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This post is from Chris Russell. For more, you can visit Sensible Faith.  I do realize that a key question that comes up when addressing this issue is, “OK, so what do I do if I’ve already messed up? How do I fix a bad decision?” With this question in mind, I wanted to offer help for those times when we realize we’ve blown it. How to Fix a Bad Decision The first step is to answer the following question: Was this bad decision a morally bad decision (right vs. wrong), or was it just a stupid bad decision? The way you deal with the bad decision will vary depending on your answer to that important question. How to Fix a Morally-Bad Decision 1)   Confess it to God. 1 John 1:9 The first step to fixing a sinful mistake is to confess it directly to God. By “confess,” I mean that you should agee with God about how bad it was and ask Him to forgive you for what you did. Amazingly, once we confess our sins to God, He will cast them as far as the east is from the wes...

Here's a post from Joe McKeever, and yes you read the title correctly. While he writes to pastors of all generations, I would love to add that this advice goes very well for every single person, male or female, who would love to avoid the adultery or fornication saga. However, remember that we are only strong in the Lord. His grace keeps us. Oh, let me just add that pride goes before a fall, so humbly read this. This post originally appeared here . A few weeks ago, we posted an article here on 7 women inside the church which pastors should be wary of. With the scandal in the news involving a couple of prominent generals and a Florida socialite, we recently followed that up with an article saying “if it can happen there, it can happen to you.” Here is what will probably be the third and final segment on this trilogy in which we are cautioning pastors–of all ages, but particularly young ones who could be blind-sided–to watch out for certain types of women.  I am very aware of...

THE COMPLAINT  I don’t understand myself at all, for I really want to do what is right, but I can’t. I do what I don’t want to—what I hate. I know perfectly well that what I am doing is wrong, and my bad conscience proves that I agree with these laws I am breaking. But I can’t help myself because I’m no longer doing it. It is sin inside me that is stronger than I am that makes me do these evil things. I know I am rotten through and through so far as my old sinful nature is concerned. No matter which way I turn I can’t make myself do right. I want to but I can’t. When I want to do good, I don’t; and when I try not to do wrong, I do it anyway. Now if I am doing what I don’t want to, it is plain where the trouble is: sin still has me in its evil grasp. It seems to be a fact of life that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is a...

Since grace teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, to live soberly and righteously, then shouldn't we grow in this grace in order to walk in total victory? (See Titus 2:11,12) And since the word of God says that this grace is multiplied to us through the knowledge of God and of our Lord Jesus, it is most expedient that we grow in this grace and in the knowledge of God (2 Pet. 1:2, 3:18) Do we now see the need to grow spiritually? A toddler cannot walk as uprightly and firmly as an adult would. A baby cannot even walk at all - he/she has to be carried around by others. The same applies spiritually. It is not enough to experience the new birth - to be born again. We need to grow in the new life. Everyone is born again as a baby Christian. Anyone who does not grow will remain a baby Christian, and among other things, he or she will keep rising and falling in his walk of faith, just like a baby in the natural world. Let's move on. In my last post about the r...

Still on hindrances to spiritual growth, today I'll be sharing on the most fundamental issue to address. First, I'll share a revelation i'd some time ago, and another life experience. Some years ago, I was very passionate about having my friend stop doing bad things because I very well knew she had accepted Christ too. However, it seemed like a failed attempt because we both went right on sinning in spite of the fact that I was born again. Sadly, we were besties. I was not too happy about it. I knew what was right, I knew what was wrong; left alone, I was managing "avoiding sin" well enough and living like a good Christian; but with her, I was struggling to live right, yet desiring and making efforts for her to be a better Christian. Laughable. Stay with me on this story. One day, it dawned on me that I was like a toddler who was trying to carry her baby sister, and so we were always falling - baby and I. Lol. Years went by and the Lord brought me to a fe...

There is a subtle hindrance to spiritual growth that many do not consider: UNGODLY ASSOCIATION. Our associations can hinder or help us grow. The Bible firmly states, " Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character." (1 Cor. 15:33) Those you roll with can either hinder or stagnate your growth, or they can encourage you to grow. Imagine being in a company of God-loving, on-fire, deeply-desirous-of-the-glory-of-God people, we both know that your desire for the matters that matter to God will increase. Let's take an example from the Bible. I don't know who comes to your mind when you think of godly and ungodly association, but we'll quickly consider the man named Lot. Think about this: Lot had a godly uncle, a mentor with whom he could have benefited greatly from (Gen. 12:4). He had Abraham, a man who could hear God's voice, a man who yielded to God in obedience, a ...

She strode elegantly across the well decorated room, a palace indeed. She was a beauty to behold with long glittering legs. She pushed her butt in sheer seduction, quite irresistible. She was wearing a bright red dress and beautiful ankle strap sandals. Her nails were polished to a shining black. Never had anyone seen black nail polish look so elegant. She arrived her destination and took a seat. She glanced seductively across the room. He was still there, fluttering with shyness. She gave a short laugh and looked away. She knew for sure that he was captivated by her beauty but was too timid to make a move. He was handsome too - Mr Fly indeed. "Man up, guy. See she's even looking your way," his friend told him. He cast a quick glance across and just like his friend had said, she was looking his way. "Oh, if only she'll look at me too...those eyes!" his friend said, literally moaning. "Oh please, shut up already. I'm going for it," he to...

I was trying to access my blog but I somehow ended up searching for it on Google. I felt good seeing the whole first page of Google showing me and only me (show off!) LOL. Well, as I went through the results, I saw a post I had commented on about four years ago. I read through it and still found it as refreshing as it had always been. So, here's the post written by Shenika, blogger at Young and Living4God. Nice blog name though. Enjoy the read, and may it bless you. You can read it here .

Our Bible text for today is taken from Habakkuk 2:1-4 "I will climb my watchtower and wait to see what the Lordwill tell me to say and what answer he will give to my complaint. 2 The Lord gave me this answer: “Write down clearly on tablets what I reveal to you, so that it can be read at a glance.  3 Put it in writing, because it is not yet time for it to come true. But the time is coming quickly, and what I show you will come true. It may seem slow in coming, but wait for it; it will certainly take place, and it will not be delayed.  4 And this is the message: ‘Those who are evil will not survive, but those who are righteous will live because they are faithful to God.’” In the Scripture above, the prophet makes a striking statement that he will WAIT and HEAR what the Lord will say to Him. This is crucial for us in our walk with God. All through Scripture, the Lord has promised to guide and instruct us, but we really do not care, do we? We ought to wait upon the Lord to he...

Remember the writer of 5 love languages? He and Dr. Jennifer Thomas have discovered there are five fundamental aspects of an apology. They call them the five languages of apology. Read what they have to say about this new discovery: "Each of them is important. But for a particular individual, one or two of the languages may communicate more effectively than the others. The key to a good relationship is learning the apology language of the other person and being willing to speak it. When you speak their primary language, you make it easier for them to genuinely forgive you. When you fail to speak their language, it makes forgiveness more difficult because they're not sure if you are genuinely apologizing. Love means saying you're sorry—over and over again. Real love will be marked by real apologies from the offender and real forgiveness from the offended. This is the path to restored, loving relationships. It begins by learning to speak the right language of apology...

Speaking of the US elections, Jason Soroski said, "As our nation finds itself in yet another highly divisive election season, our tendency can be to draw firm lines between ourselves based on which candidates we support, and that can in turn lead to personal dislike for one another, anger towards those who lead, and eventually division. As Christians, we are to live in a fine balance; standing for that which is true while seeking unity amongst ourselves whenever possible, standing firm in the faith while showing grace to those who do not, holding our leaders accountable while praying for their wisdom and well-being." However, in our country Nigeria (speaking to my Nigerian readers), there's a greater tendency for some Christians to be negligent and to care less about the elections. This ought not to be so. However, a good start on the road to proper governance is sincere concern for the the good of our nation. And while you may not be one of the candidates, you very we...

By the grace of God, this week I'll be sharing with us: attitudes that hinder spiritual growth. Today, I'll be talking about LACK OF DEEP SPIRITUAL CONVICTIONS. Deep spiritual convictions are vital for growth. Deeply rooted crops stand firm in spite of winds and storms, but loosely rooted crops get uprooted easily. Be rooted and grounded in your convictions as a Christian, because all other hindrances thrive on the lack of deep convictions. What do you believe about God? What do you believe about prayer? What do you believe about consecration and purity? What do you believe? Let your convictions be formed from the truth of God's word, and be deeply rooted. If you are loose with your convictions, ungodly counsel can push you down. If you're not firm in your convictions, you'll easily consent to sinners. In a world of "everybody does it", faulty ways of thinking become the basis for our beliefs about God, but it ought not to be. Be rooted and groun...

As the holidays come to an end and we don our work apparels, i'm really excited to share something vital with you regarding your vocation. I was pleased to come across a website: Theology of Work. I firmly believe that our vocations are means of fulfilling our various callings, and as Christians, we ought not to separate our spirituality from our secular jobs. I especially love Nehemiah in the Bible. He was such a hard worker who was obviously pleased with his work as the King's cupbearer, because Scripture says that he had never been sad in the king's presence. I really would love to be such a Christian. Today's post is from Theology of Work, a Christian website pioneered by a man named Andy. Andy became a Christian as a CEO, and he felt God impress upon him the importance of asking, “What difference does being a Christian make for my work?” Over the years, Andy’s extensive experience as a Christian working in the marketplace and his study of scripture have helped...

I need you to have a good headstart for success this year, all-round success. Today's resource is by Arabah Joy, a missionary and an online mentor. As usual, you're only a click away, but I'll just use these few seconds to tell you that this week, in addition to our resources, we'll be talking about hindrances to spiritual growth that you're not clearly aware of. Please, do well to read them. Ok, here's the link to the main post on the Secret of winning. Thank you for always reading our posts. God bless you for your commitment. God bless you.

When I came across this post, it was timely. I'd been caught up in the use of my smartphone such that I was having lean doses of the needful spiritual nourishment. Even though I was reading good Christian articles and stuff online, they could not suffice for adequate spiritual nourishment. Like one of the comments in the blog post reads, "I've been following a lot of Christian Instagram profiles and their posts also encouraged me, but I did spend more time reading my phone instead of the Bible. God spoke to me and I realized that he wants me to turn to His full living word for help instead of pretty pictures with partial truth!" I can totally relate. And we all know that we spend so much time on our smartphones, so give heed to this caution and regain correct posture for spiritual growth. So this is a good time to say that we, at Youngospel, are only helping you with resources that should drive you closer to God and create a huger in you for more. These can never...

Saturdays are for weddings. Ever heard that? However, something happens before two people decide to marry. Not just something, a lot. And for some people, true love hasn't come yet. "Does God reveal who we should marry?" is a question that's raised dust and eyebrows everywhere. Debates abound. Answers flourish. However, as controversial as this issue is, I couldn't agree less with this post on Lies Young Women Believe. You can read it here . I really pray that you find Prince Charming or Princess Perfect, but while you're at it, remember that you have an all-knowing God. He sure is wiser than you. Memorize this: "Wherefore, be ye not unwise but understand what the will of the Lord is." -Eph. 5:17

Here's a joke I saw yesterday on Christians Unite : One Spring afternoon, I came home to find two little girls on the steps of my building. Both were crying hard, shedding big tears.       Thinking they might be hurt, I dropped my briefcase and quickly went over to them. "Are you all right?" I asked.       Still sobbing, one held up her doll. "My baby's arm came off," she said.       I took the doll and its disjointed arm. After a little effort and luck, the doll was again whole.       "Thank you." came a whisper.       Next looking into the tearful eyes of her friend, I asked, "and what's the matter with you, young lady?"       She wiped her cheeks. "I was helping her cry," she said. That was funny, but it also got me thinking deeply. Am I committed to my friends and to the brotherhood of believer...

The knowledge of God breaks us free from all captivity. When Daniel saw in the word of God that they had overstayed in captivity, he rose up with that knowledge and went to God in prayer (See Daniel 9). The Bible says that we are in captivity because we do not have knowledge and as such, we are perishing (See Isa. 5:13 and Hosea 4:6). We must understand that it is not our busy-ness that makes things happen, whether religious or not, but we should sit down at the feet of Jesus and learn of Him. Jesus speaking to Martha in Luke 10:41,42 said that she was anxious and troubled about many things BUT only one thing is needful and that was what Mary was doing: learning, seeking to know God more. Our achievements and qualifications can do no good either, knowing God is utmost. Apostle Paul, in spite of his educational qualifications, religious portfolio, background, etc said that all of that is counted as loss compared to knowing Christ. In 1 Corinthians 2:2, he boldly said that he does no...

Who doesn't use a computer or smartphone in this age? Well, not me and I'm sure not you. Of course, this is a blog post and you can only read it from a computer or a smartphone or a gadget with a screen! So, today's resource is from GodEmbassy. They give tips on how to protect your eyes while using your computer. I loved the tips. They are clear and concise. Please enjoy you reading. Take good care of your body. You need it to fulfill the purposes of God here on earth. And don't forget to come back and say thank you in the comments section. I love you. Read it here .

I was really excited when I came across what Chuck Lawless said in his blog post. The title of the post got my attention and the content kept me stuck. It was awesome. As I read through the ten items he listed, I could totally relate. If only we had these conversations with older mature Christians, we would have been saved from a lot of blunders. But, oh well, life happens. Thank God we're here today. So, as you go through the list, I want you to have these in mind: I) If you're a teenager, you need to find someone you trust and have this conversation with them. Make sure he or she is a godly counselor. More importantly, pray for God's guidance. 2) Are we mates? Lol. I mean we're not old but neither are we so young. If yes, you know we need to right some wrongs. So, let's get on with it. And make sure to help a teenager go through his or her teenage years easily and in godliness 3) If you're an older Christian, I implore that you open yourself up to the...

Here on Youngospel, we are a team and together with fellow believers all over the world, we hold fast to the Head, our Lord Jesus Christ. To Him be praise and glory, now and forever more. Amen. For this year and beyond the word of the Lord to us is clear: Sow bountifully. The Bible says in Galatians 6:7, "Be not deceived: God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he reap." And in 2 Corinthians 9:6, "...he which sows sparingly shall reap also sparingly: and he which sows bountifully shall reap also bountifully." Don't run off yet. Stay with me. The above Scriptures show clearly that God cannot be mocked and there are certain orders and principles that have already been put in place. It's like a chain reaction. You do something, and it causes another to happen. It's Cause and Effect. The Amplified version renders that God will not allow Himself to be mocked by mere pretensions and professions, or by His precepts being set aside...

Hmmmmm. In 2016 (oh my, how time flies) I met with a fellow with whom I was impressed. For days, he had been trying to fix an appointment with me; said he really needed to discuss something very important. Finally, we had that appointment. While he was discussing that very important thing (big grin), I noticed something about his Bible. It had lots and lots of marks, notes, inscriptions, etc. He had underlined verses, highlighted some others with a highlighter, put some dots and arrows at other places, and all what not. Now, did I mention that the pages had turned brown from use. Hold on. His Bible still looked well cared for. I was very impressed by how much attention he had given to the study of the word. From then on, I made up my mind to boldly mark my Bible. I guess I thought that the more ink marks I saw, the more encouraging it will be to me that I was studying more,  and of course, anyone who comes across my Bible will see them too (show off! Lol). I started out on...

Happy New Year readers! It's been an amazing one year break. It was totally worth it. I am really grateful to God for everything. To Him be praise and glory, now and forever more. Amen This year, I have made up my mind to serve you diligently. The goal is spiritual growth. The Bible says in Ephesians 4 that the Body of Christ grows as each member does his part in love. I'll make sure to do my part through this blog and my sincere prayer is that we all will grow into the fullness of the stature of Christ. Last year, I found out that there's a lot of great stuff on the internet that can help us grow as Christians spiritually, and otherwise. So I'll be serving us with lots of these awesome stuff. I'll save you the stress of searching; just stick with me on this blog and all bring all the great stuff here for you. That said, I really do hope that we'll all have an amazing year. I love you very much, especially for your commitment to this blog since 2011. I a...