Religion and Spirituality

Stand up for Jesus ye soldiers of the cross

Jesus is considered by scholars such as Weber ...

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Do you believe the age of blind faith is slowly coming to an end? Apparently Uncle Tree thinks so. In one of his most intriguing and otherwise thought-provoking posts, the author of Uncle Tree House, which happens to be one of my favorite blogs, states that: “The Age of Blind Faith is slowly coming to an end.” According to Uncle Tree, “Church goers are dwindling in number, whilst atheists groups continue to add members.”

Everyone is entitle to their opinion, true or not, but I have to agree with Uncle Tree. It seems followers of Jesus Christ are not as dedicated and committed today, as they were twenty, thirty years ago. Part of the reason, I believe, is the advancement of Science and Technology. Where as in the old days, Christians had no alternative but to look to God to bring them through a particular illness, today they have an alternative in science and technology.

No reasonable person can deny that science and technology have made astonishing advancements. Doctors everywhere are using technology to do god-like miracles. Many diseases that were deemed incurable in the past are classified curable today. People are healthier, and are living longer than ever.

But despite the miracles in science and technology, the dwindling number of Church goers and the slow but imminent end of blind faith, God is still God. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). I expect to see miracles performed because Jesus said so: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father” (John 14:12).

So fellow believers, I am not worried, neither should you; because my God reigns supreme. He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful, and there is none like Him.

Let us stand up for Jesus and lift His banner high.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross;

Lift high His royal banner, it must not suffer loss.
From victory unto victory His army shall He lead,
Till every foe is vanquished, and Christ is Lord indeed.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the solemn watchword hear;
If while ye sleep He suffers, away with shame and fear;
Where’re ye meet with evil, within you or without,
Charge for the God of battles, and put the foe to rout.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the trumpet call obey;
Forth to the mighty conflict, in this His glorious day.
Ye that are brave now serve Him against unnumbered foes;
Let courage rise with danger, and strength to strength oppose.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, stand in His strength alone;
The arm of flesh will fail you, ye dare not trust your own.
Put on the Gospel armor, each piece put on with prayer;
where duty calls or danger, be never wanting there.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, each soldier to his post,
Close up the broken column, and shout through all the host:
Make good the loss so heavy, in those that still remain,
And prove to all around you that death itself is gain.

Stand up, stand up for Jesus, the strife will not be long;
this day the noise of battle, the next the victor’s song.
To those who vanquish evil a crown of life shall be;
they with the King of Glory shall reign eternally.


									

			
			








			
	
			


				
				
Tapping into the unlimited resources of Jesus Christ

			


												
								

					

It is amazing how believers like to boast about their heavenly Father—how He is all-knowing, all-powerful, and how He is their provider, their Rock and their hiding place. Yet many of us fail to tap into the unlimited resources of our heavenly Father. We are just like Jesus’ disciples who were willing to turn away the multitude, because they thought they did not have enough food to feed them.


Look yonder believers, and “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not better than they?”  (Matthew 6:26).


The Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes
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Our heavenly father has an unlimited amount of resources and He wants us to tap in.


Jesus tapped into His Father’s resources and fed over five thousand with 5 loaves and 2 fishes.


“And when it was evening, His[Jesus]  disciples came to Him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.


But Jesus said unto them, they need not leave; give ye them to eat. And they say unto Him, we have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, bring them hither to me.


And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves, and the two fishes, and looking up to heaven, He blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude.


And they did all eat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained twelve baskets full.  And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children” (Matthew 14:15-21).


As you look around, the needs that you see are often great and overwhelming. Your own resources seem so small, and your own abilities seem so limited to meet such great needs.


if you tried to quench the thirst of others out of your own fountain, no one would be satisfied; if you tried to feed the hungry with your own bread no one would be made full; if you tried to reassure others with your own thoughts, no one would be comforted; if you tried to bring meaning to the lives of others with your own plans, no one would be fulfilled.


Jesus asks you to give all that you have to Him. And as you place your life in His hands, He will break you as bread, multiply you, and use you to meet the needs of others with His unlimited resources.


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Let God fight your battles

			


												
								

					

English: Manna reigning from heaven on the Isr...
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“The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent” (Exodus 14:14)


How blessed you are to have God fight your battles. When God is your defender, you don’t have to argue back, fight back, yell back, or talk back to others.


You don’t need to plan out your arguments to justify your actions. God does not need to use your tongue as His weapon of warfare. Quietness of heart, mind, spirit, and voice will keep you in a place of great peace,


You do not need to defend yourself or justify any of your actions if you are walking in obedience to what God has asked you to do. If your actions are based upon God’s calling in your life, it is justification enough. If what you do is motivated by love, this is reason enough.


Psalm 59 is David’s prayer to God when he faced imminent death at the hands of Saul, Who had sent men to watch David’s house to kill him:




 1 Deliver me from my enemies, O God;

be my fortress against those who are attacking me.

2 Deliver me from evildoers

and save me from those who are after my blood.


 3 See how they lie in wait for me!

Fierce men conspire against me

for no offense or sin of mine, LORD.

4 I have done no wrong, yet they are ready to attack me.

Arise to help me; look on my plight!

5 You, LORD God Almighty,

you who are the God of Israel,

rouse yourself to punish all the nations;

show no mercy to wicked traitors.[c]


 6 They return at evening,

snarling like dogs,

and prowl about the city.

7 See what they spew from their mouths—

the words from their lips are sharp as swords,

and they think, “Who can hear us?”

8 But you laugh at them, LORD;

you scoff at all those nations.


 9 You are my strength, I watch for you;

you, God, are my fortress,

10 my God on whom I can rely.


   God will go before me

and will let me gloat over those who slander me.

11 But do not kill them, Lord our shield,[d]

or my people will forget.

In your might uproot them

and bring them down.

12 For the sins of their mouths,

for the words of their lips,

let them be caught in their pride.

For the curses and lies they utter,

13 consume them in your wrath,

consume them till they are no more.

Then it will be known to the ends of the earth

that God rules over Jacob.


 14 They return at evening,

snarling like dogs,

and prowl about the city.

15 They wander about for food

and howl if not satisfied.

16 But I will sing of your strength,

in the morning I will sing of your love;

for you are my fortress,

my refuge in times of trouble.


 17 You are my strength, I sing praise to you;

you, God, are my fortress,

my God on whom I can rely.



									

			
			








			
	
			


				
				
Doing good — regardless of your situation

			


												
								

					

English: Saint paul arrested
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“For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil” (1 Peter 3:17).


Doing the will of God is not always the easiest thing to do, but it is always the right thing to do–the highest thing to do, and the best thing to do. Doing God’s will may bring discomfort, difficulty, persecution, rejection, suffering, or hardship. But God doesn’t want us to stop doing His will. He expects us to hold on to His unchanging hand, even in great sorrow, rejection and persecution. He wants us to forge ahead and do good –regardless of our situation.


Jesus told us that we would suffer because of Him, but be of good courage,  He has overcome the world (John 16:33). Even though there were those who despised and rejected Him, He never stopped doing the will of His father. He never stopped helping the helpless, loving the unlovely, and doing good to all. He wants us to follow in His footsteps and Love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for them which spitefully use us, and persecute us;


The apostle Paul is a perfect example of one who has suffered severely for Christ. Yet, he never wavered–he held on to God’s unchanging hand right to the end. In 2 Corinthians 11:24-28 he testifies about his many sufferings: “. . . I have been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.


Believers let us keep our eyes on the prize, like the apostle,  and do good regardless of our circumstances. God bless you.


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My prayer to walk in God’s ways in 2012

			


												
								

					

Lord, take control of my heart, that my heart may control my feet; my thoughts, my will and my ways. May my feet bring the word of good news, and the message of comfort to those who are broken and confused. And also to those who have lost hope in our political system, and our society as a whole–and to those who have lost their jobs and are going through tough times.


May my feet walk upon the imprint of your footsteps, May they move at the pace and in the direction that you are moving, Lord, I pray that my eyes will focus upon the things that your eyes are fixed upon. Heavenly father, lift me when I fall, cleanse me when I am soiled, and heal my every wound.


Lord, be the wings that cover me, the hiding place I need for shelter, the shield I need for defense, the sword I need for battle, and the banner I need for victory.


Let me be a light to those who are in darkness. Use me as a billow to those whose fire is cooling, and as a flint to those who need your fire.


Thank you Lord for granting my request.