vengaturreino

Dear sister! I'm glad that prayer hasn't become a burden for you, neither has it for me, but I know that many people often feel weighed down by the feeling that they are not doing enough, and constantly feel guilty about it. I'm happy to hear this isn't your particular case and I wish you many blessings.

“I ought to pray more”. “I ought to do more exercise”. “I ought to eat healthier”. Is your inner monologue anything like this? If it is, there’s a good chance that you might be… a normal human being! I think we are all plagued with feelings of guilt and inadequacy, especially when it comes to our spiritual lives and exercise routines. However, Christ came to set us free. Free from guilt and regrets; he wants us to be joyful and light like little children, who can laugh and rejoice and feel thankful. How can we achieve this? I am no expert on the topic, but I wanted to share some reflections that have come to mind: Sing more! Even if you’re really bad at it, singing is good for your soul. We let go of tensions, we forget ourselves and our deep worries and we let the music take us. When we praise God with all our heart, mind and lungs, we focus on Him and His greatness, rather than on our own feelings of guilt and failure. Improve your body language Studies have shown that the position of our bodies has a massive impact on our mind and mood. There’s no need to feel uncomfortable or shy about standing up with your arms outstretched when praising God; it will lift your spirits to Him! If you don’t believe me, search for Amy Cuddy’s TED talk about this topic, it’s very impressive. Simplify your life Of course, this is easier said than done, but there is no other way. Finding more time to pray or exercise is not a matter of seeing how you can “fit it in” to your already busy schedule, you will only end up feeling frustrated and exhausted. Technology and entertainment can take up a massive amount of our time, and are often a waste of it. You may have to take some extreme measures, like trading in your smart phone for a Neolithic one or cancelling your subscription to Netflix, but whatever you feel led to do, be sure that the result will be FREEDOM; more free time without distractions, to be able to reconnect with God in prayer and with His Word. Don’t let the devil trap you with a false sense of guilt The devil wants to trap you in these feelings of inadequacy and guilt; he will sap you of all joy and lead you into self-doubt and recrimination. I was once told: “if you feel a general sense of un-ease and guilt, this is from the devil, whereas God will usually pin-point a specific sin you have committed, so that you can repent and be freed from it”. Of course it’s impossible to say if this is the case without lifting up all these feelings to God in prayer, but if you do find that after praying deeply and repenting you’re still weighed down with the same burden of shame and heaviness, it is not because God hasn’t forgiven you or that you don’t deserve His love. Many dedicated and faithful Christians suffer from anxiety and depression, this is not a sign of a lack of faith or sinfulness, it’s part of being a broken human being in a frail, mortal body. As Christians we shouldn’t shun modern medicine or psychology; admitting that we can’t control how we feel is a brave and important step and a sign of a humble attitude, and we know that: “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2)

Hi Andy, I'd like to clarify what I said in that post regarding tithing and living from church offerings. That is also a personal preference. I do not seek to judge or criticise those who do this, goodness me no. In fact, my own father was a church minister and we lived in a house that belonged to the church and he was paid a salary which he worked hard for. If I have a criticism it is of those, like the pastor of that Mega Church in Korea, who seek after gold and teach prosperity, whilst the whole time they are the main ones that prosper.... On a personal note, I would also like to say that I would feel embarassed to receive money from other Christians who I regard to be my brothers and sisters, my equals. For example, my husband and I recently travelled to Bolivia on a mission trip, sharing the Good News through music and street preaching, and people would sometimes come up to us and give us money, and many assumed that they would have to pay for the little flyers we gave out with a Christian message. Unfortunately, many street preachers and “bus evangelists” do ask for a collection each time they go out, meaning that they are generally regarded as beggars, something that makes me very sad. I know that there are Biblical arguments that support doing a full time ministry whilst supported by Christian offerings. However, there is also a solid, Biblical precedent for those who choose not to. For example, the Apostle Paul himself, who wrote: “Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me, for I would rather die than allow anyone to deprive me of this boast. For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge,and so not make full use of my rights as a preacher of the gospel.” (1 Corinthians 9:13-18) Many of those who justify their right to live from the Gospel stop quoting after verse 14. But we can see that for Paul it was a great joy for him to forego this right and preach “free of charge”. Whilst we were preaching in Bolivia we met a number of people who were earnestly seeking after God, but had become disillusioned and disappointed by churches and church leaders where they could only see a love of money. Imagine, if we had preached to them and then asked for an offering! Or, if we had invited them to our Bible study and then passed around a hat for donations! And yet, this is sadly what happens ALL THE TIME. Many churches ask for “love offerings” from those who are still seeking and many evangelists ask for donations after they have preached to people. It was a source of great joy and thankfulness to us that we were able to travel to Bolivia and continue working to earn money in order to finance our trip and make the whole thing possible. Shortly before we set out there for the first time I applied for an online teaching position and got it, meaning that we have the freedom to travel wherever there is a good internet connection and continue to spread the Good News. God enabled it. God has provided, and we are overwhelmingly grateful. To HIM be the glory! We don't earn much but it's enough to live on, and we feel called to live this way for this season.

I think we all feel that we could be better listeners, don’t we? Or at least many of us do. But do we realise the true impact of listening from the heart when someone we know is upset or in distress? I hadn’t really thought about this so much until it happened to me the other day. To give you a little context I’ll just explain that I had woken up in the night around 3 am and couldn’t sleep, and for some reason I started investigating online into alcoholism. I’ve seen a lot of very serious, “far gone” alcoholics in parks and squares etc, who sleep rough, and I was wondering if they could all become sober, or if some physically couldn’t survive without the alcohol in their system. I was thinking about it because I remembered a conversation with one homeless man who explained to me that when he drank water he would throw up and that the only thing that would “normalise” his body was alcohol. I didn’t understand this at the time, but after my late night investigation, I’ve come to comprehend it a little better, by reading this article about the about the “myths and realities of alcoholism”: http://www.lakesidemilam.com/alcohol-drug-addiction/under-the-influence/a-guide-to-the-myths-and-realities-of-alcoholism/ Anyway, back to the topic in hand: listening. When I woke the next morning I was very distressed by what I had learnt, as I have a close family member who is an alcoholic, and I felt so bad that I hadn’t understood their condition before and that I had been judgmental towards them. Thankfully, my husband was at my side, ready to listen carefully to my inner suffering. I asked him to close the computer and to put away his phone and that he look at me. I know that all sounds very demanding, but I found that I physically couldn’t tell him anything of importance unless he gave me his undivided attention. And when he did, it was like a soothing balm to my spirit. When he looked at me and listened and understood I felt such relief and healing; I was able to unburden my sorrows and feel so much lighter afterwards. One of the reasons why it is so important for me to feel listened to is that my “Love Language” is Quality Time. I don’t know if you have studied or even heard of the “5 Love Languages”, if not, I recommend you investigate them as they are extremely beneficial too all, not only married couples. This is a nice little video in which Dr. Gary Chapman gives a brief overview of the 5 Love Languages and their importance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp5TUhTsxPw Everyone feels better after being listened to without interruptions, unwanted advice or judgement. However, those of us whose “Love Language” is Quality Time need to be listened to in this way in order to stay emotionally sane. It’s easy to fall into the trap of labelling someone as “attention seeking” or “immature” when they tell us to put down our smartphone / newspaper or turn off the TV / computer and give them our undivided attention. But it’s not that at all. I can tell you that when I’m not listened to I feel ignored, unloved, frustrated and alone. But 5 – 10 minutes (or more!) of being listened to in a meaningful way can make a HUGE difference; a world of difference. It’s very powerful.

I love God over all things and I desire to serve him with all my heart, “in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). I want to preach the Gospel as Jesus commanded us to (Matthew 28:18-20) I want to proclaim “the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah” (Revelation 12:10, Daniel 2:44, Psalm 2) as the only solution to humanity’s problems. I want to be part of a brotherhood in which we are all equal, like in early Christianity. Obeying the Bible as our authority and not “teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:6-9) Serving God and neighbour with sincere love and not hypocrisy or selfish ambition. Not making money from the Word of God nor living off tithes and offerings. Doing good, consoling others with the Word and giving to poor as our Lord did. Not asking for anything, but giving generously. Not judging, but consoling. Not ordering others about, but encouraging them in love. Not tearing down, but building up. No more religion!!! Christ is “the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Juan 14:6), only He can lead us to the Father and only His sacrifice can make the forgiveness of sins possible. Religion is guilty of inciting people to kill and hate each other (Revelation 18:24). Religion is the lair of false prophets and charlatans (Revelation 18:2) Religion is like a shop that sells salvation, but without a guarantee. Religion enjoys “excessive luxuries” (Rev 18:3), making a profit from the faithful. It proclaims itself to be “the house of God and the gate to heaven”, “Noah’s ark”, the way to salvation. However, her corruption is self-evident and we know that “God has remembered her crimes”. This is why the Bible warns us to “Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes”. (Revelation 18:4-5) May the grace of God the Father, the love of Jesus Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit illuminate and guide us! http://faithandencouragement.wordpress.com/

I realised today that I have been a Christian for 15 years… half of my lifetime! Then I started pondering on all the mistakes I have made as a Christian, how many things I regret. And I’ve narrowed it down to one main thing: for ever so many years, I was searching for my identity within a church, a denomination, a group. I think this is a very human thing to do: we want to be part of a group, have a leader, feel secure, delegate some of our personal responsibility perhaps. But it is NOT the way to go. It led me to search tirelessly for an ideal church or denomination, even though I knew deep down such a thing did not exist, and I ended up getting embroiled in so many different churches and doctrines, as varied as Catholicism, Evangelicalism and then the Jehovah’s Witnesses. I would encourage you all NOT to fall into this trap: DO NOT DEFINE YOURSELF as Presbyterian or Baptist or Reformed or Catholic or whatever: only as Christian, this is enough. Because we are followers of Christ, not ultimately of St Thomas of Aquinas or even Luther or Calvin, only Christ. And the next time someone asks you what church you belong to or which denomination you are, before you answer, be aware of the motive behind their question. It is my belief that people generally ask this question in order to judge or form an opinion of you, according to their prejudices. All I answer now is “Christian”, nothing more, even if they press me. If I were to expand I would perhaps add that my desire is to follow Biblical, primitive Christianity, following Christ as He leads me.

All too often, we analyse our actions, our hearts and minds, but not the traditions handed down to us by the church. “Who am I to question the church leaders and centuries of theologians and tradition?” we could ask, humbly. So, we decide to trust them. We trust them because they have studied more than we have, because they seem to know all the answers whilst we’re still floundering with countless questions. Perhaps we read the Bible to show us how to behave and how to become more holy, but we don’t often read it to learn more of the everlasting truths we profess to believe. I was like that for many, many years. Since I became a Christian at age 15 I developed a hunger for the Word and I would read it for many hours, honestly asking God to test my heart, to show me where I was sinning, and help me to become more like Christ. Every time I would read a passage I would ask God to show me how to apply it practically in my life. I think this kind of Bible reading is beautiful and very important. However, there is also a place for more analytical Bible study, in which we read it to learn more about God’s character and scriptural doctrine. Although the kind of Bible reading that I carried out was extremely important for my own personal growth as a Christian, I feel that I sometimes fell into “narcissistic reading”; i.e. I read and I found MYSELF in every passage! Every blessing that God promised to the Israelites I took for myself. Every criticism I read of the “fool” in Proverbs I took to be a comment on my own character. I’m not saying that Christians can’t find encouragement or discipline in the Old Testament, but I think that all too often we read the Bible and our ego blinds us from analysing deeper truths. I still read the Bible and ask God to use it to show me how I need to change and grow, but I also concentrate on learning more about HIM. Of His character, rather than my own. When I read of the Israelites and His never-ending patience and forgiveness towards them, I marvel at His mercy. I now spend longer over the more difficult passages that speak of His divine plan, His nature and what that passage tells me of certain doctrines that I’ve come to believe or doubt. My husband once told me: “Read the Bible without doctrinal prejudice: open your heart and let it teach you”. I started to do that around eight years ago and I really feel that my analytical eyes have been opened. I now read, not only to apply behavioural teachings to my life, but also to UNDERSTAND. And, of course, that process leads to a myriad of questions. “What does this passage really MEAN?” I frequently ask myself. And not content to let the question pass, I spend time investigating in the Bible, in prayer and in conversation with other Christians to help me to shed light on this issue. This is an active process and a very personal one. I do not accept that one human being, leader or religion will be able to answer all my questions. I am no longer willing to listen to an answer and accept it because it sounds nice or because I trust the person who is speaking to me. I have to become convinced in my own heart and mind after listening to their opinions and searching for myself in the Bible and after much prayer. And I try not to become “calcified” in my understanding of doctrine; my desire is to remain open-minded and reasonable. In fact, that is the definition of the word “disciple”, which means “learner”. How can I be a disciple if I have closed my mind to questioning and doubts and refuse to accept any other interpretation other than that which I have arrived at? I encourage you to do the same: read, question, investigate. Rather than leading you away from God this process will bring you to your knees before Him. http://faithandencouragement.wordpress.com/

Absolutely! This is of course true, but I feel that people say that so much that often we forget about words altogether.

I think that when many Christians consider evangelism, they start to break out in a cold sweat. “What will I say? What will they think of me? I don’t know what to say or how!” Evangelism is akin to public speaking in many Christians’ minds: high up on the fear list. I don’t say this to condemn or even criticise; I just think that it’s important to recognise that many people feel that way so that we can encourage them. The most encouraging words, in my opinion, come from Jesus himself: “do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.” (Matthew 10:19-20). The Apostle Paul said this about his own evangelistic style: “And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.” (1 Corinthians 2:4) When many people think of the Holy Spirit, they consider first the gifts and manifestations of the Spirit, which is all well and good, but I would like to bring to our attention Jesus’ parting words to the disciples about the role of the Holy Spirit: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) I’ve been reading through the book of Acts searching for clues about how to carry out our ministry and learn from the apostles. Time and time again I’ve been impressed and inspired about how the apostles’ lives were shaped by the power of the Spirit; the confused and unreliable disciples we read of in the four Gospels are now faith filled men of God, not because they suddenly “got it”, but because they had received the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus had promised them. In my opinion, the disciples didn’t receive that power because they got up really early in the morning every day to pray, or because they lived spectacular, holy lives, it was because they were open to it, painfully conscious of their own weaknesses. That’s why I don’t think that it’s a bad thing or something to be ashamed of that we find evangelism scary. We mustn’t hide that or put on a brave face and share the Gospel with secretly trembling hands. We need to confess our fears and weaknesses to God and ask him humbly to fill us with his Holy Spirit, so that we can share the saving message of Christ with power. http://faithandencouragement.wordpress.com/