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

 

Healing From Your Sexual Past

Written by Barbara Wilson

I’ve heard every possible story. In addition to hearing the stories of the women who come into our bible study for sexual healing, people email me from all over the world. Just when I think I couldn’t possibly hear anything worse, someone shares the unimaginable with me. The evil that people do to one another must break and grieve God’s heart, the One who made us in His image, and created us precious in His sight. I know, because it desperately breaks my heart to hear the pain, humiliation and evil people have caused these precious women who share their hearts with me.

I’ve discovered after working with hundreds of women that regardless of the cause of their sexual wounding—whether from abuse, trauma as in rape, sex-trafficking or from their own choices, they all experience shame. They all believe that somehow they were to blame
 

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. They feel that they caused it, they allowed it, they wanted it, they deserved it, they were stupid for falling for it—on and on the lies go.

It’s often the shame that keeps us from taking the first step towards healing. First, because we don’t want to share our story with anyone—for we’re sure others will confirm how we feel about ourselves. And second because the shame tells us that we’re not worthy of healing—not after all we’ve done, or allowed others to do to us. We believe that that is all we’re good for and that we’ll never deserve any better.

Doesn’t that sound hopeless? So sad? This is one of the biggest lies I hear, and it’s a lie from the pit of hell.
Regardless of what has happened to us, whether our sexuality was robbed from us, whether we were abused, used, or we willingly gave our virginity away, we are worth everything to God. We were worth our Savior’s sacrifice of His life, and regardless of how we’re treated, or what others say, God is the One who determines our worth.

It’s His opinion alone that matters. And He finds us loveable, worthy, precious and best of all, He wants us. He wants to know us, love us, be with us, and share His life with us. Sometimes that’s hard to believe if everyone in our life has wanted us for their own selfish motives. But you can trust God. He will never hurt you, abuse you or betray you.

Alexa
One young woman, Alexa, had been gang raped by some boys she thought were friends. The one friend had invited her over to his place between classes, and there waiting were for her were the other guys. She was alone, vulnerable, without a chance of escape. I was horrified by her story. But it was the next words out of her mouth that I’ll never forget.

“It was all my fault,” she asserted, as if I must surely agree.
Taken aback, I replied, “How could gang-rape possibly be your fault?”
“Because,” she assumed, “I shouldn’t have been so stupid to trust him.”

Can you hear it? The shame, guilt, responsibility? She was angrier at herself than those who’d violated her. And because she believed she was to blame, she never told anyone for the next three years.

Healing from Trauma
For those of us who haven’t experienced sexual abuse, we find it hard to imagine that anyone who’s experienced sexual abuse as a child could believe that the abuse was their fault. But I hear it over and over. In fact the first step of healing for the sexual abuse victim is to recognize and acknowledge that the abuse was against their will, and not their fault regardless of how their bodies responded. They did not want it, no matter what their perpetrator said. They did not deserve it, they were not to blame. Often the beginning and hardest step of healing is transferring the blame they’ve carried, from themselves to the where it belongs—on him or her who exposed them to sex, and used them for their pleasure.

With current rates of sexual abuse by age 18 at one in three to four girls and one in six boys, I know that many of you have experienced this trauma. And my guess is that most of you have resisted God’s call to pursue healing—maybe because of the very lies I’ve mentioned here.  It’s time to say yes to God. It’s time to let Him heal your wounds and set you free from the lies surrounding your abuse.

You’ve suffered long enough. The shame and pain is keeping you stuck–spiritually, emotionally and physically from becoming all that God created you to be. There’s a world waiting to meet you…the real you. Not the one shrouded with lies and shame. But the you that only God knows. The you He died for so you could be free to love, live and serve with total abandon. I believe that although your heart’s desire is to help set others free, maybe God’s heart is to first set you free.  Isn’t it time?

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Nigeria: Repentant Sex Workers to Get N260,000 Take-Off Grant

Catherine Agbo, 8 August 2011

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The first set of rehabilitated commercial sex workers, who have undergone vocational training, courtesy of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), are set for graduation by September 2011.

The sex workers, numbering 50 would also receive a grant of N100, 000 from the administration to enable them start up their own businesses.


The coordinator, Society Against Prostitution and Child Labour in Nigeria (SAP-CLN), Mrs. Grace Adogo, who disclosed this while taking journalists on a tour of the centre, said the girls would be entitled to another N100,000 after six months following a report of good usage of the initial take off grant by an assessment team. She added that the girls would be given another N60, 000 after three months, bringing the total to N260, 000.

The group is a non-governmental organisation partnering the FCT on the rehabilitation programme
She explained that the graduation, billed for August, had to be postponed till September because of the Ramadan period.

Adogo said the girls had been able to prove to the administration that with the necessary support and training, they could be very useful to themselves and the society.

She assured that the centre would continue to provide rehabilitation and training to repentant commercial sex workers, while urging members of the public to accept and assist the girls to properly reintegrate into the society and refrain from stigmatising them.

A cross-section of the girls expressed appreciation to the FCT administration for the opportunity given to them, saying it had helped them to have another view of life.

They however appealed to the administration to extend the training period for other sets of trainees from three to six months to enable them have a grip of whatever skill they learn before leaving the centre.