What It Means To Follow Christ

Was meditating on yesterday's cell on colossian. HOLINESS.... Came across this article today, thought about the issue on holiness and what some of us had been through the past weeks. Maybe you are able to find the ans here... maybe... well at least it does for me. =]

The spiritual pruning process of our lives includes cutting away all that reflects our earthly passions that are in opposition to God’s holiness. A. B. Simpson writes: "Before the Holy of Holies can be fully opened to our hearts and we can enter into... communion of God, the veil upon our hearts must be rent asunder, and this comes as it came on Calvary – by the death of our flesh.

"It is when we yield our own natural self to God to die and He slays us by the power of His Spirit that the obstruction to our communion with God is removed and we enter into its deeper fullness. The greatest hindrance to our peace and victory is the flesh. Whenever the consciousness of self rises vividly before you, and you become absorbed in your own troubles, cares, rights or wrongs, you at once lose communion with God, and a cloud of darkness falls over your spirit.

"There is really nothing else that hurts or hinders us but this heavy weight of evil, this seed of Satan... We can never rend it asunder, but the Holy Spirit can. It dies only on the cross of Jesus... under the fire of His descending Spirit. Bring it to Him, give Him the right to slay it, and then the veil will be rent asunder. The Holy of Holies will open wide, the light of the Shekinah will shine through all the house of God, and the glory of heaven will be revealed in your life."

by Dr. Charles Stanley

Prime Time With God

Dear Lord, How amazing it is to compare our life to the caterpillar that is surrounded by the cocoon and struggles until it emerges a beautiful butterfly. I pray that as I struggle through life's challenges, that I lean on You and allow the cocoon of Your love to surround me and the circumstances and trials to help mold me into the beautiful creature You want me to become. Thank You for all You do. In Jesus' name, amen.

~Ephesians Four Ministries~

The Spiritual Realm

Today's Verse:

"So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind. "

1 Corinthians 14:15

So what we need to do??? PRAY PRAY PRAY!!!!! SING SING SING!!! With Heart, with Mind, with Soul!

Spiritual Warfare

Came across this verse..

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. "

Ephesians 6:12

Meditate on it today. =] Have a blessed Day!

Surrounding Darkness

I thought I was the only one who feels that there's darkness around me.. I couldn't pray.. When I do my quiet time, I couldn't concentrate. I have been trying very hard to connect to Him but the connection just doesn't seems to get thru. What's wrong?? I began to search if there was any hiden sins... i confessed, repented.. But i still got the same feeling.

I began to wonder why i couldn't connect to Him. If I seek Him with all my heart, soul, mind. He hears, He sees... He promise never to leave or forsake us and I know He wouldn't. Is this the darkness from the evil or is it God's protection from the attack? I don't know...

Yesterday during the prayer meeting, i couldn't pray.. I ask the Spirit to lead me but He didn't. After praying, as peien start to share her wierd feeling recently.... It was then, I began to realize I wasn't the only one going thru the same feeling. There were many others who feels the same too.

This verse came to my mind at that point of time...

"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."

1 Peter 5:8-9

Yes. The evil one is waiting for the right time to attack us. We have to stand firm in our faith. And I'm not the only one.. my brothers and sisters are going thru together with me.

The verse continues..

"And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. To him be the power for ever and ever. Amen."

1 Peter 5:10-11

His Promise... We'll suffer this for a little while.. and He will restore us and make us strong, firm and steadfast. AMEN!!! Thank God for the verse which really strengthen me to persevere on with my brothers and sisters.

Let us encourage one another. Let us uphold and support each other in prayer. Let us put on the full armor of God and "pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests... And with this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints." Ephesians 6:18

A Clever Dog

by: Author Unknown, Source Unknown

A butcher watching over his shop is really surprised when he saw a dog coming inside the shop. He shoos him away. But later, the dog is back again.

So, he goes over to the dog and notices he has a note in his mouth. He takes the note and it reads "Can I have 12 sausages and a leg of lamb, please. The dog has money in his mouth, as well."

The butcher looks inside and, lo and behold, there is a ten dollar Note there. So he takes the money and puts the sausages and lamb in a bag, placing it in the dog's mouth. The butcher is so impressed, and since it's about closing time, he decides to shut up shop and follow the dog.

So off he goes. The dog is walking down the street when he comes To a level crossing.

The dog puts down the bag, jumps up and presses the button. Then he waits patiently, bag in mouth, for the lights to turn. They do, and he walks across the road, with the butcher following him all the way.

The dog then comes to a bus stop, and starts looking at the timetable. The butcher is in awe at this stage. The dog checks out the times, and then sits on one of the seats provided. Along comes a bus. The dog walks around to the front, looks at the number, and goes back to his seat.

Another bus comes. Again the dog goes and looks at the number, notices it's the right bus, and climbs on. The butcher, by now, open-mouthed, follows him onto the bus.

The bus travels through the town and out into the suburbs, the dog Looking at the scenery. Eventually he gets up, and moves to the front of the bus. He stands on 2 back paws and pushes the button to stop the bus. Then he gets off, his groceries still in his mouth.
Well, dog and butcher are walking along the road, and then the dog turns into a house. He walks up the path, and drops the groceries on the step.

Then he walks back down the path, takes a big run, and throws himself against the door. He goes back down the path, runs up to the door and again, it throws himself against it. There's no answer at the house, so the dog goes back down the path, jumps up on a narrow wall, and walks along the perimeter of the garden. He gets to the window, and beats his head against it several times, walks back, jumps off, and waits at the door.

The butcher watches as a big guy opens the door, and starts abusing the dog, kicking him and punching him, and swearing at him.

The butcher runs up, and stops the guy. "What in heaven's name are You doing? The dog is a genius. He could be on TV, for the life of me!" to which the guy responds: "You call this clever? This is the second time this week that this stupid dog's forgotten his key."




Reflection:

Looks like some, people will never be satisfied with what they've got.

When it comes to the work place, Employers do not know how to appreciate their people who have served them loyally through the years. I've seen companies lose good people for the simple fact their leaders failed to show appreciation. Employers with big egos enjoy the fact that they have more power and authority than others. They show, in the way they give orders and directions, that they think they are superior. They get a kick out of displaying this superiority. People who do this are fools, and everyone but them knows it. They are never satisfied because they could not be satisfied even if their people perform well.

They don't listen to the opinion and ideas of their subordinates.

Why? Because of their stupid pride and insecurity.

People of this kind will never be satisfied. Why? Because they are so busy wrapped up in themselves and, fact is, the self can never be satisfied. Happy and productive people are always those who are "others-centered" rather than "self- centered."

The greatest idea of leadership is not someone who throws his weight around. Rather, he is a servant. As Bible would say, "He who wish to be a leader should first be a servant." His joy is derived from delivering a job that others benefit from his contribution.

Aim for service and success will follow.