Caribbean Youth Day 2014

The theme for this Year's Youth Day is -: Embracing technology to promote innovative and sustainably conscious Caribbean Youth
Myra Delice from St Lucia gives this explanation:
Technology, particularly information technology,
plays a vital role in current youth developmental
initiatives in metropolitan countries. Therefore, it is
no surprise that future trends will follow suit
parallel with the lightening speed of global
technological advancements. In light of this trend, I believe that the Caribbean should take more
aggressive steps towards equipping its youth with
the knowledge, technical know-how and hands-
on application of such global advancements.
Developing sustainable economies (which are by
products of human resource practices) is one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)- a clear
indication of its importance
not only in the More Developed Countries, but also
to the Lesser Developed Caribbean countries. An academically capable youth will never loose
flavour in its contribution to youth development,
but it will not suffice on its own. By further
broadening the minds of Caribbean youth through
technological trending, they become more curious
about their environment. Curiosity propels critical thinking, which will further breed innovation. In a
nutshell, an academic and technologically apt
Caribbean youth pave the way for creating
and maintaining sustainable Caribbean economies.

ARE YOU PREPARED?

This is a story Bishop Wedell Davis shared on FB.
A pastor was traveling last week, he saw an old man, and gave him a lift. While they were going, the old man said; my son, do you know what happened in Heaven last night?

The pastor was so terrified and hurriedly parked and asked; Sir, are you sleeping? How did you get the information about Heaven?
The Old man said; last night in Heaven God became very angry with man and asked the Angels to blow the trumpet. The angels picked up the trumpets and as they were about to blow it WHEN, Jesus fell down and began to plead in tears. The blood that came out of His hands and body were very fresh. He told God that His death shouldn't be in vain.

God couldn't stand the pains of the saint and the wickedness of the evil ones. So He said;"I AM GIVING THEM THEIR LAST CHANCE."

Jesus then turned to the angels and told them to move down in their numerous numbers to tell the world that:
"THE END IS NEAR, JESUS IS COMING VERY SOON".

The pastor (sweating and crying) asked; sir, how did you know this?
The OLD MAN replied; I am one of the Angels sent
to the World.
Please use every medium of communication to send this message.
No time to waste, Please! And the old man disappeared.

Brethren, this story is real, Christ is coming Soon.
PLEASE SAVE A SOUL TODAY.
I Have done my part, it's now your turn to spread the Gospel.
No wealth can be compared to life everlasting in Heaven.
If you are Ready to share this Message, LIKE and write:"AMEN"
May God bless you all. AND DO NOT FORGET TO SHARE THIS POST

5 Most Shared Bible Verses

Here are the top five online shared Bible verses on the Internet.

1. Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
This is the most shared online Bible verse of all, according to You Version. For many years John 3:16 was the most shared Bible verse of all but this verse has been consistently among the most shared online Bible verses for several years and has finally become the most bookmarked, highlighted, and shared among all Bible verses that people share online.

2. Isaiah 40:31 "but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."
I will paraphrase what D.L. Moody once who was asked about his tireless efforts for the Lord; "Don't you get tired of doing all these things for the Lord?" to which he replied "I am tired in the ministry but not tired of the ministry." We all grow weary at times but if we wait, like Elijah under the broom tree and was fed by an angel of the Lord some fresh water and baked bread (1 Kings 19:3-8), we "shall renew [our] strength" and then "mount up with wings like eagles" who are the strongest of all birds of prey which is why they never grow "weary." By waiting on the Lord, Elijah was able to travel "forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God" (1 King 19:8) .
3. Matthew 6:13 "And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."
The literal translation is to "deliver us from the Evil One" or Satan. To be delivered from the Evil One will help us avoid being led into temptation.
4. Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
God repeated the line "be strong and be courageous" three times (Joshua 1:6-9) which in the Hebrew literature, is the strongest emphasis possible and we can take this to heart because for those who are His children, "the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." That should strengthen us for the times we need to be strong and be able to conquer fear and be courageous.
5. Philippians 4:6 "do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."
We all have anxiety at one time or another but Paul has the solution; "in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made know to God." A key here is "in everything" pray about it…and with prayer add "thanksgiving." It is hard to be anxious when we are giving thanks for all the blessings we do have.

Conclusion:

Maybe because so many doubt their own salvation, Romans 8 was the most frequently read chapter in all the Bible and who can blame anyone for that because there is such an amazing conclusion to it, "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom 8:38-39). Amen!

May God richly bless you,

Pastor Jack Wellman

Traits Of A Healthy Relationship

Here are three important traits of having a healthy relationship.


BeingTransparent:

If you want to have a healthy relationship, there are more than three things that you can look for but one of these is to be transparent. I have a friend who is trying to overcome a big sin in his life. He is honest about when he falls but I am also honest with him about my sins and where I fall short. Instead of judging him, I listen to him, pray for him, and encourage him that sanctification is a lifelong process. The key to our relationship is that we are transparent with one another. A great relationship is one where you feel safe to tell someone your faults or when you sin. When I share the gospel, I am transparent about my past and my present struggle so that people won't feel that it's impossible for them to be saved. Transparency brings down the walls of separation, lets us confess our sins to one another and know that we are not alone in our struggle over sin.


Telling the Truth:

Nothing shatters friendships or relationships like discovering you've been lied to. I would rather be hurt with the truth than comforted by a lie. Eventually, the truth will come out. I discovered a great way to keep me from bearing false witness. I made a covenant with myself that when I tell a lie I will go to that person and tell them to their face, "I lied to you. I'm so sorry. Please forgive me." If you do that enough times, believe me, you'll tend to tell the truth more often. Besides, lying is an offense to God. The next time I am tempted to lie, even if it's an exaggeration, I think about my having to come back to that person and confess that I lied to them. That makes me much more accountable and so I tend to lie less.

Sharing the Load:
The saying is so true; share a joy and it's doubled, share a sorrow and its halved, but when we share responsibilities, we lighten the load. I like to do the dishes at home and I take out the trash, clean out the litter box…or anything else that needs to be done. I think of my wife and me as a team. When two carry a load, it's a lot lighter. Besides, that's fair. I want to do anything that I can do make her day or week go easier because she's more than my wife, she's my best friend. This goes with disciplining the children, helping them with homework or anything else that goes along with parenting.
If you want a healthy relationship, whether it's in a marriage or a friendship, you'll strengthen your relationship if you are honest and transparent, if you tell the truth, and if you share the load.
May God richly bless you,
Pastor Jack Wellman

Faith - A Manner Of Life

Faith is confidence or trust we place in another. In the case of God and our Savior, Jesus Christ - faith means we are convinced that there is a God; we are persuaded that He knows best, and in regard to Jesus - we believe He is who He claims to be, He has the power to save us -- and everything He said about everything is the truth!
When I consider examples of faith in the Old Testament - as reflected in Hebrews eleven; when I read what Jesus said about faith, then study the book of Acts, I'm persuaded: Faith means we are convinced that there is a God; we are persuaded that He knows best, and in regard to Jesus - we believe He is who He claims to be, He has the power to save us - and everything He said about everything is the truth!
  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Heb. 11:1, NKJV). Faith stands under - that is, faith is THE SUB-STANCE of those things we hope for - that's what faith does. And faith convinces us or affords the evidence of things not seen,
There are various levels of faith:
1. Weak Faith –Everyone begins here.Weak faith considers circumstances.It constantly limits God and His benefits.Wrong teachings are an influence here.It cannot see the Spirit, the power of God, or that God can do all things.

2. Temporary Faith– As we grow stronger, we receive the Word of God for awhile, and believe, but then fail when tests come. (Luke 8:15)

3. Active Faith– Faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26) We need to do more than just believe, since even the demons believe and tremble.The apostles acted on their faith, preached the gospel, and did good works.

4. Strong faith– This is a faith that staggers not at God's promises.One refuses defeat, and will not take no for an answer. The person speaks out loud to the devil, rebuking him, and releases God into action.

5. Great Faith– has a great expectation, that just hearing the word is enough for the request to be granted. As in the centurion, who said "you only need to speak the word, and my servant will be healed."He did not even ask Jesus to come. His words were enough. (Matt 8:10)

6. Unfeigned faith–(genuine) – It knows no hypocrisy. It does not brag or put on a show. (2 Tim 1:5) Very childlike, trusting and innocent, and is well founded in the Word of God.

7. Perfect (divine) faith– Absolute confidence in God's own Word and Being.
This will be tested with fiery trials.
While other levels of faith receive some support, and encouragement from God, this level takes what is learned from earlier levels, and endures to the end without apparent support.

Ashleigh Awarded Ignatius Lafeuille Scholarship.

Ashleigh Herman

On Saturday September 6, 2014, Ashleigh Herman a Common Entrance candidate was awarded a Scholarship by the Choiseul Credit Co-operative Credit Union. The schorlarship is named the Ignatius Lafeuille Scholarship, after the retired General Manager, who also goes by that name.
Ashleigh topped her school, which is the Rivere Doree Combined. 'She has always been a top student.' So says her past teacher. Both her Dad, and grand parents on dad side, were so full of joy at her achievement. The scholarship runs for a full five-years term.
Ashleigh will be attending the Choiseul Secondary School where her friends Danzella and Deborah also attend.
Our Church family wishes Ash all the best in the future.
Look out for pics from the ceremony soon.

Ways For Christian Teens To Avoid and Overcome Temptation By Kelli Mahoney

Christian teens face temptation every day, and not everyone is prepared to overcome those temptations. At some point most people are faced with the desire to submit to sin, whether it is gluttony, sex, gossip, cheating, and more. Sometimes those temptations are minor, so they are pretty easy to overcome, but other times the desire seems too great. Remember, though, that temptation is not the sin, even Jesus was tempted. We only sin when we give into the temptation.
Here are some things you can do to help you avoid and overcome temptations:

1. Identify Temptations
Everyone is a little different, so it is important to know what temptations are difficult for you to overcome. Some people may find that gossip is more alluring than sex. Others may find that even holding a date's hand is too much of a temptation. When you know what tempts you the most you can be proactive about handling that temptation.

2. Pray About the Temptation
Most Christian teens know the temptations that are difficult to overcome. For instance, if you find gossip a great temptation then pray every night for the strength to overcome the gossip. Ask God to provide you with the strength to walk away from the gossip and to know what information is gossip and what is real information.

3. Avoid the Temptation
When we know what temptations are being the most difficult, we can prepare ourselves for those situations. In some cases we can even avoid the temptation itself. For instance, if premarital sex is a temptation, then you can avoid being in situations where you might find yourself giving into that desire. If you are prone to cheating, then you may want to position yourself during a test so that you cannot see the paper of the person next to you.

4. Use Your Bible for Inspiration
The Bibleis there to offer Christian teens advice and guidance, so why not use it? Scripture verses like 1 Corinthians 10:13, "You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptation" (CEV), can help inspire you in moments of temptation. Try to look up what the Bible says on your areas of temptation for inspiration and guidance.

5. Use the Buddy System
Do you have a friend or leader that you can trust to guide you in facing your temptations? Sometimes it helps to have someone else you can talk to about your issues or even brainstorm ways you can avoid temptation. You may even ask to meet regularly with your friend to hold you accountable.

6. Use Positive Language
What does positive language have to do with avoiding temptation? It actually has more to do with overcoming temptation. You need to believe God can help you overcome the desire to sin in order to actually overcome it. Avoid saying things like, "It's too hard," or "I'll never be able to do this." Remember, God can move mountains. Try changing how you approach the situation and say, "God can help me overcome this," or "It's not too hard for God."

7. Give Yourself Alternatives
In 1 Corinthians 10:13, the Bible states that God can show you how to escape from your temptation. Allow yourself to see that escape. If you know your temptations, know how you can overcome. Give yourself alternatives. For instance, if you are tempted to lie to protect another person's feelings, try considering other ways to word the truth so it doesn't sound so harsh. If people around you are getting into drugs, try making new friends. Alternatives aren't always easy, but they can be the path God creates for you to avoid and overcome temptation.

8. It's Not the End of the World
While avoiding temptation makes life a lot easier, it can be discouraging when we do give into that sin. We all make mistakes. That is why God offers us forgiveness. While you should not sin knowing that you can be forgiven, you should know that God's grace is available. So add 1 John 1:8-9, "If we say that we have not sinned, we are fooling ourselves, and the truth isn't in our hearts. But if we confess our sins to God, he can always be trusted to forgive us and take our sins away," (CEV)to that list so you know that God will always be there ready to catch you when you fall.

Source: http://christianteens.about.com