Preparation

Being prepared for anything is better than being caught out by surprise. Men are types of folks who do not always prepare themselves for each day. They just go with the flow. Being prepared, to my knowledge, is a much more mature way of approaching life each day. Being unprepared can cause havoc, can cause disaster to strike, can be very detrimental to our lives, even our health. Business owners get to the office and prepare their day. Employees arrive at the office, and after discussing the day’s plans with them, they prepare themselves. Children prepare themselves for tasks that need planning and completion. They plan for tests and exams. Parents plan and prepare for their day and chores ahead; making breakfast, making lunch for the kids, fetching them at school, etc.

We cannot live each day by just going with the flow. That spells danger. I prepare each morning what needs to be done for the day. I prepare for what needs to be done on this blog. I prepare for what may lie ahead for me at home, my business and family. Yes, preparation is needed. It does not always mean that it works out and plans may change along the way. I prepare my paperwork for the evening, when things have quietened down. At times it is preparing quotes, other times preparing invoices/receipts, and at times, the time I want to spend with my wife. What about preparation for the day Jesus returns? Let’s read Matthew 24:44. It offers a great truth – “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect Him.”

This is the most critical part of preparation you need to plan for in your life; the coming of our King Jesus. Are you ready? Are you prepared for His return? Or are you going to realise it when it’s too late, and you miss out on this great occasion. According to Matthew we should be in a state of readiness to meet Jesus. You can’t plan for it on the spot. Then it’s just too late and you lose out. Are you preparing for this great day? Are you prepared when He just “turns up” and is here? I don’t think we are prepared enough. I don’t think most of us can say we are even eighty percent ready. Many may disagree, but I for one, know that I need to continue with these preparations on a daily basis. Praying, speaking to God, reading His Word; these are just many areas of preparation. Start preparing from this moment forth. Jesus is coming unexpectantly. Be blessed!

 

A Message Of Joy from MOP Ministry

Today it is a day known as Christmas. It is now 50 minutes into this day in my country and I'm still awake. Why? Because I want to remind you that we should be celebrating the real reason of this season. The birth of our Saviour God, Jesus Christ. Let's remember it in the depths of our hearts and minds, in our souls and bodies. Therefore, I say today, Happy Birthday Jesus!

To one and all, and your dear families. Merry Christmas! May this day be joyous...

Concerned About Someone?

Men are a funny bunch with characters that span across many genres. Some think outside the box, some think inside the box. Some are successful and others ultra-successful. Some are smart while others under educated. Some are sport types while others couch potatoes. And so each of us differ that much from each other. But I think all men have one common pattern. We are all concerned about someone some time during our lifespans. Some, again, don’t plainly give a toot. This group is in the very minority in this world. You may at some point in your life be concerned about someone; could be your parent/s, could be a child, could be your spouse, and so on. But this becomes a passing phase.

We don’t remain concerned forever. Even in running a business we get concerned at times, but these are seasons we go through. God, on the other hand, is always concerned about those who believe and follow Him. Why? Because we are just humans. Why? Because Satan is always out there trying to devour us. Let’s read Psalm 139:17(a)… “How precious are Your thoughts concerning me, O God! How vast in number they are.” That’s right folks! God’s thoughts are all about us, His followers; His children. He remains concerned about us at all times. He knows we can fall and we can fail. He knows the worldly ways can draw us in easily. That’s why He is always “tuning” our lives that we remain close to Him.

That’s why He is always concerned. His thoughts are filled with us throughout our daily lives. He is our God! How great it is to know that he is always thinking about us. He thinks things that concern you and your well-being. This means He takes an active interest in our lives. What a God we serve. We may have thoughts concerning someone for a while, but He is always thinking about us. Wow! Doesn’t that make you feel good knowing that our God is filled with love for us, concerning our lives and ways? Why not go before Him and thank Him for having you in His thoughts daily, everything which concerns you. He is there for you! Amen…

 

Feeling Rejected?

Life is tough. No matter how good everything seems, it remains tough. Men act tough throughout life cycles, but are they really that tough? As men, rejection is something which affects us all. We don’t like being rejected. That’s the truth. I have been part of clubs and organizations throughout my adult life and, without realising it, rejection was part and parcel at many occasions. People form circles of friends, whether at work, church, even family members. We call these “clicks” and they do not easily allow you in, never mind making you feel comfortable. You are rejected from these groups. Although you try and befriend some of the others, you feel that “cold shoulder” approach every now and then – rejection is not easy, but it happens.

As men it’s tough to feel rejected, especially when you have done nothing to deserve it. It could be that the specific group live at an income much higher than you can attain. Maybe the group is all involved in some sport type; like golf – and you don’t play golf. So these groups don’t always make you feel welcome. You feel you are a lost outsider, not welcome into that “click” and rejection kicks in. At least there is someone who will not reject you at all; unless you refuse to accept that someone. His name is Jesus Christ, our Saviour and loving God. When you accepted Him into your life, it becomes a long-term relationship; and thousands or millions are part of this great group. No one feels rejected.

In 1 Samuel 12:22 we read the following; “For the sake of His great name the Lord will not reject His people, because the Lord was pleased to make you His own.” Wow! I don’t feel rejection with Him. It’s unbelievable. I’m part of the greatest “click” ever while living in this world. God’s kingdom here on earth is mine forever. And so it can be for you too. Don’t feel rejection but feel loved and welcomed all the time. Yes, people, even Christian people may reject you but God never will. Doesn’t that make you feel happy, overjoyed that you will never feel rejection when walking with the One who loves you. What a mighty God we have! I’m glad that He is part of my life and he will never reject me. Enjoy!

 

You Are Where You Are

Throughout our life journeys we keep thinking about something. Most men do. We keep asking ourselves if we are in the right place, working at the right company, running and happy with our existing business we own, and much more. Our minds keep running around like an athlete, always trying for better. Are you where you are supposed to be? I should think so. Why? Because maybe that’s where you were always planned to be. I too have had these thoughts roaming in my mind, at times thinking that what I did, the move to go solo in life and my own business, was it truly meant to be? Yes, the economy threatens us, the times are in turmoil; life looks bleak.

In Matthew 5:14 we are reminded about something. It says, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.” Wow! Do you see what God did? He planned everything around your life. You are where He wants you to be! The evidence that we know that God wants us where we are right now is that we are there. He knows exactly where we are. He sees us and He is with us. He is our God. What more can we ask for? We are here for one purpose! We must shine His light which is reflected through us to this world we live in. Where you are is where He wants you to shine each day. King David, before becoming king of Israel, was exactly where God wanted him to be; a shepherd and a warrior. God planned it this way before He became king; twelve years later.

You are where you are supposed to be because it is what God wants. High on the list of God’s purposes and plans is that we are His light in our existing areas of life, our regions and places of work, our homes and amongst the friends we have. This is where we must influence and impact lives for Him, to His glory. Jesus said we must not hide the light which radiates from us. We must keep it visible at all times. Through this we worship and praise Him, offering all glory to Him. Don’t allow your lights to dim when becoming too comfortable with your cultures, and the cultures of the places we find ourselves in. It is all about Him! Therefore, become that great shining light on that hill so that everyone can see the mighty God you serve, trust and love. Be blessed today and forever!

Conquer The Giants

In today’s world we live in we face many giants. These are fears of things that can pull us down; maybe your business is in turmoil, your finances are looking dreary, your marriage is falling apart. Giants are the Goliaths we must challenge and overcome. We can’t do it alone though. Yet still, even when we are under attack and the battle seems lost, we must confront these giants and confront our fears, and bring these giants down. You may seek help from very close friends, from mentors or your bank manager, or someone else. But what can they really offer you?

Let’s see what the bible tells us in Romans 8:37; “In all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” There’s your answer to all your fears. Don’t allow those giants to defeat you because you have a loving and almighty God who stands with you, who is always there for you. He will never leave you nor forsake you. Giants are the sign of a promise that is coming, as we are about to enter into that promise. We know what eventually happened to Goliath when David challenged him. He went down!

We need to step out with faith and courage, standing strong and without fear, and our giants will fall – God will help you defeat them. He is our heavenly strength and our fearless all powerful God. Joshua 1:9 speaks about being courageous and strong. Therefore, be strong, bold, and alert at all times. We are almost there by showing up, by living in this arena of life each day. Remain strong and filled with God’s enveloping courage which is in you. Psalm 9:10 again speaks about us knowing His name, remaining strong in faith and trusting Him to defuse this problem; your giants will fall. Today, declare to your Goliath in whose name you come. Faith is believing that God will get you through this storm regardless of what size that giant is. Hold onto His loving and strong hand even when you don’t understand everything. Be strong and courageous! Amen.

eBooks available authored by Nelson Canha

Hi everyone,

Please note that I have three [3] eBooks published and available via www.smashwords.com and they are selling very cheap. The books are in order of published first to last, Salvation Is The Life, Living In Victory - praying your way into heaven, and my first fictional story, The Hunter.

Feel free to go and visit Smashwords and purchase these eBooks. First two are 10 chapter teachings and The Hunter is approx. 42 chapters of fictional story based on hope, Christian based. I also redesigned the covers for the two teaching eBooks. The Hunter is still the same. Enjoy!

Prayer Offers Victory

Men are a weird bunch. We always seek ways to make things work, discovering new solutions and trying out new ideas. We all think we are Einsteins and “know alls” in this world. We are the “powerhouses” of this world; or so we think. Then something doesn’t want to work out and our new designs, plans, or ideas, don’t match up to the challenge. We are too proud to ask someone or seek advice. Why should we? We are men! I too have fallen into that trap. Too macho to go for help.

Then things get worse and there are no answers or solutions to solve the problem/s. We get angry at ourselves, frustrated with those around us, including our spouses and children. They turn away and keep their distance from us and we start wondering why the atmosphere is going sour. It is us men who cause it most of the times. We are the real problem. Reading the story of Nehemiah made we see more clearly and made me waken up to reality. Without God we are nothing, just another normal mortal soul in this world.

We are God’s children, aren’t we? Then why struggle without answers or solutions? Look what Nehemiah did, in Nehemiah 2:4, after planning to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He didn’t have all the answers and solutions, but God did. This is the verse – “Then I prayed to the God of heaven.” Plain and simple. Nehemiah turned to God in prayer, seeking God’s solutions and His plans and answers. God was awaiting His “call” and wanted to help Him with the solutions and answers. That’s what we should be doing. Start praying and ask God to offer you solutions and answers to the problems you are encountering. Prayer is the vital connection with our Father in heaven. When we don’t know what to do or where to go, start praying. He knows what is best for you in your situation.

Prayer offers victory and it is always anointed by God when we come before Him. Exalt Him and tell your problems to Him and, being patient, await His answers in due time. Some come quickly while others in His own timing. Therefore, bring your requests and petitions before the Lord our God. He will offer you victory! Amen…

 

In The Lion's Den

Men are warriors when it comes to work, whether employed or self-employed. We think we can handle everything that comes our way, but there are times when the disaster that hits us makes us fold like little children, too weak to stand and battle what attacks us. It could be finances, personnel issues, clients, and much more. At this point we feel weak and ready to allow the lion to “eat” us up. The warrior becomes the small child without parents and support. That’s something which happens quite often in this world we live in. The battle is just too big for us to take on, to overcome.

Daniel, when going against the commands of the king, was arrested and thrown into the lion’s den. Surprise, surprise! Nothing happened to him. Let’s read Daniel 6:22; “My God sent His angel and shut the lions’ mouths and they have not harmed me.” Wow! Daniel was saved by God. Why? Because he didn’t allow his faith to diminish and did not turn to other gods. The king actually enjoyed Daniel’s company and was proud of the man he was, but because of a decree the king couldn’t stop from having him killed. The king would’ve looked foolish before his people and nation. But God intervened, that even the king was glad. He changed the decree and told everyone in his nation to worship the God of Daniel.

When you land up in the lions’ den, don’t fear those lions if you are standing righteous before God. He will intervene and He will defend you; He will take on the battle for you, like David and Goliath, a young man against a giant. God will never leave you nor forsake you. He will determine a way out! Thank God for intervening in your life and “shutting the lions’ mouths” that want to devour you. He is the God worthy of all glory and praises. He is our Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ. He is the God and Father of all nations. He created everything and everyone. Be blessed! Amen.

Power For Success

Everyone wants to achieve success and, out of human nature, we try to do it alone. We plan new ideas and look at a new business startup which is exciting. We start planning it, drawing up business plans and working out the financial needs to get it off the ground. I did it all and went for it, although I did pray about it and asked God for His blessing, but it was all me and I. I resigned from my employer and became my own “boss” and life just looked great. It was! I started to achieve success and everything that went with it. Then I made another move.

I became friends with someone I did business with. I was using this person’s magazines he printed to advertise my own business. We became friends and after a few months, following many discussions and Q&As, I became a full time partner with this person. We prayed every morning at the office before business began and all looked bright; for a few years it was! Then disaster struck. My partner committed fraud and was arrested, and I lost everything, even selling my home to cover the damage. All was gone in twenty four hours! I asked and prayed to God about what happened, very angry with Him.

Then I realised one thing. Everything was done in my own strength and my “power” of being the business man I was, or thought so at the time. After a month or two, having put together some money again from a sale of my home, I decided it was time to start over again. I prayed and asked God this time. I wanted His plans and His ways to fulfil my life once again. Deuteronomy 8:18 was my answer; “Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful.” I continued praying and asking God what was the next step. In my spirit I “heard” Him speak to me, to use Ezekiel in my next business venture, the new name had to have this name in it.

Ezekiel Industries was birthed and within weeks business started to come in. What does Ezekiel mean? It means God gives you strength. I haven’t looked back yet. Business is not always easy with some months being difficult to make target; so as to pay expenses and keep cashflow to move forward. Yes, I still pray and ask God for His power and guidance for He is all I have to stand upon. His ways are better than my ways. Out of His goodness, He wants to enable us to be successful. He gives us the power we need to achieve this. Therefore, thank God for the strength He offers daily and thank Him for the hope for tomorrow. He is the powerful God whom makes all things possible.

Are You Living In Financial Freedom?

I am sure that everyone on this earth wants to experience financial freedom. I am one who does. Life hasn’t been easy for me and the wife. A few years back I hit rock bottom due to a fraudulent partner; mammon became his god. It has been a difficult and slow journey to where I am right now, still not where I want us to be, but God knows. Yes, we all ache for financial freedom, some more than others though. We dream of one day being free from worry about money. The rich people of this world experience this as well. You may be asking me why right now. They have more headaches that us normal folks down on the ground. Greater stress and greater dangers when it comes to their finances; I have spoken to a few, and life is at times worse for them than for me or you. We dream of security and peace. Mostly, we don’t always experience that.

We usually experience financial stress. I have hit it spot on haven’t I? Believe you me, I know. Still, my faith remains in God and He hasn’t left me without anything, one day or month, yet. How come don’t we experience financial freedom? Let’s back up a bit. Financial freedom comes with financial margin. The margin is the difference between what comes in and what goes out, profit or loss, income and expenses. Without a good margin we are doomed and will never achieve this freedom we seek. Reading 2 Corinthians 6:10, I learned something, and so will you. It says the following; “… sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.”  You can start reading from verse 3 onwards, but the above verse is sufficient for now. It truly made me think. I do have everything! Because I have God on my side I have all the riches as in heaven for me, and I am making others richer in the Gospel of Jesus.

I may not have everything I want on earth but I have my loving God. I have Jesus Christ in my life, and this counts for more than what the world can offer me. My life is really great! We, in this world, have come to trust money. We think that money will solve all our problems and make life much easier. Wrong! We must trust in the Lord our God. He will supply all our needs, and He does bless us and reward us as we go along in our daily lives. Trust in God! We must not only focus on the first part, our income – money coming in. When we start focusing on the second part as well, our expenses, and try and increase our margin, then we start seeing financial freedom. God will bless us as we seek Him and ask for His guidance and use His knowledge and heavenly wisdom He has passed on to us.

This is how God has designed our lives. Always trust Him and seek Him, then seek your financial freedom, cutting on expenses and trying to increase income – financial freedom will start happening. It may take small steps, but with God all things are possible. When we start applying downward pressure on our expenses, on our lifestyles, financial freedom becomes less elusive. It becomes available right here, right now. Just as God has intended it to be. Therefore, seek and trust God and start moving forward. Be blessed and less stressed! Amen.

                                        

Does It Matter?

How do you think about work, your work? Is it an awesome experience each day? Is it filled with drudgery? Is it a calling? Or is it just a means to an end? Does it separate you from your faith or is it within the boundaries of your faith? So many questions, but what are your answers, or your one answer. Work is a daily experience that affects our lives. I know because I own and run my own small business, and if everything is taken to heart, some experiences are good while others are bad. Does this really matter? Yes, it does! Remember this. God designed us, built us, for work – read Genesis 2:15. It goes like this… “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” That’s right. God made us so that we should work, but something happened. Adam sinned and thereafter he was to toil the ‘ground’ to earn his own living, still working as God planned. The end result was not God’s plan. When sin came into this world it changed, and that can affect us in our work as well.

As a Christian man, a saved born again man, we can decide which way our daily work will affect us. With Jesus ruling in our lives it becomes easier to decide which route to follow daily. Ephesians 6:5-8 explains this to us clearly. Let’s read it, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men, because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.” What a powerful verse! You must work with a smile on your face; one point understood from this verse. And secondly, it tells us clearly that we are really serving God at our work, whether you are an employee or employer.

We are really working for God each day, and He rewards us with what we possess. Yes, we earn money to live on, but it is from God; His blessing to us. So, does it matter when we work? Yes, it matters. God is always the first One we glorify each day as we work. Work is His gift to us, not His punishment. And it’s not even a necessary evil. This is how we’re brought in to His blessings; for His sons and daughters. In this way we are blessed and rewarded. It definitely matters how we work each day. He should be at the centre of it all. If not, then you and I have a problem. Therefore make it matter how you work daily and praise and thank God for each day and the rewards you receive. Amen…

 

From Night To Light

We have two areas where we need to adapt to in life. It is to understand day and night, dark and light. A classic movie from the 60’s called “What am I living for?” and this question still haunts many today. Each generation of thinkers is haunted by this question. On the one continent or half of the earth is day or light while the other half is black and dark; night. In our own personal lives we have to also answer the question of dark and light. If your life is black as night you are experiencing the following – Negativity, Isolation, Guilt, Hatred, Trouble. This is your NIGHT, the darkness in your heart, in your soul, which then rules your life.

Let’s read John 3:16. To me it’s the greatest love verse of all times, for all generations. It goes as follows; “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” What love God has for us to go so far and commit the ultimate sacrifice for you and me. Now back to the night and light of your life. The only way to change this is to change one letter; the N of night to L, which then becomes LIGHT. Jesus Christ saved us and He is the Light that wants to rule in your life, removing the Night from the equation. All you need to do is receive the love of God and ask our Lord Jesus to be your Lord of your life. Simple isn’t it?

This way the Light of His word enters your heart and you become a new creation. You become the child of LIGHT – Love, Integrity, Goodness, Hope, Truth. There is only one way to experience this change. You must start living a life that is right standing with God; a righteous life. Do you want to go from night to light today? Then its easy. Just accept Jesus Christ into your heart and life right now. Repent of your sin and confess that He is Lord of your life forever starting now. If you are ready, pray this prayer and become His follower today…

“Father. I come before you and ask forgiveness of my sins. I repent and want You to cleanse me from my past life. I confess and receive Jesus as my Lord and Saviour today, right now. I believe that He is my Redeemer and my God. I accept Him into my heart and life and want to start this new journey ahead, for the rest of my life. This I pray to You Father, in Jesus’ mighty and loving name. Amen” There you are. You are now ready to start that new journey with the Light called Jesus Christ. If you still need more help and want to get into this new journey, but you still struggle to do it alone, feel free to email me and we can “talk” you through this new life. My email address is nelson.canha@gmail.com and I’ll be glad to  assist you. Be blessed. Amen.

All Alone?

Men are great at the workplace, where we are apt to live. We don’t live as our true selves. No, we live as crafted and false versions of our true selves. Work is just one area where we try to be better than others, and not what God intended us to be. We create our own images. What makes work so different to the other areas of our lives? At work the prevailing culture is all about self: to outperform, to get that promotion, to achieve, and to get ahead of others. We become someone else we create on our own, self-focused. We become different to what God wanted us to be originally.

This is so often permeated by greed, pride and much more. Let’s read Proverbs 18:1; “Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all wisdom.” Do you get it? A men who seeks desire for himself, being self-focused and, ignoring what God desires from him, can be destructive. He goes and seeks worldly wisdom and lives by it – God’s wisdom and His plans disappear out the back door. In the end he works ‘alone’ and all because it becomes about self.

You and I can change all this. Our workplaces can become desolate and lonely places. No real relationships grow in the office and everything is superficial and materialistic. Is that who you really want to be? The man who only ‘acts’ out his life without any foundation or truth to it? Betray that kind of prevailing culture my friend. But don’t do it alone. It’s a great burden to try and go it alone and to make changes to your life, to rid yourself of that ‘alone and lonely’ false office type of person. Be a man and own up to that problem. Be the man God planned from the beginning. Find someone close to you and fight for each other. Be accountable to each other. Then seek God in prayer and ask for His guidance and help. Don’t be that man that lives with a false and lonely identity. Become a God-fearing man who is seen for who he truly is. If you need help, please feel free to contact me at nelson.canha@gmail.com and I’ll pray for you and mentor you on this journey. Amen!

Which Type Of Man Are You?

You must now be pondering this question. Which type of man are you? Are you the real deal or the one hiding behind a mask? Are you the person whom the people can trust and identify with or just the one who always speaks words that are louder and come to nothing? Is your bark bigger than your bite? People may look up at you and put their lives on the line because you do what you say. As men we trust what Jesus teaches as true; but this is only on an intellectual level. Let me say more. He appreciates a good sermon but goes away and lives out his life that does not allow anyone to distinguish between him and those who do not trust Jesus. In other words, he could be a fake. Not always though. Maybe his faith is not solid enough.

This man doesn’t trust Jesus with his life! There is another man, though, that really trusts Jesus, authentically, and practically. This is the man you should be. Because of his trust he lives a life that is seen as real in every dimension. In Jeremiah 17 we see the man who is blessed. Here are verses 7 and 8; “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, …” The man who truly trusts the Lord Jesus in every way will be blessed, and he will planted in a place where he will never wither away. He is the man you and I should be! Now I ask you again, which type of man are you?

When we trust our Lord Jesus; when we live like we really trust Him, we come to life. In this way we become spiritually strong and healthy and fruitful. How are you then distinguishing yourself from other men, like one who lives a life that trusts Jesus? Why not be blessed and “planted by the waters” starting today. Become the man has called you to be and become His warrior on earth. Enjoy the ride!

The Perfect Genius

We get many geniuses throughout our ages, even in today’s times. Think of William Bell who invented the first telephone. Think of Albert Einstein who brought science into the known from the unknown. Think of Bill Gates who discovered a new pc language known as Microsoft. Look at our own South African, Elon Musk, the man who founded Tesla and Space-X. What about Mark Shuttleworth, a creator of open source. This is just to name a few. Geniuses have been around on earth from days and years gone by; even centuries. What about the rest of us normal men, the big group that are not geniuses? Where do we fit in this world?

Let’s look at the Holy Spirit. He is the most perfect genius, an unmitigated genius. His wisdom is beyond this world. Reading 1 Corinthians 2:6 we get the following – “Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought.” The Holy Spirit’s genius is “not the wisdom of this world” because it will not falter or come to nothing like the human race. His genius is so perfect that we cannot understand it. We also know, He’s here for us. He was sent by our Father at the request of King Jesus. As Christian men we should allow Him to birth that genius within us.

He helps to bring truth out into the open, to bring out His best in us. He was sent to take you and me by the hand to guide us and lead us on our journey on earth. So what do we do to allow His genius to work in us? Let’s just give Him the chance to do just that; nothing more, nothing less. How do we do this? By living our lives as taught by our Lord Jesus in the bible – to meditate, pray, fast, study the Word, serve, worship and all the other great characteristics He wants us to have within. It’s better that we do more of course. The better we do the more we open ourselves to the Spirit’s genius to start working within us. What a great future that will be. Why don’t you start by doing something today? It can be small, for example, by just praying and meditating on what we read in the bible. I did!

The Making Of A Christian

A Christian is an individual who has been twice born. Everyone is born in the flesh, from our mothers’ wombs – the natural birth when we become humans. Then comes the second birth. It is when we are “born again” and is told in the bible. We speak about the making of a movie, or the making of a piece of machinery, but this does not make you. The word Christian means “little Christ” and stands for something far more than being just born in the flesh; as we know it, new-born babies. Then how do we become true Christians? Let’s find out.

Nicodemus knew about the fleshly birth, but was not understanding the spiritual birth. John 3:3 says this – “In reply Jesus declared, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.’ ” What a powerful teaching. Then Jesus followed up once again in verse 5, which goes like this; “Jesus answered, ‘I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.’ ” Jesus answered Nicodemus’ question after he asked how one could enter into his mother’s womb a second time. Nicodemus did not grasp what Jesus was saying. He did not grasp what it was for the making of a Christian, a true one.

We all understand the natural birth process. But do we all understand the spiritual birth process and what it means to be born again? Let’s discover more on this. When Jesus says we cannot do something, that’s just the way it is. Unless He said it and it can be done, only then are we on the right path of life on this earth today. If He didn’t say it, then don’t do it or believe it. We are birthed in the spirit through the Holy Spirit. And how does this happen? When we do three things. We confess our sins, then repent from them, and finally, we believe and accept our Lord Jesus Christ into our lives. God’s Spirit starts to live in us from this moment forward and He becomes our Guide and Teacher, leading us on the journey of being the real Christian in whom God is pleased.

Acts 4:12 speaks about it, and I quote it here; “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Here was when Peter spoke out when he and John came before the Sanhedrin. The Holy Spirit filled him and he was courageous and filled with God’s power. That’s right! The making of a true Christian comes only through the name of Jesus Christ and by no one else. We cannot be saved in no other way or means. Now I ask you today. Are you a true Christian or just another “make believe” one? Do you believe in Jesus Christ, and you are born again, by water and the Holy Spirit? The making of a true Christian starts as I have stated above. Are you ready? Take those bold steps and let’s begin that new life that awaits you. If you need some help in understanding all this, please feel free to email me at nelson.canha@gmail.com and I’ll start the new walk with you. Amen!

Is Life Uncertain?

Many are very certain about their lives, or are they really? You could be certain about that future promotion, maybe certain about that house you purchased, or certain about your qualifications, but where does it lead you to? Others again, are uncertain about their lives. Our lives here are uncertain. That’s a fact. We are here today, but we do not know if we’ll be here tomorrow. That’s a very true fact. What can we be certain about you may be asking? I can answer that for you right here and now. We can be certain about where we will end up on the day we die physically.

Luke 12:16-21 speaks of a parable Jesus told to His disciples and His followers. It is about a rich man who was consumed with his own affairs and being wealthy. The affairs of this life was his prime concern. He was a farmer and his lands brought forth plenty of good harvest. His barns were filled to capacity. This was not enough so he broke these barns down and build bigger ones. When these filled up he was happy and overjoyed. He boasted about his wealth. He was certain of what he had. But what happened to Him? Let’s read the following, found in verse 20; “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ ”

Now here is the certainty! The day you die physically will determine the resting place of your soul. You will either be certain of being with God in heaven or joining the devil in hell, and that’s for certain. Be certain about how you are living your life today because tomorrow will be determined accordingly. Are you certain or uncertain about your life right now? Are you saved and following Jesus Christ our saving God? If not, why don’t you make today the beginning of a life that you will be certain of? Give your life over to Jesus Christ, allowing Him to become your Saviour and Lord. Today I’m a true born-again Christian and follower of Jesus Christ. I’m definitely certain of my life right now and of my life hereafter. Are you? You decide. Be blessed!

Are You Fit To Meet God?

Today we must fit into every aspect of life. We must fit into our working environments, fit to become leaders, fit to fly planes, and so it goes on. I’m not speaking here about the fitness part, which is whether we are strong enough or can handle much toughness. No, I’m speaking about whether we “qualify” for that which we should be doing or going to do. Maybe I’m unfit to be a lecturer or a mountaineer, but I’m fit to run my own business; which I do. Being fit or unfit determines your course in life. What about the following qualification…

Are you fit or unfit to meet God? All responsible beings who are not Christians are sinners. This means you are unfit to meet God or enter His kingdom, now on earth where we live or after you have departed from this world. As Christians, especially us men, we are going to meet Him one day, but are we fit to meet Him? Are we ready for that day when we meet face to face? Many call themselves Christians but live the ways of the world – therefore they are sinners and unfit to meet God or enter His kingdom. Hebrews 10:31 reminds us what to expect one day, and it says the following; “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” What does this actual tell us. This verse is powerful!

It is warning us that we should dread the day we depart from this earth. Even today while we are alive, we should dread God and what He has in store for those who do not live according to His ways. We are either fit to meet Him or suffer the consequences awaiting those who are unfit; hell is no “pleasure ride” nor a place to land up in. Yes, only when we are living out our lives as true followers and Christians in the manner that pleases God, then we will not need to dread the day we “fall into His hands” or meet Him face to face.

Don’t call yourself a Christian and not live it out. Don’t call yourself a Christian just because you are not a follower of Allah or Buddha, or any other gods, but were “born” into a Christian home with Christian parents. You will remain a sinner or you will be a true Christian. Now I ask you, are you truly fit to meet God? I believe I am fit to meet God and I strive to live a life that pleases Him only. If you need help in this matter and need counselling, email me at nelson.canha@gmail.com and I’ll help you and pray for you. Let’s begin that new journey today. Amen!

Where Is Your Faith Based?

People have faith in many things, whether its faith in your motorcar, your motorcycle, your spouse, friends, relatives, etc. Faith is always somewhere, or in something. But what is faith actually? Faith is believing in something. Whether you hear about it or read about it, faith comes alive in our lives. No matter where you are in life, faith is a part of it all. But where should your faith be based? Let me put the question this way. In whom should your faith be based? Let’s read Romans 10:17.

“Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.” Yes, we need to base our faith in Jesus Christ. The Word is our Lord Jesus, our Saviour and Redeemer. Our faith should be based upon our following of our saving and loving God. Without hearing about Jesus, we really have no faith. Faith comes by hearing. This means we should be reading the bible and “hearing” what it’s telling us. Only then will we understand the true message of faith; that Jesus came to save us from the sin we live by.

Therefore as Christians we should not do things not found in the bible. It is our guideline in which we should be living our lives. Real faith is believing in what we are hearing. Without this we are not living by faith. Most people just “have” faith in everything around or involved in their lives – this is dead faith, nothing to write home about. Real faith comes when we believe in Jesus Christ and live out our lives as He teaches us what is written in the bible. Therefore, I now ask you, where is your faith based, or in whom is your faith based? Mine is in our living Saviour God; for He is where my faith remains anchored. And your faith? Enjoy and be blessed!

Be The Man You Must Be

Building community in the social context, in the context of our friendships and relationships, means reworking ‘existing’ friendships and relationships and making them authentic. As men we try doing things which suit us, friendships or relationships placed in “levels” and “statures” and making that work for us. It’s mostly never about others but always about ourselves. We should rather dismantle or destroy the false images we have built up around our lives and look for the authentic stuff which really works. It means humbling ourselves in front of our friends and family by showing them our undisguised, unguarded brokenness.

That’s how true friendships and relationships are birthed – where the real you is present, strong or weak. Most times it means we must lead the pack when authenticity is required. Authenticity is counterculture. Men don’t like being turned around or made to change; it’s the way we are moulded, our characters, and our livelihoods. But this is real! 1 Peter 5:6 offers us some insight to this; “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.” God wants to lift us up. He wants the world to see what He is capable of doing through you. He wants to make you “famous” for His glory!

Look around. Very few people live in an authentic relationship. Most is make believe so that the truth can be hidden from others. This is the same as carrying burdens of pain daily. Why? It’s only through authenticity that a transformation to-Christ-likeness happens. Be real and become the man you should be; authentic. Someone must go first. Someone must take that first step! Let it be you and start today, then go and change the world, starting with your own friendship circles and relationships. You are the man! Enjoy the blessed authentic life.

Let The Lord Bless You

Many of us seek our blessings through the ways of the world. Whether it be a bonus for great work done or an achievement reached within your company, or whether it is promotion and higher salaries, the list goes on. We think that when we achieve greatness here we are blessed. Wrong! These all end up being “dead works” and anything not blessed by God will fail or end. We need to do it with God’s blessings, which is the best way forward. Yes, it’s great to achieve good things here, but it must still be blessed by our Lord God so that it actually honours Him for what you have reached in life. Without Him to withers and dies without a trace.

Numbers 6:24-27 offers us this: “The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: the Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.” This is powerful! Whenever the people of Israel came to make various offerings for the atonement of their sin, the priest would dismiss them by declaring these words over them. Today we are also priests to God because of Jesus Christ. He paid for our sins in full on the cross on Calvary; He atoned for our sins with His body and blood. As His priests we declare the blessing with our mouths.

So whatever it is that you are achieving, or maybe trials you are experiencing, bless everything or declare it ‘dead’ using His name. In His name we will receive true blessings and our future will not be bleak. We can receive from the world and enjoy it too, but remember to declare in His name the blessing upon that which we are enjoying with our mouths; using His name – Jesus Christ of Nazareth, our Saviour and Redeemer. Start today! Today declare the blessing of the Lord over your life and allow Him to change you for His glory. Blessings upon you. Amen.

Be Joyful

The world doesn’t truly understand the meaning of joy or being joyful. Even under tremendous pressure, stress or whatever is making your life difficult, joy must remain in the front row of living out your daily walk. Joy is not something we use to masquerade around with, a mask to hide our true feelings so that others don’t see it. No, being joyful must come deep from within, from your heart. Most people don’t understand that if you allow your mind, heart and body to live under the conditions that “attack” you daily, then your health starts to fail and you may just be shortening your life span. With God all things are possible

What does Job 20:4-5 tell us? It says the following; “Knowest thou not this of old, since man was placed upon earth, that the triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite but for a moment?” Wow! Do you get it? Acting and living with a ‘false’ joy or false pretence that everyone sees you ‘looking’ good each day is not worth it. It will all come to an end. Many people live with such “masks” on a daily basis. It’s not worth it! Rather seek the Lord our God, Jesus Christ our Saviour and live a truly joyful life no matter what. Proverbs 10:28 further explains joy to us as follows – “The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish.” This confirms it. Those who walk with God and true joy within that is led by His Spirit will bear future fruit. Those who live a lie will suffer.

John 2:24 says do not entrust yourself to man. Jesus didn’t either because He knew them well, and their natures and characters. He entrusted Himself to the Father during His ministry on earth. Our joy is only dependant on holy living, that which we receive and grow in our daily walks when Jesus is in the centre of our lives. Sin separates us from God. Therefore there is only one way forward. Turn your life around today and walk with Jesus Christ beside you, in you, and with you. Discover this new joyful life that will last forever. Amen.

 

Building Using Rock or Sand

We get many builders in this world. They build for clients on the clients’ empty stands or they build for themselves; complexes or homes that they resell. During the years I have been working, and traveling around often in various cities and suburbs, one finds all types of buildings on all types of lands. The surfaces of the lands are either rocky, or muddy, or clay, or just soft sand; at least for a few meters deep. Usually the builders have to compensate when building homes or offices, especially when it comes to the foundations and how the building will eventually look like. It takes lots of hard work and extra materials to build on sandy surfaces or muddy areas. To me the best is to build on a solid surface like a rocky area, or stony area where the land is more stable. Other areas tend to move with the years and one sees the cracks appearing along the walls – bad building?

Jesus, after the Sermon on the Mount, decided to leave the people who were there to hear the sermon, with some advice. It was to obey His commands and to live according to His teachings. Matthew 7:24 is where it all begins, His advice to the followers present, including His disciples. Let’s see what it says – “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” What does this mean to us today, and from that time onwards? This is the story about two different people, both calling themselves followers of the Lord. Both heard the gospel. They now understand and know the gospel. They both know what Jesus expects from them, what He wants from them. He offered them, and us as Christians today, with an option. Are we wise builders or not?

Or are you the foolish builder? We today are in that same boat. Which one are you? Both received the word and what they do with it will determine the outcome of their lives. We too have received this word, but what are we going to do about it. We are all going to be tested with storms of adversity, with trials that will test our decisions in the “building” of our lives. The one who builds his life upon the ‘sand’ heard the Word of God but did nothing about it; he actually disobeyed it. The one who heard the Word and put it into practice in his life, he is the wise one and his life “building” is planted solid and will not collapse due to trials and tests. He built his life upon the Rock called Jesus.

Everyone will face times where the “storms of life” will descend upon us. But those who have heard His Word and have put it into practice will remain standing, because their faith is solid and steadfast. They have built their faith foundation upon Jesus Christ. Those whose faith is weak and are not living out their lives upon the foundation of the Rock called Jesus Christ, they are going to fall hard. Pain and hardships will destroy them because their faith was never solid. Now, I ask you. Which one are you? I’m definitely the builder who has his life planted upon the Rock. I’m the one who has built his life on a solid foundation of strong faith. Don’t you want to do the same? Amen.

An Everlasting Refuge

Looking back at all the wars that took place, men dived for cover from enemy bullets. Others dug deep trenches to escape bullets. Others hid behind rocks in the hills or inside old buildings left empty when citizens ran from the war zones. But these hiding places did not always protect the soldiers during the wars. Many were killed by missiles, mortars and other similar weapons that could cause great destruction on impact. The strongest country usually won. Many good men died during the wars. But so did bad men, evil men who lived for one thing only – to destroy countries, people and even animals. When trouble came their way the end was near. The good would win.

But there is another refuge which cannot be destroyed. It is far stronger and out of the reach for men in this world to even try and destroy this refuge. It is an everlasting refuge. Reading Proverbs 14:32 one sees what this refuge is. It’s God and His heavenly home. Although you may be killed on earth, and being a righteous and true believer in Jesus Christ, your place is waiting for you. Here is what it says; “When calamity comes, the wicked are brought down, but even in death the righteous have a refuge.” That’s right! We as believers may die on earth but it doesn’t mean the end for us. God is waiting for us and He has promised us an everlasting refuge – with Him and in those mansions He is preparing for us, with many rooms. As long as we are not sinners and live righteous lives pleasing to God, we have a refuge already awaiting us.

Sin will bring you down, yes, down to hell! When trouble comes our way, we who are believers and called children of the Almighty God, we are going to be ok. He has a permanent refuge for us. Those who get trouble during their life walk, but don’t believe in God and the free gift of salvation, these have real trouble coming their way. They have no refuge awaiting them. Only the burning sulphur fires of Hades that is their destination. No escape, no refuge. Which one are you? God’s beloved or the one living according to the father of lies, the devil? If I were you I would make sure that I’m with Jesus and living a sinless life. As it has been said in the Scriptures before, only those who are born again and true believers will enter His kingdom in heaven. Be blessed and seek Jesus. Amen.

Be Adventurous

Men are adventurous. We love excitement and going on new adventures; most men do. Imagine the following. Your dad wakes you up one morning [your childhood years] and says the following, “Get up buddy. Feel like an adventure today?” Dad invites you to go with him on an adventure, maybe a fishing trip, maybe some mountain hiking, maybe some plain backpacking trip. And how will you answer him? Like this usually, “Yip dad! Totally up to it today.” You trust your dad, believe in him and are willing to go on this trip with him. You are all game for it. You don’t fear for danger or anything out there as long as your dad is by your side. He will protect you always. What if your answer was this; “No thanks dad. I’m not up to this today.” or “I don’t think so dad. Too dangerous and too risky.” Why would you say this instead of loving it because dad will be with you?

God designed us men for adventures ... His adventures. Listen to His calling. Read Numbers 14:11. It goes like this – “The Lord said to Moses, ‘How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?’ ” God wants to know how strong your faith is. He wants to know if you believe in Him. If you trusted and believed in your dad, what’s different in trusting and believing in God? God, through Moses, “spoke” to twelve men, telling them to go and scout out the land He had promised them. After they had returned, ten did not want to accept the new adventure God was inviting them to. They too, as is in most cases today, had other plans, or found it too risky, or just didn’t feel like it right then. They didn’t want to go with God on this new adventure He had invited them too.

When these men, send out to scout the land promised by God, saw the giants in that place, they didn’t see themselves gaining the upper hand and receiving that land as God had promised to them. Only two accepted God’s invitation to go with Him on this new adventure. They were Joshua and Caleb. They accepted because they trusted and believed in the God they followed and worshipped. Read Numbers chapter 13 to get the whole picture, then continue with chapter 14 too. Why don’t you muster up some courage and go where God is inviting you to go? Why not start by believing in Him and trusting Him? He is our Father in heaven, our Abba Father. He is greater than our earthly father, then why not accept His invitation? When God invites us on an adventure, it becomes a special moment. It becomes an eternal moment, and will be good for us in the long run, the eternal life hereafter. Why don’t you accept God as He wants to lead us on a new adventure? There are not many such invitations awaiting you. Go with Him today. Amen.

Refocusing Our Intentions

Men, as we know them in general, usually focus our intentions upon ourselves. Our goals and what drives us is all about us alone; most times. We love devoting our attention to our own greatness. We plan for our future in every way – wealth, possessions, status and much more. It’s all about me and not you… typical men. Deep in our inner mechanisms there is something which drives us on toward securing greatness. This is all well, but…  Yes, there’s always a but when God is involved. The twelve apostles also had such a drive. Only their attention was focused on what God wanted from them. They even tried to see who would be the greatest amongst themselves. This was not what God planned and prepared them for. Look at what Luke 22:26 tells us.

“But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.” Jesus spoke these words when they were disputing who was the greatest amongst their group. They were seeking self-status and greatness. And this was not what God wanted [read Luke 22:24 – 30]. God’s kingdom on earth needs those who lead by serving others. This is where we must refocus our attention. This is where our intentions must be leading us to. We are to be leaders and today’s disciples by being His servants in His kingdom on earth. Our Saviour God, Jesus Christ was on earth and He came to serve us. That’s our blueprint in life.

His life is the blueprint for our lives. This is what we must follow and not any other ways which we see fit for ourselves. It’s not about us and how great we can be. It’s about Him and how great He is. As men, we must refocus our drives toward others, toward uplifting others around us. We must live and focus on doing God’s will and His calling as He planned and prepared us for – it’s all about God! We must trust that this is a better way to live, a better way to enjoy our blessed lives given to us by our loving God. Better for God, better for us. And better for those we are to love and serve. Where are your intentions focused upon right now? You or God’s will? Start by seeking out others you can serve. Look around you and at the needs of others. Start focusing on God’s greatness today. Be blessed and enjoy the journey.

Keeping Yourself Topped Up

In today’s lifestyles, we live fast paced lives, filled with stress, anxiety, worries and plenty more things that drain us. There are many solutions to improve our stamina, our daily strength and emotional drainage. We participate in outdoor activities, or we join sports clubs to stay fit, go to gyms, and eat protein filled drinks. This is only one part of our lives that needs refuelling. What about our spiritual lives, our God-given lives? Don’t they need some refuelling as well? I’m sure we reach drainage points in this area of our lives too. How about being imaginative and inventive, something which comes quite natural for men. How can we do this? What does God expect from us? I’ll offer you an answer.

Let’s look at Romans 12:1 … “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is your spiritual act of worship.” What is this telling us? Let me expand on this verse further, concentrating at specific words in this verse. What a great challenge for us men, today. It dares us to engage our God-given capacities for imagining and inventing. This verse also dares us to direct these capacities toward good purposes, toward God’s purposes. Take your everyday, ordinary life and place it before God as an offering. You got it! Start by being inventive and imaginative in reaching out to others around you with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Most times we use these capacities to feed and refuel our own lives, our own possessions, our health and wealth, but it’s not God’s purpose. He wants us to do more for Him in this world we live in.

We have to help feed and refuel others around us. Men, we are in the business world daily. We are qualified artisans, managers, leaders, CEOs, etc. We must look at others around us and use these capacities to feed and refuel others, offering them what God has offered us – salvation. Why not dedicate some of our time and focus on our families, our relatives, our friends and communities around us, using our imaginations and our inventive thoughts. We can come up with great ways to reach out and make a difference. What about you? We don’t have to go it alone. God’s Spirit is with us daily and He will guide us and lead us in the right direction. How can you change? Pray and listen to the Holy Spirit. Be still and listen and allow Him to answer you. Start by encouraging love and good deeds in your family, then relatives, friends and into the community. If it fits within God’s will it will bring fruit and new fuel for those who need a recharge in their lives. Amen.

His Power With Us

How do we get something done? We band up together and decide as a group what must be done. In South Africa one can see this “power” of togetherness come into effect. Our nation is struck with strikes by various groups throughout the year. This happens every year. When they want pay increases and their companies are not fulfilling their needs, people employed by these companies start striking. Most are union related strikes. These strikes suppress the economy until their demands are met. The companies give in to these demands and everything goes back to normal. This is evident across the world. Power is on their side and they win.

As Christians, we don’t realise that we too have power on our side. Yes, we may not “band up” together as seen above, but we are not alone. We have the power of God with us at all times. Many don’t realise this and live lives where failure is usually the outcome. And as churches, we too fail in certain areas where we could gain more victories. Why? Because we don’t “band up” together and follow the same teachings of God. We allow His power to flow in some places and not others. Yes, I know that I’m going to be hammered for saying this, but it’s true. Let’s read Acts 4:31. Here one discovers one great truth which does not happen in today’s times, between God’s followers in one church, and also between His greater Church worldwide.

This verse goes like this; “After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.” Wow! Can you see what happened here? Peter and John got their people together and they prayed. The next thing they were all filled with God’s Spirit, and His power was in them and with them. They became bolder and stronger and went out to preach His word without fear of failure. They had “banded up” and became one before God. Shouldn’t we as men of God be doing the same? Shouldn’t we be “banding up” as one group and pray, in this manner seeking God’s power to lead us in victory? With His power all things are possible. Maybe we should look at drawing in all men of God together and pray. Can you see the victory through the power of God and His Spirit breaking down all barriers of sin and evil in this world? Listen to your heart and do something about it. Amen.

Denying Your God

In my younger years, mainly in school, many of us were linked together, big buddies, and nothing could break us apart. We “little gangs” that stood together and never went against another. But things changed. I remember when trouble occurred in one of our classes, one of our “group” tattle-tailed on another. We were all disappointed and he was “disinherited” from our group. I have seen men reacting in the same way. They stick together like glue until trouble strikes. Then it becomes easy to “pass the buck” and blame anyone else when things are gloomy. We will deny knowing who that person is to us just to cover our own backs from getting smeared into the trouble or problem that occurred.

An example. We are a group of men working on the same project. Suddenly something goes awry and the project takes a turn to the worse. What do we do? We look for the weakest link and start the blaming game. Instead of sticking together and facing the problem together, we would rather blame someone. He or she can take the fall. This happened to me; not once or twice, but a few times in my life journey. Was it worth it? No! Look at our Saviour God, our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter denied Him three times. Let’s read a verse or two about this – “… Immediately a cock crowed. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken; ‘Before the cock crows, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly.” Here was one of Jesus’ most faithful followers. What happened? He denied he knew Jesus. Why?

Because of fear and consequences related to that relationship. He did not want to be associated with someone who was on His way to be crucified. Peter just disowned Him and allowed the blame to be passed on to Jesus. Instead of all the disciples having banded together and fight for Jesus, they disowned Him. Ok, we do also understand that He did not want to be “rescued” from this path He was on. It was all part of the plan of salvation to humankind. But looking at these verses, one can only wonder why the disciples denied that they knew Him, especially Peter. Are you denying before others that you are a born again Christian man? Are you denying that you truly know God and live a life where He is placed first? Are you part of the group who “disowns” Him when times arise and you do not want people to know that you are His follower? Isn’t it time to ask Him forgiveness for being a liar, a “cheat” who lives a “make belief” life as a Christian before others? Your heart has that answer for you. Amen.

Two Sins Committed

As men we tend to live lives for ourselves. We are prepared to forsake everything for fame, success, titles, riches, and more. We are at most times selfish. I know plenty of people like this that I encountered throughout my life. Women again, in general, are the exact opposite to men. They are more humble, more giving, affectionate, less worried about status, fame, etc. They will rather go out of the way to help others. It could be just a shoulder to lean on. Not men! They have dug themselves “life trenches” that they use to protect everything they are and have. They try and build their own “empires” by themselves, and most times, these fail.

They are prepared to forsake everything in life for their own needs. Christian men, not all though, are the same. Praise God, thank God, pray to God – and it’s usually about their own issues, their agendas, and their lives. I was like that until I “woke up” and realised what a God I serve. Let’s see where people, or the human race, fail to live out their lives fully committed to God. Jeremiah 2:13 says the following; “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” That’s how one can describe most men. When all goes well God is the best. When all goes bad God is pushed aside because our agenda was not “fulfilled” by Him.

Firstly, we have forsaken our God; shelved Him until the times we need Him. The other periods we are fine without Him because life is great. When some trial crosses our paths we run to Him for help, and expect a great solution immediately. He becomes our “instant” God only. Secondly, we build our lives centred on our ideas and our goals; no God in the middle of it all. When everything fails we blame Him. What we try on our own will fail! But with Him in every facet of our lives, success is near, and found. Remember this. God knows and sees everything. He created the heavens and the earth, and He created us. We were created for one purpose, and that is to enjoy a great relationship with Him. Where do you stand in life right now? Is it God-centred? If not, turn to the Father and ask forgiveness for what you have done, the life lived. Accept Jesus once again into the whole of your life and look at the future results that come from following these steps. Be blessed!