A THOUGHTFUL GIFT

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world .John 1:29

When you are planning to give a gift to someone, you usually start thinking about it ahead of time. What would this person really want? Then, of course, you start searching for it and saving for it.

It is not something you do at the last minute. If you haven't planned ahead to get a gift for your family yet, you are a poor giver. Maybe you are planning on finding a shopping mall that is open until the last minute.

Maybe you have been working really hard and you haven't had time. But I think if you really love someone, then you will take the time to select a gift for them in advance. This gift God gave to us was not an afterthought.

Long before there was a stable in Bethlehem, long before there was a garden called Eden, long before there was a planet called Earth, a decision was made in the counsels of eternity.

God decided to send His Son to save us from our sins. God knew that Adam would fall. God knew he would cross the line and eat the forbidden fruit and sin, and God knew that as a result, we all become sinners.

That is why the Bible says that Christ was slain from the foundation of the world (see Revelation 13:8).

The all-knowing, ever-present God made the decision long before our actual sin that Jesus would come to this earth, be born, and would live, die, and rise again from the dead to save us from our sins. Oh, how precious is the Gift of Christmas.

Prayer: I bless Your holy name, for You, Father, are thoughtful and so loving.

Scriptural Reading: John 1:29-34

THE SPIRITUAL EMPTINESS

One man that was so in tune with God to the extent that when he went off track, he quickly retraced his step by asking God for mercy was the friend of God, David. When he went off track and felt spiritually empty as it were, he wrote Psalm 51. Let us look at it together:

1 Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins.

2 Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin.

3 For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night.

 4 Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just.

5 For I was born a sinner- yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.

6 But you desire honesty from the womb , teaching me wisdom even there.

7 Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

8 Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me – now let me rejoice.

9 Don’t keep looking at my sins. Remove the stain of my guilt.

10 Create in me a clean heart, O God. Renew a loyal spirit within me.

11 do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.

12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you.

13 Then I will teach your ways to rebels, and they will return to you.

14 Forgive me for shedding blood, O God who saves; then I will joyfully sing of your forgiveness.

15 Unseal my lips, O Lord, that my mouth may praise you.

16 You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering.

17 The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

18 Look with favor on Zion and help her; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem.

19 Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit – with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.

Have you ever felt spiritually empty? You know in your heart that you are no more in tune and it is just mere religion that you are portraying? I have felt that way. Like David, its best to quickly get back on track and ask for God’s mercy. A second away from God’s mercy makes one a cheap prey for the devil, he will capitalize on it and make a feast of it.

The year is far spent, most of us didn’t attain the spiritual growth we had planned or envisaged we would because along the line we became empty spiritually. It’s not too early neither is it too late to get back on track. The Holy Spirit is always there to help us put ourselves in check and quickly know when we have strayed. Please don’t condemn yourself any further, embrace God’s mercy today and let the Holy Spirit fill you afresh.

I join my faith with yours, that you will not be spiritually stagnant henceforth, all forms of spiritual emptiness, God’s mercy will be made available for us all. God’s grace is made perfect in our weaknesses. Pick up the pieces and forge ahead. God bless you sisters. I Pray that Lord, help will us to always keep ourselves in check and not stray from following Him. It's only by God’s grace and help of the Holy Spirit we can make it.

By Onome Oyedokun

These Are 6 Ways To Deal With The Post-Holiday Blues

Feelings of discouragement are common after the holidays. The excitement has faded, the decorations are packed away, and visiting relatives have gone home.

 

If you find yourself feeling down or restless but you do not have other symptoms of depression, such as difficulty sleeping or sudden change in weight, you may be experiencing what is known as mild depression. In their book New Light on Depression (Zondervan), David B. Biebel, D.Min, and Harold G. Koenig, M.D., offer six self-help strategies to counteract mild depression:

1. Surround yourself with constructive friends.
2. Increase your activities—this will make you feel better and improve your mental outlook.
3. Relax—a new twist on the old adage: "All work and no play makes Jack or Jill depressed."
4. Helping others gives your life purpose and meaning.
5. Journal—this activity provides insight into where you've been, where you are, and where you're going.
6. Praying connects you with God, dispels loneliness and puts your problems in proper perspective.

Biebel and Koenig point out that these tips do not replace professional help for anyone who is more than mildly depressed. If you feel you need help, don't hesitate to seek a professional counselor or therapist.

By Sarah Stegall

14 LESSONS LIFE HAS TAUGHT ME IN YEAR 2013!

1. Life has taught me that my attitude determines everything.

2. Life has taught me that if you don't let go off the past, you will never appreciate the present.

3. Life has taught me that through the hardest of times is when you will see the true strength of your soul.

4. Life has taught me that there is always something to be grateful for.

5. Life has taught me that we all have what it takes to make a difference in this world.

6. Life has taught me that if you don't have your health, you don't have anything, so cherish your body and take care of your soul.

7. Life has taught me that if you don't believe in yourself, then no one else will.

8. Life has taught me that change can be good.

9. Life has taught me that good friends are family.

10. Life has taught me to always follow my heart
and never be afraid to love.

11. Life has taught me that the simple things in life are actually the most significant.

12. Life has taught me that you are the secret to your own success.

13. Life has taught me that true wisdom is found in failure and gained through experience.

14. Life has taught me to always have passion and never stop pursuing your dreams....

What has life taught you also?

By D-Boy.

God Never Goes on Break!

Christmas day itself may have come and gone but most of us are still in holiday mode. I woke up yesterday morning and just lounged in bed till 9am, what bliss! Then after having breakfast and a bit of chit-chat, I was off straight to bed again. I call it luxury time…lol. I’m sure a number of us had some time to rest just as well.

But wait, can you imagine what would happen if God was ever to go on break? Let’s say He decides to rest and says to the angels “I’m not taking any prayer requests today. Please hold all requests till I get back from my well-deserved rest”. What a joke! But there are times we have actually felt God went on a break and left us hanging. We cried, we prayed, we asked and yet we thought there was no answer.

My task is simple today. I’m here to remind us – GOD NEVER HAS A HOLIDAY MODE. He doesn’t go on break and leave His children stranded, not even because of Christmas!

So while in this holiday season dear Friend, do not go on break from God as well. Keep your praise on, keep your prayers up, keep your hope alive, keep your faith active. Because God never goes on break!

P.S: I think it is worthy of note that God has been saying same thing in this season through different people. Someone needs to just defy what is seen and hold on to hope unseen. God never fails.

Shalom

Deuteronomy 31:6 - Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Isaiah 49:15 - “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! 16 See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Romans 12:12 - Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer

Prayer: Faithful Father! Thank you for never going on break.
  By Deby Okoh

YOU DIDN'T DESERVE THE GIFT BUT GOD GAVE

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Who is on your gift list this Christmas? Usually, we give gifts to family and friends. We want to buy gifts for people we love and people we care about.

We tend to give gifts to those who treat us well, people who are kind and considerate to us. And often we will give gifts in return for gifts that we have received. Some people will even buy gifts for our pets.

However, we generally don't buy gifts for our enemies, do we? We don't give a gift to the person who has slandered us in the past year. We don't give a gift to the irate neighbour who never has a kind word to say.

We don't give a gift to someone who has tried to run us out of business. Nor do we send a gift to the thief who stole the car stereo last month.

But think about this: when God sent Jesus Christ, His Son, and gave us this ultimate gift, He gave it to us while we were still His enemies.

The Bible tells us, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us".

We did nothing whatsoever to merit or deserve this gift. In fact, what we really deserve is judgment, because we all have sinned against God. We all have deliberately crossed that line.

The amazing truth of Christmas is that, in spite of our sins, God sent His Son to save us. In that tiny manger in Bethlehem, He gave us an undeserved gift.

Prayer: I worship You, Father, for giving me such an undeserved gift.

Scriptural Reading: Romans 5:1- 11

Google Have Adds Igbo, Yoruba & Hausa To Its Google Translate

Google search engine has added the 3 major Nigerian languages, Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba to its Google Translate. Google Translate is a free automatic language translation service by Google.

 It works without the intervention of human translators, using state-of-the-art technology instead. Other African languages also included are South African Zulu and Somali Language. Google translate already has 71 languages on its platform.