Living Today
Interesting articles from Christian teachers and leaders. Designed to help you as you follow Jesus here in Samoa
Who Am I? Part 2
As we continue to remind ourselves of who we are IN CHRIST… the following LIFE GIVING verses speak of all that we have and need is in Christ alone…
Complete in Him
Colossians 2:10
Crucified with Christ
Galatians 2:20
Alive with Christ
Ephesians 2:5
Free from condemnation
Romans 8:1
Reconciled to God
2 Corinthians 5:18
Qualified to share in His inheritance
Colossians 1:12
Firmly rooted, built up, established in my faith and overflowing with gratitude
Colossians 2:7
A fellow citizen with the saints and of the household of God
Ephesians 2:19
Born of God and the evil one does not touch me
1 John 5:18
His faithful follower
Revelations 17:14b / Ephesians 5:1
Overtaken with blessings
Deuteronomy 28:2 / Ephesians 1:3
The light of the world
Matthew 5:14
The salt of the earth
Matthew 5:13
The righteousness of God
2 Corinthians 5:21 / 1 Peter 2:24
A partaker of His divine nature
2 Peter 1:4
Called of God
2 Timothy 1:9
The first fruits among His creation
James 1:18
Chosen
1 Thessalonians 1:4 / Ephesians 1:4 / 1 Peter 2:9
An ambassador for Christ
1 Corinthians 5:20
God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works
Ephesians 2:10
The apple of My Father’s eye
Deuteronomy 32:10 / Psalms 17:8
Healed by the stripes of Jesus
1 Peter 2:24 / Isaiah 53:6
Being changed into His image
2 Corinthians 3:18 / Philippians 1:6
Mark & Cindy
Who am I? Part 1
Ever struggled with “who you are?” You know… that voice that says you are defeated, or have nothing, or not beautiful etc. Have a read of these LIFE GIVING VERSES then remind yourself that IN CHRIST… you have everything you need. I AM - God’s child for I am born again of the incorruptible seed of the Word of God 1 Peter 1:23 Forgiven of all my sins and washed in the Blood Ephesians 1:7 / Hebrews 9:14 / Colossians 1:14 / 1 John 1:9 / 1 John 2:12 A new creature 2 Corinthians 5:17 The...
Living out Faith in a Hostile World
You don’t have to look any further than the most recent headlines to see that we live in uncertain times. Many people think the world has never been more hostile to Christians than it is now, especially since the cancel culture continues to target people who aren’t seen as politically correct. Being a Christian in a deeply secularised society is a growing challenge. Everyone’s truth seems to be accepted unless you’re a Christian. So how do we live out our faith in such a hostile world? With...
Blessed to be a Blessing
Numbers 6:24-26 says Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. If we could shrink the Earth’s population into a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following. There would be: 57 Asians, 21 Europeans, 14 from the western hemisphere, both north and south, 8 Africans 52 females; 48 males 80 living in...
Compassion and Action
The crewmembers on board Logos Hope all left their homes at one point to come on board the ship to live and work together with others from around the world. They exchanged their familiar environments for a very unique accommodation – a ship – which sooner or later they also call their home for a specific amount of time. They all do know though, that there are many people in the world, who are longing for a place to stay in which they can experience peace and safety. The refugees who leave...
Dad’s Toolkit
It’s a fantastic opportunity to reflect on the value of family, and in particular the role of dads. What are your strengths as a parent? Are there some areas you could grow in? How do you begin your journey of becoming the parent God has called you to be? Brett and Kate Ryan from Focus on the Family, have created a ‘Dad’s Toolkit’ that’s full of ideas on how dad’s can improve themselves. It contains things like conversation starters with your kids, and questions we can ask our dads. Healthy...
Truth, Lies and Financial Freedom
Many Christians divide their lives into categories. Some things they want Jesus to be a part of, but not others. Because we compartmentalise our Christian lives, according to Pastor Jeff Vines, we instantly assume that everything we don’t devote to God is neutral. God will still love us, but any area that we withhold from Him and think we can handle on our own is a false assumption. C.S. Lewis said, ‘There is no neutral ground in the universe.’ Every square inch, every split second is claimed...
God is always wanting to use us
Recently, I was clicking through folders and folders of early photos of our kids. From baby age to the present, I just got lost in it for hours. How good it was to recount the memories, the places we had visited and I just couldn’t hold back giving God the glory for the good things He had done in our family. Towards the end, a certain photo stopped me in my tracks. You see, over 2yrs ago, our eldest daughter moved to Perth to follow God’s plan for her life. While Cindy and I daily still miss...
Bringing Clarity in Confusing Times
Clarity in Confusing TimesDr Kameel Majdali is an ordained minister of the Australian Christian Churches. He preaches all over the world with an emphasis on the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. He also leads the organisation Teach All Nations, a ministry that is dedicated to sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible. Kameel recently joined the 20Twenty program on Vision Christian Media to share a preview of what to expect in his upcoming Australian...
God is Always at Work – We’re not Always Seeing It
The fact is that God is always “up to something”. He’s purposely been out-working His redemptive plan, a plan that’s been underway since day one, way back in the garden. In fact, before the garden.
How To Read and Study the Bible
Can you imagine being surrounded by the freshest produce, in the best kitchen with the best utensils, but not knowing how to prepare a meal? For many Christians, that’s exactly what reading the Bible feels like. Simply put, we just don’t know how to utilise it effectively. Ben Windle says you can attend church for many years, listen to a lot of teaching and still not learn how to read the Bible for yourself. Yet there is no better way to fuel our growth than personally engaging with the Bible....
Be A Restorer (1)
‘You who live by the Spirit should restore.’ Galatians 6:1 NIV
Sometimes when we fall we can get up by ourselves; other times we need someone to help us. And sadly, not all Christians are willing to help. Sometimes they feel that by extending grace to someone they are condoning their sin. But Paul knocked that argument down when he wrote, ‘Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.’ (Ephesians 4:32 NIV) Why should we be restorers?
(1) Because God tells us to. ‘If someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves… you also may be tempted.’ (Galatians 6:1 NIV) It’s pride that causes us to point an accusing finger instead of extending a helping hand to those who fall. It makes us think we’re better than someone else; incapable of falling like they did. You would be surprised what you would do in certain circumstances! Paul writes, ‘These things happened to them as examples for us… If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall.’ (1 Corinthians 10:12 NLT)
(2) Because Jesus is our example. Jesus had no time for the Pharisees who hid their sins behind a religious mask. But not one time did He condemn someone who was caught in sin and overtaken by temptation and failure. The minute they reached for Him, He willingly restored them. Someone has said the church is the only army that shoots its wounded. Today, others are watching us to see if the grace we preach to others is the same grace we extend to one another. Let’s make sure it is.
SoulFood: [bible passage=”Job 32–34, Luke 21:25–38, Ps 69:1–18, Pro 8:27–29″ version=”esv” heading=”H3″]
The Word for Today is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©