Pursuing Happiness

Pursuing Happiness 

Scripture Reading: Mark 8:31-38

Focus Verse: Mark 8:35  “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.  But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.”

Have you ever seen someone take a picture of themselves with their phone?  That’s called a “selfie”.  People have put themselves in very dangerous positions to get the photo that they want, and many have died taking selfies.  Example:  Someone decides they want a photo of themselves with a lion in the background and the lion attacks them.  Today people are so obsessed with themselves they are willing to risk their lives to make themselves look great among their friends.

The Bible has predicted this selfish period of time we are living in.  This is one of the signs that we are living in the last days.  2 Timothy 3:1-2 says, “In the last days there will be very difficult times.  For people will love only themselves and their money.  They will be boastful and proud, scoffing at God, disobedient to their parents, and ungrateful.  They will consider nothing sacred.”   I am seeing a lot of what these two verses are talking about.

People that are only thinking of themselves are generally selfish and unhappy.  I have found in my own life that when I’m thinking of myself too much, that’s when I need to do something for someone else.  Focusing on God and others can help to bring my life back into balance.  Jesus said, “If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it.  But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it.”  Mark 8:35

I think Jesus is telling us that if you get your priorities in order and deny yourself some things that you selfishly want, you will find fulfillment in your life.  It’s okay to want to be happy, but when that is your focus it will escape you.  You will only find true happiness when you put God first and follow Him.

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

When Life Knocks You Down

 When Life Knocks You Down

Scripture Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-7
Focus verse: 1 Peter 1:6 "So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while."

I have had an accident where my foot was amputated, I have had a virus attack my right eye and make me blind in it, I have had other illnesses and injuries in my life.  I don't know why trials come a certain times in our lives, but I know that we all must endure them.  Here are some things I have observed about trails: 

Trials help us to comfort others.  I now have a new sense of compassion for those in Kenya that suffer from mosquito born illnesses.  We are now helping with some projects to help give some relief of malaria.  2 Corinthians 1:4 "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others.  When we are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us."     

Jesus will walk with you through the trial.  He comforts and teaches us in life's storms.  We are never outside of God's watchful eye.  Nothing happens to us that He has not already filtered.  2 Corinthians 4:8 "We are pressed down on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed.  We are perplexed, but not driven to despair." 

Finally God gives hope to our troubled hearts.  We can rest in the fact that God will heal our hurts, and God will work in our trials.  We may not see that healing here on earth, but we will see it one day.  So take heart, when life is knocking you down, there is only One who can pick you back up.  And His name is Jesus.

Bobby Johnson
Interlocking Ministries

Delight in the Law of the Lord

Delight in the Law of the Lord

Bible Reading: Psalm 1

Focus verse: Psalm 1:1-2 "Blessed is the man
who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
nor sits in the seat of scoffers"

And the Good News Bible version interprets it: 

"Happy are those
    who reject the advice of evil people,
    who do not follow the example of sinners
    or join those who have no use for God."

There are just two paths presented here in Psalm 1.  You are either on God's path or the world's path.  Look around you and see who you are walking with. Who are you looking too, texting, calling and visiting for advice in your life?  Where do you find delight? 

Walking in God’s ways and under godly counsel is the way to being blessed.  Is your heart blessed? Reading and listening to God's Word is foundational ...Meditating on God’s Word day and night is like a tree planted by water.  Just as water is to a tree, God’s word will ensure your life-sustaining supply of the Living Water. Continue walking in prayer, obedience, and godly counsel and you will find spiritual growth and blessings of delight in the Lord.

Or, are you a person who wants to be going your own way without the input of God?  Do you ever walk in the counsel of the wicked & ungodly because you have been with these people more than with God.  Maybe you delight in the ways of the world and seek money, prosperity and material success.  This way is a temporary growth that will be "like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind" and be condemned. They will have no place with the godly.   We can learn that, "Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined;  whoever hates correction will die." Proverbs 15:10

Closing out with verse 6, "For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction" reminds us that each person plans what they will do today and there is a path they will take.  What is your path today?   If you are God's child, do not uproot yourself to follow worldly desires.  Follow and delight in the Lord with Joy!

Page Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

God Doesn't Need a CCTV Camera!

Scripture Reading: John 4:1-42

Focus Verses John 4: 16-19

[16]He told her, “Go, call your husband and come back.”

[17]“I have no husband,” she replied. Jesus said to her, “You are right when you say you have no husband.

[18]The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.”

[19]“Sir,” the woman said, “I can see that you are a prophet.

Today as I traveled in a public water vessel in Lake Victoria Kenya called "waterbus", my attention was drawn to a warning in the vessel written "CCTV operating in this vessel". I will be right to say that CCTV (surveillance) cameras are today part of installations in most public and private places. All are for a common purpose of helping you to keep an eye on what's going on around your area or business. The CCTV records a live video that you can watch later to help you know what took place around you and in so doing it keep a check on security and operations. People tend to behave decent where these cameras are installed. Some evil people opt to vandalize them before they commit their evil acts with since they don't want their deeds be recorded. These cameras never lie, they record events right as they happen and when they happen. In this world with many things happening around us, they have helped to bring some sanity. 

In the passage we read, Jesus meets this Samaritan lady. In their conversation, Jesus asks her to go bring her husband. I believe Jesus, being God, knew exactly that this lady didn't have a husband but wanted to test her. She honestly reply to Jesus that she didn't have a husband. Jesus tells her that she is right and He went further to tell the woman that she has had  five husbands even the man she was living with, was not her husband. At that point that lady realizes that the One she was talking to had a clear "video" of her life and knows her inside and out. She finally tells Jesus these sweet words, "I can see you are a prophet" signifying that, "you know all about me". 

Sometimes people have behaved like nobody is watching their actions. We plot evil and commit evil with the pretence that nobody is watching or hearing what we say. The world today would choose to behave decent where CCTV cameras are installed but fail to understand that God is beyond these cameras and is recording all we do or say. He doesn't need a CCTV camera to record our actions. He sees everything and records it all and on the last day everybody will be brought to answer their deeds. Christians, we don't need a CCTV in order to act well. As Paul states in Romans 12:2, we must not conform to the standards of this world but we be transformed by renewing of our minds. When the heart is changed, people will be self controlled and will do what's right even when nobody is watching. 

It's too hurting that our government invests heavily in CCTV cameras than on the gospel of salvation. I believe that if we can invest in the gospel and reach out to many for salvation then we will not need the much surveillance cameras that we see today. The rate of their installation is an indication that sin is taking a grip of many people. Can you imagine working in an atmosphere where you are your own surveillance camera? Where people do what's right even when nobody is watching? Where the Word of God is given a priority to guide our lives? That's the world we need! Until then, we must hit the road and preach the gospel. I have loved the passion of Interlocking Ministries towards reaching the lost with the gospel of salvation. Investing in the gospel is a sure way to self controlled individuals. Let's be reminded that God doesn't need a CCTV to see our actions but has His eyes on everything we do. We may vandalize the CCTV cameras installed but God's camera cannot be vandalized. It's all recorded. Equally, you don't need to vandalize the evidence of your sins if you realize you are wrong. Jesus has paid the price, His blood can rub it all, you need to come to Him for the forgiveness of your sins. He forgives and never remembers any of them. Come to Him for your forgive and salvation.

 

Eliazar Wambo

Director of Bethesda Faith Ministries, Kenya