Man up! (2)

Being a real man is not about building up muscles, being popular with the girls, or impressing the girls. Any animal in the jungle can do that.

Life on the altar

Life on the altar demands sacrifice because an altar is a place of sacrifice. It’s all about denying one’s own life on behalf of others.

Jesus said to everyone, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). In other words, a Christian can never put down his personal cross. Neither can he count on others to help him carry it. The requirement to follow Jesus and enjoy the reward of eternal life is to deny oneself and depend entirely on God. Is it easy? No, it’s not! That’s why few are chosen.

To have one’s life on the altar means to die to the world and to sin. It’s not possible to live a life dedicated to God and to the world at the same time. “Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4).

UCKG

Your problem is God's problem

If you visit your local jail or courthouse, you will see parents red-eyed from crying and sleepless nights, running around and following behind lawyers as they try to get their son or daughter out of prison. How much is it? Five, ten thousand dollars? Here it is, take it — take all I have, but let my child go…

It doesn’t matter what their son or daughter has done. He or she may have stolen, sold drugs, or even killed somebody. Parents still want to help their child.

Now think about how God must feel about us.

LORD, look down from heaven and see us… Surely you are still our Father! Even if Abraham and Jacob would disown us, LORD, you would still be our Father. You are our Redeemer from ages past. Isa 63:15,16

The truth is that our defeat is God’s shame. Our failure is a stain on God’s reputation. He can’t let us down, even if He wanted to. Even if we did wrong against Him. Even if Abraham would disown us, He would still be our Father!

Keep this in your heart: God has more invested in you than you have in yourself. He wants you to succeed. When you succeed, He wins too.

So, do not fear. He will do whatever it takes to protect His child.

Just be His child.

For the battle is not yours, but God’s. 2 Chronicles 20:15

Being a male vs. Being a Man

Many a sample of the male species out there don't know the difference. Boy-men, macho-men, and other types of males drive women crazy and are a shame to the species. But not all hope is lost. Watch this new series on how to become a real Man and be respected by everyone — especially your wife. Man up!

To hell with doubts!

Like God, the devil also works with words; he uses words or thoughts of doubt that cause fear and worries. As a consequence, people become emotionally unstable and they become vulnerable to harm. It’s a recipe from hell to kill, to steal, and to destroy.

There’s no medicine that can neutralise these attacks, but we have to set our minds on God’s promises and react. React immediately in our mind, through thoughts that are based on the Word. Faith’s counterattack combined with a good dose of trust and perseverance will make the devil run. That’s what it means to submit to God and resist the devil (James 4:7).

Good music, wise advice, a word of comfort, entertainment, or anything else is like taking an aspirin. It sooths the pain, but it doesn’t solve the problem. We must use the same tactics our Lord used when He resisted Peter’s emotional “advice”, saying: “Get behind Me, Satan!” (Matthew 16:23).

Malice

The source of a good life comes from pure thoughts, free of malice. Malice not only corrupts good faith, but is also responsible for the downfall of many Christians.

Lately, the love of most has been growing cold, not only towards others, but towards God. The type of love that the Bible is referring to is a love that comes from faith. This is what we see happening right now.

The quality of faith found in today's Christians is very similar to the faith of the Israelites in the days of Jeremiah. There is such inconsistency in the faith of people today, and all of this due to malicious desires.

I suggest that you meditate, not read but meditate, on the ninth chapter of Jeremiah. I would like to bring the following selection to your attention:

"My people [...] have bent their tongues for lies. They are not valiant for the truth on the earth. For they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know Me,' says the LORD." (Jeremiah 9:3)

The force that drives a malicious "Christian" is his personal gain, not to honor the Lord Jesus, but to fight for his own personal interests. This gives birth to malice.

Therefore, "Everyone take heed to his neighbour, And do not trust any brother; for every brother will utterly supplant, and every neighbour will walk with slanderers. Everyone will deceive his neighbour, and will not speak the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves to commit iniquity. Your dwelling place is in the midst of deceit; through deceit they refuse to know Me, says the LORD" (Jeremiah 9:4-6).

When the Spirit warns you of a bad conscience, it's actually warning you against the spirit of malice, so commonly found among the convinced but not converted. We must be vigilant at all times, not allowing malice to invade our hearts.

Acknowledgment Day – UCKG Anniversary, July 9th'

Time: July 9, 2010 at 6pm to July 10, 2010
Location: Worldwide
Organized By: UCKG

Event Description:
As The Universal Church celebrates its 33rd anniversary on July 9th, we are calling all pastors, assistants, staff, and church members to acknowledge what God has done in their lives.

Acknowledgment day will challenge us to look back on our journey with God and remember where He has rescued us from. It will be a day of worship and praise, of recognizing we are nothing without Him.

We hope you will come and join us. The Lord’s Supper will also be served.

Acknowledgment Day
Universal Church 33rd Anniversary
Friday, July 9th 6pm