The Proof of A New Life

MEDITATION

The Proof of A New Life

1 John 3:14 "The way we know we've been transferred from death to life is that we love our brothers and sisters. Anyone who doesn't love is as good as dead." MSG)

Point to ponder on: Don't be deceived, it is what happens within and through you that proves you have a new life in Christ.

Most believers have believed that a proof that someone has a new life in Christ is for such to be rich, wealthy and have  the best of things in life and rarely have no battles to fight because Jesus had died on the cross and it is finished hence, it's now time to live a life without ups and downs, no trouble and no storm. These are no proof of a new life and there is no promise from Jesus or through the Apostles of a life without trouble in the New testament. Therefore, never allow people make you feel ridiculous when things are not happening or you don't have testimonies like others to mean that you have not experienced the new life. You must understand individual process of growth due to individual purpose on earth, and it is very important to note that there are stages of growth as well. You don't fight the same battle with the next person to you and your individual purposes and experiences are not the same either. So instead of looking for happenings around you rather look for what is happening within and through you. That is the way to proof you have a new life in Christ. God gives rain and sunshine to both good and evil and sometimes allow evil people to live long so that they can repent so don't compare your life with nobody not even with your spiritual leader. God gave King Darius position and riches so that he could fund the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem during his reign as King when Daniel served under him. This king did not serve the God of Daniel, take note.(Ezra 6:1-15) Am sure you know God also gave the world different inventions through several unbelievers who are making waves in the world controlling billions of dollars now. Those who compare are not wise says the Holy Scriptures, so don't ever try it (2 Cor.10:12).

There are two ways to prove our transfer into a new life. The first is your faith in God and Jesus Christ (Jn5:24) and the second is a show of your love to fellow believers in the body of Christ(1Jn. 3:14). The new life is eternal life- God kind of life. The first proof is between you and God and the second is between you and other believers in the kingdom. You can only prove to the heavenly host and humanity you have a new life when you genuinely show you love others. This is what should be happening within and through you to the world. Poverty and riches are no proof of a new life, material things are other things to be added. Poverty and riches are also a matter of individual's choices. The apostles were martyred despite the great power of God within them and how they served God. There was a time God saved Peter from prison and Paul from ship wreck but there was another time it was from prison to crucifixion and beheading. Beloved, the Holy Scripture says if possible even the elect will be deceived in the last days with signs and wonders.(Mar. 13:22) It's already happening. They may tell you if you are truly serving God why is your life on a stand still. Tell them about Job, and that the greater the storm the greater the glory ahead of you. Jesus has said there will be trouble in this world (John16:33)and your faith in Him will not prevent the trouble but enables you go through and overcome until the character which is the ultimate is formed in you. Your true proof of being born again(having passed from death to life)  is the life of love you live and not the life of luxury, for your God is love. The Lord will always make you triumph over every battle in Jesus name.

I celebrate you.

Good morning. Enjoy His goodness.

David, Johnson

What Are You Bringing Forth?

MEDITATION

What Are You Bring Forth?

Matthew 7:19 "Every tree that does not  bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." NIV

Point to ponder on: God has expectations over your life.

When a person's life does not produce the character that is expected of Christ Jesus such life experiences a fall and backsliding follows and If such a person does not repent eternal damnation awaits such in hell.

I celebrate you.

Good morning. May your life produce the character that pleases God in Jesus name.

David, Johnson

Love Poured Out

MEDITATION

Love Poured Out

Romans 5:5 "This hope does not disappoint us, for God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God's gift to us." GNB

Point to ponder on: You were born with the capacity for human love but divine love was planted in you the day you received the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Do we have any excuse not to love? We could be defensive about it. The common thing I have seen is people loving those who love them but the love Jesus teaches is to love the undeserving, the unlovable and the hurting. "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them who despitefully use you, and persecute you."(Matt. 5:44) This kind of love is not the human fickle kind of love. Many have questioned whether this is possible or not. But I want you to know that it is possible. A young lady leading a youth group complained of how difficult it was for her to be consistent in loving people under her because they seemed unlovable because no matter what she did they would not reciprocate the way she expected. She couldn't be consistent because she was operating under human love which is driven by self.

God knows we can't handle people in His way with human love so He gave us what will produce divine love within us. And that is the gift of the Holy Spirit, through whom love is poured out into our heart and given expression. If you have the Holy Spirit you have divine love but the big problem I have seen is that this kind of love is never nurtured  to grow. When this love grows in our spirit it manifests as the fruit of the human spirit and without stress we can handle the unlovable, the undeserving and the hurting. It is time to allow the divine love within us to grow and have full expression. Anything we do outside love is sinning and most believers who don't steal and fornicate or commit adultery think they are okay but the truth is that believers sin when they do not walk in love.

It is time to build our love life. It's in you, let love grow.

I celebrate you.

Good morning. Enjoy His love.

David, Johnson

The Way of Love

MEDITATION

The Way of Love

John 13:34-35 "And now I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples." GNB

Point to ponder on: The only yardstick for your love as a believer is the love of Christ, He is the perfect example for how we should love.

Prayers, fasting and reading of the bible are extremely important and necessary, but without love all will make us a bunch of religious people without conformity with the heart of God. The Old commandment became obsolete and the Lord gave us another that encapsulates the former and will achieve a better result. It came in three words but carries the power to change us and change the world. "Love one another" is the new code (new commandment) for living under the new covenant of grace. It sounds simple and common but I just realised how we have been consistently violating this code. Spiritual leaders and workers in the vineyard violate it and church attendees also do same. Jealousy, envy and selfishness have clouded our judgment and believers seem not to care about one another except when it will benefit them. Oh LORD have mercy!

We must get back to what really matters and the greatest gift which is love. Jesus' new commandment for us is to love one another. How are we to love? Just the way he loved us, being selfless and sacrificed Himself for us. Jesus wants you and I to imitate Him, if it were not possible He won't tell us to do it and besides He has demonstrated it for us to learn from His Word. All we need is to believe Him and obey. The world will not see us as Christ's representatives because we bear Christian names and bag some titles, but only when we love ourselves.

How do you treat other believers? Do you really love people? Make every effort this new week to allow the love of God within you to find expression.

I celebrate you.

Good morning. Enjoy His love.

David, Johnson

When Things Fall Apart

MEDITATION

When Things Fall Apart

Micah 7:8 Rejoice not against me, O my enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the LORD shall be a light unto me.

Point to ponder on: Your fall doesn't mean you are finished, your failure is not final. If you won't stay down but looking up to Jesus you can get back up again.

Samson's enemies mocked him and thought he was doomed and finished. Things fell apart for Samson; after several trials his enemies got him down, plucked his eyes and made him dance before them but Samson knew His God is a restorer and God of many chances, therefore in the middle of his captivity he looked up to God and prayed for strength to overcome his enemies and God granted him his request. Though he prayed that he would die with them and God permitted it. If Samson rose from his fall and overcame his enemies, you too can rise from any fall, be it spiritual, financial, academical, marital, relationship, and whatever connotes or denotes fall in your life.

The LORD was the helper of Samson, Prophet Micah, Apostle Peter and one of the thieves on the cross. With the new covenant of grace available to you, you can trust Jesus for a big comeback from that downtime, failure, setback or backsliding. His light will shine in your darkness and you will rise to prominence in righteousness and greatness in Jesus name.

I celebrate you.

Good morning. Enjoy His mercy.

David, Johnson

EIGHT SMART IDEAS FOR LONG TERM RELATIONSHIP

If lasting relationship is what you desire to build, then read this.

The beginning of a relationship is always exciting. Two people are attracted to each other, begin to discover more about one another, and can see the relationship grow. Everything about a new relationship is novel and thrilling.

Once the relationship has matured however, the difficult work begins. The phase of everything being a new adventure is mostly over and focus switches to making the relationship work. Of course, there are still new and exciting things that happen, it’s just not as common. It’s easy to become complacent with another person and take them for granted past a certain phase.

Building and maintaining a long-term relationship can require some work, but it’s also incredibly rewarding. Watching the other person grow, starting a family, buying a house, and otherwise sharing your life with someone else is wonderful.

TRY THESE EIGHT SMART IDEAS

1. CREATE A SHARED DREAM FOR YOUR LIFE

In the midst of paying bills, cleaning the house, working long hours, and taking care of other responsibilities, it is easy to lose sight of the more important and long-term reasons for being together.
According to Dr. Jane Greer, a marriage and family therapist in New York City: “Successful couples quickly develop a mindfulness of ‘us,’ of being coupled…they have a shared vision, saying things like, ‘We want to plan to buy a house, we want to take a vacation to such-and-such a place, we like to do ‘X’, we thing we want to start a family at ‘Y’ time.’”
The most beneficial time to do this is at the beginning of a marriage, partnership, etc. Doing so sets a solid foundation upon which to build your life together. Another benefit of early and shared planning is that you are much more likely to make that dream a reality.

2. MAINTAIN A PHYSICAL CONNECTION

In any long-term relationship, physical intimacy (in any form) is far more than just physical. It’s important in maintaining the health of your emotional connection, as well. The physical act of love is something that only you two share and revel in. It’s also important in reigniting the passion and bringing you back together if you drift apart.
As with most elements of a relationship, it is easy to spark this physical connection in the beginning. It’s more difficult with work, finances, kids, home, physical changes, and whatever else makes intimacy more difficult.
Prioritizing intimacy with your partner is a great way to keep the passion flowing. The stresses that come with work, finances, and family will only be a minor roadblock as you continue to re-discover your physical attraction for one another.

3. KEEP COMMUNICATION LINES OPEN

We know, we know, you’ve probably already heard that communication is important in a relationship. “Thanks a lot, Captain Obvious.”
Maybe… but consider pondering this for just a moment: communication is the common denominator in everything involved in a relationship. It can be at the beginning, middle, or end phases of a relationship. It is involved in everything, big or small – buying a car or home, sharing emotions, wanting kids, forgetting to pay the bill, taking the garbage out…everything involves being able to communicate effectively.
Communication is also a vital element in understanding each other. You may think that you already know your partner, but do you know about their day? Do you know if they’re overwhelmed, feeling sick, unappreciated, or a hundred other things they may be thinking or feeling? Open communication is the only way to maintain equilibrium while further progressing in a relationship.
Good communication is all about being comfortable enough to tell your partner anything – good or bad. Understandably, we don’t want to hurt each other’s feelings by being abrupt and straightforward. However, that is part of open communication: being honest whether you do or don’t feel like it.

4. EMPHASIZE THE POSITIVE

We’re somewhat backtracking to communication (everything , remember?), but it’s important to demonstrate your appreciation of the other person. Emphasizing the positive is relatively easy when the attraction sparks fly when compared to a 10, 20, or 30 year marriage. It’s also much easier to do when things are going well. It’s still very important to tell the other person the things that you love about them.
The fact that relationships do get stressful and busy is exactly why you should reiterate your appreciation of your partner. Is your woman beautiful to you no matter what? Tell her such. Does your man work overtime to provide for the family? Tell him how much it’s appreciated.
(Men, don’t forget to tell your partner that they’re beautiful…just don’t.)

5. ANTICIPATE CHANGE

Research has shown that your partner will change in some way every 7-8 years. The change may be drastic or miniscule, but you need to expect to see some sort of difference in the person’s mind or body.
Personal change is a natural process in life, but we often don’t accommodate for these changes in our relationships. For both people, it is important to assess where you’re at and let your partner know what you need. If you don’t communicate this change, trouble often follows.
So just know what you’re thinking and feeling, let your partner know (communication!) and be honest. Understand that change is inevitable, and this applies to two people in love.

6. LEARN TO COMPROMISE

Two different people sometimes mean two different viewpoints. This is most evident when making any kind of decision – big or small. Sometimes, the two people agree and sometimes not. When there is a disagreement, don’t allow it to become a full-fledged argument. Instead discuss it calmly and rationally.
Be thoughtful and empathetic with the other person’s view on something. Don’t hear their response and immediately become defensive, insisting that you should have the final say. If you are unsure about why your partner thinks the way that they do, just ask questions for clarity.
For smaller decisions, simply take turns allowing each other to decide. If you picked the place to eat dinner, then allow your partner to choose which movie you will see.

7. APOLOGIZE WHEN YOU ARE WRONG

We all make mistakes in a relationship, but part of making a relationship last is willingness to admit these mistakes. If you committed a mistake, simply apologize to your partner. Being stubborn and insisting that you were right when you were clearly wrong is much worse than the blunder itself.
Further, it’s not enough to mumble “I’m sorry…” while your partner is walking away. Sincerity and eye contact are important elements to any apology. Forego your pride and state your apology with meaning.
Also, learn to accept each other’s apology. Stubbornness can also be present on the recipient’s side; so if your partner is sincerely apologetic, accept the words with sincerity and move on.

8. DON’T GIVE UP

Resiliency is important to making a relationship last. You may incorporate all of the above elements, but if you aren’t steadfast in your relationship it risks failure. Make the commitment to each other to do what you can to stick it out through the difficult times.
No relationship is perfect. It doesn’t matter how great a relationship appears from the outside, there are always going to be trials. It’s part of sharing a life with a person that is different in some way.

A long-term relationship is beautiful, but it isn’t easy. It’s not supposed to be easy; it’s supposed to be overwhelmingly worthwhile. Hopefully this article will make your current and future relationships more beautiful and long-lasting.

David, Johnson

So Much More

MEDITATION

So Much More

Psalm 25:12-14 "What man is he that fears the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
His soul shall dwell at ease; and his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will show them his covenant." Kjv2k

Point to ponder on: The Lord teaches those who fear Him to help them make the right decisions.

Three things are common to those who fear the LORD: they revere, worship and obey the LORD in full. They are true worshippers and devoted students of the Word. There is so much in store for them that they can't fathom. The blessing of the LORD manifests in different dimensions in their lives that results most of the times as pleasant surprises. There is so much more as revealed in the Holy Scriptures for you when you fear the LORD:

1. The LORD is committed to teach you in order to help you make right decisions. You can always count on the LORD for guidance in your decision making because His delight is to see you make the right decisions.

2. Your soul is set to experience ease in your daily endeavour. When you fear God you have nothing to fear.

3. Your children are ordained to possess their possessions and take charge of what rightfully belongs to them.

4. The LORD reveals His secret to you, which puts you in the position of a friend of God. He reveals His plans ahead to you just as He revealed to Abraham about the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

There is so much more to gain that will make life much simple and enjoyable when we understand the benefits accrued to the fear of the LORD. Let us share this sacred truth with every youngster around us about these great benefits awaiting anyone who would revere, worship and obey the LORD in full. There will be life challenges but victory is already won in Christ Jesus and they only need to activate it through prayer of faith but the process will birth faith and strength in them as they go through but God will ever remain faithful to His Word.

All the benefits will materialise in your life in Jesus name.

I celebrate you.

Good morning. Enjoy His blessing.

David, Johnson