Christianity | Enough Tribulations Peace & Deliverance Ministries

Tag Archive: Christianity

Christianity Is A Hard Task

March 26, 2014

Q: I am a young man battling with my Christian faith. Growing up, I was the only one in my household who had a difficulty converting to Christianity as I did not want to conform to the morals and standards of the Christian journey because I found that life boring. However, I began attending church regularly in my late teens. I found myself getting closer to God, especially through my exciting Sunday school classes. The classes were engaging and fruitful. The teacher was the main reason the class was so real to me and uplifting. He portrayed Christ-like qualities, and knew how to express and share the joy he found in the Lord. He went the extra mile to guide me and helped with my decision to be baptized. I was now on the right path, ready to fulfill God’s purpose for me. I believe God placed him in my life. He was an excellent example to how to follow Christ.

I moved to a different parish because of my job, and while there, I found it difficult to find a church. I kept in touch with my old Sunday school teacher, especially when my Christian journey got rough. It is a rough journey. I am trying hard to keep the faith, but that changed one night.

While on vacation, I went out with my non-Christian friends. I had a few drinks too many, and we ended up at a strip club. I felt guilty the entire time I was there and wanted to leave. But when I decided that this place was not for me, I noticed a familiar face in a corner of the strip club. To my amazement, it was my old Sunday school teacher! I immediately walked over to him where I pushed away one of the women. I didn’t have the strength to utter any words. He quickly grabbed my hand and took me outside, trying to formulate some kind of explanation, but failed. He was the one person I could count on to make sure I was doing what was right in the Lord. Now, I am lost and confused and I do not know who I can trust or believe in. How do I find my way back to Christ?

A: The arm of flesh will fail you, so you dare not trust your own. Your Sunday school teacher is not perfect, just like you. He struggles with temptations similar to your struggles. In fact, it is part of human nature to struggle with temptation for the rest of one’s life. Failure to meet the standards of God does not mean one is not a Christian. It means one has fallen short of the Glory of God. Sometimes, we even rebel against God’s will. God is always willing to forgive our failures and sins. God wants erring human beings to be sorry for their wrong actions and pledge to do better.

PUT CONFIDENCE IN GOD

Your confidence should not be in any preacher or Sunday school, but in God. You will need the support of others in the Christian journey. You need to engage in spiritual exercises of meditation, reading of the Bible, prayer and alms-giving. This will make you stronger to continue the Christian walk.

Don’t condemn your Sunday school teacher because you saw him at the strip club. It is better to try to understand him and encourage him to walk the straight and narrow path.

All the best on your spiritual journey.

Courtesy of the Editor (Jamaica Gleaner)

Tags: baptized, Bible, Christ, Christianity, confidence, faith, God, Lord, mediation, strength, struggles, Sunday School, vacation

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Your Grace And Mercy Brought Me Through

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February 9, 2014

Have you ever felt like you can’t make it through whatever situation you are facing in your life? You may feel distraught and broken, and your strength might have begun to deteriorate; however, this is the time when you will need some supernatural strength to help you make it through. You have to depend on God’s grace and mercy to help you along the way.

The Apostle Paul knew that even if he could not overcome all the obstacles and tribulations in his life, that God’s grace is sufficient to keep him. In his letter to the Corinthians, he told them, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)

Therefore, you have to take comfort in the fact that you too can take pleasure in your troubles, as if you depend on God’s grace, and not your own strength to take you through your tribulations, you will be strong, even at your weakest moment.

Tags: Apostle Paul, Christ, Christianity, Divine grace, God, Jesu, Religion and Spirituality, Second Epistle to the Corinthians

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The Significance of The #14

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January 1, 2014

7 x 2 = 14, which means double portion of spiritual perfection. In the Gospel of Matthew 1:1-17, the genealogy of Jesus is divided into three sets of 14 generations.

In looking ahead towards the year 2014, it means you will encounter double portion of spiritual blessings. This is a divine year, especially for those of you who have encountered a spiritual warfare last year.

God has equipped you this year to receive even more than you have bargain for. Does this means your dreams and aspirations will be gained easily? NO! The enemy is at work to ensure that your spiritual and divine blessings are thwarted. Having this knowledge, you have to be vigilant in your warfare, in order to seize, that which the Lord lays before you.

In so doing, you have to be faithful in your spiritual journey with God. Through it all, He will help you to gain the double portion of spiritual perfection and blessings that He has in store for you in 2014. What are you waiting for? Come on! Seize the moment, it begins right now!

Tags: #14, 2014, blessings, Christianity, Genealogy of Jesus, God, Gospel of Matthew, Jesus, Lord, Miracle, New Year, Religion and Spirituality, Spiritual warfare

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Are you looking at things in the natural?

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October 6, 2013

If you want to achieve a new home, a new car, a dream job, or the partner of your dream, healing from an incurable sickness, deliverance from an addiction, the ability to have children, or whatever else you desire that you think you cannot afford, or they are out of your reach, you’re looking at things in the natural.

So often I look on things through my natural eyes and tell God that I cannot afford it or they are out of my reach. However, the very things I looked on in the natural and thought that I couldn’t afford, as they were out of my budget or out of my reach, happened to be the very same things that God has given me.

God has allowed me to eat my words so many times, and I was so embarrassed, because I kept putting a limit on God and placing Him in a box. While I look on things in the natural and think they are impossible, God looks at things from a supernatural angle, and says, “All things are possible.”

If you’re looking at things in the natural, believing you cannot achieve them, you have to ask God for some more faith, patience and strength to see the things you desire from Him materialized through His supernatural power.

Tags: Christianity, Churches of God, deliverance, faith, God, Healing, HolySpirit, Jesus, patience, prayer, Religion and Spirituality, strength, Supernatural

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Are You Drowning in Your Problems?

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September 25, 2013

When you feel you’re “drowning ” in life’s situation; don’t worry, because your life guard walks on water.

Matthew 14:23-27 reminds you:

²³And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there alone.

²⁴But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

²⁵And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

²⁶And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.

²⁷But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid.

Tags: Be of Good Cheer, Bible, Christianity, Drown, faith, God, Gospel of Matthew, Jesus, prayer, problems, Religion and Spirituality

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It’s In the Valleys I Grow

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September 17, 2013

Sometimes life seems hard to bear,
Full of sorrow, trouble and woe
It’s then I have to remember
That it’s in the valleys I grow.

If I always stayed on the mountain top
And never experienced pain,
I would never appreciate God’s love
And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow,
Sometimes I need the mountain tops,
But it’s in the valleys I grow.

I do not always understand
Why things happen as they do,
But I am very sure of one thing.
My Lord will see me through.

My little valleys are nothing
When I Picture Christ on the cross
He went through the valley of death;
His victory was Satan’s loss.

Forgive me Lord, for complaining
When I’m feeling so very low.
Just give me a gentle reminder
That’s it’s in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me, Lord
And use my life each day
To share your love with others
And help them find their way.

Thank you for the valleys, Lord
For this one thing I know
The mountain tops are glorious
But it’s in the valleys I grow.

By Jane Eggleston

P.S. Just a reminder, that the God on the mountain tops is the same God in the valleys. Hope you enjoy this poem.

Tags: Christ, Christianity, cross, God, Jesus, love, peace, Satan, strength, trials and tribulations, Valleys

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Where’s the most sacred place located in your home?

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August 28, 2013

Do you have a sacred place located in your home, where you can commune with God and Him alone?

If you don’t, it’s important for you to identify a sacred place in your home, where you can pray, meditate, praise, worship and commune with God.

For me, I have built an altar, using a small table. I placed it in my bedroom, because I can escape from the busyness of the other sections of my home, and have that peace and privacy with God alone.

If you desire to build an altar, you can use a small table or a night stand, and place holy objects and oils on your altar. For example, a cross of Jesus, your Bible, inspirational books, holy consecrated water, consecrated olive oil, holy candles, healing oils, etc. It depends on your preferences and practices.

Equally important, whenever I get any prayer requests, I usually add them to my prayer list and place them on the altar. In addition, I continue to pray for all the needs, until they are met.

Although Jesus was very busy with His ministry, He always finds time to commune with God, and Him alone. After communing with God alone, Jesus usually comes back with a higher power of anointing; one so high, He performs powerful miracles and wonders.

It was after leaving the multitudes and His disciples to go up into the mountain alone to pray, that Jesus came down and walked on the water.

In Matthew 14:22-25, the Scriptures states:

²²And straightway Jesus constrained his disciples to get into a ship, and to go before him unto the other side, while he sent the multitudes away.

²³And when he had sent the multitudes away, he went up into a mountain apart to pray: and when the evening was come, he was there ALONE.

²⁴But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary.

²⁵And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.

As can be seen, when you have that sacred time with God and Him alone, you can experience miraculous happenings in your life, which you wouldn’t have otherwise experienced. However, it takes sacrifice to disregard all the distractions in your life and your busy schedule, to find that peace and privacy with God, and Him alone.

Tags: Bible, Christianity, Evangelism, God, Jesus, Miracle, peace, Praise, prayer, Religion and Spirituality, sacred, Scripture, Worship

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Today we believe God wants you to know that …

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July 27, 2013

peace can be found in unlikely places.

Even in the darkest storms peace can be found by those who seek it. When turmoil and tension tear at your heart, pray for peace and most often you’ll find peace in prayer. Of course there is no need to wait for a storm, pray for peace right now.

Excerpt from All Devotion.

Tags: Christ, Christianity, devotion, God, Jesus, peace, prayer, Religion and Spirituality, storm, tension, turmoil

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When You’re Hanging on by a Thread

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July 16, 2013

“The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.” Psalm 34:19 (NIV)

I have a dear friend whose husband didn’t want to be married anymore. Sure, she knew there were problems in their relationship, but this devastating news blindsided her. We prayed together. She sought counseling and even invited her husband along. Still, no matter her attempts to save her marriage, it was falling apart.

I’ve never seen her so helpless, so troubled, so lost. She was hanging on by a thread. I understand the darkness she was in and know the weakness and heart-wrenching pain because I’ve been there. Most of us have experienced terrible news that took us by surprise and left us hanging on by a thread.

Perhaps you’re there now. You may be experiencing a broken relationship. Maybe you need to be saved from some addiction or financial trouble. Whatever the case, you feel alone, scared and weak. Your situation is hard, wrenching and painful. You’re losing your grip on faith.

I could tell that my friend was losing her grip on her spiritual foundation. In her deep despair, all she had was a thread of hope to hang on to. What was that hope? It is the promise of God found in Psalm 34:19, “The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all.”

Excerpt from Proverbs 31 Ministries (Author – Micca Campbell)