Growth Oikos

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Growth Oikos 1. The family,
2. The family's property, and
3. The house.

Thus, the head of the Oikos, along with his immediate family and his brothers and sisters, would all be encompassed, all the persons forming one family, a household.

30/01/2025

Good morning ☕️
Sometimes we may be discouraged or disturbed by people around us or the words they said. Let's not be distracted but by reflecting on the Scriptures, we tend to grow stronger because it instill hope.

Joshua 1:9
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Bible verse that encapsulates living a life guided by scripture to overcome challenges is Proverbs 3:5-6:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

This verse encourages complete reliance on God's guidance and trusting that by following His will, you will navigate through life's difficulties and find the right path.
By moving away physically may not necessarily be helpful as we are removing ourselves from distraction. It seems to be the correct action to take, but psychologically or spiritually, we are still disturbed.
On top of that, there will be others who will come near us with the similar distractions.
So, learn to overcome by reflecting on God's Word and moving closer each day to Him.
It seems difficult initially, but with practice, it is possible.
Overtime, we will not be affected by our environment but standing firm on His Word.

18/10/2024

Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

The word 'beginning' which implies a foundation or an origin.
Without a humble, sincere reverence for who God is, a person will be arrogant and instinctively lash out when they are corrected.
So, the fear of the Lord, is the origin or fundamental prerequisite of wisdom.
No one can be truly wise unless he fears the Lord.
The term "fear of the Lord," occurs more than a dozen times in the book of Proverbs. This is not "just" respect, but it does not imply terror or panic.
The idea is one of humility, deep reverence, and submission to God.
The basis for fearing God in this way is belief that He is holy and hates and punishes sin. Those who properly understand God's role have a clear view of reality, leading to insight and better outcomes.
That is why I always emphasized on knowing God’s character. To know His character, we need to understand the Bible, verify that it is true,then apply it into our lives.
Once we succeeded on the application, we will find peace and joy from the Holy Spirit and able to handle many more life circumstances.
Too often, however, the things that are valued by earthly parents come from the fleeting pleasures of this world and pander to the lust of the flesh and the pride of life - but in the book of Proverbs, we discover king Solomon giving wise advice to his son which we would all do well to consider and reflect upon.

Solomon had discovered that a reverential fear of the Lord is the first step towards godly wisdom and understanding which alone provides the fulfilment in life we all seek. His advice to his son was to search for godly wisdom with the same determined tenacity that one would search for precious silver or hidden jewels.

26/06/2024

Proverbs 19 1
Better the poor whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse.

These teachings are meant to provide practical guidance for living a righteous and fulfilling life.
The first part of the verse begins with the statement, "Better is the poor that walk in his integrity (blameless)." Here, the term "poor" does not necessarily refer to someone who lacks material wealth, but rather to someone who is humble and meek in spirit (gentle). This person is contrasted with someone who is "perverse in his lips, and is a fool."
This second type of person is characterized by their deceitful and dishonest speech, and their lack of wisdom and discernment.
It emphasizes the importance of inner character and integrity over outward appearances or material wealth.
The poor person who walks in integrity is esteemed as better or more valuable than the one who is foolish and deceitful in speech.

It teaches that it is better to live a life of moral uprightness and integrity, even if it leads to material poverty, than to be deceitful and foolish, regardless of worldly success.
Symbolically, the "poor" can represent humility, meekness, and reliance on God, while the "fool" can represent the arrogance and self-dependence of the wicked. The verse serves as a reminder that material wealth and success are not the true measures of a person's worth, but rather it is their moral character and integrity that hold the greatest value.

Good morning and a blessed day ☕️🙏

19/06/2024

Psalms 107:13-14
13 Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress.
14 He brought them out of darkness, the utter darkness, and broke away their chains.

Disappointed, angry, frustrated and exhausted. Have you ever come across people who are faced with life's struggle?
Divorced, children going astray or even death of a person whom they loved.
Do you know anyone who is in prison? Most people think that those in prison deserve whatever misery they experience as punishment for their crimes. But God loves all men and women no matter how far they have fallen. He wants to reach them with his love and dispel the gloom they face.

Matthew 25:34
34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

What are the inheritance mentioned?
We have inherited the ability to speak, love, wisdom and discernment. We have inherited the Scripture, that is the Bible. Therefore, go with these inheritance to help thosecwho are suffering.

Throughout the world, people are imprisoned for their faith; others suffer as victims of injustice, many are imprisoned by depression, anger or pride unknowingly. Can you reach out to them?
Pray for those in prison. Pray for ministries and Christian chaplains who take God’s message of love and forgiveness to prisoners. Christians who sacrifices their time and journey with those who are suffering
What can you do to support these efforts?
We are all here with a mission, if we are burdened to seeve, we take up the call, if we are able support those who answer the call.
At the least, support them in your prayers.

Good morning and a blessed day 🙏

25/03/2024

1 John 2:28-29
28 And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.
29 If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him.

The visible proof of being a Christian is right behavior. Many people do good deeds but don’t have faith in Jesus Christ.
Others claim to have faith but rarely produce good deeds.
A deficit in either faith or right behavior will be a cause for shame when Christ returns. Because true faith always results in good deeds, those who claim to have faith and who consistently do what is right are true believers.
Good deeds cannot produce salvation. Ephesians 2:8-9
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.

But they are necessary proof that true faith is actually present.
James 2:14–17
14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them?
15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.
16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?
17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

So, the deeds that one have must be the by-product of loving God.

A blessed week to all 😍

04/03/2024

Do you have an AGENDA?
John 2:23-25
23 Now while he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs he was performing and believed in his name.
24 But Jesus would not entrust himself to them, for he knew all people.
25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for he knew what was in each person.

The Son of God knows all about human nature.
This few verses in John 2:23-25 shows the possibility of false belief and the danger of it. Many believed in Jesus when they saw his miracles but Jesus did not commit himself to them.
The characteristics of false belief are: having only a general interest in Jesus, attracted to his personality and miracles but not his teaching, is common in men.
Some may believed, but ultimately they are distracted by their own agenda.

Jesus was well aware of the truth of Jeremiah 17:9, which states, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure.

Who can understand it?”
Jesus was discerning, and he knew that the faith of some followers was superficial. Some of the same people claiming to believe in Jesus at this time would later yell “Crucify him!”
It’s easy to believe when it is exciting and everyone else believes the same way. But keep your faith firm even when it isn’t popular to follow Christ is a challenge.

You may have an agenda and plan, however, God has an agenda and plan for your life as well. Those two agendas often will collide, but in this case there can be no compromise. You will either embrace your agenda or God’s agenda; there is no compromise on this.

This is what the disciples have been struggling with from day one. They have had a hard time with the Lord’s agenda for them and his agenda for himself too. His plans and their plans keep colliding.

Back in Mark 8:34, Jesus said “If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake and for the sake of the Good News, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul?” (Mark 34-36, NLT).

Jesus is saying that if you want to follow Me then you must put your personal agenda to the side and fully embrace My agenda. Following Jesus involves dying to yourself and taking up your cross and following Him. That’s putting your plans aside and submitting to His. This is what’s behind the passage we are looking at today.

If God’s agenda for your life is not your agenda for your life then you will be wrestling with God all your life. Your life will wear you out. Once you understand God’s agenda and embrace it and give up your personal agenda then you can experience the peace that surpasses all understanding and the abundant life God wants you to have.

Remember that God’s way usually is not what we learn and sees in the world. So, do not be stubborn and hold on to your understanding and struggle.
For example, in the world, we feel shameful to be living under the support of people, especially your parents or wife as a man. But in the Bible, many support for Jesus came from women too.
As long as you are working, regardless of for your family or for the Lord, God is pleased.

Luke 8:2-3
2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out;
3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Jesus lifted women up from degradation and servitude to the joy of fellowship and service. In Jewish culture, women were not supposed to learn from rabbis.
By allowing these women to travel with him, Jesus was showing that all people are equal under God. These women supported Jesus’ ministry with their own money. They owed a great debt to him because he had driven demons out of some and had healed others. Here we catch a glimpse of a few of the people behind the scenes in Jesus’ ministry. The ministry of those in the foreground is often supported by those whose work is less visible but just as essential.
Offer your resources to God, whether or not you will be on center stage.
May the peace of God be upon you 🙏

21/02/2024

Posted by Carlos delvin@Growth Oikos in response
Yes & Amen🙏🙏
Thank you very much indeed Brother for sharing the powerful message centered around Proverbs 28:27 and the importance of giving to the poor. Your insight into this verse and the deeper spiritual meanings it holds resonates deeply with the teachings of Christ and the essence of faith.

As Christians, we are called not only to give monetarily but also to generously offer our time, love, and service to those in need. Understanding that true wealth lies in the joy and peace that comes from giving selflessly is a fundamental aspect of our faith.

Your emphasis on setting aside time to pray, study God's Word, and be sensitive to the needs around us is a vital reminder of living a life rooted in faith and compassion. By following the example of Jesus, who gave His life for us, we are challenged to lay down our lives by dedicating our time and resources to uplift those less fortunate.

Your words inspire us to shift our focus from material possessions to the eternal impact of our actions. Building relationships, showing kindness, and sharing our blessings with others not only brings joy to the recipients but also enriches our own lives in ways that go beyond earthly measures.

I am encouraged by your testimony of how God faithfully provides for your needs as you continue to give generously to ministries and those in need. Your commitment to living out the principles of God's Word serves as a beacon of light for others to follow in their own journey of faith.

May we all heed the wisdom of Proverbs 28:27 and embrace the blessings that come from giving with a joyful heart. Thank you for your words of wisdom and may God continue to guide and bless you abundantly in your retirement.🙏😇

21/02/2024

Proverbs 28:27
Those who give to the poor will lack nothing, but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.

Following what this verse will free us from the quest for more and more. Instead, in giving, we will find contentment. In giving, we will find joy. In giving, we will find satisfaction for our souls. In giving to the poor, we will find our joy, our good.
For those who have the basic daily necessities of life, chances are high for them to hold back the giving because of fear of not enough. These are the people who needs to step forward in faith, to claim the promises of God from the Bible and encounter God to build their faith.
How to do that?
Set yourself a time frame, focus in God, read His word and pray conscientiously. Be sensitive to the spiritual realm around you. Let this be the beginning of your journey in faith. As you give, do not look at the lag, but rejoice in the Lord.

I have retired for three years now, have been giving to needs and ministry. God always supply my every needs.

The word 'give' is always misunderstood as monetary giving. As Christians, we are to emulate our Lord Jesus. He is here not only to give us wealth, but life. That we will have peace and joy.
Wealth does not promised us peace and joy, only temporary happiness which will fade away in time or destroy by our environment or circumstances.
In Matthew 14:23; Jesus always found time to pray.
Luke 10:38-42 The story of Mary and Martha.

These verse and many others taught us to give our time too.
In 1 John 3:16
This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

This verse is often misinterpreted as to die for others. God knew we have only one earthly life.
Note that our lives are marked by the number of years we lived. So, it translate to time. Our lives are the time we have, time is actually not ours, but given to us by God. So, to give our time in helping others, we are actually using God’s given time to do his work in the world.
What did we lose?
Instead, we may find joy in seeing fruits from the whole episode. Even possibility of building strong bond and relationship with others.
The second part of this wise saying addresses “those who close their eyes” to the poor. Obviously it’s not that they don’t see them – just that they choose to ignore their needs.
Here, it doesn’t say where these “many curses” are coming from – the poor, others who are watching or from God, Himself. Either way, this is not a great place to find ourselves.
This wise saying is very clear that not caring about the poor is devastating. It will cost any of us who refuse to pay attention with a guilt conscious. The bottom line for this wise saying is simple – we should appreciate what we have and share it – especially with those less fortunate, including our time.

Paying attention to the poor is the right thing to do. It’s good for them, it’s good for us, too!
You will not lose anything by giving to the poor. You will gain!
Do not think mathematically, because God operates supernaturally.

Blessed day to all 🙏

12/02/2024

1 John 2:1-2
1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

John uses the address “dear children” in a warm, fatherly way. He is not talking down to us but is showing affection for us. At this writing, John was a very old man. He had spent almost all his life in ministry, and many of his readers were indeed his spiritual children.
To those who are feeling guilty and condemned, John offers reassurance. They know they have sinned, and Satan is demanding the death penalty. When you feel this way, don’t give up hope—the best defense attorney in the universe is pleading your case.
Jesus Christ, your advocate, your defender, is the Judge’s Son. He has already suffered your penalty in your place. You can’t be tried for a case that is no longer on the docket. Unless you insist on continuing the sin.

United with Christ, you are as safe as he is. Don’t be afraid to ask Christ to plead your case—he has already won it

Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

1 John 4:10
This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

He is our defense attorney. He can stand before God as our mediator because his death satisfied the wrath of God against sin and paid the death penalty for our sin. Thus Christ both satisfies God’s requirement and removes our sin. In him we are forgiven and purified.
Sometimes it is difficult to forgive those who wrong us. Imagine how hard it would be to forgive all people, no matter what they had done! This is what God has done in Jesus. No one, no matter what sin has been committed, is beyond forgiveness. All a person has to do is turn from sin, receive Christ’s forgiveness, and commit his or her life to him.
The Bible is clear that when one believes in his heart and proclaim with his mouth, one is saved.
John the Baptist and Jesus preach the same truth, "Come, repent for the forgiveness of sin and be Baptised."

Good morning and a blessed New Year to all ☕️🙏

03/02/2024

Romans 8:1-2
1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus,
2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.

“Not guilty; let him go free”—what would those words mean to you if you were on death row?
The fact is that the whole human race is on death row, justly condemned for repeatedly breaking God’s holy law. Without Jesus we would have no hope at all.
But thank God! He has declared us not guilty and has offered us freedom from sin and power to do his will.
This Spirit of life is the Holy Spirit. He was present at the creation of the world (Genesis 1:2), and he is the power behind the rebirth of every Christian. He gives us the power we need to live the Christian life.
When we are abiding in Christ, we are delivered from the fear of condemnation. We fear condemnation when we are trusting in our own righteousness. But this verse clarifies that we are justified not because of our good behavior but because of our unity with Jesus Christ.
Do you have the assurance of your salvation?
Assurance is a gift that God wants to give to all of his children. Our loving God does not want his children to doubt his love or live in anxiety.
But we will never receive God’s gift of assurance so long as we are trusting in our own righteousness; it will only come through our unity with Jesus Christ.
To receive this gift, you will first need to acknowledge that nothing good comes from you. This may not be easy to do, because we are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God.
Secondly, you will have to trust in the promises of Christ, which is also not an easy thing to do, because it takes faith, but thanks be to God because Jesus never lies.
So take all of that fear and anxiety and redirect the energy toward living in unity with Christ. He will set your heart at ease.
So, start reading and understanding the Bible, which is a manual or handbook left for us to journey through this world.

Have a blessed weekend 🙏

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