Tag Archives: Easter

Welcome to our stories of light and hope for the Easter Season! Learning to believe better, the primary needs of a husband and wife, gender roles and abortion are the main issues we explore this Easter.

Holy Scripture tells us that marriage is a mysterious reflection of Christ and his bride, the church. That is certainly why men are asked to love their wives like Christ loves the church, and women to submit to their husbands. So, this Easter we hope to strengthen marriages by going back to basics with understanding the primary needs of a husband and wife with renowned family counselor, Dr. Barry Davidson. There is a lot to glean and share with your spouse!

Women are Good, Men are Great? is my blog feature that you may find interesting (or unsettling) as we join the layered conversation around gender roles.

Now every time there was an account of the mass abortion of babies in Scripture, the mission was an attempt to kill God’s plan for the birth of a deliverer. The subject doesn’t have a good rap in Scripture. This Easter we connect with Specialist Biomedical Scientist originally from Nigeria, now living and working in the UK, Ms. Obianuju Ekeocha to get her perspective on the controversial human rights issue, which has consumed Jamaica’s attention in recent months.

Ms. Ekeocha is also the founder and president of Culture of Life Africa, an organisation dedicated to the promotion of a Culture of Life in Africa through research, education and the dissemination of information. She is an internationally acclaimed pro-life speaker, strategist, author and documentary filmmaker who has studied, worked and travelled extensively in Africa.

Ms. Ekeocha says: “My convictions about abortion are rooted in science and biological facts rather than faith.”

Check it out!

And finally, we are delighted by the encouragement from Family and Faith Magazine longtime contributor, Pastor Christopher Brodber in Believe Better Things – Believe God! 

Enjoy, share with your family and friends and leave a reply! And be sure to follow us in order to receive an alert each time we publish.

May God’s light and hope radiate afresh in your life this season.

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May God bless you abundantly for your thoughtfulness!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sincerely,

Shelly-Ann

@harrisshellyann

President and Founder

Family and Faith Magazine

I try to encourage people wherever I go to join me in a little gesture – raise your index finger in the air, with attitude, and say aloud, “I Believe God.” I do this because I am fully aware that the biggest daily battle people face is the battle to believe better; to believe better things, about ourselves and about our Creator.

In what is a hostile information-age, there is a deluge of destructive notions being sent people’s way.  There is information that often poses as ‘life-improvement’ concepts, which is really rooted in fear, in human frailty, in notions of scarce resources, in greed, etc. Therefore, I’ll stir individuals to believe better, based on an understanding that the best things in life are freely given to all, by the Creator of all. The supplier of ample air, ample water, sunlight, and natural resources, amply supplies whatever we’ll need for a good-life.

And this truth is why there is Easter.

I know you, whoever is reading this, that you too are in the throes of a bitter belief-battle, either about yourself, about this world, or about the Creator, just like the rest of us. So, let’s talk about Easter and the Resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth and its relevance to our lives.

I am aware that information might have come to you that Easter had a “pagan origin” and therefore it’s not of true Christian merit. However, I counter that with an example – Though evil things happened in the world on my birthday, yet I still choose to celebrate my birthday – meaning we should still celebrate a good thing, despite ‘evil things.’ Also, God remains sovereign over all times. Recall also that I said there’s an all-out war of notions, focused against our believing good things, in this world that stokes fear and offers lies. (Like Santa Clause, promoted instead of a Good God and Christ, at Christmas, that “knows if you’ve been good or bad”.) Know this, that the Christian celebration of Easter is from God, and it is a good “tool” to ground our hope, and our faith in eternal things, as opposed to fragile temporal things.

Jesus of Nazareth’s dying on Calvary’s Cross, celebrated on Good Friday, and His being raised to life, celebrated on Easter Sunday / Resurrection Sunday, provide all persons a signal of God’s good intentions toward all men (as it is written “…goodwill toward men.” Luke 2:14). The Heavenly Father made His message clear, that this Jesus is His Son, and He was sent to save the world – “For God So loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” – John 3:16.

This salvation, this message of rescue, that God signals, is dynamic and holistic. It is not just deliverance from the threat of eternal damnation, after death, but it is a rescue from all turmoil of the human soul. It marks a deliverance unto an amazing hope. The Easter celebration arms all who believe with a powerful hope, and a wonderful confidence, second to none.

Recall that the apparent greatest fear that people have is of death. Therefore, it is written that God “…delivered them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” – Hebrews 2:15. So, the Father answers this global fear through His Son. Jesus’ death shows God as familiar with the issue of death and our fear, and displays that an answer was sent.

Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, shows that God is capable and willing to raise individuals from death, and He’s giving them His hope and confidence. The resurrection displays the Father offering men a better life now, and then (after life).

It is a profound promise of better to all who would believe, even unto joyful celebration. The resurrection of Jesus certainly gives us all a ‘partying’ purpose.  “…And this is the will of Him that sent me, that everyone which seeth the son, and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day” – John 6:40. This assurance, this confidence in God, is super liberating.

Note that every human being needs faith and hope. Hope is a life-giving, purpose-driving virtue, and faith is a spiritual drive to always press forward. So, the message of Easter: “You don’t need to fear anything. I the Lord have made what was once scary, become for you an awesome opportunity.”

Today all are free not to fear. We’re no longer bound to live in fear, in this world of fears. So now, what will you do, since you can be fear-free? Say with me too, “I Believe God!”

Now, the whole world is an awaiting adventure.

Happy Easter!

Pastor Christopher Brodber is the pastor of Covenant City Church and a long-time contributor to Family and Faith Magazine. Leave a reply or send an email to familyandfaithmagazine@gmail.com 

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We also appreciate and value that you may want to help us continue doing what we’re doing by making a donation.

May God bless you abundantly for your thoughtfulness!