I may never meet you again, so there is something I must tell you right now. It is so vital that it may change your entire future like it did mine.
It is a message that you may not like, but the decision you make regarding it will affect you both in life and death.
Let me emphasize that this message is absolutely true, because God said it, and He cannot lie. When God makes a promise, you can depend on it, because His promises can never fail. God will not make you believe this message – that is your choice – but He will hold you responsible for having heard it.
This is a personal message to you: you cannot escape it. You must either accept it or reject it. You must either say “I will” or “I will not.” You cannot be neutral.
Here then, is the message – from God's Word, the Holy Bible.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that who so ever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life”(John 3:16).
Now, did you ever hear about such wonderful words before? Just think for a moment what they say! They reveal three amazing facts:
First, “God so loved the world.” Since you are in the world, it means that He loves you. If that does not astonish you, remember that when God loves you, He loves a sinner, because the Bible says that you are a sinner (Romans 3:23). If you are honest with yourself, you must agree. Now, although God loves you, He hates your sin. Sin will keep you out of heaven, because God is holy, and He must punish sin. Therefore a loving God must find a holy way of saving sinners; otherwise the sinner must pay for his own sins. That would mean spending eternity in hell!
Second, “He gave His only begotten Son.” God loves you so much that He gave His only Son for you! The Lord Jesus Christ suffered on the cross of Calvary so that you might be saved. He shed His blood so that your sins might be put away. He died for you so that you might live in heaven forever. You see, someone must pay the penalty for your sin – either you or a sinless substitute. God gave His Son so that He could be your sinless Substitute.
Third, “Whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Think of it – God gives eternal life to those who believe in Christ! The Saviour has finished the work. He has died, risen from the grave, gone back into Heaven. Your part is simply to believe in Him. This means that you should confess that you are a sinner, realize that Christ died for your sins on the cross, and then receive Him as your Lord and Saviour.
This is the message; now you must make a decision. Will you accept Him or reject Him? Your time on earth is short, but your decision for or against Christ lasts for eternity.
If you refuse God's loving offer, the Bible says that there is only one place for you to go when you die, and that is hell. “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
I may never meet you on earth again, but I hope I will meet you in heaven. If you will accept the sinner's saviour, then you too will be saved! -W. McDonald, edited
Say this prayer; Lord Jesus, I admit that I am a sinner, I confess and repent of all my sins today, please forgive me. Come into my heart and make me a new creature. Write my name in the book of Life. Help me to live for you and give me grace to walk with you in Jesus Name Amen.
culled from the Teens Torch
Friday, 9 November 2012
Peer Pressure
As we grow in life, we realize that we often yield to the pressures around. Sometimes it is conscious, other times unconscious. We want to be like others; we say what they say, wear what they wear, go where they go, do what they do and try to be current with fashion trends. Some of us go to the extent of getting the exact fashion designs worn by music and fashion icons just to impress others. We want to do everything possible to gain the acceptance and approval of people around us, even if it means displeasing God, by engaging in unwholesome activities.
But, do we need to be in unhealthy competition with others in order to survive? NO! Unhealthy comparison and competition with others does no good to us, our self esteem or our relationships with others. You should periodically evaluate your present state with your dreams, goals, aspirations and targets you have set for yourself. The focus should be on improving yourself consistently and ensuring that you are advancing on the course you have charted to realize your dream.
To what extent should the opinions of friends/people matter?
When we are young, friends have more influence over how we dress, think and act than our parents (or guardians). It has been discovered that most of us do what we do because we do not want to lose our friends or be called names even though we know it is wrong. However, if you refuse to say no to your peers on wrong things, you compromise yourself, your values, your principles and standards so it is important to carefully choose your friends. It is better not to have friends at all than to have bad friends who will influence you negatively.
Time and time again, friends have betrayed each other in many ways, on this note you should prayerfully select friends who share godly values and principles. Pick friends who believe in you, believe in God and are committed to doing God's will.
How do you handle peer pressure?
Do not let friends or people around you influence you to do that which is contrary to the Word of God.
Are you a truthful friend?
Speak the truth in love at all times without fear or favour
How can you choose a Godly friend?
Prayerfully select friends and close associates. It is not everyone you meet or come in contact with that becomes your friend. God bless You.
Ngozi Chidi
culled from the Teens Torch
But, do we need to be in unhealthy competition with others in order to survive? NO! Unhealthy comparison and competition with others does no good to us, our self esteem or our relationships with others. You should periodically evaluate your present state with your dreams, goals, aspirations and targets you have set for yourself. The focus should be on improving yourself consistently and ensuring that you are advancing on the course you have charted to realize your dream.
To what extent should the opinions of friends/people matter?
When we are young, friends have more influence over how we dress, think and act than our parents (or guardians). It has been discovered that most of us do what we do because we do not want to lose our friends or be called names even though we know it is wrong. However, if you refuse to say no to your peers on wrong things, you compromise yourself, your values, your principles and standards so it is important to carefully choose your friends. It is better not to have friends at all than to have bad friends who will influence you negatively.
Time and time again, friends have betrayed each other in many ways, on this note you should prayerfully select friends who share godly values and principles. Pick friends who believe in you, believe in God and are committed to doing God's will.
How do you handle peer pressure?
Do not let friends or people around you influence you to do that which is contrary to the Word of God.
Are you a truthful friend?
Speak the truth in love at all times without fear or favour
How can you choose a Godly friend?
Prayerfully select friends and close associates. It is not everyone you meet or come in contact with that becomes your friend. God bless You.
Ngozi Chidi
culled from the Teens Torch
ADMIRE CHARISMA BUT GET CHARACTER FIRST!
There is actually a difference between what is done and what is supposed to be done. Truth is, you can ignore what is supposed to be done and continue, it might work but with time it will speak in effects.
Lately people go for Charisma without getting character let me use this opportunity to show you the difference and effects.
We live in a world where charismatic leaders are everywhere, I want to believe this is the most charismatic generation the world has ever seen, we are blessed with them. One of such is the person of Adolf Hitler, he made the German see themselves as superior and they rose against people. another person of charisma is Theodore Roosevelt, who possessed a powerful charismatic aura, from a wheelchair he ruled America, he said “the only thing to fear is fear itself” he made them rise up against rivals, a cripple with arthritis, that is what charisma can do, it makes people forget reasoning when you are in control or talk. Adolf Hitler lost millions of people during the war, even though they lost they still saw themselves as superior, even till date, that is the effect of charisma.
Charisma is very powerful. A man was talking and said charisma made him get married to his wife.
Charisma open doors, scriptures say the gift at a man makes ways for him, your gift there talks of your charisma, it's a conferred gift or power, it's your virtue that gives you influence and authority over others, it's your aura. Obama entered the Senate and was just given ten minutes to talk, but in that ten minutes his charisma provoked respect and influence in the house in the senate, in African Americans, that ten minutes is what made Robert Kennedy say “I will stand by this man, he is my next president” and even in his sick of brain cancer, he watched as Obama won. Charisma is a lifter, a promoter and attracts people to you. Your absence in the equation makes it incomplete. That's charisma.
Permit me to say that, as powerful as Charisma is, it is useless without character, charisma wil
definitely take you up, but bad character will bring you down, look at Tiger woods, developed so much charisma, but when the test of character came up, it brought him down, because of that it seems nearly impossible to win a golf event, what he used to win every time. Let me make it clear that the character tells you how high you will go, to know how far a person will go, look at the character. It's so bad that when people elect people into trusted positions, they disregard character but are swayed by charisma, but at the end, character begins to show and it determines the end of affairs. Your charisma is your gift or deposit, but our character is who you are, it's the container of the deposit. If you put your money in the wrong bank, you will definitely have a story to tell, the bible admonishes us to get wisdom, it will help build up character by teaching you what to do to make yourself a better person. (Prov. 4: 7)
Your character is your success insurance it can make or mar you.
Treading in the old path involves things being done properly, most times we complain when things work out really slow for us, and we blame God, at times we have the charisma but because of the character we are not given what we want because what is supposed to be a blessing will turn to a curse. If you give an extremely poor man who is foolish or inexperienced 100 billion Naira, what do you think will happen? It will kill him or he will run mad.
So you can admire charisma but get character first, it's the pathway to a successful life. (God bless you).
Emmebong Udoh
culled from The Teens Torch
Lately people go for Charisma without getting character let me use this opportunity to show you the difference and effects.
We live in a world where charismatic leaders are everywhere, I want to believe this is the most charismatic generation the world has ever seen, we are blessed with them. One of such is the person of Adolf Hitler, he made the German see themselves as superior and they rose against people. another person of charisma is Theodore Roosevelt, who possessed a powerful charismatic aura, from a wheelchair he ruled America, he said “the only thing to fear is fear itself” he made them rise up against rivals, a cripple with arthritis, that is what charisma can do, it makes people forget reasoning when you are in control or talk. Adolf Hitler lost millions of people during the war, even though they lost they still saw themselves as superior, even till date, that is the effect of charisma.
Charisma is very powerful. A man was talking and said charisma made him get married to his wife.
Charisma open doors, scriptures say the gift at a man makes ways for him, your gift there talks of your charisma, it's a conferred gift or power, it's your virtue that gives you influence and authority over others, it's your aura. Obama entered the Senate and was just given ten minutes to talk, but in that ten minutes his charisma provoked respect and influence in the house in the senate, in African Americans, that ten minutes is what made Robert Kennedy say “I will stand by this man, he is my next president” and even in his sick of brain cancer, he watched as Obama won. Charisma is a lifter, a promoter and attracts people to you. Your absence in the equation makes it incomplete. That's charisma.
Permit me to say that, as powerful as Charisma is, it is useless without character, charisma wil
definitely take you up, but bad character will bring you down, look at Tiger woods, developed so much charisma, but when the test of character came up, it brought him down, because of that it seems nearly impossible to win a golf event, what he used to win every time. Let me make it clear that the character tells you how high you will go, to know how far a person will go, look at the character. It's so bad that when people elect people into trusted positions, they disregard character but are swayed by charisma, but at the end, character begins to show and it determines the end of affairs. Your charisma is your gift or deposit, but our character is who you are, it's the container of the deposit. If you put your money in the wrong bank, you will definitely have a story to tell, the bible admonishes us to get wisdom, it will help build up character by teaching you what to do to make yourself a better person. (Prov. 4: 7)
Your character is your success insurance it can make or mar you.
Treading in the old path involves things being done properly, most times we complain when things work out really slow for us, and we blame God, at times we have the charisma but because of the character we are not given what we want because what is supposed to be a blessing will turn to a curse. If you give an extremely poor man who is foolish or inexperienced 100 billion Naira, what do you think will happen? It will kill him or he will run mad.
So you can admire charisma but get character first, it's the pathway to a successful life. (God bless you).
Emmebong Udoh
culled from The Teens Torch
Treading the Old Paths
“Thus saith the Lord, stand ye in the ways and see ask for the old paths, where is the good way and walk therein and ye shall find rest for your souls, but they said, we will not walk therein” (Jeremiah 6 vs. 16)
This was the counsel of God to the children of Israel but they did not hearken unto it. Today God is still speaking and calling out to the children of this generation to seek out the old paths and walk therein.
The end time is here and Godlessness is rampant. As it was written in 2nd Timothy 3 vs. 2 -5 , we can now see the scripture being fulfilled as men have now become “lovers of themselves , covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unfaithful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, fierce despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof.”
The devil is working overtime to deceive young children and indeed teenagers to cause them to miss out on God and their destiny. A youth culture is evolving which is completely alien to our culture particularly that given to us through the scriptures. In proverbs 22 vs. 6 we have been instructed to train up our children in the way they should go i.e. the Lord's way. Likewise in proverbs 23 vs. 13-14 parents were advised not to withhold the rod from the child because it will deliver their soul from hell.
Unfortunately most parents these days have abandoned this command and by extension their calling as parents and have succumbed to socio-economic pressures and have left their children in the care of nannies and house maids, who have no idea of how to parent or worse still are left to fend for themselves and their own devices with only television or the internet as their source of entertainment or company. Pornography, nudity, corruption, foul language, strange doctrines and cultures are common place both on television and the internet. Unsupervised usage of this media has caused immense damage to youngsters unknown to their parents resulting in ill-mannered children who lack regard and respect for their elders.
My prayer for you is that you should not be counted amongst this kind of teenagers.
Have you ever tried scolding a youngster in this day and age for being unruly? He/she might probably tell you that it's none of your business and you leave him/her alone. Can you imagine that?! In the days of old, when an elder rebukes a child he/she says thank you and is happy to be corrected, this is in line with the Lord's command in Ephesians 6 vs.1 and Exodus 20 vs.12 instructing children to obey and honor their parents(note: “parents” here includes elders and those in authority). When we were younger we were taught to step aside when we meet an elder on the way so he can pass but these days the reverse is the case, the youngsters practically push you down so they can pass.
Again you should not be one of these teenagers.
It is an age of fast food and micro wave. Many girls are no longer prepared from home for their roles as future wives and mothers, the greater majority of them live on Indomie and snacks because that is what some mothers have time to put on the table, what happened to pounded yam and soup? The fact is, no matter your university degree as a young person someday you'll get married and raise children of your own and you can't give what you don't have. Therefore learn to cook and do some domestic chores.
The bible says God gave clothes for a covering but not anymore. These days the children of unbelievers are better covered than some “Christian teenagers” you wonder where their mothers were before they left home in those clothes. Let your dressing bring glory and not shame to God at all times.
Premarital sex is so common place that when a youngster lays a claim to virginity, their peers are not only shocked and think they are lying but mock them. What happened to the biblical injunction of purity, holiness and fleeing temptation?
Let us return to the old path and keep our body, soul and spirit pure.
So where do we start? Is it phone usage, many children have become absent minded because of blackberry pinging, 2go and phone games.
Church is now a formality for many Christian children yet they supposedly grew up in the church but have become so familiar with God that they have lost the fear of God while submitting to religious spirit. Some of them cannot recite up to 3 scriptures, others can recite almost the whole bible but lack the fruit of the spirit.
What can I say?
Let us return to the commandment of God in Jeremiah 6 vs. 16 and ask for the old paths and seek the good ways and walk in them that we may find rest for our souls.
May the good Lord count us worthy parents as he did Abraham in genesis 18 vs. 17-19 and God forbid that our children become like the sons of Eli in Jesus name amen and blessed is that child that hearkens to the voice of his parents, Guardians, elders, teachers, instructors or pastors for his days shall be long and good.
God bless you.
Barr. Mrs. Okpo
culled from The Teens Torch
This was the counsel of God to the children of Israel but they did not hearken unto it. Today God is still speaking and calling out to the children of this generation to seek out the old paths and walk therein.
The end time is here and Godlessness is rampant. As it was written in 2nd Timothy 3 vs. 2 -5 , we can now see the scripture being fulfilled as men have now become “lovers of themselves , covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unfaithful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, fierce despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof.”
The devil is working overtime to deceive young children and indeed teenagers to cause them to miss out on God and their destiny. A youth culture is evolving which is completely alien to our culture particularly that given to us through the scriptures. In proverbs 22 vs. 6 we have been instructed to train up our children in the way they should go i.e. the Lord's way. Likewise in proverbs 23 vs. 13-14 parents were advised not to withhold the rod from the child because it will deliver their soul from hell.
Unfortunately most parents these days have abandoned this command and by extension their calling as parents and have succumbed to socio-economic pressures and have left their children in the care of nannies and house maids, who have no idea of how to parent or worse still are left to fend for themselves and their own devices with only television or the internet as their source of entertainment or company. Pornography, nudity, corruption, foul language, strange doctrines and cultures are common place both on television and the internet. Unsupervised usage of this media has caused immense damage to youngsters unknown to their parents resulting in ill-mannered children who lack regard and respect for their elders.
My prayer for you is that you should not be counted amongst this kind of teenagers.
Have you ever tried scolding a youngster in this day and age for being unruly? He/she might probably tell you that it's none of your business and you leave him/her alone. Can you imagine that?! In the days of old, when an elder rebukes a child he/she says thank you and is happy to be corrected, this is in line with the Lord's command in Ephesians 6 vs.1 and Exodus 20 vs.12 instructing children to obey and honor their parents(note: “parents” here includes elders and those in authority). When we were younger we were taught to step aside when we meet an elder on the way so he can pass but these days the reverse is the case, the youngsters practically push you down so they can pass.
Again you should not be one of these teenagers.
It is an age of fast food and micro wave. Many girls are no longer prepared from home for their roles as future wives and mothers, the greater majority of them live on Indomie and snacks because that is what some mothers have time to put on the table, what happened to pounded yam and soup? The fact is, no matter your university degree as a young person someday you'll get married and raise children of your own and you can't give what you don't have. Therefore learn to cook and do some domestic chores.
The bible says God gave clothes for a covering but not anymore. These days the children of unbelievers are better covered than some “Christian teenagers” you wonder where their mothers were before they left home in those clothes. Let your dressing bring glory and not shame to God at all times.
Premarital sex is so common place that when a youngster lays a claim to virginity, their peers are not only shocked and think they are lying but mock them. What happened to the biblical injunction of purity, holiness and fleeing temptation?
Let us return to the old path and keep our body, soul and spirit pure.
So where do we start? Is it phone usage, many children have become absent minded because of blackberry pinging, 2go and phone games.
Church is now a formality for many Christian children yet they supposedly grew up in the church but have become so familiar with God that they have lost the fear of God while submitting to religious spirit. Some of them cannot recite up to 3 scriptures, others can recite almost the whole bible but lack the fruit of the spirit.
What can I say?
Let us return to the commandment of God in Jeremiah 6 vs. 16 and ask for the old paths and seek the good ways and walk in them that we may find rest for our souls.
May the good Lord count us worthy parents as he did Abraham in genesis 18 vs. 17-19 and God forbid that our children become like the sons of Eli in Jesus name amen and blessed is that child that hearkens to the voice of his parents, Guardians, elders, teachers, instructors or pastors for his days shall be long and good.
God bless you.
Barr. Mrs. Okpo
culled from The Teens Torch
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