Christianity – Page 2 – The Christian Blog

Personal Dev’t: What the Modern Christian Needs

Christians are supposed to pray for things happen in their lives, right? The Bible even says we should pray without ceasing. It also admonishes us to ask whatever we want in Jesus’ name and things will happen. If that is the case, then why do we keep spending days, months and years on one particular prayer topic?

Christians are supposed to pray for things to happen in their lives, right? The Bible even says we should pray without ceasing. It also admonishes us to ask whatever we want in Jesus’ name and things will happen. If that is the case, then why do we keep spending days, months and years on one particular prayer topic? What are we doing wrong as Christians that the results of our prayers keep prolonging?

Don’t you wish prayer meetings would be praise sessions because the Lord has granted us everything that we need to help build His kingdom? Such prayer meetings will be ones where we come to thank God for all the souls we have won instead of asking God to fix our finances, help us find jobs and scholarship and contracts.

From my little experience in this life and observing trends, I think the modern Christian should find ways of building himself/herself up too. Let’s depend on God, yes but let’s also build ourselves. You want a new job but what extra skill have you learnt that you can boast of in the past ten years. You have been praying for a child but have you visited the fertility clinic to set is wrong with you and what you can do differently? You are searching for a job, how many applications have you written and sent out? Miracles do happen but applying some effort can push miracles to happen faster on our parts. The woman with the issue of the blood had to make an effort to touch Jesus’ garment (Luke 8:40-56).

We have left a lot of good and important things for the unbelievers for too long. We love to sit in our small corners and wait for miracles to find us. Let’s make an effort to be better in whichever fields that we find ourselves. Let us push God to speed our miracles.

What about educating ourselves to the highest point and getting to that point that we will be indispensable? What about us Christians targeting the top position? The parliaments, courts and even the entire nation?

I can imagine how great the world will be when Christians take over important leadership roles because they have developed themselves. Let us start by seeing ourselves as the light of the world and finding ways of spreading our influences throughout the entire universe.

I am waiting for your testimony!

Tips for Planning a Simple but Spectacular Wedding

Planning and pulling off a wedding on a limited budget is very easy. Wrong. It is one of the most challenging things I have done in my life. I know most people reading this will share similar sentiments if only they were on a limited budget 🙂

I had to use the creative juices running in my veins to pull a simple but spectacular event. I first subscribed to Pinterest. It was one of the most important resources I used during that period. From wedding dresses to hairstyles to accessories to decor to ideas on how to cut down on cost in fact, everything can be found on Pinterest. It’s simply awesome. The app also allows you to save the ideas and you can refer to them easily. One vendor was awed at my ideas and I felt I had indeed challenged her.

Another important resource is Instagram. Instagram is quite resourceful too. It gives you the opportunity to view the works of vendors and allows you to connect with them. Although Instagram gives you more ‘local’ ideas, I always felt pressured when I used that app. Why? Because I could feel the silent competition. It looked as if people were ‘battling’ to be featured there. They either copied someone entirely or totally had to come up with something different in order to be featured. I was not surprised at myself when I unfollowed all the wedding vendors and pages immediately after my wedding ceremony. My advice to those who use Instagram for ideas is that you should have your own ideas and not worry whether your photos get featured on these pages or not. Work within your budget and search for vendors who will be willing to work with what you have. You do not necessarily have to go for vendors who have made names in the industry.

Apart from these two social media platforms, I also read a lot. There are several articles, blog posts on the subject of organizing a wedding. Just google them. I did not only depend on what people had to say about weddings or what I knew about weddings but I decided to do things differently and be a source of inspiration to people.

Another resource is using a couple who have gone through the process and done things that you liked when you attended their weddings. These are people we normally take for granted but they have a whole wealth of knowledge you can tap into.

These were what helped me in the planning processes but it’s also very important to pray during the period for direction. Ask God to direct you to the right vendors because during that time, it did look like all the vendors were trying to take their pound of flesh. The terrible ones can really frustrate you therefore, the need to pray.

Don’t be scared to be different. Go against what you are used to and see your wedding as a platform to tell the story about you and your intended spouse. I was amazed at a couple who were getting married and did exactly what their friends had done two months earlier – from their colour theme to their invitation card to the pre-wedding shoot ideas, all was an ‘imitation.’ Don’t do that; there are several things that haven’t been done yet. Explore! Personalize!!

Where did you get your ideas from when you were planning your wedding? Share your thoughts with us.

This post is a continuation of last week’s post. To get in touch with Delali Kumapley-Sogah, send an email to christianblogghana@gmail.com

Be Frank: What will you do in these instances?

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest– and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man – Proverbs 6:10 -11

This is one very popular verse in the Bible, quoted by a lot of people to remind
Christians not to be lazy. The high rate of unemployment in Ghana is real; a lot of people complete college and finding a job becomes a nightmare. To find any job as a graduate from the university is a prayer answered. What are some of the attitudes we put up when God provides us with a job? Let’s be frank, what will you do in the following instances –

You have prayed for a job and money and you now have both. You were sent on an assignment and have been provided with some amount of money. You did not use all the money you were given, will you bring the money back to the company or keep it?

You find yourself in a work environment where about three quarters of the workers are unbelievers, will you quit the job or what?

You have a job which prevents you from attending church service on Sundays. You have stayed in the house for such a long time and your current employees were the only ones who contacted you and offered you this job. What will your do?

What if you job allows you to promote all the things the Bible speaks against – pre-marital sex/adultery, alcohol, drugs, lottery etc.

You are the leader of a group in church. Your pastor needs you immediately. Your boss is a non-christian and has given something to do which is not too pressing. What will you do?

We would really, really love to know what your reactions would be in these instances. Please comment directly on the blog. Thanks 🙂

3 Deceptions about Christianity Most People are Not Told

There are some truths about the faith that are hidden from most people. They begin to worship God and after some time they get frustrated because they feel Christianity is difficult. These lies are simple but yet, they can cause people to backslide. Below are examples of such misconceptions.

Everyone has their conception of what Christianity is or what it ought to be. We believe Christianity is not just any religion but a relationship with the creator which needs to be built over time. It is believing your life is not yours to live but you being accountable to your creator. It is consciously renewing this belief and building your relationship with the Holy Spirit as well.

There are some truths about the faith that are hidden from most people. Such people accept the faith, they begin to worship God and after some time they get frustrated because they feel Christianity is difficult. These deceptions are simple but yet, they have the ability to cause people to backslide. Below are examples of such misconceptions:

Christianity means your life is free of challenges

This is one of the first misconceptions about the faith. The Bible in James 1: 2 mentions that we should count it joy when we meet trials of various kinds for we know that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness. This implies that our Christian walk is not trial-free. Each day comes with a new challenge but if we know that God’s mercies are new each day, we will not be afraid when dawn breaks but rather we would be excited knowing that our God has everything under control. Even when the challenges come we will smile at them, like Jesus in the boat with his disciples during the storm, we will only speak and the storm will be calm – Matthew 8:23.

Christianity means you should not work hard

Jesus Christ performed miracles in his ministry. The woman with the issue of the blood had to make an effort to touch the garment of Jesus and that was when power was released from him to heal the woman – Matthew 9:20.

Even for a miracle to take place, there had to be an effort on the part of the woman. This proves that miracles can happen when we also make an effort. Do not sleep and expect to be rich. Unbelievers will keep running the affairs of the world if we pray without working hard. Spend some time to pray and also some time to work hard; this is the only way we can succeed in the faith.

Christianity means it is easy to have faith

This is one of the easiest means of getting hold of our miracles – having faith. The Bible mentions that if we have faith as small as a mustard seed, we can say to a mountain that it should move into the sea and that mountain will obey our voice (Luke 11:6). There are challenges that we see each day, the only thing we need to do is to speak to them and they will obey but why haven’t we been able to do that? This is because building faith is something we need to do each day. It does not come easily but it is possible. We can start with the little things in our lives, soon we will be able to tell the huge things to vanish and yes, they will obey us.

Are there any misconceptions you knew before becoming a Christian? Share them with us.

The Mystery of Marriage

I get subtly amused when I attend a wedding ceremony and the certificate is signed and presented to the couple. The words that usually accompany that is the fact that marriage is the only institution where the students are presented with a certificate before the actual course is taken. Upon serious thought, I know this comment is true. I believe there are a lot of couples out there who wish they had more information about this institution before they attended it.

Although I am not married yet, I sit down to assess ‘marriage’ and I am convinced it is a real mystery. I always wonder how two different people from different backgrounds are able to stay together all their lives. Looking back to boarding house in senior secondary school to college, there were moments I had fights with my roommates, some even good friends and in those times, what comforted me was the fact that we were going to part ways in a year’s time but in marriage, there is no way you can part ways after a year or two. Marriage is forever except for death separates the two.

To us Christians, marriage is not just a union of two people but a covenant with God where divorce is simply not an option. Men of God can only separate the couple only when alive is at stake. That is why it is important to really choose your partner with a lot of caution.

Who are you choosing?

For me, that is one of the most important decisions any person will ever make in life. The Bible does not joke when it tells us not to be unequally yoked (2 Corinthians 6:14). At least if you share the same faith with your partner, the union is likely to succeed. There are other important factors that make marriage work and most of them depend on what you did during the dating and the courtship period. What are you talking about now that you are in dating or courting? Are you discussing the future when you meet or you are busily “touching?”

Marriage is not a child’s play. As my pastor correctly puts it, “it is not like going to a shop to buy items and if you do not like it, you come back to exchange it for something else.” Marriage is for a lifetime.

What are you compromising for the relationship that you find yourself in? For the women, it is important to bear in mind that your husband is going to be the head. Will you be proud to have this man lead you and the family in some years to come? Or you desperately want to get married so your family stops bothering you?

to be continued…

This is the first part of the Relationship and Marriage Series. If you have any opinions on this mystery (marriage), share them with us.

Quiet Time: The Most Overlooked Christian Practice

Quiet time is one of the most overlooked practices of Christians. I remember a few years ago back in Senior High School; a bell was sounded for us to observe 15 minutes of quiet time. Some seniors saw that as an opportunity to harass us the juniors, therefore most us sat quietly during this time only to avoid being punished. Personally I sat on my bed, stared into space or pretended to read something only to avoid being punished. I know most of my colleagues did that too.

A lot of Christians overlook this practice because we have been practicing almost our lives and it has become a ritual. Even if we observe it or not, it doesn’t really matter. Soon we accept it as a mere ritual and even when we skip it for months or even years and we do not feel guilty. We only shrug our shoulders and say, “Jesus understands”

Why quiet time is important

Even Jesus Christ (the son of God) during his time on earth made an effort to seek the face of his Father in the mornings (Mark 1:35). Other great men in the Bible like Daniel (Daniel 6:10), David (Psalm 62:1) and Moses (Exodus 34:4) received strength from the Lord through their quiet times. Such people sought the face of God before they did anything with their day.

We all need strength and the grace to go through each day. Our source of strength is God. He is the only way who knows the end from the beginning so why don’t we acknowledge that by just spending a few minutes of our day to seek his face? We can do that by reading the word, spending some time to meditate on it and to praying to the master architecture.

This does not come easy; therefore the need to make a conscious effort to practice it. I will always remember what a good friend said about quiet time. “We are all destined for greatness and the devil knows about that. He will find ways and means of making you miss that greatness that you are destined for and he can do that each day if we allow him to”

Let’s not give the devil the chance. Let us ensure we commit our ways to God. Have you had your quiet time today?

Fasting: Does it achieve any Results at all?

There are a lot of Christians who grumble whenever they hear they or the church is embarking on a fast. Why do they feel that way? They do feel like that because it is the period they will shed all the weight they have gained during the year. Another reason is that most Christians see fasting as another church ritual which they have to go through to avoid feeling guilty. As to whether they will achieve any results with the fast, they do not really know.

Why is it necessary to fast?

Fasting is important because Jesus Christ Himself observed it. He embarked on a dry fast for 40 days and nights (Matthew 4:2) and was able to resist the devil’s temptations.

Fasting brings about humility in believers (Psalm 69:10).

It also increases the level of self-control in the believer (1 Corinthians 7:5).

People fasted in the Bible and they got answers to their prayers (Ezra 8:23). These are a few reasons why Christians ought to fast and pray.

Are there special kinds of fast that an individual can select?

There is the dry fast which Jesus Christ Himself practiced.

Daniel in the Old Testament avoided delicacies, meat and red wine when he was fasting (Daniel 10:3). There is also the type of fast that individuals abstain from their favourite dishes.

What are the steps to take in order to have an effectual fast?

It is important to have a focus and an aim for fasting. Before you embark on this spiritual exercise, note down the reason(s). If it is a collective fast, agree on the fast’s focus.
Have some scripture to back what you will be praying for during the fast. Read the scripture, memorise and pray with it.
Reflect on the scripture during the day. If you are employed, break from your schedule to meditate on the word and pray.
When breaking the fast, find a quiet place to meditate on the verses you have read in the day and pray before you break the fast.

What should be avoided when fasting?

Chatting unnecessarily – This is the time you need to read and meditate on the word of God.
Announcing you are fasting – This is the period some Christians announce to the world they are fasting therefore they need to be excused and sympathized with but the Bible in Mathew 6:18 asks us to refrain from that.
Making it a mere ritual – A number of Christians make fasting a ritual; something they are doing because the entire church is involved. Avoid this mistake. Have expectations!

What is the proper way of Fasting?

The Bible summarises that in Isaiah 58:3:9 –

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set the oppressed free
and break every yoke?
⁷Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—
when you see the naked, to clothe them,
and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?
⁸Then your light will break forth like the dawn,
and your healing will quickly appear;
then your righteousness will go before you,
and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard.
⁹Then you will call, and the Lord will answer;
you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I.

The Judgment Day and the Movie, San Andreas

Two days ago, I had the opportunity to visit the Silverbird Cinema at the Accra Mall to watch a movie. Among the movies that were showing at the time was Jurassic World. Unfortunately, I was quite late therefore had to sit through a movie titled San Andreas, which I thought was going to be boring but as I watched, I couldn’t help but reflect on my life as a Christian and the judgment day.

About San Andreas

San Andreas is a movie released in 2015 featuring Raymond Gaines (The Rock) who worked in the Los Angeles Fire Department Air Rescue Team. To summarise it all, he had to rescue his daughter and friends who were caught up in a building during a heavy earthquake which shook the city badly.

The distraction that was caused by the earthquake in the movie could only remind viewers of the end times. The Bible clearly lists a number of events that will mark the end of the age and earthquakes are part of them (Jeremiah 4:24-28, Isaiah 13:9-13, Revelation 6:12-14).

How prepared am I to receive the Lord when He comes to judge the world? That was the question that was running through my mind when I watched how the earth shook and brought down all the sophisticated and modern structures in the movie. At a point in the movie, there was a tsunami which brought water onto the land and you can imagine how people were running for their lives. At that moment, nothing really mattered to anyone; neither the nice cars nor the properties they had acquired were important. What mattered to them was how they were going to preserve their dear lives.

Are you running around making all the money for yourself? How prepared are you to receive the Lord if the trumpet was to sound now? Are you focusing so much on the properties you are acquiring to the extent that you do not see the essence of worshiping God? Or you have acquired so much knowledge to the point that you doubt the existence of your creator? Are you living according to the purpose of God or you are busily doing whatever suits you?

These are questions you should reflect on today. If for some reason, you have forgotten all about the judgment day, when we will all stand before the throne (Revelations 20:11-15) then it is my prayer that this post will serve as a reminder to you of that day.

Faith: Why it is important to have it

Faith is the substance of things hoped for; the conviction of things not yet seen – Hebrews 11:1.

Christianity has got everything to do about having faith. Believing that the world was created by God is faith. The fact that we have a book called the Bible which guides our belief is faith. Trusting in God and His promises and the fact that He makes everything possible for His children is also faith.

There are so many theories in the world which has the ability to shake the very foundation of our faith that is why it is important to be grounded in the word. I shared a testimony about how my philosophy class at the University of Ghana made us argue only through the things that we felt. There were classes that I sat through that took us through how the world was created and according to my lectures, it can only be proven through our senses and an example is how scientists prove how the world came into being through the Big Bang Theory. These were confusing and if care not taken will sway you from the faith. No wonder people go to the universities and colleges, and come back without their faith. If you are looking to prove the existence of God only through your senses then, my brother or sister, you are in the wrong faith.

Faith is very important for your prayers to be answered. The Bible says that with faith as a little as a mustard seed, we can tell a mountain to move into the sea. The question therefore is why we don’t have our prayers answered. Perhaps, our faith is too small; smaller that mustard seeds. That explains why our prayers are not reaching anywhere.

Ability to speak in tongues requires you to have faith. A number of us have been Christians for so long but we still do not speak in the language of the spirit just because we are doubtful. The Book of James records that anyone who is doubtful will not receive anything from God – James 1:7

What kind of thoughts are you entertaining? Do you always doubt God and His power yet you say you are a Christian? Why don’t you spend today praying to God to increase your faith?

Winning Souls at the Drinking Bar

Who do you evangelize to? Are there specific people you should be targeting when evangelizing? Will you evangelize in a drinking bar or to prostitutes on the streets?

Who do you evangelize to? Are there specific people you should be targeting when evangelizing? Will you evangelize in a drinking bar or to prostitutes on the streets?

In the previous post, I mentioned how I broke my “evangelism silence” and ended up speaking to more people than I had ever imagined. Today, I hope I get readers like you to help me answer the questions a number of questions which will clear certain doubts on the believers’ minds.

I was faced with these problems when a group of us went out last Sunday to evangelize. We passed in front of a drinking bar when we were suddenly approached by a group of men in the bar. They invited us into the bar and asked us to share the word of God with them. They provided us with a time limit of 5 minutes. We prayed and started sharing the word about the love of God based on John 3:16.

The men were silent and receptive until we concluded the message. They asked us if they could ask us questions and probably have a discussion with us based on the word we had shared with them. We told them they could ask us questions but whether we can sit down for the kind of discussion they want to have with us is something we would have to postpone till a later date. These innocent words got the men infuriated. They started using all sort of words to describe us, accusing us of choosing the easier aspect of Christianity. We were not bothered by their words though because we knew they were under the influence of alcohol but my mind started to wander if as Christians we choose the “easier” route as these men described it.

We know Jesus Christ came for the lost sheep (Matthew 15: 24) so as Christians are we limiting ourselves when it comes to evangelism? Do you suggest specific times and venues go out and win souls? What are your experiences? Let us know your thoughts via Email, Facebook or Twitter.