Christian Almsgiving that helps

In the modern world, poor people don't need money, they need more work. Addicts don't need to be supported, they need to recover sobriety. If we're really interested in helping someone, we must seek to satisfy their needs, not their wants.

Is this to say we shouldn't give? No way! Instead, we should use the time and care to give in a way that really helps. If a homeless person asks for money, offer to help them find a job. If an addict asks for housing, help them find a treatment center. Use your generosity to hire a gardener for the old lady down the street or to tip the waitress 50%. Buy lemonade at every stand and pay a dollar a glass. Buy stuff from every kid that comes to the door. Giving alms can be fun...like casting bread on the water to feed ducks. When we give wisely, we avoid feeding someone's destructive lifestyle and, instead, reinforce the right values.

For example, as head of almsgiving at a local church, I discovered welfare recipients had begun networking our phone number because no one was even making sure they had a need. We were sending thousands of dollars every month to total strangers we had never met. I decided they would have to show up and do whatever work around our grounds that they could (sweeping, stacking chairs, etc.), or to help us help others in some way. Within a few months, we were getting no calls. One church member got out of control financially and asked for money. While giving her the money she needed, I reviewed her budget, recommended she get a full-time job and make some spending changes. Several months later, after doing what I suggested, she came back for over a thousand dollars to catch up with her bills. She used the "extra" money from her new job to buy a new luxury truck she didn't need. The payments and insurance put a strain on her budget. Again, while helping her get through the pinch. I recommended she sell the truck and use the equity to catch up on her bills and buy a used sedan for cash. She did what I suggested, never needed to beg the church for money again, lost weight, wore nice clothes and hated me for "making" her do it. Let me ask you, would I have helped her by just giving her the money she asked for? It took about 10 hours of my time to review her finances and actually help her.

Instead just throwing money at people or performing a religious ritual of almsgiving, we can use the blessing God has given us to bless others. It takes time and a real heart for people to find out what they need and help them. When we take the time to share the love of God through actually meeting the needs of people, they will see our good deeds and praise our Father in Heaven.

apologize

sorry..was not blogging nowadays of my journal.this doesnt mean that i stop journalizing my bible.. i was too busy of schools,trainings n stuff..apologize for my inconvinient deed.gonna update by this weekend=) kthxbye

As a Christian, there are many times in life where I am faced with my own pride. I think it's our biggest hang-up as people, and the biggest and easiest way for Satan to get a grip on our lives.

We tend to think that if we are going to church, serving others, doing good things, etc-- that that is living a good Christian life. And our works are important, but our heart and our motivation behind those works is even more important. What concerns me is when we balk at doing things for the Lord simply because they make us uncomfortable. We say we love the Lord and we seem to be doing all the right things and saying all the right things... but are we truly following His commands for our lives and being obedient to Him - in our hearts?

God says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my father who is in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)

You see, has God asked you to do something that you are refusing to do? Has He prompted your heart about obeying Him in a certain area and your pride has stubbornly kicked in and you refuse? Maybe it's something you don't see the purpose in, or an area that you feel is inconsequential. But you don't really know if it's inconsequential in God's sovereign plans for you, do you?

Whatever it is, we need to remember that if we claim to follow the Lord, we need to apply it daily. We must be constantly laying down our wills and trusting God with HIS will for our lives. It may seem inconsequential, irrelevant, or even purely silly to us. But we just don't know what God has in mind. Maybe He simply wants to see us step out in faith so He can bless us. Maybe you are denying yourself many blessings that He wants to give you because you refuse to lay down your pride! Maybe He wants to use you to bring someone else to the Lord. We are all being watched. We have no idea who is watching us and waiting to see if we will do something that is hard for us to do on behalf of our faith --- or if we simply use idle words to say we are believers and our actions don't follow through.

On the other hand, it doesn't matter how many good works we do for the Lord if we refuse to forgive a brother or sister and restore that relationship. It doesn't matter how much money we give to the church or missions if we can't control our daily lives enough to monitor the words we use in our home with our children or our spouse. It doesn't matter that we are saying and doing all of the right things if in our hearts, we are ignoring that persistent tug on our hearts and souls of the Lord telling us and instructing us to obey Him in a certain area of our faith and our life.

Pride. It has roots that grow deep into us and they are hard to sever at times.

I have to work on my own pride daily, hourly, every minute. I have to ask God to pray on my behalf when I find it hard to pray for someone else that truly has done wrong things to me. I have to work on my own pride when I don't get the recognition for hard work that I have done. I have to work on my own pride when I'm boosted in my self confidence for something I've done and the glory should go to the Lord instead of me.

But I feel so much closer to the Lord when I am able to set aside my own "self" for Him. I am able to hear Him more clearly because of my obedience, and my heart is more at rest.

I think we need to be very careful of claiming to love the Lord, but choosing our own will over His. That shows we don't believe in Him very much after all, because we think our own way is better.

God grant you the light in Christmas, which is faith; the warmth of Christmas, which is love; the radiance of Christmas, which is purity; the righteousness of Christmas, which is justice; the belief in Christmas, which is truth; the all of Christmas, which is Christ.

the message from the scripture Isaiah 9:6-7

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows— light! sunbursts of light! You repopulated the nation,you expanded its joy. Oh, they're so glad in your presence! Festival joy! The joy of a great celebration, sharing rich gifts and warm greetings. Is gone, done away with, a deliverance as surprising and sudden as Gideon's old victory over Midian. The boots of all those invading troops, along with their shirts soaked with innocent blood, Will be piled in a heap and burned, a fire that will burn for days! For a child has been born—for us! he gift of a son—for us! He'll take over the running of the world. His names will be: Amazing Counselor, Strong God, Eternal Father, Prince of Wholeness. His ruling authority will grow,and there'll be no limits to the wholeness he brings. He'll rule from the historic David throne over that promised kingdom. He'll put that kingdom on a firm footing and keep it going With fair dealing and right living, beginning now and lasting always. The zeal of God-of-the-Angel-Armies will do all this.

The Gift Of God

There was seen a radiance
Glowing one night
Near the little maiden Mary
In blue and white.

"Lilies are not fairer,
"Roses more red,
Than the Child she sings to slumber,"
An angel said.

So the shepherds ventured
Through the white cold,
And their eyes beheld the Infant,
An hour old.

Long they gazed and wondered,
Awkward in awe,
At the paramount perfection
Within their straw.

"Diamonds are but trifles!
"Rubies no gem!"
Cried the hearts that slaved for pittance
Near Bethlehem.

So it was forever,
After the night
When the little maiden Mary
Wore blue and white.

Merry Christmas

Isaiah 9:6-7...For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
 

A Meaningful Life Includes Jesus Christ

Have you ever spent much time thinking about the significance and meaning of life? Are there times when life just doesn't seem to make sense? Does life often seem purposeless?

Do you sometimes feel like you are floating in the middle of the ocean struggling to keep your head above water? Or at times does your life seem like a three-ring circus that is out-of-control?

What people most wanted in life were peace, love, and joy. Three things that money cannot buy.

Now, if you are like most people then most likely you are looking for meaning, purpose, peace, joy, and love in your life also. You too probably sense a void deep within that you have not been able to fill no matter how hard you try.

If you need help and hope...simply call upon the NAME that is above every other name both in heaven and on earth...the name of Jesus.

Now, pay close attention to what God (Jesus) says here in His word:

James 4:8-"Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and make your hearts pure, you double-minded."
And...

2 Chronicles 7:13-14-"When I close up the sky so that it doesn't rain, or command locusts to devour the land's vegetation, or send a plague among my people, if my people, who belong to me, humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their sinful practices, then I will respond from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land." Look! It just cannot get any clearer than this. God has already taken the first step toward giving you the peace, love, joy, and everything else you desire to be happy. Only He can fill the void that you sense in your life. Only He can give you the purpose and the meaning you search for in your life.

Do not wait another minute. Seek Him now. He is waiting for you!

God says in His word, "And you will seek me, and find me, when you search for me with all your heart." Jeremiah 29:13

how to combat fears

Finding help to combat fear isn't always easy, especially when a lot of great stuff gets lost amongst the stuff that's not so great. Fear seems to poke its ugly head into our lives constantly.


Sometimes the reason you don't move forward is not only because of fear, but because of its deceptive nature, you don't realize it.


So what do you do to combat fear? How do you stop it from controlling your life?


The Word says that God didn't give us the spirit of fear, but a sound mind. Fear is the opposite of faith. But it is possible to have faith and still be afraid. It's a strange concept, but it's very true.


Your mind can be full of faith that you're doing what God is telling you to do, but your body still feels the fear. If you feel certain you should be moving forward, then do it anyway.....despite the fear. I can tell you from experience.....do it afraid. God will reward your faithfulness.


The more you learn about God's character and His nature, the more you realize that the best way to combat fear is to keep focused on Him. As long as you're doing your best to follow Him and His will for your life, you can treat fear exactly for what it is.......a hindrance to moving forward.



Having a firm grasp of your Christian priorities will give you the road map you need to keep your thoughts on the right things and off FEAR.

There are a lot of great scriptures on how to combat fear. Here are a few that will help you get moving in the right direction:

Psalm 91:4-6
-He will cover you with his wings. Under the feathers of his wings you will find safety. He is faithful. He will keep you safe like a shield or a tower. You won't have to be afraid of the terrors that come during the night. You won't have to fear the arrows that come at you during the day. You won't have to be afraid of the sickness that attacks in the darkness. You won't have to fear the plague that destroys at noon.

Psalm 112:7: He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is firmly fixed, trusting, (leaning on and being confident) in the Lord.

2 Timothy 1:7: For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but (He has given us a spirit) of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.

The most important knowledge in the world is the knowledge of God. The second most important is the knowledge of yourself. To know God, we must know Jesus Christ as our Savior (John 17:3-"And what is eternal life? It is knowing you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.). In his prayer, David makes two basic requests that should also be our prayer.

Our prayer should be that we want God to know us. This doesn't mean we want God to get information about us; it means that we have nothing to hide from Him. We hide from God with our words. When we lie to other people, we're lying to ourselves, and we are lying to God.

God has purposes for us to fulfill. He wants us to explore new territory and expand the horizons of our lives. Let God put you through the furnace (if He needs to) to remove the dross from your life. Let Him prepare you for what He has planned for you.

Our prayer also should be that we want God to guide us. We can't flee from God or fight Him, so we might as well follow Him. Jeremiah said, "O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man who walks to direct his steps" (Jer. 10:23). "The Lord helps me. I will not be afraid. What can a mere man do to me?(hebrew 13:6)


When we are willing to obey, God is more than willing to reveal His way to us. He guides us through His Word and through prayer. Don't be stingy with God, giving Him only a minute or two of your time every day. He also guides us through the prompting of the Holy Spirit, through circumstances and through His people. How glorious it is to have Christian friends with whom you can pray and to have a pastor who prays for you and ministers to you.

Go Ahead... Journal! Taking Time To Record My Soul's Journey With God!

The beauty of a journal is what you create in its pages.

A journal is "you" recorded...

In your own unique way,
For your own reasons,
And at your own pace.

It can also be a place where, over time, you are able to reflect on your own "soul journey" with God.

Why?

Because your prayers, ideas, struggles, joys, victories, insights on life, heartaches, meaningful quotes, and whatever else may be significant to you are before your eyes --- like a book.

Your book. A book of your life and how you process that life with your God.

my own mission statements:-
"My life purpose is to love Christ, grow in Christ, share Christ, serve Christ through His church, and to lead my family and others to do the same."

"My life aim is to lead people to know God intimately and to
serve him passionately."

the warning of ungodly teacher, remain in God's love

Jude 20But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit..this means we shouldnt pray jz for our own needs or wishes..but to pray with the most holy faith n guide from the holy spirit.do ask for forgiveness n give thanks to God=)
Jude 21..the mercy of Lord Jesus Christ will bring you eternal life.As you wait for his mercy, remain in God's love.

Although Jude was very eager to write to his readers about salvation, he felt that he must instead warn them about certain immoral men circulating among them who were perverting the grace of God . Apparently these false teachers were trying to convince believers that being saved by grace gave them license to sin since their sins would no longer be held against them. Jude thought it imperative that his readers be on guard against such men and be prepared to oppose their perverted teaching with the truth about God’s saving grace.

It has generally been assumed that these false teachers were Gnostics. Although this identification is no doubt correct, they must have been forerunners of fully developed, second-century Gnosticism