[thebishopii]

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[jaydee5799]

Great idea. Good Luck with your group. Lovely graphic too!

[thebishopii]

Thanks Jaydee

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[thebishopii]

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[thebishopii]

REFLECTION OF THE DAY

FOLLOW HIM IN HUMILITY -PART ONE

The Greatest Glory

Before Jesus went to the cross, the most important thing on His mind was to train up a handful of disciples so they could communicate the Gospel to the whole world. But His approach was not based on fantastic plans, schemes, committee meetings or mega-Madison Avenue strategies. He basically said to His disciples, "You learn from Me. And My qualification for being your example is that I am humble" (see Matthew 11:29).

So Christ alone must be our example of humility. Philippians 2:7-8 describes very well just how humble He was: ". . . but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant and coming in the likeness of men. . . . He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."

What was the key to Christ's humility? It was deeply rooted in His understanding and accepting the truth that the greatest glory in heaven and on earth is to be the servant of all. That's the reason why prophetic passages like Isaiah 53 portray Him as a servant, and Psalm 40:8 describes Him saying: "I delight to do Your will, O my God."

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[thebishopii]

Arm Yourself


When the Lord calls us to serve Him, our hearts are overjoyed. We are excited and eager to do our best. But very soon we discover that things would go a whole lot smoother if circumstances would be more favorable?if finances weren't so tight, if John Doe with his strange ideas wouldn't be in leadership, if we wouldn't have to work beside Mary Major with her overbearing personality.

As time goes by, our initial excitement wears off, and the irritations, disappointments and conflicts with others seem to grow stronger. Finally we get to the point where we can't take it anymore and we either start fighting for our rights or we quietly walk off with hurt and bitterness in our hearts.

Why couldn't we survive in serving the Lord, even though we began with willing and sincere hearts?

With the Same Mind

Could it be that we forgot we were in a battle that is not against flesh and blood? Instead, we end up fighting John and Mary instead of our real enemy. Did we arm ourselves correctly for the spiritual battle we entered as Paul describes in Ephesians? If our answer is yes, what are we still missing?

I believe our answer is found in the letter the Apostle Peter wrote near the end of his life: "Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind" (1 Peter 4:1).

Have we armed ourselves with the willingness to suffer?to the same extent that Christ suffered for us when He was on earth?

I am well aware that the idea of embracing suffering does not fit our 21st-century concept of following and serving Christ. Yet the Bible teaches that suffering for Him is our privilege: "For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake" (Philippians 1:29).

Does that mean we all should seek out beatings and martyrdom? No, that's not what it means. The Lord wants us to arm ourselves with a mind to suffer just as He did, so the enemy has nothing to work with to get us out of the battle.

The Way to Obedience

We must never forget that Christ did not suffer just during His three years of public ministry or the last few days of His life when He was crucified. No, He suffered throughout His life on earth. He who was without sin lived daily with the corruption and sinfulness of lost humanity.

His own family members said He had gone mentally insane. The religious community misunderstood Him and called Him a demon-possessed man. His disciples didn't understand Him, and when He needed them most, they ran away. From birth to the cross, His life was full of pain, loneliness and constant misunderstanding. He is called a man of sorrows and grief. That's the Jesus of the New Testament.

In the midst of it all, He chose to suffer in the flesh by saying no to Himself. He never fought for Himself, argued His case or attacked anyone to defend His rights. And in the end, Jesus was able to say, "Not My will, but Thine," embracing the cross to fulfill His Father's will.

Suffering in the flesh became the means for Jesus to learn obedience to His Father. And His life is our model, says Peter: "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps" (1 Peter 2:21).

Finishing Strong

But what was the reason for Christ's suffering and death? To redeem mankind. And so it is with us. We can only become agents of redemption if we are willing to embrace suffering in the flesh?choosing to deny self and accepting death to our own desires

My dear friend, if you want to finish strong in your service to the Lord, then you must make a deliberate decision to arm yourself with a mind to suffer as Jesus did. It is never easy for our flesh when we choose to spend time alone in prayer, fast for several days, give up certain material possessions or perhaps follow the Lord's leading to a difficult mission field. But it's a choice we make for others.

Throughout his days as a disciple, Peter battled for his rights and the number-one position on the team. But in his letter, he tells us, in essence:

"Brothers and sisters, take Jesus as your example. The moment you remove yourselves from this reality, the devil will take advantage of you. And all of a sudden, relationships break down and revenge, bitterness and unforgiveness will take hold of you. Don't fight, don't argue, don't look for the first place for yourself. Don't look for anything. Always follow Him who suffered for you. This is the secret of staying in the battle."

And when we do this, nothing?no circumstances, disappointments, financial problems, misunderstandings or shortcomings of leaders and co-workers?will be able to take us out of the battle!

For the sake of Jesus and His kingdom, will you make this decision today?



Dr. K.P. Yohannan

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[thebishopii]

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[thebishopii]

Before I formed you in the womb I knew [and] approved of you [as My chosen instrument], and before you were born I separated and set you apart, consecrating you; [and] I appointed you... [Exod. 33:12; Isa. 49:1, 5; Rom. 8:29.] - Jeremiah 1:5


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[thebishopii]

If you need Jesus and want a personal relationship with Him, pray this very simple prayer out loud: "Father God, I love you. I believe in you. I need you. I'm sorry for my sins. Sorry about the way I've lived. Sorry for shutting You out. I want You in my life. I surrender. I yield. I receive Jesus as my Savior and my Lord. I believe He died for me. He rose from the dead. He's alive today. Come into me. Take me just the way I am. Now make me everything You want me to be. I believe I'm saved. I'm on my way to heaven, and I'm going to enjoy the trip. Amen."



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[thebishopii]

If you have accepted Christ contact me. Scan the barcode below:


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[thebishopii]

FAITH AND EVIDENCE
�NOW FAITH is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].
�For by [faith?trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report.
By faith we understand that the worlds [during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things which are visible. (heb11.1-3.amp)

Faith demands conscious and active involvement on our part for it to deliver results. We cannot live it alone to God to manage our faith, rather we must labor in faith to open the supernatural into the natural�

�What is the use (profit), my brethren, for anyone to profess to have faith if he has no [good] works [to show for it]? Can [such] faith save [his soul]? If a brother or sister is poorly clad and lacks food for each day, And one of you says to him, Good-bye! Keep [yourself] warm and well fed, without giving him the necessities for the body, what good does that do? So also faith, if it does not have works (deeds and actions of obedience to back it up), by itself is destitute of power (inoperative, dead). But someone will say [to you then], You [say you] have faith, and I have [good] works. Now you show me your [alleged] faith apart from any [good] works [if you can], and I by [good] works [of obedience] will show you my faith. You believe that God is one; you do well. So do the demons believe and shudder [in terror and horror such as make a man's hair stand on end and contract the surface of his skin]! Are you willing to be shown [proof], you foolish (unproductive, spiritually deficient) fellow, that faith apart from [good] works is inactive and ineffective and worthless? Was not our forefather Abraham [shown to be] justified (made acceptable to God) by [his] works when he brought to the altar as an offering his [own] son Isaac? [Gen. 22:1-14.] You see that [his] faith was cooperating with his works, and [his] faith was completed and reached its supreme expression [when he implemented it] by [good] works. And [so] the Scripture was fulfilled that says, Abraham believed in (adhered to, trusted in, and relied on) God, and this was accounted to him as righteousness (as conformity to God's will in thought and deed), and he was called God's friend. [Gen. 15:6; II Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8.] You see that a man is justified (pronounced righteous before God) through what he does and not alone through faith [through works of obedience as well as by what he believes]. So also with Rahab the harlot?was she not shown to be justified (pronounced righteous before God) by [good] deeds when she took in the scouts (spies) and sent them away by a different route? [Josh. 2:1-21.] For as the human body apart from the spirit is lifeless, so faith apart from [its] works of obedience is also dead.(jas2.14-26.amp)

Faith is requesting evidence from God upon request of his intervention on our behalf then having that result from it.�

�And whatever you ask for in prayer, having faith and [really] believing, you will receive.I assure you, most solemnly I tell you, if anyone steadfastly believes in Me, he will himself be able to do the things that I do; and he will do even greater things than these, because I go to the Father. And I will do [I Myself will grant] whatever you ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM], so that the Father may be glorified and extolled in (through) the Son. [Exod. 3:14.] [Yes] I will grant [I Myself will do for you] whatever you shall ask in My Name [as presenting all that I AM].(mat21.22.amp,�jhn14.12-14.amp)

Faith is specific. It is not receiving a thing you didn't ask then claiming it to be faith. You ask specifically forehand and you receive specifically consequently. What is gotten by faith is protected by the divine. What is gotten through our own strength lacks the protection of the divine

�Where do you think all these appalling wars and quarrels come from? Do you think they just happen? Think again. They come about because you want your own way, and fight for it deep inside yourselves. You lust for what you don?t have and are willing to kill to get it. You want what isn?t yours and will risk violence to get your hands on it. You wouldn?t think of just asking God for it, would you? And why not? Because you know you?d be asking for what you have no right to. You?re spoiled children, each wanting your own way. ... You?re cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn?t care? The proverb has it that ?he?s a fiercely jealous lover.? And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you?ll find. It?s common knowledge that ?God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.?(jas4.1-4.msg)

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[thebishopii]

This week my prayer for you :

http://bible.us/eph3.14-21.niv For this reason I kneel before the Father, ... I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord?s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge?that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

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[thebishopii]

Finally the social network for christian is here click here to sign up:

www.gospelalert.com

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[thebishopii]

What God says will happen as He has says http://www.gospelalert.com/index.php...y_action/id/50

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[JoeBiGGsMen]

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