Tips to Make Him Love You More

By Vitus Ejiogu 

During the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gave us three ways by which we may gain His love. He also pointed out some dangers to avoid as we do this. There are obviously many more ways to gain His love than the three things He suggested, yet the three are the very specific ways of gaining His favour. They compel us to serve others more than we serve ourselves. The three ways are giving, praying, and fasting.

When we glorify God and meet the needs of others, it is seen as a wonderful area of kingdom ministry. It is all too easy to look upon giving as a responsibility, instead of a great privilege. In giving, we do not give for fame, or thanks or even gratitude but with a servant's heart.

In the other hand, prayer is not to be seen as a mere devotion but a way God has chosen for us to partner with Him so as to make things happen. God is calling us to serve others in prayer. We can make a difference in the lives of others by going to God on their behalf. In our prayers, it is expected that we spend quality time interceding on behalf of others.

Also fasting is not an option, but is an aspect of our service for God and others. To so many people, fasting seems to be a spiritual discipline that deals with an individual's personal walk with God. To me this is an incomplete statement, because I see fasting as the greatest acts of love and service we can perform for one another. When we pray and fast for someone we are turning up the heat! We are displaying intensity and willingness to pursue God's best for the person we are praying for.

We make God love us more when we look for ways to humble ourselves before Him and others as we pour out our lives in service. God's love is showered upon you when you give, pray and fast in service to others. Today, would you consider taking a step toward greatness in the kingdom by giving away some of what God has given you; praying out souls into God's kingdom, and doing without food so that you can seek God on behalf of others? The Lord is interested in the work you do for others rather than the the ones you do for yourself. For God to love you more, you need to move away from selfish interests and get on with the things that please others.

Vitus Ejiogu is a writer and publisher with the Fire-Brand Int"l Ministries, a media ministry that is based in Nigeria.

He is the editor of FOUNDATION SATELLITE magazine also published by the ministry. He pastors a Church in Bauchi and is married with children.

You can reach him at: firebrandhq@yahoo.com
or, 234 802 8181 829. Website: http://businessunit.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vitus_Ejiogu

 

Christian Ministries Today - The Way We Are

By Vitus Ejiogu 

Living the Christian life can be like trying to break a rock. We keep doing our best even though nothing much happens. Sometimes we get discouraged bearing the same burden, resisting the same temptation, as we go through life, but when we see the work we do for God and mankind as a ministry, we can every resistance by continuing.

The word ministry which today has been secularized and bastardized actually originated from Christendom. In Christianity, ministry stands for a gift - an individual manifestation of grace from God which us to serve Him and thus play a vital role in His plan for the redemption of the world. It is a spiritual commitment of one's gift and opportunities for the salvation and edification of souls.

For anyone to recognize and function effectively in his/her ministry, he/she must first understand that God equips His children for the sole purpose of using them to work for Him. As a result, we all must see the importance of every single soul as God sees it. We must also know who we are in the plan of God to save the whole world, recognize how we have been using our personalities and our individual gifts in the past for the edification of God's kingdom.

Hence we live in a world where hatred and misuse of one's priority abound, it is advantageous to pay more attention to the Spirit of God and advance the world positively by using the gifts that are deposited in us. God wills that we yield our hearts to Him in love, and then with courage, become effective witnesses for Him. It is when this is achieved, that the spirit of hatred and bitterness can be overcome. So many people think that things can never be different, but if we really believe the omnipotence of God's love we may not distrust His power. When God's children learn to accept His love, not only for themselves individually, but for the life of other and put into use the gifts that have been given to them, things will definitely be different.

Surely, better things will gradually prevail if believers in Christ will yield themselves unreservedly for God to work through them. Our faith in love as the greatest power in the world should prepare us for a life in communion with God through the use of our spiritual gifts (ministry gifts) as can be evidenced in prayer, a life of unselfish service among our fellow-men, etc.

However, having known what Christian ministry is all about, and how important it is to use our gifts to honour God, I want to further bring out various ministries that we are called into so as to help us master them, as well as using them for the benefit of all. This article will however run in series as important points are discussed.

Vitus Ejiogu is a writer and publisher with the Fire-Brand Int"l Ministries, a media ministry that is based in Nigeria.

He is the editor of FOUNDATION SATELLITE magazine also published by the ministry. He pastors a Church in Bauchi and is married with children.

You can reach him at: firebrandhq@yahoo.com or: 234 80 8181 829.
Website: http://www.palmgates.com or http://www.firebrandhq.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vitus_Ejiogu

 

The Coquette And The Coquetry

By Vitus Ejiogu 

When I was a teenager I needed to know how much a lady competitor cared about me, even though she tries always to outrun me in class works. Her desire to remain on top of every matter in the class was not actually as a result of her hatred for me, though I always try to put up a challenge against her desire to be the foremost student.

The day I decided to put up some few questions across, I discovered one serious weakness on her part - the desire to be noticed. Flirt may be the word, yet this coquettish behaviour left a disapproving mark on her person. I quickly grabbed that opportunity to launch out an assault on her and it paid off. She quickly caved in and got her fingers burnt.

Each of us has vulnerability like my competitor in school, that satan is eager to exploit. It may be something additive like drugs or alcohol, or it may be something seemingly harmless and perhaps even good like food, friendship, or work.

After His resurrection, Jesus asked Peter this personal and probing question: "Do you love Me more than these?" (John 21:15). Many have speculated as to what Jesus meant by the word "these", but it is probably better that we do not know. It allows each of us to personalize the question ask ourselves, "what do I love more than Jesus?" Is it food, drink, drugs, etc? What about those behaviours that are typical of a coquette?
It is no longer news to hear people tell us that satan hates us, what is news now is that he uses the things we love to tempt us. When satan finds out what you love more than God, he knows how to use it to manipulate you. The good news for all of here is that satan loses his grip over us the moment we delight ourselves in the Lord. The way people observe our lives, is the same way the enemy of our souls (satan) does. To be good representatives of Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us that we are to be submissive to authority, to live an honourable life, to do good works, to honour all people, and to fear God (1 Peter 2:11-17).

It is the testimony of our lives that gives us the opportunity to share the good news of Jesus. So we might want to ask ourselves, "What do people see in me?" Do they see Jesus or do they see a coquette in me?

Vitus Ejiogu is a writer and publisher with the Fire-Brand Int"l Ministries, a media ministry that is based in Nigeria.

He is the editor of FOUNDATION SATELLITE magazine also published by the ministry. He pastors a Church in Bauchi and is married with children.

You can reach him at: firebrandhq@yahoo.com or, 234 802 8181 829.
Website: http://businessunit.blogspot.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vitus_Ejiogu

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