Formular For A Burning Heart by A.W Tozer

I have previously said that any Christian who desires to, may experience a radical spiritual renascence, and this altogether independent of the attitude of his fellow Christians. The important question now is How?  Well, here are some suggestions which anyone can follow and which, I am
convinced, will result in a wonderfully improved Christian life.

1. Get thoroughly dissatisfied with yourself. Complacency is the deadly enemy of spiritual progress.  The contented soul is the stagnant soul.  When speaking of earthly goods, Paul could say, “ I have learned … to be content”; but when referring to his spiritual life, he testified, “I press toward the mark.” Stir up the gift of God that is in thee.

2. Set your face like a flint toward a sweeping transformation of your life. Timid experimenters are tagged for failure before they start.  We must throw our whole soul into our desire for God.  “The Kingdom of God suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.”

3. Put yourself in the way of the blessing. It is a mistake to look for grace to visit us as a kind of benign magic, or to expect God’s help to come as a windfall apart from conditions known and met.  There are plainly marked paths which lead straight to the green pastures; let us walk in them.  To desire revival, for instance, and at the same time to neglect prayer and devotion is to wish one way and walk another.

4. Do a thorough job of repenting. Do not hurry to get it over with.  Hasty repentance means shallow spiritual experience and lack of certainty in the whole life.  Let godly sorrow do her healing work.  Until we allow the consciousness of sin to wound us, we will never develop a fear of evil.  It is our wretched habit of tolerating sin that keeps us in our half-dead condition.

5. Make restitution wherever possible. If you owe a debt, pay it, or at least have a frank understanding with your creditor about your intentions to pay, so that your honesty will be above question.  If you have quarreled with anyone, go as far as you can in an effort to achieve reconciliation.  As fully as possible make the crooked things straight.

6. Bring your life into accord with the Sermon on the Mount and such other New Testament Scriptures as are designed to instruct us in the way of righteousness. An honest man with an open Bible and a pad and pencil is sure to find out what is wrong with him very quickly. I recommend that the self-examination be made on our knees, rising to obey God’s commandments as they are revealed to us from the Word.  There is nothing romantic or colorful about this plain downright way of dealing with ourselves, but it gets the work done.  Issac’s workmen did not look like heroic figures as they digged in the valley, but they got the wells open, and that was what they had set out to do.

7. Be serious – minded. You can well afford to see fewer comedy shows on TV.  Unless you break away from the funny boys, every spiritual impression will continue to be lost to your heart, and that right in your own living room.  The people of the world used to go to the movies to escape serious thinking about God and religion.  You would not join them there, but you now enjoy spiritual communion with them in your own home.    The devils ideals, moral standards, and mental attitudes are being accepted by you without you knowing it. You wonder why you can make no progress in your Christian life.  Your interior climate is not favorable to the growth of spiritual graces.  There must be a radical change in your habits or there will not be any permanent improvement in your interior life.

8. Deliberately narrow your interests. The Jack-of-all-trades is the master of none.  The Christian life requires that we be specialists.  Too many projects use up time and energy without bringing us nearer to God.  If you will narrow your interests, God will enlarge your heart.
“Jesus only” seems to the unconverted man to be the motto of death.  But a great company of happy men and women can testify that it became to them a way into a world infinitely wider and richer than anything they had ever known before.      Christ is the essence of all wisdom, beauty and virtue.  To know Him in growing intimacy is to increase in appreciation of all things good and beautiful.  The mansions of the heart will become larger when their doors are thrown open to Christ and closed against the world and sin.  Try it.

9. Begin to witness. Find something to do for God and your fellow men.  Refuse to rust out.  Make yourself available to your pastor and do anything you are asked to do.  Do not insist upon a place of leadership.  Learn to obey.  Take the low place until such time as God sees fit to set you in a higher one.  Back your new intentions with your money and your gifts, such as they are.

10. Have faith in God. Begin to expect.  Look up toward the throne where your Advocate sits at the right hand of God.  All heaven is on your side.   God will not disappoint you.      If you will follow these suggestions, you will most surely experience revival in your own heart.  And who can tell how far it may spread?   God knows how desperately the church needs a spiritual resurrection.  And it can only come through the revived individual.

Prodigious Teens Blog Gives Solace To Community

In April, less than two months before his death, Rodriguez wrote on his blog 

I’ve been meditating on heaven a lot lately, and I must say, it wells my eyes with tears of joy every now and then. What a beautiful thought that one day, I will be completely in the presence of God and will actually be able to feel the magnitude of all his love and peace with no earthly fears or worries to distract me. The joy that I feel now, the serenity I feel now, will finally be made perfect...I love the image of Heaven because it is perfect, perfect peace. Every quarrel, every hurt, it’s all gonna be resolved.

(Norfolk, VA)– The 17-year-old boy killed by a suspect on a shooting rampage in Norfolk Friday night was on his way home from graduation activities. According to a report on WAVY News, Rodriguez—a devout Christian who loved photography—was a "rising senior at Norfolk Christian Schools" and "wise beyond his years."

And now hundreds of parents, faculty, and staff, have lost a young man they say was a shining star. His former teacher said Rodriguez was wise beyond his years, a leader in the classroom and in church.

McCarty emailed the blog post out to the Norfolk Christian community Saturday, and now it’s bringing peace to those reeling from his sudden and tragic loss. Those that knew and loved Mark say they’re confident he’s now in Heaven.

“We take great comfort in knowing we know where he is. He wrote about it,” McCarty said.

To read this amazing young man's faith-building post in its entirety, including a poem he wrote about the Bride of Christ, click here.

Massive Christian Outreach Kicks Off in Brazil with World Cup

"Fair Play Brazil was inspired by the vision that led the Apostle Paul to travel to Corinth in Acts 18. Corinth was one of the largest and busiest cities of the Roman Empire and hosted one of the biggest sporting events in the calendar—the Isthmian Games. There, Paul found the opportunity to preach the Gospel to people from all over the world. We and our partners share that same vision now—both for the World Cup this year and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016." -Dr. Rudi Zimmer

(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)—As 600,000 football fans across the world pour into Brazil this week to join the three million local fans attending the FIFA World Cup, the Bible Society of Brazil and its partners will begin a massive program of outreach and Scripture distribution. (Photo via Joga Limpo Brasil)

"Brazilians are football-mad and their obsession with football will reach fever pitch over the next few weeks, when we host the World Cup," notes Dr. Rudi Zimmer of the Bible Society of Brazil. "We want the Bible to have a prominent presence amidst all the excitement. It's an unprecedented opportunity for churches and Christians here to share God's Word with local and foreign fans, and we want to equip and encourage them to do that."

The Bible Society has provided four million Scripture booklets and 20,000 copies of the Gospel of John in Portuguese and eight other world languages for free distribution. It has also published special World Cup editions of the Portuguese Bible and New Testament, available at subsidized prices to Christians and ministries wishing to use them for evangelism.

The distribution will take place through the 1,600 churches and Christian ministries that the Bible Society has brought together through its Joga Limpo Brasil movement (Fair Play Brazil).

"Fair Play Brazil was inspired by the vision that led the Apostle Paul to travel to Corinth in Acts 18," explains Dr. Zimmer. "Corinth was one of the largest and busiest cities of the Roman Empire and hosted one of the biggest sporting events in the calendar—the Isthmian Games. There, Paul found the opportunity to preach the Gospel to people from all over the world. We and our partners share that same vision now—both for the World Cup this year and the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2016."

Many hundreds of volunteers will be on the frontline of the outreach, helping football fans in the 12 host cities to find their way around, talking to them about faith and offering them Scriptures.

"We want as many people as possible to get the chance to hear about God's love for them, so please pray for this outreach at the World Cup," says Dr. Zimmer. "Pray for God's blessing and guidance for the volunteers and pray that the football fans will have open hearts to hear and welcome the message of God's Word."

Source : Breaking Christian News

Our Singleness is a Destiny Call

So many of us, especially ladies who are of 'marriage age' bracket feels that being single is a sickness that needs to be cured as soon as possible. These most often than not leads to desperation, which in turn lead to vulnerability. Have you ever experienced 'famish' in the real sense? i tell you from experience, everything will taste real good to you.

However, we cannot escape the 'single' phase of life, simply because it is the destiny of everyone. We just must be single at some particular point of our lives. So, I have decided to share an article of Michelle Hammond McKinney with us.

OUR SINGLENESS IS A DESTINY CALL

Michelle says you got to know that you know that you are dedicated and committed to waiting on God’s choice as well as His timing. While this is easier said than done for most singles, Michelle says singles can walk in that place of contentment. “You have to proactively decide that you want to be happy single or not,” says Michelle. Every single should decide that they want that because they’re not going to be a happy married person unless they are a happy single person.

You have to be a whole person on your own first. It helps you make better choices. It helps you clarify what you want and what you don’t want, and it helps you not have unrealistic expectations once you do find your mate.

It is important for the single person to “Get a Life.” Michelle says too many single people put their lives on hold waiting for their spouse and idolizing the institution of marriage. The real truth is that there are just as many miserable people married as there are single. So marriage is not the end all. “Marriage should be the inspiration when you meet the right person, that you want to wake up with every day,” says Michelle.

You need to have your act together. Hopefully you will then become what you want to attract. If you have your life together, that dismisses all the people that don’t have their life together. So you need to think about what you want and then become what you want to attract. Michelle states, “I’m waiting on God’s timing for my life. But in the meantime, I’m having a blast.”

Many singles have bought into the idea that there’s something that’s going to make us complete. “I’m only complete if someone else loves me. Jesus loves me. I’m only complete if someone else needs me. Look around…there’s a million people who need you,” says Michelle.

God strategically aligned people in Scripture to reflect Him, to glorify Him, to hold down specific areas and regions. We have to become kingdom minded in every aspect, in every choice that we make. Michelle challenges each person to ask, “Am I glorifying God to the ultimate in the decision that I’m making? How is this helping the kingdom? This is not just about me.”
 
Over the years I have come to love Michelle Hammond McKinney, a best selling author, singer, speaker and television co-host. I fell head over heels

in love with her books especially , 'Secrets of an Irresistible Woman'. It is exactly the book every woman must have on her bookshelf.

The Ironic Blessing

Have you ever been through a situation that seems like God is no more on your side? The feeling of helplessness putting doubt in your mind that puffs out the little faith left  in you. You are not alone in this situation. I have walked that part also at one point or the other in my life. 

The Good News is that God is never late. He is always on time to get us out of that messy situation. Not only that, He also goes the extra mile to make us laugh rather than smile. The way of the Lord is so so amazing and I just cannot fathom it. As a matter of fact, God is the most Romantic of all that is in existence yesterday, today and afterwards.

What am I talking about? Exodus chapter 1 to 3 got me elated. 

The Isrealites  probably felt hopeless and helpless in their situation. Asides the fact that they were enslaved, they also cannot freely have children. Once the woman gets pregnant, she is worried about the sex. I imagined them going for scanning to see the sex of the baby in the womb and rather have an abortion than to have the baby after Nine months to see him drowned in the river and fed to crocodiles.

There was a Levi family who had a son in Egypt when Isrealite sons were not allowed to live. The woman was so devastated about the gender of the child that she hid him for three months. I can not but imagine how she successfully did that without anyone hearing the cry of the baby. I am sure she would have kept holding unto the boy if possible.

She decided to weave a basket for the baby and put him along the bank of the River Nile. I imagined her taking this decision because she rather put her son in the river gently than have an Egytian drown him. She could not let go, she asked her daughter to watch out for what his fate would be.

Pharaoh Daughter came to have her bath, then she saw the child and had compassion on him. The Levi woman's daughter ceased the opportunity and ask if she should get someone to nurse the child for  Pharaoh's Daughter. Of course, she ran to her mother to help  Pharaoh's Daughter nurse the child. 

Guess what? the Levite nursed her child and got payed for it. This same child had education she could never have been able to afford. He lived a royal life and the Lord also used him to rescue the Isrealite from the claws of the Egyptians.

That situation might seem unfavorable.  Put your trust in the Lord and see him prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies.

Stay Blessed.

Optimistic Omotola

The Word Will Change Your Circumstance By Rev. Keneth E. Hagin

He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. (Ps 107:20)

A pastor friend of mine once said to the Lord, “Lord, You know I believe in divine healing, but no one in my church is receiving. What’s the matter?”

The Lord said to him, “Why don’t you preach on it?”

So he started preaching on divine healing, and his whole church got healed.

Before, nearly all of them were sick. But they all got healed. That’s what happens when the Word of God is preached. The Word of God is what does the work.

We are affected by the words we hear—whether it’s truth or untruth. You could listen to someone talk who is worried and oppressed. And when you left his presence, you’d feel oppressed yourself. Some people are so full of doubt and unbelief that the very atmosphere around them is charged with darkness. That kind of atmosphere is created by words.

Thank God for the Word of God! His Word is His will. Psalm 107:20 says, “He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.” Let’s talk about the Word of God. Let’s talk about healing from the standpoint of God’s Word.

Confession I speak the Word of God. I speak faith-filled, life-filled words that change the circumstances around me. I refuse to speak doubt and unbelief.

Copyright © Kenneth Hagin Ministries  - Used by Permission

Nigerian Gospel Singer 'Keffi Branama' Sleeps in The Lord

Multiple award-winning gospel singer, Kefee Don Momoh, has been confirmed dead. She passed on in the early hours of today, after being in coma for weeks in an undisclosed American hospital.

She went into a coma, after collapsing on a 14-hour flight on her way to Chicago for an event about a two weeks ago. A close family source revealed she was diagnosed of having pre-eclampsia – pregnancy induced high blood pressure.

However,  an official statement from Kefee's UK publicist confirming her passing debunked all earlier rumors and stories in circulation that Kefee was 6 months pregnant and had pre-eclampsia.

"On behalf of the family….It is with a great sadness but grateful hearts that we announce the passing to glory due to lungs failure this morning of our God’s mouth piece, chorus leader, daughter, wife, sister, friend Kefee Branama Queen … May her beautiful, gentle and precious soul rest in perfect peace. Amen!!"
For the family
Adeline Adelicious Adebayo, (Kefee’s UK Manager)

OAP Yaw, a close friend of her husband, OAP Teddy Don Momoh confirmed the news on Wazobia Fm this morning, saying: “One of her our very own is dead. May her soul rest in peace.”

Kefee whose music career started at age eight in her church choir, was famous for her gospel songs ‘Branama’ and ‘Kokoroko’. She won several awards including the best collaboration Headies Award in 2010. (Source: Daily Post Nigeria Online News and Bella Naija)


'The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time'-  Mark Twain. Death is inevitable. We should live everyday like there is no tomorrow because every morrow is a gift received not by all. If we know when we will die, would we live differently?