How We Handle Persecution

The enemy wants to see you sweat and swear. God wants to hear you pray.

Yesterday a rogue employee at my website hosting company deactivated our website. Without notice, the entire website was listed as an inactive URL. In my spirit, I knew it was spiritual warfare. These distractions often come before any new Bible Cafe™ study. When we study, connect, and grow- the devil prowls around our ministry.

Our new study is about the Prayers and Promises of the Bible. What a blessing for the leaders and students who are participating. Knowing this, the prowling devil looks for weaknesses in our community. He found one yesterday as a rogue employee at our hosting company deactivated us. Fortunately, I caught that quickly!

The remedy took a single prayer. Five minutes after asking our leaders for urgent prayer, I found a backdoor on the website and saw it was deactivated. No payment due, no expired credit card, and no email communications. Someone tried to cancel us. I clicked the reactivate button and we were online again.

Six days before this, I came into the view of the rogue employee when I posted a compliment about their company. I raved about their excellent service. The employee most likely saw my profile, clicked on my name, and was offended by my religious work. So they took me down.

The hosting company website clearly states the steps before deactivation. A warning email, communication from the hosting support team, and an opportunity to correct any billing issues. Since none of these applied to my account, I was not forewarned of the deactivation. And so I knew it was a rogue employee.

I experienced a similar event several years ago with another Christian site that I hosted, LifeVerse Jewelry. They deleted my site content two weeks before Christmas.

It’s not uncommon. The Bible calls this persecution.

Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. 2 Timothy 3:12 NIV

Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Romans 12:14 NLT

How we handle persecution matters to God. He knows our hearts and the stubborn heart of the one who persecutes us.

The enemy wants to see you sweat and swear.

God wants to hear you pray.

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Written by Christine Abraham @BibleCafeCoach

CHRISTINE ABRAHAM is a Writer Redeemed by Christ. Lifetime Bible Reader. Coffee Drinker. Beach Walker. Mother of Girls. Bible Teacher. Revival leader. Founder at Bible Café™ Ministries. She has been a nonprofit Executive Director and womens ministry leader for almost 15 years. She earned a Graduate of Theology degree in Biblical Studies.

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11 Bible Verses About Pearls

by Christine Abraham | Bible

11 Bible Verses About Pearls

Should we cast our pearls before swine?

Have you heard people talking about the pearls in Scripture? Let’s examine the Bible Verses about pearls. You’ve probably heard the phrase “cast your pearls before swine” and it’s from a Bible verse.

Bible Verses On Pearls

No mention of coral and crystal can be made; For the possession of wisdom is even above [that of] rubies or pearls. (Job 28:18 AMP)

There is gold, and an abundance of pearls, But the lips of knowledge are a vessel of preciousness [the most precious of all]. (Proverbs 20:15 AMP)

An excellent woman [one who is spiritual, capable, intelligent, and virtuous], who is he who can find her? Her value is more precious than jewels and her worth is far above rubies or pearls. (Proverbs 31:10 AMP)

Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces. (Matthew 7:6 NKJV)

Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. (Matthew 7:6 NIV)

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:45-46 NIV)

I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God. (1 Timothy 2:9-10 NIV)

The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries. (Revelation 17:4 NIV)

Woe! Woe to you, great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls! (Revelation 18:16 NIV)

The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of gold, as pure as transparent glass. (Revelation 21:21 NIV)

The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. (Revelation 21:21 NKJV)

Bible Copyrights For This Article

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Restore My Soul by Janice McWilliams

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Restore My Soul by Janice McWilliams

Taking better care of yourself

Restore My Soul: Reimagining Self-Care for a Sustainable Life by Janice McWilliams is written by a therapist and spiritual director. Taking better care of yourself is a key theme in the book. She writes, “an unhealthy soul will exhaust you far, far more than a restored one.“ This book guides the reader toward restoration. She helps her readers reimagine self-care. I was immediately confused because I do not follow Enneagram theories and the “repressed-centers” theory.

Ms. McWilliams grabbed my attention again with the “flaws in Barbie-style” self-care. I appreciate her many Scripture references about taking care of yourself. Her writing style is authoritative.

The author tells interesting stories from her therapy chair while respecting each patient. She demonstrates compassion for people who need soul care.

Book Description

How is your self-care? These soul-restoring practices lead to a rich, satisfying life.

Have you tried self-care but found that you still feel overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, and are struggling emotionally? The most effective efforts aren’t desperate last-ditch attempts but practiced daily—moment by moment and hour by hour.

Janice McWilliams, a therapist and spiritual director, uses the life of Jesus as her model to help her clients achieve new levels of peace and fulfillment. In Restore My Soul, Janice shares her practical counseling insight to help you understand and practice the essential skills to

manage your thoughts,
live well with your emotions,
establish soul-restoring rhythms, and
live a fulfilling life.

With these practices, you’ll become increasingly comfortable and confident in working through your inner experiences in real time. Instead of burning out, you can follow the lead of Jesus toward a sustainable, fulfilling life.

#RestoreMySoul #NetGalley

This book references Enneagram theories. I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley.

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Write for Life by Julia Cameron

by Christine Abraham | Bookshelf, Writing

Write for Life by Julia Cameron

“Writing, after all, is not meant to be torture.” Julia Cameron

Write for Life: Creative Tools for Every Writer (A 6-Week Artist’s Way Program) by Julia Cameron is an essential book for writers. In this six-week method, writers discover coaching and assistance for their art. Write for Life is an invitation to begin, stick with, and finish your project. Weekly themes are organized by chapters:

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WEEK TWO: Begin Where You Are

WEEK THREE: Trust Your Process

WEEK FOUR: Resist Your Resistance

WEEK FIVE: Dismantle Your Perfectionist

WEEK SIX: Celebrate Your Achievement

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What I liked most about this book is the structure of building routines and overcoming roadblocks to writing. I found the author’s expertise and understanding helpful for my journey.

“Too often, when we sit down to write, we reject our initial idea. We rack our brains for something better. But long experience has shown me that my first idea is often my best idea. Writing, after all, is not meant to be torture.” -Julia Cameron, Write For Life

Book Description

A 6-Week Artist’s Way Program

Julia Cameron has been teaching the world about creativity since her seminal book, The Artist’s Way, first broke open the conversation around art.

Now, in Write for Life, she turns to one of the subjects closest to her heart: the art and practice of writing.

Over the course of six weeks, Cameron carefully guides readers step by step through the creative process. This latest guide in the Artist’s Way Series:

– Introduces a new tool and expands on powerful tried and true methods.

– Gently guides readers through many common creative issues — from procrastinating and getting started, to dealing with doubt, deadlines, and “crazymakers.”

– Will help you reach your goals, whether your project is a novel, poetry, screenplay, standup, or songwriting.

With the learned experience of a lifetime of writing, Cameron gives readers practical tools to start, pursue, and finish their writing projects. Write for Life is an essential read for writers who have completed The Artist’s Way and are looking to continue their creative journey or new writers who are just putting pen to paper.

I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book from NetGalley and also purchased a copy of the book for my personal library.

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When Your Name Sounds Religious

by Christine Abraham | Devotions

When Your Name Sounds Religious

Release your identity into God’s hands.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! —2 Corinthians 5:17

…

Sister Eleanor handed out the graded tests. As she slapped the Scantron on my desk I heard the words, “Christ Abraham, 100%. Well done.” My entire class laughed.

Quickly I replied, “No pressure with that name!” And I reaffirmed my commitment to excel in high school.

This memory lingers each time I hear my name. When the nun used Scantron forms to grade tests, my full name did not fit into the allowed spaces. The computer printout shortened my name to Christ.

When your name sounds religious, do you embrace your identity?

Identity labels are slapped on us by schoolteachers, coworkers, and family members. Social media mocks the name, Karen. Devastating storms hover over the names of Katrina and Sandy. How we behave, or how people perceive us, attracts identity labels like barnacles to a ship.

Our point of transformation begins when we release our identity into God’s hands. We release the identity of a spoiled child, rebellious teenager, sexy bride, helicopter mom, cancer survivor, or Alzheimer’s wife. Because Jesus sees the heart inside.

Living For Today

I am living for today when I release the identities of the world and put on the character of Christ.

Bible Study Quote

“True Christian virtues are not something we can slap on ourselves like cutout clothes for paper dolls.” Kelly Minter– The Fitting Room Bible Study

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The enemy wants to see you sweat and swear. God wants to hear you pray.

It’s not uncommon. The Bible calls this persecution.

Written by Christine Abraham @BibleCafeCoach

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