Purpose – James & Carolanne https://ptc.jamesandcarolanne.com Serving God as a web programmer with Digital Strategies. Sun, 11 May 25 20:49:45 +0000 en-US 2018 Impact Report https://ptc.jamesandcarolanne.com/2019/05/10/2018-impact-report Mon, 06 May 19 15:52:49 +0000 https://ptc.jamesandcarolanne.com/?p=2806 2018 Impact Report]]> Global Daily - March 2012 https://ptc.jamesandcarolanne.com/2012/02/22/global-daily-march-2012 Wed, 22 Feb 12 11:30:17 +0000 https://ptc.jamesandcarolanne.com/?p=1588 TheLife Card As a symbol of their commitment we challenge followers of Christ to sign TheLife card as a physical reminder of that commitment.  We also encourage them to be held accountable to their decision by signing up on thelife.com and having one or more of their friends hold them accountable to the steps they are taking. Many years ago in high-school I wrote a mission statement for my life and it read something like this:
I intend to do God’s will for my life when ever, where ever, and what ever, for His glory, in regards to my calling, those I date, my future wife, my future family, and my job. I intend to put His will first in every aspect of my existence and want to honour Him with all my life.
In helping to develop thelife.com I have felt honoured and blessed to have been given the opportunity to do exactly that, and to help design something which would allow others to make similar commitments. Developing the website for this challenge has taken the vast majority of my time for the past few months meaning I've had little time to focus on much of anything else.  It has been a difficult project, but very rewarding as now there are already over 500 people who have joined. My prayer requests for this site would be for God to use it powerfully in the lives of believers around the world and that it would not only result in Christians getting serious about their faith,  but also in many others being told about God's good news of great joy that is for all people.]]> The Rapture is Coming! https://ptc.jamesandcarolanne.com/2011/05/20/the-rapture-is-coming Thu, 01 Dec 11 14:48:03 +0000 https://ptc.jamesandcarolanne.com/?p=1227 The rapture is coming tomorrow.  At least, that's what some Christians believe and have been preaching. Officially, the Bible teaches that we don't know the day or the hour when Christ will return.  It *could* be on May 21'st at 6:00 pm GMT, or it could be the day after, or next week, or in 2000 more years.  What we DO know for sure is that Christ WILL return someday, those who believe in Him will be saved and those who do not will be judged. What makes me sad about all of this is the lack of God's love and passion for the lost seen in those who believe in Him.  I heard a quote recently:
I've heard it said that something is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it. This is utter of rubbish. Things are worth what they are worth. What someone is willing to pay is merely the fastest way of figuring out what that worth has always been.
Jesus paid for us with His life so that we might have the chance to be saved from eternal death.  I think that means we're worth a LOT.  He loves each of us dearly, even those who don't love Him, and longs for us to have the opportunity to be saved.  He made it as simple as possible for us, that all we have to do is believe in Him and we will be saved.  If He loves each of us SO much, shouldn't we also follow His example and love each other?  This is the message of the gospel!  That He loved us SO much he died for us so that we could be saved.  All we have to do is believe in Him.  He also asked us to tell that message to others. Some have been discussing what they would do if today was their last day on earth.  Some intend to relax and do nothing stressful.  Others plan to go shopping or spend credit on themselves without regard for future consequences.  After all, if Jesus comes tomorrow, I can buy stuff on credit today and never have to pay.  The one thing I really haven't heard is the urgency of telling others about Jesus.  If He comes tomorrow, that's it.  Our opportunity to share the message of how He loves each of us is over. If we truly have the love of Jesus in our hearts, should we not take every opportunity to share the message of the gospel with those who don't know it? Now I realise that tomorrow may very well come and go and nothing rapturous or supernatural will happen.  All that means is we really don't know the day or the hour.  Maybe He will come on May 22'nd!  We still need to live our lives in a way that shows God's love to those around us with the knowledge that He IS coming, and we need to be ready. If the rapture DID happen (on May 21'st or some other day) and you're reading this after the fact.  I strongly recommend you pick up a Bible and start reading.  You could start in the book of John (it's in the New Testament, see the table of contents).  You may also want to read the book of Revelation.  It's a crazy read, but might just give you some clues as to what steps to take next.]]> Ephesians 1:3 https://ptc.jamesandcarolanne.com/2010/12/17/ephesians-13 Thu, 01 Dec 11 14:48:12 +0000 https://ptc.jamesandcarolanne.com/?p=1106 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. (Eph. 1:3 NLT) After a very brief introduction to the letter regarding who he is and to whom it is written (verses 1 and 2), Paul launches into this amazing description of God's wonderful love for us. When I was reading this, I got stuck on the phrase "has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms". What does that mean exactly? What ARE spiritual blessings? I would assume they include things like the spiritual gifts, the fruit of the Spirit, His presence, His love, ... I doubt I could ever come up with a complete list, but I think the most important one would be the blessing of Himself. He gave Himself to us, made Himself accessible to us and adopted us into His family. When I look honestly at myself and my life, I quickly realise that I'm really not worth much. I'm just one small voice in among 6+ billion others, each of whom also have their own lives, plans, goals, problems... Even all of us together, really are just ants crawling around on a globe, hurtling through space and time with no control over where it takes us. Yet, in spite of our insignificance, God, the almighty creator of everything that is, was and ever will be, has taken an interest in us. More than that, He VALUES us, as his prized possession. He values us SO much He sent His Son to become one of us, so that He might communicate more effectively with us and give us hope and a future, when we were destined for destruction.
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. - Jesus (John 10:10b NIV)
That's it for today. Maybe I'll write again one of these days and take on the next verse or two. Hope you found it inspirational. Now it's 12:30 and I'm tired and need to sleep.]]> The Five Pillars of Manhood https://ptc.jamesandcarolanne.com/2010/11/30/the-five-pillars-of-manhood Thu, 01 Dec 11 14:48:27 +0000 https://ptc.jamesandcarolanne.com/?p=1100 Second Hand Lions, there is a part where one of the main characters gives his "What it means to be a real man" speech to a few young punks.  I always wondered what the content of that speech might have been.  Perhaps it was something like this.  (see bottom for original source) Next Stop - Manhood WE NEED MEN OF GOD WHO WILL LOVE & RESPECT WOMEN OF FAITH...NEXT STOP "MANHOOD". I spent the day with a group of men in our house church learning what it takes to be a man of God when it comes to loving and respecting women. In our day an age most men are not men, they are boys. Most guys still want to marry their mom, have a women serve and take care of them, are not willing to take initiative or commit in a relationship, most men are still living in fear, not pursuing their callings by settling for “safe” because its easy. This is sad, upsetting and the standard must change. Women don’t want to marry boys, they want to marry men. Women don’t want boys they have to put up with, clean up after and take care of, they want to be led, pursued and taken on an exciting life adventure. If you go to most of the churches in the Western world today, you will find that there are very few spiritual men, instead there are many spiritual women. It’s disappointing, but I hear it from women of faith all the time, “Pastor Jaeson, where are the godly men?” Today, a good brother and leader in our GBS community Daniel Ra explained what God showed him to be the “5 Pillars of Manhood” in how men must love, respect and serve women. It was enlightening and reinforcing from what I have been teaching men for years when it comes to pursuing a woman of God… of course none of us are perfect, we all have our mistakes, but we must each strive to be better and greater than what we were before yesterday, everyday making an effort to be more like God, to be just like Jesus, to be a man of faith and honor. The 5 Pillars of Manhood…   1. Lead - A man must be a leader in a relationship, in a marriage, in a family. There are no excuses. A woman doesn’t want to make the decisions for her man, she wants her man to lead in the relationship. A man must take initiative. A man of God is leader, not a follower, a servant, not a slave, a hero not a coward. A man of God knows God and therefore knows himself. He should be the leader spiritually first, emotionally, mentally and physically he should set the standard for others to follow. 2. Protect - A real man of God will protect his partner. That means he is willing to lay down his very own life, needs and wants for the protection of the one he loves. Every decision he makes when it comes to a relationship has her protection in mind. A woman needs to feel secure, that she is protected and safe with her man. She doesn’t need to second guess, wonder if she will be okay, or have her heart and mind played with. A real man of God will not only protect his woman physically, but also mentally, emotionally and spiritually. He always has the highest good in his mind for her safety, well being and wholeness. This is for the Christian guys out there, don’t emotionally rape a sister, play with her heart and tell her you are just her brother or friend. That is BS. Man up. You either pursue a woman of God because she is God’s precious creation, or you don’t try touching it at all, or play with their hearts emotionally, unless you are willing to be up front and clear with your intentions and the direction of the relationship from the start. Emotional rape is as painful to a woman as physical rape. Women are emotional beings and their hearts are not to be played with. Protect your sister's heart. 3. Provide – A real man of God will do whatever it takes to provide for his significant other. That means monetarily in finances, in basic needs and as well as what she desires. When a man asks a father for his daughter in marriage, the father will not ask, “How are you doing spiritually first?” No, the first thing the father will ask is, “How will you provide for my daughter?” Because part of being and becoming a man is providing for others, especially your wife and children. If a man can’t provide, he isn’t a man. God gave us hands and we must put our hands to work, no excuses to be lazy, God made us to rule the earth. Women are not be treated as toys, trophies or a luxury item, women are God’s highest creation, the very image of God. I tell men all the time, “Treat your woman like a queen and you will live like a king.” Don’t be cheap brothers, you need to go all out when it comes to pursuing a woman. This is not a one time thing, but a continual practice. Women were created for beauty. They were created beautiful, to feel beautiful to be treated beautiful. You don’t handle a rose without care, it is the same with a woman of God, you treat her with the utmost care, honor and respect. Practically, that means you don’t take a woman to Denny’s on a first date, you take her to a place that hurts your wallet, but it’s worth it because she is worthy. Also, men must also provide for women emotionally. When a women asks you, “How are you doing?” She is really asking, “How are you being?” Meaning, what are you feeling, thinking, seeing, being about at the moment. To love a women we must provide at every level – basic needs all the way to providing for them mentally, emotionally and spiritually, if not their hearts will die. Be a man, provide for your women. 4. Integrity – A true man of God is a man of his word. Too many men in our culture break promises, play with women’s hearts, date girls as if it was a game, and have no respect for women at all. This is disgusting. In old times, when a man said “You have my word!” that word was bond, it was as if an actual contract had been written, because your word was your reputation. How many men do we know today who say one thing, but do another? Men who do not keep their word, their promise or follow through with their verbal commitments. In our culture we don’t take words seriously, but in God’s world words are everything. Blessings and curses come out of the same mouth. What comes out of our mouths determines what is truly in our hearts. What a woman wants is a man of integrity. Someone who says what he does and does what he says. Someone they can trust at their word. So as a man you must come through. Words means nothing if they are not backed up with action. Don’t say sorry unless you mean it. Don’t say sorry unless you are able to back up your apologies with doing the right thing. Integrity is doing what is right, whether people are watching or not. Integrity is what you do when no one is looking. Does your woman trust you completely? If not, it is a question of integrity. Don’t tell a women you love her unless your love shows, words carry weight. They either carry false weight or real weight, a woman knows when a man means what he says. So live by your words, live by action, be a living proof of your values, convictions and commitments. Don’t get involved in a relationship unless you are sure this what you want and what God is leading you both to do. I’ve had my share of mistakes in the past, where I got into a relationship without thinking about the consequences, protecting my sisters heart and the fear of the Lord from the get go, I’ve had to make amends and face the results of my sin and foolishness. Trust me brothers, don’t do what I’ve done in the past, don’t play games, don’t feed your fleshly desires, rather seek God, seek the best interest of the one you are pursuing, be honest, forthright from the start about your commitment and your vision for the relationship and stick to your word. Be a man of integrity. If you pursue a women, it should be with the intentions of marriage. If not, stop playing yourself and her. It’s not about finding the right woman, it’s about being the right man. That starts with first knowing God in order to know yourself, then you will know how to love and respect a woman. 5) Courage - You are not a man until you climb the great wall of China! This is what it says at the actual Great Wall. Well, I have climbed the Great Wall of China so I guess I must be more of a man than others, just kidding. What is the greater underlying message here? It is a message of courage. It is a message of adventure. A man of God is a man of courage, a man of adventure, a man who is willing to take risks and do the impossible. Men were born to live a life of great adventure. Men were created to fight battles. Men were created to rescue beauties. Men were created to live. Sadly, most men are not living. Most men are cowards, fearful and afraid of failure. Imprisoned by their own thinking and what others think about them. Many men are just boys waiting for their mother’s approval, or the approval of others in society. Most men I know are people pleasers, not God pleasers. They are more afraid of how others may reject them or not accept them if they choose to take the road less traveled. All men die, few men truly live. Women don’t want nice guys or good boys, women want men on a mission, men on adventure, men who are dangerous. This is why many women are drawn to bad boys because bad boys live with a sense of risk, danger, mystery and unknown. Men were created to live fearless and to live by faith. But if you walk into a church today what you find are a bunch of boys playing with their toys, working at predictable jobs — not their true callings, and living boring lives. It’s sad, but most guys get their sense of adventure from playing video games or watching TV, what happened to our men? A man of faith will sweep a woman of God off of her feet. He will challenge her to go the distance in God, in their relationship and in life. A man of courage is someone who in the face of fear still chooses to move forward with trust in God, setting out to obey God’s voice at whatever the cost, because that is what matters the most. We need men who have hearts fully alive, hearts full of passion and are on a mission to change the world. There is a high cost to being a man of courage, there is a price to pay if we want to be a real hero, it means we are willing to go against the grain, follow God against all odds and live a life of honor, courage and righteousness. When a woman finds a man of courage, it will encourage her to be all that God has created her to be. As a man, your goal is not how your woman can serve you, but how can you serve your woman? As a man, your goal is not how a woman can serve your destiny, but how can you do all that you possibly can to release the fullness of God’s glory and destiny in her. Men take the lead, protect at all costs, provide in every way, live by your word and live a life of adventure with the Holy Spirit — obey God, not man and you will be the man of God you were created to be — and your woman will love you for it. --------------------------- I originally saw this article here on Facebook.  I have included it full text here on the site in order to make it available to those who may not be on Facebook.  It appears to be a written sermon by Pastor Jaeson Ma and originally posted here.]]>