that of Moses.

2. How could Moses be humble yet lead and judge a nation?

My contribution:

I would liken Jesus' standing with God and that of our relationships here on earth. When you are fully aware that your earthly father is wealthy, you do not come out openly to declare it. You are completely satisfied and contented with yourself cause you are confident in your father's status. You would simply walk into a room and be calm even when no one recognizes your presence. 

On the other hand, people who really have nothing with no esteem, make the loudest noise wanting you to know they have it all, whereas they are suffering. They are constantly afraid of being exposed and therefore try to dominate others in public.

Jesus knew His standing and wasn't afraid that he will be looked down on by His disciples when he stooped to wash their feet. He had nothing to loose and everything to gain. He taught us how to treat each other; considering each other better than ourselves.

Mirian spoke against Moses because of his Cushite wife. She probably started having issues with the woman and she resorted to speaking against her brother. She must have thought to herself that Moses was the younger one and didn't have the right to hear from God alone. She had developed pride with time, in the context that Moses owed her his life. Even to the point that when the Lord's presence departed and she became leprous, she still could not bring herself to cry out for mercy. Aaron was the one who cried out and called to Moses.

We are called to recognize God's greatness and that He is our Father. It is in this knowledge that humility/gentleness flows from us without physical effort to make ourselves look humble. 

May the Lord help us.

Prayer: Lord God, in my effort to understand humility, please, help me always to remember that it springs from a consciousness of greatness. And may my sense of greatness be rooted in You, in Jesus' name. Amen.

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