HACKED BY NESAS_0DAY

Author: Proud Mpofu

  • How do you measure success when you have nothing to show for your day?

    How do you measure success when you have nothing to show for your day?

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]By Lauren Maggs.

    “How was your day?” I know that I usually answer that question by listing what I did. I am constantly trying to assess whether I have achieved anything meaningful in my day. I often rely on what I have done being the measure for success. However, being home with my daughter has challenged my thinking on this. I rarely have anything to show for my day. The house is still untidy, and I haven’t got to any of the work I thought I would. How can I measure success when I have no tasks ticked off my list?
    More importantly, how do I know I’ve had the type of day that is counted as successful by God?
    Perhaps you find yourself in a stage of life where you feel like you have very little to show for your day. Our world may measure success on how busy one is but what does God’s Word have to say about this? How does His Word direct our thinking about what a successful day as a Christian looks like? Here are a few things that the Word tells us matter more than a completed to do list:

    Loving God

    When Jesus was questioned about what the most important commandment was, he responded by saying, “ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). Of all the things we need to do, loving God needs to be right at the top of the list. We cannot count our day as successful if we have ticked off every item on our to-do list, but we have not whole-heartedly sought to love God. We grow our love for him by reading the Bible, by praying and by meeting with his people. If you are wondering if you have done anything of value with your day, ask yourself if you have grown in love for your Father in Heaven.

    Loving others

    Jesus followed the commandment to love God with: “The second is this: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.” (Mark 12:31) We are called to love others. We have multiple opportunities to express this throughout the day. We can greet, pray for, serve, telephone or message others. Whether in a busy office or in a quiet home, there are others we can love and serve. This love is an expression of the love we first received from Christ. Loving others marks us out as followers of Jesus and brings him glory. Let your day show that you loved others.

    Perseverance

    If you are in a stage of life where you have no audience, it can be tempting to let yourself off the hook when it comes to your daily walk with the Lord. We say to ourselves, “Who will know if I give in to sin and temptation today?” Why is it that we feel more accountable to people than to God? How easily we forget that God sees all and knows our hearts intimately. He is the audience we should be most eager to honour and obey. The Word repeatedly reminds us of the value of perseverance. It is how we honour the Lord, whether it is seen by anyone else or not. James 1:4 reminds us, “Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” A day that the Lord counts as successful is one in which we quietly seek to keep living for him.

    Joyful contentment

    When our worldly achievements don’t seem to amount to much we can easily fall into the trap of feeling discouraged and bitter. In this way we count our achievements as the source of our joy. However, as Christians, we have a different source of joy – our relationship with God. If we are convinced that God is in control of all of life we can rest in any stage of life we find ourselves in. We can be joyfully content with our lot. Instead of longing for something different, we can thank God that He has given us what He knows is best in each season. 1 Timothy 6:6 reminds us that “…godliness with contentment is great gain.” Contentment is a beautiful expression of our faith in God’s goodness and providence. A successful day as a Christian is one in which we can joyfully embrace all we have received from the hand of God.

    Whether we have a completed to-do list or a messy house to show for our day, let us first strive to have days that glorify our Father in heaven by remembering that we don’t need to earn His love by being successful. Instead, because of what Christ has done for us on the cross, we can express our love for Him by prioritizing what He values each day.

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  • Why it’s always worth going to church

    Why it’s always worth going to church

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]By Lauren Maggs.

    I’m in the stage of life where, for the past few months, I have been sorely tempted to give church a miss. As a new mom, I’ve agonized over whether to wake a sleeping child from a nap in order to get to church. I’ve often thought that going might be more effort than it’s worth. However, God’s Word says to me that church it always worthwhile. Here are a few reasons why:

    1. God’s Word transforms you in a way that nothing else can

    As Christians seeking to be more and more like Christ, there is nothing that transforms us like the Word of God. The Bible says of itself that it is “alive and active”. (Hebrews 4:12) Going to church means that we get to hear this life-changing Word explained to us. As we hear it taught and applied to our lives, the Spirit works to make us more like Christ. Church is valuable because we get to hear the Word of God.

    2. God’s providence is always at work

    I’m sure we are all familiar with the experience of going to church and being struck by how relevant the sermon was to us. God knows where we are and what we will be hearing each Sunday morning at church. He knows who we will be interacting with and how the conversations with other Christians will build us up and spur us on. Whenever we feel that something that happened at church was a joyful coincidence, we are reminded of God’s providence. It was part of his divine plan for us to hear those things and speak to those people that day. Church is valuable because it is a tangible experience of God’s providence.

    3. God’s people are your family

    God has saved us to be part of the body of Christ – the church. We were saved to be part of his family. The Christian life was always meant to be lived in community. It is part of the great joy of being a Christian. The unity shared by Christians who have Christ in common far outweighs the unity we share with any other group of people we identify with. That is why we find that our sweetest and most uplifting friendships happen within the community of believers. Ephesians 4:4 – 6 speaks of the unity we have saying, “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called;5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.” This unity bonds us as true family. Church is valuable because it is an expression of our family bond with other Christians.

    4. God’s community is where you use you gifts

    In the church, every member plays a vital role, just like the different parts of the human body. God has gifted and equipped each Christian to serve and build up others. God has gifted and equipped you. You have a responsibility to use the gifts he has given you in every season of your life. Ephesians 4:11 – 13 reminds us of what God’s plan is: “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” We are part of the maturing process for the body of believers. We use the gifts we have for that purpose when we meet together with other Christians. Church is valuable because it is where you use your gifts for the good of others.
    God’s Word encourages us to “not give up the habit of meeting together” (Hebrews 10:25). God gives us this instruction because he knows how valuable time spent with other Christians is. Make church your priority. Church is always worth it!
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  • In Praise of Teenagers

    In Praise of Teenagers

    [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]By Linda Ritchie.

    I have had the (many call it “questionable”) privilege of teaching teenagers for the past six years. That amounts to approximately four hours a day, five days a week, 40 weeks per year – about 4 800 hours in the company of 12-18 year olds. I’m always amused by the comments I receive when people discover that I teach in a high school. Comments like: “I don’t know how you could teach teenagers – they scare me!” However, this on-the-job experience has allowed me to experience a different, and far more positive, perspective of teenagers.

    Let me clarify up front that it’s definitely not my intention to paint an unrealistically rosy picture of this particular sector of the population. Teenagers are often labelled as obsessed with labels; addicted to social media; lazy; self-centred. And let’s face it, these stereotypes certainly hold true for some teenagers some of the time. (Then again, all of these labels are also true for some adults some of the time!) But, as we’re talking about clichés, we can’t and shouldn’t “paint all teenagers with the same brush”.

    In fact, almost every day I have the humbling experience of seeing teenagers make a positive impact in their worlds. I watch young men and women voluntarily picking up litter and helping at Kitty and Puppy Haven. I notice teenagers in tears about abandoned babies and wearing ribbons in support of a school that suffered a terrible tragedy. I observe matric students making time to mentor and pray for young Grade 7’s. These young people are heeding Paul’s instruction to “let no one despise you for your youth, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12, ESV).

    Therefore, I believe that we do teenagers a great injustice by only viewing them through a stereotypical lens. These half-child half-adults are actually a wonderful combination of child-like perspective – that enables them to see the world as it truly is – and a belief that they have the ability to make a difference. For teenagers, the world is their oyster and they are the pearl makers.

    The question is: can we do anything to enhance this positive side of teenagers? I believe the answer is “yes”. And the change begins with acknowledging the unique life-stage in which teenagers find themselves. Teenagers are transitioning from children (who are completely dependent on their parents for almost everything) to independent young adults. This change is a process. It needs practice and it certainly does not happen overnight.

    I’m no expert on teenagers, but from working with hundreds of teenagers, here’s what I believe teenagers need from us to help them make this significant life-transition successfully.

    Demonstrate Christ-like love

    First, teenagers need to be assured of our unconditional love. The teenage years are largely characterised by identity-formation and accompanied by immense peer-pressure. During these often turbulent years, teenagers need to know that we love and accept them unconditionally. As trying as the circumstances can be! When pushed to the limits, we need to take a deep breath and ask God to help us demonstrate the type of love described in 1 Corinthians 13.

    Get to Know Teenagers’ Worlds

    Second, we need to learn what is going on in teenagers’ lives. When teenagers are confident that our interactions with them stem from a place of love, they feel more comfortable with expressing what is really going on in their lives – and not what they think we want to hear! Just as God, our loving Heavenly father, wants us to communicate with Him “without ceasing” (1 Thes. 5:17, ESV), we need to encourage teenagers to share their lives with us. After all, the generation gap is a very real thing. The world in which teenagers live today is significantly different to our experiences as teenagers 10, 20 (and more) years ago! Think about it, some of the main stressors in teenagers’ lives are linked to technology – something which didn’t even exist when some of us were teenagers. This gap makes the need to listen to teenagers and really “hear” their experiences and the choices with which they are confronted, even more important.

    Decide which Choices to Allow and which to Veto

    Third, from a place of love and knowledge of the realities of teenagers’ lives, we are better equipped to discern which choices to allow them to make for themselves and which choices to veto. We need to allow teenagers to make the choices that will teach them positive life-lessons, like learning that a late submission of an assignment results in a mark penalty. Equally, we need to intervene in decisions that have potentially life-destroying consequences, such as the use of harmful substances (to cite the obvious).

    Apologise When We Fail

    Ouch! None of us enjoys acknowledging our mistakes, but the Bible instructs us to: “Confess your sins to one another” (Jam. 5:16, ESV). Teenagers don’t need us to be perfect but they do need us to model integrity. The uncomfortable practice of admitting we made a mistake models for teenagers the principle of honest confession taught in the Bible (1 John 1:8-10. ESV). It gives them the freedom to take risks and make mistakes. It shows them what humility looks like in relationships and teaches them that cleansing only comes through owning up to sin.

    Guide and Discipline in Love

    Unconditional love does not equate with unconditional acceptance of all behaviours. God is the perfect example of this: “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves” (Heb. 12:6, ESV). The world – and today’s world in particular – is a frightening place that celebrates many types of liberties and often contradicts the teachings of the Bible. Now, more than ever, teenagers need boundaries and the consequences of transgressing these boundaries.

    However, discipline should fulfil three criteria: it should be fair, preceded by a warning of the consequences that will follow particular behaviours and administered in love. I have found that teenagers are generally accepting and respectful of discipline when these criteria are met. Perhaps counter-intuitively, the reinforcement of the promised consequences serves to make teenagers feel more loved and secure, because we have been true to our words. They value our consistency.

    I firmly believe that there is far more to teenagers than common stereotypes and perceptions suggest. In fact, any relationship with teenagers has the potential to be mutually beneficial: we can use our life experiences to mentor and guide them and they can use their lack of life experience to show us the potential in the world around us. As Proverbs 27:17 says, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another” (ESV).

    There is a different and positive side to teenagers. I can vouch for that and I’d so love for more people to experience it.

    .[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container background_color=”#ffffff” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”20″ padding_bottom=”20″ padding_left=”5%” padding_right=”5%” hundred_percent=”yes” equal_height_columns=”yes” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”https://www.christchurchmidrand.co.za//wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Devotions-sign-up-to-our-mailing-list-logo-300×300.png” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”center center” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”2_3″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding=”2%” margin_top=”2%” margin_bottom=”2%” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_title size=”2″ content_align=”left” style_type=”default” sep_color=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” class=”” id=””]

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