aggreyfelixinspirations

Hello Good morning Child of God, its one of those chilly Monday mornings of Kilifi in the costal part of Kenya Africa and I love it that way. Hope you are well kept in the Lord and I would expect more, I bless the Lord for that. It has been long since I make something up but hope this will do.

In my years in campus and my walk with God have always had a conviction in my Heart to one day be a teacher of the Word and to date have found myself in situation that am called to teach and maybe I did it to my best but at times I feel maybe some mistakes ain’t worth repeating or if I did something in a different way it would be better..so how did I become better and better in each and everyday life of this calling?.. Hop in lets see maybe there is someone out there who would make the same correction.

I’m still working toward that goal, but I’ve learned that becoming excellent at anything starts with carefully cultivating particular daily habits. Excellence is more about the seemingly small things we do every day than it is about the big things we accomplish in a moment. Here are eight habits that excellent teachers practice every single day.

By the way this doesn’t only concern the teachers of the Word but everyone who wanna serve God in each and every part of the five-fold ministry, they kind of sound much the same. Welcome, hope by the end of this article you would have learnt a lot.

1. The Habit of Preparation

There have been a few times in my life when I began to teach knowing that I was painfully unprepared. I hadn’t spent the time necessary to give people my best. Even though I made it through those lessons, I resolved never to let that happen again.

Excellent teachers always take the time to properly prepare. They labor over their notes, tweaking, adding, deleting, and practicing over and over, all to ensure they are ready to serve their learners well. Excellent teachers have a deep conviction that teaching is an honorable calling, one for which they will give an account. They don’t make a practice of winging lessons or pulling something together last minute. They practice the habit of preparation. Preparation is needed in every area of our lives, I mean even if you are onto a task as meager as household chores you gotta have to prepare all the necessary materials and be prepared physically, mentally and materially too.. This is a plus too in this area of calling,, so if you wanna step out there to teach, you have no excuse but to prepare no questions.

2. The Habit of Love

Excellent Bible teachers cultivate a love for the people whom they teach. They spend time with people and enjoy people. The best teachers make the best spouses, parents, and companions. They regularly make time to enjoy their friends and family. We mistakenly think of teachers as solitary types, always wishing to be locked in a library somewhere with occasional breaks for eating and sleeping. On the contrary, excellent teachers should live lives of love and service. Their study should flow out of a heart with sincere love for the people they have been called to teach. The Holy spirit fruit is the fruit of Love as its main flavor where the others spring out, out of the fruit of love springs gentleness, honesty, faithfulness, humility, harmony with one another, diligence in our work, hospitality etc.(Gal 5:22-23).. so you wanna teach you gotta cultivate love brother.

3. The Habit of Prayer

Love will naturally lead the excellent teacher to pray for those whom they teach. Keeping lists of names and needs, they habitually labor in intercession for others. They also labor over their teaching itself. Before they share anything with others, they pray over each word, begging God to keep them from error, that he might help them bear fruit through their teaching. The Apostle Paul modeled this type of prayer perfectly: “we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col. 1:9-10). Excellent teachers humbly recognize that without the grace of God, they couldn’t teach a single word fruitfully. And so they pray.

There’s no question where prayer is concerned,, self explanatory and again this is needed in our whole lives if we are to be fruitful Christians. pray without ceasing for out of it you draw the strength, determination and inspiration to soldier on.

4. The Habit of Learning

There is no end to learning whether a teacher or a listener,, learning is all round. Excellent Bible teachers regularly sharpen the axe of their own teaching. They read those with whom they agree and also those with whom they disagree. They continuously learn how to research, study, write, teach, along with every other skill that might improve their communication.

Excellent teachers commit to a lifetime of learning. They never conclude they have arrived and can merely coast. Constantly learning new things and reviewing what they’ve already mastered, they have systems of review and can name books they’ve read dozens of times. Not a day goes by that they don’t sacrifice their time and resources in hope that they might learn a new thing and become better and better each moment.

5. The Habit of Bible Familiarity

Excellent Bible teachers maintain a familiarity with the overall message of the Bible. They habitually read and reread God’s Word in its entirety. Convinced the entire Bible is useful, they search for insight and potential fruit in every verse. Worthy Bible teachers see how the parts of the Bible work together and understand the unity of its overarching message, aware that the entire Bible teaches about Jesus Christ (Luke 24:44).

Additionally, excellent Bible teachers master individual books of the Bible and core doctrines of the Christian faith. They know how to dig deep and draw out the overall message of the Bible’s great passages and books. For example, before teaching a series on Ephesians, a teacher might read the text 10 to 20 times (or more) to draw out as much truth as possible. After this, they might review commentaries for even more insight and confessions that all have great value in helping teachers understand and teach biblical doctrines clearly.

6. The Habit of Limit

An excellent Bible teacher must be willing to sometimes say “I don’t know.” They might not know the right answer, but it also might be the case that God’s Word doesn’t reveal the answer to a particular question. God’s revelation in Scripture is limited, meaning God has chosen to reveal some things and keep other things hidden.

Teachers must be willing to practice the habit of limit, only teaching what God’s Word reveals on challenging questions. John Calvin famously warned against the temptation to speculate on mysteries,

Let us remember here, as in all religious doctrine, that we ought to hold to one rule of modesty and sobriety: not to speak, or guess, or even to seek to know, concerning obscure matters anything except what has been imparted to us by God’s Word.

There are times when every excellent Bible teacher must say, “We don’t know the answer to that question,” and leave it at that.

7. The Habit of Humility and Gentleness

Tragically, many teachers become proud, arrogant, and smug. The more popular they become, the more they believe their own press. The excellent teacher will constantly fight against the temptation towards pride and arrogance, remembering that God has given everything they’ve learned as a gift, including their own mind and memory. They remember they can’t keep their own brain functioning from moment to moment. Teachers are not great in and of themselves but have been called by God to serve Christ’s church through the gift of teaching. Like all of God’s gifts, teaching is best used by those whose lives are marked by the meekness and lowliness of our Lord.

8. The Habit of Gratitude

The excellent teacher starts every day singing along with the writer of Psalm 100:4, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!” Whether they are sitting down to prepare a lesson or getting up to speak before a multitude, these excellent ones remain thankful for each and every opportunity. They recognize they’ve been called to a blessed work to take the wonderful truths revealed in the Bible and serve them to others. We can all think of lessons that deeply impacted us and even changed our lives. The excellent teacher is thankful for opportunities to make these moments happen. For every student, every insight, and every lesson, the excellent teacher regularly practices the habit of gratitude.

Thanks for accessing the article and I hope and pray you have been blessed, always look out for such articles and my previous writings and I believe as I get blessed and inspired so are you… Regards Aggrey Felix

Good Morning dear one, hope this year is proving to be a blessing to you and your family, if not maybe you are here n around the world wondering what’s happening yet i wanna tell you this, God of Heavens is Here for you and your family n me too and to date he has been so faithful that even if He doesn’t do anything now I know HE will do it in the foreseeable future and I strongly believe that the same will happen to your situation whatever it is, what I want to encourage you is that prayer is all that matters in all circumstances and doing this in truth and spirit for that’s our command..God is a spirit n whatever we do then should be in spirit, Praise, Prayer, Worship and everything.

I have prepared something here for you to at least guide you in matters of prayer. prayer ain’t all about us speaking to God but its about a communion that we both partake in, I had an appointment with someone who took almost one hour talking nonstop and I was hoping he would stop at least between sentences so I can say something too but Alas! he did it all and I was pissed off and took off. This is how most of us do today, prayer is not all about us talking to God but talking with Him.

Lets learn…..

If God already knows our needs, why do we need to pray? If we don’t understand the five purposes of prayer we probably won’t be motivated to pray.
Imagine a huge building filled with thousands of rooms. Inside those rooms are all the good possibilities for your future—job opportunities, provision of every kind, guidance, and wisdom to make right decisions. The problem is all the doors are locked and you can’t get in. But suppose someone puts a supernatural key in your hand that will open every door. You can choose to use the key or not use it. If you don’t use the key, the doors won’t open for you.
That’s a picture of how prayer works. God won’t automatically do everything for us. Instead, He has given us a key to use, which is prayer. Prayer is a privilege God gives us where He lets us participate in His will being accomplished on earth (Matt. 6:10). However, if we don’t use the “prayer key” the door will remained closed for some of God’s blessings.

Here are five reasons to pray.
Reason #1 Prayer is how we develop a relationship with God. What if prayer didn’t exist? Suppose God didn’t provide any way to contact Him when we’re in trouble. The Lord announces, “There’s no such thing as prayer. You cannot talk to Me and I won’t talk to you. I will not intervene in your affairs. If you want help…sorry, but you’re on your own!” You would literally “not have a prayer.” The good news is God does want us to pray so we can get to know Him in a better way.
Prayer is connecting our heart to God’s heart. Prayer isn’t measured by how many words we say because many non-stop talkers never really communicate with others. Prayer is having a heart-to-talk with God, letting Him know what’s on our heart. “Pour out your heart before Him.” (Psalm 62:8). Our closeness to God can be measured by how much we talk to Him when we’re NOT at church.
James 4:8 says, “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” “Drawing near” isn’t referring to distance because God is inside us. It’s talking about drawing nearer in our hearts. A husband and wife can be standing next to each other but their hearts can be miles apart. That can happen with God, too. The Pharisees honored God with their lips, but their hearts were far away (Matt. 15:8). They missed the primary purpose of prayer—to develop a relationship with God.
Prayer is like talking on a phone, which also means listening. Some people do all the talking and never listen. This shouldn’t be the case, it should be a both way transfer as a matter of fact we should be quick to listen than speak.
Reason #2 Some things will not happen unless we pray. Why should we pray if it doesn’t make any difference? James 4:2 tells us “you do not have because you do not ask.” To say it another way, if we don’t use the key the door won’t open. God can change our circumstances if we will use the key and call out to Him for help.
Sennacherib, the king of Assyria, was threatening to conquer Jerusalem. King Hezekiah knew he would be defeated unless God stopped Sennacherib. Hezekiah prayed that God would deliver Jerusalem from the Assyrian army. God answered him, “Because you have prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard you” (2 Kings 19:20 NASB). God came to his rescue because he prayed. If the king hadn’t prayed Jerusalem would have been destroyed. Prayer brought something to pass on earth that would not have happened if he hadn’t prayed.
Prayer can make a difference in what happens in your life. Are you asking Him for help and guidance? Don’t give up. Keep praying and don’t lose heart. God has placed in your hand the key, but it’s up to you to put it in the keyhole.

Reason #3 Prayer shows God how desperately we want something. “The effectual fervent (desperate) prayer of a righteous person avails much” (James 5:16). When we pray out of desperation and at most humility we touch God’s heart and catch His ear. Our prayers show Him how desperately we want something. As Jesus passed through Jericho, two blind men sitting by the road cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us!” (Matt. 20:30). Even though a huge crowd surrounded Him, Jesus stopped when heard their cries for help. He then answered their request and healed them.
On another occasion, a woman who had a hemorrhage for 12 years touched the hem of His garment. While a large crowd was touching Him, Jesus felt power leave Him and she was healed (Mark 5:24-34). What was different about her touch than the others touching Him? She was desperate for a miracle. she got it

Reason #4 Prayer is the way we release our burdens to God. “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, shall guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:6-7).
Sheep are not designed to carry burdens. You’ve heard of “pack mules” but you’ve never hear of “pack sheep.” God didn’t design us to carry burdens on our souls. When we pray correctly, we transfer our burdens and problems into the Father’s hands. If you are still burdened down after you have prayed, you never let go of your problems! When we’ve truly prayed, we’ve released our concerns into the Lord’s hands and we let Him carry the load. Look at the following example of letting go…
Joe was walking to the Laundry carrying his dirty clothes in a duffel bag on his back. On the way, he ran into his friend Lou who started telling him about all the problems he was going through. Joe told him he needed to give his burdens to the Lord. Lou said, “I already did that, but I still feel burdened down. How can I know that I’ve released them?”
Joe let go of his duffel bag, which immediately fell off his back to the ground. He said, “How do I know that I dropped the sack? I haven’t looked around to see if it’s off my back.” “You know because it isn’t weighing you down any more,” Lou replied. “And that’s how you’ll know if transferred your problems to God. They won’t weigh you down anymore.”
Reason #5 When we pray, God intervenes in other people’s lives and changes them. Have you ever wondered why Jesus told us to “pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:28)? Let’s think about that. He told us to pray for our enemies because our prayer releases the Holy Spirit to convict them of their sins and bring them to repentance. Remember, some things will not happen unless we pray. We don’t typically like to pray for those who mistreat us, but if we will pray for the Holy Spirit to convict them we might see some surprising results.
James 5:16 says, “Pray for one another that you may be healed.” It doesn’t say to pray for yourself to be healed (although there is nothing wrong with that) but to pray for others. God has set it up so that He wants to work through the prayers of others to help us. Our prayers are part of the reason others are healed mentally and physically—and also in them being saved.
Only the Holy Spirit can convict us of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). When we pray for a lost person to be saved, the Holy Spirit begins to pull on that person’s heart where it becomes easier to surrender to Him than continue in rebellion.

Great insights right? this is more than just us talking its intimate and personal,,we call it getting used to God in His most Mighty, Uncomprehensive way, His mystery and all that pertains to Him..There are no words in the world that can fully describe God..Fervent Prayer n doing it without ceasing delivers much, would you at one point declare that when you fight you will fight on your knees with you hands stretched out high n trusting God fully for He says that the battle is His, but it cannot be His before we let Him have it through the intimate conversation we have with Him occasionally.

We need to be prayer warriors all times to see the results, let it be part and parcel of our life, I hope we develop this attitude that prayer becomes basic like we cant do without because for sure we cant, yes he knows what you need but till you fervently show n ask for them then nothing happens. Pray like never before, like no chance will ever be given, like its the last time doing it n do it because from out of it too flows the instructions aboard…….BE BLESSED FOLKS….Regards Felix Aggrey.

Hello, how are you doing folks,hope this Year ain’t that late to at least refocus on the things maybe you felt were long gone, I have done this through intense research n hope it will be massive help to you n to me.. Let’s learn.

6 Scriptures for When You Lose Your Focus

This week it happened again. One thing after another stole my attention. I allowed unwanted distraction to disrupt my days, fretting over situations out of my control. Distractions turned to frustrations, and soon I was living in survival mode instead of living with peace and confidence.

Distraction is a tactic of the enemy, who loves to interfere with the lives of faith-filled women. Keeping us busy and focused on other things, so we lose focus on what matters most.

We have responsibilities that demand our time and energy. Those responsibilities can overwhelm us and lead to exhaustion if we forget to keep our focus on Jesus, “the author and perfecter of our faith.” (Hebrews 12:2) When we’re buried under the weight of life’s difficulties, distraction seems to come at us from every direction. In those times we need to refocus our hearts and minds on Christ.

We know God called us to love and care for our people. Our families, friends, and neighbors. We also want to keep connected to Him through prayer and worship. So how do we stay focused as women of God with all the things going on in our lives and in the world around us?

God’s Word offers comfort and encouragement to bring Him back into focus and bring us out of survival mode. Here are 6 scriptures for when we lose focus. Each of these verses will strengthen us and provide renewed peace in the midst of life’s demands.

1. For Focusing Our Daily Thoughts

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Philippians 4:8

I appreciate Paul’s Holy Spirit-inspired advice to the Philippians. He knew the struggles they’d face and that they would need this list of words to help them stay focused.

Philippians 4:8 can serve as a guide for focusing our daily thoughts. The CEB version puts it this way, “…focus your thoughts on these things.” Paul gives a menu of 8 attributes in this one sentence. A perfect list of good things to keep our thoughts in the right place.

Things that are: true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy.

Let’s apply the ideas Paul spoke and see what a difference this verse will make. When my teen rebels? Focus on what is true. When family members can’t get along? Focus on what is praiseworthy. When I’m feeling discouraged about the future? Focus on what is lovely.

Thinking on the right things ushers us into a new place of contentment. A change that begins in our own daily thoughts and overflows to our homes and the people we love.

2. For Focusing Our Perspective

“…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

It’s hard to keep an eternal perspective with all the struggles we face today. In the middle of family stress or raising kids through challenging stages, we place a burden on ourselves to solve problems that pop up without warning.

We may question our abilities when we don’t have all the answers. Or we may even feel like we’re failing our families.

But God never intended us to carry that burden. In our weakness, He is strong.

Jesus said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). So we can rely on Him to be present in our current circumstances and know He is working all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).

When we fix our eyes on Jesus, we reset our perspective on God’s greater plan. Daily struggles lose their power when we know the ultimate goal. We will one day join Christ in our heavenly home. What an awesome promise that is!

So if the trials you woke up facing this morning have drawn your focus away from God’s promise of eternal life with Him, remember to fix your eyes on our Savior. He’s the one that will perfect your faith. Our perspective can reach beyond this world!

3. For Focusing Our Hearts in Prayer

“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14

Mary “kept all these things and pondered them in her heart” after the shepherds came to witness the baby Jesus. (Luke 2:19 ESV) Mary stored precious memories that would bring comfort through the most difficult moments of her life.

We invite things into our hearts for different reasons. Maybe like Mary, we have a moment we want to cherish. But there are also trials and circumstances that bring us to tears. Things we need to process before we know what to do next.

Processing is good. It gives us time to seek God and decide the best response. But we need to be careful about giving frustration or discouragement a safe place in our hearts. When we treasure something, we give it a temporary home. That’s why the meditations of our hearts need to be pleasing to God.

When we keep Jesus at the center of our hearts, peace and gratitude take up residence there. “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…” (Colossians 3:15) Whether we’re meditating on precious moments or heartbreaking situations, praying the words of Psalm 19:14 will help us keep our hearts filled with the good things of God. 

4. For Focusing Our Minds

“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” Colossians 3:2

No one understands the draw of temptation like a mom making her way through the grocery checkout line with toddler in tow. Why must they place all those irresistible treats right where little hands can reach them? And once a child locks on to something they want, the battle begins.

I can be a lot like a toddler in a checkout line when it comes to all the shiny things I see in media! Ads for must-have items flash before me on social media, TV, and anywhere else they can grab my attention. They promise things that will make my life easier. Things that will take away hurt and offer comfort.

But what they don’t disclose is, those must-haves only provide a temporary fix.

2 Corinthians 4:18 confirms the back-and forth battle with earthly things. “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

The best weapon against thinking we can’t live without that tempting treat is to focus on things above.

Colossians 3:2 will help us “set our minds on things above, not on earthly things” as we maneuver through life’s temptations. Refocusing our minds can begin with the remarkable power of this verse.

When we keep our eyes on what is eternal, we can snap back to reality of what is actually most important as we go through our days.

5. For Focusing to Regain Hope

“When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple.” Jonah 2:7

The familiar story of Jonah has astounded kids for generations. A man surviving being swallowed by a whale? What a miracle! Many of us remember reading a book or listening to a Sunday school teacher share Jonah’s story. But Jonah’s prayer from inside the whale can inspire us with renewed hope as women, too.

We’re hard-pressed to find any good news lately. Disease, grief, loss, turmoil. We try our best to do good, love others, and walk humbly. But listening to what’s happening in our world can send us into despair and hopelessness.

Jonah’s prayer shows us that hope is ours, even in our most desperate times. “In my distress I called to the Lord, and he answered me” (Jonah 2:1). Deep waters threatened to engulf him, but he remembered God. “When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, Lord, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple” (Jonah 2:7).

Let’s allow Jonah’s prayer to inspire us toward new hope. Do you feel hope slipping away? Do current circumstances leave you wondering if your efforts are worth it? Jesus Christ is hope, and with Him we have reason to never give up.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

6. For Focusing on Our Purpose

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13

Losing my focus makes me feel like God is far away. Like I can’t hear His voice or sense His presence. Staying in a constant attitude of prayer puts blinders of protection around our focus, keeping distraction out and God’s promises in.

So how do we keep those blinders in place? The best thing we can do when we lose focus is to seek Him. All through the day, every day.

Jeremiah wrote this in his letter to the exiles, so they would stay encouraged as they waited for the day they’d return to what God promised. God encouraged them through the prophet, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” His promise would inspire them to focus on their purpose.

We have a great purpose right where we are. In the dishes we washed this morning, we have purpose. In the kids arguing in the other room, we have purpose. In our family gatherings, meetings at work, and all the things that pull us in different directions. God will fulfill His promises in our lives. We can count on it, and while we wait we can trust His plan in every step.

Learning to focus on the goodness and promises of our Heavenly Father will ensure we leave survival mode behind and walk in victory instead. May we all fix our eyes, seek Him, and never lose hope. May we move forward with purpose, refreshed and refocused on God.

thanks guys for joining me in this n I do wish you are blessed.share with ome another n you will be blessed even more..

regards.. Aggrey Felix

Hello good evening folks, it has taken time since I shared something..this a festive season and I am quite sure we got alot of plans and expectations in place but lets take a look at this..I am joined by marylin Adams into producing this and I appreciate her for being such a mentor.. Anyway hope you be blessed by this.

Christmas is loaded with expectations, isn’t it? Christmas shopping, decorating and entertaining. Typically we knock ourselves out trying to make it the “perfect” Christmas. And year after year we end up with the same empty feeling, like Christmas wasn’t as personally fulfilling as we’d hoped. Why is that?

Let’s look at a few of our expectations.

Picture yourself seated at a beautifully decorated Christmas dining table. Cheerful Christmas music plays softly and a twinkling Christmas tree stands in the background. This is the time of peace on earth, good will toward others. Now picture your family and relatives all sitting together around the table. Do you picture them…arguing? Sometimes, in spite of our efforts, people knock heads, even at Christmas.

Perhaps you’re hoping that this year your children will be cheerful, patient and thoughtful of others. Well, if that’s how they are from January to November, you might have a shot at it in December. Or you might find them pulling ornaments off the Christmas tree and opening presents saying, “I already have this.”

Somehow we think the perfect Christmas is happening in someone else’s house, not our own.

Christmas is packed with expectations. Life isn’t perfect and our expectations can do us in. Rather than be driven by a list of expectations, there is a better way to approach Christmas. There’s a way to find it much more personally satisfying.

First, let’s look at why we have Christmas…
Christmas is celebrated because of the birth of Jesus. Now the whole world doesn’t celebrate my birthday. Why is he so special?

Well, Jesus said he was God. If you look at Buddha or Confucius or other religious leaders, often it was their followers who declared them “God” long after they were dead. In contrast, Jesus clearly and repetitively told people he was God.

Jesus said he could give people eternal life and forgiveness for their sins…credentials which clearly belong only to God.

His communication was also unique. Jesus didn’t teach people ten steps to achieve holiness, or personal disciplines to reach God. If you want to know God, Jesus said “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by me.”

To give credence to his claims, Jesus performed blatant, irrefutable miracles. People born blind could see. The lame who were stuck begging were now walking. The mentally ill could think soundly. We’re told, “Jesus went about all the cities and villages…healing every disease.” His miracles were known by all.

Who is this Jesus?

Jesus did more than heal people. Five thousand people were given dinner with food that Jesus instantly “produced” for them. Another time Jesus made a violent storm on the sea cease immediately. The people in the boat “were filled with awe, and said to one another, ‘Who then is this, that even wind and sea obey him?”

Jesus plainly said who he was…

“I and the Father are one. If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them…know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.”

The Bible records, “This was why the Jews sought all the more to kill him…he called God his own Father, making himself equal with God.” His audience understood the message.

Jesus so thoroughly equated himself with God that he said “to know Him was to know God (John 8:19, 14:7). To see Him was to see God (12:45; 14:9). To believe in Him was to believe in God (Mark 9:37). To hate Him was to hate God (John 15:23). And to honor Him was to honor God (5:23).”

Here’s a quick example of the proof which shows Jesus was correct in saying he’s God. Throughout the Old Testament there are over 300 specific predictions about God’s Savior who would one day come to earth. It would be like listing specific predictions today about who will be president of the Kenya 500 years from now. It’s written down what town this Savior would be born in, to what family, where he’d grow up, what miracles he’d do, how he would die, etc. 

Other proof? The Jews, knowing Jesus said He would rise from the dead three days after His death, decided to post a Roman Guard of 10-14 trained Roman soldiers in front of the tomb. Wasn’t quite enough. Three days later the tomb was found empty.
Part of enjoying all the celebration of Christmas is understanding who was born that day. The Christmas carols suddenly take on more punch…” Joy to the Word, the Lord has come.” Jesus was not another prophet, or great teacher. This was God revealing himself to us.

Why did Jesus come to earth?

Jesus said,

“I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

You know how life at times can seem “lite,” pointless, without real meaning? Even at Christmas we can go through all the motions, but life can still lack depth. Jesus wants to give us a more meaningful, abundant life.

Secondly, he came to offer us a genuine relationship with himself. “He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world knew him not. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become the children of God.”

To be honest, a lot of people try to approach God the wrong way. They try to earn God’s acceptance by living a “good” life. And then they reason with him.  “God, I’ve tried to be a good person. I’ve tried to be kind and generous. I’ve gone to church. I’ve prayed. And I’ve never murdered or cheated anybody.” Sounds good.

But Jesus said we need to know what his standards are. Just how good a life would we have to live? Jesus said,

“You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Well, let’s be brave and see how perfect we are. Imagine trying for an entire day to be…imagine skipping breakfast and settle into a near coma. But let’s assume you’re alert and you’re going to be patient in all circumstances for one entire day. Patient to your friends,to your irritable family members and the neighbors and anyone who comes your way.
Let’s pretend you tried so hard, and you actually were patient all day. Wouldn’t it irritate you that the people around you were so impatient? If I were concentrating that hard on being patient, I know I’d be very self-righteous and judgmental toward all those other rude, impatient people. And my self-righteous attitude also would not line up with God’s standard of perfection. The Bible says we sin…no surprise to me.

But what did surprise me is that the Bible says my sin has separated me from God. It’s like an impenetrable wall. The Bible says,

“The wages (payment) for sin is death.”

Number one on Jesus’ agenda for coming to earth was to pay for our sin. The Bible says, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us….”

It’s like the woman who was arrested on a drunk-driving charge. The judge ruled, “thirty days or $1,500 bail.” As she was agonizing over this, the judge stepped around to the front of the bench, pulled out his check book and paid the $1500 fine. Why? The judge was this woman’s father. As an honest judge he couldn’t overlook his daughter’s guilt. But as a loving father, he paid the penalty for her.

If we could have gained a relationship with God based on our living a good life, Jesus didn’t need to come to earth and he didn’t need to die on a cross for us. But out of tremendous love for us, Jesus was tortured, whipped, nailed to a cross and died of slow suffocation. Three days later he rose from the dead. Having done so, he now offers us complete forgiveness and a relationship with him.

I used to think having a relationship with God is something that just “happens” to a person or it doesn’t…like winning the lottery or being struck by lightning. But actually it’s a personal decision.

God offers us a relationship with himself, and it’s our decision whether or not to respond to his offer. Jesus put it simply,

“I stand at the door (of your life) and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him….”

When we respond to his offer and ask him to come into our lives, we begin a relationship with God that lasts eternally. The Bible says,

“I write this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Whatever is going on in your world this Christmas, there is no greater gift you could give yourself than to receive the One who came to earth for us. He offers you complete forgiveness, a relationship with Him, a more abundant life and eternal life. As long as we trust in ourselves, our own good life, God will remain distant, and we remain separated from him by our sin. He asks us to empty our hands of our efforts and receive him and his gift.

I’d like to give you the opportunity right now to ask him to come into your life. There is no greater offer, nor more important decision you could make in your life. Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him….”

I’ll help you put this into words. You could say to him,

“Jesus, thank you for dying for my sins. Right now I open the door and ask you to come into my life. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me an eternal relationship with you.”

Unlike other possible relationships, if you asked Jesus into your life right now, he promises never to leave you. Jesus said, (speaking of us as his sheep), “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me; and I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand.”

I found that one of the best ways to get to know him better was to read the gospel of John, which is the fourth book of the New Testament, in the Bible. You’ll be amazed. It seemed like he was speaking straight to me, answering my questions, like an intimate chat over coffee. Also, you might find it helpful to look for a church where the Bible is taught.

There is no greater joy at Christmas than coming into a relationship with Jesus. Too many times we have worn ourselves out, driven by our expectations to have the “perfect” Christmas. It’s a set-up for disappointment.

All of the shopping, decorating, entertaining never fully meets our deepest longings. For Christmas to be special, we simply need to receive Jesus’ gift to us…a relationship with him. Knowing him brings great meaning and enjoyment at Christmas, no matter who knocks over the Christmas tree.

By Marylin Adams .Encoder Aggrey Felix👑

Hello folks.. It has been long since I shared something.. I have been studying deeply about hearing from God n not just hearing but the right hearing n knowing rightly that what you are hearing is the voice of one true God..I have read many articles coupled with clips and the best of all the Holy Bible. I have come up with a useful article and I wish it helps you too.. Welcome.

God uses a number of methods to communicate with us:

• He speaks through His Word,
• the Holy Spirit,
• as well as through people and circumstances.

God has specific purposes for imparting His thoughts to us. Namely, He desires that we comprehend His truth so that it can shape our life and so that we can share His good news with others. But if God has a particular intention for communicating with us, we have to ask, what happens when we fail to listen?

We can find the answer at the beginning of the Bible, in the account of Adam and Eve. We know that God spoke very clearly to the fist man (Genesis 2:16-17), instructing him not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

This issue is that the first man and woman understood perfectly (Genesis 3:2-3) but did not obey. Their disobedience marks the beginning of man’s sin problem which has plagued the human race throughout all history. Every person born thereafter – with the single exception of the Lord Jesus Christ – came into this world with a sinful nature originating from Adam. That means that you and I have never met a perfect person. All sin, suffering, heartache, problems, war bloodshed and violence can be traced back to its origin in the Garden of Eden.

Unfortunately, what occurred in the first family centuries ago has been happening in some form with every family since. As with Adam and Eve, once we have received God’s instructions, we, too, are accountable for what we have heard or read. We can avoid much heartache and trouble by heeding the Lord’s communication; failure to listen results in severe repercussions.

By studying the account in Genesis 3, we can identify eight consequences of ignoring the Lord’s instructions:

We End up Listening to the Wrong Voices (verses 1-2)
Eve had unmistakably heard God correctly. But, even having understood, she began to listen to another voice. The serpent spoke and inserted a question mark into her recollection of the Lord’s words: “Indeed, has God said…?” The woman allowed herself to be drawn into conversation with him. The voice she listened to was unfamiliar – it was the voice of neither her Creator not her husband, yet she paid attention and allowed it to supersede God’s clear instruction. As a result, she fell into sin – just like anyone today who stops listening to God and offers an ear to Satan.

Consider how many voices we hear in a given day. What we read and hear continually bombards our minds, hearts, souls and spirits. Between the television, the radio, the newspaper and magazines – not to mention the opinions of friends and coworkers – we are barraged with vain, erroneous, non-biblical, ungodly philosophy. And we have to choose whether or not to listen to it. When we fail to heed God’s words or to continually remind ourselves of scriptural principles, we begin to listen to wrong voices and then we drift away from God.

We are Easily Deceived (verse 4)
Notice how Satan takes what God says and distorts it. The Lord told Adam and Eve that if they ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they would “surely die” (Genesis 2:17). Satan uses just enough truth to sound credible, but then embellishes ever so slightly: “You surely will not die!” It is Satan’s nature to lie and deceive, “because there is not truth in him…he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44).

Satan deceives with what he knows will appeal, not the truth. He says, “You need this,” and “you ought to have that” and “this is exactly what you have been looking for.” He probably said, “Now, Eve, you need to get the full picture: God does not want you to know what He knows, because the day you eat of that tree’s fruit, you are going to be just like God.” It so happens that Eve did learn some things when she partook. How many of have learned some things we wish we never knew?

We are Expressing Pride and Independence
The ultimate root of all sin is pride – it is the equivalent of our saying that we know better than God and can handle the situation our own way. This is in reality an act of rebellion, because it is impossible to know better than an omniscient, all-wise God. His commands are not given to make life dull; every single “though shalt not” in the Bible is an expression of His love and protection for His children.

We Make Decisions that Appeal to the Flesh (verse 6)
Satan never tempts us by offering spiritual growth, improved prayer life or more effective ways to share our faith. No, Satan always appeals to the flesh, not to the spirit. There is nothing wrong with our God-given desires; but Satan takes these legitimate longings and, with our cooperation, gets them out of balance. As he did with Eve, the Devil appeals to three yearnings we all have – human appetites, beauty and knowledge. The he twists them so that instead of simply desiring and enjoying them, we begin to lust after them and be controlled by them. So what God gave in freedom ends up enslaving us. By relying on the Holy Spirit, however, we can have the wisdom and direction to keep yearnings within the parameters God designed for us.

We Excuse our Wrongs and Blame Other People (verses 12-13)
When God asked Adam why he was hiding, he immediately pointed the finger at Eve. In fact, there is even a sense of his blaming God for having given him the woman! In turn, Eve blamed the serpent. Neither one could rightly pass the blame because they both new the command and were therefore responsible. Besides, the Devil cannot make a believer do anything; we may consent to give in to his temptation, but we are ultimately accountable for that decision. People today blame everyone from parents and coworkers to society itself. But we must recognize that “passing the buck” does not solve anything and that we ourselves are responsible before God for our choices and behaviour.

We Suffer the Consequences (verses 14-19)
All three parties involved had to face the results of their disobedience. Satan was sentenced to eventual condemnation. God announced that woman would be ruled by man and would experience pain in childbirth. He also declared that man would have to leave the garden and toil laboriously to earn a living. Furthermore, humans would from here on experience death.

At this point, some people look at the penalties and see only harshness. However, what God did amidst His justice – amidst His judgment of their sin – was to make a way for the man and woman to be forgiven and cleansed. If he did not provide a remedy for the situation, mankind would now be eternally and hopelessly separated from Him. So, “…the Lord God made garment of skin.” In the very first book of the Bible, we see not only the justice of God but also His grace, doing for Adam and Eve what they absolutely could never have done for themselves. They would not have known what to do, now would they have known how to do it.

And if you have never trusted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, you are just as helpless as Adam and Eve were. The only possible way your sins are going to be forgiven is for you to come to the Cross, where Jesus Christ died. The covering of our sin is strictly by the grace of Almighty God, and it is symbolized in the shedding of the blood and providing of the skins.

We Cause Others Around us to Suffer (verses 6, 17-19)
We have seen how sin and its resulting misery extended from the first woman to the first man where she gave him the forbidden fruit. Anguish continued to spread as sin further poisoned their family: the Bible records that Adam and Eve’s firstborn son Cain murdered his younger brother Abel. So in the earth’s very first family, we witness murder, jealousy and strife. Down through the centuries, Satan has in one way or another had his impact of discord, turmoil or bloodshed in all families. Everyone is affected because sin is not something that we can isolate. In other words, if you and I sin against God, we are going to hurt somebody else.

We Miss out on God’s Best 
When God created Adam and Eve, He intended that they live in the Garden of Eden with all of its absolute perfection. There, God had provided for their every possible need, and in addition, they felt no guilt of shame (Genesis 2:25). Yet they chose to disobey, and as a result, the first family suffered horrible consequences, including being cast out of their flawless environment.

The Good News 
Although sin has spread to the entire human race, there is good news: You can be forgiven of your sin. But there is only one way, and that is by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. Keep God’s words and doctrines ever before you – by frequently and regularly spending time in the Bible, by participating in corporate worship, by building your knowledge and applying it to your life, principle by principle. If you constantly refresh your heart and mind with God’s truth, you will be able to resist the lure of competing voices.

thanks guys for joining up, lets be blessed together..happy new month🙏.Regards Aggrey Felix.