Michelle

"What about Christ's coming should get our undivided attention" That God is coming soon, even though we don't know when. But we need to keep focused on God and his word. We need to be self controlled and keep our hearts and minds right with God. "Why should it inspire hope" It gives me hope because I know I will be going to a better place. "Why Should it inspire self-control and soberness" We need to have self control because it is so easy to do the wrong things and then you do it again and again by the time you look you have gone backwards. When we are not sober (Drunk) it clouds our mind and we cannot think properly, we tend to do things that are not in our character. "What happens in our lives when we don't really expect Christ to come soon" We will get very slack. We think it can wait till tomorrow we have time and tomorrow never comes.

I feel it is our Faith. I believe in my saviour and know where I am going. Because Jesus died on the cross to save us. When I think of Jesus being crucified I feel sad but happy, I cry because I know the God loved us so much that he sent his Son here on earth so taht we could be saved. When I think of God I feel a fire burning within me that sometimes overwhelms me. Extra Credit: I would say that the genuine article you can see straight away as they are so at peace and there face they just glow. You can see the joy in them. But a counterfiet to me would be someone that basically thinks of there owe needs and is cold, they need to soften there hearts.

Well this is my third time trying to submit this, so here goes. About a year ago We came back from the coast earlier than expected we had things to sort out. I felt the Holy Spirit telling me we had to go to a peticular orphanage. My friend knew where it was. So we organised for her to take us. By the way we were not looking to adopt we had made peace that I could have no more children. Driving there I prayed all the way as my friends one window wiper was broken. At the orphanage we went and sat in the lounge and talked to the lady who is the house mum. She kept asking us to be holiday parents for one peticular baby. But we both had very full lives. Stephen ran a youth for under privilaged children every Friday we would either do a christian disco or a video or games night and feed the children. Then on a Sunday we would have a Sunday School. So it was quite hectic. Also we have a cell to run etc etc. To cut a long story short. We had a tour around the house and when we got to the babies room. This baby of about 3 months looked at me, I can't explain but I knew, I just knew. That was the baby that the lady was talking about. We decided to take it slow and be holiday parents (see how it goes). It took us two weeks to get all the baby stuff. The first time he came to stay with us we knew he was a gift from God and that he was suppose to be with us. We had alot of opposition, but most of our Christian friends stood behind us. I wasn't allowed to visit my Mum and Dad because we decided to adopt this baby. I had people at work laughing behind my back. But I knew it was from God. We also had difficult times with the adoption. They told us he had already been put up for adoption. I cried. But afew days later after alot of phone call and constant praying they had got him mixed up. Anyway we spoke to God and said we have a baby, but we live in a one bedroom flat. We had a house within a week even less than we paid for the flat a month and it was ours. So we spoke to God again and said ok we have a house but we need to sell the flat and we didnt' put it up for sale. Stephen bumped into this guy and told him we where selling our flat, he asked could he have a look as he was interested, and he said he wanted it. Well after a year the adoption has gone through. We are bless with a beautiful baby boy and my daughter who I hadn't seen for eight years (lived in Australia with father) came back. My Mum and Dad have let me come and visit again. So I can only give all the Glory Honour and Praise to God. He knows what he has planned for us.

God is our father in heaven, he watches over us, guides and protects us. We are shielded by Gods power. Our part is to trust in him and to have faith in him, that whatever we may come across God is in control.

I originate from Widnes (England). I came to South Africa for 6 months to visit my mum and that was 22 years ago. I live like I said in Johannesburg, South Africa. I have been married for 4 years to a wonderful husband, I have two teenage daughters one in South Africa and one in Australia and one baby of 1 years old that we adopted. When we adopted baby Joshua, we weren't looking at adopting any child. But God put him in our path and we knew he was a gift from God. My husband and I are involved in our church, we have a cell group every week at our house. We started going to church about 4 years ago and our lives have never been the same.

Obeying God means to have forgiveness, and to forgive means that you obey God and his word. Thus any deviation from this is deception, there is no compromise when it comes to God and his word. Good works is a act of love that we do. We are saved by Gods grace. We have to be careful as good works can lead to a person becoming boastful and full of pride. Gods grace included sending his son to die on the cross for our sins so that we have eternal life. (John 3:16)

He sets his sights on the earthly things and it occupies and takes up his time and at the end of the day God gets the scraps and the Christian doesn't grow as he should. Yes, when you start of being a baby Christian, that is normally when you find you get distracted, I must admit that even now I falter and sometimes find myself getting side tracked. I feel that we need to draw closer to God, have a personnel relationship with him, to read his word, our main circle of friends if they are Christians can encourage and motivate us. To fellowship in church and most of all to stay focused on God, he is our heavenly father.