[Note]: I usually write my poems in free verse since it seems to be easier for me that way, but sometimes I try to write something in rhyming verse to challenge myself a little. here is one such poem:
Our Great Shepherd
Life seems full of possibilities
When we walk with Jesus as our guide,
There's clear direction for our future
when he has control of our lives.
We spare ourselves some pain and problems
When we follow the way he will show,
On our own we stumble, fall and fail
As those who have been there do know!
There is joy and contentment in following the shepherd
though the way be narrow and stony,
he knows the way to the celestial city
that noone knows, except him only.
It's better to join the Great shepherd's flock
than straggle and struggle alone;
He watches over his flock with loving care
And will never leave us on our own!
So, come now and join God's family
[There's no reason to delay;]
Following Jesus our Great Shepherd
Who lovingly guides us on our way!
Thursday 24 March 2011
Praying for Persecuted Christians
Praying For Persecuted Christians:
This is something that is really on my heart. Christians in various parts of the world are experiencing different levels of persecution, from prison, torture and death, to being given menial jobs, being ostracised, even having family and friends turn them in to the authorities for converting to Christianity. Despite all this, these people are growing strong in their faith, not letting what they are going through turn them away from the Lord. Their courage and faithfulness is inspiring. they witness about the Lord to others even though they are aware that they may be putting themselves into danger for doing it.
The bible tells us to:
Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.
[hebrews 13:3]
So let's commit to spending time in prayer for these beloved brothers and sisters. Be guided by God as to how often you should spend time each week praying for them and commit to that. A very excellent resource for finding out what is happening and what we need to pray for is
www.persecution.com
they have a prayer watch bulletin that you can receive weekly and pray over the situations highlighted in that newsletter. they also have information about the different countries where Christians are persecuted and what level of persecution the Christians in these countries experience. Another way we can pray for these brothers and sisters is to pray Scripture over them and there is a prayer guide for doing that on the same website.
We can encourage other people to pray for the persecuted believers as well, maybe you can share the email prayer bulletin or other such resources with your friends and ask them to pray too. You can also make a donation to help these believers through the Voice of the Martyrs site or through other means.
I should point out that I am not affiliated in any way with Voice of the Martyrs but I encourage you to check out their website at
www.persecution.com
as I have found it an excellent resource. I hope I have been able to encourage at least one other person to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in the faith.
Thanks for reading and may god bless you!
This is something that is really on my heart. Christians in various parts of the world are experiencing different levels of persecution, from prison, torture and death, to being given menial jobs, being ostracised, even having family and friends turn them in to the authorities for converting to Christianity. Despite all this, these people are growing strong in their faith, not letting what they are going through turn them away from the Lord. Their courage and faithfulness is inspiring. they witness about the Lord to others even though they are aware that they may be putting themselves into danger for doing it.
The bible tells us to:
Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body.
[hebrews 13:3]
So let's commit to spending time in prayer for these beloved brothers and sisters. Be guided by God as to how often you should spend time each week praying for them and commit to that. A very excellent resource for finding out what is happening and what we need to pray for is
www.persecution.com
they have a prayer watch bulletin that you can receive weekly and pray over the situations highlighted in that newsletter. they also have information about the different countries where Christians are persecuted and what level of persecution the Christians in these countries experience. Another way we can pray for these brothers and sisters is to pray Scripture over them and there is a prayer guide for doing that on the same website.
We can encourage other people to pray for the persecuted believers as well, maybe you can share the email prayer bulletin or other such resources with your friends and ask them to pray too. You can also make a donation to help these believers through the Voice of the Martyrs site or through other means.
I should point out that I am not affiliated in any way with Voice of the Martyrs but I encourage you to check out their website at
www.persecution.com
as I have found it an excellent resource. I hope I have been able to encourage at least one other person to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters in the faith.
Thanks for reading and may god bless you!
Monday 21 March 2011
a prayer for you
May the love of god watch over you
and his hand be upon you
to guide and to help you,
give you strength and give you peace.
May Jesus be the friend you lean on,
he is only a whisper away,
He has promised in his word
to never forsake those who trust him.
May God's wisdom guide you
May his love fill your heart
And we will rejoice together
When God brings victory in your life.
and his hand be upon you
to guide and to help you,
give you strength and give you peace.
May Jesus be the friend you lean on,
he is only a whisper away,
He has promised in his word
to never forsake those who trust him.
May God's wisdom guide you
May his love fill your heart
And we will rejoice together
When God brings victory in your life.
dealing with suicidal thoughts
I want to talk to anyone who may have struggled with suicidal thoughts in the past or who is dealing with this in their lives now. I really felt that I didn't have the right to write about this but I believe God wants me to so I'm going to go ahead but please remember I'm not a counselor or pastor, but I have dealt with suicidal thoughts before so I have some experience.
When I was a teenager I had a difficult time, didn't we all? I was unhappy at school and I was miserable at home. I believed noone loved me. I know now that was untrue, but teenagers aren't the most logical of people. I felt that I was unloved and unwanted and I withdrew from the people I loved, till I was locked into my own little world most of the time. I still interacted with people but apart from one friend I didn't' really share myself with anyone and noone knew how I was feeling except they knew I was unhappy. Suicide seemed the easy way out to me, but every time I seriously contemplated it, when i got to the point of holding a knife in my hand, I wouldn't go through with it. I would always hear God's still small voice telling me not to do it, that life was a precious gift. I can really say that if not for my faith I wouldn't be here today.
if you or anyone you know is dealing with thoughts of suicide then you or they need professional help and should get it as soon as possible. this isn't something to mess around with, if you or someone you know is seriously feeling suicidal don't wait but get help now. I can't stress that enough. it's not enough just to talk to someone who is dealing with this, though it's not a bad thing to do, but someone who is seriously contemplating this feels so hopeless and so sure that this is the only way that they might not even attend to what you say.
The person going through this needs a lot of prayer both now and later, when they may feel shame at what they planned to do. They need god's help and your prayers.
And now a word for someone who has dealt with suicidal thoughts in the past. If you're a Christian you know that we have an enemy who wants to pull us down. Shame is one of the weapons he uses. If you have asked God to forgive you for suicidal thoughts then you are forgiven. Don't let the enemy try to make you feel bad or keep you in chains of guilt and shame. bring these thoughts to God and ask his help in dealing with them. Remember that god loves you and he understands everything that you have gone through.
I hope my message has been helpful to someone. May God bless you!
When I was a teenager I had a difficult time, didn't we all? I was unhappy at school and I was miserable at home. I believed noone loved me. I know now that was untrue, but teenagers aren't the most logical of people. I felt that I was unloved and unwanted and I withdrew from the people I loved, till I was locked into my own little world most of the time. I still interacted with people but apart from one friend I didn't' really share myself with anyone and noone knew how I was feeling except they knew I was unhappy. Suicide seemed the easy way out to me, but every time I seriously contemplated it, when i got to the point of holding a knife in my hand, I wouldn't go through with it. I would always hear God's still small voice telling me not to do it, that life was a precious gift. I can really say that if not for my faith I wouldn't be here today.
if you or anyone you know is dealing with thoughts of suicide then you or they need professional help and should get it as soon as possible. this isn't something to mess around with, if you or someone you know is seriously feeling suicidal don't wait but get help now. I can't stress that enough. it's not enough just to talk to someone who is dealing with this, though it's not a bad thing to do, but someone who is seriously contemplating this feels so hopeless and so sure that this is the only way that they might not even attend to what you say.
The person going through this needs a lot of prayer both now and later, when they may feel shame at what they planned to do. They need god's help and your prayers.
And now a word for someone who has dealt with suicidal thoughts in the past. If you're a Christian you know that we have an enemy who wants to pull us down. Shame is one of the weapons he uses. If you have asked God to forgive you for suicidal thoughts then you are forgiven. Don't let the enemy try to make you feel bad or keep you in chains of guilt and shame. bring these thoughts to God and ask his help in dealing with them. Remember that god loves you and he understands everything that you have gone through.
I hope my message has been helpful to someone. May God bless you!
Dealing with Depression
Today I want to talk to you about depression. I have heard it said that Christians shouldn't or don't suffer with depression. That is simply not true. Yes, the joy of the Lord is our strength, as the bible says:
Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord.
And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
[Nehemiah 8:10]
but that doesn't mean we are always happy and cheerful, although we should try to be, for God's word says:
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
[Proverbs 17:22]
Joy and happiness are not the same thing. Happiness is a fleeting thing, a feeling or state of mind. people who search for it don't often find it but people who just live their lives and make time for important things like family and Church and leisure activities may find happiness coming to them unexpectedly.
Joy is more than a feeling. It is a quiet contentment, based on the knowledge of who god is and what he has done for us. It is a contentment not based on circumstances, the Apostle Paul had joy even in prison, but based on a relationship with god. A person can have joy in their hearts and still battle with depression.
there are different forms and types of depression. I'm not an expert in it so I won't go into too much detail here, I just want to share a message of encouragement to Christians like me who deal with depression. Clinical depression is more than just feeling sad or being in low spirits, it is caused by a chemical imbalance in the system and can happen to anyone. Let me share a couple of points that might help you as they have helped me.
1. don't be afraid or ashamed to talk to God about your depression. He understands. Remember that Jesus lived on the earth as a man and he experienced everything that we experience, he knows exactly how we feel. the bible says this:
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have
a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then
with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
[Hebrews 4:14-16]
I find this very comforting. Jesus experienced all that we experience. The bible even says that Jesus wept [John 11:35] so i know I can talk to him about my depression, whether something has happened to make me feel sad or I'm having a bout of depression without anything particular happening that has made me feel that way.
2. whatever you do don't allow your depression to keep you from spending time with God, it's vital to keep doing that no matter how we feel. Remember that God is the one who can help us the most in dealing with depression.
3. Don't let anyone try to make you feel guilty or bad if you are a Christian who deals with depression. Remember that we have an enemy, the devil, who will try to bring us down any way he can and if he can make us feel shame he will do it. Also, people who may not understand might try to convince you that Christians shouldn't be depressed. Don't let them get you down, talk to God about how those people make you feel. Don't be bitter about it though. People may be well-meaning and try to help you but if they don't have depression they don't really understand what we go through.
4. What really helps me when I have a bout of depression is to talk about it with a Christian friend who deals with the same issues and can encourage me. I can't thank god enough for my wonderful friends Maria and Joe who help me so much when I'm depressed. they have given me so much support and encouragement.
If you don't have a Christian friend or family member who has depression too, ask God to bring someone like that into your life. if you don't have anyone like that in your life and you need someone to talk to you can feel free to email me. Please understand that I'm not a counselor or a pastor or anything, but I can pray for you and listen to you and I'm happy to do that.
5. sometimes counseling can help, if you possibly can find a Christian counselor that would be very good, although any counselor may be able to help you and give you coping strategies. I had a Christian counselor who helped me even though I only saw her a few times.
6. About the worst thing we can do when we're depressed is isolate ourselves, stop going to church and stop talking to our friends and family. make an effort to keep attending church and keep in touch with your loved ones even if it's not what you want to do.
7. Anti-depressant medication can be helpful, talk to your doctor. there are also naturopathic things that can help if you prefer to go that way.
I hope that what I have said has been helpful to someone. may God bless you all!
Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord.
And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
[Nehemiah 8:10]
but that doesn't mean we are always happy and cheerful, although we should try to be, for God's word says:
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
[Proverbs 17:22]
Joy and happiness are not the same thing. Happiness is a fleeting thing, a feeling or state of mind. people who search for it don't often find it but people who just live their lives and make time for important things like family and Church and leisure activities may find happiness coming to them unexpectedly.
Joy is more than a feeling. It is a quiet contentment, based on the knowledge of who god is and what he has done for us. It is a contentment not based on circumstances, the Apostle Paul had joy even in prison, but based on a relationship with god. A person can have joy in their hearts and still battle with depression.
there are different forms and types of depression. I'm not an expert in it so I won't go into too much detail here, I just want to share a message of encouragement to Christians like me who deal with depression. Clinical depression is more than just feeling sad or being in low spirits, it is caused by a chemical imbalance in the system and can happen to anyone. Let me share a couple of points that might help you as they have helped me.
1. don't be afraid or ashamed to talk to God about your depression. He understands. Remember that Jesus lived on the earth as a man and he experienced everything that we experience, he knows exactly how we feel. the bible says this:
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have
a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then
with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
[Hebrews 4:14-16]
I find this very comforting. Jesus experienced all that we experience. The bible even says that Jesus wept [John 11:35] so i know I can talk to him about my depression, whether something has happened to make me feel sad or I'm having a bout of depression without anything particular happening that has made me feel that way.
2. whatever you do don't allow your depression to keep you from spending time with God, it's vital to keep doing that no matter how we feel. Remember that God is the one who can help us the most in dealing with depression.
3. Don't let anyone try to make you feel guilty or bad if you are a Christian who deals with depression. Remember that we have an enemy, the devil, who will try to bring us down any way he can and if he can make us feel shame he will do it. Also, people who may not understand might try to convince you that Christians shouldn't be depressed. Don't let them get you down, talk to God about how those people make you feel. Don't be bitter about it though. People may be well-meaning and try to help you but if they don't have depression they don't really understand what we go through.
4. What really helps me when I have a bout of depression is to talk about it with a Christian friend who deals with the same issues and can encourage me. I can't thank god enough for my wonderful friends Maria and Joe who help me so much when I'm depressed. they have given me so much support and encouragement.
If you don't have a Christian friend or family member who has depression too, ask God to bring someone like that into your life. if you don't have anyone like that in your life and you need someone to talk to you can feel free to email me. Please understand that I'm not a counselor or a pastor or anything, but I can pray for you and listen to you and I'm happy to do that.
5. sometimes counseling can help, if you possibly can find a Christian counselor that would be very good, although any counselor may be able to help you and give you coping strategies. I had a Christian counselor who helped me even though I only saw her a few times.
6. About the worst thing we can do when we're depressed is isolate ourselves, stop going to church and stop talking to our friends and family. make an effort to keep attending church and keep in touch with your loved ones even if it's not what you want to do.
7. Anti-depressant medication can be helpful, talk to your doctor. there are also naturopathic things that can help if you prefer to go that way.
I hope that what I have said has been helpful to someone. may God bless you all!
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