It's Your Choice

In life choices are always made, whether by our own understanding or by the influence of others. Yes, choices are made! We choose to do good or evil. We choose to marry or remain single. We choose to follow Jesus Christ or the world. By the way. The world is ruled by Satan, that ugly serpent. In life we have two important choices to make; one leads to eternal death while the other leads to eternal life. If we chase after created things such as wealth, sex, status or anything else, we are “given” freedom, joy, peace, love and much more. If we choose the Creator, the living and loving God, we “get” freedom, joy, peace, love and much more. Both have many similarities but only one choice counts. As Christian men, and yes, Christian men live worldly lives as well and many have made wrong choices already, we should choose God our Saviour. We should choose Jesus Christ our Lord and God.

The simple question is this. Which choice will we make? Which statement above will we believe and adopt, and follow in faith? That’s the make or break of our future. Many other choices can be made and be blessed with everything when God is chosen, when Jesus is in it all. No other choice is healthy, especially one – where Satan rules you, because he rules the world. Let’s get serious about this. Stopped playing around. God is not a puppet which you can manipulate. God is God! We must acknowledge Him in every part of our lives and enjoy the journey ahead where He is steering our lives. Matthew 4:19 says the following; “And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” God created us and He has a plan and purpose for our lives – He wants us to allow Him to become the choice we make. He is the only true God and Creator. There is no other. Only one God exists that is true and real. Any other gods are there to offer you destruction and turmoil in your lives. Choose well.

Furthermore, we read in Matthew 6:24 the following; “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” Here we can see it very clearly. God wants us to make a choice. He doesn’t twist our arms and force us. We have free will. But He is clear about it. The choice you make will determine the outcome of your future and your life today. He even hates those who sit on the fence, not choosing one side or the other. He tells us not to be mild – we must choose hot or cold and nothing in between. Unfortunately, only one choice will lead to the best life ever, all else will be detrimental to our lives. What is your choice? Sit down and think about it well. Search the bible and look for those verses that offer you choices, the “if and then” offerings God has spoken about. Meditate upon these scripture verses and make that decision today. You must choose!

Did You Forget?

Something throughout the years has come to my attention, especially when studying the bible and the Old Testament mainly. It is also seen in the New Testament as well. What am I talking about? Let me get down to reality then. During my bible studies I have seen one common thing take place every time. God loves people, He saves people and they are free to worship Him and live lives blessed by Him. But things change along the way. When great living “kicks in” and prosperity is evident, people tend to start forgetting about this wonderful God who did everything for them. Men and women are guilty here, and so was I at one point in my life. We tend to start taking actions in life without God in the middle of it all. We make our own decisions and run our lives as we see fit; God has been placed on the storage shelf for now.

God is no longer the primary source of next step strategies and man begins to become his/her own source. And we are guilty of this. Don’t deny it! Nations once led by God are now led by men [or women] and God is not part of the equation at all. Look at the story of David’s life. He was successful in everything he did long before he was appointed king. Why? Because he never left God out of the equation. Jesus Christ came to earth to save His people. They worshipped Him and glorified Him, but then they changed. At least the majority did – some remained great followers at all times. The rest? They ended up crucifying Him, even when they heard what He spoke, saw what He did, followed Him everywhere, awed by His greatness. They still crucified Him!

My story today is the same one the bible has been telling us throughout history. When God leads us, when He is a part of our lives, we prosper, we enjoy peace and we are blessed. When God is out of it all, out of our lives, chaos and destruction takes over. And thereafter we sink into turmoil and a life that leads us nowhere. Let’s see what Romans 8:28 offers us. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” There’s your answer gents. We will enjoy great lives only when we love God at all times, without skipping a step along the way. Life will always be prosperous with Him in the equation. Prosperity does not always or only mean wealth. We prosper in health, in spiritual wealth and we are blessed as righteous sons of God. Prosperity can become part of it as well, but never guaranteed.

Isaiah 41:10 adds more to this… He does not forsake us, He is always our God. We must not be dismayed by anything. He is always our refuge and our strong hand in everyday living. He is always our help in times of trouble. Can you see what God means to you when He is in the centre of your life at all times? Look around you. Where do you see chaos? Ask those people who are living in chaos and lives busy being destroyed and see if God is involved in their lives. Most will answer with a no. Look at life around you but keep in mind what the scriptures tell us. Don’t “shelf” God when life smells like roses and life is flowing in a manner which pleases you. Keep Him in the middle of everything; your decisions, your finances, your life. If you have failed here and are living without God right now, then pray and ask Him to forgive you. Ask Him back into your life once more and repent from all the wrongs you have done along the ways. Start that new life today. Be blessed!

A Time To Change

Most men have something in common. They are judgmental and speak words that are there to hurts others; words that are harsh. They look at themselves and think they are above others, better than others. This even takes place in the home, with the children or even the wife. We cannot seem to be able to hold back when we open our mouths and let go with a torrent of words that “destroy” others, some to a point of no return. Men are too proud to admit this problem in their lives; they see themselves “above” others in many ways. This happens mostly because the world may be a harsh place to live in; running your business, working for a boss that’s a “tyrant”, friction in the marriage or at home – and this leads to times when we go into a “snap” mode and when our mouths open everything explodes.

Why don’t we just sit back and think before we speak most times? Maybe we should be more considerate of others. James 3:17 states the following; “…the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.” That’s a mouth full, and it is very true. When we walk with a wisdom that has been given to us by God, our lives should be pure. Yes, we are still humans and we do make mistakes, but try and change. We should live our lives with God’s peace in us; that helps with all the trauma the world throws at us. The most important one in that verse, to me that is, is we should be open to reason. Remember, we are not the only ones out there who are being “thrown” around by the world’s ways. Our spouses feel it too. Our children feel it, our business sits heavy on our shoulders, our employees feel it, and our own time at the office does it to us a s well. Maybe your boss feels the world at “war” with the company.

God has always been merciful to us, even when we fail. He is always impartial towards us. Why can’t we change as well? Why don’t we make an effort to change? Allow God into your life at a much deeper level and allow Him to work in us and help us change. I did, and I’m still a work in progress – He hasn’t stopped changing me. It’s a long-term investment that He has with my life. One that will lead to an eternal life filled with Him and being in His presence. Where does one start? Pray every day and confess your wrongs before Him. Repent from that harsh attitude in your life, that “ugliness” that wants to rear its head and “bite” others. Declare that you want to change and become that man that pleases God completely. Start today! Be blessed and enjoy…

Our Attitudes

Since we are humans and not God, we all have different attitudes towards others or life itself. Men, and I have seen it all over, have good or bad attitudes. Many come from different cultures and brought up in different homes. When we grow up this is who we become. Parents teach their own children their ways. Many children see what their parents do and they follow suit. Many have great attitudes while others stink with the attitudes they have. Sorry, but that’s facts! I have seen and heard Christian men who have attitudes that are far from what God expects from them. I was one of those at some point in my life; always trying to be better and greater than others. Then God taught me the right way.

Matthew 5:3 is as follows – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus calls you blessed because you have accepted Him as Lord and Savior. He now takes us on a journey of working out our salvation – a journey of sanctification. This is where it all begins; the change to self. By allowing Jesus into our lives and truly living the ways He teaches us, we change. Our attitudes change. Some follow Jesus but still try and live their lives their ways, His teachings filling their lives half-heartedly. Men are the worst! The beatitudes are attitudes of a Christian who is busy ‘working it out’. God wants you to become a better person. Call it a new person, renewed by Him in every way.

Being poor in spirit speaks of humility and a conscious understanding that we need God and we cannot do without Him. Without Him we become nothing. With Him we become men of power and men of God. Read Matthew 5 and see what God expects from us. This chapter is all about the Beatitudes. God’s expect ways we should live our lives, and this pleases Him. God is saying for us to be like this. How else can we be if we are His followers? How else can we reflect Jesus in us if we are living a life of lies? Being poor in spirit is what brings us to the proper place where Jesus Christ can accomplish His work in and through us. Do you have an attitude problem right now? Then allow God to start working in you and start your new journey being a different man. If you need prayer or help with this, please feel free to contact me and I’ll help you. Contact me via email at nelson.canha@gmail.com … I’m here for you. Be blessed!

You Are Stronger Than That Mountain

Fear of failure is something which lies deep within our hearts. Maybe it’s fear of failing in business. Maybe fear of losing that managerial post at work. Maybe it’s fear of snakes, wild animals or someone else. Most men fear something; there is the odd one here and there who thinks he is superman. No one lives without fear. Most of us, if not every single one of us, do face a mountain or two in our walks of life. Some may have smaller mountains while others have mountains which are to big to even try and conquer. As human beings, men are not superman, nor are women for that matter. We need to find a way to conquer our mountains that cross our paths of life. There is always a solution out there – a friend, a family member, a pastor, a therapist of some type, etc.

Joshua 14:6-15 speaks about Caleb and the mountain he conquered. How did he conquer his mountain? Because he believed in God. Let’s read a portion of Joshua 14:12 only; “Now give me this mountain…” Wow! Look at him go for it. Moses had sent out a group of men to scout the land promised to them by God. All but Caleb return with a positive report. The others put fear into the hearts of the Israelites because of the giants that lived in that land. How did Caleb react? He stood strong and knew that God would help them conquer the giants; the mountain they faced. Why don’t we want mountains for a challenge? Because we fear failure and doom. But Caleb asked God for that mountain and he was not worried or scared at all.

We love our comfort zones, our cocoons we live in. Who needs mountains or giants for us to take on? Mountains in our lives make us stronger and bolder; fearless. God will lead us over these mountains as conquerors because He has promised us victory. So why not ask God for a mountain? It will make a man out of you. Yes, there are times that mountains appear up ahead of us in our lives. We mustn’t turn around and run. No! Call out to God and ask for that mountain and conquer it. Mountain climbing is dangerous. It is not safe to take on mountains, physically. Many have died trying. Many fail because they try going it alone. Go mountain climbing with a group, and plenty of quality ropes, shackles and pulleys, or whatever is needed for that trip. As a group we can conquer the mountain, each helping the other; much safer this way.

Caleb was in the right place. He was in the place where God was by his side. He knew God had promised him victory and he took on that mountain that was before him. He conquered because God was by his side on that battlefield, helping him win the battle. Caleb knew God very well, and he worshipped God totally – he feared nothing because his God was with him. Are you ready to ask God for that mountain? Do you see yourself taking on that mountain? We humans always think negatively when something big faces us. Ask God for that mountain and take it on with a smile, a prayer, and with God’s help. He will place it into your hands and you will conquer it, whatever your mountain may be. God bless you and keep you. May His face shine upon you. Amen!

Is He With Us?

When we need help next to the road with a car that just died and nothing happens when you crank the motor, you send for help. Maybe someone comes and assists you on the roadside or your car gets towed to a workshop. You may be struggling with a problem at work, a new device or machine and, because it’s new and no one has worked with it before, you call for the manufacturers to come and assist, or you go to them and receive some training. Our help always comes from somewhere and someone who knows better, more experienced and maybe more qualified than we are in the specific area. It does not just get fixed by itself. Help comes to the rescue.

Gents. What about our spiritual walk with God? When we need help or need guidance, how do we receive it? Prayer is a good answer. Just taking a moment and speaking to God is a good one as well. Let’s see what John 16:7 has to say – “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” For us to grow in God’s kingdom here on earth, we need help at times, guidance in other instances; and growth. How do we get this? Jesus clearly stated that He had to leave earth so that God’s Spirit would be with us – the Counsellor.

Without Him we are still nothing, even when saved and walking a life with God. The Holy Spirit is the One closest to us in all our times of need. He is also our Teacher, our Counsellor, our Guide, our link into God’s presence. He intercedes for us before the Father. Therefore, when life comes to halt due to some failure, some hurt, some mistake we made, we need the Holy Spirit. He is with us daily, every second we breathe, and He is our Assistant, our Helper, the One who is more of an expert than we are in life’s matters. All I can say is that I’ve gone through tough times and ugly snares; life just about coming to a standstill. All I did was call out to God, and many a times I just felt this small nudge in my mind or heart, and the answer was there for me – help had arrived. I didn’t do it alone. No, I had His Spirit offering me the answers. The Holy Spirit will pull and push us and make sure we stay on track. Without Him we will be lost and helpless.

As we continue our walk with Jesus the Holy Spirit teaches and stretches us so we can grow in our capacity to receive what God is saying and what He wants from us. We need to recognize the presence of the Holy Spirit who lives in us. And we need to build a relationship with Him. Jesus said that He was going but would not leave us alone. He promised us the Holy Spirit. He will indwell you. He will teach you all things, and He will remind you of everything Jesus taught us, or what we are taught through the Bible. Now go and seek Him and ask Him, the Holy Spirit, to make Himself known to you. Let’s start this new journey and enjoy the better future ahead. Let us recognize and worship God the Holy Spirit and be led by Him every day. May your life be filled with great joy from now onwards. God bless…

Who's Ways?

Man has always been one who wants everything to be his way no matter what. Whether you are running your household, the family man, or running your department at work, the manager, or being the CEO or owner of your company/business. We want to be on top of things and very rarely do we listen to others and their opinions. Our thoughts and our ideas may seem to reach what others think. Our ways may seem so sure and perfect and we reach out to be on top of our game, or do we? Let’s look at Isaiah 55:8-9. God tells us clearly that He is more superior to anyone on this earth, before, now, or the future. Here are the two verses.

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Yes, God is definitely much much better than we humans. The human race wants to achieve greatness and reach for the stars but we never really will. Why? Because we are limited and everything we try will come to an abrupt halt. Then something new is achieved but once again it will end, and so life moves on. God is the Creator of all the solar systems out there, and galaxies, therefore how can man be greater? God is superior! How can we challenge such a God? He is above everything we have ever known to date.

How can we then allow God to lead us, to teach us, to offer us wisdom which is greater than that which the world offers? By accepting Him into our lives. By allowing Jesus Christ to become our true and only Saviour God. We must allow Him to change us, to restore us, to renew us by renewing our minds. Romans 12:2 offers us this answer, and it says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.” It’s a mouth full for sure. God wants to teach us the right ways, His ways and His thoughts. You will become a better person, saved and called a child of God. Now we can reach for the stars and He will lead us in victory. But this time life will not end here on earth. Yes, the earth will end one day, but we have eternal life with Him. His ways and His thoughts are for me. Is it for you to? Be blessed…