And the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses,the same commit you to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.
2Timothy 2:2

The mission of CI is to inspire others to know and become closer to Jesus Christ. To accomplish it, CI uses service to others, education and training, and creating opportunities where people can serve others. The Christian values to which CI continuously aspires is evident in everything CI does. Having its primary focus on Jesus Christ, CI seeks to inspire people, who would unlikely be in a church or Christian school, to get to know Jesus. Those who serve others will undoubtedly become closer to the Lord.

Principles to Live By

• Ensure that every aspect of your life is aligned with the Word of God.
• Bow down to God for shaping all aspects of your life
• Do not think about maintaining well-being; God is responsible for that.
• The mind, if left unfettered, will introduce sin and deception.
• Have faith in God for everything.
• Pray before every action.
• Don’t imagine outcomes of actions. If the actions are in God’s will, the outcomes, no matter what they are and how they feel, are for the best.
• Remember that one’s desires, if not shaped by God’s Word and prayer, are to take one away from God.
• Die to one’s self and will.
• Find contentment in whatever state you’re in.
• Go out of your way to love your neighbor.
• Live moment by moment.
• Let humility be your garment.

… let us lay aside every weight,
and the sin which doth so easily beset us,
and let us run with patience the race
that is set before us …

--Hebrews 12:1

As we live in this world, many things occur around us so that our attention is upon them, and not the Lord. In many instances, these things are not “sinful actions.” However, they penetrate us, diverting our focus.

An analogy of what can happen to us is that of a duck. A duck’s feathers repel water and other things so as to not let them penetrate to its body. If the things penetrate, the duck can become weighted down. We must be like ducks so that these things do not penetrate our feathers. Once they penetrate, we become weighted down by their occupying our mind; consequently, they consume most, if not all, our focus. Like a weighted duck, we sink.

We must do everything we can to stop these things from weighing us down. The first step is to recognize and assess them as weight. If we fail this first, important step, we stand the chance of getting caught up in it because it feeds and grows on itself. As time passes and if it goes unchecked, we will feel weighted down, even burdened. Our focus and mental energy turn to the weight instead of “the race that is set before us.”

To counter weights that come at us, we must be immersed in prayer and God’s Word. These will keep us focused on our race. If we are not focused, many distractions will occur. Once we recognize something as a weight or distraction, we must rebuke it because it is of the enemy. God wants us to stay focused on our race. If we cannot seem to shake it off, we must then pray and study God’s Word more diligently. We must remember that we can cast all our cares on the Lord because he cares for us.

Behold, God is my salvation;
I will trust, and not be afraid;
For the Lord God is my strength and my song;
He also has become my salvation.
Isaiah 12:2

Is there ever a time when you think about things, and as you go over them, either one or a few bring anxiety over you?

Does it feel like something could go awry with the situation? Is there fear that swells inside you as you think about it?

Although we all have these feelings of anxiety and fear at times, we have the Word of God to console us. God knows that we have this need to be comforted. That is why His Word is there for us. We need only to know and apply it.

The above verse states that we must trust in the Lord and not be afraid. For, through him, we can continuously have peace in daunting circumstances. Not only can we have peace but we also can draw refreshing strength from Him. From this strength, we can have joy in situations where the logical response is to be disheartened.

So, whenever there is fear, doubt or anxiety, please remember that God is here for us. We need only recite this verse and believe. Everything will be all right. The Lord is our strength and song. Give him the praise.


… be strong in the Lord,
and in the power of his might.

--Ephesians 6:10

Because we have the Lord as our foundation, we can stand firm against attacks from Satan.

We must realize that occurrences that make us feel less complete as a Christian are attacks from Satan. We must use the power of the Holy Spirit to help us during these situations. Satan knows our weaknesses. He’ll shoot darts right at the spot where we are most vulnerable. However, the Lord always provides a way for the darts to miss or not penetrate, that is, if we accept the way.

We have the Lord. We must know that for us to live a holy life, we must rely on Jesus. Trying to do things on our own yields failure. We cannot be strong in ourselves; we can be strong only in Jesus. Our power is infinitesimal against Satan’s, but through Jesus, our power can exceed Satan’s. Our only hope for victory in our Christian walk is to be strong in the Lord. His might is so strong. We can have rest.

So, when you’re feeling inadequate as a Christian, observe Satan’s attacks on you. For victory, you must “be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.”

 

SCRIPTURE

 

 
Friend of CI
Please enter your name
and email address so 
that CI can send you its
 monthly newsletter to
 keep you informed 
about the ministry.
First Name
Last Name
email address
Re-enter email address
QUICK LINKS
Listen to the Bible
Drug and Alcohol Resources
CAADAC
Writing Papers APA Style
California Alcohol and Drug Programs
Board of Behavioral Sciences
How to Defend Your Christian Faith
Fasting
Federal Statistics
Great link to research on Drugs and Alcohol
Alcoholics Anonymous History
A Manual for AA
The Big Book Online
 

Donate and order with confidence. CI uses Authorize.net to process securely all credit card transactions

 

DID YOU KNOW...

Our battle is not against flesh and blood.

 
 
 

 

 

 

   
   
 

 

 
 
Contact Us Privacy Policy Support Christian Institute
© Copyright 2008 Christian Institute, Inc.