“I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want. 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].”
Philippians 4:12-13 AMPC
https://www.bible.com/8/php.4.12-13.ampc
Zambia is currently suffering the worst drought in over 62 years. Throughout Western Province, Zambia and beyopnd, our sector managers have responded in sustainable manner by providing locals work, agricultural training, and land to farm.
A couple years ago, I was waiting at the doctor’s office when 3 men in hand- and foot cuffs were ushered into the waiting room. I assumed they had to be suspected of, or convicted of violent crime because they were under the surveillance of six prison guards. Two guards were assigned to each man, … Continue reading Lord, remember me
A while ago, I read a quote by Charles Spurgeon that was something along the lines of, “If ever you come across a piece of Scripture you can’t face, read it until you can.”
This simple statement changed the way I read Scripture.
You see, there are many passages I avoid — no, not drawn-out lineages, rules for the building of the temple, or ‘scary’ things I don’t understand — but passages that CONVICT me.
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
It’s often easier to avoid the things from Scripture that convict us, rather than to work through them, asking Holy Spirit for fresh revelation, and fresh grace so that we might continually grow in relationship with Him.
16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the servant of God[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17
You don’t have to be a Scholar to read and understand Scripture. If teenage fishermen were entrusted with this Message, and we have the Holy Spirit, it shouldn’t be hard to read, understand, and apply the FULL teaching we have through Scripture.
Nowadays, we have various options available to us — beautiful hardcopy, leather bound editions in many languages, or digital easily-accessed apps which give us the Bible on multiple devices. But this is not how Scripture started out. Most of the New Testament was written as letters to new believers to the many new churches that were found across the world. The Old Testament is made up of chronicles, stories, laws, prophesies, et cetera!
There is so much more to the Word than black and white (and red!) letters which provides us with a manual to living a God-filled life.
12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12
The Word is living and powerful and active!
When you’re offended by something, view this as the perfect opportunity for God to renew your thinking, for Holy Spirit to establish a new heart within you, for you to grow into the likeness of Christ. Don’t change Scripture to fit your convictions. But align your convictions to the Truth of the Word so that you might discover and grow in the fullness of all that God is, and who He is in you and through you!
There are a lot of people these days who are “cherry picking” scriptures which support their lifestyle choices, while they often ignore the context, as a whole, from which those scriptures are drawn.
This first verse here in Romans 8 is one of those scriptures. For, these people assume they are “in Christ Jesus” merely because they made a profession of faith in Christ, or merely because they made some acknowledgment as to who he is as the Lord, the Christ, the Son of God. Or, perhaps it was because they repeated some words after someone in a prayer where they were then congratulated that they are now in God’s family.
But, is that all there is to it to be “in Christ”? Or, is there more to it?
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life…
In the busy season, Rapid14 is home to over 100 missionaries, AMT students, and expedition members. The Main Centre on Rapid 14 is an all-in-one dining hall, church, living room, recreational centre, and sometimes, classroom.It overlooks the gorgeous cliffs of Rapid 14, the fourteenth rapid from the Victoria Falls, and many missionaries working in the … Continue reading this beautiful [home]
What's a missionary? If your answer is something along the lines of "Jehovah's Witnesses" or "Mormons", and you're not aware of the evangelical commission of the Apostles, found in Acts, then this is a good kick-off to transform your thinking. Listen to this amazing vision by founder and CEO of Overland Missions, Philip Smethurst. Apostles … Continue reading what is a [missionary]?
One of the most central issues within the [modern] church, that seems to pop up every now and then is the question:
Should women be allowed to preach?
Essentially, this question does not relate to the official platform of 'preacher' as it relates to pastor or whatever official title you'd like to slap on to the formal structure of [church] ministry. Rather, the question is this -- are women supposed to publicly speak out about the Gospel?
One would think that, within the modern era, this question is finite, and also redundant. Yet, it's something that constantly pops up in church discussions, social media, and feminist campaigns. Personally, I'm not an advocate for feminism. I'm an advocate for the Gospel, and that intrinsically implies equality. Perhaps we'll have a discussion about this another time?
the tyger || burning bright || #runwildlivefree On 29 September, two weeks after my dad passed away, I was visiting my friend Carené -- I was making my way though town, coming back from KZN where I went to see my dad's lawyer earlier that morning. It wasn't an unusual day, and I wasn't very … Continue reading the tiger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cIp0499cLY After visiting an unreached cluster of huts, the team shared the Gospel to a family in which they accepted Jesus and burned their charms .
Twenty six days ago my father passed away. These words still seem unreal to me, even as I write them here. In a month's time I'll be celebrating my first birthday without him, and that is even more unreal. "Your word is a lamp to guide my feet, and a light for my path." Psalm … Continue reading the valley
The thing is -- sometime we get caught up in life, running from end to end to get stuff done. And we tend to miss out on the simple pleasures -- like children laughing and wet dog noses; taking a stroll in stead of a sprint.
God’s Word is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword. It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined, to the center of our joints and bones. And it judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts.
Two years ago I was having a conversation on mangled French in a parking lot, and now I'm preparing to move to the Democratic Republic of Congo, and make it my home.
I find that Scripture translations are often like beautiful mosaics -- carefully put together in order to convey it's truest message.
I say, read the translation/version that speaks to you (language wise, and revelation wise) with the enlightenment of Holy Spirit, and allow Him to reveal the depths of it's truths to you.
if crossing the wilderness has taught me anything, it is to be uncompromisingly obedient to God, and to fully trust in, and rely on Him to show you the path to take.
I make it a firm policy not to live in the past. However, I love looking back because over and over and over again, I see GOD IS FAITHFUL written in giant capitals all over this journey.
Many think salvation is earned by becoming a member of a denomination and by works, they know nothing of grace through faith. Many have never read the Bible, or even held one, so what do you teach then? Well, tradition. We have walked into village churches just as the pastors were inviting the “angry spirits of the dead” into the building.
