A New Life And An Infographic Booklet

Last week, I sent out a newsletter about a movie, The Life of Jesus, and if you haven’t watched it yet, you can still do so by clicking here. It was done beautifully and you can visually see the events during Jesus’ time, which commemorates our celebration of the Holy Week and Easter.

I also made an infographic booklet that details Jesus’ life and mission and his great love for humanity. He alone deserves our respect and adoration. It’s an excellent booklet and one that you can refer to if you need a refresher on the scenarios that happened during the time that we now call Easter.

The booklet is free and I hope you get great value from it.

The Easter Project

 

What is Faith?

What is faith? Faith is often heard in churches and in conversations among Christians. But do we really know what faith means?

Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. (Hebrews 11: 1 and 3).

Faith is based on the person of Jesus Christ, the source of Truth. For Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6).

God has given everyone a measure of faith. That means that the level of each person’s faith is different from that of another person. You may have little faith while the other might have more faith than you do. But whatever the case, whatever measure you’ve been given, we each have to nurture it for God’s glory and for our own benefit.

A story depicts this example.

A boy was demon possessed and the disciples couldn’t drive him out. When the boy’s father came to Jesus for healing, Jesus rebuked the demon and it came out of him and was healed at that moment. Then the disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out?” Then Jesus replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing is impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:14-20).

A mustard seed is the smallest seed of all and Jesus said that if we have faith as small as the seed, we can move the mountain from its place. This doesn’t mean the actual mountain, though God can do that but this could be referred to sickness, habit, attitude or anything that holds you back. If you put your faith towards your healing, change in habit or attitude and you ask it in Jesus name with faith that He will do it without any doubt in your heart, then He will do it. Your faith should not be on yourselves but on the Lord who will do the work on your behalf.

Why should we have our faith in God alone?

Let us examine God’s attributes who is the object of our devotion:

1. Omniscient – God is all-knowing. He knows the end from the beginning. The psalmist said that God’s understanding has no limit. (Psalm 147:5). The riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God is so deep. His judgments are unsearchable and his paths are beyond tracing out. (Romans 11:33).

2. Omnipotent – God is all-powerful. Nothing is impossible for Him. Job 42:2 says God can do all things; no purpose of His can be thwarted. Nothing is too hard for the Lord. (Genesis 18:14).

3. Omnipresent – God is everywhere. He is not contained in one location. Proverbs 15:3 says that the eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good. God is both far and near. No one can hide in secret places that the Lord can’t see them. He fills both heaven and earth.

4. Immutable– The Lord changes not. He is God from everlasting to everlasting. He existed before the mountains were brought forth and even before the earth and the whole world was formed. (Psalms 90:2).

5. Holy – There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God. (I Samuel 2:2). When God revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush God told Him, “Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” Then he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God. (Exodus 3:5-6).

6. Righteous – The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. (Psalm 145:17).

7. Sovereign – God’s sovereignty represents his holy will and will do whatever he pleases. This is the attribute by which He rules his entire creation being all-knowing and all-powerful.  In His Word, God declares: “I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me … I say: ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.'” (Isaiah 46: 9-10). The sovereignty of God is infinite and the use of His power is defined by His other attributes. Characteristics such as truthfulness, goodness, faithfulness, righteousness, and love define God’s every action. While we are given a free will and are able to make choices and decisions that shape our lives, we can surrender our hearts, souls, minds to ways that are consistent with His holy will. In this way, we honor the Creator and Sustainer of all things, recognizing that  God is truly sovereign.

8. Love – God is love. This is exemplified at the cross in Calvary. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. (John 15:13). We only have a glimpse of His love but can’t fully comprehend the depth and height of God’s love for us.

9. Merciful – It is through God’s mercy that we are not consumed. God did not give us what we deserved as sinners but offered a way of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 2:4-5).

10. Trinity – God manifests Himself in three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. All three are a hundred percent fully God. Romans 1:7 speaks of the Father, Hebrews 1:8 refers to the Son, Jesus Christ. And the verses the speak about the Holy Spirit are Acts 1:8, Galatians 5:22 and John 14:26.
With these incredibly wonderful God’s attributes, it sure makes sense to put our trust in God alone.

If you still have some doubt about it, let Romans 10:17 speak to you which says, Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. Knowing the Lord through His Word every day is the proven way to improve your faith. So gear up and dig deep and enjoy the journey.

 

References:

Peach, David. (2012, February 29). Re: 10 Awesome Attributes of God. Retrieved from http://www.whatchristianswanttoknow.com/10-awesome-attributes-of-god

Attributes of God.(n.d) Retrieved from http://www.allaboutgod.com/attributes-of-god.htm

 

How To Be Beautiful

 

This post will not only make you beautiful on the outside but will leave you glowing too. This is not a quick and temporary fix using lotions, creams or any other beauty products but something that will make a permanent change in you that only gets better and better in time.

I’m talking about beauty that is made on the inside first. This is your spiritual beauty. When you read God’s Word, you are being transformed internally in your ways and character as you get to know God and the way He thinks and acts in certain situations. The Holy Spirit will bring into remembrance what you have read and will work in you as you align your ways with God’s character.

It has been said that ‘beauty is only skin-deep’ and it really is. Physical beauty only lasts for a certain time and once you age, your outside beauty follows too. But with internal beauty, this lasts for a lifetime and only gets better and better and you can’t help it but it will also show on the outside. People will soon notice that you have peace despite problems, joy even when plans go crestfallen and self-control even when you feel like giving someone a piece of your mind.

Now we’ll just take these three traits as an example though there’s more.

Can you imagine how your physical countenance would look like? Let’s see. You would look more relaxed, peaceful and not be carried away with the stresses of life. This is why it is so important to read God’s Word daily, spending quality time with your Maker for Psalm 46:1 says, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” When you are weighed down, relax in Jesus care and give all your burdens to Him and watch Him work on your behalf. God is open 24/7 always and I say again, that He always has a listening ear to those who draw near to Him. No matter how insurmountable your problems are, the burdens become light and just like the footprints in the sand, you only see one set of footprints, for it is now the Lord who is carrying you. Isn’t that wonderful? We have a Father who would never leave us nor forsake us and is there with you no matter where you are, and He’s just waiting for you to communicate.

Matthew 7:7 says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” All you need to do is ask. Maybe the reason why you don’t have what you need is because you don’t ask or maybe you do but your asking for the wrong reason. Whatever it is, just say what is in your heart and mind for we have Jesus, our advocate for the Father who speaks on our behalf.

There’s more.

Read Proverbs 3:1-10. If I were to enumerate it, it would look like this.

1. If you follow God’s commands, you will live a long and satisfying life.
2. Being loyal and kind to your spouse and others will give you favor with both God and people and will earn you a good reputation.
3. Trusting in the Lord and seeking His will always will direct you to the right path. This will lead you to the road that will lead to fulfillment and not for destruction.
4. Fear the Lord and turn away from evil, then you will have healing for your body and strength for your bones. This is medicine for your whole body and well-being. No more medications and outrageous money spent on doctor’s visits.
5. Lastly, Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. Then he will fill your barn with grain and your vats will overflow with good wine.This refers to tithing where you give the first 10% of your income and He in turn will make the 90% go further than the full 100%. This is your seed for the Lord to work on your finances. This is more that 401K and other retirement portfolio.

   Malachi 3:10 says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this,” says the LORD Almighty, “and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that there will not be room enough to store it.

   Do you believe this? I do for I always do this and have seen it work in my life. And every time, the Lord provides for our needs and so much more. The LORD said to ‘test Him’ – why don’t you try it and see for yourself.

   These are just some of the promises found in the Bible, and once God said it, it is settled and you can bank on it.

   Before I go, one more thought that I would like to leave.

When you spend time in God’s Word, you glow. And I mean glow as in shine. Look at yourself in the mirror and you will see that you are just beaming.

 

 

The Way

There are so many religions these days like Scientology, New Age Religion, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Baptist, and the list goes on and on. It’s easy to be overwhelmed and confused who is right and who is worthy to be followed. Let me make things clearer and easier for you.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: No man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6). When you read a sentence and you have the word, the, it simply denotes something/someone as definite. In other words, Jesus is saying that He is the Only way to the Father and no one else. He is the One.

Let us take a closer look at the words of  Jesus:

The Way – this means that Jesus is the only Way to the Father. No other religious person can save you no matter how pious he is. Salvation is found in Him alone. Your religion, righteousness or good works can’t save you either. If it can, God would not have sent His Son to die on the cross for the sins of all mankind. Romans 3:23  says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”  This is the reason why Jesus came, to serve as the bridge between us and a perfect God. Without Him, we wouldn’t have any direct access to the Father.

The Truth – Jesus is the Truth. He is perfect and therefore cannot lie. Everything that he says is the truth. His Word is the source of truth. If you trust your truth elsewhere, then you are misled. I know that people nowadays have different beliefs about the truth. Whatever you believe in doesn’t negate the truth of the Bible, and you are not exempted in whatever shape or form on the coming judgment because you believed in a certain kind of truth.

Don’t be contented with Sunday worship service and hand-me-down information by preachers, though that is good, but do your own diligent personal Bible study and find out the truth for yourself. You will grow faster and the Lord will reveal Himself more and strong in your life as you seek Him through His Word.

The Life – Jesus is Life. If you have accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, then you have eternal life. You are sealed with the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation. Even if you die, you will be resurrected just like how God the Father raised Jesus from the dead on the third day.

To help you start on your journey, I’ve listed below the following verses for your study.

Romans 10:9-10
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

John 11:25
I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

Acts 2:38
Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Ephesians 2: 8-10
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

Not of works, lest any man should boast.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Romans 10:13
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

John 3:5
“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”

John 1:12
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.

So the next question is, how do you get saved? I’m glad you asked.

You say this prayer (you can say it in your own words but the context is the same)
Note: You have to say this sincerely in your heart not just intellectually.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, I know that you are the Son of God. I’m a sinner and you came to die for my sins and was raised on the third day. Forgive me of my sins and I accept you as my personal Lord and Savior. Come into my heart and lead my life from now on. Jesus, thank you for saving me. Amen.

Once you’ve said this prayer, I urge you to be a part of a Christian church and ask the minister to baptize you.

Once these 2 things are done, I congratulate and give you a warm welcome to the family of God.

I would love to interact with you and if you have questions about this post, make a comment or use my contact form.

 

 

 

 

How to Study the Bible

 

Reading the Bible is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Just imagine being able to commune with God, know his heart and mind, and most importantly, know what his plans are for your life. Can you think of any other book that is alive that speaks to you about whatever your situation is and gives you relief and peace after reading it?

The Bible is more than a book. It is Christ himself for John said, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1).

Reading a book for leisure or for knowledge is good, but reading for transformation is something else. The Bible is the only qualified book to transform a person inside and out. “The word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)  It is not only a book that you read but one that actually reads you. It’s like a mirror that can send back a reflection of you and how you measure up according to God’s standards. Don’t worry, the Bible is not there to judge you but to inform you of how much you’re dearly loved by your heavenly Father, even though you don’t feel the same way he does. He loves you anyway.

There is no certain right way of studying the Bible, but there are some basics that you can follow to make the most out of your study.

First, set a preferred location in your house as your private space for quiet Bible study where you’re relaxed and comfortable. Be it in the morning or evening is a good start.

Second, getting a Bible in a translation that speaks to you is the most important thing. There are many translations in the market, and what I use is the New International Version (NIV). I’ve found this easy to understand, for the words are in our Modern English just like in our day-to-day conversation, but any translation is fine.

Third, getting a concordance to find out what the words mean in the context and where they’re found is also an asset. This could be purchased at a later time, though.

Fourth, you can start reading from beginning to end starting from Genesis to Revelation or you can read any book in the Bible that is to your preference. To have a good grasp of God’s Word, you can also try reading Genesis first followed by Deuteronomy, John, Acts then Romans. You can also do the 1-year reading plan. Again, there are no set rules, just some suggestions. The bottom line is to get you started, then build momentum as you go along.

Bible reading is like an exercise where you build spiritual muscles as time goes along. There will be times when you don’t feel like reading, but just like with exercise, don’t give up, for this is one activity that will give you tremendous rewards and dividends later on.

If you encounter difficult subjects or verses in your study, don’t stop. Just keep on reading and studying for these verses will come to light with the help of the Holy Spirit.

Having a journal to write truths that you have learned is another way of remembering verses and putting to mind what the Lord has revealed at that time.

Fifth, listening to Christian TV stations and reading Christian books is also a big help to your study. Grace thru faith is another site that I subscribe to that gives good and comprehensive information about different topics in the Bible. I highly recommend looking into this.

And finally, make it a habit to pray first and ask for God’s guidance and wisdom as you read His Word and to reveal what he wants to say to you. Have an open mind and receptive heart to whatever He wants. There is nothing more worthy than following the Master who has our best interest at heart.

Letting Him lead our lives daily brings blessings more than you can imagine. Always remember that.

P.S Dr. Charles Stanley is giving a free one-year Bible reading plan. If you want to order, go here.

 

Day 4: A Story in a Single Image – Anthurium

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While I was browsing the site for images for my assignment, the image that struck me was the picture of the anthurium. Alone, sad, dejected and was just lying idly by on the side all my herself. This is what I feel sometimes when I’m at a party or in certain occasions where everyone else are enjoying themselves, having a good laugh with others while I stay in the corner sulking (inwardly), and engrossed in my own little thoughts. Have you ever felt this way or it’s just me?

Even when other guests talk to me, I still felt I’m out of place and not a part of the group. I’m physically present but felt empty and can’t wait to go home and nurse my vulnerable self.

If you have ever been in this situation or will be experiencing similar feelings, I have good news for you. If you are a child of God, you are never alone. I repeat, you are never alone and never will be for the rest of your life. You know why, I’ll tell you why. As a child of God, you have the Holy Spirit that lives within you. He is that small, gentle voice that speaks and prompts you to go a certain way if you are headed for trouble. He is the one that enables you to do work and gives you the knowledge and wisdom for daily living.

Some people are not aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence in their lives. Some think that He is some kind of an invisible force. The Holy Spirit is a person, a third person in God’s Divinity. We have a triune God – God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  He was the same person that came to all the apostles (in the book of Acts) in the upper room that caused them to speak in other languages. Thus the Feast of the Pentecost was born and where the first church was created but this is a whole another story. I don’t want to be off-track here so let me go back to my original post. As I have said, the Holy Spirit dwells in us during our whole lifetime and whenever you feel sad, lonely and felt like you’ve been abandoned by family or friends, remember that we have the best friend who will never leave us alone no matter what and a friend that is closer than a brother. He is just waiting for us to converse with Him. One good book that I would recommend is Robert Morris’, The God I Never Knew to have a much better understanding of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives and how we could cultivate an intimate relationship with our Father through Him.

Once you’ve established that, I can guarantee you that your life will never be the same and you will develop the spiritual fruits and the empty, void feeling of aloneness will be a thing of the past. Now don’t you think that is something to celebrate about? I sure bet it is.