The disturbing dialogue…..and purity!

Going about my day I came across two guys talking. The conversation they had was quite disturbing and I couldn’t believe they were talking about it so casually. One of the guys was talking about his girlfriend. He was telling his friend how “hot” various parts of her body were. He went on to tell him about the tattoos she had and where they were on her body! Like I said, it was quite disturbing. To make it worse these boys were on the way from school which meant they were teens!

That got me thinking about purity. Was does it mean to be pure? As a young person what does it mean to keep yourself for the person God has for you? I don’t think not having sex before marriage is what makes you pure. There is much more….

Being pure means watching how you speak. That young boy was disrespecting his girlfriend by the way he spoke about her. If you are waiting for God’s one for you then watching how you speak is something you have to watch out. Instead of speaking in a obscene way pray for her. Speak the word. Build her up with your words. Respect her with your words. If you haven’t met her yet that doesn’t mean you have to wait. Start learning to be pure in the way you speak to the people around you. Let it be natural by the time you meet her. Speak life to your friends. Encourage them and build them up with your words.

Being pure means watching how you think. Those guys were not being pure. What are you thinking about? As a young person you need to learn how to control your thoughts. It doesn’t start when you get married. It starts now!! Change the way you think. Being pure is about being strict about what you watch because you know it will affect what you think about. There are a lot of things that can contaminate you if you are not careful.

Young men, what I have written falls heavier on you. I want you to make the connection between keeping yourself for your wife to be and thinking pure thoughts and speaking life. They are intertwined, connected! They all form together to create purity in its purest form! You can’t abstain from sex but have no control over your mouth! Or you cannot abstain from sex but always thinking about the naked women you saw on the internet! See how crazy that is. When you meet your wife you want to be completely whole, not partially whole! That is my goal and desire and I will fight for that.

We cannot allow the enemy to steal our purity. If you didn’t know that is what the enemy is doing. Bit by bit he is destroying our purity. He is doing everything he can to corrupt us. If it’s not through movies it’s through the music we listen to, if it’s not music then it’s the news we watch and the news we ready daily that puts us in a state of fear! We have all been affected but thank God for His grace because when we fall and fail He is there to pick us up! It’s hard writing this because I see how easily I fall, I see how I get deceived. I am all for purity and I am in this fight but the enemy has won a lot…….A lot of times I feel helpless and weak, like I don’t stand a chance and in a way I don’t if I am relying on my flesh. But even in the face of those kind of circumstances I will get up and dust myself off and fight.

The picture that comes to mind when I think about this fight we fight is one of Zeus and Atom, characters from the movie Real Steel. Atom is the under dog and doesn’t stand a chance against the reigning champion the mighty Zeus! During the fight Atom takes a lot of hits. Atom gets knocked to the floor constantly. But every time he gets knocked out he manages to some how get up. No matter how bad he has been beaten and thrown around he still gets up!!! And then something amazing happens, Atom begins to fight back. The champion that never got challenged, that never broke a sweat begins to get beaten. As the fight ends Zeus gets knocked to the floor which is something that has never been seen. We are Atom, we have a chance because God lives in us. He is the one that gives us the strength to stand again and again. He is the reason we don’t stay down after unrelenting attack! He is the reason we can face the fierce giants who threaten to destroy us!

Zeus and Atom!

The conclusion, purity is something worth fighting for. Don’t give up. No matter how much the enemy has stolen, you still have a chance because it is because of God you have a chance! We can face the onslaught of the enemy knowing God is with us. The enemy will  not win. We will protect this precious gift God has given to us to the death! The enemy will not steal our purity. He may be stronger, we may get knocked down but we WILL win, we WILL stand up again because God is with us! That is amazing…….!

Rolain

Is Your Faith Really Faith?

I have spoken about faith a lot. Without faith it is impossible to please God but I read something that made me ask the question, is my faith really faith? As I write this, my prayer is you will see faith in a new light.
It was whilst reading the book of James that I questioned if my faith was really faith. This passage of scripture is very popular. I have read it many times but this time round it was different. I was really challenged by what I read. This particular portion of scripture speaks about faith and works. In James 2:14 it says:

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]?

It then goes on to say in James 2:18:

But someone will say [to you then], You [say you] have faith, and I have [good] works. Now 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.

According to James who was inspired by the Holy Spirit, real faith works hand in hand with action. You cannot have one or the other. It is not just believing and doing nothing. He paints a picture of two people. It almost seems like a competition is taking place. It is “faith” which is faith without action vs “works” faith with works. And in this competition “faith” without action loses. He is saying our faith is not really faith until it is accompanied by action (works)! Believing is not enough because according to James 2:19 he says:

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]!

There are a lot of things we are trusting God for but we need to realise that sitting and waiting is NOT faith! In the things that we have faith for there is a part we have to play.
Please understand, I am not advocating we do things in our flesh and not trust in God. What I am saying is, in the things we are trusting God for there is a part for us to play. Let me give you an example.

Saul and Jonathan and the army of Israel were trapped by the Philistines but to make matters worse Saul and Jonathan were the only ones with swords (1 Samuel 13:22). Saul and Jonathan had “faith” in God. Saul’s “faith” led him to enquire of the Lord through the priest Ahijah (1 Samuel 14:18,19) while Jonathan’s “faith” led him to act. Jonathan’s “faith” led his nation to victory ( 1 Samuel 14:23).
I hope you see as Jonathan stepped out and did his part God STEPPED UP and did His part and that is how it is supposed to be, that is real faith! Our faith needs to be accompanied by works!

James 2:21 says:

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 Issac?
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.

You may have faith that God will turn your life around but know you have a part to play. You may be trusting God to bring your destiny to pass but know you have a part to play. You need to act. If you don’t know your part ask God. He will show you what you need to do. You may trusting God for healing, also know you have a part to play. It might be changing your confession. (Some of us make things worse for ourselves by speaking death over ourselves.) It may be changing how you eat. I don’t know, but what I do know is you have a part to play. You may be in poverty and trusting God for financial breakthrough but you have a part to play. You may need to give more, maybe pay your tithes (which a lot of christians don’t do), it might be saving money….etc
Are you starting to see it? I really hope you can. God is faithful and will not abandon us. When we do our part which is a sign of our faith in Him, He will do His part which is the main part, which is the miracle part. I will end with James 2:26 which says:

For as the human body apart from the spirit is lifeless, so faith apart from [its] works of obedience is also dead.

Rolain.

What Is Wisdom Really?

How would you describe wisdom? I have heard so many definitions. Is wisdom just about acquiring information?
The Word of God is very clear on what wisdom really is. And I would like to help bring light in this area. Understand that wisdom is not the same as knowledge. Having knowledge is about information. We can read up on a certain topic and get knowledge about that topic but that is not wisdom. Wisdom goes a bit further because it focuses on application. What are you doing with the knowledge you have? It’s not enough just to have it. I can know a thousand ways to make money but if I don’t use the methods I am not being wise.
I am speaking about wisdom and what it really is. Let’s go to scripture.

In Matthew 11:7-19 where Jesus is speaking about John the Baptist. I am going to focus on the end of His speech in verse 19 where He says something so profound on wisdom. He says:

Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by what she does (her deeds) and by her children.

People will know you have wisdom by your actions. The word says wisdom is JUSTIFIED and VINDICATED by what she does. Your actions speak a whole heap. You may say you know this or have done this course but your actions will vindicate and justify you.
Wisdom is also justified and vindicated by her children. Children speak of fruit. What fruit is being produced in your life? Let me give you an example, someone can say they know what love is, but if that person hates everyone then he really doesn’t know what love is. His fruit is not consistent with what he is saying. He is not wise and even though he says he has wisdom in the area of love his actions say something else.
What is wsdom really?
So in a nutshell, wisdom is saying something and your actions following what you say. Even to the point where you bear the right fruit.
Are you walking in wisdom? Do your actions and the fruit you produce reflect the wisdom you have?

Rolain.P

What Is Wisdom Really?

How would you describe wisdom? I have heard so many definitions. Is wisdom just about acquiring information?
The Word of God is very clear on what wisdom really is. And I would like to help bring light in this area. Understand that wisdom is not the same as knowledge. Having knowledge is about information. We can read up on a certain topic and get knowledge about that topic but that is not wisdom. Wisdom goes a bit further because it focuses on application. What are you doing with the knowledge you have? It’s not enough just to have it. I can know a thousand ways to make money but if I don’t use the methods I am not being wise.
I am speaking about wisdom and what it really is. Let’s go to scripture.

In Matthew 11:7-19 where Jesus is speaking about John the Baptist. I am going to focus on the end of His speech in verse 19 where He says something so profound on wisdom. He says:

Yet wisdom is justified and vindicated by what she does (her deeds) and by her children.

People will know you have wisdom by your actions. The word says wisdom is JUSTIFIED and VINDICATED by what she does. Your actions speak a whole heap. You may say you know this or have done this course but your actions will vindicate and justify you.
Wisdom is also justified and vindicated by her children. Children speak of fruit. What fruit is being produced in your life? Let me give you an example, someone can say they know what love is, but if that person hates everyone then he really doesn’t know what love is. His fruit is not consistent with what he is saying. He is not wise and even though he says he has wisdom in the area of love his actions say something else.
What is wsdom really?
So in a nutshell, wisdom is saying something and your actions following what you say. Even to the point where you bear the right fruit.
Are you walking in wisdom? Do your actions and the fruit you produce reflect the wisdom you have?

Rolain.P