Category: Markethive

Markethive

What Kind of Work Does God Want You In?

How do we know we are doing the job God has created us to do?

Written by Gary Schneider on 09/10/2018

Series: Weekly Devotional

Tags: Career, Work, Vocation

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Ephesians 2:10

Given the fact that we belong to God and that life is all about stewarding or managing what God has given us, the question naturally arises in the heart of a Christ-follower: “How do I choose a career that honors God and brings me true fulfillment?”

Let’s look at a few key Scripture verses to get started:

Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Isaiah 43:6-7: “Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

Psalm 139:13-16: “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.”   

These passages indicate that:

  1. God shaped you for a purpose,
  2. You are unique, and
  3. You are wonderfully complex.

About 20 years ago, a mentor of mine, Pastor Rick Warren, came up with a tool called SHAPE to talk about the five things that make you, you. SHAPE is the way God wired you for your life’s work. Understanding the SHAPE God uniquely gave you is the key to finding His will for your career.

SHAPE is: Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, Experiences

Spiritual gifts

The Bible teaches that God gives every believer certain spiritual gifts to be used in ministry and in your career (1 Corinthians 12, Romans 8, Ephesians 4). However, I believe spiritual gifts are only one part of the picture. Sometimes, spiritual gifts are emphasized to the point at which believers excuse themselves from service because they claim they are not 'gifted' in that area. But the absence of a spiritual gift is never an excuse to disobey a command such as the one to share the gospel. That's a responsibility we all share. Natural abilities that you were born with also came from God. So do your experiences and inborn personality traits. Your creator planned these factors as well.

Heart

The Bible uses the term “heart” to represent the center of your motivation, desires, interests, and inclinations. Your heart determines why you say the things you do (Matthew 12:34), why you feel the way you do (Psalm 34:7), and why you act the way you do (Proverbs 4:23).

Physiologically, each of us has a unique heartbeat. Each person has a slightly different pattern. Likewise, God has given each of us a unique emotional “heartbeat” that races when we encounter activities, subjects, or circumstances that interest us.

God had a purpose in giving you your inborn interests. Your emotional heartbeat reveals a very important key to understanding his intentions for your life. Don’t ignore your natural interests. People rarely excel at tasks they don’t enjoy doing. High achievers enjoy what they do.

Abilities

These are the natural talents that you were born with. Some people have a natural ability with words. They came out of the womb talking! Others are naturally good with numbers. They think mathematically and they can’t understand why you don’t understand calculus.

Exodus 31:3 gives an example of how God gives people “skill, ability, and knowledge in all kinds of crafts ….” in order to accomplish his purposes. In this case, it was artistic ability to be used in building the Tabernacle. 

Personality

It’s obvious that God has not used a cookie cutter to create people. He made introverts and extroverts. He made people who love routine and those who love variety. Some people work best when given an individual assignment while others work better with a team.

There is no “right” or “wrong” temperament. We need all kinds of personalities to balance the church and the workplace and give it flavor.

Your personality will affect how and where you use your spiritual gifts and abilities. For instance, two people may have the same gift of evangelism, but if one is introverted and the other is extroverted, that gift will be expressed in different ways.

When you minister or work in a manner that is consistent with the personality God gave you, you experience fulfillment, satisfaction, and fruitfulness. It feels good when you do exactly what God made you to do.

Experiences

God never wastes an experience. Romans 8:28 reminds us of this: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”

Consider five areas of experience that will influence the kind career you are best shaped for:

  • Educational experiences: What were your favorite subjects in school?
  • Vocational experiences: What jobs have you enjoyed and achieved results while doing?
  • Spiritual experiences: What have been the meaningful or decisive times with God in your life?
  • Ministry experiences: How have you served God in the past?
  • Painful experiences: What are the problems, hurts, and trials that you’ve learned from?

God sovereignly determined your shape for his purpose, so you shouldn’t resent it or reject it. “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?” (Romans 9:20-21)

Instead of trying to reshape ourselves to be like someone else, we should celebrate the shape God has given to each of us.

Wise stewardship of your life begins by understanding your SHAPE. You will be the most effective and fulfilled in your life’s work when you use your spiritual gifts and abilities in the area of your heart’s desire and in a way that best expresses your personality and experiences.

What God made you to be determines what God intends for you to do.

Pray this week:

God, please show me how I can use the gifts you have given me in the way that best honors you and maximises the talents you’ve provided me. Thank you for your daily blessings in my life and walking through this with me. Amen.

What is one thing you have done in life that you have talent in and have found great joy in? How could this relate to a possible career choice?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

Sharing Jesus with Everyone

How can I show everyone God's love?

Written by Hope on 29/09/2013
Series: Weekly Devotional
Tags: Evangelism, Jesus, Salvation
“Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.” Colossians 4:5-6

I had the opportunity to make friends with several non-Christians and atheists when I attended university. Since graduating, I mostly keep in touch with them through social media. Many of these friends don’t want to hear a single word about God. They think most Christians are self-righteous and ignorant. They don’t understand how one supernatural Being could actually be responsible for ALL Creation. Why do I remain friends with these people, and how can I show them God's love?

God Loves Everyone
God "wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth" (1 Timothy 2:4). He loves the whole world and "does not want anyone to be destroyed" (2 Peter 3:9). I want to love my friends with God's love. I care about them and pray that they will choose to develop a relationship with the Lord. We should not allow our non-Christian friends to influence us for evil, but if I never communicate with them, I would lose the chance to influence them for good — and for God.

Love with God's Love
So I pray for my friends, because "my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved" (Romans 10:1). How can I communicate God's love to them, "showing [myself] to be [His] disciple" (John 15:8), when they do not want to hear about the Lord? On social media, I write about God and His Salvation. I think of these friends when I write posts that could appeal to them, that acknowledge their worldview. I pray that what they read will make them realize that God could be real and that they will want to learn more about the One Who loves them more than anyone.

Live with God's Love
As Christians, we want to share God's love, especially with people we care about. We should "live such good lives among the [non-Believers] that… they may see your good deeds and glorify God" (1 Peter 2:12). We pray to be guided by the Holy Spirit when we approach our unsaved friends, so we can "be very careful how [we] live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity" (Ephesians 5:15-16).

Prayer, Care, and Share Jesus
On average, 96% of believers never share Jesus Christ's message of hope and salvation (evangelize) with a non-believer. That means 4% do share their faith (or evangelize).

You may be someone who doesn’t usually share about Jesus with people. But, if you’ve been following the steps in this guide, then you really are sharing Jesus with people by praying and caring for them. You’re an evangelist. That includes praying blessings on people, building relationships and helping the needy.

Hopefully these steps will help you be wise and make the most of every opportunity when ministering to people who don’t know Jesus. Your conversations should be full of grace, allowing you to be ready with an answer to people asking about the faith (Colossians 4:5-6).

As you live out these biblical principles and asking God to bless and save the lost, you’re drawing people to Jesus.

Remember, it’s not your actions or prayer that make the difference. It’s what God does through your prayer and action that changes lives. Jesus pointed out to the 72 disciples in Luke 10:1-24 that they should not be prideful of what happened through their work, but instead to rejoice that their names are written in heaven. And so should we.

Pray this week:
You will live wisely and graciously as a godly example to non-Believers

Do you ask people if you could pray for them? How can we pray for you?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

Welcome to the largest online project Become a shareholder of the Gem4me messenger

The future is today in your smartphone! Gem4me messenger: ????Welcome to the largest online project! Become a shareholder of the Gem4me messenger! 

Already more than 6 million users from around the world have chosen to communicate a modern and convenient instant messenger. Be always in touch with the world! Convenient and modern functionality, unlimited opportunities for communication, financial transactions, exclusive tools for business and income. Choose the best, as it has already been done by millions of users worldwide!  https://bnc.lt/hZ5g/GkFFlsQurJ

Get this on ur Mobile Phone now, invest and earn Money. Millions of people from around the world have teamed up to create the best mobile application. Welcome to the very first project of creating a messenger of the people! We combined tens of thousands of people from various countries of the world in order to create the best mobile application in the world.After providing your identifying documents and investing, you can become the co-owner of the Company with your information being included into the Shareholder Registry.

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We have one of the most competent and professional team of developers.

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The future is today in your smartphone!

 

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

Are You Ready to Share the Gospel?

Here’s what you can say when you share the love of Christ

Written by Joy on 06/06/2015
Series: Weekly Devotional
Tags: Evangelism, Gospel
“For God so loved the World that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

What are the most important truths that will help someone have faith in Jesus? Based on John 3:16 there are 4 simple ideas that sum up the gospel:

1. Love
“For God so loved the World…” Let people know God loves them and wants to have a relationship with them! “God proved His love for us in the while we were still sinners Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8).

2. Sin
Sin separates us from a loving, perfect God. We have rebelled against Him and refused to follow Him. By going our own way, we have missed the perfect plan God had for us. “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) So what is the solution so ”we will not perish, but have eternal life?” (John 3:16)

3. Jesus
“He gave his only Son…” Salvation is a gift, not something you have to earn. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:23)

4. Believe
”Whoever believes in Him…” Like any gift, you must choose to accept it. AGREE that Jesus is the only Son of God and ACCEPT that he paid for YOUR sins on the cross and rose again to give you life. Invite people to pray with you to accept Jesus. “To all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12)

Focus on Jesus
Be careful not to be distracted by difficult questions or subjects that cause disagreement. You don’t need to know ALL the answers; you only need to know that “Jesus said, ‘I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but through me.’” (John 14:6).

Be Ready
“If someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” (1 Peter 3:15b). Memorize these 4 simple truths and scriptures that go with them. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom and power. Remember it is the Holy Spirit who helps people accept Christ; we are just pointing the way.

Pray this week:
That God would give you an opportunity to tell someone these gospel truths

Are you ready to share the gospel?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

How To Share Your Faith With Your Friends

Do you really love your friends if you don’t tell them about Jesus?

Written by GodLife on 12/04/2016
Series: Weekly Devotional
Tags: Evangelism, Heaven, Hell, Hope, Jesus
So I tell you today that I am not guilty if any of you don’t believe. I haven’t let anyone keep me from telling you everything God wants you to do.

Acts 20:26-27
My little daughter’s friend was playing at our home one day. Suddenly, I shouted “no!” and she burst into tears. Why? She was about to put a fork into a nearby electrical outlet. I hated to upset her, but her little life was too precious to risk, and her parents trusted me to protect her.

Are your friends precious to you? Do you know that God holds us responsible for one another? He tells us, “If I warn the wicked, saying, ‘You are under the penalty of death,’ but you fail to deliver the warning, they will die in their sins. And I will hold you responsible for their deaths.” (Ezekiel 3:18) If worries are keeping you from sharing your faith with your friends, these simple ideas can help overcome those fears:

Be Prepared
Think about how a discussion might go. You can’t expect to agree on everything, can you? A former U.S. President said, “If two men agree on everything, you may be sure that one of them is doing the thinking.” Don't be afraid to disagree sometimes, especially about important things. Be ready to share hope with others. (1 Peter 3:15) God tells us to make a stand, “having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace;” (Ephesians 6:15). Valuing friends means even more than this…

Be Compelling
It is good to memorize a gospel presentation, so that you include all the main points. But don't just repeat the words. Tell your friend that this news is too good to keep to yourself. Jesus said, “go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled.” (Luke 14:23). Don’t give up easily — and don’t be afraid to let your urgency show.

Be Creative
A standard approach may help with a stranger. But if you know someone well, share in a way that will relate best to them. “And have mercy on those who are wavering—save them by snatching them out of the fire; but on others have mercy with fear—hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” (Jude 1:22-23). Starting gently works best for some, while a warning about judgment works better for others.

Sharing Jesus with your friends can bring discomfort for a moment. But don’t let it keep you from telling them about God's love for them. Imagine the joy of seeing them embrace Jesus — or the regret of knowing you kept your hope a secret, locked behind silent lips.

Pray this week:
Lord Jesus, the love that sent you to the cross for my friend is the only hope he or she has. Please prepare me to bring that message, and prepare him or her to hear and receive it.

If a building was on fire, would anything keep you from warning those within? If a cure for a deadly disease was available, would you keep it secret? What keeps you from speaking to others about Jesus? 

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

Are You Ready to Share Your Faith?

Don't let the moment pass you by.

Written by GodLife on 25/09/2018
Series: Weekly Devotional
Tags: Evangelism, Love, Witness, Sharing
…, pray also for us that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ…

Colossians 4:3
Following the Spirit of God includes having conversations about Jesus. How do we go about having a conversation about spiritual matters with someone we do not know? When we bring up the subject, we are using a bridge to open that door. Have you ever missed an opportunity?

One summer at my teenage son’s ball game, I noticed a friend I had not seen since college. As we sat together and visited, I was urged in my spirit to bring up the subject of Christ and to present the Gospel to her, but fear of rejection kept me silent. Later that winter, she was involved in an unfortunate accident that resulted in the death of her and her daughter. 

Are you willing?
In Acts 8:26-40, Philip was instructed by an angel to go south on the road from Jerusalem to Gaza in the desert. As he traveled, the Spirit told Philip to approach an Ethiopian Eunuch who was reading. Philip obeyed and asked the Eunuch a question: “Do you understand what you are reading?” The Eunuch replied, “How can I, but that some man should guide me.” Philip was then invited to attempt to guide him. Philip was willing, following, trusting, and ready. He already knew the subject, and he didn’t go in his own power. Finally, he had a divine appointment. If God used Philip, it makes sense that Jesus would use you too and empower you.

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:9)

In our daily interactions with strangers we should be willing to follow the Spirit, who will lead us into situations to share our faith. Are you willing? 

How can I do this? 
How can you move into a conversation about Jesus? A good start is by being helpful to others. Make their job easier and be appreciative. Be friendly. Reaching out to people in the service industry that help us or that check us out at the store can be very easy! But first we must pray.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Why not ask questions or make comments with a smile? For example: 

How can I pray for you today? Or If there was one thing I could pray for you, what would it be? 
I was wondering when you attend church, where do you attend? 
The Bible says a workman is worth his hire. You have done a great job. 
You are an answer to prayer (if they really were). I believe in prayer. What about you?
I can only find peace in one place when I am stressed out. 
Be ready and be on mission like Philip wanting all to be saved and none to be lost. Jesus prayed for us that the love the Father had for Him would be in us (John 17:26), and we must allow it to propel us out of ourselves and our fears to be spent on others. We must remember that hell and the wrath of God are real, and Jesus is the only way to escape. Love like Jesus. 

Dealing with Rejection
If your words are rejected — it’s not you who were rejected, but Christ (Luke 10:16). Either way, you have been obedient. The results of your efforts are up to the Lord! He alone gives the increase, but he tells us all to plant and to reap. Do not forget to thank the Lord for the opportunity to be used, pray for that person and thank Him for more to come. 

“And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear; hating even the garment stained by the flesh.” (Jude 1:22-23)

I encourage you to love others more than yourself and be obedient to the leading of the Spirit. Pray to be bold and to be filled with love for the souls of others.

Pray this week:
Lord, Please, guide me and use me. I will love, and I will go, and I will speak. Amen.

God loves you. Are you ready to love others? How can you do this?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

Webtalk is sharing up to 50 of its revenue FOR LIFE

Webtalk is sharing up to 50% of its revenue FOR LIFE (advertising, subscriptions and transaction fees) with its first 1 MILLION users for helping build our community. Join now, it's free but you have to be invited. Ask a current Webtalk member for your invitation TODAY! FREE TO JOIN  https://www.webtalk.co/be/home/6495366 . Those who join after the launch will not participate in the 50% revenue share however they will participate in the 10% from their direct referrals.
YOU GOT NOTHING TO LOSE 
WHERE BEING SOCIAL PAYS BIG

Make sure you let you close family and friends and assiciates to sign up while in beta stage so they can participate in the 50% revenue share.  https://www.webtalk.co/be/home/6495366

Webtalk's Mission
Organize and validate the world’s information, people and businesses to create a trustworthy virtual economy. Technology should work for you, not you work for Technology. 

1) Through filters, search and organization, Webtalk will help you get to the right information when you want it so you can get back to your life. 

2) Through targeted communication, Webtalk will help you grow your relationships, careers and businesses. 

3) Through 50% revenue share with our users, our goal is to have millions of people walk away from their jobs. (SocialCPX.com)

4) By donating 10% of all profits to charity, we hope to inspire more people to open non-profit businesses with our help and continue with our mission. 

This new site already has more than 800 000 members in a few months of existence, the sponsorship will be counted on 5 levels, half of the benefits of the site will be donated to founding members for life, the application works as a social network except that the you will be paid.
The big plus compared to other similar sites is the pay as well as a speed and execution quality in the fastest of the web. The creators aim for the first place on the market in the next few years.
no similar application offers a payment starting at $ 100 monthly https://www.webtalk.co/be/home/6495366

 R.J. Garbowicz isn’t getting a whole lot of sleep these days.

“I’m working about 20 hours a day,” says the 35-year-old tech entrepreneur.

But that’s the reality for the CEO of Webtalk, a small downtown St. Pete company that believes it can be the next Facebook.

The social media site, which is free to use but still in invite-only mode, takes popular elements from established companies — Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and various online marketplaces — and merges them into “one-stop-shopping,” says R.J..

Webtalk, which is offering revenue-sharing to early adopters of the site to help expand its audience, already has almost half-a-million users worldwide.

R.J. says a huge part of Webtalk’s appeal is control and privacy when it comes to who sees what. 

Join the next generation networking utility that has created a new era of communication and relationship management. 
Webtalk is a global big-data software technology company focused on relationship-based data mining, storage and search technologies to power the next generation communication and commerce utility. Using a patent-pending data labeling process (AKA SocialCRM), Webtalk has been able to reinvent online relationship management through a user experience unparalleled in the industry; creating an entirely new class of product to manage contacts, communication and content seamlessly.  https://www.webtalk.co/be/home/6495366

 

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

NagriTech: About the Platform

NagriTech Crypto Intelligence

NagriTech is an Irish agritech company producing organic fertilizers. NagriTech is not building a fancy dApp, they only decided to utilize blockchain only as a way to organize token sale as an IPO alternative.

You are reading about: "NagriTech"

NagriTech is an Irish agritech company producing organic fertilizers. NagriTech is not building a fancy dApp, they only decided to utilize blockchain only as a way to organize token sale as an IPO alternative.

NagriTech is an agricultural company unrelated to either blockchain or fintech, they only released a token (NagriCoin) to represent the company’s revenue and potential.

Investors therefore have a blockchain asset that is tied to a real-world business which is a rare strategy at this stage of blockchain technology business.

The company developed a plant nutrient formula that stimulates the plant growth and at the same time lowers the levels of harmful elements in soil.

The target market for NagriTech’s proprietary plant nutrient are agricultural countries in Africa and other emerging markets. The research and thorough testing went on for 7 years and costed 5 MM USD.

At this point, NagriTech is a startup that is not yet profitable.

Nagricoin / $NGR is the name of the token created on behalf of NagriTech. The token is backed by the revenue of NagriTech.

NagriTech runs a Twitter account @NagriInfo that raked up over 9K followers mainly through the airdrop campaign that started in second half of March 2018: https://nagricoin.io/#sect_token

Investing in NagriTech

NagriTech had a successful initial token sale until the start of September 2018. The token representing the company (NagriCoin), will be traded on free markets with the requirements of KYC/AML.

After the ITO ended in September 2018, NagriTech announced an agreement for listing on a centralized exchange in October 2018 and listing on several decentralized exchanges “much sooner”.

What is NagriCoin?

NagriCoin is a project of the company of agricultural biotechnology with readymade product called Nagri and thoroughly elaborated global strategy. We produce organic fertilizers which were tested in labs and field trials all around the world. The NagriСoin team believes that you will find our project valuable due to its eco-friendliness and practical purposes.

Buy a token — become an investor in agricultural project!

We are pleased to say that NagriCoin has been highly rated by the authoritative TOP listings as a project which promotes a new generation of smart organic fertilizers. According to these listings, it is considered to be one of the most promising project in 2018. Go and check! Buy a token — become an investor in agricultural project!  https://nagricoin.io/#sect_token

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

Jesus calls us to be different from the world while making a difference in the world

Jesus calls us to be different from the world, while making a difference in the world.

Written by Joy on 15/08/2015
Series: Weekly Devotional
“(Jesus praying) My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one….As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world.’” John 17:15,18

How can we make a difference in our culture today? Jesus says He is sending us into the world, as He himself was sent. What are we being sent to do? What was Jesus’ mission?

To Seek and Save the Lost (Luke 19:10)
Jesus came for one reason: to provide salvation through His death and resurrection. He did not come to give political freedom and rights, but spiritual freedom from sin. He came to give us spiritual victory over death and the treasure of Eternal Life with God, not to give financial success or health in this life. He did not come for only those religious people who follow the rules, but he was known for spending time with "sinners." “But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13).

This means we too must go out looking for sinners (Ecclesiastes 7:20) who need to hear about the love and mercy of Jesus.

To Save, Not to Condemn (John 3:17)
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works so that no one can boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9). When we boast, we make ourselves seem superior because of our morals. Unbelievers only see someone who is acting holy and judging them; caring only about rules and details. They don't see Jesus. Jesus commanded us to preach the Gospel, (Mark 16:15, Romans 1:16-17) not just to get sinners to change their moral behavior.

To Show God’s Love (John 3:16)
“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:9, 11).

This is the only message that has the power to change our culture: Love. Our prophecy, teaching and good works are worthless without love (1 Corinthians 13). “True love Is patient, and kind, not boastful, proud or rude…not rejoicing in wrong-doing, but rejoicing in the truth.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-6). Beware, of the world's definition of love: extreme tolerance. “Instead, we speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ…” (Ephesians 4:15)

Pray this week:
God, help me stay on your mission of love and salvation through Jesus Christ; help me to change my culture by changing lives through the Gospel. Give me chances to share your truth in love.

What kind of freedom does God wnat you to have?

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member

Markethive

While I Kept Partying My Parents Kept Praying — Part 2: Something Was Missing

There was something that relationships, drugs and wild parties just couldn't fill.

Tags: Partying, Testimony
This article was written by Andrew Palau.

By the time I attended the University of Oregon, I blended right in with my fraternity buddies. On the outside it seemed like I was a happy guy and could juggle classes, work, and the party life. But on the inside I was miserable.

I felt guilty about so many of the poor choices I had made because they were diametrically opposed to the way that I had been brought up. It seemed like there was a void in my life- that something was missing. Something that relationships, and drugs, and wild parties just couldn’t fill.

A sense of emptiness continued, even after I graduated from college and began working in Boston. I kept partying, felt no peace, and drank to hide the pain inside. I felt like I was sinking into the depths of despair. I would look into a mirror and ask myself, What really matters? Where can I go?

At that point, it was as though God tapped me on the shoulder and said, Andrew, look at your parents’ example. What does your dad care about most?

I couldn’t get away from the answer. The center of Dad’s life is the Gospel. He had preached about it around the world, and had written dozens of books. Books I had never read, even though I was an English literature major.

Finally, not knowing where to turn, I pulled Dad’s book, “Say Yes! How to Renew Your Spiritual Passion” off of the shelf and actually read it. Although I was convinced that what Dad wrote about Jesus Christ was true, my heart was still not convicted.

If you've been far away from God sometime in your life, how did God begin to gently draw you to Himself? What advice would you give someone who is related to a person living far from God? S.

Alan Zibluk Markethive Founding Member