DEATH VERSUS YOU!

Male or female; black or white; rich or poor; good or bad – Death is the one certainty that faces us all.

“Man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgement.” (Hebrew 9:27)

Sometimes there are appointments in life that we just can’t keep; business executives who couldn’t make it to a meeting; parents who couldn’t get their child to a rugby practice. But there’s one appointment that all of us will have to keep, and that is our appointment with death.

“I know you will bring me down to death, to the place appointed for all the living.” (Job 30:23)

Death is departure

When you die, the bible says you go somewhere, as surely as when you go into the departure launge at an airport it is because you are going somewhere. In fact, the bible uses the word ‘departure’ about death.

Goodbye body...

When someone dies, the soul separates with the body, and from that moment on, the body, for which we never have a need, begins to decay.

“For dust you are and to dust you will return.” (Genesis 3:19)

Hello Heaven...

For those who trust in Christ, however, that’s not the end of the story. For as we slip away from our body and this life, we immediately pass into the glory of heaven and into God’s presence. Christians have a particular responsibility to help and encourage those who have been bereaved.

And in the meantime we are not to sit around twiddling our thumbs, waiting for Jesus to come. We are to live our lives packed and ready to go. Think of each hour as God’s gift to you, to make the most and best of. Plan your life, and stay away from sins because the hour of judgement is near.

Are you ready to die? Have you made peace with God? God urges you, to turn to him now, for it will certainly be too late then.

“In the time of my favour I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2)

THE MECHANICS OF PRAYER

Prayer is not meant to be a duty or ritual, but an exciting adventure in our relationship with God to help us engage with the world. Most people know that praying is a good thing to do, but they don’t understand the reasons of prayer, and really how praying should be done. A certain survey proved that almost everyone has an excuse why they don’t pray regularly, one of these excuses is being addicted to the drug of busyness, and they just don’t know how to stop and spend time with God.

Prayer is spending time with God, its happy company with God. God wants our company so he can make us different and send us out to change his world. Prayer isn’t a ritual, a self-congratulatory exercise, a competition, an insurance policy or magic; but is exploring a relationship with God. It’s about who we are before God rather than what we do for him. We are his children and he is our father.

“When you pray, say: ‘Father...’” (Luke 11:2)

1.       When can we pray?

Anytime! For if we have understood that prayer is part of our relationship, and then the question is, ‘how often do you have to talk to your father?’ So you can pray at anytime, the most important thing is that you pray.

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions...” (Ephesians 6:18)

2.       How can we pray?

Anyhow! There is no wrong or right way of praying. The key issue does not seem to be the body but the heart.

“And pray in the Spirit in all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep praying for all saints.” (Ephesians 6:18)

So remember, with God the time, style and place of prayer don’t matter, but what matters most is that we pray and make our relationship with him stronger. Prayer is about remaining dependent. Prayer means bringing our weakness to God, and not our strength. He in unimpressed by our achievements!

“God opposes the proud but give grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)

Prayer is about being honest, and is effective when rooted in the bible.

HAVING A BIBLE DOESN’T MAKE YOU CHRISTIAN

“Not all who say unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of Heaven; but those who do the will of the father in Heaven...”(Matthew 7:21)

Like owning a pair of soccer boots doesn’t make you Lionel Messi, but first there are certain soccer mechanics that you should follow before you are counted amongst the best in football. First you have to belong to a team where your skills will be assessed and developed, and then you have to impress the fans.

That’s how it works in Christianity too, just because you keep the Sabbath doesn’t make you Christian, but you have to be an ambassador for Christ ^{(2Corinthians 50:20)}. Firstly you have to stop loving the world and the things that are in this world because if you love the world, then the love of the father is not in you. Live by the Ten Commandments and be good to other people, yes...your enemies too.

Remember we are not going to be judged by what we have or what we are, rich or poor, but by our works. So what are you waiting for, or who are you waiting for, because the hour of judgement is near? ARISE, GO, AND PREACH!!!  And be a world changer because that’s what the Lord wants from us. Stop claiming and become a true Christian right now, it’s never too late to change. Do you remember what happened to the other thief that was crucified with him? Turn to him and you shall be forgiven no matter the size of your sins.

Thank you for taking your time to visit and read this God breathed post, and it will bring some change into your life.

HEAVEN IS COUNTING ON US

The bible tells us that God knew us even before we were born, and he has a purpose for all of us. His plan is to see us happy, and our purpose is to worship him and to cast out demons in his name, no hard labour required. But the question is: do we have much trust for him? When you throw your child into the air, have you wondered why she smiles? Because she knows that you will catch her. Isn’t that trust? It is...so do you trust God that no matter your situation he’ll always stand by your side?

Our biggest enemy is the Devil himself, he prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. He is a liar; his tactics include accusation, affliction, blinding minds, disguising himself as an angel of light, temptation and setting traps. He isn’t what he says he is, but a jealousy creature who wants to see Gods people suffer.

In the light of all this, the church needs a strategy- and God has given us one! While we should be careful of Satan, we need not to be afraid of him because he has already lost the battle. As with most bullies, we simply need to stand against him in strength and with the resources that God gives us. Now it’s up to us, it’s either we stay as Gods children, or we allow Satan to take away our precious internal life.

“Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.”(James 4:7)

How, practically, can we do this? The first thing is to remember that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lords. Our focus must not be on ourselves, but on God; victory only comes from himself. Manny are still under the devil’s influence, so let’s follow Gods plan and be fishers of men, let’s serve him and always praise him.

Let’s spread the gospel around and evangelize in all possible ways as the hour of judgement is near. If you still not sure, here’s a special invitation from God himself:

“Come now, and let us reason together, said the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow: though they red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”(Isaiah 1:18)