Encouragement To Stay Strong In Virginity

This was given in response to a facebook post https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151616126209315&set=a.10150579571414315.385485.313039474314&type=1&theater which read

"  Dear Admin,
Am i normal?? Am a virgin of 21 and nt into any relationship..i feel depressed, ashamed nd stupid for abstaining till marriage, becos i feel i made a bad decision and i dnt hav frndz again coz am still a virgin.most of dem think am 'Old school' its really getting to me becos i dnt hav anybody to talk to most times! What should i do??
Plz dnt include my name ..Godbless  "


My response was this :


There is a game called Super Mario where you collect gold rings and part of the punishment when you get hit is that all your precious collected gold rings get spilled out over the floor and become wasted, unrecoverable. Your precious gift is like that - it is something that you are carrying with you and is precious and you do not want it to become something wasted, something dirty, something useless for the future. People in the world do not value virginity but to Christ it is something of very high value. Believe me there is a BIG difference between someone who is a virgin through choice and someone who is unable to interact with the opposite sex! Christ sees your voluntary withholding of that gift until marriage as something of great price and great value. Just because you do not have a soul partner right now with whom you can share your life, your intimate thoughts and moments does NOT mean that Christ will not move on your behalf if you remain faithful!!! Virginity is a precious, precious gift and one to be highly esteemed and valued and, indeed, treasured. Many women and men are actually, like you, seeking a like-minded partner in these things. Many women and men do despair in these things and give up but equally many treasure and are carrying that gift - be like them!!! It's a matter of the heart and a posture before God - either this IS REAL and it REALLY IS WORTH SERVING CHRIST or we are wasting our time. Personally I just want to remind you that the devil wants to destroy marriages just as much as he wants single people to commit immorality, and ONE OF THE BEST DEFENCES WITH WHICH TO BUILD A STRONG MARRIAGE IS VIRGINITY BEFOREHAND. When I think of my wife and myself and our marriage and the testing times that it has gone through, one of the great stabilising factors in our marriage has been, that although we have had problems, yet underlying it all is a sexual commitment one to another which was evidenced in my virginity before marriage (at age 31, no less). This gives us a great peace and confidence and trust within our marriage that we can relax with each other and not be interfering with each other all the time scared and paranoid that our other partner will go out and commit adultery - no, there is that level of trust that what we honoured before marriage we will also honour after marriage. I was a virgin and my wife was a single mum but she had lived six+ years as a second-time virgin since her born-again experience, so I counted that the same, to me, as a virgin also. Hope that encourages you. God bless and stay strong ! ! ! ! !

Speaking to train commuters about the power and love and grace of Eternal Life.

God has challenged me recently into a type of preaching which I can maintain for long periods of time on a train and really sense the presence of the Holy Spirit very strongly whilst doing it.  It involves beginning to pray out loud but reasonably softly until I can sense God's presence and anointing all around me.  I then often sense the presence of the Lord focusing my attention on one or two individuals within the carriage and, without necessarily making eye contact, keep praying and praising God with them in mind.  I will begin to pray and praise God using such language is as simple as possible and as easy as possible for anyone to understand and I use phrases such as referencing the love and blessings of heaven, taking a sinner from a state of sin into being a saint, converting a sinner from doing wrong to serving the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, being our best friend, being Christ who died for our sins to make a way of escape from Hell to Heaven, how God desires that every single person will love Him and praise Him and choose to receive Everlasting Life etc.  I continue in this manner indefinitely growing in volume and boldness till people in the carriage can plainly hear what I am saying.  I've got some music headphones on and I'm not deliberately trying to make eye contact although obviously as I grow in confidence I can do that too, speaking about the power of God to reach into a heart and a life and convert them from sin to holiness etc.  People genuinely cannot believe what they are hearing on a train but if I do it in a sober-minded, rational way without putting too much emotion into my voice people tend to let me continue as I wish and they don't disturb me or start shouting back abusive language at me.  Sometimes even as a cover I will get a book and be praying out loud and declaring how God can convert a sinner and grant them everlasting eternal life and save them from hell to  heaven, and people are just listening and glancing over but because I have my headphones on and am not trying to push 'in their face' the onus then is on them to speak up and in general no one does.  I can continue for many minutes even when the train stops at stations and the noise level drops to near zero so you can hear a pin prick and every word of my sermonette also.  I really don't hold back but use language that I hope people will use to bring themselves to conversion, including praying part or all of the sinners prayer in order to clarify what a person must do to receive Christ.  I also talk about a person trusting in Christ and putting off cynicism and embracing the love of the cross.  I do cover aspects as the immoral person putting off the ways of uncleanness and embracing the ways of holiness, the adulterous person putting on the ways of faithfulness and fidelity, the man who blasphemes to becoming one who has a holy mouth, a liar to become honest etc.  I really am aiming to give people something to think about and hope that they too can have enough knowledge from what I have said to put into motion something in their lives that they would accept Christ.  My aim is to speak into a sinner's life who has no or little interest in Christ and convince them to bring their heart into the presence of God through faith.  I really tell them what to do and use language of heaven which inspires people to go there but I do mention sin and hell also, contrasting the two often.  The key is to do this 'in the Lord' and have the presence of the Lord strong on my life as I do it, giving me a peace which sinners cannot really understand nor speak against.  I have had business men and women stare me out whilst I am preaching, listening to every word as if they cannot believe their ears.  But they listen and drink in what I am saying and I am praying that an immoral person will truly find Christ and become moral etc and so they know that I am praying for them in a blessed way and I am not some sort of fanatic (all though I am) or lunatic.  It takes boldness to do what I do and I think they are amazed I would have the boldness to do what I do, which earns a certain kind of respect even though they might completely be surprised at the message and have never heard the likes in all their lives.  I also occasionally sit down with someone in mind so when I get going that person near me gets to hear a full sermon whether they like it or not.  Some people have headphones but obviously I have no control over that and don't seek to.  It's a blessing to rejoice in the God of my salvation and I just desire to press in, praying more and more and declaring the works of heaven without compromise to as many people as possible.  I also pray that in time my message will become so strong and powerful that it really will impact people on the train and I will have conversions right there and then.  Right how that is going to work I just don't know but when it happens I will be ready and ready to confound the wisdom of the wise with a foolishness from above using a child-like faith in Christ.  A friend once told me she likewise had a desire to reach out and speak to so many people; I am just putting it into practice.

Street Pastors report

Enfield UK

Update

On Saturday 4th May 2013 ESPs Bevali, Carol, Phil and Richard met at St Andrews Church and considered Jesus' claim to the woman at the well "Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (John 4:14). We prayed that many who were finding that they thirsted again after visiting the pubs and clubs would seek out the Living Water of the Holy Spirit.

We drove down to Broomfield Park in Palmers Green to coincide with the end of the family funfair. It was dark and quiet and so we walked down Aldermans Hill towards Palmers Green Station. We talked to Amin at the mini-cab office who told us about some recent muggings opposite the station. Walking up Green Lanes we found that many of the shops and restaurants were open and busy.

Up at the Fox things were quiet but crossing over we found The Alfred Herring pub to be very busy. We met G... who was eager to talk to us and give his opinions on the world. He was particularly keen to tell us that he had been excluded from the pub for breaking up a fight in the past. Over the next hour or so we met him at many other locations, he was clearly not too welcome at the pubs and clubs due to his loudness.

We were also delighted to talk to a Greek man who told us that this weekend was Easter with first light that evening. He is a regular at the Orthodox Church in Edmonton.

Down at "The Live Room" club, which was almost empty at this early time, we talked to Ivan who was one of the door staff. He was lightly dressed in a tee-shirt, we think that it was his copious muscles keeping him warm.

Across the road at "The Inn on the Green" there were more customers and two of the security staff were eager to talk to us. Henry and his colleague are both Catholic, and Phil prayed for Simon's spiritual growth. He told us that if they get trouble it is always from non-regulars from other areas.

Back towards the station outside "The Wishing Well" we met Jake who had been working on the trampoline (taking a lot of money) at the funfair. He was in a good mood and even agreed to go off with Gary to get some drink.

We went back to Southgate where Bevali had to leave us, but Carol, Phil and Richard went down Chase Side as usual. Outside "The New Crown" Phil talked to Edmund who had been seeking God for some time. He had attended St Andrews Church as a child and played Jesus in a nativity play there. He asked Phil to help him pray a prayer of commitment and we commended him to a local Church. We thank God that we were able to offer Living Water to him. His friend (also from the Church School) first claimed to be an atheist but then an agnostic and Richard talked to him about suffering.

We walked down to towards Southgate Station and noticed a boisterous group of about 10 young men. By the time we had got some chips with the excellent minty chilli suace from the kebab shop, they were starting to have some sort of disagreement amongst themselves which culminated in some pushing between a few of them. We waited around for this to calm down and one of the guys actually came over and apologized to us for their behaviour, he said that they were locals. We came close to calling for support.

We met a woman from a Church in Winchmore Hill who was very pleased to talk to us before getting onto her bus with her husband and their chips.

It was peaceful walking back to Church although "The Maze" was quite busy.

Please pray
Please pray for all of those that we talked and prayed with, that God would make himself known to them.
Please pray for G... who we met a number of times this evening. He is an alcoholic and well known in Palmers Green. Pray he will want help and can get into re-hab.
Please pray for those who are vulnerable and distressed in any way.
Please pray for the Police and Emergency Services as they have to deal with incidents.
Please pray for peace and harmony in our communities
Thank you.

Piano and Song Spontaneous Song 'You Are Worthy To Be Praised'

Yesterday I recorded myself in a couple of spontaneous praise and worship sessions with just me and the piano.  They're not rehearsed or preplanned; just pure praise and worship spontaneously.

Here is one of the links below; it's my song and my creation!!!

https://soundcloud.com/user26135497/you-are-worthy-to-be-praised

Some improvising on the piano and just singing 'songs from the heart' spontaneously so these have never been preplanned or pre-practiced or rehearsed; they are just pure live singing on the fly. This one is called 'You Are Worthy To Be Praised'

Link To Article On Spiritual Manipulation - Very Clear And Succinct Advice !!!

Read a really great article here on Spiritual Manipulation although the author is not quoted

http://www.gotquestions.org/spiritual-manipulation.html#ixzz2QdjkzLuQ

Question: "What is spiritual manipulation?"

Answer:To manipulate is to negotiate, control or influence for one’s own advantage. Spiritual manipulation is a technique used by some abusive churches and cults to control individuals and acquire gain, all the while giving the impression that their teachings are based on the Bible.

Some religious groups take Scriptures out of context in order to support their beliefs. They isolate “proof texts” and “cherry pick” verses to persuade the uninformed that their interpretation is right, even to the extent of claiming they alone have “the truth” and everybody else is wrong. Some have even altered the Bible and produced their own translation to support their religious bias.

Some denominations use scholastic dishonesty to manipulate. They will use partial quotations from first-century Christians and eminent Bible scholars in suggesting that they agree with their views. Take, as an example, the booklet “Should You Believe in the Trinity?,” published by theWatchtower Society. Page 7 includes a partial quote from Justin Martyr: “Justin Martyr, who died about 165 C.E., called the prehuman Jesus a created angel who is ‘other than the God who made all things.’ He said that Jesus was inferior to God and ‘never did anything except what the Creator . . . willed him to do and say.’” What’s missing from this partial quotation is significant. Justin Martyr said that the “Son, who also, being the first-begotten Word of God, is even God.” Nowhere did Justin Martyr say the pre-human Jesus was a created angel.

Some individuals manipulate Scripture for their own personal benefit. An authoritarian husband might demand that his wife submit to him as the head of the house and quoteEphesians 5:22(“Wives, submit to your husbands”). But that same man might purposefully overlook verse 26, which says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” Instead of taking the bits of Scripture he approves of and using them to lord it over his family, he would do well to read 1 Corinthians 13 and practice the type of love that is patient, kind, protects, trust and perseveres, etc.

During a conversation between Christians, someone might say, "The Lord has told me that. . . ." This phrase essentially shuts down the conversation because it implies that, since God has spoken a word, there can't be any further discussion. Don't be fooled by this trick; it is a form of spiritual manipulation. Or a preacher says, "Sow into my ministry, and God will repay you. Sow, and you will reap! God is no man's debtor." Could such preaching simply be an exploitive appeal for money? Is the preacher trying to influence people for his own financial advantage? If so, it is spiritual manipulation.

Another form of spiritual manipulation occurs when abusive churches and cults twist Scripture to give more authority to the leadership and keep the members under their control. One example is the use ofHebrews 13:17as a basis for demanding unquestioning loyalty and obedience to the leaders. Some religious groups view questioning the leaders as tantamount to questioning God. Some leaders claim to have divine authority and approval; thus, to disobey them is to disobey God. This is perhaps the most pernicious form of spiritual manipulation, and it has no place in a true church.

Victims of spiritual manipulation seldom realize what’s happening to them. Here are some indicators of a spiritually manipulative church:

Legalism
Demands for obedience
Unquestioning submission
Punishment (loss of privileges, shunning or expulsion)
Misplaced loyalty
Emphasis on performance
Exclusivism (“we alone are right, and everybody else is wrong”)
Isolation (refusal to associate with anyone but spiritual brothers and sisters)
Humiliation of the "disobedient"

Abusive churches train members to block out any information that is critical of the group. With enough thought and information control, the leaders can get those under their control to defend their new identity against their former identity. The first line of defense is denial – “What you say isn’t happening at all.” Next comes rationalization – “This is happening for a good reason.” After that, justification – “This is happening because it ought to.” Finally, wishful thinking – “I’d like it to be true, so maybe it really is.”

A characteristic of spiritually abusive systems is that a misplaced sense of loyalty is fostered and even demanded. This is not about loyalty to Christ, but about loyalty to an organization, church or leader. Because authority is assumed or legislated, following that authority must also be legislated. This is accomplished is by setting up a system where disloyalty or disagreement with the leadership is construed as disobeying God. Questioning leaders is not allowed. After all, the leader is the authority, and authority is always right. Such spiritual manipulation denies the truth ofEphesians 1:22, which says that Christ is the Head of the church. Our loyalty is due Him.

All Christians need to be alert to spiritual manipulation and follow this example fromActs 17:11: “Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.” Did the apostle Paul take offense when theBereansresearched to ensure that his preaching was based on Scripture? Of course not, because Paul knew his preaching would stand up under exhaustive scrutiny. Likewise with all teaching and preaching – we must hold it up to the light of God’s Word before we accept it. Any religious group that prevents its members from doing independent research, or from challenging what the leadership says, must have something to fear.

Jesus told His disciples they would be like sheep among wolves and instructed them to be “shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16). The Master’s yoke is easy, and His burden is light. He gives us rest and is gentle and humble in heart (Matthew 11:28-29). That is the Christlike example all who shepherd Jesus’ flock must exemplify.

Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/spiritual-manipulation.html#ixzz2QdjkzLuQ

Money Management using the CAP Christians Against Poverty budgeting tool

The British Christians Against Poverty (CAP) has a brilliant online system to help plan a weekly and a monthly budget, and to plan for savings items as well on a monthly basis.

Basically you have three accounts.

Firstly your Salary/DirectDebit account where your income comes in and your fixed monthly expenditure goes out from eg Mortgage, Car Insurance, Electricity etc.

Secondly you have a 'cash' account and the things you buy (using either cash or debit card) are budgeted for and a weekly standing order is set up from the salary account to this cash account, so effectively you get paid weekly.  This is helpful psychologically and it helps overspend when you just get paid as well, as you only get a fixed amount to spend weekly so it 'tames' your desire to spend large on payday which can be a real curse.

Finally there is a savings account for annual items of expenditure eg Christmas, Car Tax, Holiday which you know are coming and so lay aside each month a fixed amount for them also.  This avoids panic nearer the time when the money has to be laid out and again helps to avoid over-spending on pay day because you set up a standing order to transfer a fixed amount monthly from your salary account into this savings account.

That's basically the CAP system and it works like a dream.  The cash element I personally found I am too busy to make cash work but instead I get a free text every morning from my bank so I know my balance and also if I spend money I send myself a text in the bank account stream of texts, so I can always check my spend at any moment.  I did try cash but am just too busy to make it work, plus get most of my items online now anyway and don't actually spend much cash.  But the system CAP recommends is, like you are trying, to go cash.  The system is free and the online budgeter can be updated as your budget changes.  Hope that helps!   https://www.capmoney.org/

Post to single women belying their unfruitful search for an (unsaved) boyfriend

Hi Limeliteshines Melola Miss Chatterbox LeapingTigers sorry to hear your predicament.  Obviously it's right that you want to find a good partner for yourselves which is obviously a good thing to look for.  However looking in the wrong place as you indicated can be a bad thing too, and something to be wary of!  I myself go to the gym but also fell in love with 'God' as a Christian many years back, gave my heart to him and made a decision to follow Christianity regardless of the consequences.

One of the consequences of that was that, in church, God brought me a good woman and we have been happily married 13 years now with six children!!!  But the main thing was that I followed God and HE led me to a good partner.  I'm sorry to preach but to help you I couldn't help post here and say to all you 'singles' out there that Christ is the best matchmaker on earth and if you follow HIM your heart will be satisfied and probably He will help you find a good, a really good man who will love you and take care of you.  I'm not saying you can't find them outside of church but I think it helps...  Anyway take care and enjoy your Easter.  Again I didn't come on here to preach but I couldn't help noticing your plea for help so to speak, so I thought I'd chip in and I hope you don't mind???