Are You Like The Rich Man in the Parable that Jesus Taught Us?

Hello Readers & Followers,

It's a new week! I hope you had a lovely weekend. I'd like to share a parable that Jesus taught us in the Book of Luke 16:19- 31. 

Jesus said: There once was a very rich man who had the finest things imaginable, living every day enjoying his life of opulent luxury. Outside the gate of his mansion was a poor beggar named Lazarus. He lay there every day, covered with boils, and all the neighbourhood dogs would come and lick his open sores. The only food he had to eat was the garbage that the rich man threw away.

One day Lazarus died, and the angels of God came and escorted his spirit into paradise (some translations say Abraham’s bosom). The day came that the rich man also died. In hell, he looked up from his torment and saw Abraham in the distance, and Lazarus was standing beside him in the glory. 

The rich man shouted, 'Father Abraham! Father Abraham" Have mercy on me. Send Lazarus to dip his finger in water and come to cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames of fire! ( Hmm. Even in death, the rich man wanted Lazarus to be in a place of servitude of him. It appeared that he felt he was more important).

But Abraham responded, 'My friend, don't you remember? While you were alive you had all you desired. You surrounded yourself in luxury, while Lazarus had nothing. Now Lazarus swells in the comforts of paradise and you are in agony. Besides, between us, there is a great space set so that those who might want to pass from here to you cannot do so, and no one can cross from there to us.' 

The rich man continued, 'Then let me ask you, Father Abraham, please send Lazarus to my relatives. Tell him to witness to my five brothers and warn them not to end up where I am in this place of torment.' 

Abraham replied, 'They've already had plenty of warning. They have the teachings of Moses and the revelation of the prophets; let them hear them.'

What if they're not listening? the rich man added. 'If someone from the dead were to go and warn them, they would surely repent.'

Abraham said to him, 'If they wouldn't listen to Moses and the prophets, neither would they be convinced if someone were raised from the dead!'

There are many lessons that we can pick out from this parable. I'd like to share 6 lessons from the parable with you.

Lessons

1) Everyone must die once and there are no second chances once an individual has died. No wonder the Bible says in the Book of Hebrews 9:27 that "And, just as it is appointed for people to die only once and after this comes the judgment." 

2) Don't assume because an individual is poor, they are not a Christian neither should you assume that they are not living a godly life.

3) Lack of physical possessions does not suggest that a person is not a believer/ a follower of Jesus Christ.

4) If you are rich and wealthy, do not ignore your relationship with God. 

5) What is your attitude towards the poor among you? I'd like you to pause and reflect on how you treat the poor among you. Can you see a bit of the rich man's character in your life?

In fact, the rich man was nameless while the poor man's name was mentioned in the Parable that Jesus told us. This must signify something.

6) We cannot escape judgment once we have died. It is too late to repent of one's sin after death. Jesus has also used this parable to remind us that we should be quick to repent of our sins as this life on earth is short and we cannot come back on earth to repent. 

As a Christian, the Holy Spirit is in you and dwells with you. His role is to help you develop the passion to do what pleases God. The Holy Spirit coexists with God the Father and Jesus Christ (1 John 5:7).  Allow the Holy Spirit to direct every aspect of your life. As you yield to the dynamic life and power of the Holy Spirit, you will abandon the cravings of your self-life.

I love hearing from you in the comment section. Please take a minute to say ‘hello’ by leaving a comment and please let me know which of the points above resonate with you the most. 

Also, please feel free to share any other lessons that you have gained from reading the parable.  

May the Holy Spirit give you more insights into this parable in Jesus' name.

Have a lovely week!

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

If you haven't accepted Jesus Christ into your life, this is an opportunity for you to accept Him. Please say this prayer:

"Dear God, I do not want to lose my soul in Hell when I reach the end of my life on earth. Please forgive me for all my wrongdoing, unbelief in you and self-righteousness. I repent of my sins and ask for your help to live a life that pleases you. These I ask in Jesus' name. Amen."

If you said the above prayer and would like to know more about Jesus Christ and being a Christian, please contact me: mysseslafunky@gmail.com.

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download on Google Drive for free, click here.

5 Things To Consider When You Are Waiting on God

Hello Readers & Followers,

Thank God It's Friday! 

In the last 2 weeks, I have been writing on waiting on God. Please, click the following links to read the last 2 articles:

Waiting for the Fulfilment of God's Promises

God's Promises for You Shall Come to Pass

A waiting period could mean different things to different people. Some people are waiting on God for a new job, for a promotion, for instructions on the next step to take, some are waiting on God for healing, some are waiting on God to answer a particular prayer that they have been praying over and over again. Some people are waiting to marry, and some are waiting to have their own children. A waiting period could be one month, 2 months, 3 years, 5 years, 10 years, and many more.

How do you wait on God to meet a need that you have been praying about? How do you wait on God when deep down in your heart you would like the promise to come through right now?

The truth is every Christian has experienced a time in their life when they had to wait on God for a prayer to be answered or for God's promises to come to pass in their lives. This is a reminder for you to know that every Christian will experience a waiting period. Waiting on God is one of the things that test our faith in God as not many of us like waiting as our natural human response is to do things at our preferred time and to be in control of things.

What are you waiting on God for? How are you waiting on God? Are you waiting with the hope that God will answer you soon? Are you waiting in fear? Are you waiting with bitterness in your heart? Are you discouraged? Are you doubting? 

I'd like to remind you that God wants the best for you and it is His desire to meet all your needs from His glorious riches (Philippians 4:19).  

There are many examples of people in the Bible that had to wait many years before they saw the fulfilment of God's promises in their lives. Look at what the Bible says about Abraham in the Book of Romans 4:19-21 (NLT version):

"And Abraham’s faith did not weaken, even though, at about 100 years of age, he figured his body was as good as dead—and so was Sarah’s womb.

Abraham never wavered in believing God’s promise. In fact, his faith grew stronger, and in this, he brought glory to God. He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever he promises."

5 Things To Consider When You Are Waiting On God

1) Your waiting time is not wasted time. Your waiting time serves a purpose in God's agenda for your life. In the process of waiting on God, you will learn to trust in God's Word. You will learn to acknowledge that God knows best and He is in control.

2) Your waiting time is an opportunity for your endurance to grow, and your endurance, in turn, will develop your character, and a character of this sort produces a steady hope in God (Romans 5:3-4 & James 1:2-3).

3) Your waiting time is an opportunity for you to spend time with God so that you can build up your faith. You can spend time with God through singing, talking with Him, meditating on the Word of God, prayer journalling, Bible Study journalling, playing musical instruments, praying in tongues, declaring the promises of God on a daily basis, and many more. The more you spend time with God, the more your faith will grow as you get to know Him better and understand His ways (Romans 10:17).

4) Remember, you are not alone, God is with you and He will never leave you. God will never fail you and He will never abandon you (Hebrews 13:5). Keep holding on to God's Word. 

5) When your current situation does not match God's promises for your life, you can trust God is working all things together for your good (Romans 8:28). He is faithful to come through. God is never late, He is always on time!

As I was concluding this write-up, my 4-year-old daughter asked me to teach her what it means to wait on God. I explained what it means to wait for her turn at the supermarket, amongst many other things. After my explanation, I asked her to describe her feeling whenever she is waiting for us to pick her up from school. My daughter explained that she is always excited as she knows that we will definitely pick her up from school. My daughter's description showed the state of her heart towards waiting to be picked up from school. I'd like to ask you, what is the state of your heart as you are waiting on God? 

I love hearing from you in the comment section. Please take a minute to say ‘hello’ by leaving a comment and please let me know which of the points above resonate with you the most. 

Prayer Guide

• Ask the Holy Spirit to strengthen you as you wait on God.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to help you build the right attitude as you wait on God.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to help you live a life that is free of bitterness, worry, doubt, anger and envy as you wait on God.

To expand your learning further, I would like you to engage in the following:

1) Click here to listen to a sermon on overcoming anxiety when waiting on the Lord. 

2) Click here to read different scriptures on waiting on the Lord.

Have a lovely weekend!

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download on Google Drive for free, click here.

God's Promises for You Shall Come to Pass

Hello Readers & Followers,

Thank God It's Friday! 

Are you waiting for a particular promise from God or several promises from God to come to pass in your life?

 

Waiting For The Fulfilment Of God's Promise

Hello Readers & Followers,

Thank God It's Friday! 

In today's post, we shall look into the importance of pleasing God whilst we wait for the fulfilment of God's promise. 

Let's briefly look at the story of Abraham and Sarah (known at the time as Abram and Sarai).

The Son of Promise

As Abraham and Sarah were waiting to bear children, God promised Abraham that he would have a son, a son of his own flesh and blood (Genesis 15:4-5).

Abraham's Implementation of God's Promise

As Abraham and Sarah were yet to have children, Sarah suggested to her husband that she had a maidservant whose name was Hagar and she asked Abraham to sleep with her maidservant as she may be able to conceive for Abraham. Abraham heeded to the voice of Sarah and went in to Hagar and she conceived and bore a son (Ishamel) for Abraham (Genesis 16:1-5). 

Did Abraham ask God if the son he was promised was meant to come through Sarah's maidservant?

Did Abraham seek God's view about Sarah's suggestion? 

God's Implementation of His Promise

God reiterated His promise of giving Abraham a son and asked Abraham to walk blamelessly before Him. Even though Sarah was very old, God made her conceive and she bore a son for Abraham in their very old age (Genesis 17-18).

Lessons to Meditate On

1) When God has promised you something, rest assured that He will bring the promise to pass. The time God will bring the promise to pass will be the perfect time for you (Ecclesiastes 3:11).

2) You do not need to help God to bring the promise/prophecy to pass. Nevertheless, if God would like you to undertake a task that will support in bringing the prophecy to pass, the Lord will direct you on what to do.

3) Do you know that God will not allow you to sin or lead you to engage in wrongdoings before His promises for your life can come to pass? In the story of Abraham, God did not lead Abraham to commit adultery with his wife's servant, he followed his wife's suggestion.

4) God is concerned that some people are helping themselves by engaging in things that are ungodly to expedite the prophecy that He has promised them. Engaging in ungodly things to expedite God's promises to come to pass in your life will not please God.

5) God is saying to you, come back to me, repent.

To repent is to: 

Change your inner self, your old way of thinking (Matthew 4:17 AMP version)

Regret past sins (AMP version)

Seek God's purpose for your life (AMP version)

Change your mind for the better (AMPC version)

Heartily amend your ways with abhorrence of your past sins (AMPC version)

Change your hearts and lives (CEB version)

Turn away from your sins (NLT version)

Turn to God and change the way you think and act, because the kingdom of heaven is near! (GW version)

Be sorry for your sins and turn from them (NLV version).

Christian Attitude to Fasting

Hello Readers & Followers,

It's a new week! I hope you had a lovely weekend. In relation to this topic, last year January (2021), I taught extensively on Christian fasting. Head over to January 2021 to read the articles. 

It's another January where most Christians are engaging in prayer and fasting. So, I thought to equip you with this topic. Actually, the Holy Spirit asked me to share today's article with you. I hope you will gain new insights as you read.

Do you know that people fast for different reasons? Some fast as part of their religion, some fast because they want to lose weight, some fast for medical or experimental reasons. As Christians, we also fast for several reasons. When we are fasting as Christians, Christ expects us to have the right attitude towards fasting. We need to fast in line with God's desires and purpose.

Matthew 6:16 (NKV version) says: “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward." 

The CEV version of Matthew 6:16 says "When you go without eating, don’t try to look gloomy as those show-offs do when they go without eating. I can assure you that they already have their reward."

The GNT version says "And when you fast, do not put on a sad face as the hypocrites do. They neglect their appearance so that everyone will see that they are fasting. I assure you, they have already been paid in full."

In summary, Christ is saying:

1) Be cheerful when you are fasting.

2) Do not neglect your appearance when you are fasting.

3) Do not fast out of reluctance or grudgingly. Christ said, whatever you are sacrificing or giving to Him needs to be done from a place of love and not grudgingly or reluctantly 2 Corinthians 9:7. 

4) Do not announce to everyone that you are fasting as it is between you and God (There might be a genuine reason for you to inform someone or a group that you are fasting, the most important thing is for your motive to be pure).

5) Note down what you will be praying for or trusting God for during your fast. However, it is important to ask God to show you how you should pray during your fast.  You need to create time to pray and meditate on His Word. Let me share some tips with you. You could set reminders or set an alarm on your phone to remind you to pray or read your Bible. Remember, you will need to block out distractions when you are praying or reading your Bible as this will help you focus on God. 

6) Be sensitive to hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to you. As well as being sensitive to the Holy Spirit, you need to be sensitive to the strategies that the devil may want to employ during and after your fast. He will want you to displease God during or after your fast. Remember how he tempted Jesus Christ after He had finished fasting. Satan tempted Jesus at the time He was probably vulnerable, when He may have been hungry. You can read more about this in Matthew 4:1-11.

7)  Rely on God to strengthen you as your body may feel weak when you are fasting from food. Please note that feeling weak is not a sign that God is not with you. It is human for your body to feel tired or weak when you are abstaining from food. In fact, David acknowledged in Psalm 109:24-25 that his knees were weak during fasting. 

8) Fast and pray in line with the right application of the Word of God. Don't fast because you want something contrary to the Word of God or evil to occur. An example is found in Acts 23:12 when a group of people made a promise that they would not eat or drink until they had killed Paul. God will not honour such a fast. God also said in Isaiah 58:4 that when you keep fighting and quarrelling, such fasting will not get anywhere with Him. 

If this article has blessed you — would you like to share it with someone? Send it to a friend, on your social media platforms, family members, and many more.

I ask that the Holy Spirit will give you more insights into this topic in Jesus' name. 

Have a lovely week!

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

It's the Year 2022! Happy New Year!

I would like you to know that God owns the Year and He has gone ahead of you. His presence is in the Year 2022. Therefore, relax and walk with God in this new year.

Have a fantastic Year!

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download on Google Drive for free, click here.

5 Bible Passages to read on Christmas Day

Hello Readers & Followers,

It's Christmas!

Here are 5 Bible Passages that you can read on Christmas Day with your family

1. Isaiah 9:6–7 says

 "For to us a child is born, to us, a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and of peace, there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this."

2. 2 Corinthians 5:17–21 says

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake, He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

3. Micah 5:1–5 says

"Now muster your troops, O daughter of troops; siege is laid against us; with a rod, they strike the judge of Israel on the cheek. But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. 

Therefore he shall give them up until the time when she who is in labour has given birth; then the rest of his brothers shall return to the people of Israel. 

And he shall stand and shepherd his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God. And they shall dwell secure, for now, he shall be great to the ends of the earth. And he shall be their peace."

4. Luke 2:29–32 says

“Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; for my eyes have seen your salvation that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel.”

5. Titus 3:4–7 says 

"But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to His own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by His grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life."

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace during this season in Jesus' name.

Have a lovely Christmas! 

Yours in Christ,

Mysses Lafunky

I have a free e-book for you. The book (15 Women of the Bible: How they lived a Purpose Driven Life). This e-book was written by my Bible Study Group. To download on Google Drive for free, click here.