THE HERO DIED FOR THE VILLAIN Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though

for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. A cross was set up where hands and feet were nailed. To which nail, Christs body hung until it died of pain. It was a bloody death, a painful death, a shameful death, an accursed death. In Isaiah 53:5, the Bible says that He was flogged, tortured, humiliated and dehumanised before He was brutally murdered. For who? Jesus Christ, the righteous, was a ransom for the wicked. He died for sinners who were to come to salvation, for a brood of vipers who were to become a seed of saints, for villains who were to be reformed. His life was not taken from Him but was freely given up by Him into His Fathers hands as His own act and deed. Jesus died for our sin and has broken the power of death by resurrection. All we need to do is believe.

THE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF LOVE Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. Love brought us into being. It is the greatest, the golden thread that links all of creation. We are therefore loves products the sons and daughters of love. We are called to do love, act love and let love lead. Remember the word of Jesus love your enemies. In life, I have never seen where hatred overcomes love. Love therefore becomes our protection against the hatred of the adversary. When you love, you overcome for hatred is powerless in the face of loves power and armour. Sons and daughters of love, we know ourselves. We are never anxious for anything. We are not jealous, envious, proud or self-centred. We do not hold malice or remember faults. Rather, love cares more for others than for self. Love does not want what it does not have. Love is positive; it does not want anything negative. Love is good; it does not want anything bad. Love does not want hatred because love is love. Love stoops; it comes down to the level of every person. Love doesn't belittle anyone. Love doesn't force itself on others. Love puts up with anything, meaning love is tolerant. Love is determined. Love perseveres for the best which is yet to come. Love is God; God is love. He that abides in love abides in God and God abides in him. These are the sons and daughters of love.

DO YOU KNOW HIM? Philippians 3:8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Until you encounter God, there would be a sense of dissatisfaction in your life. Satisfaction in life is not about cars, wealth, or children. You must encounterJesus Christ. Do you know Him? To know God, we must love nothing in comparison to Him but in relation to Him alone. If you know God, you would love Him above all. Our relationship with God transcends time and influences all other relationships. We must depend on Gods Spirit for our relationship with God, that is, to know Him. God is Spirit and those who know and worship Him must do so by the Spirits power. Let us learn to depend on Gods Spirit for strength and assistance laying our souls under His influence and operation because we do not know what to pray for as we should. The Spirit helps us in our weakness and renews our strength. Then, we are walking with Him, we know Him, He is fellowshipping with us and we are sharing in His strength, ability and wisdom. For many, the reality of a relationship with God has disappeared. Now, they continue only in the formalities of their religion, worshipping a god they do not know. To worship God acceptably, all our passions and purpose of our hearts are needed. We must bring all our appetites, aspirations and heart desires to the throne of God. Get to know Him through His Word by His Spirit.

DEPEND ON GODS SPIRIT Are you worshipping God in Spirit and truth? Because God is Spirit, we must depend on Gods Spirit to worship Him, laying our souls under His influences and operations, bringing all our aspirations and hearts desires to the throne of mercy and grace. If we do not worship Him in Spirit, we do not worship Him in truth and therefore miss the point. If we do not depend on His Spirit for strength and assistance, we are merely religious people, carrying out religious acts of worship. A suggestion must always come to us from the Spirit that the action should be performed. It is an intimation, a direction, an indication and inspiration from the Spirit to speak, to act, to do. For Christianity, although practiced by man on earth, is not a physical exercise. It is a spiritual affair in which the Christian communes in faith with our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it, whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left (Isaiah 30:21).

DO GOOD TO CHANGE THE BAD YOU SEE Stop a while and think about this question: Do I always find fault with people and situations around me without providing a solution? Philippians 2:14-16 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life... The Bible says that a Christians life is a disciplined life because it is based on Gods Word which gives an excellent moral standard. Gods Word reflects His character and teaches us to do what is right to change the bad we see. Let us be known as people who are for good and not only against bad. Many people today

are too quick in pointing out the weaknesses of others, whereas the Bible instructs us that instead of criticising others, we should show by example that Christ lives in us. A little example can have a big influence. Therefore, instead of criticising our society and situations we find ourselves in, let us do what is good to change the bad we see because as a child of God you are a commissioned solution provider.

PROTECT YOUR FOCUS 1 Peter 4:1-2 - Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. You are here because focus was not broken. As a Christian, you are who, where and what you are because Christs focus was not broken. He was tortured, dehumanized before He was brutally murdered. He kept His focus. Whatever you have become today is a product of the fact that victory in Christ Jesus is victory assured and the rest is history. Therefore, pay any price to protect your focus. Your focus is your personal decision. If you are going in a wrong direction, take time to stop and change your focus because no one else can do that for you. If you cannot control your circumstances, be sure to control your attitude. What matters to Jesus is your attitude towards Him. Your confession is real faith talking. Positive confession shows that your attitude towards Jesus is positive. So, protect your

focus. Stop the vocabulary of the victim and begin to think like an overcomer, talk like an overcomer and laugh like a victor, not a victim.