YOU CANT FIGHT THIS ALONE, YOU NEED AN ANCHOR

I usually wonder how those engineers discovered car airbags.

They are deployed once there is impact. Once there is impact, they are activated and POOF......they rise just in time, saving the pretty face from smashing on the dashboard........Just like the seat belts too, once the sensors on them perceive that the speed with which they are pulled is faster than normal, they snap and stop your chest from hitting the steering.

These things are in almost all new cars now, and i think all road-worthy cars would have them....Because at times in life, you have to slow down very quickly......and you just need something strong and reliable to hold you at those times!!!!! Or else, you sink fast..

There are some challenges in life that will shake even the strongest of men!!!!

So, God help those who are naturally feeble.

The good thing is that God knew that we are humans and that our heart starts beating fast at the mention of a sad news or when we are confronted by that which is not pleasant.

God has given us some seatbelts and some airbags because He knows that at times, life will throw some suprises and He wants us well equipped.

For some of us, its the breakdown of treasured relationships.

For some, its failure in that which you thought you were excellent.

For some its physical body illness,

For some , its financial disappointments.

Those times come, when you look up and down and you want to hold onto THE SURE THING...that will not fail you in spite of all around failing...that's what I am talking about...

THE ANCHOR....THAT HOLDS YOU STRONG IN THE STORM....

John 14:25-27:

25 “I am telling you these things now while I am still with you. 26 But when the Father sends the Comforter[a] instead of me*—and by the Comforter I mean the Holy Spirit—he will teach you much, as well as remind you of everything I myself have told you.

27 “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart! And the peace I give isn’t fragile like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid.

Haaaaaaa, peace of mind!!!! and heart!!!!!
Peace that is not fragile!!!! That is not easily toppled by the wind...

That is not subject to change!!!!

What a relief...! That means when every other factor changes, THIS IS CONSTANT....

God has ensured that your car is road-worthy.

He has given you His spirit as a seal.

He is with you even when you are worried that you are alone.

He is the only reason why many of us are still smiling in spite of the heat that is burning under the clothes.

He is the assurance and the hope for tomorrow! That in spite of all that is going on now, it will be well.

I would like to remind you my sisters, the only anchor that does not fail is in JESUS.

He is the only One who can help you stay calm in the midst of all that life is throwing at you. Dont take it all on your head and on your heart. The human mind is not designed to be able to withstand this extreme pressure. You have the SHOCK ABSORBER......

Call Him when you feel weak

Call Him when you feel like no one else cares.

Call Him when you cant even tell your best friend what you are going through.

Call Him when you think He has given up on you, you will be shocked that He is there , hanging around you.

Don’t allow weariness to take away your joy....the enemy will come, he is bound to come, dont face him alone.....USE THE AIRBAGS, they will cushion you and save you from the dents and broken bones.....YOU CANT FIGHT THIS ALONE.

Your helper is ever present.

 –By sis Omobola

A Divine Love Is Fearless

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love” (1 John 4:18, ESV).

What do you fear?

Whether it’s death, pain, loss, loneliness, shame or anything else, fear is not from God. Jesus described Satan when He said, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy” (John 10:10).

What have you allowed him to steal from you? Your peace? Your confidence? The assurance that God loves you? Yes, the enemy is active on this earth. But so is God. After describing Satan’s plan of attack, Jesus spoke of His own plans: “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).

If you’ve ever allowed dread and anxiety to invade your thoughts, you know living in fear is the opposite of living abundantly. God knew we would struggle with fear. From Genesis to John, the words do not be afraid appear again and again, often coming straight from the mouth of Jesus.

Jesus knew we’d encounter fear—not just a healthy fear of God, but distracting, stifling, crippling fear. He wants to help us conquer it because it’s not from Him.

First John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”

Jesus loves us unlike anyone else—with a perfect love. A fearless love. If we focus on Him when we’re afraid, we can be fearless too.

Fear has to do with punishment, and Jesus put an end to the worst punishment of all when He died on the cross. If we confess our sins and commit our lives to Him, our souls will never die. We’ll never face the punishment our sins deserve.

When we’re no longer afraid of death, other fears are put into perspective. But how can we tackle fear of failure, rejection and so much more? King David figured it out. “I sought the Lord, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears" (Ps. 43:4).

Don’t keep your secret fears welled up inside. Seek the Lord. Tell Him your fear. Ask for His help, and have faith that He’ll come through.

When you look to our great, big God, everything else gets smaller. And remember that nothing—not life, death or “anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:39).

By Billy Graham

Peanut Butter and Jelly Blondies

 These deeply peanut buttery blondies are topped with honey-roasted nuts and just the right amount of sweetness from a swirl of strawberry jam. This dessert proves that you’re never too old for peanut butter and jelly—especially when there’s a healthy sprinkling of flaky sea salt involved.

SALTED PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY BLONDIES
“These are really peanut buttery and not too sweet, so the strawberry jam on top is a perfect complement.” 

Ingredients:
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1½ cups light brown sugar
¾ cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons strawberry jam
1 tablespoon chopped honey-roasted peanuts Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)



Preparation:
Whisk together 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. baking powder, and 1 tsp. kosher salt. Whisk together 2 large eggs, 1 ½ cups light brown sugar, ¾ cup smooth peanut butter, ½ cup melted unsalted butter, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract; fold in dry ingredients. Scrape batter into a buttered 8x8” baking pan. Dollop with 2 Tbsp. strawberry jam; top with 1 Tbsp. chopped honey-roasted peanuts. Bake at 350° until a tester comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt.

Source: yahoo.com

Use Your Shield Of Faith

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (Ephesians 6:16).
1 John 3:8 says, "…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil." This scripture is absolutely clear about what Jesus came to do: He came to destroy the works of the devil! He paralyzed Satan, demolished his works, and rendered him and his demons completely helpless.
Colossians 2:15 tells us that He made an open spectacle of Satan and his cohorts in hell and placed them under your feet. But you see, you have a responsibility to keep Satan and his demons where they belong; they shouldn’t be allowed to run rampage in your life.
Understand that though Satan is a defeated foe, the Christian isn’t shielded from his wiles, stratagems and manipulations. That’s why in Ephesians 6:10-11 we’re admonished to put on the whole armour of God, that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. It’s your responsibility to put your armour on; God isn’t going to do it for you.

One of such armour is the shield of faith: "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked" (Ephesians 6:16). God gave you the shield of faith to use; that’s the shield with which you extinguish all the fiery darts the enemy throws at you. Keep building your faith strong by learning and acting on the Word. Irrespective of what happens around you, refuse to fear; refuse to give up or give in; speak the Word in faith.
Confession


I’m strong in the Lord and in the power of His might! No weapon fashioned against me shall prosper; by the shield of faith, I extinguish all the fiery darts of the enemy, foiling and rendering his devices, schemes and stratagems ineffective, in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
f u r t h e r s t u d y:Ephesians 6:13-17
Daily Scripture Reading
Matthew 25:31-46 Exodus 31, Acts 15:32-41 Psalm 1-2

-By Albert.

8 Women Christian Men Should Never Marry

 Some guidelines for men who are looking for wives, Since I am mentoring several young men right now and have seen a few of them marry successfully during the past few years, it wasn’t difficult to draft this list. These are the women I tell my spiritual sons to avoid:

1. The unbeliever. In last week’s column, I reminded women that the Bible is absolutely clear on this point: Christians should not marry unbelievers. Second Corinthians 6:14 says, “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?” (NASB). Apart from your decision to follow Christ, marriage is the single most important decision you will ever make. Don’t blow it by ignoring the obvious. You need a wife who loves Jesus more than she loves you. Put spiritual maturity at the top of your list of qualities you want in a wife.

2. The material girl. One young friend of mine was engaged to a girl from a rich family. He saved up money for months to buy a ring, but when he proposed she told him he needed to go back to the jewelry store to buy a bigger diamond. She pushed her fiance to go into debt for a ring that fit her expectations. She wanted a Tiffany’s lifestyle on his Wal-Mart budget. I warned my friend that he was stepping into serious trouble. Unless you want to live in debt for the rest of your life, do not marry a girl who has dollar signs in her eyes and eight credit cards in her Gucci purse.

3. The diva. Some macho guys like to throw their weight around and pretend they are superior to women. Divas are the female version of this nightmare. They think the world revolves around them, and they don’t think twice about hurting somebody else to prove their point. Their words are harsh and their finger-snapping demands are unreasonable. Some of these women might end up in leadership positions at church, but don’t be fooled by their super-spiritual talk. Real leaders are humble. If you don’t see Christlike humility in the woman you are dating, back away from her and keep looking.

4. The Delilah. Remember Samson? He was anointed by God with superhuman strength, but he lost his power when a seductive woman figured out his secret and gave her man the world’s most famous haircut. Like Delilah, a woman who hasn’t yielded her sexuality to God will blind you with her charms, break your heart and snip your anointing off. If the “Christian” woman you met at church dresses provocatively, flirts with other guys, posts sexually inappropriate comments on Facebook or tells you she’s OK with sex before marriage, get out of that relationship before she traps you.

5. The contentious woman. A young man told me recently that he dated a girl who had serious resentment in her heart because of past hurts. “Before I would propose, I told my fiancee she had to deal with this,” he explained. “It would have been a deal-breaker, but there was a powerful breakthrough and now we are engaged.” This guy realized that unresolved bitterness can ruin a marriage. Proverbs 21:9 says, “It is better to live in a corner of a roof than in a house shared with a contentious woman.” If the woman you are dating is seething with anger and unforgiveness, your life together will be ruined by arguing, door-slamming and endless drama. Insist that she get prayer and counseling.

6. The controller. Marriage is a 50/50 partnership, and the only way it works is when both husband and wife practice mutual submission according to Ephesians 5:21. Just as some guys think they can run a marriage like a dictatorship, some women try to manipulate decisions to get their way. This is why premarital counseling is so important! You don’t want to wait until you’ve been married for two weeks to find out that your wife doesn’t trust you and wants to call all the shots.

7. The mama’s girl. It’s normal for a new wife to call her mom regularly for advice and support. It is not normal for her to talk to her mother five times a day about every detail of her marriage, including her sex life. That’s weird. Yet I have counseled guys whose wives allowed their mothers (or fathers) total control of their marriages. Genesis 2:24 says a man is to leave his parents and cleave to his wife. Parents should stay in the background of their children’s marriages. If your girlfriend hasn’t cut the apron strings, proceed with caution.

8. The addict. So many people in the church today have not been properly discipled. Many still struggle with various types of addictions—to alcohol, illegal drugs, prescription medicines or pornography—either because we don’t confront these sins from the pulpit or we don’t offer enough compassionate support to strugglers. Jesus can completely set a person free from these habits, but you don’t want to wait until you’re married to find out your wife isn’t sober. You may still be called to be married, but it is not wise to tie the knot until your girlfriend faces her issues head-on.

Your best rule to follow in choosing a wife is found in Proverbs 31:30: “Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.” Look past the outward qualities that the world says are important, and look at the heart.

Source: J. Lee Grady 

The Folly of Disobedience

TEXT: EXODUS 9:1-12 Key verse: “And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians” (Exodus 9:11).
God, very often, repeats Himself so that men can have ample opportunity of amending their ways and become conformable to His will. However, many spurn this gesture and continue in their rebellious ways of life.


In our text, God had further appealed to Pharaoh: “Let my people go”, the failure of which, God told him, would bring His judgment against Egypt’s livestock in the form of “a very grievous murrain”, a terrible plague. But Pharaoh was obstinate. Therefore, God executed His judgment and all the cattle died. Even so, Pharaoh persisted in his obstinacy and hardness of heart, and God executed a sorer punishment (this time without a prior notice) on Pharaoh. God sent boils upon every man (including the magicians) and beast. Even then, Pharaoh hardened his heart, as a result of which the Lord justly gave him up to his own heart’s lusts, a reprobate mind and strong delusions.
God speaks to men today concerning His will through the Bible and His appointed servants. Indifference to God’s word has brought untold hardship and suffering to many lives, evident in sudden deaths, loss of jobs and health. Moreover, persistent, flagrant disobedience and arrogance against God’s word in the face of God’s continual entreaties hold very grave consequences both here and in eternity.
How are you responding to the commandments of God? Are you filled with your own ways and, because of that, you are already in the judgment hall reserved for the obstinate? Remember the judgment of God on Pharaoh and the magicians! It is not too late to repent and call upon the Lord for mercy. Do it now!


THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Hardness of heart attracts God’s fiery judgment. 

WAITING FOR A TESTIMONY

I am waiting for a testimony.

It will certainly come.

I am trusting God.

I have faith.

These are some of the slangs that we use as Christians. Even non Christians have heard it so many times that they just go along with it.

But really, if we do that which we said that we did, how come we are not getting results?

At this time of the year, I think a lot of us look at the year and we are already starting to take account. We ask...what have I achieved ? What do I want for the new year?

In the process of answering that, we realise often, if we look really hard, that most of the faith that we had was not in God! It was in people around us!

You wanted a job....you THOUGHT your uncle would help you get it....or your BOSS would like you and recommend it.

You were hoping that the doctor will heal you. You were hoping that the bank will give you a loan to start your business!

Your expectations were on PEOPLE....not God!

When you are waiting on God, your eyes are on Him .....when He uses people, you still give Him the thanks....and there are no disappointments!

What do we get when we look into the hands of man for solutions? HEARTBREAK, DISAPPOINTMENT, SORROW!

Someone who cannot take care of their own live does not deserve our 100% trust.

I have heard of people who committed suicide because the person who was supposed to HELP THEM failed!

You don't have to commit suicide to show us that your confidence is in that human being....God knows where you are looking...To Him or to the hands of men!

You crazy Galatians! Did someone put a hex on you? Have you taken leave of your senses? Something crazy has happened, for it's obvious that you no longer have the crucified Jesus in clear focus in your lives. His sacrifice on the cross was certainly set before you clearly enough.

Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God's Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness?

For only crazy people would think they could complete by their own efforts what was begun by God. If you weren't smart enough or strong enough to begin it, how do you suppose you could perfect it? Did you go through this whole painful learning process for nothing? It is not yet a total loss, but it certainly will be if you keep this up! (Galatians 3:1-4 MSG)

When you are looking from the mountain top...you find it easy to spot the little things moving on the ground. When you are on the ground and focused on what is on your level, you will miss the big movements on the mountain tops!



If you need God to work on your behalf, don't expect Him to work through the reason whom you choose and humanly adore. It's up to God to do what He says He will do.

Now, stop wasting precious time looking and fearing on anyone, even your hubby, uncle, parents, boss!

They are only human. Even they need God to fulfil the little promise that they made to you!!

Save yourself heartache in the remaining days of 2014... Change your expectations of human beings......they can fail. Let your 100% focus be on God, leave Him to sort it the medium through which He blesses you.

Are your eyes really on God?

When you say I AM BELIEVING GOD, are you waiting on Him or on someone else? He doesnt fail those who are waiting on Him....

By sis Bola.