The Amphibian Church 

 “Some people have a warped idea of living the Christian life. Seeing talented, successful Christians, they attempt to imitate them. For them, the grass on the other side of the fence is always greener. But when they discover that their own gifts are different or their contributions are more modest (or even invisible), they collapse in discouragement and overlook genuine opportunities that are open to them. They have forgotten that they are here to serve Christ, not themselves.” 

Billy Graham

Power Truth 

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:58 

Insiders on Purpose

How many of you have tried to invite a coworker to a Sunday service or a prayer meeting and been turned down? Worse, some will make fun of your faith and your church. What are we doing incorrectly in our approach to our workplace?

They’ll say, “Don’t go there because they’ll brainwash you.” To some extent, this is correct. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” Paul says. Then you will be able to test and approve God’s will, which is good, pleasing, and perfect (Romans 12:2).” Doesn’t this sound like brainwashing?

Integrity in Daily Life

People will accuse Christians of having a hidden agenda if we invite them or treat them well. It doesn’t have to be hidden. That is correct. We do have a plan. We have the intent to spread the word about the gospel. We intend to lead them into a relationship with Christ.

We must be intentional in bringing the presence of Jesus into everything we do, whether it is at work, in our hobbies, or our social interactions. We don’t have to preach. We don’t need to pull out our Bibles and quote verses constantly.

All we have to do is bring Jesus’ presence by living our lives with integrity. We must serve as living epistles, telling the world about Jesus’ power and how he could change our hearts, minds, and stamina. How can people see the beauty of our faith if our lives do not appear to them to be pleasing?

Everything you do must bring God glory. You can’t talk about the Gospel one minute and then curse your boss and your company the next. It takes effort to represent Jesus. There is no such thing as a “haphazard” Insider. It is not a “hit or miss” situation. Either you are an Insider for God, or you are not.

People do not need to read the Bible to become acquainted with Jesus. They must first see your lives to understand what Christianity is all about. Your life must reflect the message you will deliver.

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Your Gift Meets the Gap 

“Do not be satisfied with God’s calling or His gifts in your life. Be satisfied with Jesus Christ Himself.”  

Brother Yun 

 Power Truth 

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. 

Colossians 3:17 

Idleness is the enemy

Before discussing how God-given gifts are intended to fill a gap, it is more powerful to see a picture of what happens when we choose not to use them. As an example, consider David’s life. It was spring, which the Bible describes as “the season when kings go to war” (2 Samuel 11:1).

But where had David vanished? He was a king, but he stayed in Jerusalem. He passed on this one. David was known as a great warrior. Indeed, the Lord bestowed a gift on David, enabling him to lead Jerusalem to victory. The following passage demonstrates that he was more anointed in battle than King Saul ever was.

Whatever mission Saul assigned to David, he was so successful that Saul promoted him to a high rank in the army. This pleased the troops as well as Saul’s officers.

When the men returned home after David had killed the Philistine, the women of Israel came out from every town to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, joyful songs, and timbrels and lyres. “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands,” they sang as they danced. (See 1 Samuel 18:5-7.)

David once chose not to use his gift by remaining in the temple and doing nothing. Idleness. This was the opponent against whom David fought and lost.

The Trap of the Enemy

David was supposed to be working. David’s role as king includes leading his army into battle. He failed to appear for work.

Idle minds are the devil’s workshop. When we fail to show up for work on time, the devil has the opportunity to take advantage of us. The enemy can tempt us into sin when we are idle.

David got out of bed one evening and walked around the palace’s roof. He noticed a woman bathing from the roof. The woman was stunning, and David dispatched someone to find out more about her. “She is Bathsheba, Eliam’s daughter and Uriah the Hittite’s wife,” the man explained. Then David dispatched messengers to find her. He slept with her after she came to him. (She was now cleansing herself from her monthly uncleanness.) She then returned home. The woman became pregnant and informed David, “I am pregnant.” 2 Samuel 11:2–5

God Will Fill the Financial Gap

When David should have been working and fighting on the battlefield, he was at home doing nothing. He got out of bed and walked around, noticing a lovely woman bathing. He had a thing for her.

Despite the fact that his servant had revealed that the woman was Bathsheba, “the daughter of Eliam and the wife of Uriah the Hittite,” he proceeded to sleep with her. In David’s army, Eliam and Uriah were dependable soldiers. That didn’t stop him. He made Bathsheba an adulterer. He turned murderer to cover up his sin by putting Uriah on the front lines of battle.

What happened to bring David to the point of sin against the Lord? It all began with the laziness he allowed himself. David had this deliberate refusal to go to work. It began when he stated at the time, “I will not use my gifts.” “I will not allow my gift to bridge the gap,” I say, refusing to do what is expected of me. According to the Bible, God was not pleased with David’s actions (2 Samuel 11:27).

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No to Legalism 

How many of you have witnessed people performing penance? In Italy, the Scala Sancta, or “Sacred Stairs,” was said to be the very stairs Jesus climbed to stand trial before Pontius Pilate. Pilgrims climb on their aching knees, pausing to pray on each of the 28 marble steps. It was taught that doing so would grant the penitent “plenary indulgence,” or complete absolution from all temporal punishments for sin. This is an example of legalism.

A works-oriented attitude

We exist in a world where “there is no free lunch.” We have been used to paying for everything. Most of us feel that we need to earn everything we have. We ought to work hard to achieve something. While this is an admirable trait, when it comes to salvation and the love of God, this makes us miss the mark.  

A work-oriented attitude toward the love of God deceives us into thinking we need to perform good works to earn God’s love and our salvation. When the truth is we can do nothing to earn God’s love and our salvation. It is a gift from God. It is God’s grace upon our lives. Legalism promotes a works-oriented attitude and goes against the doctrine of grace. 

Instead of approaching God’s throne empty-handed, legalists will come to Him with their religious success stories expecting a “paycheck” for everything they have done for HiAs as a pillar of po, the churchwer needs to protect itself from this mindset. Pride is the sin that fuels this perspective. Legalism says, “I am holy because I do good works,” while the doctrine of grace says, “I am a sinner, but because of what Jesus did for me,can to do good works.”  

A false burden on the believers

 Paul wrote to the local churches of Galatia because of the problem, which is the false doctrine of legalism. The Judiazers, a heretical group, spread a false doctrine that taught that a Christian is not only saved by their works plus faith but also claimed that one achieved personal holiness and spiritual growth by doing good works (Davis, 2010). Legalism created a false burden on the believers from the Galatian church, which caused them to turn their focus from Christ to their works.  

Paul was a legalist himself before his turning point with the Lord. He knew the dangers of legalism on a believer. A legalist deals with sin with little or no love and compassion. As Christians, we tend to bring this legalistic attitude into our workplaces. We interact with our non-believer officemates with so little compassion and mercy that we become self-righteous. If you look at how Jesus responded to sinners, he displayed his understanding, compassion, and forgiveness.  

We must understand that the Law of Faith is the belief that only God is righteous and merciful (which means we are not righteous on our own) and that only He can provide the way of salvation for humanity. Believers can bring this self-righteous pride into their workplaces that turn off their officemates. The truth is, we have nothing to be proud of. 

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Ephesians 2:8-10) 

The spirit of legalism

Currently, many legalists still condemn people to hell who will not accept the requirements of the law. In the final analysis, they make salvation possible through one’s efforts. As church members, we tend to forget that we were sinners and deserve an eternity in hell, if not for the salvation Jesus purchased. 

There is a need to guard our congregations from the spirit of legalism. Protect the church against the Insiders that the enemy sends to our spiritual family. The church must persevere in training Insiders to send out to the world’s four corners.    

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The Church Mandate 

How do we safeguard our church? How do we launch offensive operations? We must continue to do what the Body of Christ should do. Believers should continue to study and meditate on God’s Word. We should continue to pray and meet together, encouraging one another to grow in the Lord. Insiders should be trained and equipped to go into all sectors of the world and bring Christ’s presence and message.

The Church is the Influencer

Take care that the church does not become so introverted that it only sees Sunday services, prayer meetings, small group meetings, and so on. We must return to what Jesus told His disciples. What is the church’s true mission?

According to the Bible, the Holy Spirit will guide believers into all truth. The Holy Spirit will chart the course and establish the parameters for the church’s operation. The Divine Strategist is the Holy Spirit.

The church must have an impact on everything around it. What’s in the neighborhood of the church? The church is surrounded by society, which means that the church also covers the other pillars. “You will receive power after the Holy Spirit has come upon you,” Jesus told the disciples (Acts 1:8). We will be receiving dunamis (dynamite). When the dynamite is detonated, it affects everything in its path.

The commission called for us to be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. What geographical significance does this mandate have? Jerusalem represents your town, city, or village. Judea stands in for your country. Samaria represents your continent. The rest of the world is defined by the ends of the earth. Is politics, economics, and education/culture present in your city, country, continent, and the rest of the world?

Relationships-Based

You don’t have to look far to find where you’re going. It would help if you went to your workplace. This is where you are directed.

The church’s strength is built on its relationships (Cowan, 2011). Church members must establish connections with the world they belong to serve as bridges between their world and the church.

We must prioritize people over programs (Cowan, 2011). Moreover, let us not be too concerned about inviting people from work to church events when our relationships with coworkers are superficial. We must prioritize people. Also, we learn to care for and serve our fellow believers in the church. Let us bring this servant’s heart to the workplace so they can experience what it is like to be a part of a church community.

Contribute to your workplace in ways that go beyond your job description. More so, you are a representative of both Jesus and your church. Next, needs must be met. If your employer does not see you contributing, they will doubt the worth of your church membership. Finally, they will wonder what the true impact of the church is in your life because they cannot see it.

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Spiritual Wickedness

What is spiritual wickedness?

“Spiritual wickedness in high places” is what God wants us to get rid of (Ephesians 6:12). Paul meant that when he talked about “spiritual wickedness,” he was talking about evil spirits that have brought into the religious systems of the world. As we send Insiders into the most essential parts of government, business, and education, the enemy is sending his forces to sneak into the gatherings of the righteous. Now that we know this truth, the spiritual battle seems, even more, real, doesn’t it?

Satan’s Insiders

Satan has assembled his legion of “Insiders” to make it appear as though they are part of the true church of God. However, if you investigate what these churches teach, you will find that they are not churches but cults. The act of concealing something is referred to as “occulting” it. Cults use the veneer of religion to conceal their evil intentions and activities. People who believe have a better chance of recognizing certain cults than others. However, the thing that is even worse is when Satan sets up his system right in the middle of the real church with the assistance of his Insiders.

Dear friends, although I was very eager to write to you about the salvation we share, I felt compelled to write and urge you to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people. For certain individuals whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord. (Jude 3-4) 

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Who are the Pharisees? 

The Leaven

Jesus warned us about the Pharisees’ “leaven” (Luke 12:1). “Leaven” is a common Jewish metaphor for an unseen and pervasive influence. Jesus warned us about the Pharisees’ hypocrisy, which spreads like leaven. The Pharisees pretended to be righteous while plotting to capture Jesus. In the absence of malicious intent, righteousness cannot exist.

What was Jesus’ antidote to stop the spread of leaven? “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth,” the bible says in 1 Corinthians 5:8. (1 Corinthians 5:8). Moreover, we fight with sincerity and truth in the face of the rise of hypocrisy and legalism.

The Integrity of the Church

It is critical to maintaining the church’s integrity. We are already at the gates of this power pillar. Don’t already represent this pillar? Should we still be considered as Insiders? As Christians, the church is our “home turf.”

What we need to do is keep the enemy from entering the church quadrant. Jesus warned his disciples about the Pharisees’ and Sadducees’ doctrine (Matthew 16:11-12). However, God promised everything would be revealed, including hypocrisy and sin in the religious quadrant.

Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed on the housetops. (Luke 12:2-3) 

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Overcoming the Four Quadrants: The Church 

Most of us, including me, would prefer to think of sacred space as some light-filled wonderous place where we can feel good and find a way to shore up our psyches against death. We don’t want to think that something as ugly and brutal as combat could be involved with the spiritual. However, would any practicing Christian say that Calvary Hill was not a sacred space?”  

Karl Marlantes      

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who make it labor in vain, unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. 

Psalm 127:1 

The Pillar of Religion 

The enemy is watching over the fourth pillar of power. As Christians, this is something close to our hearts. It is the foundation of all religions. It has to do with spirit. So, what does a politician do when they are running for power, trying to get into office, and wanting to be elected? They go around to the religious groups.

In this world, there is a lot of power and authority in support of church leaders. Candidates know this and use religious groups as an essential part of their campaigning. Because of how much the church affects society, it is in the fourth quadrant and is a crucial pillar of power.

These people running for office know that faith can go beyond politics, education, and business. People will do things that don’t make business sense for spiritual reasons. They’ll do things that have nothing to do with politics but are spiritually significant to them. They’ll do something against what they’ve been taught and what they know to be correct.

The Appeal of Religion

Politicians know that to get elected, they must appeal to the people’s spirituality. Most of the time, they meet with the leaders of the church. They will go to every religious community and try to get their votes.

“Your churches have done so much for our society and economy, and we are so proud of you,” is what they usually say. I’m your guy, so vote for me.” Then they went to the following religious group, group of religious people, or type of religion and said the same thing. They will go around until they can get the faith community to agree.

Faith-based communities are a source of power, and when religions fight over doctrine, they fight over who has the most power. Most of the time, the fight isn’t about “You think this and I think that.” At a deeper level, the war is about who has power over religion or the spirit.

What did Paul’s strategy look like? He left the synagogue to go to other places. He stopped being religious. Why? Because all he did there was argue and argue with other people.

Many of us would rather stay out of the political, economic, and educational fields and remain in the religious area. We don’t want these “sinners” to “defile” us, so we want to stay in our spiritual bubble. What kind of people are we if we think this way? We’ve turned into Pharisees.

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Moses the Economist 

How was Moses an economist?

Moses was one of the first economists in the Bible, along with Joseph. We know how important economic stability is and that it depends on a country’s ability to stay safe from invasion. Moses told all physically fit men over 20 to join the military to protect the land (Numbers 1:3). Significantly, Moses set up a remarkable system to ensure the economy would be stable and safe.

Based on this story, we can see no difference between the sacred and the secular during Moses’ time. Moses was a prophet of God, but he also made decisions about Israel’s economy. He knew everyone. He was in charge of this vital group.

The Mosaic system of economics was designed for adoption by people who had agreed that their lives should be governed by certain spiritual axioms. Without such a basis the system could not and will not work. The spiritual axioms are epitomized in the Ten Commandments, which define the general attitude of one person to another, with due regard to the fact that our spiritual life is conducted in conjunction with physical bodies, through the material requirements of which the welfare of both spiritual and physical is an economic concern. In embracing this fact the Commandments go so far as to outline certain basic economic principles for the successful pursuance of community existence. Thus the Ten Commandments at once lay the spiritual foundations upon which the Mosaic economic system is built, and pronounce the first principles of the system itself. Together with the elevating spiritual injunction to love God with all the power in our beings, and to love our neighbors as ourselves, we are given certain guiding principles, the observance of which will harmonize our spiritual and physical lives. (Parker 1947, p. 5-6) 

 God’s Word and the Economic System

God’s Law is the link between God and His people. Moses set up the basic rules for a successful government with the Ten Commandments. Having said that, God gave him the 10 Commandments to spread the word about God’s Law and ensure it was followed. By looking at the story of Moses’s leadership, we can see that the economic system is built on God’s Word.

How does this fit into the economy of today? Moreover, where are the people who believe in business today? If the economy was supposed to be based on God’s Word, why do Christians see business as a place where greed, corruption, and pride thrive?

Personal Application 

  1. Have you ever viewed any profit-making activity to be evil? Why or why not?
  2. How can you honor God with your profits?
  3. How do you acknowledge that God is the one who gives you the ability to produce wealth?

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The Tithe  

When it comes to the pillar of power that is the economic quadrant, almost all of us are inside the gates. We work to make money. We drag ourselves to work in order to pay our bills. We’re trying to make ends meet. This is a skewed view of our professions.

Abundance vs. Survival

Our finances aren’t just for “making ends meet.” Money is meant to bless us. Our money is intended to be a blessing to others. Furthermore, money is meant to be a test. It is a tool God uses to test our faithfulness and obedience. Our spending habits reveal who we identify as the source. Stewardship wisdom is required so that we can manage our finances following God’s will. The first fruits of our profit are not ours. It is sacred. As a tithe, it belongs to God.

Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need (Malachi 3:10).  

When people go to work and do not tithe, they violate another aspect of the covenant. They rob God through tithes and offerings. They do not offer to God the best part of their salary.  

A lot of people do not see sense in tithing. They find it hard to surrender a significant portion of their money to God. However, if you think about it, God was the One who gave us the ability to produce wealth. The wealth we have comes from Him. God was the One who opened channels so that He could send us the provisions we pray for.  

Nothing is Yours Anyway

Technically, everything we have is God’s. He only asks for 10% as a sign of your commitment to Him. It is a manifestation of our faith. It demonstrates that we acknowledge God as the source. You will feel fear and anxiety when giving your tithes if you recognize yourself as the source.

You are conscious of your limited (or non-existent) ability to generate wealth. However, if you know that you have an Unlimited Source, obeying God will be a piece of cake. After all, you understand and acknowledge that you are only a steward of whatever He has entrusted you.

As an Insider of God, you can see your job and the money you earn as an opportunity to demonstrate to Him how much you trust Him. It is a place where you can “test” God and allow Him to act powerfully on your behalf. When you tithe, you are dedicating your finances to God. You declare that all of your finances, not just the 10%, are sacred. How can you tithe if you don’t work? How can you give the first fruits of your wealth to God?

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Joseph the Trusted Advisor 

Joseph in the Palace

In Genesis 47, we see that the Lord positioned Joseph in the palace of the Pharaoh. God created a vacancy for him. He was the only One who could interpret the Pharaoh’s dreams.  

Warned about the famine through a divine word from the Lord, Joseph prepared stockpiles of grain to aid the people through the crisis. The Lord was the One who gave Joseph wisdom to understand the economic strategy that must be implemented so that Egypt could survive the famine.  

Studying the accounts of Joseph, along with Daniel and Nehemiah, we see how the kings found favor towards them. Their relationships were more profound than that of an employer-employee relationship.  These men were treated like trusted advisors.  

So Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt.” Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph’s finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and people shouted before him, “Make way!” Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. 

Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I am Pharaoh, but without your word, no one will lift hand or foot in all Egypt.” Pharaoh gave Joseph the name Zaphenath-Paneah and Asenath, daughter of Potiphera, priest of On, to be his wife. And Joseph went throughout the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:41-45) 

The Pharaoh Trusted Joseph

Do you see the trust the Pharaoh has placed upon Joseph? Can you see how much of the Pharaoh’s business he entrusted? The economic fate of Egypt rested in Joseph’s hands.  

Joseph, a foreigner, was placed in charge of Egypt to prepare the nation for the famine that was to come. Imagine the influence that Joseph had in that land. God created a vacancy and positioned Joseph to fill it for His purposes. 

Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh, king of Egypt. And Joseph went out from Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout Egypt. During the seven years of abundance, the land produced plentifully. Joseph collected all the food produced during those seven years of abundance in Egypt and stored it in the cities. In each city he put the food grown in the fields surrounding it. Joseph stored huge quantities of grain, like the sea sand; it was so much that he stopped keeping records because it was beyond measure. (Genesis 41:46-49) 

God placed Joseph in a position of authority.

God transformed Joseph, a stranger, and an ex-convict, into a trusted advisor to the world’s most powerful man at the time. He was more than just a worker. He was the most trusted advisor to the Pharaoh. What about Joseph made a pharaoh feel he could entrust his life and kingdom to him? Spiritual energy is the type of energy that will enter your life as you bridge the gap between your profession and your purpose.

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What happens when you start them young?

Daniel

The story of Daniel reveals the secret of campus ministry. You want to reach out to campuses because of the powerful impact it has not only on the lives of individual students but also on the worlds they will enter after their formal education is completed. These students have the ability to influence not only the world as we know it today but also the society of the future and future generations.

David

David’s story began with a study of human learning. Following that, he was given the gift of divine visions. The Babylonian army captured David and other members of the “seed-royal.” Daniel and his friends were educated in Chaldean literature while in Babylon so that they could serve the government.

Why capture the youth?

Let’s take a break right there. What was the first thing they did after seizing these Jerusalem youth? Were the young men tortured? No. They mentioned them in Chaldean literature. The goal was for them to learn about Babylonian culture through education. They hoped that by educating these captives, they would be able to change their loyalties. The Babylonian rulers recognized the significance of this power pillar.

The young men of Jerusalem were taken away by King Nebuchadnezzar to be trained for service under him. These young men were chosen using stringent criteria. They were not to have any physical flaws. They should have a pleasing countenance, be wise in all things, be well-read in knowledge, understand science, be quick and sharp, and be able to give a ready account of their country.

Why did Nebuchadnezzar select such young men? The king decided to train these young captives because they would be pliable and tractable, forgetting their people and assimilating with the Chaldeans. The king knew what he would use them for; they had to be capable of standing in the king’s palace, not only to attend to his royal person but also to preside over his affairs.

The best time to teach

They are supposed to be wise and knowledgeable young men, but they need to be taught more. It is important to note that those who want to do good in the world when they grow up must learn while they are young. That is the learning age; if that time is lost, it will be difficult to recover. It does not appear that Nebuchadnezzar intended for them to learn the forbidden arts of the Chaldeans, such as magic and divination. If he did, Daniel and his companions would not defile themselves with them. If men were skilled, faithful, and fit for his business, it didn’t matter what religion they practiced as long as they had some faith.

They must be educated in the language and laws of the country, as well as in history, philosophy, and mathematics, as well as in the arts of husbandry, war, and navigation, in order to be qualified to serve their generation. We can see the Babylonians’ regard for education. We also see how education can be a genuine public service by providing an excellent education to the youth.

Solid foundations

Daniel and his friends were well-versed in the Lord’s Law. They would not be swayed by Chaldean education. These young men had already established themselves in the world. They even politely refused to eat the king’s meat and were determined to survive on vegetables and water (Daniel 1:8-16).

After a while, the eunuchs’ master noticed that they were healthier than the other captives he looked after. They were also found to be ten times wiser and more knowledgeable than the kingdom’s magicians and enchanters.

God endowed these four young men with knowledge and comprehension of all types of literature and learning. And Daniel could comprehend all kinds of visions and dreams.

 

The chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar at the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service. The king spoke with them and discovered that none were equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, so they joined the king’s service. The king tested them in all areas of wisdom and understanding, and found them to be ten times better than all of his kingdom’s magicians and enchanters. Daniel 1:17–20

The next generation

When you begin reaching out to young people for the Lord as soon as possible, they will be rooted in His Word until they reach adulthood. “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it,” King Solomon says (Proverbs 22:6). Daniel and his friends were living examples of this proverb. Despite being brought to a foreign land and exposed to a different culture, they did not deviate from the ways they were taught. They clung to their faith even at the risk of their lives.

We are bombarded with messages that mix the truth with lies, both on campus and in the culture around us. The news comes from information channels such as schools and the media system, which have been powerfully advancing the enemy’s kingdom. What are the Christians doing about it?

The sacred-secular divide has grown wider as secular culture has moved further away from Christianity, almost impenetrable.

The traditional evangelistic approach to communicating the Lord’s message to the world is being challenged. The point we’re trying to make here is that before we can deliver the news, we need a platform for it to be heard and received with open hearts.

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FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS

Recall that our cravings come from emotional desires and needs. All these are natural; it is part of being human. Have you ever met someone who had no emotions? Have you ever encountered a person who has no feelings whatsoever? Likely not. This is because emotions are a part of God’s design for humankind. God specifically created human beings not only to think and act but to feel. Therefore, our capacity to feel must be honored.  

Indeed, the cravings and longings we have are God-given and thus, can only be satisfied by God. However, many of us seek the things of this world to help these God-given cravings and longings. This is when we begin settling for less; we let our emotions get the better of us. In other words, rather than being in control of our feelings, emotions, and cravings, they begin to control us. We let them reign over us rather than allowing wisdom and God’s lordship to direct our lives. This is what is not pleasing to God.  

Honoring our emotions  

There is a big difference between honoring our emotions and prioritizing or worshiping them. Honoring our feelings means listening to them, allowing God to speak through them, and worshiping our feelings points to acting as if nothing else mattered but our need to console and respond to how we feel.  

It is therefore essential to recognize that emotions must be controlled. We must rein to them so that they do not reign and rule over us. How then do we control our emotions and yearnings? We act in wisdom, work in authenticity, and act by God’s will.  

Invitation

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1) Call 515-604-9266

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