CALLED TO OBTAIN A BLESSING

PRAY WITH ME FOR AFRICA: Since 1980 the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has religious freedom. Many social, health and education services are now maintained by Christian groups because of a lack of a functioning government. DRC is 92% Christian (50% Catholic, the remaining Protestant and independent churches). Much of this Christianity is nominal and embraces traditional African beliefs. The cost of human life to missionaries has been high both in the Simba rebellion of 1964 and internal conflicts since 1991 to today. Pray for present missionaries and a benevolent and effective government.

FLAG OF DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

Blessings on you! I often add this as a closing remark in emails, cards and so on. I was especially surprised this week when reading 1 Peter 3.9. In my mind, as I read, I anticipated the final words of verse 9 to be "bless, for to this you were called, that you may be a blessing". So often Christians are called to give of themselves in every circumstance, but in this verse the act of blessing those who do evil against us and abuse us is so that we will obtain a blessing. The following verses, 10-12, validate this promise with a quote from the Old Testament. Then in verse 14 Peter writes, "But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you will be blessed".

 The principle at work here is that God sees and knows our circumstances as verse 12 tells us, and God will bless His people as they submit to Him and bless others and do not become angry or take revenge. "If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you." 4.14. You see we live before God, in submission to God, and God's desire is to bless us as we bless, forgive, and love others in God's name and for God's glory. This is not the way of the world but the way of God in the world. We are blessed, not with material things, but with the indwelling Spirit of God who is glorifying us in Christ. Seek to be blessed by God through your obedient attitude to God and toward others.

Good articles from this week:

Pleasure Set Him Free from Sexual Sin: Augustine (354–430)

Cross purposes: The battle for Christianity in Canada

A long article that shows Christianity without the authority of God's Word. This is what you can expect in the church in the coming years. A Christianity that is not Christian but lawless.

https://trainingleadersinternational.org/stories/857/higher-power

You may have already read this story from my trip to Liberia