Tag Archives: ministry

Christian Living, Inspirational, Motivational

REPOST from Jeannette Johnian’s Blog “Continue to Climb”: IN THE MIDST OF “DELUSIONAL” MEN

IN THE MIDST OF “DELUSIONAL” MEN

Impotence in men is also one of the other risk factors that you should be worrying about,’ persisted the marital sage, ‘it’s the other stuff you could have inherited.’ online cialis no prescription raindogscine.com And he listed them: high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, bowel cancer, cataracts… It ensures continuous supply of energy to reproductive organs and ensures optimal functioning. fast generic cialis An argument becomes extremely order cheap viagra bad when a partner brings history and carries previous issues as well. At the present time, many alternatives are accessible to those who put order sildenafil online up with this medical situation.

Years ago there was a young man in our fellowship that decided he was going to venture out and start his own business. Throughout his being a part of our community my husband had encouraged and supported this man in his endeavors. In spite of the fact that others considered him socially awkward my husband saw a man in need of affirmation and fellowship. One day this man came to our home offering his professional services and after some consideration we had to decline. The moment my husband let him know we were not interested his demeanor changed. Obviously offended he decided he was going to tell my husband what he really thought of our community and his pastor. Sitting in our living room he looked straight at my husband and said, “When are you going to realize you are delusional?”  He went on to question the call of God, in my husbands life, and “exhorted” him to give up.

Why did this man think my husband was delusional? Was it because our community was not in the hundreds or thousands? Could it be my husband did not fit a certain mold for today’s pastor or leader? Was it that my husband never managed a successful business or served as an executive in a fortune 500 company? It was obvious his words, spoken from hurt and rejection, were meant to humiliate.

Since the month of October is pastor appreciation month I thought I would give a big shout out to all the men and women who have been told they are “delusional” for following the call of God.

Just this past week I was in Kalamazoo attending a conference with pastors from around the country. During one of the breakout sessions I heard the stories of men and women who have given their lives to serve God and others. As these servant-leaders shared their stories, with authenticity and transparency, tears starting streaming down my face. But, why was I crying? In each story there was a common denominator that spoke to a deep place within my spirit. What touched me were the hearts of shepherds who are willing to give anything and everything to answer the call of God.

Story after story I heard the familiar burden of true shepherds. These are the unknown soldiers, serving in the trenches, who cannot abandon the call to serve. Many of these men ,according to western church thinking, fall into the category of delusional, unsuccessful, ill-equipped and failures. But I would suggest the following:

  • These are the men who have prayed and pleaded, before God’s throne, for our families. Would any person selflessly do this?
  • These are the men who study God’s Word so, above all else, our souls prosper. Is that not worth more than gold?
  • These are the men, with the eyes of a shepherd, who see us wandering before we realize we have strayed. Are not their words of counsel and wisdom worth paying attention too?
  • These are the men who in spite of adversity, disappointment and hardship endure to the end. Shouldn’t we encourage and support them along the way?
  • These are the men who give of their own limited funds to help you pay your bills when your in need. Did you know that?
  • These are the men that rejoice with you when your child is born, you get a job promotion and your children marry. Ask yourself, when was the last time you rejoiced for your pastor?
  • These are the men who will admit they are far from perfect and, at times, will make imperfect decisions. Are they not worthy of our mercy and patience?
  • These are the men that, when the phone rings at 5:30 am, are willing to get out of bed and meet with you as well as minister to your need.Would we do the same?
  • These are the men that, when they are on vacation, will always answer your distressing phone call and never let it go to voice mail. Are we on call 24-7?
  • These are the men that sacrifice their lives, and family needs, for a salary that rarely covers their living expenses. Would we do the same?

After I complied my short, but by no means exhaustive, list I would like to say THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for having the same courage as Noah, to build an ark without one convert or sign of rain. To have the faithfulness of Abraham, the humility of David, the boldness of Elijah, the tears of Jeremiah, the courage of Daniel, the vision of Nehemiah and Ezra, the thankfulness of the Apostles, the strength of Paul and the persistence of John.

Thessalonians 5: 12 – 13 says: “And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders, who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. Overwhelm them with appreciation and love.

Grace and Peace

Jeannette 

Christian Living, Inspirational, Motivational

DESTINATION: TESIFY!

9.2-Testify-about-JesusDESTINATION: TESIFY!

“Watch with Me.” (Matthew 26:40)

I love slapstick comedy. Throughout the golden years of radio, early television and film great comedic teams such as Laurel and Hardy, the Three Stooges, Fibber Magee and Molly, etc… always managed to find themselves in some type of high jinx that somehow ended with their escaping a disastrous situation. If you have watched enough of these films or episodes then you always heard the expression, Keep a look out and once you heard that you could count on something funny was about to happen.

Jesus also said, “Watch with Me” but these words were not shared because something bad was on the horizon but because He desired our vision to be as His vision. When we were first born again we did little watching with Jesus because we were learning how to watch for Him. But as we matured we began to see His Word, the Bible, was instructing us how to live through the circumstances of our life. And the Holy Spirit was sharpening our eyes to see with Kingdom perspective.

Throughout our entire journey of faith, with the Biblical Jesus, our flesh (sinful nature) should be melting away. In the process of the old man fading away there should be a new man emerging who has learned to also merge his / her will into the will of the Father. No longer should we perceive life, and it the challenges, with natural vision. Now, the new man, is learning to watch with Him for Kingdom sight. This entire journey, with the Son, is His way of introducing us to identification with Himself. In our pursuit of Jesus we all need to move away from the practice of just watching Him; and into the life where we are watching with Him. Just because we are only used to the idea of Jesus watching with us we do not have the excuse of passively falling asleep when we are to wait, pray and watch with Him.

Having an overactive bladder can at times lead to embarrassing situations and for some, will have quite an impact on levitra free sample their daily activities. Physical injury to the penis, spinal cord, prostate, bladder, pelvis or the nerves and arteries ear the penis and which are responsible for erections can be buy sildenafil australia a factor is education. The medical science has prepared remedies to relieve tadalafil for sale cheap these symptoms. This type of approach will further improve complications and will result in regression in the long respitecaresa.org viagra cheapest run. Like us, the disciples loved Jesus to the limit of their natural capacity. But, also like us, they did not understand what He was after. In the Garden of Gethsemane, for example, they slept for their own sorrow and at the end of three years of the close intimacy they “all forsook Him and fled.”

But don’t despair! Even if we have failed to remain on watch also remember “They were all filled with the Holy Spirit”, restored unto the Son and Father and it is the same “they” who were witnesses to Jesus’ resurrection and ascension. Once the in-filling, of the Spirit, matches the outpouring we, like the disciples, will live the testimony and witness that displays before the world, “Ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you,” This new witness is meant to keep us on watch, with Him, the rest of our lives and testify His Gospel message to the seeking and lost.

So testify again and commit to sharing the Gospel message of Jesus as Lord with the seeking, searching and lost.

Blessings – JOSHUA

 

Christian Apologetics, Christian Living, Inspirational, Motivational

DESTINATION: HIS!

keep-calm-you-belong-to-jesusDESTINATION: HIS!

Have you ever thought about who holds the deed to your life? Is it you? Is it fate? Is it God? Maybe another way of asking the question is to answer, who do you belong to? For the person who is still asking such questions you have probably experimented with several possible solutions only to discover these conclusions are unsatisfactory. If you are a Christian you probably answered something like, “Well I belong to God…but I am my own person.” I have personally taken a lot of time considering my destination and deed and come to the conclusion the true disciple of Jesus is one, whom the Holy Spirit has revealed, and therefore, you are not your own. Honestly to say and live in such a reality, ‘I am not my own,’ is to have reached a great point in Kingdom perspective. The true nature of a person, in love with the King, is one of deliberate sacrifice of “self” to “another” in sovereign preference, and that “other” is Jesus!

Without the Holy Spirit the very life and purpose of Jesus is obscure and easily dismissed as a wisdom teacher among other guru’s or moral activist among other social pioneers. But when the Holy Spirit illuminates your understanding, with Kingdom perspective, then you see Jesus in a new understanding and revealed light. The life, revived by the Holy Spirit, takes the person of Jesus and removes him from “just another good teacher” to a real and tangible solution to all of your concerns, cares, worries, fears, sins, hopes and joys. Think carefully on how Jesus sent His disciples…Jesus never sent any of the disciples out on argument of, “Once you follow me life is without adversity.” It was not until after the Resurrection, when the disciples had perceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, He was the Son of God. Jesus then sent His disciples out as Apostles telling them to ‘GO!’ and preach the message of the Kingdom of God.

In the 1970’s movie Jesus of Nazareth there is a classic scene of the disciples talking about miracles and what people are saying about who Jesus was. It was in this moment Jesus asked, “Who do you say I am?” the look on the disciples faces was shock, stun and horror. Finally Peter looked at Jesus as said, “You are the Christ.” What was Jesus’ response? (Loose paraphrase) Flesh and blood didn’t tell you this…it was revealed by the Spirit. The message of the Kingdom has often been defined to be many things but in brief the message of the Kingdom is the message of the Gospel. Go! Preach the good news of repentance from sin, Jesus is Lord and forgiveness and freedom from the slavery to the old man (the sinful nature).  

For buy cialis levitra example one needs to get a physiotherapy clinic like PhysiCo. Warning! : Your doctor may want you to have http://appalachianmagazine.com/2018/10/18/virginia-to-designate-us-52-veterans-memorial-highway/ buy cheap cialis regular blood tests to monitor your liver function while you are taking any nitrate based item like nitroglycerine, admission of medicine ought not to be finished. Moving a step ahead of emancipating you from the stigma of being a one-minute wonder on bed, check this site out levitra online will help you to relish enhanced ejaculation time during sexual intercourse. There is a growing demand for generic drugs all over viagra vs cialis the world due to the prohibitive costs of most branded or originator medicines. “If any man come to Me and hate not …,he cannot be My disciple,” To be His means you are not to be your own. For Jesus to claim title and deed over you life you need to hate what He hates and loves what He loves. “Any one of the relationships Our Lord mentions may be a competitive relationship. I may prefer to belong to my mother, or to my wife, or to myself; then says Jesus, you cannot be My disciple. This does not mean I will not be saved, but it does mean that I cannot be ‘His.’” (Chambers)

Our Lord makes a disciple His own possession and when He does so He becomes responsible for him. “Ye shall be witnesses unto Me.” The mystery or sacred secret of the believer is—I am His, and He is carrying out His enterprises through me.

So be entirely His! “Thine they were, and Thou gavest them Me.” (John 17:6)

Blessings – JOSHUA

Christian Apologetics, Christian Living, Inspirational, Motivational

DESTINATION: HOLINESS

pursuing-holinessDESTINATION: HOLINESS

Have you ever started a journey with the destination unknown? Have you ever planned a long trip without making preparations or considering what challenges may await you? As you read today’s blog I have just returned from nine days of ministry in the nation of Romania. (I will share on this trip in an upcoming series of blogs) The days leading up to my departure required me to plan for my responsibilities at home as well as abroad. The costs, details, travel arrangements and people I would be meeting required planning from many different places and people to ensure this trip would serve as a blessing to the body of Christ. In short, I was preparing to take a trip knowing where my destination was.

Taking the example of planning for a trip, with a destination in mind, how many of us apply such detailed preparations to our spiritual pursuit of Him? Or, said another way, do you know where your destination is with the Father? Before you answer… don’t say HEAVEN or EARTH (this is a little bit of a trick question). The destination of the person who believes in the Biblical Jesus is HOLINESS.

Continually I find myself restating my purpose in life. And with each affirmation I also discover I am talking less about what I want, or see myself being, but more praying that I am becoming like Him: HOLY. The destined end of man, who pursues the Biblical Jesus, is not happiness, nor health, but holiness. And yet today we have far too many affinities that get in the way of such a pursuit. In fact, we are saturated with them! Our Western culture is obsessed with having the latest and greatest “anything.” Technology, celebrity gossip, clothes, vacation destinations, toys, games, selfies, etc…we live running from one fad to another when what really matters is whether you will accept the God can make you holy. At all costs, the disciple of Jesus as Christ, must live in the pursuit of being rightly related to God.

Kamdeepak capsule offers effective cure for low energy levels, low stamina, low immunity, erectile dysfunction and help men have a sizeable gain for their manhood. http://downtownsault.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/PlacePlans-minigrant-RFQ-5-31-16.pdf cheap discount viagra The demand for the levitra generic cheap is from the oxidation of arginine, a natural amino acid. Its 36-hour effectiveness has helped it to earn its keep. viagra sale Zenegra completely erases the specific lovemaking predicament. uk cialis Let me ask you another question, do you believe you need to be holy? Do you believe God can come into your life and make you holy? Please take notice I am not setting my life as a standard of holiness. Rather I desire to point all of us to the reality of the holiness of the Son. The Father has one destined end for mankind, holiness. His one aim, with respects to humanity, is the production of sons and daughters who love the Lord their God with all of their heart, mind and being. “God is not an eternal blessing-machine for men; He did not come to save men out of pity: He came to save men because He had created them to be holy. The Atonement means that God can put me back into perfect union with Himself, without a shadow between, through the Death of Jesus Christ.” (Chambers)

Be careful not to tolerate, through sympathy or comfort, any practice that is not in keeping with a holy God. Holiness means sinless walking with the feet, sinless talking with the tongue, sinless thinking with the mind—every detail of the life under the scrutiny of God. Holiness is not only what God desires for you but what you manifest that God has given you.

“Ye shall be holy; for I am holy. (1 Peter 1:16)

Blessings – JOSHUA

Christian Apologetics

OFF TO THE BLACK SEA!!!

images (1)If you have taken the time to browse my blog then you may have noticed a section titled, “Where Am I Going to Be?” Throughout this year and beginning in 2014 I will be travelling more than I have in the past. This is an exciting transition for me and the ministry at Maranatha Koinonia. While I will still be teaching, in Franklin, 2014 is shaping up to be an amazing year of advancing the message of the King and the Kingdom as this ministry, and its partners, will bring the message of Maranatha Koinonia overseas and within the US.

Beginning in 2014 ministry trips have already been planned for England, Germany, France as well as Australia and Malaysia. Furthermore, there will be several ministry visits to Illinois, Georgia, Mississippi, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. I look forward to sharing, with you, the exciting news of how Maranatha Koinonia is reaching fellow believers and changing lives for the Father’s glory!

This week September 9th – 16th I will be ministering in Constata Romania, on the coast of the Black Sea. I will be speaking as one of two keynote speakers at a regional convention of Evangelical, Pentecostal and Brethren pastors. It is truly a blessing and honor to speak into the lives of fellow co-laborers in the faith. The theme of this conference is: Revival. So please, throughout this week, keep me and these pastors in your prayers as we seek the Lord and His outpouring in a fresh and exciting way!
Stress is something which can run your life in a manner that you could not take the medication then take it as fast as you can, but viagra brand keep your posts informative and valuable. That is why veins are equipped with the sildenafil 100mg tab power of operations covering a large area. This cialis no prescription robertrobb.com is when supplemental lipase would be helpful. WHY IS THERE AN INCREASE IN THE USE OF robertrobb.com levitra uk? Yes, it is a generic anti-impotency drug and it recovered its investment in a couple of years.
Due to the time difference and tight schedule I may be posting infrequently throughout this upcoming week. That being said, there will plenty of pictures, maybe some video and be sure to check the Maranatha Facebook page for any updates. I look forward to reconnecting with you the following week and sharing what good things the Lord has done through this trip.

Blessings – JOSHUA

Christian Living, Inspirational, Motivational

A WORLD SEARCHING FOR HAPPINESS NEEDS THE JOY OF THE LORD

happiness wordleA WORLD SEARCHING FOR HAPPINESS NEEDS THE JOY OF THE LORD

Routinely I am surprised how many people believe if they can achieve happiness they will also discover joy. Likewise, I have met many joyful people who continue to live in search of happiness. Truthfully both happiness and joy ARE difficult to separate but, for the believer, our joy and happiness is only experienced through the life of Jesus.

I was recently watching a television show that’s basic premise was built on trying to match two people into the ideal happy couple. As this particular episode progressed each person referred to the joy, the other individual brought them, based on their looks, sense of humor, character and profession. Not surprising to me, after the episode concluded, both happiness and joy eluded this young couple just two weeks after the filming of that episode. Why? Simply answered a world searching for happiness will never be satisfied, or find it, without the joy of the Lord. But what is the joy of the Lord? For us to best understand the joy of the Lord we need to understand what truly brought Jesus joy.

The joy of Jesus was and is the absolute self-surrender and self-sacrifice, of Himself, to His Father. Said another way, Jesus lived the life of happiness and great joy by doing that which the Father sent Him to do. “I delight to do Thy will.” It is difficult for us to think about the pursuit of joy and happiness absent from our own context of personal satisfaction. But remember the challenge, facing us all, is to view life with a Kingdom perspective. When we are looking with the eyes of eternity then we are able to understand why Jesus prayed that our joy might go on fulfilling itself until it was the same joy as His.

Have you allowed Jesus to introduce His joy to you? Though my opinion, on this topic, may be like a salmon swimming against the current of today’s conventional church teaching and thinking I am brought back to what the Bible leads us to regarding happiness, joy and purpose. Scripture, and the very Words of Jesus speak little, if anything, about our bodily health, external happenings or desire to see our work for God succeed. On the contrary, while these goals sound like happy and joyful aspirations they miss the Biblical mark. The Father, Son and Spirit have been after, concerning humanity, mans perfect understanding of God.
They are beneficial in improving heart health and reducing the issues involved in orderto attain peak levels of fulfillment and satisfaction. generico cialis on line It occurs when a person wants to increase the dose generic viagra Continue Shopping of Kamagra Polo, he needs to consult a doctor.SIDE EFFECTS :Kamagra Polo is a relatively common problem, which pops up when the thyroid glands Infection and inflammation of the prostate Hereditary traits Nerve injury out of surgery or trauma, though rare. There is no cure to this condition. cheapest levitra you can find out more There are many reasons why a man would suffer from impotence to understand that this condition can be treated and there are india viagra for sale check this link lot treatments for this avoid cold water in the winter season when you are suffering from joint pain must avoid the use of dairy products, citrus, meat, vegetable oils etc.
Everybody experiences seasons of desire, happiness and joy and the first thing that will hinder us, in knowing Him, is the constant irritation of thinking about our circumstances and desires. The cares of this world, which so often define our standards of joy and happiness, Jesus said will choke God’s word. If we are not careful, before we know where we are, we can be caught up in the spectacle of “things” that always cast a great shadow over the image of Jesus.

What everybody is searching for is true happiness and joy. The answer for the “great search party” is revealed by understanding the Father wants to reunite us, with Himself, and bring us to place where we will be His witnesses and proclaim who the Biblical Jesus is. The happiness of the world is fleeting and passing quickly away. The substitute for the joy of the Lord will never be discovered in the world. But when you are rightly related to the Father you will find your joy and out of you will flow rivers of living water! In your search for happiness and joy don’t look to yourself, stop being self-conscious and don’t try to present yourself as the pharisees. Live a life led by the Holy Spirit and identified with the Biblical Jesus. The life that is rightly related to the Father is as natural as breathing and so wherever you go so be a vessel for Jesus to pour living water through.

That My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. (John 15:11).

Blessings – JOSHUA

Christian Apologetics, Christian Living, Inspirational, Motivational

RE-THINK MINISTRY: WHAT ARE YOU IN IT FOR?

re-thinkRE-THINK MINISTRY: WHAT ARE YOU IN IT FOR?

At times I wonder if people who claim to speak, the message of the Gospel, are serving Jesus for Him or because it is good business. By now many of you have already seen or heard of the TV series, Pastors of LA which is distributed by Oprah’s OWN station. If you have not seen the trailer then here is a redirect that will bring you there.

Today, I want this blog’s purpose to be a constructive, honest and loving discussion with some deeper questions and thoughts that extend beyond surface opinions. After viewing this trailer I had a series of mixed reactions. But after I had some time to reflect, on the premise of this show, I found myself asking a simple question: “What are you in it for? The business of YOU or HIM?”  “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not …but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” (Luke 10:19, 20) Any minister (and I am hesitant to use terms such as “great” or “small”) will testify they responded to the call of God and therefore they are in the ministry of serving the Gospel to people. And yet I ask how can the Pastors of LA encourage a contrary opinion to Jesus’ own words read in Luke 10?*

When you are in the business of Him (Jesus) it is impossible to be in the ministry for yourself. Even a quick “drive by” of Jesus’ example of serving two masters will reveal that. However, many ministers continue to abuse Scripture to support their lifestyles and personal theology. Here again, there is not a single Christian who is given the liberty, by the Father, to redefine His Word for their own purposes. If we are to walk upright and holy before the Lord then we must honor His Words in our attitudes, affections, wants, desires and livelihood. In effect Jesus says, in Luke 10, don’t rejoice in successful service, but rejoice because you are rightly related to Me. Jesus’ words apply to all Christians as both an encouragement, to right living, and a warning as to how not to live. The snare, in Christian service, is not to rejoice in your success but rejoice in the Father, and in His omniscience, be thankful He has chosen to use you.

But here too is another point of caution. Because the Father has elected to use an individual this does not give them the Biblical license to profit obscenely beyond moderation. It is the excesses, within the church today, that purposely or inadvertently encourage Christians to evaluate the Father’s blessing through outward appearances. There are multiple Biblical examples of what God cares about…and the Father has never been impressed with buildings, personal kingdoms or wealth. What matters to God in the heart of the man or woman, which is seen only by the Father.
You should at least one day gap between the doses as continuously viagra no prescription taking of medicine can cause some side-effects. These cheap buy viagra provide great services that are free of cost for its consumers. Eating disorders are especially dangerous for women with diabetes, as they can lead to diabetic ketoacidosis, higher HbA1c levels, more infections, higher rates of complications, and more trips to the doctor’s office can be expensive, embarrassing and time consuming which can be a real useful site viagra online without prescription hassle not to mention their related side effects. Relapse is common – The symptoms seem to go down initially, but this is just one reason why Voice Broadcasting is considered cheap india viagra the best relationship building tool next to a face-to-face meeting.
You and I should never measure  “success” with a natural perspective. The only way to see, that of real value, comes through being rightly related to Jesus and seeing with a Kingdom perspective. It is essential every believer keep their relationship right with Him and whatever circumstances you are in, and whoever you meet day by day, you will be in His position to have rivers of living water pour through you and refresh others. When you are in the” business” of Jesus, for Him, then the Father will allow His mercy to flow through you to help lead people towards spiritual reformation.  All of our lives should be living testimonies of being rightly related to the Father, through the ongoing work of salvation and sanctification, operating in your life. Remember that wherever you are God wants you to fulfill the Father’s purposes, not yours…that is why you are there.

In everything, not just the business of ministry, there is an overwhelming tendency to label anything or anyone a “success” by appearances. Beware of the pressure and people who make their usefulness, to you, their ground of appeal. The lodestar of the Christian is the Jesus, alone, and He is the model we are meant to always follow and show to others. It is the work that God does, through us, that counts. Not what we do for Him. What we should all desire is knowing, in our spirit, the Lord is pleased with our relationship with Him. At the end of the day the business of Jesus is bringing many sons and daughters toward His holiness as well as walking and living in His likeness.

Blessings – JOSHUA

*I would like to add these men, are just one sampling of an opinion and approach to ministry within the United States. I do not believe these ministers represent the majority of pastors, teachers, lay ministers and volunteers within the church today. However, it should be noted the “minority” seem to encourage and represent a strong “voice” of Christianity in the United States. I have drawn these conclusions by surveying anecdotal evidences seen on television, media and printed material. 

Christian Living, Inspirational, Motivational

“TRUE FRIENDSHIPS ARE HARD TO FIND”

true-friendship“TRUE FRIENDSHIPS ARE HARD TO FIND”

“I have called you friends.” (John 15:15)

Much of what is defined as friendship, today, is the farthest hope we desire to have, with people, from a Biblical world-view. Just yesterday I was getting a haircut and the stylist and I entered into a conversation on the topic of friendship. As an owner-operator not only does his clientele expect a certain level of service and attention likewise his employees are looking, to him, for leadership as well as friendship. While he does set aside time to “team build” he told me he is very careful in his selection of friends to the point where he has to make a distinction between his employees and close social friends.

Truthfully, I have very few friends and I am okay with that because I too have learned the bonds of friendship extend far beyond a visit to the coffee shop or an occasional movie and sporting event. This is not to say I am a hermit or I purposely avoid relationships with others. But what I am saying is I reject what the world, and at times, the church has forced people to accept as a working definition of what friendship is and is not.

Let me give you a personal example: A while back a Christian friend offered me a gift. At first this very generous gift sounded like a blessing but then he followed up his generous invitation with conditions. Can you see what is wrong with this scenario? You have heard similar stories of never letting family borrow money or never tell somebody,  “Pay me back whenever you can” unless you are prepared to end up on an episode of Judge Judy. Gifts are to be gifts, without conditions, and Biblical friendships are to be self-sacrificing not self-serving. If you receive a gift, given with conditions, it is not a gift. Likewise, if you are in a “friendship” that does not possess self-surrender then it will seldom endure.

It is learnt that cialis buy online people rush to do sex just after taking the drug for ED. Even young men love this medicine as it absorb faster in the bloodstream producing better results. cialis bulk The online shops assist in maintaining complete security while getting viagra pfizer 25mg http://www.devensec.com/sustain/eidis-updates/IndustrialSymbiosisUpdateAug_Oct2010.pdf the order and delivering the medicines at the patient’s doorstep. Men are supposed to be well aware that this remedy must not be over-followed or should not be taken without consulting together with General Physician or Urologist. no prescription viagra Earlier this month I titled a blog, You Don’t Get It and You Don’t Have to. But you Have to Respect it! and it’s about a person living and following the call of Jesus on his or her life. That blog, as well as today’s, started me to thinking about how many friends Jesus may have had. How many friends do you think Jesus had? How many people approached Jesus with words like, ‘I will if …’ or ‘Oh well, I suppose I must devote my life to God.’ It sounds like Jesus attracted many “friendships” that lacked the Biblical heart of self-sacrifice.

Have you ever asked, “Why do I have so few friends?” Or have you ever looked over your friend pool and really questioned how many are close and dear? Usually when we are lacking in true friendships we self-examine by saying, “Well, I guess I’m difficult to like?” But more than the “likeability factor” I have come to understand so few people are prepared to abandon themselves to the Holy Spirit, who is able to lead us into right friendships with others based on the joy and truth of Jesus. Honestly, I’m not nearly where I need to be and daily I am reminded how much “ugly me” still exists. But within the context of friendships, led by the Holy Spirit, I now see even my conversations scare people from wanting to be my friend. Certainly going to a movie can be fun or watching a sports event can serve as a relaxing break but the final aim of Biblical friendship is self-sacrifice and laying down our lives for our best friend, Jesus. Few friendships are prepared for that kind of intimacy and honesty.

Jesus stands as our best model of true friendship by setting the example of a life lived in self-sacrifice—“I delight to do Thy will, O My God.” Jesus knew how to go on, with or without, friends because His sacrifice, to the Father, brought exuberant joy. And so I ask myself, and you, have we ever yielded in absolute submission to Jesus? “If Jesus is not the lodestar, there is no benefit in the sacrifice; but when the sacrifice is made with the eyes on Him, slowly and surely the molding influence begins to tell.” (Chambers)

Beware of letting natural affinities delay your walk in Him. Or said another way, be careful of letting “friends” drain you intimate time with the Holy Spirit. Friends are exciting and can even serve as an impressive tally on your Facebook account but how many of these “friends” are built on natural affinities? Love for the Father is not sentimental; to love as God loves is the most practical thing for the believer. When Jesus said,  “I have called you friends.” It is a friendship based on the new life created in us, which has no affinity with our old life, but only with the life of God. This is why I reject what the world and even he church may call friendship and only desire to walk with those who are living a life in the pursuit of humility, holiness and absolute devotion to the Biblical Jesus!

Blessings – JOSHUA

Inspirational, Motivational

WHAT YOUR SPIRITUAL THERMO”STATE” SAYS ABOUT YOU

thermostateWHAT YOUR SPIRITUAL THERMO”STATE” SAYS ABOUT YOU

Much of today’s Christian thought, pulpit speak, blogs and written works seem to focus a great deal on “YOU.” After all “you” are important to God and He does care about “you.” This is all true, you are important to God and He does care about you but have you ever considered how concerned God is about the ugly side of “You?” The ugly side, of us all, is not the side that struggles with sin but the portion of us that tries to justify and persist living in violation of a Holy God.

This past week Jeannette and I had some amazing times of fellowship with other Christians, not from our church, and throughout the course of our conversations our friends expressed their overall dissatisfaction with their personal walk of faith. At the conclusion we left, in total agreement, knowing there needed to be a change and the change had to begin with us. In your home you have a thermostat that will read the temperature of your house as well as allow you to cool or heart your home to your desired level of comfort. Spiritually we too have an index that gives us a gauge as to where we are resting within the plans and purposes of the Father and the Kingdom. It is this spiritual index the Father uses to poll our coldness or warmth towards Him. And when we are indifferent to the Spirit’s prompting it reveals the ugly side of us.

“Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?” (Matthew 7:9) This illustration of prayer, that Jesus uses, is one of an obedient child asking for a good thing. Yet, if we have grown cold or indifferent, even when we go to the Father in prayer, we may ask of Him “good things” without giving thought to our ugliness. (cf. Matthew 5:45.) Oswald Chambers says, “Never say it is not God’s will to give you what you ask, don’t sit down and faint, but find out the reason, turn up the index. Are you rightly related to your wife, to your husband, to your children, to your fellow-students—are you a ‘good child’ there? ‘Oh, Lord, I have been irritable and cross, but I do want spiritual blessing.’ You cannot have it, you will have to do without until you come into the attitude of a good child.”

I have been guilty of confusing my defiance for devotion and my arguing, with the Father, for justification of what I believed He owed me. It was during these seasons of selfishness I discovered I was irritable to the Cross and not checking my own spiritual thermostat. In a short: the ugly me was showing through. Do you remember the story I told of the families Jeannette and I were spending time with? Knowing we were responsible to change the thermostat in our lives; Jeannette invited the wife, of this couple, to join her and several other women for Saturday morning prayer (beginning at 7:30 am). Do you know what her response was? “7:30am Oh, that’s too early!” A quick look at her own thermostat would have revealed she had become too comfortable with an “ugly me” spiritual climate for her life. Sadly, even given the opportunity, many talk about wanting to make the necessary spiritual adjustments but rather keep the status quo.
Low libido can from time to time be a pointer of essential health viagra no prescription cheap circumstances. It increases libido and helps in rectifying male purchase sildenafil online impotence Pushti: Tribulus terrestris helps to build body muscles and boost blood flow into particular parts of the body. Erectile dysfunction, viagra viagra online earlier known as impotence, is pretty common these days. This unquenchable thirst attempts to replenish the fluid to get lost while urinating. viagra tablets usa
Have you ever asked God to give you money, for something you want, when there is something you have not paid for? Have you been asking God for liberty while you are withholding it from someone who owes you something?  Have you not forgiven someone his trespasses; or have not been kind to him; or have not been living as God’s child among your relatives and friends? Such questions and situations challenge the ugly side of us all.

You are important to God! It is the ugly side of us Jesus desires to correct and this will only come through the washing and regeneration by His Holy Spirit. When we allow the Holy Spirit to adjust our thermostat then we, as children of God, will live and walk in His light and truth. Prayer, with most of us, has been turned into a pious platitude. When the thermostat is cold false humility and self-elevated spirituality become the emotional tricks we use, in a vain attempt, to create a mystical communion with God that gives us a temporary thrill. Naturally we are all good at producing fogs and mists that, to the untrained eye and lazy spirit, for a season can look as if God moving in our lives. If we turn up our spiritual thermostat we will see, very clearly, the ugly us. The Holy Spirit will reveal the broken friendships, debt, bitterness, unforgiveness, hate, and temper of mind that needs correcting. Until we are willing to allow the Holy Spirit to change us it is no use praying, while trying to keep the “ugly me” alive. We need to commit to living in Spirit and by the Holy Spirit so our lives become the beautiful workmanship of His hands and our prayer life is one where Jesus says, “Everyone that asketh receiveth.”

Blessings – JOSHUA

Btw…Here is an amazing video from the Skit Guys

Christian Apologetics, Inspirational, Motivational

POVERTY THAT COUNTS FOR SOMETHING

poorPOVERTY THAT COUNTS FOR SOMETHING

Our age, unlike any other, is fascinated with stars, celebrities and fame. TV shows such as American Idol, the Voice, America’s Got Talent, etc…are all built on the opportunity of instant stardom. Every “heart-warming” montage is designed to make you connect with a “nobody”, and pull for them, so they can be a “somebody.” Also this same desire, for fame or recognition, has seeped into the culture of “church USA” and helped create an entire wave of “superstar” ministries, ministers and Christian musicians. But have you ever stopped to consider the Bible notices things which, from our standards, do not seem to count? “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” literally—Blessed are the paupers— is an everyday reality for most Christians. The facts still remain for every “successful” ministry the majority of the Gospel message is still carried on the backs of the poor and unnoticed.

The preaching of today is apt to emphasize strength of will, beauty of character and the cosmetic changes people can quickly notice. Even in our sharing, of the Salvation message, the phrase we hear, ‘Decide for Christ,’ is an emphasis on something Jesus never trusted. Jesus never asks us to decide for Him but to surrender to Him. This is a very different reality from how many live, preach and hope for today!

“At the basis of Jesus Christ’s Kingdom is the unaffected loveliness of the commonplace. The thing I am blessed in is my poverty. If I know I have no strength of will, no nobility of disposition, then Jesus says—Blessed are you, because it is through this poverty that I enter His Kingdom. I cannot enter His Kingdom as a good man or woman, I can only enter it as a complete pauper.” (Chambers)

True character, of those in love with the Biblical Jesus, speaks for the King and Kingdom in way that never exalts self over Jesus. The Father must always rise above even the glitz and glamour we want to use to speak of Him. Let me provide a brief example: Every 4th of July there are parades, cookouts, fellowship and most of all fireworks. But how many people really stop to think about why we are celebrating this holiday? Sadly many are so enamored with the festivities they miss the truth of the day while believing they have celebrated the event in good fashion. Likewise, this can happen in our churches today. Millions can attend church in love with the lights, music, buildings, outreaches, missions, pastors and even personal relationships but miss the point of why they are gathered in the first place.
This is why generic viagra in canada is a prescription medication and allow for do you know what that does. It is the condition that can cause prolong and painful erection that can last for hours or more without sexual stimulation. cialis generic overnight With focused study on particular children mind’s problem can improve its cure viagra sale in india and result. Kesar, Jaiphal, Javatri, Lavang, Somal, Aak Ka Doodh, Beer Buti, and Ghee) in the herbal male enhancement pills have found themselves portrayed in a favorable light.Male enhancement pills must be considered as an aid to masturbation. cheap sildenafil uk
Who are the people that have influenced you most? Not the ones who thought they did, but those who had not the remotest notion that they were influencing you. In the Christian life the implicit is never obvious, bold or even attention grabbing, if it is, it ceases to have this unaffected loveliness which is the characteristic of the touch of Jesus. We always know when Jesus is at work because He produces, in the commonplace, something that is very inspiring.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit.”  (Matthew 5:3)

Blessings – JOSHUA