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Making your Marriage Last

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Making your Marriage Last

This is one of the main reasons that couples divorce. (Alan Lambert – Getty Images)

I have been married 20 years but I still find that successful communication is the No. 1 challenge in my relationship. And I know I am not alone. Communication issues are the top reason most marriages fail. Thankfully, I have learned one thing over the years that has helped me overcome this: respect.

When I approach my husband Chad respectfully, my chances of him listening and responding are far greater than if I approach him harshly or aggressively.

For most of our marriage, my husband Chad has had no desire to take out the trash. It could be packed tight, overflowing, and causing a seriously foul smell throughout our home, and he still wouldn't think about taking it out. That drives me crazy! I know he isn't lazy; in fact, he is one of the hardest workers I know. What makes me crazy is that I feel he takes me for granted because he knows that I have all the home chores covered.

Here are two ways that I could deal with this:

A. I could communicate what I desire to have done by asking him respectfully "Honey, can you please take out the trash?"

OR

B. I could express my frustration to him with my finger pointed by disrespectfully saying, "You never do anything, the trash smells like a dead pig! When do you plan on taking that out?"

"A soft answer turns away wrath, but grievous words stir up anger" (Prov. 15:1).

"He who guards his mouth preserves his life" (Prov. 13:3).

As a woman of God, I know that I am called to respect my husband. Unique to each spouse is a set of things they need. One of Chad's top three needs is "respect." If I want him to meet my needs, I must first try to meet his needs, even if he is not doing something the way I think he should.

It is pretty obvious that Option A would be the best way to handle this situation, but showing Chad respect is not always easy for me. I really struggle with showing him respect when I am frustrated. Truthfully there are many times that I want to go "cuckoo" on him and use Option B (and sadly, I have). However, it never works out well! By using Option B, maybe the trash will get taken out, but the whole day would be ruined because of our anger and fighting. Division would come between us, and what could have been a good day would become filled with chaos.

Unfortunately, I have caused one too many "bad days" by not choosing to honor the Lord by respecting my husband. Taking the approach of choosing to honor the Lord is exactly how I started to make the appropriate changes in my attitude. Ephesians 5 teaches us to respect our husbands. That verse doesn't say to respect him only when he deserves it. Instead, God's Word teaches us to respect our husbands all of the time. It was with this new revelation in mind that I was able to begin making the choice to respect Chad in all areas of our marriage, but especially with my words.

I was convicted by these verses in the Bible:

"It is better to dwell in the wilderness than with a contentious and angry woman" (Prov. 21:19).

"It is better to dwell in a corner of the housetop than with a brawling woman in a wide house" (Prov. 21:9).

I never want to be that kind of wife again. How shameful it would be if I were still that type of wife?

"But let it be the hidden nature of the heart, that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God" (1 Peter 3:4).

I made the decision that this is the wife I wanted to be!

This is an example of true beauty. This is the depiction of the virtuous woman that God created me to be. This is the woman who will lay pride aside to willfully meet her husband's needs. Ultimately, this healthy attitude will lead to joy in a marriage that revolves around peace and unity.

After reading the above statement, I'm sure you're asking, "That all sounds wonderful, but if we are so focused on our spouse's needs, then what about our own needs?" Notice what I said above: "the woman who will lay pride aside to willfully meet her husband's needs finds joy in a marriage of peace and unity."

There is no question that I still desire to have my needs met, but constantly challenging my husband to meet those needs is selfish on my part, and my efforts always fail. Through true servanthood to one another, when I strive to meet his needs and he strives to meet mine, we find ourselves in the marriage we both desire. I have heard it said that you have to meet halfway … I no longer believe this to be true. I'm willing to go all the way!

Even if Chad only goes 30 percent, then we will be fine, because there will be other days when he will give 100 percent and I will fall short. You don't have to be a statistician, just understand that when you are both "all in" and can take your eyes off your own needs and focus on your spouse's needs, you will be most fulfilled.

From Marriage Advance by Chad and Kathy Robichaux, a book helping couples strengthen their marriages in times great adversity and advancing toward the ultimate success God had in mind when you said, "I do."

Kathy Robichaux is the director of women's programs for the Mighty Oaks Foundation. She has a strong connection with women and wives struggling with the pain and heartache in the wake of PTSD. With vast amount of personal experiences, she speaks publicly as a wife and mother who fought the war with the symptoms in her husband and came out the other side with a restored marriage and an even stronger faith. Kathy and Chad have been married for 20 years and have three teenage children: Hunter, Haili and Hayden.

 



God Can Restore any Christian to His Side

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God Can Restore any Christian to His Side

Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson, '700 Club Canada' co-host, shares her story of restoration at the Women's Journey of Faith Restore Conference in Saskatoon, Canada. (Riley Semchuk)

Laura-Lynn Tyler Thompson had been married twice with her second marriage that involved police incidents. Melinda Estabrook was a high-profile Christian TV celebrity who announced her divorce on her network. Lorie Hartshorn is a Christian leader who had three children who became ensnared to drugs, alcohol and the partying lifestyle.

Thompson, a 700 Club Canada co-host with Estabrook and Hartshorn, shared their stories with transparency and vulnerability at the 16th Annual Women's Journey of Faith Conference in Saskatoon, Canada. Over 1,200 women gathered for that conference from across Canada. The interdenominational organization has broken barriers such as race, denomination and religious affiliation for women.

"I grew up in a good Christian home," says Thompson. "My parents were missionaries in Uganda, but when I turned 18, I wanted to go my own way." She married against her parents' wishes and then became involved with another man during that marriage. She divorced her first husband and married for a second time but that relationship became volatile.

"I felt like I had messed up too much for God to want me," says Thompson. "I knew better and yet I made bad choices and I was paying for them." Her mom invited her to church where the pastor asked everyone to write their three sins down and to nail the piece of paper on the cross.

"I didn't want to write them down because they were the big ones, the ones mentioned in the Ten Commandments," she told the audience. "I realized that if I didn't respond that I would have to write down a fourth sin of rebellion." She wrote her sins down in illegible writing because she didn't want anyone to know about the shame of her sin.

When she posted that note on the life-sized cross, she realized how much of a price that Jesus paid for her sins. That night began a journey for Thompson as God miraculously opened doors for her in TV to share His message.

Hartshorn is a discipleship pastor for C4 Church in Ontario. She shared with SpiritLed Woman about the challenge of walking through the season of when her three children raised in church rejected their faith.

Hartshorn realized when her oldest son was in the hospital after getting drunk, that this was a spiritual war for her children's destiny. "He got up from the hospital bed and began screaming at the wall 'stop laughing at me.' We felt a dark presence in the room and we knew that the enemy was after our son." Hartshorn and her husband began to pray regularly for her children and God opened up the reality of demonic activity in the lives of her children. She wrote a Bible Study and DVD called Finding Freedom with the wake-up call for spiritual warfare.

Today, Hartshorn's three children are headed into the ministry. "You would have never saw that five years ago," she said. "It took years, and my husband and I connected with other parents and began to pray regularly for our children." Prayer carried Estabrook when she announced her situation on a Christian TV show for women, Full Circle.

"After I made that announcement and we went off the air, my camera man started clapping," Estabrook says. "Then everyone in the room started clapping and I realized that the fallout and judgment that I expected from Christians wasn't there."

Estabrook and Hartshorn say that the first thing that Christians want to do is isolate themselves when they have troubled kids or they're going through a divorce because they are ashamed of their perceived failures.

"I told a few close friends what was happening to me," says Estabrook. "I had people who were close to me hold me accountable. You can be tempted to quit going to church, but this is when you need the community of faith the most." The network had created a 1-800 line in anticipation of the onslaught if critical calls from Christians but those calls never came.

Instead, Estabrook says she received support, encouragement and help for restoration. Hartshorn also received support and prayer from fellow Christians at her church. Thompson discovered her place in the church as God opened up doors of service in TV ministry.

The three women shared their testimonies of being restored at the conference. The Bethel Band from Redding, California, led worship. "I loved Laura-Lynn's journey of faith empowerment," says Juliet Amuijo, an attorney from Uganda. "The two messages that I listened to empowered me to carry His glory."

Lorna Egungu, Juliet's 71-year-old mother, said that she liked the practical message of "how we want to hide so many things to impress the public. But there's nothing you can hide from God." Egungu added that she was set free from trying to hide so many things.

Sarah Peters, a 31-year-old Mennonite from Alberta, Canada, says, "I feel connected with God. I felt His presence, and it felt good to be connected with like-minded people. Her 18-year-old friend Nancy Dyck says this was the first time that she was at the conference and she had a fresh hunger for God's presence.

"I feel restored to God," says Dyck. "I realized that I don't spend time with God on a daily basis and that I needed to make him a priority." Bringing women together to make God a priority is one of the goals for Women's Journey of Faith.

"In 1999 I came here (TCU Place: Saskatoon Arts & Convention Center) to go to a 'body, spirit and soul' conference," says Jodi Kozan. "One of the panelist speakers was a Christian and I asked her about her faith during the Q&A. She couldn't answer me, and I later learned that she was asked to not speak specifically about her faith."

Kozan got the vision for hosting an interdenominational gathering to promote unity, spiritual growth and fellowship for women. The first conference attracted 850 women at Saskatoon Inn, and 300 women had to be turned away. Since then, the organization has expanded with speaker tours, equipping conferences and tours of Israel. "We're in our 16th year, and now our speakers are traveling from neighboring provinces," says Maureen Brown, a former board member.

The organization has become a bridge into the native population with speakers ministering at reservations. "We are a bridge between white people and Native Americans," says Brown. With women of all ages, from every race and denomination across Canada, Women's Journey of Faith is poised to increase the reach of the gospel.

Leilani Haywood, online editor for SpiritLed Woman and frequent contributor to Charisma, is an award-winning writer. Follow her on Twitter or Facebook. Read original article on Charisma,

 

 



How to Be a Christian in a Public School

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How to Be a Christian in a Public School

Being a Christian in a public school can be quite a task. (Flickr)

No matter if you are a student in high school or a junior in college, the pressure of being a Christian in a public school setting seems to be talked about pretty often. The reality is, you don't need to worry. There will be trials, but God has you covered.

Here are some things that will help you on your journey of being a Christian in a public school:

1. Remove any thought of being "better" than your peers. You're human. Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone has flaws. Don't allow yourself to believe the lie that you are better than others because of your faith. Instead, humble yourself before those you come in contact with and make sure to be a living example of humility and grace.

2. Allow God to guide your words, actions and steps. Don't try to do things on your own. Allow God to guide every step of your schooling career, and this includes on and off campus. If you're going to claim to be a Christian, please make sure that you are truly surrendering to divine direction. Don't make Jesus look like a fool because of your own personal decisions. Walk in truth, extend grace and put the needs of others before yourself.

3. Don't silo yourself. You don't have to spend your time in the corner of the gym singing "God's not dead. He's surely alive!" in order to be a Christian in a public school.

Not to mention you'll probably never find yourself in a situation that most Christian movies portray public schools to be like. You need to make a priority of removing yourself from anything that will silo you from others, and instead allow yourself to embrace and welcome the lives of others into your personal life. Be known as someone who is approachable, not cold and distant.

Also remember that there is nothing wrong with spending time with unbelievers, as long as these people aren't directly influencing you in a negative manner. I'd actually encourage you to have some friends who don't necessarily see eye-to-eye with everything you believe. Why? It's because it's good for your soul. Back to my previous statement … be approachable.

You've Got This

Don't stress about being a Christian in a public school. There's no need to worry. Stand true to your beliefs, but be compassionate to those who don't see eye to eye with you. Kill them with kindness, and this includes any of your teachers. You've got this.

Jarrid Wilson is a husband, pastor and author relentlessly sharing the love of Jesus. For the original article, visit jarridwilson.com.

 



Who Wouldn’t Want to Live Here?

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Who Wouldn't Want to Live Here?

Wouldn't you want to live there (Paradise Road – edequity.org)

Peace: a wonderful place to live, isn't it?

The gift of peace, and the choice to remain in that place of peace, provides comfort and valuable resources almost too precious to express.

Who wouldn't want to live in a place of peace? It's almost like saying, "Who wouldn't want to visit Hawaii?"

When the cares and concerns of life loom menacingly on the dark horizon like a growing and fierce storm, peace is heaven's gift to a troubled and fretful soul.

God gently offers, in that moment of unsettled emotions and of fearful anxiety, "Wouldn't you like to go to a place of peace with Me?"

I realized recently, while I was traveling and observing the expressions of various and rushing travelers that not many people choose to live in a place of peace. Most people frantically react to life and then traverse from the Land of Frustration to the Isle of Impatience with a quick side trip to Angry Mount and back again.

Who wants to live in a place of volcanic upheaval and uncontrollable tempest? Peace sounds like a much more … well … "peaceful" destination to me!

So … if peace is uncommonly valuable and even utterly desirable, then why is peace so elusive and difficult to capture? Why does peace seem to flit in and out of our lives with not much actuality and very little tenacity?

I have come to believe that peace, although not tangible, is certainly substantial; and that true peace, although invisible, is a strong determinant in reaching one's destination.

"You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You." (Isaiah 26:3).

Peace is a result of trusting a loving Father who knows best and who loves the most. Peace comes rushing in when a believer decides to believe.

Peace is delivered in that infamous, "Aha!" moment of life. When you finally realize that you serve a God who is an expert at working all things together for good and that you are the beneficiary of His incredible competence.

Peace! There it is!! I see it now!

Peace is a gift that is bestowed upon those who know of no other way to live than to take up permanent residence in His joyful and comforting presence.

It is humanly impossible to stir up peace … to beg for peace … to buy peace … or to mimic peace. 

Peace is found along the road marked "Trust" and you will find that it is a sure and delightful destination.

No matter what you are going through today … be certain of this … peace is just one trusting choice away.

Take your eyes off your circumstances … remove your heart from boiling emotions … and begin to sing a melody of the resilient soul,

"Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!

How I've proved Him o'er and o'er.

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! 

Oh for grace to trust Him more!"

Now sing it again. And again.

Sing it while the storm is raging and when the wind is roaring.

Sing it internally when voices are yelling and anger is unleashed around you.

Are you there yet? Have you reached the place of peace?

"You are my hiding place; You will preserve me from trouble; You will surround me with shouts  of deliverance!" (Psalm 32:7).

Carol McLeod is an author and popular speaker at women's conferences and retreats, where she teaches the Word of God with great joy and enthusiasm. Carol encourages and empowers women with passionate and practical, biblical messages mixed with her own special brand of hope and humor. She has written five books: No More Ordinary, Holy Estrogen!, The Rooms of a Woman's Heart and Defiant Joy! Her most recent book, Refined: Finding Joy in the Midst of the Fire, was released on Aug. 1. Her teaching DVD The Rooms of a Woman's Heart won the Telly Award, a prestigious industry award for excellence in religious programming.

 



Does God Even Care When We’re Broken?

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Does God Even Care When We're Broken

God cares about your hurts and your pain. (Lightstock)

Sometimes feeling "OK" is the best you've felt in a very long time. Your brokenness entraps you because of unchangeable moments that took place in your past.

You've yet to let go and find peace amidst the storm of remembrance. You're hurting. You're frustrated. You're in repetitious, unwavering pain. You ask yourself, "Does God even care?" 

God does care. He feels our pain, yet sometimes the way he responds to us might not be exactly the way we anticipate. Over the course of my life, I'll be honest in saying I've found myself furious at God on multiple occasions. I've yelled at God, cursed at God and even threatened God for not providing what I felt was the best response for my current situation in life.

I'm sure he looked down at me, chuckled a bit and knew that I didn't really mean what I was saying. I was just upset, and God was patient enough to let me vent to him. He allowed me to use him as a scratching post. He could handle it. That's the beauty of God; He's big enough to handle anything I throw at him, but wise enough to not give me everything I ask for.

When putting our lives in the hands of God, we must be ready to not understand everything that God does, why he does it, and how long he will do it for. Some things only have one answer; to trust God even if it doesn't make sense. It may seem like a shallow and cliché response, but it's actually quite the opposite.

Trusting God among our brokenness is a beautifully painful but spiritually deepening experience. Every time we put our trust in God, another scoop of our fleshly dirt is removed from our spiritual sandbox.

Trust God among your brokenness, but realize it's OK to be mad at him, frustrated and even downright confused. God doesn't expect us to understand everything he does, but he does expect us to trust him among the process.

Don't be afraid to question what's happening. Don't be afraid to wave your fist a little.

God can handle it. Let it all out, and get honest with God about what you're really feeling.

Jarrid Wilson is a husband, pastor and author relentlessly sharing the love of Jesus. For the original article, visit jarridwilson.com.

 



Finding God in the Desert

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Finding God in the Desert

When we are in the middle of a desert trek, God's hand seems absent and we are blinded by the glaring circumstances. (HDWallSource by AWLTER)

Desert times are fruitful times. Though they seem barren, lush fruit is being produced in our lives when we walk through the desert. "For the Lord your God has blessed you in all the works of your hands. He knows your wanderings through this great wilderness. These forty years the Lord your God has been with you. You have lacked nothing" (Deuteronomy 2:7).

As we see in this verse, God shows us who He is by what He does. We see His promises worked out in the lives of His people and know that the same God is working in our lives.

Moses is reminding God's people of the ways God has been faithful and of how His hand has been on them every step of their forty-year journey in the wilderness. Can you relate to a wilderness journey? Life's path takes all of us into desert territory from time to time. Sometimes the terrain is brutal and the sun scorching. We feel parched and desperate for a relief that seems not to come. And just like the Israelites, we can see God's hand most clearly in retrospect.

When we are in the middle of a desert trek, God's hand seems absent, blinded as we are by the glaring circumstances. But when we emerge from that leg of the journey, we can look back and see that God has watched over our every step. The journey was hard and went on longer than we thought we could bear. But here we stand. All the way through the desert, just when we thought we couldn't last another day, God's mercy met us in some observable way: a kind word, an unexpected provision, provision, a "chance" encounter. The assurance of His presence always came.

The desert has things to teach us. We learn things there that we can't learn anywhere else. We see the careful provision of our Father in a different light. His love stands out in stark relief against the background of the desert's barren landscape. In the wilderness, we come to the end of ourselves. We learn in new and deeper ways to cling to him and wait for him. When we come out of the desert, the desert lessons stay with us. We take them with us into the next stretch. We remember the God who led us through the desert, and we know that He is with us still.

The Lord will sanctify your desert times and make them to be fruitful in your life.

RESPOND

Looking back, what do you know of God now that you would not know if you had never walked a desert?

Are you in a desert now? Can you see glimpses of God's provision?

Jennifer Kennedy Dean is an author, speaker, conference leader and executive director of the Praying Life Foundation.

 



When You Don’t Win

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When You Don't Win (Reuters)

Like in life. It's not realistic to expect to get what you want all the time (Reuters)

Ahhhhh, cake walks. The anticipation of maybe, just maybe, hearing your number called and getting to choose the cake of your dreams.

I actually remember one particular cake walk from sometime when I was in elementary school. I won! I walked over to the table and chose the cake I had had my eye on all night: a sheet cake decorated in myriad colors with the word "Mexico" and all kinds of squiggles and designs. That. cake. was. beautiful!

Recently, my children participated in a cake walk at a party. Timmy became discouraged the first few times he didn't hear his number called, so I picked him up and walked around with him. I held him for several rounds, and as time went by, and most of the other kids won cakes, Timmy began quietly fussing (read: whining). I reminded him that it's not possible to win all the time and reassured him that he still had a chance.

And then … victory on number 19!

By this point, Timmy was hanging his head and fussing continuously. "You won, Timmy!" I exclaimed. He continued to whine. "Timmy, you won!" I repeated. More whining.

I began to walk away from the game, toward the prize table, because I was embarrassed. Did he not understand that he had won? What was the problem?

"Timmy, why are you fussing?" I asked quietly. "You won!"

"I wanted to win lots of times," Timmy said, disappointed.

My first thought was: Be grateful you won at all!

My second thought was: Yeah, I understand, buddy. I hate it when I don't win as often as I'd like.

Like in life. I know it's not realistic to expect to get what I want all the time. But I'd like to. And sometimes, when I don't, I get disappointed.

Here are some recent times I can remember not getting what I wanted:

  • My child embarrassed me in public.
  • I tried to learn a particular skill, and it didn't turn out well at all.
  • I didn't receive an invitation I was hoping for.
  • Someone assumed the worst about my character.

These are not the only unpleasant things I've faced in the past few weeks; there have also been some that were traumatic.

But in the same time period, I've also encountered these circumstances:

  • My child spent time drawing a sweet picture for me and telling me how much she loved me.
  • I received a compliment from a student who enjoys my teaching style.
  • I was invited to have lunch with a friend.
  • Several family members went out of their way to verbally affirm their confidence in my character and their love for me.

So, I have a choice. I can complain that I had to face the first set of circumstances, or I can rejoice that I experienced the second.

It's the same choice you have when you're disappointed.

Grieve if you need to; it's OK!

But don't forget the good things.

Job 1:21 says, "Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD" (KJV).

Adapted from Megan Breedlove's blog, Manna for Moms. Megan is the author of Well Done, Good and Faithful Mommy and Manna for Moms: God's Provision for Your Hair-Raising, Miracle-Filled Mothering Adventure (Regal Books.) She is also a stay-at-home mom with 5 children.



Praise & Prayer, November 2015

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EMS of ECWA
EMS OF ECWA
PRAISE & PRAYER, NOVEMBER 2015
Prayer/Counseling hotline: 08033673654, 08051614880
E-mail: prayerpromotion@emsofecwa.org
Website: www.emsofecwa.org
Brethren, pray for us (1 Thess. 5:25)
 
WEEK ONE-FOCUS ON PRAISE/THANKSGIVING
“Give unto the Lord the Glory due unto His Name; worship the lord in the beauty of his holiness” (Ps.29:2)
 

SUNDAY 1ST Worship God for His Divine Favor, Grace, Safety, Protection, and provisions these past t en Months. Give Him glory for His good plans For His Children in the month of November.

NOTE: FIRST (1ST) MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH IS TO BE OBSERVED NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY AS EMS PRAYER AND FASTING DAY. ALL EMS ARMS, MISSIONARIES, OFFICE STAFF, PRAYER PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS SHOULD PLEASE ENDEAVOR TO JOIN THE EMS INTERNATIONAL HEAD OFFICE IN PRAYERS AS WE TRUST GOD TO BE JOINING FAITH IN ONE ACCORD WITH BRETHREN AROUND THE WORLD IN PRAYERS FOR A STEADY AND A FRUITFUL GROWTH OF EMS, PEACE AND THE SALVATION OF NATIONS, AND FOR REVIVAL AND SPIRITUAL GROWTH OF THE CHURCH. OUR COOPERATE PRAYER TIME AT THE HEAD OFFICE, IS 8-9AM, 12-1PM, AND 4-5PM RESPECTIVELY. YOU CAN JOIN US IN PRAYERS WHEREVER YOU MAY BE AT THOSE TIMES OR MAKE OUT TIME OF YOUR OWN CONVINIENCE PLEASE AS YOU ARE LED TO BY GOD. JUST BE SURE TO PRAY ALONG AS YOU FAST AS THE LORD ENABLES.

MONDAY 2ND Worship the Lord for Journey mercy granted to the EMS Director, Rev. Simon Yako, Rev. Joshua Yakubu and their wives to the U.S. for conferences. Also, appreciate Him for the success of other journeys embarked upon at one point and another during the past month by EMS office staff and field missionaries. Pray that the Lord shall strengthen and bless our overseas partnerships for the advancement of His Kingdom.

TEUSDAY 3RD Give thanks to the Lord for the success of Programs held in the month of October by EMS missionaries in various mission Fields across the country and abroad. Worship Him for the bountiful Harvest of Souls recorded through these Programs.

WEDNESDAY 4TH Praise God for the healing of these missionaries and their families: Ali Fali Tula, Balakaku Salisu at Akure, and Bala Wambai at Buzijung.

THURSDAY 5TH Tt Thank God for North East and South Northeast Conference that is holding today 5th, through Sunday the 7th. Pray for safety for all participants and for spiritual transformation of lives in this Boko Haram infested region. FRIDAY 6TH Thank God for the gift of a Pathfinder Jeep to EMS, pray that Lord will replenish the donor and grant them increasing favor on every side.

SATURDAY 7th Thank God for the ministry Lifetime of our missionaries, Rev. Gagare Diga (Kaduna South DCC), Rev. Alassan M. and Rev. Angul Agashe (Kasuwan Magani DCC).Pray that the Lord will refresh them and increase upon them grace to serve Him better even as they retire by December this year. Pray that the Lord will continue to meet their spiritual, physical, financial and material needs in retirement.

WEEK TWO-FOCUS ON EMS ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE AND HOME MISSION FILDS
“…Put ye the sickle, because the harvest is come” Mark 4:29

SUNDAY 8TH Pray that God should renew the strength of the EMS Director, Rev. Simon Yako as he enjoys his annual leave.

MONDAY 9TH Pray for the unleashing of leadership capacity for EMS staff in the office and in the fields.

TUESDAY 10TH Ask the Lord to touch all EMS field missionaries and their family members suffering from one ailment or the other with His mighty healing hand. Pray for God’s touch on the son of Pastor. Iliya D. Bawa, of Akwanga DCC, who has not been able to walk for the past 15 years. Also pray for Pastor Irimiya Habu and Pastor Anthony Unenge all of Makurdi DCC who are currently faced with spiritual attacks of various types.

WEDNESDAY 11TH Pray that the Lord should raise indigenous EMS missionaries in Benue state. Also, pray for ECWA churches, most especially EMS stations in the Idoma / Igede axes, for Gods sustaining grace and provision for Church’s lands and buildings.

THURSDAY 12TH Thank God for his sustaining grace on all EMS Mission Fields’ Schools and EMS children schools. Pray for Gods provision towards the starting of Senior Secondary Session (SSS1-SSS3) of the EMS Children School in Jos Plateau state.

FRIDAY 13TH Pray for the about 49 EMS missionary couples who are currently on ministry training abroad and at Home for Gods provision towards meeting their financial needs.
SATURDAY 14th: Thank God, for the Muslim convert that was led to Christ by our Pastor Bilkitama Mumuni, serving in the South-North East Region. Pray that God should uphold the convert in righteousness.

WEEK THREE-FOCUS ON CROSS BOURDER MISSION FIELDS
“… Go into all the world and Preach the Godnews…” Mark. 16:15

SUNDAY 15TH: An ECWA family from ECWA Good news Maitama in Abuja and strong supporters of EMS, in person of Brig. Gen. & Mrs. Nuhu Angbazo have relocated from Nigeria to Mali. Let us pray for them, for God’s protection and favour and for God to use them for His glory.

MONDAY 16TH Pray that God will help us secure the land that was purchased for ECWA Ghana, which has become a matter of dispute between two families. Also, Pray for God to restore peace to Burkina Faso and Burundi, which presently have political crises.

TUESDAY 17TH ZAMBIA – Thank God for the glorious take off of ECWA Gospel church Kitwe Zambia. Keep praying for Gods sustaining grace on this young church. Also, Pray for the spiritual growth and stability of the about 35 Taxi drivers Pastor and Mrs. Kuzsuwat are currently reaching out to. Also, pray that God should sustain this new area of ministry discovered by the Pastor and his dear wife in the city of Zambia.

WEDNESDAY 18TH Not less than N300, 464,000 (Three hundred million, four hundred and sixty four thousand naira only) is urgently needed for critical Cross Borders projects right now. Let us pray that the Lord by his generosity will open doors of resources for this need to be met.

THURSDAY 19TH Pray NIGER REPUBLIC – Thank God for successful transit of Rev and Mrs. Tanimu Umaru From their mission field in Cameroun to a new station in Maradi, Niger Republic. Pray that the Lord should endow them with more grace for a fruitful ministry in Niger and favor them in the land.

FRIDAY 20TH BURKINA FASO – Pray for Gods increasing anointing and divine protection for Pastor Dauda Iliya, an EMS missionary at Burkina Faso with his family, as he is increasingly spiritually tasked with cases of deliverance of people in demonic bondage.

SATURDAY 21ST :BENIN REPUBLIC – Pray for Gods provision for the expanding Mission work in Republic of Benin both in the cities and rural areas.

WEEK FOUR-FOCUSES ON CHURCH GROWTH AND REVIVAL
“…to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the hearts of the contrite one”.Isa.57:15

SUNDAY 22ND Pray for the Lord to sustain upon the church the burden for holy living and witnessing.

MONDAY 23RD Ask the Lord to continuously burden ECWA Executives and ministers to sustain a consistent revival among ECWA members towards living lives worthy of emulation at all times and in all places.

TEUSDAY 24TH Pray for ECWA families that are faced with financial, health, and peace crises that God will visit them and restored peace and stability in their homes in a way that best glorifies Him.

WEDNESDAY 25TH Pray that God should reverse the current trend of selfish, self-centered and man centered doctrines that has become the bane of churches today in Nigeria and the world over. Pray that Ministers of the gospel in ECWA and outside ECWA shall preach a Christ centered gospel for salvation of souls and transformation of lives.

THURSDAY 26TH Pray for road, air, and sea transport safety for Nigerians in the month of November, especially for all Mission partners, Mission agencies, Missionaries, Pastors, and Evangelists traveling. This is a period of heightened activities because of preparation for the Christmas celebration. Pray that God will overrule in all these activities for His glory.

FRIDAY 27TH As ECWA Theological Seminaries graduate students this year end. Pray that we will have successive generation of passionate and intentional laborers, men and women who are passionate for souls winning. Pray that many of them will answer the call for Missions and join EMS as our Training and Recruitment Coordinator goes round to promote Mission work and interview interested candidates.

SATURDAY 28TH Pray against all satanic activities and effort to distract people from paying attention to the gospel these last two months of 2015.

WEEK FIVE-FOCUS ON THE PEACE AND SALVATION OF THE NATIONS
“I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove savage beast from the land, and the sward will not pass through your country” Lev.26:6.

SUNDAY 29TH In line with God’s promise in the above Bible passage, Pray for Global peace and security throughout these last two months of 2015. Also ask the Lord to continuously comfort grieving families who lost friends and relatives in war, violence and religious crises in these past ten months across the country in Nigeria and also the world over.

MONDAY 30TH Pray that every Nigerian, especially Christians, should imbibe a true spirit of patriotism, by embracing the positive values our Christian faith, especially love, compassion, justice and peace.

TEUSDAY 31TH Pray for the new appointed 36 ministers in Nigeria; that God will enable them to be true agents of positive change. Pray that they get rid of selfish interest and serve sacrificially to the glory of God.

FIRST (1ST) MONDAY OF EVERY MONTH IS TO BE OBSERVED NATIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY AS EMS PRAYER AND FASTING DAY. ALL EMS ARMS, MISSIONARIES, AS YOU FAST.

 



Men & Pastors: Attend Lions Roar 2015 (Nov 4-6 2015) Dallas TX

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Men & Pastors - Attend Lions Roar 2015 (Nov 4-6 2015) Dallas TX
You can either preach sermons to them, or disciple strong, committed men who will stand squarely behind you.
Men will sit in the back or have your back! Your choice.
 
JOIN the private PASTORS ROUNDTABLE: full-access, personal dialogue with global leaders on core issues facing pastors today. The pulpit is the place for courage. 2 Sam 10: "Let us fight bravely for our people."

Leadership Track / $139

Build Strong Men and Families

Refuse all copycat methods and invest three days to hear what God wants from your manhood. Rub shoulders with some of the greatest men and leaders on the planet today. Imbibe the message, the spirit, the camaraderie, the life! Come away invigorated, committed, changed! Includes VIP Green Room Access, because there are no green rooms, no backrooms at Lions Roar. Every delegate is a VIP!

  • Included in basic registration, and includes conference syllabus
  • You may join the other special sessions and add the Three Meal Deal at the point of registration
Contact
P.O. Box 93478
Southlake, TX 76092 USA
 817-437-4888
 office@christianmensnetwork.com

Proven results that have increased church growth, finances and volunteers by 20% in one year. Check it out! Equip your men’s leader and key men to set the stage for a strong, upward curve in 2016!

We have prepared four powerful sermons specifically for men that you can carve up for your own use.
Link to original registration site: Time for godly men to stand up and stand together!
 


Study: Eating This Fruit May Decrease Colon Cancer Risk

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Study: Eating This Fruit May Decrease Colon Cancer Risk
Dried plums may drastically reduce risk of colon cancer.
 
Specific research findings were recently provided to guests at the Experimental Biology Conference (Boston, 2015). The study results provide evidence of reduced risk of these cancers by the addition of dried plums within the nutritional regime.
 
This supplementation increases the promotion of good bacteria within the colon. According to research professor Dr. Nancy Turner, this outcome provides individuals with a positive health benefit which strongly produces evidence of the reduced risk of developing this type of cancer.
 
Main Cause of Deaths
Colon cancer is currently the third cause of cancer deaths among men and women (classified in studies separately) in the United States, as distinguished by the American Cancer Society. When viewing statistics of both populations together, this form of cancer is noted as the second leading producer of deaths. Within the United States in 2015, deaths are expected to be close to 50,000 related to this one cancer alone.
 
Background Information
Within the colon, a very high concentration of bacteria are present; over four hundred different species of bacteria have been previously identified. Good bacteria, as well as bad, are present within the environment at any given time. It is important for the body to have a sufficient amount of good bacteria within the colon to continuously promote good health. Previous studies have shown if the balance of these bacteria is not healthy, inflammation occurs and can further enhance the development of these cancers.
 
Research Findings
Microbiota, commonly known as "gut bacteria," is positively affected by the consuming of dried plums, within the diet on a regular basis. Research studies also show the metabolism of the bacteria within the colon can be altered based on dietary consumption. This metabolic change is needed to help with healthy disease prevention and it can aid in dietary treatments, as noted by Dr. Turner's research findings.
 
In order to understand how this positive process works, dried plums hold phenolic compounds which provide various affects towards one's health. First, this specific food contains antioxidant benefits which gives health to the body. Second, the compounds provide the ability to neutralize free radicals present within the body. Free radicals are known to cause potential damage to the body's DNA.
 
During Turner's research, the hypothesis stated the supplementation of preserved plums in the diet would provide the detainment of microbiota, thereby reducing the risk of cancer developing within the colon. Controlled studies were created with matched macronutrients given to two different groups of rats. Following dietary consumption, the internal colons of each groups were examined.
 
Positive Results and Strong Findings
The study results provide vigorous health findings which are conclusively positive. The group of rats which were provided a composition of dehydrated plums experienced an increase in Bacteriodetes (rod shaped bacteria) as well as a decrease in Firmicutes. These bacterial levels were contained within the descending colon and sigmoid colon (within pelvic area). On the contrary, the study group of rats which did not consume the dehydrated plums experienced the opposite effects.
 
Additionally, a secondary observation noted during research studies included the rats who consumed the dried plums had much lower numbers of abnormal tubes within the lining of the colon (known as aberrant crypt foci, ACF). ACF is typically observed as a strong signal which occurs prior to the development of cancers within the colon; they are seen medically as pre-cancerous lesions.
 
Turner offered this positive assurance: the increase in Bacteriodetes (along with decrease in Firmicutes) gives strong evidence the addition of dehydrated plums within the diet provides substantial health benefits. Healthy gains include the promotion of more good bacteria within the "gut" which helps in the prevention of cancer of the colon. This is in direct correlation with a reduction in the number of ACF seen.
 
More Research Needed
Although this research study performed at Texas A&M University (along with assistance of the University in North Carolina) shows extremely promising results, further research in the field of science nutrition is encouraged, especially within human trials. It is noted this one dietary change can provide an excellent and beneficial strategy to work against the development of cancers of the colon.
Don Colbert, M.D. has been board-certified in Family Practice for over 25 years and practices Anti-Aging and Integrative medicine. He is a New York Times best-selling author of books such as The Bible Cure Series, What Would Jesus Eat, Deadly Emotions, What You Don't Know May Be Killing You, and many more with over 10 million books sold. He is the Medical Director of the Divine Health Wellness Center in Orlando, Florida, where he has treated over 50,000 patients. For the original article, visit drcolbert.com.


South Carolina, the Flooding Is a Sign of Things to Come

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South Carolina, the Flooding Is a Sign of Things to Come
Greg Rodermond (r) and Mandy Barnhill, use a canoe to evacuate Mandy's home on Long Avenue in Conway, South Carolina on October 5, 2015. Torrential rainfall that South Carolina's governor called a once-in-a-millennium downpour triggered flooding there, causing at least eight deaths in the Carolinas. (Randall Hill/Reuters)
 
After almost weeks of rain and historical flooding, the sun is shining in South Carolina! However, they tell us that the dams are continuing to break and that the flooding is not over. Water from the mountains is still trickling down, and more barriers are expected to break.
 
But I hear the Lord saying, "Barriers have been broken, and they are correct in saying more barriers will break! This flood was only the beginning! Barriers made by man's hands will no longer stand against what I am doing in my South Carolina! From the mountains to the sea, they will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Out of the wilderness places, I am flushing out my beloved ones; they are coming with fire! Even as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be with you. The flood brought cleansing and was a promise fulfilled. … Many have been crying out for My reign!
 
"Noah warned the people and for 100 years he prepared a place of refuge. The rain came, but after the rain the sun came, and with it the rainbow, the sign of the covenant! The rain fell, and the flood came, but I tell you this: a company of Ark Builders is yet arising! They are my sons and daughters who are proclaiming and preparing for My return!" "So, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door" (read Matt. 24:33).
 
The Water Is a Sign
"This water was a sign of things to come! Now I am making a covenant with you, South Carolina and with North Carolina! I am making a covenant with you! I am making a covenant with this generation, and it comes with a promise!  It's a promise of My return!" the Lord says.
 
"Lift up your heads, O you gates; lift up, you everlasting doors, that the King of glory may enter" (Ps. 24:9)
 
"My Bride will arise without spot or blemish, and every knee will bow and every tongue proclaim the Name above all Names, Jesus!  
 
"Carolina will be a voice to the nations! She will not be satisfied with lukewarm Christianity. She will be pure and will passionately pursue my heart! She is washed with water, but soon she will be baptized with Holy Spirit and Holy fire! (read Matt. 3:11).
 
"You have seen the promised rain, but I am about to release Holy Fire!   
 
"My promise is true! As She unites, She will no longer be called 'A State of Division,' but She will be called 'A State of Intercession.'  She will no longer be known as the state that pioneered oppression and division, but one who will pioneer freedom!
 
"She will be a state flooded with my glory and who burns with desire for Me! As hearts become unified with each other and with Mine, My glory will fill her dry ravines. Just as the 'bow … in the clouds' was a sign of a covenant promise, the time will come when I will fulfill my promise to return in my glory in the clouds (Gen. 9:13, Mark 13:26). My weighty glory and mantle of this promise is upon you, South Carolina!
 
"Watch and wait, for you, my beloved Carolina, will be a voice to the Nation! I will release my fire after the rain! This rain was just a sign of my coming. The fire of My passion and My glory will burn hotter in my Bride; for I will blow on her with the winds of My Spirit!"
 
Convergence is Coming
"A convergence is coming from east to west! You will be called a 'House of Prayer,' an 'Altar of Fire' and you will be a home to many of my people from different regions," says the Lord.
 
"As the world grows cold, my people in the Carolinas will burn. As the world rages around you in the coming days, you will host my presence and my peace. You will not be known for the flood, but for the fire!  
 
"Therefore, be alert! My messengers are emerging like a flood in this hour! They are bold as lions but meek as lambs. They are full of compassion and love but execute my justice, for they know they are mine! They will speak the truth with the very tone of My voice! Do not reject them, for if you do you, will again become a reproach. They will break the man-made religious and political barriers, smash the idols of impurity, and restore My Heart into this land! He who has an ear let him hear! I am mantling you:
 
"In doing these things, you will no longer be a reproach or a barren land. Break forth in song oh Carolina. SING, for the barriers are breaking! The night is over, the SON is shining! Let the fire fall and sing! I make a holy covenant with you!"
 
"Shout for joy, O barren one, you who have borne no child; Break forth into joyful shouting and cry aloud, you who have not travailed; For the sons of the desolate one will be more numerous than the sons of the married woman," says the LORD. "Enlarge the place of your tent; Stretch out the curtains of your dwellings, spare not; Lengthen your cords And strengthen your pegs. … " (read Is. 51:1-2).
Tammie Southerland is a wife, mother of three, revival forerunner, prophetic messenger, and apostolic builder. Tammie is the heart of Frontline Ministries. She is a passionate lover of Jesus and a fighter for the true Bride of Christ to arise in these last days! Tammie and her husband Daymon have pioneered The Carolina's First mobile 24 hour prayer, worship, and revival prayer movement called Fire on the Altar. They have taken this amazing, fiery, prophetic prayer, worship, and revival movement to over 18 cities on the east coast and beyond in the last two years.
 


Encouragement for Those in Painful Processes

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Be of good cheer. Those painful processes you are going through are about to make you stronger

Be of good cheer. Those painful processes you are going through are about to make you stronger. (Reuter)

I felt the Lord saying that there are encounters with His power that are going to happen in the midst of your "process" right now as you stay positioned. I saw encounters with the power of God for many across the body of Christ as they refused to "cave" under the pressure, and these encounters with His power were like a defibrillator.

It was bringing hearts back to life and revival in hearts, and it was seeing deliverance happen in hearts and lives. It was seeing a shock of hope and excitement released for what the Lord is going to do. Not only will dreams come back to life in hearts, but with fresh vision and the Lord will add new "elements" and "layers" to these dreams in the heart of His people through these encounter with His power.

In the encounters with His power, there is a great awakening that will happen in hearts to the heart of God like never before. Where hearts have been "out of sync" with what the Lord is doing or saying, or fear has caused hearts to move away from the heart of God or His dreams for their lives, suddenly they will be shocked by His power and love into life and back into rhythm with His. 

Through these encounters with His power the people of God are going to move through the process fully. One day you may feel like you are walking barely scraping through, barely "making it" to then having some of the greatest encounters of your life with Him and His power, to suddenly being full. There is going to be such a significant release of His power and impartation into hearts and lives that the people of God as they stay positioned are going to go from feeling empty to full. 

Fire of Testimonies: In the process I saw the people of God as they "leaned in" to Him and refused to give up, they were brought to a place of being full of strength, joy, peace and revelation, that suddenly the fire of God fell from heaven while they worshipped and they went from full to an explosive overflow—an explosive overflow releasing His revelation and testimony to all around. 

"My people's mouths will be full of testimonies." 

The people of God moved out into all areas of their lives with their mouths full of testimony—testimonies to His faithfulness, deliverance, power and love in the testing process. Tests are turning to testimonies. 

To those who have been hit in "financial areas" in their process lately, the Lord is releasing significant financial provision that is going to release some of the greatest testimonies to His provision that you have ever had.

The process may feel painful, the stretching unbearable and you may feel dry, but can I encourage you, do not give up in your process. Refuse to give up even in the weariness for some of the greatest encounters with His power are being released right now as the people of God "lean in."

You will go from "barely surviving" to "thriving." From feeling empty to full and from full to explosive overflow releasing the testimony of a good God to all around you that will release a breakthrough anointing for others as you share. Hold on tight! God is going to use your process powerfully!

"Your testimonies are my delight, they are my counselors" (Ps. 119:24).
Lana Vawser has a heart to encourage the body of Christ and individuals in their walks with Jesus, to have deeper intimacy with Him and to learn to hear His voice. She operates in the prophetic and loves to share the heart of God with others. Lana has written her first book, titled Desperately Deep—Developing Deep Devotion and Dialogue with Jesus, and loves to see others grow in all that God has for them.


Are You a Biblical Christian or a Cultural Christian?

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 Are You a Biblical Christian or a Cultural Christian?

Patrick Morley | Are you a biblical or a cultural Christian? (ECWA Archive)

Contrary to the opinions of some, Christianity is still flourishing in our society. There are more Christians today in America than ever before, both as a percentage and in total numbers. Roughly one in three Americans indicates they have asked Jesus to forgive their sins and grant them the gift of eternal life.

But here is the obvious question: If religion is such a big part of our lives, why isn't it making more of an impact on our society? The sad reality is that claims of religious commitment run high, but impact is at an all-time low.

And here's the problem: Although Christianity is flourishing, many of us who are Christians have gotten caught up in this increasingly bankrupt culture. We have adopted many of the values of the world around us. Maybe it's the new sexual ethics of cohabitation or pornography, rampant greed and materialism, or winking at the needs of the poor.

Galatians 5:9 explains why adopting these values is a problem: "A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough." So when we try to have the best of both worlds, we exchange the truth of God for a lie and the glory of God for idols, we do what seems right in our own eyes, we get engrossed in the secular world, and we worship created things instead of the Creator.

The result? Cultural Christianity. Cultural Christianity means pursuing the God we want instead of the God who is. It is the tendency to be shallow in our understanding of God, wanting Him to be more of a gentle grandfather type who spoils us and lets us have our own way. It is sensing a need for God, but on our own terms. It is wanting the God we have underlined in our Bibles without wanting the rest of Him too. It is God relative instead of God absolute.

What has been the result of this adaptive, cultural religion?

Two Kinds of Christians 

The ease with which people now associate themselves with religion has produced two kinds of Christians: biblical Christians and cultural Christians.

Jesus was the first to clarify the different types of people who would or would not associate with Him. The parable of the sower reveals four groups of hearers of the Word of God.

Group 1: The Non-Christian
"Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved" (Luke 8:12).

Christ makes clear the point that not everyone who hears about salvation will believe.

Group 2: The Cultural Christian, Type "C"

"Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away" (Luke 8:13). 

Type "C" stands for counterfeit faith. Among us are some who profess to be Christians, but in reality they are not Christians at all; they are cultural Christians—type "C." They have a counterfeit faith—a faith that is not a genuine faith in Christ. Jesus said, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matthew 7:21).

Without sounding a false alarm, but in love, I encourage every man who finds himself to be a cultural Christian to consider whether his faith is merely a defeated faith or a counterfeit faith. If counterfeit faith is the condition of your life, don't be discouraged. God loves you with an everlasting love and wants to reconcile with you. In the next chapter we will look at how you can get on, or back on, the right track.

Group 3: The Cultural Christian, Type "D"

"The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature" (Luke 8:14).

Sadly, there is little marginal difference between the way many Christians spend their money and the way non-Christians spend theirs. For a group whose primary commission is to be salt and light to a broken, confused world, this example does little to present a viable alternative to empty lifestyles.

Type "D" stands for defeated faith. The type "D" cultural Christian lives in defeat. There is little, if any, marginal difference between his lifestyle and the lifestyle of the man who makes no claim to be in Christ. He has never understood, perhaps because he has never been told, the difference between what it means to be a cultural Christian versus a biblical Christian. This is the category I flirted with before God brought me to my senses.

Group 4: The Biblical Christian

"But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop" (Luke 8:15).

A biblical Christian is a man who trusts in Christ, and Christ alone, for his salvation. As a result of his saving faith he desires to be obedient to God's principles out of the overflow of a grateful heart (see Romans 1:5). Obedience doesn't save us; faith does. This explains why some men can be cultural Christians—they have a saving faith, but they have not obediently made Christ Lord over all their lives. They have not allowed the Holy Spirit to empower them.

What does it mean to be a cultural Christian today?

Lessons from Elementary School

Do you remember your elementary school teacher demonstrating the principle of diffusion? She started with a clear glass of water. Then with an eyedropper she took some red food dye from a bottle and squeezed one drop into the glass. Within moments, the water was tainted with a pinkish hue as the dye permeated the water in the glass.

To be a cultural Christian in your parents' generation was to be like a clear glass of water with one drop of red dye. In other words, the secular culture was not that different from the Christian culture. That was before the days of Internet pornography, abortion on demand, explicit sex during prime-time TV, songs that degrade women, and a drug culture that's hard to avoid. So a man could be a cultural Christian and still be somewhat close to a Christian worldview and values.

To be a cultural Christian today is like having the whole bottle of red dye poured in the glass.

A Look in the Mirror

The man in the mirror will never change until he is willing to see himself as he really is, and to commit to know God as He really is. This objectivity anchors a man; it gives him the clarity of thought he needs to be a biblical Christian.

Is the man looking back at you in the mirror a cultural Christian or a biblical Christian?
Patrick Morley is the founder of Man in the Mirror Ministries. For the original article, visit maninthemirror.org.


5 ways to exercise no matter how busy you are

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5 ways to exercise no matter how busy you are
An Aussie model for the past seven years, in 2013 Hannah started sharing her fitness routine, diet and health tips on Instagram to much success. She launches her workout app this year (hanxfit.com)
 
Keeping fit when you've got a jam-packed schedule IS possible, writes Hannah Saul

We've all gone through times when life starts getting in the way of our fitness journey. But whether you work unpredictable hours or your social schedule is getting the better of you, it's still important to stay on top of your workouts. Not only is exercise good for your health for many reasons, but it can also be quite energising – I personally find that working out helps to boost my productivity. Here are the five tricks that I apply to fit in a workout regardless of my schedule.

1. Work out in the morning
I always do some form of exercise in the morning, even if I can only fit 10 minutes in. Something is better than nothing, and for me it's more about making it a habit! I've been doing this every day for about three years and it's a non-negotiable part of my day. If I have an early shoot or an early flight, I do three to four sets of the following:
  • 15 push-ups
  • 15 squats
  • 15 mountain climbers
  • 15 lunges a side, alternating legs because that will help you work your core
  • 15 bicycle crunches

Related story: Australian model Hannah Saul shares her summer body tips

2. Bring your workout gear with you
Not sure when you will have time to train? Bring a small gym bag with you to work. All you will need is your gym gear (obviously): shoes, shorts, socks, top and a comb, dry shampoo, face wipes and mineral foundation to get ready post-workout. This little pack won't take up too much space, but it is essentially all you need to get 'work ready' again.

3. Get an app
Having a fitness app on your phone is a great way to ensure you get your workout done, because you have a library of workouts at your fingertips that you can literally do anywhere, anytime. My fitness app, HANxFIT, has workouts that can be done no matter where you want to train. If you have a lunch break and a park nearby, do a workout from the body weight or abs section. If you want to do a session in the gym, you can refer to the gym or kettlebell workouts. Each workout has a beginner, intermediate and advanced option and there are different length options so you can pick a workout that suits your timeframe too.

 
4. Get a stretchy band
You forgot to bring your gym gear to work and you missed your morning session. Now you're home, tired and lacking motivation to train. This is when a stretchy band comes into play. I have a band that's about 40cm in diameter and I use it while I'm watching TV. To work your legs and butt, put the band underneath your knees (not on your knees!) and go up into a bridge. Engage your core and make sure you keep your body aligned, as you don't want to hurt yourself. Now alternate between doing little pulses towards the roof and pushing your legs out towards the sides of the room.
 
Remember it's all about small movements and keeping your muscles under tension. Every time you do a pulse, think to yourself 'out an inch, in an inch'. It might sound a bit dirty, but it works!
 
5. Embrace incidental exercise
Try to fit in as much incidental exercise as possible. Walk to work or to the train station and if possible try to organise walking or fitness meetings with your contacts. You could also consider getting a standing desk. Applying more healthy practices into your daily schedule can only be good for you, after all.
Hannah Saul is launching her highly anticipated workout app HAN x FIT in October 2015. Pre- register for the app now: hanxfit.com/signup.
Instagram: @hanxfit


Five Ways Fasting Can Change Your Life

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Five Ways Fasting Can Change Your Life

You have the choice to change your life by a simple decision. It is fully within your ability to make this choice, and absolutely within God’s power to give you the strength for the sacrifice. Fasting and prayer, if faithfully done, will alter your existence, rock your spiritual world and bring your life on this earth into “God’s” perspective. We know because it is doing that for us. You can’t argue with personal experience; it is fact and it is incredibly exciting.

Wendy Simpson Little and I answered a call from God to enter into a relationship of weekly fasting and prayer. We followed a routine of one day a week, from after Monday night dinner to before Tuesday night dinner. We felt led to fast from food, but you may be led to fast other things. How much time do you spend on social media? If given the choice to run to God or grab the remote, which would you choose? Don’t worry, only you and God need to know the answer.

Naiveté would be one way of putting it in regards to our leap into this spiritual discipline. We thought the simple equation of Prayer + Fasting = Quick Fix Answers was what we should expect. Little did we know that our heavenly Father would choose first to carefully address the areas in our life that needed fixing, confession and repentance.? What a gracious God He is to only want the best for us—transformation that likens us to his Son. Thankfully, He continues to refine and replace those sinful and broken places with His faithful forgiveness and invaluable instruction. The outcome? We will continue to fast and pray, to live it out as our lifestyle, until God takes us home. Why? Once you come this close to God, you don’t retreat.

Let’s talk about five of the things that can change our lives when we fast and pray:

1. Fasting and prayer can help us hear from God. “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:3, NIV).

For those of you who truly know Jesus, how could you ever resist that appeal? You have been invited to “call” to Him in prayer. His Word says that He will tell us things we don’t know, which is very helpful in point No. 2! If you want deeper intimacy with God then we highly recommend you enter into a sacrificial space in time where you seek Him like never before.

2. Fasting and prayer can reveal our hidden sin. “My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from me, nor is their sin concealed from my eyes” (Jeremiah 16:17, NIV).

God can see our sins like a flashing neon sign. Nothing is hidden from His sight. We have found that frequently the harder sins to acknowledge are the hidden ones, especially when they involve our motives and attitudes.

When we fast and pray, we are taking time away from a meal or an activity to devote our entire being to focus on God. We find we are more sensitive to the voice of God, more attuned to hearing what He has to reveal to us. Gently, God whispers in our mind what we were really thinking at the time of our sin, what our true intent was and we are shocked … momentarily. Then like a light turned on in a pitch black room, we see it. We did mean harm. We were manipulative. Even though our recognition makes us want to hide our face, our loving Savior lifts our chin to look into his forgiving eyes. As we repent, we no longer want to hide, but to praise and worship the very one who confronted our wrong.

3. Fasting and prayer can strengthen intimacy with God. “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17, NIV).

As you remain consistent in prayer and fasting, over time, you will crave more quiet time alone with your heavenly Father. Psalms 42:1 says, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God”. The more you know of God, the more you want. Fasting and prayer is a great catalyst to create an insatiable hunger for God’s presence and you will enter into a place of deep intimacy with our Lord.

4. Fasting and prayer can teach us to pray with right motives. “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures” (James 4:3, NIV). The more you focus on your prayer time, pressing in with heightened sensitivity through the sacrifice of fasting, your will aligns with God.

No longer are you praying with wrong motives, but are petitioning the Lord with a heart of worship, gratitude and an outward vision that cares for the needs of others. 1 John 5:14–15 tell us that we can have confidence then as we approach God, knowing “that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him (NIV). This is great news!

5. Fasting and prayer can build our faith. “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6, NIV). God says He will answer our prayer. As we fasted He has bolstered our faith by answering incredible requests with many a yes. He has also built our faith by helping us trust when He says no. Whatever the answer, we have learned that we can believe God knows best. Our reward is the peace that comes from being fully surrendered to God’s control over our lives.

We have come to know God like never before. His grace amazes us that He would call us into this sacrificial relationship where we gain infinitely more than we give up. God has changed our lives through prayer and fasting—are you ready for Him to change yours?

Suzanne Niles and Wendy Little are authors of the newly released book Fast Friends (Broadstreet Publishing, October 2015).