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Staying rooted

Let’s say you found favour and, unlike your counterparts, you are now staying alone in a rented apartment or owned and icing of a beautiful car. It’s a fantasy of every young man. You have done exceptionally well, you now have the freedom to invite any girl to your place. Isn’t that tempting?

Crying for Help

Crying for help makes you look weak, doesn’t it?Well here is God’s counsel.Find the corresponding bible verses below:

Readings 05/02/2025:

Job 35 to 37
Matthew 24:1-31
Proverbs 4:1-9

Devotional

Job 36:13-14 NIV
[13] “The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help.
[14] They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.”

Why do we so often resist crying out for help from God? We stretch our relationships to their limits, borrowing from everyone until there is no one left to turn to. In extreme cases visit every shrine for spiritual help.We wander the corridors of failure, blaming everyone but ourselves. Meanwhile, God watches in sorrow, yearning for us to ask for His help.

You might wonder, why doesn’t He help without being asked? The answer lies in the essence of our creation: we were endowed with free will, and God will not impose Himself upon us. Until we exercise our will to invite Him into our lives, we may find ourselves lost, even to the point of dying prematurely.

That’s why people can willfully reject God, and He will respect their wishes. We have to understand God and how He operates. Though He doesn’t quickly give up on us, He uses every opportunity to offer help. He will only leave you alone when He is sure that you have willfully rejected Him without manipulation.

Crying for help is not just empty words; it comes from a deep awareness that without God, we can do nothing. It is a humble acknowledgment of our need for His strength, guidance, and mercy.

©Evidence Mutumbu

No ring, fair game principle

To my brothers out there, Be sure about this, there is no rule biblically, morally or legally that forbids you to talk to someone’s girlfriend.

Where are you heading brother? You wonder!I am saying she might have realized along that current relationship that she is stuck and might be open for more fruitful engagements. How will you know if you are not close by?

The meaning you give to your experiences

It’s not what happened to you that destroyed you, it’s the meaning you gave to what happened, Just change the meaning and give it a new connotation through the lens of Christ. Whatever meaning you give should work in your favor.

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28

Change the questions you have been asking.
I mean, “asking why me” will not cut it but worsen your situation. “What can I do now” is a question that can attract a favorable response. Total prosperity follows the right questions.

Who are your true friends?

Have you discovered that it is easier to turn your clients into friends than bending your friends into clients?
This is because as we grow, we tend to be drawn more to people who place value on the energy we are offering to the world.

Those you will attract based on your calling or profession will turn out to be more loyal and reciprocal than those friends you made in the village or back then. Some of them have unfollowed you, though they are still around to monitor your moves, routing for your downfall. Some are now frenemies and though you have many followers and friends, if you try to unleash your career self you will not be that fruitful with them only as your circle and market.

Who is my relative, friend and neighbour then? Jesus will give you these two scriptures:

Matthew 12:48-50 New Living Translation (NLT)
Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

Money as the means

For us believers, money should rightly be a means by which to serve God, who is the destiny or the source. When money is empowered as a source of life, then God becomes how Christians hope to get money.

Dealing with mixed signals

You shall take mixed signals as an unmistakable NO. If what is being said and the subsequent action is in contrast, you shall assume actions to be the best indicator. Words are cheap, people use them to gain access.

About gossip and backbiting

Do not gossip or backbite anyone close to you. The mind resets and updates itself every time to your confession. So when you release words of hate about someone close , soon your mind will shift and close off. Though you will try to pretend to them there will be a negative energy and impasse between you and that one person even your partner or important people like your pastor or your boss at work.

The beauty of testifying

Last Sunday l had the privilege to testify after a long time (approximately 4 years). In that testimony l spoke about something that had happened 4 years ago that l felt like l had not thanked God for. I had been procrastinating on testifying for a long time and when l eventually did, l felt the beauty of it and why it is an exercise that all Christians should take seriously.
Testifying can help in the following 3 dimensions:

“l do not believe in love”

Through conversation with some friends and different individuals, l realised that people had different views on love(between a man and a woman). A couple of them would argue that true love doesn’t actually exist with a few describing it as a concept, just like perfection, that it was unattainable. Of course, l always was against that motion but the more l realised that quite a lot of people actually don’t believe in true love, l felt like l had to pen down my thoughts on this matter.

When faith is the only option

One thing l have realised as a young Christian is that it’s really easy for me to have faith when options are there. Two, three or four maybe, but when the number gets to 1 or even less than that, it gets tricky. Doubt kicks in, l become a bit unsettled and even though l believe, the fear keeps surrounding me. It’s common to everyone, naturally as a species, we are not favourable to situations where the odds are against us, it’s a survival instinct.
As children of God, we are called to be individuals who are strong in faith and are capable of waiting on the Lord. In Ephesians 6:16, we are commanded to take the “shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one”.

Robbed or Ignorant?

There was a man who stayed far away from the city.Let is call him Robert, he had a leather bag he valued so much even though he had not bought it for much($10). One day he decided to wander into the city to spoil himself and hopefully meet new people . On the bus, there was a generous rich man who took pleasure in him and slipped a lump of purified gold into one of the pockets of Robert’s precious bag. Although unnoticed to the owner of the bag, there was a man at the back who witnessed this encounter. When Robert got to the city, he got off the bus and the man who had witnessed the encounter on the bus indulged in conversation with him. He offered to buy the bag from Richard and offered him $50. Although Richard valued his bag so much he did not see the need to keep it since he would easily buy 5 similar bags with the money he had been given and so he sold the bag and went his way.

The Power in numbers

"Again truly l tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything they ask for it will be done for them by my father in heaven 20.For where two or three gather in my name there lam with them" - Matthew 18:19-20

A decorative picture of christians holding hands.

Are relationships supported by the bible?

The Concept of Courtship and Dating

When people think of courtship they think its a boring and holier than thou relationship, but you have to understand that God wants you to enjoy our youth why? Because He is a good father, and He knows that you still have strength and once you have moved into marriage you will have many commitments and children, so, there are other things you can do better and well without those commitments. Not saying you don’t enjoy when you are married, but that exposure and experience helps you to grow mentally, emotional and spiritually.
There is a certain level of emotional capacity that is needed in marriage that can only be achieved through maximizing of your youth season.

Lost but not Condemned…

Ohh how l feel so far away,

Ohh the darkness has infiltrated my heart,

Deep in the night l lie so lost,

Yes l tried, to be a part of the flock,

DO NOT WANDER

Judges 16:1
[1]THEN SAMSON went to Gaza and saw a harlot there, and went in to her.

Samson is one of the most adventurous men in the Bible, and this is one of the factors that caused his downfall.
Israel was God’s chosen race and His presence dwelt in Israel; it was the blessed place! And when Samson decided to take a stroll outside Israel, he fell in the trap of a harlot.

LOVE!

1 John 4:7,19-21
[7]Beloved, let us love one another, for love is (springs) from God; and he who loves [his fellowmen] is begotten (born) of God and is coming [progressively] to know and understand God [to perceive and recognize and get a better and clearer knowledge of Him].
[19]We love Him, because He first loved us.
[20]If anyone says, I love God, and hates (detests, abominates) his brother [in Christ], he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, Whom he has not seen.
[21]And this command (charge, order, injunction) we have from Him: that he who loves God shall love his brother [believer] also.

TURN THOU ME

Jeremiah 31:18-19
[18]I have surely heard Ephraim [Israel] moaning thus: You have chastised me, and I was chastised, like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke; bring me back, that I may be restored, for You are the Lord my God.
[19]Surely after I [Ephraim] was turned [from You], I repented; and after I was instructed, I penitently smote my thigh. I was ashamed, yes, even confounded, because I bore the disgrace of my youth [as a nation].

STRENGTH & COURAGE

Joshua 1:5-7
[5]No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.
[6]Be strong (confident) and of good courage, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
[7]Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.

Business man pushing large stone up to hill , Business heavy tasks and problems concept.

THE EXTRA MILE

Matthew 5:41
[41]And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two [miles].

JESUS, THE FRIEND OF SINNERS

Luke 19:5-7
[5]And when Jesus reached the place, He looked up and said to him, Zacchaeus, hurry and come down; for I must stay at your house today.
[6]So he hurried and came down, and he received and welcomed Him joyfully.
[7]And when the people saw it, they all muttered among themselves and indignantly complained, He has gone in to be the guest of and lodge with a man who is devoted to sin and preeminently a sinner.

A HIGHER AUTHORITY

Ecclesiastes 5:8
[8]If you see the oppression of the poor and the violent taking away of justice and righteousness in the state or province, do not marvel at the matter. [Be sure that there are those who will attend to it] for a higher [official] than the high is observing, and higher ones are over them.

A SERVANT’S PRAYER

Matthew 28:18-20
[18]Jesus approached and, breaking the silence, said to them, All authority (all power of rule) in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.
[19]Go then and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
[20]Teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you, and behold, I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age. Amen (so let it be).

YOUR STORY

2 Corinthians 3:2-3
[2][No] you yourselves are our letter of recommendation (our credentials), written in your hearts, to be known (perceived, recognized) and read by everybody.
[3]You show and make obvious that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, not written with ink but with [the] Spirit of [the] living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. [Exod. 24:12; 31:18; 32:15, 16; Jer. 31:33.]

NO CONDEMNATION

Romans 8:1-2
[1]THEREFORE, [there is] now no condemnation (no adjudging guilty of wrong) for those who are in Christ Jesus, who live [and] walk not after the dictates of the flesh, but after the dictates of the Spirit. [John 3:18.]
[2]For the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has freed me from the law of sin and of death.

JEALOUSY

Genesis 37:5-8
[5]Now Joseph had a dream and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him still more.
[6]And he said to them, Listen now and hear, I pray you, this dream that I have dreamed:
[7]We [brothers] were binding sheaves in the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and stood upright, and behold, your sheaves stood round about my sheaf and bowed down!
[8]His brothers said to him, Shall you indeed reign over us? Or are you going to have us as your subjects and dominate us? And they hated him all the more for his dreams and for what he said.

WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FIRE?

2 Timothy 1:6
[6]That is why I would remind you to stir up (rekindle the embers of, fan the flame of, and keep burning) the [gracious] gift of God, [the inner fire] that is in you by means of the laying on of my hands [with those of the elders at your ordination].

YOU SHALL TESTIFY!

Psalm 40:10
[10]I have not concealed Your righteousness within my heart; I have proclaimed Your faithfulness and Your salvation. I have not hid away Your steadfast love and Your truth from the great assembly. [Acts 20:20, 27.]

CHRIST OVERCAME!

John 16:33
[33]I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

MADE TO STAND OUT

Song of Solomon 2:2
[2]But Solomon replied, Like the lily among thorns, so are you, my love, among the daughters.

“you were born to stand out!”

THE POTTER’S HANDS

Jeremiah 18:6
[6]O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does? says the Lord. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.

Notice

Dear Youths In Christ subscriber,

thank you for your continued support, we are glad to have you on board, during these past weeks, we have not been able to post any messages due to situations beyond our control, we hope to resume the work that we are doing on this website anytime soon,

Thank you, Yours

M.Murove

Salvation Is Individual!

Ezekiel 14:13-14,16
[13]Son of man, when a land sins against Me by committing a trespass, and I stretch out My hand against it and break its staff of bread and send famine upon it and cut off from it man and beast,
[14]Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, they would save but their own lives by their righteousness (their uprightness and right standing with Me), says the Lord God.
[16]Though these three men were in it, as I live, says the Lord God, they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; they themselves alone would be delivered but the land would be desolate (laid waste and deserted)

When God fights your battles,

2 Samuel 18:6-8
[6]So the army went out into the field against Israel, and the battle was fought in the forest of Ephraim.
[7][Absalom's] men of Israel were defeated by the servants of David, and there was a great slaughter that day of 20,000 men.
[8]For the battle spread over the face of all the country, and the forest devoured more men that day than did the sword.

Faithfulness

Acts 5:3-4
[3]But Peter said, Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart that you should lie to and attempt to deceive the Holy Spirit, and should [in violation of your promise] withdraw secretly and appropriate to your own use part of the price from the sale of the land?
[4]As long as it remained unsold, was it not still your own? And [even] after it was sold, was not [the money] at your disposal and under your control? Why then, is it that you have proposed and purposed in your heart to do this thing? [How could you have the heart to do such a deed?] You have not [simply] lied to men [playing false and showing yourself utterly deceitful] but to God.

God wants people to live!

Ezekiel 18:31-32
[31]Cast away from you all your transgressions by which you have transgressed against Me, and make you a new mind and heart and a new spirit. For why will you die, O house of Israel? [Eph. 4:22, 23.]
[32]For I have no pleasure in the death of him who dies, says the Lord God. Therefore turn (be converted) and live!

Know the word personally!

Revelation 1:3
[3]Blessed (happy, to be envied) is the man who reads aloud [in the assemblies] the word of this prophecy; and blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who hear [it read] and who keep themselves true to the things which are written in it [heeding them and laying them to heart], for the time [for them to be fulfilled] is near.

He stood by me,

John 8:7,9-11
[7]However, when they persisted with their question, He raised Himself up and said, Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.
[9]They listened to Him, and then they began going out, conscience-stricken, one by one, from the oldest down to the last one of them, till Jesus was left alone, with the woman standing there before Him in the center of the court.
[10]When Jesus raised Himself up, He said to her, Woman, where are your accusers? Has no man condemned you?
[11]She answered, No one, Lord! And Jesus said, I do not condemn you either. Go on your way and from now on sin no more.

Prove Yourself!

Galatians 6:4
[4]But let every person carefully scrutinize and examine and test his own conduct and his own work. He can then have the personal satisfaction and joy of doing something commendable [in itself alone] without [resorting to] boastful comparison with his neighbour.

Where is your confidence rooted?

Proverbs 3:25-26
[25]Be not afraid of sudden terror and panic, nor of the stormy blast or the storm and ruin of the wicked when it comes [for you will be guiltless],
[26]For the Lord shall be your confidence, firm and strong, and shall keep your foot from being caught [in a trap or some hidden danger].