Do the right thing no matter the odds! #Morality #Inspirationalicing #HourOfInsight
Relationship Crackers 2
September 11 Icing
I thank God for another day in His presence and the opportunity to learn at His feet #Inspirationalicing. Permit me to say that God is really dealing with every member of the Scripture Union family in a special way as it relates to our Quiet time.
From today's reading in Acts 20:1-16, I learnt the following lessons:
a. Be ready and willing to share Jesus Christ with the world around you especially in these days of perversion.
b. Do not let your ministry suffer unduly because of your lack of understanding of God’s timing and purposes (Proverbs 22:3). Paul left the indigenes he had prepared to continue with the work at any point his life became threatened. Unfortunately today so many people want to enjoy the ‘praise’, ‘glory’ etc of an office so they don’t prepare others for succession. That is why the church of suffering so much loss – ‘know when to leave’ (Acts 20:1, 3).
c. To balance item (b) above, Paul also knew when not to allow the devil to steal away people joy of salvation. In Acts 20:9 - 12, Paul led by the spirit of God ensured the young man who fell from a three storey building while listening to the sermon was brought back to life. Imagine the discredit the death of this young man could have brought to his ministry in Turkey!
d. Paul was a good plan and never left anything about his ministry to chance. He had plan A, plan B etc. No wonder he was a great success.
e. The reality of Luke 9:26, Matthew 10:32 etc is right before our eyes now more than ever before.
At #Inspirationalicing, I have asked myself several questions concerning the incident in Acts 20:7 – 12:
- Should I blame Paul for preaching a rather lengthy sermon?
- Should blame the people for quietly listening without complaining?
- Can I blame Eutychus for sitting by the window?
- Am I justified to blame Eutychus for sleeping off in course of the sermon?
- Blah blah blah
The truth is that we cannot over look the reality in Romans 8:28. Let God guide you and you will live to be happy ever after. Leaving a legacy in the ministry is what we have been called to; however discipline is the hallmark of accomplishing it.
Paul is a living witness to this fact (Hebrews 12:1)!
From today's reading in Acts 20:1-16, I learnt the following lessons:
a. Be ready and willing to share Jesus Christ with the world around you especially in these days of perversion.
b. Do not let your ministry suffer unduly because of your lack of understanding of God’s timing and purposes (Proverbs 22:3). Paul left the indigenes he had prepared to continue with the work at any point his life became threatened. Unfortunately today so many people want to enjoy the ‘praise’, ‘glory’ etc of an office so they don’t prepare others for succession. That is why the church of suffering so much loss – ‘know when to leave’ (Acts 20:1, 3).
c. To balance item (b) above, Paul also knew when not to allow the devil to steal away people joy of salvation. In Acts 20:9 - 12, Paul led by the spirit of God ensured the young man who fell from a three storey building while listening to the sermon was brought back to life. Imagine the discredit the death of this young man could have brought to his ministry in Turkey!
d. Paul was a good plan and never left anything about his ministry to chance. He had plan A, plan B etc. No wonder he was a great success.
e. The reality of Luke 9:26, Matthew 10:32 etc is right before our eyes now more than ever before.
At #Inspirationalicing, I have asked myself several questions concerning the incident in Acts 20:7 – 12:
- Should I blame Paul for preaching a rather lengthy sermon?
- Should blame the people for quietly listening without complaining?
- Can I blame Eutychus for sitting by the window?
- Am I justified to blame Eutychus for sleeping off in course of the sermon?
- Blah blah blah
The truth is that we cannot over look the reality in Romans 8:28. Let God guide you and you will live to be happy ever after. Leaving a legacy in the ministry is what we have been called to; however discipline is the hallmark of accomplishing it.
Paul is a living witness to this fact (Hebrews 12:1)!
Insights
Meaning: Be affable, but be sure to have effective punitive measures.
September 9 Icing
The experience of the 7 sons of Sceva (in the passage above) got me thinking: 'Imagine a young school leaver challenging a bank manager to a contest of being a better manager of man and money to ensure effectiveness and efficiency?'
You can only wonder what will become of this school leaver is he/she is given the responsibility of managing a department of a bank. These sons of Sceva did not pay attention to the simple rule of the thumb in Human Resource management:
- Your CV must be tailored to suit any job opening you are applying for and,
- Your experiences muse be relevant to the job advertised for
Before you can apply for any job.
In this case, being born again is the basic requirement for the job in question (Acts 19:15) while a faith in Christ's finished work on the Cross is all the relevant experience these 7 young men needed.
Unfortunately they lacked these requirements yet they wanted the glory PAUL enjoyed.
Beloved members of Sandy's Relationship Forum, please make sure that your CV is always updated and your experiences relevant to God's purpose and plan at every time least you embrace the shame of defeat.
You don't want to ask the sons of Sceva their experience (Acts 19:14 - 16)!
Unscriptural Quotes
Misinformation is false or inaccurate information that is spread unintentionally. Let us know some of the non-christians' favorite quotes and how dangerous they could be in #unscripturalquotes.
Quote Three: "Love your neighbour as yourself but you've got to choose your neighbours"
Reflective Mode
Lying down on my bed this morning I thought about how my week went and how God led me ... then a thought occurred to me:
"Assume you had to sacrifice your arm for your child (as a price for his waywardness or rebellion). How would you feel if:
- He becomes repentant and decide to make you happy the rest of his life?
- He continues in the same lifestyle that caused your arm to be cut off?
Sincerely, will the price be worth it and how will it affect your relationship with that child?"
Breaking Down Your Defense
The emotional wall of defense is
a ‘defense
mechanisms’ people erect unconsciously to protect themselves from
anticipated emotional pain or stress. According
to an anthropologist, Helen Fisher:
“when a person is in the bathtub with another
person, they have removed their "defenses". Therefore, every touch
during this time becomes a lot more intimate”.
In other words, when a person creates the commonness that allows him/her to freely:
-
prefer and take pleasure in involving an
opposite sex you are not married to in undoing your zips;
-
take off or dress up before an opposite sex
he/she is not married to;
-
wear only under wears before an opposite sex;
-
discuss sex, sexuality and lust inspired stories;
-
watch x-rated films together;
-
touch or allow to be touched in sensitive areas;
-
take his/her bath in the open in public
compounds;
-
bath with an opposite sex you are not married
to;
-
etc
Such a person has broken down
his/her emotional wall of defense. Once this wall is broken down, every word,
touch or actions of each actors in such a relationship becomes a lot more
intimate, suggestive and instruments for sensual satisfaction.
But the question is how did you or how can one break down his/her defense? Let us attempt to answer this question by looking at a conversation I overheard somewhere:
Q: I am a 21 year old Nigerian
boy trying to win the heart of a young lady but have been having difficulties. The
young lady in question is beautiful, hardworking, and intelligent. I prefer to call her Obim and the realization
that she is still be a virgin really makes me have a crush for her.
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