Won by Love: The goodness of God leads . . .To Repentance ( Romans 2:4)

   Ever noticed that most organizations insist that you earn your way? For example, airlines compensate frequent fliers with free miles, sports franchises reward players who score goals and win games. Some corporations even grade their employers on a scale where they can earn a private office or their own parking space. But God's not like that; you can't earn salvation.

Paul says. "The goodness of God leads . . .to repentance." Notice, he didn't say the scare tactics of a preacher or the legalistic requirements of some church that you keep their standards before God will accept you. No, genuine repentance is our response to the unconditional love of a perfect God. 

We serve a God who delights in reaching down and restoring the cracked pots and damaged vessels society wants to throw on the garbage heap.When you encounter a Savior like that, you want to please Him. It's impossible to experience the unfailing love of God  who stands by you when others fail you, and keep on abusing His love.

The very idea that God's love comes with no strings attached goes against every human instinct. 

" God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life". (John 3:16)

Beloved, LOVE is the force that draws us to Him. To know Him is to love Him. And to walk with Him is to experience "joy unspeakable." 

To the hopeless and hurting our God says," " Come. Your Past doesn't  disqualify you ; your problems are not too big for Me - I've handled bigger. Maybe you're not welcome anywhere else,but today you're "Accepted Into The Beloved."  ( Eph 1 : 6)

                             You're Loved by God.

                           You're Accepted by God.

The Unthinkable

Now as they sat and ate, Jesus said, " Assuredly, I say to you, one of you who eats with Me will betray Me".

   - Mark 14: 18

                    Surely I would never betray the Lord! Each disciple earnestly pled his loyalty to Christ. As they reclined together in the comfort and security of the upper room, in the presence of their Lord, the disciples could not imagine themselves ever wavering in their loyalty to Christ. Yet Jesus looked at them and said, "One of you who eats with Me will betray Me!". How was it possible to share such an intimate and profound moment with the Savior and then rush quickly toward betrayal and spiritual failure?

            During the intense pressures of Gethsemane and the cross, the disciples did things they never thought they would do. They had no idea how cruel and hateful the world around them would be to their Lord. Jesus had cautioned them that the would would hate them because it hated Him. ( John 15:18-21; 16:33). 

       But only Jesus knew the full extent of the temptation they would face. In the pressure of the moment the heart does surprising things. Scripture had predicted Judas would betray Jesus, despite having walked with Him for over three years. But Peter, too, would deny Him, and all would forsake Him.

     

    How quickly the surroundings of our lives can shift from the security and tranquility of an upper room to the harsh reality of Gethsemane and the cross. Guard your heart. Listen now to the Lord's gentle warning: the failure that was possible with His first disciples is also possible with you. You, too, are  capable of forsaking Jesus, just as the first disciples did. If Jesus is warning you  of an area in your life in which you could fail Him, heed His Words today!

  Today, let us take some time out just to re-evaluate our walk with God. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal those gray areas of your life that does not reflect His glory.
 Repent and turn to the Lord.

                     Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

                     Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up.

 ( James 4: 7-10).

                     

Breaking the glass ceiling.

In life we fail, sometimes once, sometimes twice, sometimes thrice and sometimes every time. So we decide to quit, because we did our best but it was not good enough. Sometimes too we succeed and then out of nowhere we make a little mistake and it makes us feel like we have failed totally.

Oftentimes people look at our size, our height, our color, our country, our past and tell us we cannot achieve anything great.

Sometimes we believe them, other times we think they are right. So we quit and give up and we hide ourselves from the world and from the people who look up to us.

We hide our dreams, we hide our passion, we hide our talent, we hide our skill, we hide our ideas. We coil and retire to being quiet and to stay out of trouble.

But everyday we look at ourselves in the mirror and we hear the still small voice telling us, never give up and don't quit but we ignore it.

We begin to resort to all avenues and mediums to help us feel okay.

Sometimes we begin to calm ourselves with alcohol, substance abuse, drugs, sex and many more because we know we are hurting deep inside and we just don't believe there is anything good still left in us. But today I want to change your mindset of failure and giving up.

When we fail it means

F - First

A - Attempt

I - In

L- Life

And like everyone when we were learning to walk as children we fell many times but we kept trying until we could walk.

After we could walk now we can run, but before we had to fall to learn not to fall.

So in life, we fail to learn how not to fail. We don't quit to learn how to succeed.

Steve Jobs was fired from Apple a company he helped build because he failed at some point. But He went away to learn not to fall anymore because he who has fallen fears no fall.

When he came back to Apple, those who had not failed could not match him anymore because he has learnt from his mistake.

Today I want to tell you too not to quit or give up because you have failed in the past. 

I love you and I want you to promise me that you too won't give up. "Because when you Keep trying, you will come out flying."

Please, spare a little time today and  meditate on these uplifting scriptures.

* 2 Chronicles 15:7

*Isaiah 41:10

*Jeremiah 29:11

*Galatians 6:9

*Joshua 1:9

*Mark 10:27

Be blessed.

Christina.

You don't have to be a spiritual giant or a prayer warrior in order to bring your concerns to God.

The battle for our children's lives is waged in prayers. It is never too late to start praying.
When we pray in the name of Jesus, believing the promises of God's Word, His power is released at that moment. Psalm 56:9 declares that the day we call for help,the tide of battle turns. 

We are in a battle for the very lives of our children. What comforting truth to know that when a mom intercedes, using the Word on behalf of her children, God has heard her prayers and satan's power is dispelled. 
( 1 John 5:14)
Satan's attacks can be destroyed by the power of the living Word of God. Yes! the Word is the most powerful weapon we wield for the protection of our children. (Read Ephesians 6).

           You don't have to be a spiritual giant or a prayer warrior in order to bring your concerns to God. God hears the prayers of ordinary moms like you and I.  It is time for us to rise up as  prophets and decree the decrees of the Lord over our children.

Becoming a praying parent: God hears the prayers of Ordinary Moms.

             When you pray for your children, you join God in the work he is doing in their lives.

Things have changed. The world I knew growing up as a little girl has drastically changed.  In this increasingly complex and turbulent world, you don't know what the future holds for your children, nor can you control it. But as their mother, there is something you and I can do about it: We can PRAY. Our prayers are the most potent weapon in the battle for our children's destinies.
              You don't have to be a spiritual giant or a prayer warrior in order to bring your concerns to God. God hears the prayers of ordinary moms like you and I.

      This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
                          - ( 1 John 5:14)

NB:  Praying for your children to know, love, and use God's word is one of the most effective ways to pray for their spiritual protection and asking God to hide His Word in their hearts, is asking Him for the blessing of wisdom, protection and freedom.                  

                          Always remember God hears the prayers of Ordinary Moms like you  and I...so rise up as a prohet today  and declare God's Word over your children in prayers.

       
     God Bless You.

    Christina Ewanga

                            

"Walk in Love, as Christ also hath loved us" - Ephesians 5:2

We can be struck with trouble, heaviness, and darkness, but His Light cannot be put out.( John 1:5)

Jesus said, " I am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life. (John 8:12). He was the source of Life, and the darkness has never extinguished it.( John 1:5). God sent a man named John to be his messenger. John came to declare the truth about the Light so that everyone would become believers through his message.John was not the Light, but he came to declare the truth about the Light.

  

The Real Light, which shines on everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into existence through Him. Yet, the world didn't recognized Him. He went to His own people, and his own people didn't accept him. However, He gave the right to become God's children to everyone who believe in Him. 

( John 1: 6-12). 

Jesus Christ is the Real Light that gives Life. He is what we need in our lives. There is nothing that can give us light that brightens our path like Jesus Christ.(Psalm 119:105)  He came into this world to save and to redeem us from the darkness that has so much ensnared us. Today, He is still inviting us into His marvelous Light that gives life.

       

Without Jesus Christ in our lives , we walk in total darkness because He is the Light. Apart from Him we walk in darkness. Just like a fish can not live out of its natural habitation which is water, we too cannot live apart from God because He is our creator , sustainer and  life giver. When a fish is taken out of water, it doesn't die immediately - it dies gradually- but finally dies and this is also applicable to us children of God. When we are disconnected with God because of our sinfulness, the result is gradual death which eventually leads to death. Romans 6:23  says. " For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Jesus desire is not for any of us to perish in our sins but for us to become alive in Him. Colossians 2:13 says, " When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trandgressions". (Col 2:13).

       

Apostle Paul reminded believers, And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath even as the rest. For you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light. ( Ephesians 2:1-3, Ephesians 5:8).

         

    As believers, we are the light of God in this dark world. We are no longer in darkness because Christ has redeemed us from darkness and brought us into His marvelous light. We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that we may declare  the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Once we were not a people, but now we are the people of God; once we had not receive mercy, but now we have received mercy. ( 1 Peter 2:9-10) Therefore, a believer's life should reflect the Light of God in every aspect of live and service. Following Jesus is not a physical pathway, but a life of dedication and service. Jesus always honored His Father in His daily life. Our lives ought to be a testimony to the grace and love of God. David prayed, " Wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?" ( Psalm 56:13)

           

    So today, I wish to admonish us to live as children of the Light. Let our lives reflect the Light of God in our common daily activities and walks. Let His love, kindness, compassion be manifest in our contacts with people. We should see everyone as Christ see's them. Instead of judging and condemning people by our words and actions, let us pour out His love to them. Let us pour His goodness and mercy to them. The Bible says,  "God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved".  ( John 3:17) Let sinners be transformed through us and not be condemed through us. Let sinners be won to Christ through the Gospel we preach to them and through the life of Christ  they see through us. Let our lives be a reflection of Jesus Christ and let us walk in Love, as Christ also hath loved us". (Ephesians 5:2)

Be Encouraged:

   The world is in total pains right now. Things are no longer the same as it used to be. I don't know what you might be facing right now in your life but I want to encourage you to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. The Lord is your strength. The Lord is your refuge and protector. The Lord is your healer.  Whatever situation you're facing right now is not more than God to handle. Our God is able and He will see you through that difficulty. Scripture tells us that night can be as bright as day,that even in the toughest times, we can carry on because there is a Light that cannot be extinguished. When our lives are overwhelmed by sorrow and grief, the Light of God cannot  be fully overcome. We can be struck with trouble, heaviness, and darkness, but His Light cannot be put out.( John 1:5)

       Are you struck with pains and sorrow today, overwhelmed and hardly able to function under the weight of the burden you carry? Ask God to allow you the grace to have enough light to see by today. And as this trial unfolds, moment by moment, you can trust in His unfailing love.

                 Pray with me today. . .

                                          

 I thank You Lord that You are never overcome by darkness. Even the darkest night is as bright as the brightest day to You. Thank You that as I walk with You, learning to walk in Your ways, seeking Your divine presence in my life moment by moment, this darkness I presently feel will dissipate, and the night around me will be like day once again in Jesus Name.

                   Thank You that You promised me that I will shine again. As You transform my life and deliver me from these present challenges that seeks to overwhelm and destroy me, rather than being overwhelmed and destroyed, these challenges will be the making of me. I will become stronger and a brighter light for Your glory.

             

 Wash me clean of all darkness. Take me into the light of Your glorious presence and radiate all darkness out of my being in Jesus Name. I thank You for the sacrifice of Your dear Son, Jesus who bled and died to give me an opportunity to be forgiven and cleansed.

                I trust in the blood and water that gushed forth from the sacred, broken heart of Jesus to flood over me and to break the circle of darkness plaquing my life today. I stand beneath that flow, bowing in worship for Your generous, glorious love for me.

In Jesus Name.

Amen.

Article By: Christina Ewanga.

Host on Christina Ewanga on Raising Kids With The Wisdom of God Series.

Bible References: 

John 8:12, John 1:5, John 1:6-12, Romans 6:23, Col 2:13, Eph 2:1-3, Eph 5:8, Ps 56:13,  1 Peter 2:9-10

Psalm 119:105.

Prayer Reference: A prayer for Light in the darkness by Mark & Jill Herringshaw

@ Christina Ewanga Network Daily Devotional.

"Walk in Love, as Christ also hath loved us" - Ephesians 5:2