"Mommy, I don't want to go to school!"

The Christian radio station in my country is airing a commercial about bullying. 

In it, a little girl begs her mother not to send her to school.  The commercial advocates parents to action if their child is being bullied.

In a TV series last night was the scenario of a young cheerleader who refused to be manipulated by the so called "Queen Bee" cheerleader. This head cheerleader seemed to have almost complete control over the football coach, the football team, the cheer-leading squad and the whole school. When she defied the other's rule, she was held down and liquid meth poured down her throat. 

Bullying comes in many forms. The big boys at school bullying the little boys The thin teenage girls jeering at the rotund teenage girl in the corridors at lunchtime.  The pretty girl using an ugly friend as a foil for her good looks. All that comes under "bullying." 

God commands us to love one another. He made each one of us in His own image and likeness.       He wants us to love others even as we love ourselves. 

Adults, lets show the young ones that love starts with loving and respecting each other. Then there'll be less bullying in schools.

"In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets." Matthew 7:12 (New American Standard Bible @1995)

Faith = Right Relationship

When Abraham came out out Ur of the Chaldees, God had promised him that his descendants would be as the sand on the seashore for number. Although the promise was long in coming, Abraham believed unwavering that God could do whatever He said.

Moreover, when Abraham believed God, he did not only receive the promised child - Isaac. He also became righteous (in right relationship) with God because of it. In effect, Abraham became a Old Testament "saint," a believer. 

For a person to become a New Testament "saint" or a believer, he must believe, have faith in, Jesus' sacrifice on the cross for his sins. If he doesn't have that faith, he cannot be saved. And so he would not  be able to be in a right relationship with God.

So, even though God keeps His promises, we must have faith to receive God's promises.. 

"For what saith the scriptures? "Adam believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness." Romans 3:3 (KJV)

No Matter How Long It Takes, God ALWAYS keeps His Promises!

When Abraham came out of Mesopotamia at the LORD's command, the LORD promised him that he would beget a son out of his own loins. Abraham was about 65 years old when he got that word from the       LORD. 

Maybe at that time Abraham and Sarah's body still had the capacity to conceive children. But the years went by, and nothing happened. Only after 35 long years of waiting did the LORD keep His promise and give this childless couple a child. Abraham and Sarah were now very advanced in age, and  according to natural laws they were  totally incapable of having children. 

But notice how long this process took. These two persons may have wondered if the LORD had forgotten them. But the LORD had told Abraham that He would give him a son, and He kept His promise.

I am slowly learning a true but sometimes frustrating fact: Just because God gives us a promise now ( for example, promising a childless couple that they would have children), it does not mean that He's going to fulfil it right now. In those moments I realize  that I either have to trust God or backslide, turn away from Him and walk away. Or I could choose to be bitter and hateful,envying what others have, especially those who do not want to be saved  at all. 

But all the same, God keeps His promises.

"And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body being dead, when he was an hundred years old, yet the deadness of Sarah's womb. He staggered not (did not waver) at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strong in faith, giving glory to God. And being fully persuaded that, what he (GOD) had promised, he was able to perform." Romans 4{ 19 - 21  (KJV)  

Is This The Day Of New Beginnings?

Five years ago my life underwent a dramatic change. God moved me from the church that I was in, and early last year I returned to the church where I became a Christian. 

I got up one morning in August last year thinking of the four lepers in the Bible. In a time of famine, these four men stepped out in faith to get food from an enemy camp. I also made a big step of faith and submitted a small part of one of my manuscripts to be critiqued by a Christian writer's group that also teaches creative writing. In both instances, bold faith were rewarded.

Today I went to the hairdresser. Not the regular person.This new person was recommended by my 20something year old niece. I was so happy with the service that I got from this young hairdresser. AND MY HAIR LOOKS FABULOUS. Even my aunt (who was not happy with how my hair used to look) was pleased.

This October, I will be celebrating a very significant birthday (God willing). It's not just significant in the natural sense, but also highly significant spiritually. When my birthday comes around, I will talk about this! God willing!. I know that God has begun a new thing in my life. There are a lot of obstacles to overcome, and there is a lot for God to do, in me and through me! So I'm looking forward to what God is doing and will do in my life.

"Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall springs forth; shall ye not know it?" Isaiah 43: 19b (KJV)

Being Afraid

I hate feeling and being afraid! 

When fear grips me, its as if Jaws or the spirit of Death is coming behind me to take me away. I fight to breathe as the world around me appears to be fading to blackness. I have to make a huge effort to stand still and calm down.

What do I fear the most? 

• Being rejected. 
• Being ridiculed and not being able to do or say anything about it.
• Growing old and being alone and homeless, with no family and friends around to love me and care for me
• Dying and facing God without being right with Him firs!

Children feel afraid, just like adults do. And they also fear some of the same things that grownup fear. 

Long time ago children would be afraid of

• the dark
• not being liked
• their parents forgetting their birthday

But now we can add to the list

• abuse and neglect of all kind
• bullying of a quality and intensity not known before
• even abortion of children before they are even born

Do you know that the Lord Jesus Christ said, "don't be afraid" 365 tims in the Bible? So everyday, when we feel afraid, (whether we are man or woman, boy or girl) we could gain comfort from the fact that TODAY, our Heavenly Father has already told us."don't be afraid!"

"Don't worry, because I am with you. Don't be afraid, because I am your God. I will make you strong and will help you. I will support you with My right hand that saves you." Isaiah 41:19 (New Century Version)

When Do We Become Human?

When Do We Become A Human Being?

That question came to my mind last night while watching TV. One of our Government Ministers spoke at length about the abortion issue. She believed that abortion should be made available to any woman or girl in order to lessen the deaths from botched abortions. 

I was appalled. My mind started churning thoughts a mile a minute. I thought about all the teenage girls that are, or that will be pregnant within the year. If abortions are made legal, a child as young as 11 or 12 years old may be able to terminate a pregnancy without parental knowledge and/or consent. Yet it is illegal for someone to give that same child a headache table without her parents' consent. 

Do you know what gets me really angry? I see advertisements about animals being abused by people. Animal activists beg people to save these animals, even urging us to adopt the abused animals as pets. But these same animal activists who so care about nature and preserving animal life in planet earth, will they be as vociferous about a unborn child's right to life, I wonder? 

There is a school of thought that believes that an unborn child is just a "piece of flesh!" 

But that is not what the Creator of the universe thinks. In His love letter to us, called the Bible, He tells us that He knew us while we were still in our mother's womb, and that His eyes saw us while we were being formed in that dark, enclosed environment. That even before we were "a twinkle in our parents' eyes" all the days of our lives were written in His book. If God believes that someone is a person even before birth, why should we believe contrary to what God thinks? 

When do we become a human being?

"You made my whole being; you formed me in my mother's body...You saw my body being formed as I took shape in my mother's body. When I was put together there you saw my body as it was formed. All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old." Psalm 139: 13, 15 - 16 (New Century Version)

Do You Want To Look Beautiful? God wants you to be beautiful, too!

There is a show called TLC's What Not To Wear! This show is hosted by two fashion consultants, Stacey London and Clinton Kelly. The show is what it is named, these two people try to coach people on what not to wear for their body type (which is usually what they're wearing then), and they are given clothes that suit their body. 

The premise of this show is: you are nominated, you accept a $5000 card that entitles you to a new wardrobe and you get a new hairstyle and makeup. But the nominee has to let Stacey and Clinton throw away what is throwawayable, and the person has to show by Stacey and Clinton's  rules! Sounds fair? Most contestants go for it!
Usuaally, the makeovers are both tastefully done and appropriate. Both Stacey and Clinton do not subscribe to skimpy, let-it-all-hang-out fashion, but as they say, you can look attractive without looking trashy.

While the women (and the few men) on the show were nominated by either family or friends or even bosses, their is one truly 'reality program' that can make you truly beautiful and can save your life. You don't need another human being to 'nominate' you, like in What Not To Wear! And not everyone in the world can be nominated in WNTW! You have to be an American citizen to be on the show, and while the show is on TV, only a certain amount of people will ever get onto this show! 

But the 'program' that I'm talking about is for 'whosoever wills!' There is no limit in terms of country, age, sex, ethnicity, nothing! And in the end, you will become beautiful, but this beauty is the everlasting kind!

What is this program? It is called "The Salvation Train!" You see, when you accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, the blood that was shed (spilled) on the ground cleanses away the ugliness and degrading effects of sin on your life and makes us whole, clean and pure again. He gives us beautiful instead of ashes. By the beating that He received, we are healed. His sacrificial death on the cross at Calvary can put us back together again and make us beautiful.

The bible says that charm is deceitful and beautiful is vain. But salvation beautifies the humble one who, knowing that he is a vile, ugly sinner, accepts Jesus Christ as Savior and are made new again.

"He (God) will beautify the meek with salvation!" Psalm 149:4 (KJV)