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Showing posts from October, 2008

Gratitude will Un-Shackle You

Gratitude will Un-Shackle You We are familiar with the catch phrase, “Your attitude will determine your altitude”. There is some truth to that. There is even a better catch phrase, “Your attitude of gratitude will determine your wholeness, wellness and total healing”. Jesus wants us to learn the power of gratitude in making us whole and setting us free from the shackles of an un-ending pursuit of more stuff instead of being satisfied with God’s provision at the present. What is the point receiving a great miracle when you can’t acknowledge and thank the maker/giver? You can still feel empty inside even upon receiving the greatest miracle of healing or whatever else you prayed for. In addition, Jesus wants to teach us how to exercising our faith through simple obedience and the need for gratitude as an aspect of faith. Luke 17: 11-19 11Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he was going into a village, ten men who had lep

Offenses, the Offender and the Offended

Offences, the Offender and the Offended May be you have not thought about it in this light, but classes of people make their living and are well paid because of offences. In fact, if there were no offences, there will be no lawyers, judges, small or supreme courts. Some of us reading this are lawyers by profession, so you may understand this better. It may even surprise you to hear that lawyers are in an ordained profession and some are gifted by God to be good lawyers. Don’t worry about a few bad apples (I don’t mean New York lawyers) and every profession have those any way even in my trained profession of accountancy. Some accountants can cook the books too and we have seen it in Enron and other companies. When it comes to offences and being offended, Jesus is telling us, “get over it”. It is a fact of life. You and I will be offended and will offend others. So, what else is Jesus saying regarding this undeniable human dynamics? What are our responsibilities and what should be o

Divorce & Remarriage

Divorce and Remarriage Our topic today is a hot and controversial one. From the onset, I acknowledge that the body of Christ is divided on this topic and many do not want to discuss nor talk about it. But if you were attending Church service in the New Testament times and Jesus was the pastor preaching, all that we have been reading in the Gospel of Luke are his sermons including divorce and remarriage. In that case, let’s hear directly from Jesus on this topic of divorce and remarriage. Let’s go into this study with the background statistics that puts the rate of divorce in America at about 50-51% for the general population. The unfortunate thing is that the rate of divorce is no different in the Church or among those who claim to be “born again” Christians. I therefore enter this study with most humble attitude that says I am equally as vulnerable as you in keeping my marriage intact. Luke 16: 13-18: 13"No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the

Be a Shrewd Operator

Be a Shrewd Operator The recent melt down on Wall Street calls to question the greed of our capitalistic system. Corporate executives of commercial and investment banks and mortgage companies and individuals in the “Main Street” are all to be blamed. Everybody was in the greed business – to have more of what they are not entitled to. The individual wanted a house he can not afford and the bankers wanted interest they are not entitled to because they knew from beginning that these were bogus loans people could never be able to pay. This brings us to this weeks lesson on the parable of the shrewd manager (operator).This is one of the most misunderstood parables but not to Jesus who told it. Are we to use dishonest means to acquire wealth and then turn around and give it away in order to make room for heavenly reward? What are we to do with the wealth/resources God has put in our hands knowing there will be an ultimate world-wide melt down and we can’t take our money with us when we di