by Jeanie | May 31, 2010 | Uncategorised
I know I have not written you in a while, not because I haven’t received a word but due to various demands and responsibilities. However, I want to assure you that I will be bringing you ‘a word’ in no time. Meanwhile, you can visit my blog to read previous editions. Now, I want to share something very important with you.
About this time last year I participated in Feed the Widows Project, a vision that was given to a dear friend of mine. He fed several widows and it was a rare privilege to have been a part of that project. Nothing could be compared to the joy of seeing those women, who have been forsaken by the society and even the church cry for joy as they each received their aid. It was an amazing experience!
This year, he has received a mandate to clothe the widows and I am blessed I must say to be a part of it. James 1:27 says:
Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.
Also, in 1 Timothy 5:3 Apostle Paul admonishes us to take care of any widow who has no one else to care for her. You might be tempted to place an undue emphasis on the expression ‘who has no one else to care for her’ but I urge you to be the person who will bring joy and happiness to a widow by sowing a seed towards clothing them.
The book of 1 Timothy 5:5 gives a vivid description of this widow:
Now a true widow, a woman who is truly alone in this world, has placed her hope in God. She prays night and day, asking God for his help.
Wouldn’t you rather be the person God wants to use to answer her prayers? I know you have good reasons to think this may not have come at the right time but it has come at God’s time which is the best time. You probably have been praying and asking God for a major breakthrough, sow this sacrificial seed towards the clothing of widows in Africa and see God work wonders for you!
You can contribute by cash or cheque. If neither of these payment methods is convenient for you, please contact me directly to send you alternative payment options via email or on +44 7904 510 986.
Please feel free to chip-in whatever you can, no matter how little. Any contribution will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you and God Bless.
Jeanie
On behalf of Christ Academy.
For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat… I needed clothes and you clothed me. Matthew 25:35a/36a
by Jeanie | Feb 26, 2010 | Uncategorised
Last time, we discussed what it really means to be grounded and settled. Today, we’ll look focus on how we can actually do it. I pray you’re encouraged.
14Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. Ephesians 6: 14-18
The devil is a schemer and one of his biggest schemes is to distort the truth. Jesus shed more light on this when he said:
“He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44b
Paul in the book of Ephesians highlights that you can however take your stand against his schemes with the whole armour of God, not a few bits. He writes:
Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Ephesians 6:13
There is an evil day! I slightly touched on this previously; you’re going to have times of combat, windy seasons and moments of pressure that’ll test your firmness. However, to withstand these, you need a protective covering, something that will safeguard you as well as ward off the strategies of the enemy to take you out – the whole armour of God. Let’s look at the first armour.
Belt of Truth: Long before belts were being used as accessories, they functioned to keep clothes in place. The belt of truth or girdle as referred to in other texts is designed to keep every part of the armour in its place, and to gird the soldier on every side. This is where everything hinges on hence the reason it is buckled securely around the waist.
Truth is information and a commodity highly sought for. The accumulation and assimilation of information is knowledge.
Jesus is referred to as “the truth.”
“I am the way, the truth and the life.” John 14:6
Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and your law is truth. Psalms 119:142
Both are intertwined. We can only claim that we know Jesus when we abide by the truth – his commandments. He alone is the truth in life and his law is equally the truth.
And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and The Truth is not in him. 1 John 2:3, 4
Before going to a warfront, Soldiers are often briefed with information and given instructions based on that. The briefing may include information on who their enemies are, where they are, their attack mechanisms, strategies, strengths and weaknesses.
Knowledge of the Truth will prevent one from being ignorant and negligent and shield them from being exposed to any kind of assault which could result in them being ‘knocked out’. With this knowledge, they are able to wage war more effectively. The Bible contains a lot of information about Jesus, The Truth and Satan, the schemer. Spend time in God’s Word and learn the truth!
Related Journals:
Stand Firm – Part 1
Gear Up!
by Jeanie | Feb 19, 2010 | Uncategorised
However, you must remain firmly established and steadfast in the faith, without being moved from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven and of which I, Paul, have become a servant. Colossians 1:23
This is an encouraging word from Apostle Paul; be firmly established in the faith. Most people today are established but loosely, and this poses a danger of them being easily moved.
Ever heard of the slang ‘no shaking’ before? If you have, then you would understand it connotes a state of stability and intactness. When one is firm it means they are resistant to externally applied pressure. It could also mean they are constant; steadfast and securely fixed in place. Note, there is pressure but they are resistant to it. The King James Version of the Bible uses the word ‘grounded’ which really means deeply rooted.
Another word used in this passage is the word ‘established’ which means to be placed or settled in a secure position or condition; to be installed. We are admonished to be steadfast also, unwavering, unchanging and to be set in our ways. Do you see how this relates to choices? Please understand the context in which I am using this, change is a good thing and most times inevitable but if you are ever changing and inconsistent, that’s nothing to write home about.
The word ‘settled’ has been used in KJV and this suggests to me that there is a tendency for something to be deeply rooted and yet not firmly put into a desired position or place. For a moment, I want you to think agriculturally, the position of a seed although firmly rooted may have an effect on how it grows. Are you gaining something?
Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. Ephesians 4:14(NLT)
See? When you are grounded, it is impossible for you to be tossed and blown. Selah! The wind may blow, but you’ll stand firm in faith and not be moved. These are the last of the last days, God’s pouring out his spirit on all, and the mountain of the Lord’s house is being established the highest of all, but at the same time, scoffers are loose; many are falling away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of devils.
You need to stand firm in the faith, on that conviction you had of God being the creator and ruler of all things, a provider who can create an open door for you and not leave you destitute. Your belief in the truth that Jesus is the Messiah, your salvation, a deliverer who cares and is constantly saving you from trouble.
We’re going to delve deeper next time; I hope you have read a thing or two that you’ll walk away with. Stay Blessed.
Related Journal:
Stand Firm – Part 2
Gear Up!
by Jeanie | Feb 14, 2010 | Uncategorised
4Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. 15He shall call on me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation. Psalms 91:14-16
The above passage is God’s response to the psalmist’s recital. Remember the psalmist began with:
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High will abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1
What is the Secret Place?
The first time we come across this phrase in scripture is in 1 Samuel 19:2. Here, Jonathan urges his friend David to stay in a secret place and hide himself. So we can conclude that a secret place is a place where one can:
- Be safe and free of violence.
- Live, as in a home where you can comfortably relax.
- Hide without any disturbances.
It’s peculiar, private and protected; under the shadow of the Almighty, there you are shielded from direct light. It’s a place you can
be alone or with company, bare yet covered, somewhere you can be intimate – into your mate, the secret place!
God responding in verse 14 says:
Because he loves me. Someone may ask how?? God answers; because he delights in me but how? He desires me? He comes close to me – the secret place. We spend time together! Friend, there is a blessing you receive when you love God and the people he has placed around you. Love in deed also not just in just words. I encourage you today to learn if you don’t know how, to express your love. Giving is one way. David said:
“And now, because of my devotion (affection, delight) to the Temple of my God, I am giving all of my own private treasures of gold and silver to help in the construction. This is in addition to the building materials I have already collected for his holy Temple. 1 Chronicles 29:3
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.
Psalm 37:4 The LORD keeps all who love Him, But all the wicked He will destroy. Psalm 145:20
You can give of yourself, your time and your resources.
Who is the Most High?
The Most high is a title ascribed to God, it is indicative of His rank as Supreme Being. That means he is the highest, loftiest, chiefest; in essence, the principal, therefore worthy of respect and honour.
The Almighty
This name of God is first mentioned in Genesis 17:1. Here, God introduced himself as all powerful, all and self sufficient. A God who by himself is able to nourish, supply, satisfy, overpower and destroy. What a name!
The Psalmist in this Psalm also addresses God by two other names LORD and God. In the second part of Verse 14 God said I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. Promotion, just because you know a name! Isn’t it amazing how one can obtain favour, get a job, win a major business contract just because they know a name. Some lovers know how to use this to their advantage, whenever they call their spouses certain names, supernatural interventions occur! We need to learn from the Psalmist, know the names of God and call him by them. Verses 15 and 16 lists things those who know God by name stand to gain.
Let them praise the name of the LORD, For His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven. And He has exalted the horn of His people. The praise of all His saints–Of the children of Israel, a people near to Him. Praise the LORD! Ps 148:13-14
Other Valentine Editions
Love at the Upper Room – You Showed Me
Beloved
Come and see the man!
Love conquers all…
Will you be mine?
Because He Loved Me
Endless Love
You qualify!
I Love You
by Jeanie | Jan 31, 2010 | Uncategorised
Dear Friend,
I trust you are being enriched by these words and making applications. I urge you to not just be a reader but a doer also. It’s your choice! So far we have learned that our choices:
- Have positive and negative consequences – Blessings and Curses
- Can potentially affect others too – You and your seed, me and my house
- Determine the quality of our living – If you obey, you will prosper in everything you do.
- Need to be reviewed from time to time – Moses /Joshua.
- Or lack thereof will cause us to be unstable and hence prone to falling.
15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the LORD your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply.
Deuteronomy 30:15-16
A good choice will cause you to go beyond merely existing to growing. It will move you from a state of barely kicking to move forward by leaps and bounds. When you choose life, you don’t just live but you also multiply! Your existence becomes eminent in the multiple of your achievements and improvements. Friend, this is prosperity! Prosperity doesn’t just happen accidentally but rather purposefully.
Therefore, obey the terms of this covenant so that you will prosper in everything you do. Deuteronomy 29:9
Do you now see how this relates to your choice(s)? You have to choose to obey so you can prosper, not just in some things but in everything you do. The reverse will be the case when you choose not to obey. Do you want to come out of obscurity and live in prosperity? It’s your choice!
The fact that you have been in some conflicts will give you an idea that not everyone agrees with your opinion. We all have different make-ups; our choices differ. You’ll always have Mary and Martha, Elijah against the prophets of Baal and Asherah, Joshua and Caleb versus the ten spies to name just a few and hence we must carefully deliberate on our thoughts and their corresponding actions and stand by them than waver in the influence of others.
Had Elijah not stood his ground, it wouldn’t be established that Baal is false and God is Mighty and can answer by fire. If Joshua and Caleb had not unswervingly held unto their opinion of being well able to take on the Promised Land, the giants would have remained, Joshua would not be delegated to divide the inheritance, and Caleb would not inherit Hebron. Similarly, if Mary hadn’t sat at the feet of the Lord Jesus learning and feeding on the Living Word as opposed to being distracted by preparing dinner like Martha, many of us would carry on worrying and fussing about trivial matters, and not focus on the ‘one thing’ which really matters.
The lesson to learn from the above is that the fact that the majority votes doesn’t mean that it’s absolute. Don’t go with the crowd! Stand by your decisions. Choose to choose!
Related Journals:
Choose – Part 1
Choose – Part 2
by Jeanie | Jan 20, 2010 | Uncategorised
Dear Friend,
We have learnt that choices can result in either a positive or negative effect. This effect is not limited to just you; your choices affect others.
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, [that] I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefoe choose life that both thou and thy seed may live: (Emphasis mine) Deuteronomy 30:19
- Have you ever stayed out very late and eventually got back home?
- Have you ever been so hungry that you helped yourself to something in the fridge only for someone else to come home craving for that same thing?
If you’ve been in any of the above situations or similar, then you would really know that your actions don’t just affect you alone but others also. Someone would have been seriously worried of your whereabouts or unhappy about your “food massacre”.
Moses said to the people, in order for you and your seed to live, you’ve got to make the right decision; choose life! Sometime later Joshua, now Moses’ successor, in addressing the people said:
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Emphasis mine) Joshua 24:15
The first thing I want you to note is that choices need to be reviewed and revalued. Chances are that these Israelites decided on
obeying God as Moses admonished, but here we see Joshua telling them the same thing again. Have you made any decision and failed in keeping to it? Why don’t you take sometime out to go over them and make the necessary changes where appropriate?
Joshua in the above passage was encouraging the people to renounce all idolatry, and to serve God alone. He was calling them to live free of deceit and hypocrisy. He tells them: The terms of agreement have been written, it’s now your choice to accept or decline. No more double-standards choose! You have to be very careful here because the desirable is not always the most reasonable.
The Psalmist in Psalm 119 says:
I hate double-minded men, but I love your law. Psalm 119:113
In other words, I agree with your terms, I know they’re perfect, but I dislike people who can’t take a stand. An undecided man or woman is two-faced, two-souled, unsettled in his opinions, double-minded, has divided loyalty and that’s why they seem unstable.
A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. James 1:8
This takes my mind back to the times I spent in the lab at school. When I was taking a food and nutrition class, often I would be tempted to add more spices to the food, but on a second –thought that I would be serving the food to assessors who would mark me, I made sure everything was moderate. I realised my choice could affect me and them. Likewise, at the university during my group laboratory tests, I was extremely careful about my choices of specimen, equipment and measurements, knowing that it could affect the groups’ result. You and your seed, me and my house!
Friend, how long will you stay unbalanced and prone to crumbling? It’s time to choose! Who will that migration, career change, shopping spree or business opportunity affect?? Decide and seal the deal.
Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Don’t get sidetracked. Proverbs 4:26-27a
Related Journals:
Choose – Part 1
Choose – Part 3
