Tag:

reality

Spiritual Truth Is Reality

by John Mathai June 13, 2022

written by John Mathai

We live in a world where we are mainly sense led. Our physical senses perceive our sense of time, space and direction in life. This then dictates what we perceive as reality. However there is a spiritual realm that is above the physical realm. This world can only be perceived through our spirit. God is Spirit and therefore we can only know Him by faith through the spirit. The spirit world is real even though we don’t see it. Just because we cannot measure the spirit world does not mean that it does not exist. We know there is a greater power that keeps the galaxies and all we see above us in perfect balance. Yet we deny His existence because we cannot measure Him through our senses.

Spiritual Truth

Spiritual truth is reality. When one becomes aware of this realm everything else fades into the background. What we perceive through our senses is just a reflection of what is happening in the spirit realm. This may sound weird to some but that does not make it less real. We can observe indirectly some things that happen that are beyond explanation. How does one explain miracle cures? How can one pray and see the results of prayer repeatedly not as a coincidence! When we become aware of the spirit realm, our whole world takes on a different perspective. We realise that all that we see is here today but gone tomorrow. Death is a reality that few of us want to think about.

Jesus

Jesus came to reveal the reality of the spirit realm to us. He came as a human being so that we can understand Him and through Him God. He demonstrated the impossible through signs and wonders. His disciples went on to do the same. Today we see these signs are possible if we believe. I have experienced His healing power and manifestations at different times. I cannot explain it in physical terms but they were real. Once we get to know the Holy Spirit as a person He will lead us into all truth. This is now my reality. Nothing compares to this personal relationship with the Holy Spirit who guides me each day. He is not limited by time and space and I now live an eternal life.

Dr. John Mathai

_________

Your Perception Can Mar Your Grasp Of Reality

by John Mathai May 9, 2022

written by John Mathai

Perception is the reception of your mind to see things the way you perceive them. Your senses see or hear and your mind interprets what you see and hear and this is perception. The interpretation of your sense is what leads to your sense of reality. I can perceive an object as beautiful but another person may see it as ugly. How is this possible? This is possible because what we perceive depends on how we interpret reality. Reality is a state of mind. My reality maybe different from yours. This is why we have so many opinions about issues and persons. This maybe confusing but this is how we interpret reality. What then is real?

Reality, Not Perception

What is real many times turns out to be fake because our perceptions have deceived us. Reality is a perception and can be challenged. However there are general rules we need to follow. A red light is a red light unless you are colour blind. One who is colour blind will refute this reality. Once people thought the world was flat till the facts were challenged and now we believe the world is round. However there are still people who think that the world is flat! This is all to do with perception. Your reality is your perception. Some can be so fixed in their thinking that they are deluded. We label this as a psychosis. Our mind is so complex and needs constant attention to renew it.

Bible

The Bible says we are transformed by the renewal of our mind. What we have been taught has to be renewed through the word of God. We are programmed in this fallen world to think and perceive in certain ways. The word of God comes to challenge this view. Some believe God causes sickness and disease. The Bible states that the devil causes sickness and disease. This change in thinking will cause us to believe for healing rather than accept the sickness. This is a change of perception. I once perceived my sickness as trouble now I see it as an opportunity for healing. Reality has changed the way I deal with sickness. I now believe for divine health rather than sickness.

Dr. John Mathai

_________

God Is Giving Us The Gift Of Disillusionment

by Rhoda Gayle August 14, 2021

written by Rhoda Gayle

God is giving us the gift of disillusionment by shattering our created imaginations and bringing us back to His reality.

Joe Frost

In an episode of The Cry with host Betty King, Joe Frost of Evangelical Alliance shares about the gift of disillusionment that God is giving to us.

As we live in this world filled with injustice and problems, we often create our own realities in our minds. We create our own illusion of a perfect world where we dwell with what we like and ignore what we don’t. But in the past year, God has been shattering those illusions to brings us back to His reality.

“In these moments of reckoning, we have an opportunity to be gifted with disillusionment,” Joe said. “I think what happens is we create our world. We live in our own little bubbles, our own little ecosystems, and we found what we like and we ignore what we don’t. Our imagination tells in fiction and this last year, those fictions have been shattered.”

Disillusionment

Let us return to the realness of God and get rid of our imaginations. Even if it sometimes means that we have to deal with the injustice by bringing God’s justice here on earth.

“Disillusionment is a painful thing, we like our illusions, and we often use that word as a negative,” she emphasized. “But God is the most real being in all of the universe. He is so real, He doesn’t need fiction, He doesn’t need illusion. And He gifts us with the reality of His presence and with the reality of His Spirit.”

We can receive God’s gift of disillusionment by spending time with Him. Instead of focusing on what’s happening in this world, let us focus on His reality and His goodness. There is hope for a better tomorrow if we just join in doing His mission.

“If we want to know the reality of God at work in our world, we need to spend time with Him. We need to understand His character, His motivations, the way He works so we can join His mission.”

Grow closer to God daily by getting exclusive video teachings on God Today!

Read God’s Word For You Today directly from your phone. Download the Daily Word app now on Google Play and Appstore

Reference: YouTube | GOD TV

August 14, 2021 0 comments

Articles

What Is The Source Of Your Reality?

by John Mathai July 8, 2021

written by John Mathai

Reality is a function of many factors both internal and external. We use our senses to make sense of the world around us. We see things and hear things and our brain then interprets these inputs. The interpretation is based on past experience and processes that paint a picture. I may see the same things but interpret what I see differently from you. A half empty glass of water may be perceived by one person as half empty but by another person as half full.

Our interpretation makes it real to us. This is our reality. A person could be operating from their life experience and never see the light of day. An elephant is tied to a tree by its leg by a rope and learns that the rope restricts its movement. However when the rope is removed the elephant still thinks it is tied and bound. The reality for the elephant is still bound by its past experience then the present truth.

Mental State

What is real is therefore a result of what we sense, interpret and experience in life. A poverty mental set will always see life as a struggle and never rise above it. Change the experience and a new reality dawns. Many are stuck in the reality of their experience of life. The past traps many in thinking that the future is a repeat of the past. No change is possible for the security of the past holds them back. When God comes into the equation a new reality is formed. He comes to remove the past and to bring us to a new future. This is what Jesus did. He knew we were stuck in our sin and there was no escape. He came to remove the blemish of sin and bring us to the land of hope.

Heavenly Reality

Spiritual blindness is a real thing and only God can remove it from us. God’s reality is heaven and earth is just a creation. He is our Creator and all we see is but an illusion or copy of the real. Our real being is our spirit. Our body is just the outside casing for our spirit. Reality takes a new meaning when we come to realise that we were born spirit beings and are on a earthly journey. This then shifts our whole perspective on life from a earthly realm to a heavenly realm. This shift is what brings about the born again experience. We live in a reality of heaven on earth. Life is eternal and all that we see and feel down here is an illusion, here today and gone tomorrow. Today shift from an earth bound reality to a heavenly reality by confessing Jesus Lord of your life.

Dr. John Mathai

___

Doctor Says She Will Deliver A Dead Baby But God’s Intervention Changed That Reality

by Christel Berns October 15, 2020

written by Christel Berns

A doctor declared that a baby inside a mother’s womb would be dead when it will be delivered. But God’s powerful intervention changed that reality.

Doctor Says She Will Deliver A Dead Baby

When Jessica and Mike went for an ultrasound, they were excited to see their third baby. However, their excitement was replaced with fear when they heard the bad news. The doctor couldn’t identify the baby’s gender because the baby’s growth was four weeks behind and Jessica’s amniotic fluid was low. Hence, the doctor declared that the baby would not survive.

“He said whenever the heartbeat stops, we’ll have to induce you and deliver a dead baby,” recounted Jessica.

Struggling To Accept The Horrible News

Not prepared and devastated by the news, she felt terrible while her husband Mike cried out to the Lord at dawn. Shortly after, the couple’s focus shifted from getting the baby’s room ready to planning a funeral. The couple then shared the news with friends and family asking for their prayers for strength and comfort.

“I can’t even honestly imagine anything more horrible. And I just knew I was going to have to have supernatural strength to be able to get over that fear,” the mother recalled.

Over the next few days, the couple still struggled to accept the news. Most especially that they can still feel the baby alive in Jessica’s tummy.

"You Will Deliver a Dead Baby" - Miracle Birth Left Doctors in Awe

Watch this video on YouTube

Clinging To Prayer

Until one day, Jessica stumbled upon an article of miraculous healing from cancer through prayer. So, she claimed that testimony. She was convinced that she could ask God for a miracle. And their community also joined them in prayer.

A couple of days later, she came back to have an ultrasound again. They could hear the baby’s heart still beating. As a result, they kept praying that her amniotic fluid would increase and the baby inside would double in size.

The Doctor And Nurses Were Perplexed

Two weeks later, the doctor told them, “This is really weird. The baby’s actually doubled in size and the amniotic fluid has increased.”

Jessica narrated, “The doctor said, ‘I don’t’ have any explanation for you.’ I said ‘we don’t need an explanation. We’ve had a lot of people praying for us.’”

The nurses and the doctor were perplexed about what happened.

“All of a sudden, the story has changed. It was unbelievable,” Jessica’s husband, Mike said.

Right then, they knew that God answered their prayers!

Born As A Healthy Baby Boy

Accordingly, on Jun 26, Samuel Gerard Tony was born at full term—a little small but perfectly healthy.

Today, Samuel is a blessed, happy, and healthy little boy. But Jessica insists that beyond the miracle God gave for their son Samuel, was a different miracle. She said, “The biggest miracle that happened was the miracle that God did inside of my heart before He healed my baby. He made me okay with whatever it was that was going to happen.”

Further, Mike added, “The real transformation is knowing that we have a good God who loves us. The only thing that really matters is our relationship with Him.”

Reference: 700Club Interactive

ALSO READ: Pregnant Woman With Large Tumor In Uterus Kept Her Baby Because Of God’s Promise

October 15, 2020 0 comments

Faith

Living In What Is Real

by John Mathai August 1, 2020

written by John Mathai

An image is a reflection and not the real thing. When you look in the mirror you see an image of you. When you confuse the image with your real self, then confusion will rule. This is what is happening around us. We promote ourselves and cover up our weaknesses and blemishes and sell a false self to others. This world is full of deception because fear rules our lives.

Fear can become an idol that is worshipped. How? Fear drives us to do things to hide ourselves from the real. The real is too frightening and so we accept the unreal. The unreal is an idol to prop up the false self. What a dilemma we find ourselves in. Who can rescue us from this false idol?

Jesus Rescues Us

Jesus came to save us from our fallen self. We were born in sin. Just as Adam and Eve covered themselves with leaves to cover their nakedness, so we too cover ourselves with a covering to hide our real self. This cover-up will work for a while but will not last. One day we will have to confront the real self beneath our cover.

Jesus is the real person who walked on the earth to show us the way out of the madness we are in. We can be a new creation in Him. He wants to restore us to the original person God created, and to live for eternity. Before Adam and Eve sinned they were destined to live for eternity. The fall led to them becoming limited in their life, and death was the result. Now God has made a way for us to shed our pretense and to accept reality. When we face the reality of our sin, then we become real and can be saved.

“Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in His eyes.” Romans 12:2

August 1, 2020 0 comments

Faith

Faith vs. Feeling

by Adeline Asante-Antwi April 15, 2019

written by Adeline Asante-Antwi

There is an American socio-political commentator named Ben Shapiro. He debates on TV panels about several social issues in the USA and he has a phrase that has made him popular. When arguing, the moment the other person gets angry or emotional, he says, “Facts don’t care about your feelings.”

A fact is a fact. How it affects your emotions doesn’t change a fact. That is the way, we must view the Word of God. As facts of faith, which don’t change inspite of what we see and feel. That is why God keeps repeating the fact that He is faithful and covenant-keeping and that means what He says He will do, He will do.

His faithfulness and trustworthiness is repeated so many times, why? Because it is of utmost importance, that you go by what He has said, not what you feel or see.

Adam & Eve

Let’s look at the first sin. God said clearly not to eat the fruit or they would die. That should have been fact to Eve. Not debatable, based on sight, feeling or the devil’s word. She questioned the sincerity of God. She questioned God’s Word and trustworthiness and essential said He was lying

Numbers 23:19 says, “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?”

Romans 3:4 says, “Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar.”

We must ask for the grace of Jesus Christ to see God’s Word as fact, and His promises of Fatherhood to you as fact. No matter what you feel! Because when all around you is sinking ground and you feel alone and desperate the evil one will come and question your trust in God.

His Facts

Never go by feeling, go by His Word or His facts. When we become born again, we get a feeling of happiness and fire, but we must quickly move from that as sign of salvation. Whether you feel it or not salvation is not a feeling it’s a decision to trust that Jesus Christ is Lord and Messiah. It is important to understand the Word so that in seasons when you don’t feel like praying or reading your Bible, you don’t give up and doubt your salvation. But you decide to push through and read the Bible and pray despite your feelings.

Feelings are not a gauge for how deeply we worshipped. That feeling of excitement you get at a worship concert, can also be felt at a Beyonce concert, yet there is no anointing in the worship, it leaves no impact. You get excited at a church service, but during the week your joy and hope is gone. That is not an impact, that is excitement, feelings led Christianity!

Faith versus feeling, means even when your finances, your career, your health, your marriage are under pressure from every side…Even when your spouse is not helping build the marriage…Even when your in-laws are causing problems for you…

You stand and declare His word. His fact.

“I lift up my eyes unto the hills from where shall my help come from? My help comes from the Lord the Maker of Heaven and Earth.” (Psalm 121:1-2)

“The Lord is my Light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1)

Faith vs Feeling

How do you get faith? Faith comes by reading and hearing the Word of God. The Bible is God’s fact book!

If you were encouraged reading this, consider getting my book.

April 15, 2019 0 comments

Articles

I Just Got Unfriended on Facebook and I’m Not Sure How I Should Deal With It

by Al Gibson February 26, 2017

written by Al Gibson

I Just Got Unfriended

I just got unfriended. “So what!” you may say… ‘Don’t take it personally, it’s not the real world, it’s only Facebook, get a grip!’ I know, I know, but it still hurts…

Background Facts

I’ve been at the same company with this person for 15 years and although we haven’t been close, I’ve always thought we had a good working relationship. And, as far as I know there’s no reason for this apparent “social snub”.

Fake News & Fake Friends

There, I just coined a phrase “social snub” – perhaps it may even end up in the dictionary because I kind of think I’m not the only one in this modern world of “fake news” and “fake friends” that has been rebuffed in this way.

Perhaps a more accurate word would be “fnubbed“ (Facebook-snubbed). Whatever way you say it, though, it all equates to the same thing = rejection. I feel rebuffed because someone who I thought I had a friendship with has shut me out.

Has this happened to you? I would love to know how you handled the situation. Please share your experience in the comments section below so others can benefit.

The Christian Response vs Pop Psychology

As a Christian, I can take comfort from the example of Jesus who had to face betrayal, and rejection even from His own disciples. The Bible says ‘He was despised of all men’. So in comparison, a “fnub“ is seriously insignificant.

Pop psychology tells us to “just let go”… that most probably they never really were my friend anyway, so nothing lost.

When you got unfriended, did you ask yourself questions, like ‘Why did this happen?’ Did you start doubting if you were good enough? Or did you react in anger? ‘How dare he/she!’ may have been your initial response or perhaps your head was filled with thoughts of how to get your own back. Did you want to tell the person to get lost in no uncertain terms?

I’m sure many of us would like to know!

“It is what it is” is something we often hear these days. But what does that help our wounded egos? Is dealing with “an unfriending” a pride thing that we need to pray about, humble ourselves and ask God to reveal the reason for our hurt and trust Him to bring healing into the situation?

Different Levels of Friendship

I guess how one reacts to “fnubbing“ depends on how well you knew the person in real life. Those FB “friends” who are just acquaintances are no real loss, but those who you know, and value, it’s still a personal affront when friendships end, whether online or off.

Spare a thought for those young people who only feel they are truly going out when it’s “Facebookficial.” And how wounded they must feed when their relationship status is returned to single. Ok, there was no romantic involvement in my recent unfriending, no love lost really, but still, I am supposed to turn the other cheek. Easier said than done because it has bothered me somewhat, well enough anyway to write a blog post about it!!!

Real Life vs Social Media

In the back of my head I think, ok, I mustn’t let this bother me. I don’t know the exact reason. Perhaps she just had a bit of a social spring clean. Perhaps she felt overwhelmed having too many friends and just wanted to limit her social interaction to a few close family members.

Maybe, if I bump into her in real life, things will be fine, courteous, even congenial. I can’t see her being blatantly rude. Obviously, there really is a huge difference between real life and real friendship and the way we interface, deface, or become faceless on facebook.

The more I think about it Facebook is Fakebook. The friends aren’t real and the way everyone presents their perfect lives isn’t real. I think I must put my efforts into making and keeping real friends. What do you say?

And yet, FB does help me keep in contact with my family and it’s great to see cute photos of my grandchildren who live far away. Yes, it helps me feel connected in some ways, and yet in others, it’s one big disconnect.

What do you think? Has this happened to you? What did you do?

February 26, 2017 1 comment