MEEKNESS IS NOT WEAKNESS

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. - 2 Timothy 1:7

Isn't a Christian supposed to be meek? Yes, but meekness is not weakness. There's a big difference. Meekness means "strength under control."

Picture a wild horse that has been broken and is now tamed. That horse still has as much power as when he was wild, but now that power is bottled up for the master's use.

Only two people in the Bible were called meek: Jesus and Moses. Neither of them were weaklings or pushovers. They were strong men of conviction.

God doesn't expect you to just cave in every time somebody wants to manipulate you or control you. What would you do if someone asked you to do something immoral or illegal or unreasonable?

You'd say no! For a Christian, "no" is not an offensive word. It's OK to say "no." In fact, it's necessary from time to time.

The Bible tells us to say "yes" when we mean yes, and "no" when we mean no. It doesn't tell us we need to feel guilty about doing so. It doesn't say we have to make excuses for our decisions.

2 Timothy 1:7 gives us the answer: "For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

That's the way God wants you to deal with people —in power (confidence), in love (focusing on their needs), and in self-control. God's Spirit doesn't make us timid.

He doesn't turn us into weaklings. The Lord wants you to be strong and firm in your convictions.

Prayer: Lord, help me rid my heart of timidity.

Scriptural Reading: 2 Timothy 1:1-7

Relationship: A MOTHER TO HER DAUGHTER ABOUT MARRIAGE

1. The wife that wins all arguments with her husband is not wise. The home is not a law court.

2. The wife that uses sex as a weapon in the home - placing embargo, going to bed in jeans shorts and trousers - lacks wisdom.

3. The wife that uses the modern trends and laws of "women's rights" to insult or ridicule her husband simply makes a fool of herself.

4. A woman that makes her home devoid of peace through bickering, nagging and quarrels needs help. A man should be eager to run away from office to be at home, for that should be the safest and cosiest place on earth for him.

5. Modern-day equality in marriage does not mean competition. It simply means partnership. Taking advantage of such equality to turn around and become the de facto head of the home and oppress the man is tantamount to playing with fire. If you destroy your home, soon you will be the boss of an empty home.

6. A wise wife makes the man feel so good that he assumes that he is the head. Once he gets that feeling, the woman gently wields her power and the head actually turns to wherever the neck wants without a protest.

7. A wife that does not pull herself away from friends' influence and advice or even from the control of her mother and father will have herself to blame.

8. When a man is looking for a wife, he bypasses women of different shapes and sizes to choose a wife. But soon after childbirth, many women hide under the excuse of childbirth to let go of themselves. Many stop bothering about their looks, shape, dressing, etc. Within 5 years of marriage, people start wondering if the wife is the man's aunt, even though she is 7 years younger. Her defence is that if he truly loves her, he should love her the way she is, but when looking for a wife, he saw people like the present YOU and ignored them and settled for the former YOU. Today, you go to bed smelling of onions.... You go to bed wearing grandmothers' clothes. Why are you playing with your marriage? Love is not about looks - we know. But looks enhances love and marriage. There is a difference between someone disfiguring herself and the person being disfigured by an accident.

Please don't be complacent. As hard as it may be, work on looking like you were when he first saw you and began the chase.

9. If every night you are tired, sleepy, sore, down with headache or fever, "not in the mood," you are a joker, a serious comedian!

10. If your children suddenly become more important to you than your husband, you need prayers.

11. If you assume that as the woman, only you need to be pampered and fussed over while the man is a stone that has no emotions, you need to be pitied.

12. A woman that has the mind of a wife does not excite her husband. Wives are usually complacent and presumptuous. A wife must strive to have the mind of a girlfriend. A girlfriend is always nicer, sweeter, more loving and always thinking of ways to wow her sweetheart; a girlfriend does not try to win all arguments, does not call the man a "useless man", is not careless about her looks or dressing, always smiles and laughs with the man, sends the man sweet messages and calls, etc. Are you your husband's girlfriend in word and in deed? by Hope Gilbert

LASTLY, DO NOT INFORM ME OF YOUR QUARRELS, I DIDN’T JOIN YOU TOGETHER, GOD DID, GO AND INFORM HIM AND HE WILL SORT YOU OUT ..

TIME TO WAKE UP

And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. - Romans 13:11

Every now and then someone comes along and says they know the day of Christ's return. But don't ever believe that.

The Bible says, "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" (Mark 13:32).

Though we can know the times and the seasons, no one can know the exact day or time when Jesus Christ will come back for His people. But the question we might be asking yourself is: Will He come soon? And will He come in my lifetime?

No one can say with absolute certainty. But there are signs that would say it is getting close. They are on the front pages of our newspapers, on our news websites, and on our favourite television and radio news programmes.

We will read headlines along the lines of, "Iran Threatens to Annihilate Israel," "China Builds up Military," "Another School Shooting Kills 23," and "Thousands Feared Dead in Earthquake."

These are signs of the times, because they are things that Jesus said would happen in greater frequency prior to His return.

If I were to go outside and notice that it was dark and cloudy and could even see the rain falling in a nearby city, if I saw that a weather system was moving our direction, would you think of me as a genius if I said it may rain soon?

Of course not. It is obvious that it will be raining soon. It doesn't take an act of great intelligence to predict that.

In the same way, signs of the times are all around us, telling us the return of Christ is close. Knowing this should affect the way we live. So let's wake up. Let's be ready for His return.

Prayer: O Lord Jesus, come!

Scriptural Reading: Romans 13:8-14

HOPE

So are the paths of all who forget God; and the hope of the hypocrite shall perish. - Job 8:13

It has been said that man can live 40 days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only one second without hope.

No matter what we are facing, we all need hope. But where are we going to find this hope that we so desperately need? We are not going to find it in people or things.

Nor are we going to find it in a politician or a political persuasion, regardless of what side of the divide we are on. Nor are we going to find it in technology or science or in a relationship or in an accomplishment.

Sometimes people will put their hope in their investments or their bank accounts or their home.

But listen to what the Bible says in Job 8:13-15: "The hopes of the godless evaporate. Their confidence hangs by a thread. They are leaning on a spider's web. They cling to their home for security, but it won't last. They try to hold it tight, but it will not endure."

These are very poignant words in the light of the world's present economic situation. We should not put our hope in people.

We should not put our hope in things. We need to put our hope in God. That is what the Bible teaches.

Psalm 42:5-6 says, "Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad? I will put my hope in God! I will praise Him again—my Saviour and my God!"

This will give us the strength to go on in life, because we know that we serve a God who is faithful. There may be times when you feel helpless, but you never should feel hopeless.

The Bible brims with promises of hope for every follower of Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Lord, my hope is in You alone.

Scriptural Reading: Job 8:8-18

Relationship: 10 reasons we need mom no matter how old we get

We sit around the table, listening to the elevator music coming from the television. It is the only thing we use it for now, but because Mom refuses to master Pandora we continue to pay the monthly cable bill. I shuffle the cards and pass them around the table. The game is called "Bohnanza" and you can only play two cards a turn. It is Mom's turn and she lays down three and we all laugh because no matter how many times we explain the game she never gets it (like the time we tried to teach her Mario Kart on the Wii.) She buries her face behind her cards and starts to laugh so hard tears come out.

These are some of my favorite times with Mom, and it has nothing to do with what music is playing in the background or what game we play. It has everything to do with being with her because she makes life happy. Even when you grow up and move out, get married and become a mom yourself, you never stop needing mom. Here are ten reasons why:

1. She listens to you without judging and understands how you feel

This is perhaps my mom's best quality. She always seems to know when I need to talk, vent and get it out. And her advice never begins with, "I told you so" or "You should have known better."

2. She is your best shopping buddy

Let's face it: No matter how wonderful your husband is, it's more fun trying on jeans with Mom.

3. She intuitively knows when you need help

Even though we claim we can take care of ourselves, Mom always seems to know when we need that extra $20 each month to cover the phone bill.

4. She brings you NyQuil, chicken noodle soup and Sprite when you are sick

But perhaps the best medicine of all is her hug.

5. She takes you out of school to spend the day at the museum, going to lunch or making cookies.

My mom believes that being educated is more than sitting at a desk for eight hours. Although an avid supporter of our successful schooling (my dad is a teacher), she knows it doesn't hurt to spend a day together every once in a while.

6. She always lets you pick the movie

She says she'll pick "next time," but "next time" never seems to come.

7. She goes out of her way to make you feel special

Think of the countless birthday parties, school plays and graduation celebrations your mom has organized and supported through the years. Whether it's staying up late to make party decorations or leading the cheering section, you always know who your number one fan is.

8. She spends her money coming to visit you

Even when you live halfway across the country, she's there.

9. She is the first on your list to call with news

Whether you have exciting news like a new job or a pregnancy, or disappointments like a miscarriage or a bad day, sharing with Mom just makes life better.

10. She loves you and is always there for you

When I moved away, what I missed most wasn't the homemade meals or the folded laundry. It was being with Mom and feeling her constant love and support. Friends may be fleeting, but family is constant.

Some may be reading this right now and feel discouraged. There are women who may not have a close relationship with their mother, or others who do not know who their mother is. Many women are single moms working two jobs, trying to keep their family going. read more

No matter the situation, what makes all moms special is that they embody characteristics like peace, support and unconditional love associated with womanhood. By honoring mothers, we are honoring women. Whether it's moms, sisters, aunts, mothers-in-law, stepmothers or close friends, everyone has someone to appreciate.

Let's take this month to celebrate womanhood and the women who make our lives worth celebrating. Thank you, Mom. I will always need you no matter how old I get.

Prayer for new week

This month, God will level every mountain of opposition. He will fight your battles and give you rest round about. Expect unusual open doors. Expect victory on every side. It is your month of supernatural triumph in Jesus name. 

You will encounter love that's genuine, true and pure, even if you have been hated, you will become everyone's delight. Your expectations for greatness shall come in double portion. 

Happy New Week from us ASB-World. 

Relationship: 7 Lies the Enemy Tries to Sell You About Marriage

I've come to realize that there are a lot of lies out there about marriage that people are not only believing, but also are embracing.

Here are 7 lies about marriage:

Lie No. 1: Marriage is a contract. If we accept this lie, we think that marriage is a mere transaction. That it's an "I'll do this, only if you do that" kind of relationship. And, "If you don't do that, I'm terminating the contract."

I have shared previously that "Marriage was never meant to be a contract to be broken, but a covenant to be cherished.  [There] is the clear difference between a covenant and a contract ... In a nutshell, a contract is all about what you get. A covenant is all about what you give."

Lie No. 2: Marriage is an outdated institution. If we accept this lie, we are saying that this God-ordained institution established since the beginning of mankind and intended to last while mankind is on this earth can be set aside and disregarded by the whim of man. The institution of marriage may be under attack, but it is still unchanging.

Lie No. 3: Marriage is a 50-50 partnership. If we accept this lie, we excuse ourselves from putting our 100 percent into the relationship. We will constantly be comparing our efforts against our spouses and questioning who does more in the relationship. In such a scenario, husbands and wives may even find themselves keeping a marital scorecard of who spends more, disciplines more, does the dishes more, cleans more or works more. Marriage is a 100 percent-100 percent, give it all you've got relationship.

Lie No. 4: Marriage will end the battle with lust. If we accept this lie, we set ourselves up for disappointment and failure. Most struggles we bring into a marriage are not solved by marriage, but rather in marriage.

Lie No. 5: Marriage will fix my problems and make me happy. If we accept this lie, we put unrealistic pressure on our spouse to fulfill us and take care of all our problems. Marriage should bring happiness and satisfaction. Spouses can help one another to work through issues, but our spouse can never be the be-all and end-all of our lives. Only God can.

Lie No. 6: Marriage is about what I can get from my spouse. If we accept this lie, we will crush our spouse with our selfishness. When our marriage is focused on giving, instead of getting, it's more rewarding and enriching. Love is all about giving.

Lie No. 7: Marriage shouldn't be hard work. If we accept this lie, we misunderstand the true nature of man and marriage. Because we humans are inherently selfish, husbands and wives must constantly work against that nature and seek to give to rather than to get from their spouse.

Donald Trump once said about working on a marriage: "Well if you have to work at it then maybe it's not worth having. I have to work at everything else in my life. I have to work at my work. I just think a marriage should be easy, not hard."

Actually, we do have to work at marriage, and it is worth having. Like most other things in life, when we really work on our marriage, it only gets better and better.

What are other lies about marriage? Have you ever believed any of the above lies?

Mark Merrill