I know there are some areas in my Christian walk that are still lacking, and it’s frustrating. I want to be 110% sold out for Jesus, but I’m not, and it’s seriously worry’s me, because what does it mean to be a follower of Jesus? It means to be lead by The Spirit, each and every day, but if I’m honest, I don’t always want to be lead by The Spirit. I think that my biggest issue right now is pride, I’m okay with being a follower of Christ, that’s something I want the world to know, but I don’t want people to think I’m weird by trying to tell them about Jesus. Here’s the thing, I’m willing to do a lot of things for Jesus, If He tells me to sell everything and go do missions, sure! If He tells me to give up my current career path for… read more
Inspiks Market Blog
In the past year there were many tragic cases of teen suicide, so I decide few months ago to write about my experience with depression and suicidal thoughts. I hope this writing will be of help to someone who needs it. Background As you might know I grew up in Iraq to a Roman Catholic family. In the Middle East depression and suicide are almost taboo because of ignorance. Many people equate depression with mental illness (not that mental illness is something to jeer about), and so the general thought patterns goes something like this, “You can’t marry him because his brother has depression and tried to commit suicide once!†To them depression is like bad genes you really don’t want your children to have. So people often times become depressed but don’t tell anyone and don’t get any treatment because they feel ashamed. And if a family member attempted… read more
In this tutorial we will take a look at the smudge tool and how to use it in our Digital Paintings. We will learn what exactly is the Smudge tool? the Settings and examples of uses. [
The end of December 2010 was probably the craziest time of my life. After getting home from Bible school I told God to do whatever He needed so that I could fully live for Him. I found out that is a very dangerous prayer. Through circumstances I was brought to a place where my whole future (that I had planned) was gone. I was left in a broken state and I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t have anywhere to turn but Him. So that’s what I did. I vividly remember curling up into a ball and just crying out for God to take the pain away. It wasn’t a physical pain but it sure felt like it. The next few weeks went by slowly and I didn’t feel like I was making progress in life. But I just kept my focus on God and eventually I began to… read more
Today I’m going to tell you a part of my testimony that I’ve hidden for a long time. I hid it because of pride, guilt, and shame. I hid it because that was exactly what Satan told me to do. That way I’d become a useless Christian immobilized by my own actions. I was ashamed that my life didn’t reflect the promises in Romans 6:6-7 “We know that our old life died with Christ on the cross so that our sinful selves would have no power over us and we would not be slaves to sin. Anyone who has died is made free from sin’s control.†Boy, that sure didn’t reflect my life… You see for more than 10 years (I honestly can’t remember when it began) I had an addiction to pornography and masturbation. These are two of my least favorite words in the world, the very words themselves… read more
Next we will consider the fossil record. If there is anything that can tangibly “prove” the theory of evolution, the fossil record would be the most likely. Fossils can of course be seen, handled, and examined. It has been instilled into this generation that the age of anything can be absolutely proven. As we have seen from our study of the various dating methods, there is very little that is absolute in the `science` of dating. The methods and results are at best questionable. Recent advances in science has shown that there are questions regarding things once thought absolute. I have read that scientists have discovered that the speed of light is slowing down. There is evidence that atomic clocks do not run at a constant rate. They, too, are slowing down. Concerning the fossil record, let me read what a leading scientist has said: “The fossil record reveals the… read more
This past week a group of us watched the message “The Holiness of God†by Francis Chan. It was good and I just thought I’d share some random thoughts from it. The first is this; when you face God, and every one of us will face God, you will be terrified. You won’t be able to do anything else except fall flat on your face, I’m not kidding about this. It will be the most intense moment of your life. Some people go around with a chip on their shoulder, they think that when they face God that He’s going to have to answer some pretty tough questions. You couldn’t be more wrong. Every single person who has faced God has done so terrified for his or her lives. Prophets and even he whom Jesus was closest to (John), those who had lives probably far holier than any of ours,… read more
In this tutorial we will will learn how to use the Transform tools in our Digital Painting projects, we will learn some Tips for Free Transform, Additional Options, Warp option and I will showcase some examples of how you can use these techniques in your work flow.
This week I wanted to look into the idea of God’s will for our lives. Isn’t that what The Church longs to know? What does God want them to do with their life? This was what I was struggling with last week but I’ve figured out why it was going so poorly. The best advice I’ve heard is to stop worrying about God’s will for your life. You see, this isn’t some sort of puzzle that we can figure out by thinking about it. The way God works is by changing you inside so that your entire life is transformed, He doesn’t just give us the answers to life. He never promises us a long-term plan because that would defeat the whole idea of relying on Him daily. You want to know what God wants you to do with your life? What He wants you to do with… read more
Last night something happened that made me contemplate my relationship with our heavenly Father. Here is what happened. My 8 years old nephew, Daniel, asked me to play a cartoon movie for him, so he gave me the name of the cartoon characters and the name of the movie. I went to YouTube and started searching for the movie. As I was going through the pages of the search results Daniel was getting impatient, and every time he saw the cartoon characters on a video thumbnail he pointed to the video and jumped up and down, and every time I went to the next page of results he grew more impatient with me—he wanted to watch the movie now! Finally, I grew impatient with him so I asked him to read what the title of one of the thumbnail he was pointing to said. He read the name of the… read more
Now let`s consider the demands of creation versus the demands of the theory of evolution. First, creation demands the presence of a Creator. The theory of evolution demands the absence of a creator. Second, creation demands the creation of matter. The theory of evolution has no explanation for the origin of matter. Third, as for the time span of the existence of the universe, creation demands the time span of recorded history. The theory of evolution demands eons of time, billions of years. Fourth, creation demands a `spirit world`. That is, the presence of a `higher power`, one who created this universe and governs its operation. This `higher power` is the giver of life. The theory of evolution does not allow for a higher power or a giver of life. The theory of evolution says life emerged spontaneously from non-living matter. Fifth, there is the fossil record. Creation demands a… read more
Today I have a note from a great friend named Scott, hope you will be blessed by what he wrote: If you asked me today if I was religious, I would tell you “no”. This might seem weird if you knew that I go to church as often as I can, read and believe every word of the Bible, and pray to God. The reason I would say that is because of what people think when they hear “religion”. People tend to think things like laws, judgmental people, power, repetition, and as the result of some recent and unfortunate events, crazy people predicting the end of the world. Feel free to add your own words to the list. Chances are it’s not what Jesus Christ and His way is all about. – It’s not about religion and obligation, it’s about freedom and love. You might not know but the word… read more
180 Movie is a shocking award winning documentary that is changing lives and hearts on the issue of abortion. The video is produced by Living Waters, and features Ray Comfort​ of the popular The Way of the Master ministry. The 180 Movie is now available online for Free viewing. Check it out! ###WARNING! Graphic Content###
I went for a walk alone downtown and I spent it pretty much talking to the Father. When I reached the harbor front I was very pleased with the beautiful scene of the full moon and its light reflection on the water. But deep inside my heart was heavy as I had many worries. So I decided to walk back and keep talking to the Father, then I thought, “Why so busy and always in a rush? Sit down for few minutes, rest, relax, enjoy the scene and focus on your prayer.†So I sat down looking at this serene sight, and I started praying again but my worries were still there–I still didn’t have inner peace. Then I decided to pray the words of John the Baptist in John 3:30 “He must become greater; I must become less.†So I prayed those simple words with all my heart fully… read more
The boy stood with back arched, head cocked back and hands clenched defiantly. “Go ahead, give it to me.†The principal looked down at the young rebel. “How many times have you been here?†The child sneered rebelliously, “Apparently not enough.†The principal gave the boy a strange look. “And you have been punished each time have you not?†“Yeah, I been punished, if that’s what you want to call it.†He threw out his small chest, “Go ahead I can take whatever you dish out. I always have.†“And no thought of your punishment enters your head the next time you decide to break the rules does it?†“Nope, I do whatever I want to do. Ain’t nothin’ you people gonna do to stop me either.†The principal looked over at the teacher who stood nearby. “What did he do this time?†“Fighting. He took little Tommy and shoved… read more
I wanted to look at the book of Acts because I always hear about how different the Church is today compared to the early Church. Armed with some lessons from Hans Peter and my Bible, God has already been putting things on my heart! It’s something we’ve all heard before; the Church isn’t the building, it’s the people inside the building. Take this deeper though, and this you’ve heard as well, wherever you go you bring Jesus with you. You don’t go to “church†(the building) to meet with God; He’s with you wherever you go, YOU bring the Church wherever you go. Does your version of Church change throughout the week? What does it look like with your co-workers? How about around your friends? Does it differ from your church attitude on Sunday? I ask these questions because if your version of church is simply changing your attitude you… read more
In This tutorial we will will learn how to prepare line art for scanning into our Digital Painting projects, we will learn some Tips for Scanning, Adjusting Contrast/Levels, Extracting Line work and Creating a handy action.
This photo to me, encompasses the beautiful basics of photographing the ocean, the water rushing over your feet as it makes it’s way back to sea while a fresh wave brings a cleansing flood. Experimenting with different shutter speeds to get different motion in an ever-changing environment, all while breathing in the refreshing air that only comes from the sea, It’s just pure bliss! Right now life is simply amazing! I am just constantly filled with joy and I’ve finally found my true purpose. I can’t even find the words to describe it; perhaps comparing it to a mountain top experience is the best way. Last night a bunch of us went over to a friend’s house and we just talked about God and how He has been working in us lately. I wish you could have been there, I wish you could have seen the passion, felt the joy,… read more
I have this message on my heart, it’s one that I’ve had for a long time. It has been a subtle theme in many of my messages but I’ve finally identified the root of it. It’s not a nice message; it’s one that I have spent many hours thinking about and studying. It’s based on Matthew which says, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’†Matthew 7:21-23 During our trip to California something happened to me. Spiritually, it was a very difficult… read more
I want to talk about a topic I think most Christians won’t like, but I feel burdened to talk about it, so please if you start reading the next line, keep reading to the end…otherwise you will get the wrong idea. Growing up in a Christian family meant I had neutral feelings towards Israel or the Jews. But as I started reading the Bible starting from the Old Testament at the age of 16 I started to be really impressed by the Jews because of their rich history, God’s mighty work among them, and their lasting legacy. When all other civilizations disappeared they still existed. And being a teenager and wanting to find a purpose in life and belong to something, I really considered going to Israel and becoming a Jewish Rabbi!!! Later on when I came to Canada and started reading novels about the Holocaust I again admired the… read more
Beautiful Images in Remembrance of 911: Who would have thought that an airplane would be used as a weapon against the citizens of America? People woke up to a regular day, to the hustle and bustle of life, not expecting anything but the normal routine, but the terror acts of a few changed our lives in many ways. Whether you were in New York or on the other side of the world, you could not watch the images of the planes crashing into the towers and not be shocked, outraged and disgusted at the devastation and massive loss of lives displayed before our eyes. As we reflect on the events of this day, say a prayer for the families that were affected by this tragedy, pray also for those that would orchestrate such terrible acts. [sociallocker] But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do… read more
I am sharing this because it is a wonderful and heartfelt dream that I have been seeking the Lord about for the past several years. It is answered prayer and one that will come to pass in Gods perfect timing. I must wait, wait for it, wait for the Lord Jesus concerning such. You may find yourself depicted in this dream. I pray the Lord touch you through and through and minister even unto you as He has to me. I share this because it brings truth of what the Lord is going to do in these last days, not just with me but to all those who are of His True Body. I’m going to share things of myself that I don’t often speak of but pray about privately. Of late my body has been racked with pain coming from different places, mostly the left side of my body…. read more
As we hear frightening “predictions” about the year 2012, we would be led to believe that the world is coming to an end very soon. We see the disaster/doomsday movies like Independence day (1996), The Day After Tomorrow (2009), portraying destruction on a massive scale. We have programs on TV such as, “Life after man”, which looks at how life would be after mankind is wiped out. We also heard about the Y2K bug, global warming, the melting of the ice caps and the long forgotten, “hole in the ozone layer”. The Mayan calendar stops at the end of the year 2012, resulting in all sorts of religious, scientific, astrological and historic reasons why this calendar foretells the end of mankind or life as we know it. The Mayan predictions have many people in an uproar, coupled with the natural disasters seen all over the world, global distress, global economic… read more
Today I watched the Francis Chan sermon called “Holiness†and he talked about some verses that we don’t normally hear about. “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a harlot? Certainly not! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For ‘the two,’ He says, ‘shall become one flesh.’†1 Corinthians 6:15-16 The image that Paul paints here is very strong. You see as Christians we are all part of the body of Christ, this isn’t something to be taken lightly. We all know that sexual immorality creates a spiritual bond between two people. When we are involved in sexual immorality as Christians, whether it be pornography or sexual activity outside of marriage, it’s forcing the spirit of Christ within us to engage… read more