"The Joy of Christmas" Not a Cliche!

As I sat in Church this Christmas eve, and the speaker mentioned Joy as one of the things The Born King  brought with Him. I was surprised, I never imagined how Powerful and Important this was. I went home that night and I started my research into Scriptures. Here is the insight I got.
  Joy is an experience of Heaven and a Force with Man. That moment when we are Joyful we are in perfect harmony with Heaven. And that causes Heaven to intervene; extending its sovereignty and exceeding power in our Lives. "Your will be done on earth as it is Heaven" Joy of Heart speeds up the Process, as it totally commits God. Psalm 105:43.
  Joy is a "State" of our hearts where we have it all. "Happy are the people who are in such a state..."Psalm 144:15. Even though the circumstance speaks contrary. This "State" is prominent with a people not of this world, who understands that their Citizenship is of Heaven and have God for their Lord and God. Who sees beyond the present moment and are Happy knowing it is temporal and are in transition to the Better Place, where the Belief of Having it all transcends to Real Experience of enjoying it all.  "...as having nothing, and yet possessing all things" 2 Corinthians. 6:10.
   The question of its essence and relevance comes to heart, especially in a world filled with terror and Pain, sickness and poverty, rejection and disappointment, shame and reproach, war and fear, suffering from the abuse of oppression and cruelty of the enemy. And we are choked and paralyzed that we become weary loosing the Hope for a Better Life. The Gospel is Good News to a corrupt and a dying world. Good enough to Lift our heavy hearts and downcast souls giving us the Hope of Victory and Provisions to this Life. Just as "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones". Proverbs 16:24; in Like manner Joy Heals our Souls. This was so important the Disciples made a job out of it, as they considered themselves "workers" for our Joy; Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are fellow workers for your joy..." 2 Corinthians 1:24.
   The Gift of the Son- for us, for our long starved soul, its not just in what we have Received but in the Release of the Joy with the Gift given to us. Not that this is more important than the Son, perhaps, it is as important as the Son. For it is the Eulogy that sounded His coming. JOY to the World The Savior is Born. Mathew 2:10 "seeing the Star they rejoiced with exceedingly great Joy" that of the good news that was spoken before time, they have now seen its manifestation. And with Great and Exceeding Joy they drew near to the Manger. When I was a child, hearing the hoot of my Dad's car from far distance beams joy in my heart and made me run out to meet him. I Believe strongly they increased their Pace, in eagerness to go meet the Born King. The Angel Announcing this to the shepherds said "...I bring you good tidings of Great Joy which will be to all people" Luke 2:10. Before announcing the arrival of the Son the angel first proclaimed the good tidings of immense Joy to lift their souls in receiving the Gift of the Son.
  Could this be less emphasized in our churches today or treated as a mere Cliche. This is so important that without it our Life is incomplete and our Potentials not maximized to the Fullest.
   Joy is not the work of Human effort or skill, it is a Spiritual mystery and a Key, and those who understands it have commanded it with results following. It is the "Fruit of the Spirit", we know this in Galatians 5:22. Given only from the throne of Heaven. "Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit". Rom 15:13. John 15:11; It is in the Heart of God that this Joy remain in us, and in full measure. With which we can determine our circumstance. And sometimes the Praise of our Lips releases it. The Israelites Praised from a Joyful heart  when they were up against Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, they only looked up to see dead bodies with no survival. 2 Chronicles 20:22-24. Joy, so powerful that it can destroy the enemy and all his hosts put together.
  Joy is the Protocol of God's Presence; as Psalms 100. clearly tells us; "Make a joyful shout to the Lord..., Enter into His gates with thanksgiving...". God doesn't get nervous at Shouts like this one. It gets you in perfect harmony with God, such that it transcends your human spirit and quicken your understanding unto the Hope we have in God. Not to be treated as an event but as a Lifestyle. "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you". 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Philippians 4:4. Being Joyful is spiritual. Verse 19 of 1 Thessalonians 5 tells us not to "quench the Spirit" Joyfulness of our hearts keeps the supernatural at work in our Favor, circumstance not withstanding. Rejoicing Always doesn't seem like what a sane person will do, in our society when you are not seen worrying in an unpleasant condition they feel then you've got a real problem, but then we'll be acting a script the enemy has written for us, as Believers we act counter-culture to unpleasant circumstance and Rejoice, giving thanks in all things, for doing just that is spiritual, it is the Will of God and a Heavenly wisdom for re-routing our way out of that circumstance and into our abundant Life. We walk by Faith, not by sight. We don't let Circumstance dictate what we Believe. That is why we are called "Believers". For the Righteous, the longer they live the brighter they shine. Proverbs 4:18.
 This is our strength and Confidence Colossians 1:11. Little wonder the enemy attacks our Joy. "for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold" Nehemiah 8:10 (AMP). I Love how the NLT rendered it "Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!”
 Have Joy in Sickness, Joy in addiction, Joy in disappointments, Joy in Pain, Joy even when in sorrow. Because it will strengthen you. Jesus was a perfect example of this seemingly difficult task and a model for us; "looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Heb12:2. There is a Greater Joy ahead of us, when we overcome the circumstance befalling us. The Apostles are also seen having no offense in anything because they applied this Heavenly Principle. 2 Corinthians 6:3-10.
  Why should we be Joyful;  Oh! May the God of green hope fill you up with joy, fill you up with peace, so that your believing lives, filled with the life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit, will brim over with hope! Rom 15:13 (MSG) read also NLT Bible. We joy in the Hope we have in God. This fuels our Joy with Confidence. This Hope NEVER turns grey, always Green and spreading that virtue greeness to us through Joy.
What is the Content of this Hope:
Grace and peace to you many times over as you deepen in your experience with God and Jesus, our Master. Everything that goes into a life of pleasing God has been miraculously given to us by getting to know, personally and intimately, the One who invited us to God. The best invitation we ever received! We were also given absolutely terrific promises to pass on to you—your tickets to participation in the life of God after you turned your back on a world corrupted by lust. 2 Peter 1:2-4 (MSG) Read also Amplified Version and NLT Bible. The Content of this Hope we have in God is that through the Knowledge of Him through Christ and the Promises ,we have everything. Ephesians 1:3 Affirms it. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.
What to do? Acknowledge, Proclaim and Practice it Philemon 1:6 (AMP).
  God's kingdom is not about temporal happiness or longevity of Life, it is about the quality of Life lived in Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:17.

Choose  Joy everyday!

JOY TO THE WORLD  THE SAVIOR IS BORN

The God-Factor

I was in my Final year in school, stuck between the Rock and a Hard Place; having to write my Final year student Project, coordinating our Student Campus Fellowship and Preparing for our 10th Year Anniversary Program,it was a lot of Hard work and time spent, and yet I had to attend Lectures, wrote Tests and Assignments as well took care of domestic responsibilities right in the middle of it. I took comfort in the scripture below and found Grace and Strength. it turned out to be my Best Year at School. This is one of my Favorite scriptures translated in one of my Favorite versions Phil 4:13 (AMP) I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency] I Love this scripture so much I personalize it and decree it to myself... " I have strength for all things...I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Christ" Christianity is not designed for us to use our Strength and Might, because we're told in John 1:12 that we have been given the "Power to become..." I am not trying to sermonize here. We're Christians and our difference is in what we Believe, and therefore we Speak. May Your Strength not Fail as God will Renew the needed Strength for each day. You'll do well and Graciously as God brings you to a Level of Great Grace!


Psalms 44:3 NLT- They did not conquer the land with their SWORDS; it was not their own STRONG ARM that gave them VICTORY. It was your right hand and strong arm and the blinding light from your face that helped them, for you loved them. This guys were the Best Skilled Swords-men in the Land, there were the best Samurai in Town, they even had Big Biceps as described as strong arm in the text. But yet the scriptures says they didn't Possess the Land with all that. It wasn't in their strength. The Victory was because God Favored

them. On the other hand its OK for us to sharpen ourselves give ourselves a cutting edge as an individual, look good, educate ourselves and be 21st century compliant, have several (Academic) Degrees like the thermometer. But give a little space for the God-Factor. Don't put your Faith in all you've acquired and in yourself more than you recognize the Help of God at work in your Life. Do not be too intelligent more than your obedience to God. I Believed God put me there at that time to do all that  was done, I know Him well enough not to abandon me. Because He promised Never to Leave us or Forsake us Hebrews 13:5. He came through for me. Proverbs 3:5-8 Honoring God brings Healing to your Body and Strength to your Bones. Its a Biblical Principle! All through. That Period in my final year I was basking in an unusual strength, wisdom and exceeding Favor. Little wonder the Bible said "It is not by Power nor by Might..." But it is by the God-factor. Do all you need to do best, but take Comfort in the Help of God. For He will Help you. That is the God-Factor! You'll Excel in Jesus name. The Lord is your strength. I Celebrate you.

Wisdom for Reaching out

You are not responsible for what a person receives and digests. You’re only accountable to observe and pay attention to what they need, and offer it to them in the best way you know how.  Don’t force-feed or overwhelm them, or they may disengage from the conversation. Don’t under nourish, or they might leave less than satisfied. Offer it as the Holy Spirit inspires.

A Picture of a Transformed Life

We’re not trying to conjure up transformation. It’s within us, and we are to “live toward” it. But in doing so, it helps to know what the transformed life looks like. So what does the transformed life look like?

1. Surrender

Surrender rather than treaties. The first verse of Romans 12 tells us to be “a living sacrifice.” The problem with living sacrifices is that they squirm on the altar. We need to remind believers to utterly surrender to God’s plans, not strike a treaty for trading favors. The lesson of surrender often begins with leaders. Whether as a pastor or in a different role of leadership, your life must be an example of living for God’s agenda first, allowing personal desires to fall away.

 2. Renewal

Renewed  thinking. In 12:2, the transformation is highlighted as an exercise of the mind. Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount that murder and adultery are committed internally long before acted upon externally. For believers to live out the change brought about by redemption, a spiritual mind is required.

 3. Service

Embracing and activating our gifting. As Paul transitions from doctrine to practice, his thoughts jump quickly to how all are gifted to serve the church and Christ’s mission (vv. 3–8). But serving in the mission of God is too often understood as a “one size fits all” endeavor. And most believers do not feel as if they fit. Living the transformed life means participating in the disciple-making process for others in the way God has personally called and equipped you.

4. Love

Push love to the forefront. The word “love” is terribly abused in our language. Perhaps it is because we only have one word to refer to our love for a spouse, children, sports team and pizza. The emphasis necessary for living out our transformation is to understand the purity involved with the Christian ideal of love (vv. 9–10). It is the love more associated with a hero’s death than a romantic comedy’s fairy tale ending. Love is essentially the choice to value the need of another rather than our own. Though simplistic as a definition, it becomes a manner of living that runs counter to the world.

Love is one trait that Christ clearly said would distinguish our lives from the rest of the world

5. Diligence.

Determination. The triplets of verse 11 say, “Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord.” It feels cliché and trite to say that the Christian life is not a sprint but a marathon. However, it is still true. The imagery throughout the Scriptures shows that God’s people must persist. In our culture, determination is rarely the norm. Transformation brings about a steadiness that eventually results in the internal fruit of maturity and the external fruit of new disciples.

6. Perspective

Proper perspective.  Where verse 11 deals with persisting in service, verse 12 carries the impact of moving through difficulties. “Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer.” These three statements all require the initiation of faith in our lives.

True gospel transformation requires faith. We believe that, through faith in God’s grace, one becomes a disciple of Christ. But faith does not have its ending point at the moment of conversion. Faith is required to please God (Hebrews 11:6). It is through the lens of faith that believers should see the work of God and their own lives. Living out transformation requires the perspective that “my” strength and ingenuity will never be sufficient. They were not sufficient to secure my soul for eternity, and they will not be able to get me through the years of this life. Faith is being convinced that God is there and He is for us. Maintaining a perspective of faith will keep believers in a state of reliance on Christ, and it is in this active reliance that living out our transformation is possible.

 7. Community

Keep believers in community. The bulk of Romans 12 deals with how believers relate to one another. From verses 13-20, a model is given to us for remaining close to one another. The language of the passage points to the needs we have: sharing, hospitality, blessing, weeping, peace, hunger, thirst. Meeting these needs for one another is where transformation shows itself. But for needs to be met, community must be valued.

 8. Righteousness.

Model for them a life worthy of the gospel. The final verse of the chapter reads, “Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good” (v. 21The very nature we have been given is that of righteousness. In his second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul taught that we had been given the ministry reconciliation because God “made the One who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Our lives—both lived and in leading—should show that we are more interested in displaying Christ’s righteousness than gaining a transitory victory over someone’s ill will toward us. We are guaranteed righteousness, so don’t waste your life messing about with sin.
(Romans 8:29). The issue of “Can I be righteous?” is to be removed from the minds of the believers. Instead, our thought each day can be, “How will Christ’s righteousness be displayed in me?”

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7 Reasons Why a Christian Guy is More Attractive

Written by: Nina Daugherty

Now I know a lot of girls from ALL generations love the “bad boy” image. They find the idea of risk and danger to be attractive. However, people underestimate how attractive a man who follows God is. As much as we want to believe that the “bad boy” is what we want (click here for more on this), the light of Christ shining through someone’s eyes, behavior, and soul will always win over. Keep in mind, not everyone who says they are Christian is actually Christian (If they say they are religious…run for the hills…true Christianity is about relationship not religion!). First let me offer you a few characteristics of a Christian guy:

1)  He goes to church regularly and is active- Anyone can go to church but you can tell if someone really is a part of the body of Christ is if they are there regularly and are part of some type of ministry. This will not only show you someone is holding them accountable but also they are part of a cause other than themselves.

2)  He owns and actually reads his bible- The Word holds truth. It became flesh through Jesus (John 1:1) as an example of how to walk. You want this person to be a role model for you and those around him. One day it may be your children looking to him for an example on how to walk as a Christian.

3)  Look at those around him- In this journey of sexual purity, it is so important to have the right people around you. For more about this, click here. You can tell more about a person by looking at the crowd they are a part of. Think about this in your own life.

You may think, “I’m young…I don’t care about that stuff! I have time.” I have witnessed many young people lose their life either physically or through a relationship God never meant them to have. I’m letting you know now you are setting the foundation not only for your future marriage but also for your future children. Invest your time in someone who deserves it.

Another question you may be asking yourself is, “Why is she talking about kids? I don’t have any yet.” The reason why I bring up kids is because unfortunately a lot of people will accept ungodly situations (to say the least) when it’s just them by themselves. However, when you become a parent you are no longer responsible for your life but for the protection of your little ones. The love of a parent runs deeper than you will ever know until you are one and you don’t want to be in a situation where your child will be abused or grow up in a hostile environment. With that being said, here are some reasons why a Christian man is the way to go:

 1)  You love the same God- Already there is an instant connection and knowability between you. Also, going to church or for the future bringing your kids to church will not be an issue. Being a mother who comes to church alone may open a doorway of jealousy and bitterness when you see men of God bringing their families to church and your husband is home.

2)  You are on the same page- Hopefully you won’t need to explain a lot as to why you want to remain sexually pure. He will already understand the whys and be on the same path.

3)  He will know how to pray for you- There is nothing like a man who can pray! I’m sorry but contrary to popular opinion; there is no greater power than the power received from the Almighty. One day when you or your children are in a place of either extreme sickness or sadness, you will want someone who can speak life and cover you with spiritual protection. Every time my hubby prays for me he gets that much hotter (didn't think it was possible..lol).

4)  He can wash you with the Word- One thing that helps us Christians get through the deceptions of life is finding truth in the Word of God. God specifically says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word” (Eph. 5:25-26). So you know when you’re in that place where you just need someone to speak to you on a real level and give you that much needed encouragement, your husband will be that for you.

5)  You can help each other learn more about God- The bible says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Prov. 27:17). You can bounce ideas and thoughts off each other. We also learn differently so there may be a topic you can explain in a way the other person understands better.

6)  The Holy Spirit will help direct his behavior- You know if we (male or female) are left to our own devices it can be catastrophic. If we lean on the One who created us then we have a better chance of making the right decisions. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…” (Gal. 5:22-23).

7)  He will have the right people around him- This will be important especially if you are struggling in sexual purity or just in general. You want him to turn to God or the healthy people in his life rather than people who will encourage him to cheat or leave you.

I pray this changes your perspective on Christian guys. By no means am I saying Christian men are perfect, they will have their faults too. The Word says, “for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity” (Prov. 24:16). God is telling you the difference between when a man of God falls and someone who is not of faith.

I cannot stress enough how much this is for your protection. You should not be dating someone who is not Christian. “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14). They will be used to pull you away from God instead of towards. When in doubt, return to your First Love and let Him figure it out.