Death, Michael jackson, & You

If you knew you were going to die imminently, would you be at peace or need some time to get ready? Death comes upon everyone, but few of us like to think about it... and fewer still are prepared to handle their or loved one's death. Bishop Renato Cardoso makes you think about it and teaches you what to do to prepare. From Soweto Cathedral, Johannesburg, South Africa

Death, Michael Jackson, & You from SiLC on Vimeo.

Who's laughing now?

I'm an optimist and I think that around 90% of contemporary Christian music nowadays have no place in the church. That's because they're made to sell instead of serve God's purpose.

Here's an exception I've found.

Courage does not always come natural

To say that Gideon was courageous is to embellish the history. Gideon became courageous only after God had urged him several times, but initially he was fearful like the rest.

The difference with Gideon was his intelligent faith.

Courage is essential if we are to act on intelligent faith. For this reason God patiently helped him to develop it. “I have delivered it into your hand. But if you are afraid to go down, go down to the camp… and you shall hear what they say; and afterward your hands shall be strengthened to go down against the camp.” (Judges 7.9-11)

Proof that Gideon was afraid is that he went down to the camp to get one more sign that God was going to give him the victory – even when God said, “But if you are afraid to go down...” So Gideon went down. In other words, he was still afraid!

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It’s important to know that the heroes of the Bible were just like us.
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They were fearful, they doubted, they weren’t born courageous, they didn’t believe in themselves, and at times they sinned badly.

But when an intelligent faith was present and their hearts were sincere, God used them anyway. He gave them a chance to overcome their complexes and fears.

Some people seem to have been born with the gene of courage. For the rest of us, courage only comes when we do what we have to do IN SPITE OF our feelings of fear.

Succeed in Life – and in marriage

David and Norma came to Succeed in Life Center to attend our marriage course in March 2009. At that time they had been separated for 5 months already, and getting ready for a divorce.

Watch and see how the Succeed in Marriage course changed their marriage in only 7 weeks.

 

Succeed in Marriage Course TV Program

10 Traits of a Healthy Family

1. Everyone is respected as an individual, worthy of attention, with specific needs and wants.
2. It has a clear authority figure, who has the respect of all family members.
3. It allows participation/discussion in decision-making, with final decision resting with the authority figure.
4. Everyone understands and fulfills his/her financial responsibilities.
 
5. Spending family time/doing family activities together is practiced and valued.
 
6. Communication is open, honest, and marked by mutual respect.
 
7. A strong sense of commitment to each other; divorce is never contemplated.
 
8. Genuine care and concern for one another's well-being.
 
9. A firm marriage bond, which the children admire and hope to emulate when they grow older.

10. Encouragement and celebration of each other's success.
    

Agree or disagree? Want to add your own to the list? Post your comments below.

Love the money, hate the work

Many people don’t like to work. They hate exerting themselves. Remember your classmates in school that complained, “Why do we have to study?” “Why do we have to go to school?” “I’m never going to use this...” If you were that classmate, I’m sorry for saying this. But then again, no, I’m not sorry because you know better than anyone else what I’m talking about.

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Certain people run away from any kind of work.


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These same people want to be rich, to accomplish their dreams, to have a comfortable life, but they’re not prepared to pay the price for it. Then they start dabbling in fantasies: playing the lottery, waiting for a political messiah to come along and save them, asking God to do what they should be doing for themselves, blaming others for their failures… and their lives never change.

And as these people actually believe that it’s possible to have much by doing little, they're often the ones peddling second-rate ideas to the gullible. “Make money while you sleep.” “Lose weight without going on a diet.” “Get rich by working in your spare time.” “Jesus loves you, there’s not need to sacrifice.” Be warned.

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What these people want is for you to be like them — failures.


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If you really want a change of life, understand that you do not conquer great things by doing little. Either embrace your battles with thirst and passion for victory, or accept once and for all your state of defeat.

“Everyone who laps from the water with his tongue, as a dog laps, you shall set apart by himself; likewise everyone who gets down on his knees to drink.”  Judges 7.5

One step forward, two steps back

Part of my work is to help people to change – to change themselves, their situation, or both. Some want to change their marriage, others their finances, some want to quit an addiction. They want to be a better person, to be able to enjoy their life more, or to successfully deal with a problem. We all need to learn how to do those things if we really want to succeed in life.

But I have observed one thing that defeats many people who are trying to change.

Setbacks.

The person comes to us with a problem; we listen, give him direction on what to do, and pray for him. The next thing you know is he comes back all happy and saying, “Pastor, it’s working like magic! My wife and I haven’t argued for week…” or “I closed a new contract today, it will really help me with those debts…” or “I haven’t felt like using drugs anymore.” And I am really happy to see his life changing.

But then, that same person might come back a few days later looking like they’ve just been in the ring with Mike Tyson. And I hear that the wife had him sleep in the couch the night before, or that his car broke down when he really didn’t need the extra expense, or that he took a puff at his friend’s pipe when he visited the other day.

Understand this: Changing your life is not like changing your shirt. Expect setbacks. You will make one step forward and two steps back for a while. It’s important you don’t beat yourself up over this.

What you need to do is pick yourself up, go back to where you left off, and start over. Change takes time. Change requires perseverance.

If you keep going, you will outlast the setbacks.

Education: The god of some parents

Before stone-throwers start aiming for my head, let me get this clear: I’m all for education. I think any activity that positively stimulates your brain is not only good for you but necessary. I also believe that education is not synonymous with going to school or university, although I wish it were. And for that I blame the educational system, parents, and the students themselves — not necessarily in that order. But that’s for another day.

Having cleared up that I’m not against education, let me say this: Too many parents today worship at the altar of education. School books are their children’s Bible. School fees are their tithes. And their own children are their sacrificial offerings to a god who cannot deliver them.

Their prayer? “May my child get good grades so he will become somebody in life and make good money.”

And to get that prayer answered they are ready to do anything. Really, ANYTHING. They’ll be quite flexible on everything else, but won’t compromise on their child’s education.

“My 14-year-old daughter wants to start dating guys I don’t even know. Well, what can I do, you know teenagers, you can’t keep them in the house.” Many parents will accept that behavior from their daughter, as long as she’s being ‘responsible’ with her school work.

“Our son finds church boring but he is so excited about video games. He’s a boy, you know, we can’t drag him to church.” I wonder what these parents would do if their son wanted to stay home playing video games instead of going to school.

“My daughter disrespects me, doesn’t help around the house, and has taken to going out drinking with friends till late at night on weekends. I’ve been turning a blind eye as long as it’s not affecting her grades.” In other words, I’ll take abuse, I’ll support an ungrateful bum financially, I’ll wait up late at night worried sick till you come home drunk — BUT DON’T YOU START DOING BADLY IN SCHOOL!

When did getting an education take the place of good old manners, moral values, and faith? When did it make up for them?

My mom blamed herself for being unable to put me through private school. But she did a better job instilling some values in me than any Harvard professor could. To her dismay at the time, I left school before entering my last year of college in order to go into full-time ministry. That was 20 years ago. She laid the groundwork to a successful life. My faith in God did the rest. 

I think I’ve turned out just fine.

PS. I was inspired by this Jordan Grooms quote I stumbled upon the other day: “If God calls you to be a missionary, don't stoop to be a king.” But I think Job nailed it when he said:

“So where does Wisdom come from? And where does Insight live? It can’t be found by looking, no matter how deep you dig, no matter how high you fly. If you search through the graveyard and question the dead, they say, ‘We’ve only heard rumors of it.’ God alone knows the way to Wisdom, He knows the exact place to find it. He knows where everything is on earth, He sees everything under heaven. After He commanded the winds to blow and measured out the waters, arranged for the rain and set off explosions of thunder and lightning, He focused on Wisdom, made sure it was all set and tested and ready. Then He addressed the human race: ‘Here it is! Fear-of-the-Lord—that’s Wisdom, and Insight means shunning evil.’” Job 28.20-28

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