Your Daily Word: Christian

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Challenges in Christian Life

Today, I learned that the biggest challenge we have is not the devil. After all, we're called to victory through Christ who gives us strength. I realized through our Pastor that the greatest challenge is to obey the WORD of GOD even through the challenging times.

You would argue why and how can that be? Firstly, our carnal nature is naturally opposite to what GOD wants us to do. Secondly, it's called a test and a challenge precisely because they're not easy.

Thankfully, even throughout the challenge HE remains to be on his throne. He enables us to soar on wings like eagles. His only desire is to let the glory of GOD be manifested in our lives.

Check out this song from Hillsong that captures this message rightfully.

Test of True Christianity

I've been reading through blog posts today and I'm blown away with how real the "TRUE CHRISTIANITY" in the lives of these people.

The first one I read from Joshua Harris site. It's a story about a missionary named Paton.

Here's the story:

[When Paton declared his intention to take the gospel to the New Hebrides islands] a Mr. Dickson exploded, "The cannibals! You will be eaten by cannibals!" The memory of Williams and Harris on Erromanga was only 19 years old.

But to this Paton responded:

Mr. Dickson, you are advanced in years now, and your own prospect is soon to be laid in the grave, there to be eaten by worms; I confess to you, that if I can but live and die serving and honoring the Lord Jesus, it will make no difference to me whether I am eaten by Cannibals or by worms; and in the Great Day my Resurrection body will rise as fair as yours in the likeness of our risen Redeemer.

This is the courage and zeal each one us must have! A courage that no circumstance, no situation or problem can pull us back and prevent us from fulfilling what God wants to do through us. A courage that believes that if God leads, God will surely provide.
The second one is from Dan Lacich of Provocative Christian Living. It's a story about the blogger's friend.

Here's an excerpt from his post:

On November 8, 2009 in South Asia, I and two other pastors from The Austin Stone, were robbed and attacked by a small gang of South Asian youth. Unexpectedly, one of these youth sliced my left cheek with a straight razor. The wound was 5 inches long and an inch deep. It spanned from about my left sideburn to the left corner of my mouth. Fortunately, the two other men with me were physically unharmed. We ran for safety in the middle of the city, pleaded with locals for help, and finally ended up in the emergency room at a local hospital where a doctor stitched up my face with three layers of stitches.

Even though he suffered these, here's what he has to say:

Our suffering in South Asia was a "gracious thing" inthe sight of God! It was a gift of grace! Listen to the profound message of 1 Peter 2:19-21: "For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps."

I don't want to waste a good moment of suffering. The legacy that I want to leave on this earth and to my family is a heap of stories of radical, simple devotion to Jesus! I am learning that the Calvary Road is not a path merely to endure; rather, the Calvary Roadis to be embraced with joy and hope! The Calvary Road is a "gracious" road! That straight razor may be the greatest blessing of the year for my family and I as it leads me one step further on the Calvary Road - the Road that my Lord embraced on his way to die for thugs like me and the South Asian man who knifed me.

Read the whole post here: http://www.austinstone.org/current/god_gospel_mission/lessons_from_a_razor/

Such an amazing MEN of GOD! Such are True Christians!
Let's all desire to be just like them! Same Zeal! Same Enthusiasm! Same faith!
Praise the Lord!

BEHAVE LIKE A CHRISTIAN

I am in no way the right person to say what's right and what's not in being a Christian and how a "CHRISTIAN" should behave because just like everybody else I too am a struggling one. Struggling to be more like Christ everyday. Struggling for Christ to continue molding me to be the person He created me to be.

But how do we really behave like a Christian? Let the Word of God spill the beans...

It's a letter/epistle of Paul to the Romans.

Romans 12:9-21 (New King James Version)

Behave Like a Christian

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.

10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another;

11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;

12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;

13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality.
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
17 Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.

18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

20 Therefore

“ If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
If he is thirsty, give him a drink;
For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.”

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

You claim to be a Christian, right? Check back what Paul had to say?

What do we learn from this? We may not be the perfect guy who can do all those things but we can the person whose heart is fully dedicated to the Lord with humility accepting that he's not perfect yet with willingness to be broken and changed.

God Bless you!

Published by Your Daily Word

Recommended Christian Blogs/Sites

This site has been very blessed with so much blessing from the time it started. I'm not sure if I've shared it with you but when I started this site and wrote my first post, INSTANTLY I got a new follower and a comment on the very first post I made. Check my first post here: Welcome to Your Daily Word

But look at where we at right now? We see 114 Blog Followers, 198 RSS and/or Email Subscribers, 6 Mobile Subscribers and just recently the site got another level up from Google. This site is now PageRank 3 in just 3 months of blogging. And I want to thank all of you who are reading this right now who made this possible. I Praise the Lord for your lives.

Speaking of praising the Lord for this successes, one person actually commented and congratulated me saying "I did a good Job! and then he continued quoting: "You did a good Job but I think the Lord didn't have anything to do with it. He's just too busy to take care of your blog." This statement is completely and utterly FALSE. Clearly, he has a wrong concept of God. We should never forget God is not a man that he gets tired, gets busy or gets sleepy. He in fact is always there for us, watches over us and takes care of us. Always and always the glory belongs to God. And if this site will be made successful (and I believe that He will do it), the glory shall always belong to whom it deserves: My Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Back to to the Thanksgiving! Yes, I thank the Lord first and foremost for everything He has done to this blogsite. Second I'd thank all you subscribers that I may not know personally but I pray and declare for God to bless you more and more and for His purposes for your lives to surely come to pass! Thirdly, my family who has always been there for me, supporting me, reading my posts. To my family: I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART! Lastly (but not the least: seriously) are my friends here in the blogosphere. Without them reading and leaving comments and linking back to my site, PAGERANK I think will be impossible. So today, I'm giving LOVE back.

Here are my friends and their Blogs/Sites that I request for you visit:

Please check my Blogroll on the sidebar for more recommendable Christian sites.

Tom Usher of Real Liberal Christian Church

Kuya Kevin off KuyaKevin.com

BSHELLY of Seeking God's Heart

Kevin of Journey of Verse and The Chronicle Watch

May God Bless you all and Thanks again!

Christian Guy's Random Thoughts

This blog as you all know is dedicated in becoming a devotional site where you will be blessed, encouraged, rebuked and even corrected through the Word of God and the power of Jesus Christ. And I really hope that it is serving it's purpose. I am praying, really. Do you pray for your blogs or sites if you have one? You should! It's after all God's blessing to you and God's way for you to bless and glorify His name in anything you do.

I have read this post from one of my favorite bloggers: 3 Tips for Not Sucking at Christian Blogging. Go over there after reading this. ChurchCrunch is one great blog for you to subscribe and follow. I really highly recommend.

Anyway, the post said this:

"Blog about stuff that isn’t obviously Christian. You must have other interests other than your faith 24/7, right? Being super-spiritual on your blog doesn’t prove anything to me and certainly not to the unbeliever."

And I think I agree. That's the reason I posted something about American Idol. And I was about to go that way but God reminded me on the purpose why this site existed. It is to be a site where you, my readers and subscribers can be blessed by the Word of God. Verses and Reflections that you can use for everyday life. I don't want to interfere what God is doing here with my own "interests". True, I really pray for each post here that the readers be blessed by each word of it.

With that, I had been directed to creating a blog where I can just say what I want to say. Not necessarily always about Spiritual things but don't take me wrong it will always have Christian and Godly principles. I started a new blog: Christian Guy's Random Thoughts. In here, you'll get to know me personally and no longer just a preacher of the Word or a blogger of the Word at that.

At the end of the day, Your Daily Word remains to be your daily devotional. But if you want to know me personally and the ins and outs of my Christian life, go and drop my personal blog.

That's it for today! God Bless you more!