FOLLOW CHRIST AND DEFEAT THE ENEMY

For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 1 John 2:16, NKJV.

Many of the people of God are stupefied by the spirit of the world, and are denying their faith by their works. They cultivate a love for money, for houses and lands, until it absorbs the powers of mind and being, and shuts out love for the Creator and for souls for whom Christ died. The God of this world has blinded their eyes; their eternal interests are made secondary; and brain, bone, and muscle are taxed to the utmost to increase their worldly possessions. And all this accumulation of cares and burdens is borne in direct violation of the injunction of Christ, who said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal.”

They forget that He said also, “Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven”; that in so doing they are working for their own interest. The treasure laid up in heaven is safe; no thief can approach nor moth corrupt it. But their treasure is upon the earth, and their affections are upon their treasure.

In the wilderness, Christ met the great leading temptations that would assail humanity. There, singlehanded, He encountered the wily, subtle foe, and overcame him. The first great temptation was upon appetite; the second, presumption; the third, love of the world. The thrones and kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, were offered to Christ. Satan came with worldly honor, wealth, and the pleasures of life, and presented them in the most attractive light to allure and deceive. “All these things,” said he to Christ, “will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.” Yet Christ repelled the wily foe, and came off victor.

The example of Christ is before us. He overcame Satan, showing us how we also may overcome. Christ resisted Satan with Scripture. He might have had recourse to His own divine power, and used His own words; but He said, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” If the Sacred Scriptures were studied and followed, the Christian would be fortified to meet the wily foe; but the Word of God is neglected, and disaster and defeat follow.

GOD HAS SENT WARNING, BUT FEW LISTEN

And it shall to pass at that time that I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and punish the men who are settled in complacency, who say in their heart, “The Lord will not do good, nor will He do evil.” Zephaniah 1:12, NKJV.
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We are near the close of time. I have been shown that the retributive judgments of God are already in the land. The Lord has given us warning of the events about to take place. Light is shining from His Word; yet darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people. “When they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them ...; and they shall not escape.”

It is our duty to inquire the cause of this terrible darkness, that we may shun the course by which men and women have brought upon themselves so great delusion. God has given the world an opportunity to learn and to obey His will. He has given them, in His Word, the light of truth; He has sent them warning, counsel, and admonition; but few will obey His voice. Like the Jewish nation, the majority, even of professed Christians, pride themselves on their superior advantages, but make no returns to God for these great blessings.

In infinite mercy a last warning message has been sent to the world, announcing that Christ is at the door and calling attention to God’s broken law. But as the antediluvians rejected with scorn the warning of Noah, so will the pleasure lovers of today reject the message of God’s faithful servants. The world pursues its unvarying round, absorbed as ever in its business and its pleasures, while the wrath of God is about to be visited on the transgressors of His law.

Our compassionate Redeemer, foreseeing the perils that would surround His followers at this time, has given them special warning: “Take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”

HEALTH RELATIONSHIP

AM I IN A HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP?

Communication is a key part to building a healthy relationship. Communication means that you are able to share things about yourself and your feelings. It also means that you listen to what the other person shares. In doing so, you learn whether you both want and expect the same things--being on the same page is very important. The following tips can help you create and maintain a healthy relationship:

 

Speak Up. In a healthy relationship, if something is bothering you, it's best to talk about it instead of holding it in. Stay calm and talk about how you feel without attacking or blaming.

Respect Your Partner. Your partner's wishes and feelings have value. Let your significant other know you are making an effort to keep their ideas in mind. Mutual respect is essential in maintaining healthy relationships.

Compromise. Disagreements are a natural part of healthy relationships, but it's important that you find a way to compromise if you disagree on something. Try to solve conflict in a fair and rational way. In a healthy relationship, negotiation and compromise are always present.

Be Supportive. Offer reassurance and encouragement to your partner. Also, let your partner know when you need their support. Healthy relationships are about building each other up, not putting each other down.

Respect Each Other's Privacy. Just because you're in a relationship, doesn't mean you have to share everything and constantly be together. Healthy relationships require space.

 

WHAT IS AN UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIP?

Relationships that are not healthy are based on power and control, not equality and respect. In the early stages of an abusive relationship, you may not think the unhealthy behaviors are a big deal. However, possessiveness, insults, jealous accusations, yelling, humiliation, pulling hair, pushing or other negative, abusive behaviors, are--at their root--exertions of power and control. Remember that abuse is always a choice and you deserve to be respected. There is no excuse for abuse of any kind.

Qualities like kindness and respect are absolute requirements for a healthy relationship. Someone who doesn't yet have this part down may need to work on it with a trained therapist before he or she is ready for a relationship. Meanwhile, even though you might feel bad or feel for someone who's been mistreated, you need to take care of yourself--it's not healthy to stay in a relationship that involves abusive behavior of any kind.

When a boyfriend or girlfriend uses verbal insults, mean language, nasty putdowns, gets physical by hitting or slapping, or forces someone into sexual activity, it's an important warning sign of verbal, emotional, or physical abuse.

Ask yourself, does my boyfriend or girlfriend:

 get angry when I don't drop everything for him or her?

 criticize the way I look or dress, and say I'll never be able to find anyone else who would date me?

 keep me from seeing friends or from talking to any other guys or girls?

 want me to quit an activity, even though I love it?

 ever raise a hand when angry, like he or she is about to hit me?

 try to force me to go further sexually than I want to?

These aren't the only questions you can ask yourself. If you can think of any way in which your boyfriend or girlfriend is trying to control you, make you feel bad about yourself, isolate you from the rest of the world, or harm you physically or sexually, then it is time to get out, fast. Let a trusted friend or family member know what's going on and make sure you're safe.

It can be tempting to make excuses or misinterpret violence, possessiveness, or anger as an expression of love. But even if you know that the person hurting you loves you, it is not healthy. No one deserves to be hit, shoved, or forced, into anything he or she doesn't want to do.

 

DO NOT forget about YOU!

If you think your relationship is unhealthy, it's important to think about your safety now. Consider these points as you move forward.

Understand that a person can only change if they want to. You can't force your partner to alter their behavior if they don't believe they're wrong.

Focus on your own needs. Are you taking care of yourself? Your wellness is always important. Watch your stress levels, take time to be with friends, get enough sleep. If you find that your relationship is draining you, consider ending it.

Connect with your support systems. Often, abusers try to isolate their partners. Talk to your friends, family members, teachers and others to make sure you're getting the emotional support you need. Remember, our advocates are always ready to talk if you need a listening ear.

Think about breaking up. Remember that you deserve to feel safe and accepted in your relationship. Even though you cannot change your partner, you can make changes in your own life to stay safe. Consider leaving your partner before the abuse gets worse.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF MAN, ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE

The Bible makes it abundantly clear that God created man and that He created him for His glory (see Isaiah 43:7). Therefore, the ultimate purpose of man, according to the Bible, is simply to glorify God.

A harder question to answer, perhaps, is what does it look like to glorify God? In Psalm 100:2–3, we’re told to worship God with gladness and “know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” Part of what it looks like to glorify God is to acknowledge who God is (our Creator, for starters) and to praise and worship Him as such.

We fulfill our purpose of glorifying God also by living our lives in relationship and faithful service to Him (see 1 Samuel 12:24 and John 17:4). Since God created man in His image (Genesis 1:27), man’s purpose cannot be fulfilled apart from Him. King Solomon tried living for his own pleasure, yet at the end of his life he concluded that the only worthwhile life is one of honor and obedience to God (see Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).

In our fallen state, sin separates us from God and makes it impossible to glorify Him on our own. But through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, our relationship with God is reconciled—our sin is forgiven and no longer creates a barrier between God and us (see Romans 3:23–24).

Interestingly, we are able to glorify God because He gave us glory first. David writes in Psalm 8:4–5, “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet.” (This is also repeated in Hebrews 2:6–8.) This verse reveals another purpose that God has given man: dominion over the earth (see Genesis 1:28–29). Again, though, this can only be properly fulfilled through a right relationship with God.

The more we get to know our Creator and the more we love Him (Matthew 22:37–38), the better we understand who we are and what our purpose is. We were created to bring Him glory. God has unique plans and purposes for each person (Jeremiah 29:11), but we can know that, whatever those plans look like, they will ultimately result in His glory (see Proverbs 3:6 and 1 Corinthians 10:31).

WHY BECOMING SELF-EMPLOYED IS THE ANSWER

If I was to give advice, I’d encourage everyone to become self-employed.

You don’t get any benefits by working for someone else.

Actually, your performance is bad because you just don’t have the motivation; you usually do something you don’t like; and you probably stay in an office from 9 to 5. Eventually you start dreading Mondays, become depressed because you never do what you want, and you realize that the balance and security this job may give you can disappear in an instant by losing it. And then what?

I think self-employment is the answer.

Nothing beats being your own boss, doing what you enjoy and are passionate about, making a decent income by actually offering value to others and having free time whenever you feel like. It’s freedom in so many ways.

It may take some hard work, probably money to begin with, a lot of time, dedication, unexpected problems and moments when you’ll be on the verge of giving up. But what doesn’t?
Everything great requires these things and the result, if achieved, is tremendous and totally worth fighting for.

Not everyone can do it, though, because of a few things that stand in his way.

Here is how most people think:

- having your own business is something only rich people and the lucky ones can afford;
- nothing works in this economy;
- it probably won’t work;
- too risky;
- it’s not the right time;
- it’s more safe to just keep your current job;
- the idea of doing what you love, making it your career, helping people and actually making a lot of money out of it, sounds crazy and impossible to most people;
- it takes knowing the right people;

The limitations we set to ourselves are countless.

And yes, if you look at it this way, most people don’t succeed, knowing the right people really works wonders, having money to start with is always better and you need to be willing to take some risks.
So most people decide to give up before they’ve even started.

Staying in your comfort zone is easier, that’s true. But we also know that nothing will even happen there, neither will we build any character.

I think self-employment is one of the best things we can do in our life so that we can live it the way we want; we can actually achieve something, have money and be happy and independent.

I also think it’s a win-win situation. It helps you, your clients (because you’re more motivated than ever to satisfy their needs considering the fact that their money go directly into your pocket), society (because you offer value) and economics in general.

Here is what you actually get if you decide to break free from the 9~5 jail and do something with your life.

freedom;no bosses;no one to answer to but yourself (and who can you respect more, anyways);no fixed working time;ultimate independence;happiness;you create your own future;you build your own community;taking vacations whenever you want;working on whatever you’re interested in;you decide what is wrong or right;you inspire others;satisfaction and contentment;contribution to the world;helping people;the chance of making a massive income;flexibility;the possibility to take up new projects and develop your business in new directions;you can work more when you feel inspired and then take some time off when you need it;confidence;you affect people’s lives.

It is indeed risky, scary, stressful and at times seems impossible. But it’s also adventurous, brave, creative, beneficial, meaningful and is the only way for you to have freedom, independence and happiness while supporting your family and helping others