Wednesday 21 November 2012

Bible verses: about forgiveness

FORGIVING someone can be difficult. The Bible can provide inspiration and direction on why and how to forgive others. Check out these 10 verses.
Most of us need encouragement to offer up forgiveness to others that have hurt us. Here are 10 encouraging Bible verses on the topic of forgiveness. I hope you enjoy them.

Top 10 Bible Verses about Forgiveness
#1 Because we are sinners we should forgive others
For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

#2 Be ready to forgive over and over again
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times? “Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”

#3 Confess and God will forgive you for your sins
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

#4 Love will lead to forgiving others
In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now.” The Lord replied, “I have forgiven them, as you asked.”


#5 Priority when it comes to forgiving others
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.”

#6 Forgive others rather than judge others
When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”


#7 A remarkable example of forgiveness
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.

#8 Jesus is our Model
When they came to a place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals – one on his right, the other on his left, Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

#9 Jesus’ command to us
So watch yourselves. “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says , ‘I repent,’ forgive him.”

#10 How to treat enemies
On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”
We are blessed to have God’s word to guide our lives and our actions. Let us go forth and live by His words about forgiveness.

Friday 16 November 2012

Bible verses: about love

1 Corinthians 13:4–8a  (Bible-New International Version)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.


 http://www.buzzle.com/articles/bible-quotes-on-strength-and-courage.html

Sunday 4 November 2012

worship in rap


Powerful Testimony: the love of Jesus Christ even to those who are abandoned by their families/society


Prostitute/Addict Recovery Stories

Stories from the front lines.  The names and some details are missing or changed on purpose but the story is true.

LEARNING TO PRAY

"From the beginning of the year we've sensed a new urgency and importance to pray.  For everyone to pray.  For the 'newly believing' to pray.  And for 'our group' that means ex-prisoners, ex-addicts, and ex-prostitutes who have newly believed.  They've never been to a church service.  Never been to a prayer meeting.  So they were 'shocked' when they started praying and things happened!  Then their shock turned into faith.  These are the things that have happened: a cancerous tumor vanished in a subsequent x-ray; several AIDS sufferers in the advanced stage 4 of the virus were able to get up from their beds, start walking and resumed normal lives again - one of whom had gone blind but now can see again; several families came and burned their magical charms; and several deliverances from demons happened (we call our deliverance ministry 'Ghost Busters')."

FROM BED TO BED

"As we would go in teams to the hospital to pray for AIDS patients, people laying in beds nearby would listen and then ask if they too can be prayed for.  As a result we have seen 6 new fellowships started since the beginning of the year due to this prayer ministry.  And what used to be a twice a week visit to the hospital is now a daily ministry among the sick with a 24 hour hotline where anyone can call for immediate prayer."

CHURCH PLANTING PIMPS

"One of the AIDS patients who was in stage 4 and was healed, then invited us to her home.  It turned out that she was a Pimp with a stable of gals working out of a local pub.  So she naturally planted a church in the pub!  And her gals were her church members!  It all began with an inductive Bible study twice a week in the pub during the slow hours.  She not only started a fellowship in her pub, she has reached out to other Pimps, three of whom have now decided to follow Christ too.    They too are preparing to start Bible studies in their establishments.  And she now is going into the narcotics prison to ministry to prostitutes and pimps who are in jail and she has started another fellowship for them in the prison."

CAUGHT BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

"One night our team was on the street talking to gals when they came across Tina.  She was just 16 and it was obvious this business was a little new to her.  She quickly started pouring out her heart as to why she was on the street.  She explained how her father had died long ago and her mother had recently had a stroke and could no longer walk so Tina was forced to find money any way she could.  While talking with Tina, she all the sudden asked if we could come to her house to pray for her mother.  Even though it was way past midnight, we headed to her house.  While praying, her mother stood up and began to try to walk again.  And she kept on walking.  And she is still walking to this day!  Totally normal again.  Tina is no longer selling herself on the street and has joined one of the ex-prostitute fellowships run by an ex-pimp.  Her mother has testified to the entire family about what happened to her and as a result a fellowship has now been planted in her home too."