Spend Time in Prayer
13/07/19
Spending time in prayer means setting time aside preferably
on a daily basis to seek God through scripture and communicating with Him. You
dedicate that time to give off yourself waiting for His leading as He unfolds
certain aspects concerning His will. You come with the intention to know more
of who Jesus really is and what His purposes for mankind are. You come also
with the intention of building a close relationship with Him with no expectancy
of earthly rewards but a heart rich towards God. Devoting yourself to such
prayer will come with challenges as there always are commitments or
circumstances that’ll compete against it; you will just have to push through
them. After all, we are as close to God as we want to be.
Remember the story of Mary and Martha? When Martha opened
her house to Jesus yet was very distracted from all the preparations that had
to be made, whilst Mary sat at Jesus’ feet listening to what he had to say.
Martha went to the Lord and asked, “Don’t you care that my sister has left me
to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” But the Lord answered, “Martha,
Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it
will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42). Most of us tend to believe
that once we open our hearts to the Lord, we now need to work endlessly to show
Him our gratitude for being in our lives. Yet the one thing that’s truly needed
is setting time aside to just sit, listen to His Words and pray. By doing that
you are building yourself a treasure that cannot be taken away from you. Your
job might be taken away; your hot body; your relationships; your car; your
house- but your relationship with God will remain till eternity.
Speaking of eternity- we lose sight of it honestly. Our
lives are built on the affairs of our daily lives here on earth hence we allow
everything else to take preeminence over our prayer time. Jesus told this
parable: “The ground of a certain rich man produced good crop. He thought to
himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ Then he said, ‘This
is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I
will store all my grain and my goods. And I’ll say to myself, ‘You have plenty
of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.’
But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from
you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ This is how it will be with anyone who
stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.” (Luke12:16-21).
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with using the good gifts God has given you to
help prepare for a fulfilling life in years
to come but don’t lose sight of the one thing that’s truly needed which will
benefit you in eternity.
Dear Father, thank You for Your presence in my life. I learn
so much from Your Word and I also learn how to pray in accordance with Your
will. Please give me a heart that desires to make time for You, to choose You
before anyone or anything else. I believe that the time I make for You is a
treasure that cannot be taken away from me; so I need to prioritize it more
than anything else I have deemed more important in my life. Thank You Father-
amen.
Put on The Armor Of God 05/04/19
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the
full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”-
Ephesians 6: 10
From the above verse it is no mystery that the devil schemes
against Christ’s followers. He does it in various ways such as constantly
condemning the believer after a fall, that the believer reckons that the sin committed
is so great that God won’t possibly be merciful to him. The devil also schemes
against children of God by presenting counterfeit ways in which they can cope
with challenges other than being reliant upon God’s Sovereignty over their
lives. And another way he schemes to
destroy the believer’s faith is by sending people in their lives who make it
difficult for them to obey the precepts of their Father.
This intense battle in the spiritual realm has a number of
effects in the lives of the children of God. Firstly, they tend to become lax
and avoidant when it comes to spiritual matters. They reckon, “I keep falling
and failing God, so there is no need for me to keep trying” not understanding
that there is an Enemy warring against their salvation. Secondly, they tend not
to give themselves fully to the will of God in order to escape suffering. His
will has proven not to be easy, so they’d rather not commit wholeheartedly to
the Lord but have a mixture of worldliness and Godliness all in the name of “balance”.
Lastly, they change direction and totally renounce Christ’s existence and the spiritual
experiences they enjoyed with Him.
There are certainly other effects not mentioned above that
the spiritual battle has on the believer’s walk with the Lord, but be
encouraged by the fact that amidst all that there are those who withstood the
heat and made up their minds to fight for their salvation. They heeded Paul’s
warning in Ephesians 6:10-13,
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full
armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For
our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against
the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the
spiritual forces of evil in heavenly places. Therefore, put on the full armor
of God, so that when the day of evil comes you may be able to stand your
ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.”
“After you have done
everything, to stand”. In a battle people get wounded. They fall, they
crawl, they attempt to get up. Those who wear the armor of God which Paul gives
in the preceding verses might experience such turmoil in their Christian
journey, but after everything they stand their ground again! They trust in the faithfulness
of their God; they know that He will strengthen and protect them from the evil
one (2Thes3:3). So, make it a lifestyle
to put on the full armor of God which basically consists of living in truth,
faith and righteousness; always ready to spread the Gospel of peace; renewing
one’s mind on a daily basis with the Word of God and praying continuously in
the Spirit.
Dear Father, thank You. Thank You for giving me strength to
fight the good fight of faith. Thank You for keeping me safe and protecting me
from the devil’s schemes against the
gift of salvation You have graciously given me. Thank You for showing me ways to
help stand my ground. Let me continue
with You Lord until you come or call me home. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
Go Further with God 05/02/19
A letter from an apostate::
“Over many years I have been blessed to receive free tapes,
CD’s, and books from your ministry, thank you. At those times I really
appreciated them. Now, I know no longer believe in the God of the Bible or in
Jesus Christ. Ten years of full time ministry prove to me that there is no God
and that the God of the Bible does not care. I now reject Christianity and have
come to peace . What was at first a great loss has now turned to joy, peace and
freedom. I did not leave the faith because of some extreme sin, I left because
the God of the Bible, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are all a fantasy. I’m
happy I now live in the real world. I only feel guilt about the many people whom
I led to Christ and exposed them to the lies of Christianity. I’m not mad at
Christians, I’m not mad at you. However, I am mad at myself for not being a
more critical thinker, I won’t make this mistake again. Again, thank you for
the many years of help and teaching you all shared with me. I do appreciate you
all are trying to do with the knowledge you have. Please remove me from your
mailing list, save the money, don’t waste on an apostate like me. I was just
giving your CD’s away but now my conscious can no longer tolerate the further
spread of a false hope and disappointment.’
Apostasy is quite common in this recent age, probably something
that has been taking place for years but only hits home when those we’ve
started with reject the faith. We see
people who once professed the Christian faith- loving Jesus with all their
heart turn around and act like they don’t know Him at all. It all goes back to
the fact that people change, but God remains the same.
Those words resonate with many; some are just on the brink
of letting go. And some don’t need to utter any words; their lifestyle says it
all. Let’s face it; we go through trying times. We face disappointment and
hurt. We are tempted and we fall. We lose the will to live- it’s all part of life.
These trying times teach us a valuable lesson that we don’t come to Jesus with
the hope that He’ll make our life easy. The trying times teach us that God is God, so
we make a decision to go further with Him regardless of our circumstances. The
basis of Christianity is faith.
We might start out naïve thinking that at a snap of a
finger, God will come running to solve all our problems. We might give
ourselves deadlines on certain expectations and believe that God will fulfill
our wishes. We might do things (especially giving) with the expectation of
gaining social approval. We do many things in the name of Christianity and when
hurt or disappointed by those who claim to be Christian or things don’t happen
the way we expected we renounce Christ, forgetting that it’s a faith journey
that’s more about Him than it is about us.
Ten years down the line and still no spouse, no salvation of a family member, no business, no answers! No wonder many choose apostasy. The only way
you can find out that Christ is real is to go further with Him. Seek His face,
thank and worship Him. Basically, make your faith be more about Him than it is
about you. Perhaps this is what John meant when he said, “He (Jesus) must become greater, I must become lesser.”(John3:30)
Make a decision to go further with God. It’s not going to be
a bed full of roses. Your dreams and expectations might be crushed. Your days
might be burdened by hate and jealousy from those you are commanded to love. You
might be tripped by temptation along the way, but the decision rests in your
hands.
Father thank You so much for keeping me in the journey. All
around me many soldiers have given up the good fight of faith but in Your Word
you encourage us to hold on till the end. I admit I don’t always know what is
going on but from today onward I decide to choose You. Please glorify Your name
in my life, show me Your power and glory. And regardless of how long it takes,
help me to be patient with the process. In Jesus name, amen.
Fight the Good Fight! 15/11/18
Life seems to get more challenging as we get older! And one
of the greatest areas where we get challenged the most is in our faith. We get discouraged when we feel that nothing
is “happening” for us or when we feel that we aren’t ‘good” enough in this
Christian journey. When we fall we feel condemned that we will never be able to
please God so we end up drawing further away from Him. We replace our faith in Christ with other
things (usually unhealthy habits or information against the existence of
Christ) to help us cope with what life throws at us. Perhaps we are going
through a phase that should be teaching us to hold on firmly to our faith.
“Endure hardships
with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus” says the apostle Paul to
Timothy. Discipline yourself to run to Jesus when you experience hardships. It’s
very convenient for our sinful nature to choose the easy way out known as the “wide”
road that’s very common to man. It is this wide road that helps us find relief
temporarily in things such as pornography, overeating, drunkenness etc. Inevitably,
it is the road that leads to the destruction of our faith in Christ. We find temporary
relief from the stresses of life while indulging in such things yet at the same
time intensifying the void in us that can only be filled by the presence of
Jesus. Our own acts condemn us from seeking the Lord in prayer, Bible reading
and fellowship with other believers and thereby gradually diminishing our
faith. How can we endure hardships? By constantly drawing closer to God and believing
that He is, and He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6). By
throwing off everything that hinders our spiritual walk, and run with perseverance
the race marked out for us (Hebrews12:1). We can endure hardships by meditating
on and assimilating the scriptures that we are so familiar with because faith
comes by hearing the word of God (Romans10:17). We can also endure hardships by
keeping in touch with our local church and fellow believers since two are
better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12). Lastly, run to prayer and pour out your
concerns to the Lord for He cares for you. He will carry your burdens. All
these might not give immediate gratification, but they will pay off
tremendously in building your faith in Christ.
“If we endure, we will also reign with Him.”- 2Timothy 2:12
So fight the good fight of faith. Finish the race. And keep
the faith!
Father, it’s such a comfort to know that I can call You
Father- Abba Father. You’re not a distant God, but You are closer to me than
ever before. It’s so easy to forget about You when I experience hardships, so I
thank You that You’re always holding on to me. Help me Lord to finish this
journey strong, strengthen my relationship with you each moment, and return to
me the joy of your salvation. Lord please increase my faith in You once
again, In Jesus name I pray amen!
Rejoice in the Lord Always! 04/08/18
Life is beautiful; and the beauty of it all is in its
different seasons. After Job had enjoyed a plenteous season of abundance,
wealth and joy he was suddenly plagued by extreme loss. He lost everything
considered to bring fulfillment to a man’s life i.e., his family, health and prosperity.
Though not as intense as Job’s situation you might find yourself experiencing
great loss. We know of many who’ve given up the will to live due to the death
of their loved ones. Many carry an aura of distress as they try to recover from
betrayal and love not reciprocated from the one they trusted their hearts to. Misfortune
is common to all and only the heart experiencing it knows its bitterness. Ill
health- perhaps not sores on your body; perhaps a sinus congestion or hay fever
that keeps you up all night and diminishes productivity throughout your working
day- is also a common loss to many. When
Christians go through such experiences they gravitate towards unbelief in the
Sovereign God. They have been taught that if they “name it and claim it” bad
things will not happen to them. How contrary to what Job asked, “Shall we accept good from God, and not
trouble?” (Job2:10).
Learning to rejoice in the Lord always is a skill that
should be learned. It builds character, maintains integrity and fills one with
hope. These virtues sound good on text but should be experienced practically
and one of the ways it’s done is through experiencing loss. God allots seasons
for us; so instead of allowing anger and bitterness to fill our hearts we
should gracefully receive our lot. Rejoicing in the Lord always makes life much
easier really. When robbed of your hard earned possessions you can simply take
the attitude Job had, “Naked I came from
my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken
away; may the name of the Lord be praised” (Job1:21) and hold on to your
confession come what may! From his book, Living
WATER, Brother Yun said, “I made a steadfast
commitment that I would always praise Jesus, regardless of my circumstances or
situation.” Personally, this statement has changed my life for the best.
The Word of God says, “He will yet fill
your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy!” (Job8:21).
Child of God; rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice!
Dear Father, thank You so much for all the seasons you have allotted
for me. Thank You for Your power and Sovereignty concerning my life. Thank You
for teaching me the skill of rejoicing in You always, and thank You for filling
my days with hope. In Jesus name, Amen!
Remember that God is always with you! 25/06/18
God is with you- meditating upon those words can change your
life forever! We hear that all the time and we kinda know it, but do we really
believe it? When we come out of the peace of our prayer closet into the chaotic
world and it rubs us off the wrong way, do we still believe that God is with
us? “The Lord Almighty is with us…”
(Psalm46: 7). He is present when your heart is broken. He knows what you
are experiencing and how you’re feeling; and He is there to comfort you, to
give you peace. God is present amidst every situation that you find yourself
in, He is present around the company you keep. This is such comfort to a heavy
heart that the Psalmist had to repeat it, “The
Lord Almighty is with us” (Psalm46: 11).
After Job had experienced the most devastating phase in his
life, losing his loved ones, possessions and health; he probably doubted that
God was still with him! “How I long for the months
gone by”, he lamented. “For the days when God watched over me, when His lamp
shone upon my head, and by His light I walked through darkness!” (Job 29:2-3).
Like Job, we tend to think that God has left us during trying times, and that’s when we forsake our peaceful state and
strive in our strength to fight. How we often blunder during that time! How we
often forget to “be still and know that
He is God.” (Psalm46:10). The wonderful thing about Job is that even when
he was severely broken he kept constant communication with God, and God drew
closer to him as He always does to those who draw close to Him. He rebuked,
encouraged and comforted Job whom at the end could not help but say, “My ears had heard
of you, but now my eyes have seen you.”(Job 42:5). We also need to
attain the state from knowing of and hearing about God, to actually seeing Him
personally in our lives.
What a huge difference it would make in our faith when we
believe that God is ever present in our lives! What a difference it would make in
our decision-making when confronted with an opportunity to sin! What a
difference it would make in our prayer lives- moving from routine and
repetition-to confidently pouring out our hearts to Him. Isn’t it comforting to
know that throughout your sleep He had been watching you and anticipating to
hear from you? This is the God Almighty, the God of the universe and He is with
you! Believing that God is with you will make a difference in how you handle
loneliness. He is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. Call upon Him and
you have His undivided attention, cry out to Him and He will comfort you. Have an
awareness that you are never alone, He surrounds you like the “mountains
surrounds Jerusalem”. Moving from an intellectual knowledge about God to an
actual living experience with Him could change your life forever!
God Almighty and my Father, thank You so much for Your
presence in my life. May I live with a holy awareness of your constant presence
in my heart. May I see you in every situation- good or bad. May I experience
Your power in an amazing way, in the name of Jesus, amen!
FIGHT ON YOUR KNEES 26-03-2018
We often come across difficult people and challenging
situations which could make us lose sight of God’s presence in our lives and
the purpose He called us for. In most cases we withdraw from our
responsibilities by wallowing in depression, worry, and fear. And in other
cases we might find ourselves yielding to destructive habits to escape the
temporary discomforts of life. Once we’re in such situations it becomes
difficult to view them as temporary though. This is where fighting on your
knees makes all the difference. Jesus taught on intercessory prayer in Luke
11:5-10
“Then he said to them, ‘Suppose
one of you has a friend, and he goes to him at midnight and says, ‘Friend, lend
me three loaves of bread, because a friend of mine on a journey has come to me,
and I have nothing set before him.’ Then the one inside says, ‘Don’t bother me.
The door is already locked, and my children are with me in bed. I can’t get up
and give you anything.’ I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the
bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get
up and give him us much as he needs. So I say to you, ask and it will be given
to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For
everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks the door
will be opened.”
In this extract, Jesus persuades us to knock on heaven’s
doors on behalf of those around us, be it our enemies or loved ones. Like that
man who knocks at the midnight hour, we also might have “nothing set before
those who come into our lives.” He had no bread for his visitor so he got up
and boldly asked for assistance from his sleeping friend. Our friend, Jesus,
does not even slumber nor sleep; why don’t we knock on his door and ask for
peace for our enemies! We have nothing set before them, in fact the thought of
them makes us clench our fists, but we can seek peace on their behalf. ‘Though he will not get up and give him the bread because
he is his friend, yet because of the man’s boldness he will get up and give him
as much as he wants.’ When we
boldly ask for peace on behalf of those around us we get even more: love,
forgiveness, strength, healing, and salvation! We can’t give all these to them,
but Jesus can hence we never tire of asking, of knocking, and of seeking. In
the same respect, we present our burdens to God and He carries them for us. Spiritual battles fought with spiritual
weapons produce eternal victories. So let us fight on our knees for ourselves
and the people in our lives and we’ll view every trial and difficulty through
God’s lens- as temporary.
Dear Father, what an awesome privilege You have given us: to
ask, to knock, and to seek! You promise to answer us when we do this. So remind
us always to pray whenever we come across difficult, confusing, and fearful
situations. Remind us also to pray for those whom for some reason or another
try to make our lives difficult. Thank You so much for the wonderful gift of
pray, amen.
Be sanctified by Truth 30/08/17
Jesus prayed
for His disciples in John 17:17: “Sanctify them by
the truth; your word is truth.” There was a need for the utterance of
this prayer because during that time there was much controversy amongst the people
concerning the Messiah. Jesus uttered the prayer at the most critical time approaching
his crucifixion which could have led his disciples to fall away in deceit. They
needed to be set apart, kept holy, consecrated in truth. Deception is very
common in Christianity- either believers are being deceived or are the
deceivers, hence they can only be sanctified by the truth which is the Word of
God. A noteworthy example of a man sanctified by truth in the Bible is Nehemiah
who undertook a great task of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. He was a man in
constant communion with God; and that’s where he drew strength, courage, and
success. In Nehemiah 6:10-12 he tells a part of his story: “One day I went to
the house of Shemaiah son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was shut in at
his home. He said, ‘Let us meet in the house of God, inside the temple, and let
us close the temple doors, because men are coming to kill you- by night they
are coming to kill you.’ But I said, ‘Should a man like me run away? Or should
one like me go to the temple to save his life? I will not go! I realized that God had not sent him, but
that he prophesied against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.”
Many, as
Shemaiah did are employing methods to lure children of God by using the Church,
His Word, and Spiritual things. Nehemiah could have been easily deceived and
tempted to run into the temple and stop what he did since he assumingly loved
the house of the Lord. He realized before he could fall that Shemaiah was not
sent by God and as a result, he managed to walk in the escape route the Lord
had provided for him beforehand. God has already provided a way for us to
escape deception, but sometimes even when truth is clearly presented to us we
just turn a blind eye to it and end up being deceived. As Shemaiah was hired by
Tobiah and Sanballat to terminate the purpose which God had called Nehemiah to
fulfill, the devil also employs his agents to fight against the purpose for
which God has called his servants. We need to be aware of those who come into
our lives and understand that some are sent by God and others by the devil. Counterfeit
at times so closely resembles the truth that only diligent students of the
scriptures and those who are in constant communion with the Lord will be shielded
from the powerful deception that takes most believers captive. Be sanctified by
truth, and His Word is truth.
Dear Father,
thank You that you keep me from all kinds of deceit. Let me abide in your truth
at all times, keep me in You for you are the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In
Jesus name, amen.
“Events
in the past may be roughly divided into those which probably never happened and
those which do not matter.”- W. R Ing
Have you been in a situation where you
questioned why it seems as if people who have no regard for God are prosperous
and flourishing? They seem to be getting away with taking shortcuts or
trampling down on others to get their way. Many a times we become targets to
such people and often find ourselves lamenting over the “what ifs” or the “could
haves”. What if I was wise enough? What if I had just made the correct choice?
Many people are stuck in the bad events of long ago; it becomes a struggle to
actually move forward; and this keeps them from progressing in life. I found
this to be true with me when each morning and night I closed and opened my eyes
replaying the same event that happened so long ago. I approached God with tears
constantly feeling sorry for myself yet unable to just let it go! I wanted
justice, I desired revenge! I desired to see the downfall of those whom I felt
hurt by. One morning as I prayed to God about the same issue, I knew He laid it
in my spirit that the best revenge any person can ever get is receiving the
salvation of Christ. Where would I be had he not been merciful to me for all
the times I trampled over people and disobeyed His word to get my own way?
Instead of judgment He provided mercy and this is what we should desire for
those who’ve hurt us. “Do not fret because of those
who are evil or be envious of those who do wrong; for like the grass they will
soon wither, like green plants they will soon die away. Be still before the
Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes. Refrain from anger and turn from
wrath; do not fret it leads only to evil. Take delight in the Lord and He will
give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm37). Letting go is a gradual
process and we should be patient with ourselves. The turning point in my life
came when I read this verse in Exodus 14:15, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelite's to MOVE ON!” I
knew it was time to forget the former things, to stop dwelling on the past, and
to perceive the new thing that God is about to do! God’s Word gives us hope that
our future contains more happiness than any past we can ever remember! Move on.
Stop dwelling on the past. Stop wishing that circumstances should have been
different. Stop crying out to God about the same old matter. Because He will
just say what He told Moses to tell the Israelite's, “MOVE ON!”
Father, thank You so much that in You we
don’t have to be trapped by the negative memories of the past, today is a brand
new day, we will rejoice and be glad in it! You are faithful and just to
forgive us, to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, to create in us a clean and
a pure heart. Now Father, we pray for the power to move forward, to forget the
things of long ago and to perceive the new thing you’re doing. In the powerful
name of Jesus we pray, amen.
Don’t Speak Rashly 25/04/16
“He who
guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin.”-
Proverbs13:3
Many people are naturally opinionated with the belief
that they have knowledge about everything and everyone else’s life. You’ll see
them mingling in other people’s affairs offering advice even when not asked to
do so. You’ll also see them having much input in how churches should be
conducted for their comfort, and at worst- you’ll see them having no fear of
God using His name vainly or approaching Him with no fear. In Genesis chapter
18 from verse 16 Abraham had the privilege to converse with God. Abraham wanted
to know whether God would destroy the city of Sodom and Gomorrah even if there
were a few righteous men living in it. First he asked God if He will sweep away
the righteous with the wicked even if there were righteous people living in it
(Gen18:23). The Lord responded, “If I find fifty righteous people in the city
of Sodom, I will spare the whole place for their sake”. Abraham asked another question
with reverence to the Almighty- He knew he could not speak rashly to Him. He
said, “Now that I have been so bold to
speak to the Lord, though I’m nothing but dust and ashes, what if the number of
the righteous is less than fifty?” The Lord responded with the same
answer. Abraham kept asking the same
question decreasing the number of the righteous people but he did it with such
reverence because he knew the authority of the One he spoke to. We need to know
and submit to authority. He used terms like, “May the Lord not be angry with me but let me speak…” (Gen18:30 &32).
Children may freely communicate with their parents yet at the same time
recognize their parent’s authority. Similarly, we can come boldly before the
throne of our Father God as Abraham did, but we should be careful not to speak
rashly or disrespectfully to Him. We should also be careful of speaking rashly
about other believers because by doing so we offend God who lives in them. Keep
your words few; keep your opinions to yourself. Believe me; no one cares for
opinions if your life shows no spiritual fruit. “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father,
and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness…this ought not
to be so” (James3:9-10).We also speak rashly concerning our lives.
We are quick to condemn and curse ourselves forgetting that “from the fruit of
their lips people are filled with good things” (Proverbs13:2). It’s better to
keep your words few when you have nothing good to say about your life lest you
reap the negative consequences of the words you so rashly spoke. Our words
should be a form of worship to God; they should be for uplifting others even in
their absence. Our words should be filled with God’s wisdom and not our rash
opinions. May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be
pleasing in His sight!
Dear Lord, please keep me from using my mouth in a way
that dishonours your name and the testimony of Your Holy presence in my life.
Teach me to revere you in my communion with you, help me use my words to build
others in the body of Christ, and lastly; help me speak words that enable me to
enjoy Your gift of abundant life, in Jesus name, amen.
Stop Camping 04/11/15
“You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance
into the hill country of the Amorites…”-Deuteonomy1:6
These are the words the Lord Spoke to the Israelites
in the beginning of Deuteronomy. They had been quite comfortable in a particular
spot, that God Himself saw the need to encourage them to move forward. It
seemed like a good idea initially, so they implemented strategies on how to
break free from that mountain to other destinies the Lord had for them. They
made plans which they did not follow on; it looks like they were more talkers
than they were doers. The Israelites were lukewarm: one moment they are fired
up for God and believe His promises, the next they abandon their faith, looking
for something to complain about in every situation. The Israelites also
struggled with laziness. When they realized that it was going to take work to
break free from their camp, “They were unwilling to go” (1:26). They became
defiant and rebellious towards God because they wanted the easy way out, they didn’t
want to put in any work. James said, “Show me your
faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.”(James2:18).
Many a preacher has said that “It took God a few days
to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt, but it took Him 40years to take the
Egypt out of them.” That doesn’t change the fact that God loved them unconditionally,
but the circumstances they found themselves in revealed the condition of their
faith. Sometimes we also camp around the same situation all our lives. Instead
of advancing to other places God has for us, we allow the past to have a hold
on us. Our camping comes in various forms: emotionally; we camp around un-forgiveness
and offences, spiritually; we camp at a revelation of years back unwilling to
press into the deeper mysteries of God, and physically; we might find ourselves
camping around relationships we should have long ago abandoned.
Just like the Israelites, we make plans of breaking
free from these camps but we are not willing to put in the work. We’d rather
pray about the same issue year after year although we know that we ought to
have abandoned it a long time ago. It’s like Moses knowing that God refused Him
to enter the promise Land; but He persisted “O Sovereign Lord, you have begun
to show your servant your greatness and your strong hand. For what God is there
in heaven or on earth who can do the deeds and mighty works you do? Let me go over and see the good land beyond
the Jordan-that fine hill country and Lebanon”(3:24-25). I doubt it was his
motive; but we don’t worship God in order to get what we want. He doesn’t want
us to smooth-talk Him and treat Him like a child that needs validation, He is
all sufficient on His own. He is God. He replied to Moses, “That is enough! Do not speak to me anymore about this matter!”(3:26).
Maybe you’ve also been praying about the same matter repeatedly, knowing very
well that God has blocked you from getting it, well that’s enough! It’s time to
stop camping and move forward to other territories that the Lord your God has
in store for you!
Dear Lord, thank You so much for Your Word that helps
me examine my life. I have been camping around many mountains just like the
Israelites, using excuses, emotionalism, and reasoning to rebel against You.
Thank You for your love, and thank You that you don’t give up on me. Thank You
for giving me the strength to break free and move on to a greater destiny that
You have for me. I’m ready Lord. Amen
How to handle being misunderstood
15/09/15
There’s so
much that can be said about King David, however I just want to focus on the aspect
of being misunderstood. Four instances took place in David’s life where he was
misunderstood by those around him. Firstly, he was misunderstood by his own
family member. David’s dad (Jesse) sent him to the Philistine camp to deliver
food for his brothers and when he got there his older brother burned with anger
asking him why he came to the camp. The brother assumed that David was there
for all the wrong reasons telling him how conceited and evil his heart was. Yet
David purely loved God, and was faithful in in obeying Him. This reveals that
although we love God and walk according to His purpose, we are not exempt from
being misunderstood by our family members. Because they grew up with us, they
tend to think that they know much about us even when they don’t. Mind you,
David did not take offence in what his brother said.
The second instance was when Saul who dearly
adored David all of a sudden turned his back against him. He was so filled with
jealousy that he conspired to murder him. I think David was wondering what in
the world made this man to become so rife towards him!!
On a particular day he confronted Saul asking
him “Why do you listen when men say David wants to
harm you? I have not wronged you but you are hunting me down to kill me. May
the Lord Judge between us, May the Lord avenge but I will not touch you.”
David had the power to kill Saul and avenge for himself but he laid it all in
the hands of God. This act of compassion caused Saul to weep, to see that he
had been wrong about David all along. We need to handle issues of misunderstanding
by God’s love and compassion too, and He will solve the matter between us and
those who falsely misunderstand us. Realise that in this instance David forgave
Saul.
The third
instance was when David praised God- he did that with all his might! And guess
what, someone had to be offended by him praising God. The scripture says that
when “Michal daughter of Saul saw David praising and dancing to God, she
despised him in her heart”. She actually approached him saying things to make
him feel bad about his praising and David just said,
“The Lord chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house- I will
celebrate before the Lord.” David did not feel the need to defend
himself because the joy of the Lord was his strength. And do you want to know
what happened to Michal?? She never bore children to the day of her death! It’s
quite common that people will misunderstand your praise because they don’t know
the depth of the pit that Jesus saved you from, but go ahead and praise Him
anyway and He will avenge for you!
Lastly, one
of the kings died and David wanted to show his honour and sympathy by being
kind to the dead’s king son. When he sent his men to deliver his condolences
the people there said, “Do you really think that David is honouring your father
by sending men to express your sympathy? Or he just wants to explore the city
and spy it out and overthrow it?” Although David’s motives were pure he was
misunderstood, and that happens a lot when we have negative people influencing
how we perceive others. The thing is no matter how pure our motives and
intentions are some people will just choose to see the worst in us. We can’t
help how other people see us but we can change the way we see them, we can
choose to see the best in others and refrain from assuming negative things
about their deeds or words because only God knows the intentions and motives of
the heart. In this world tribulations are our lot but peace is our legacy, so
let us be like David who forgave, took no offences, praised God, and desired to
do good to those who misunderstood him- and the Lord will work out everything
for our good.
Dear
Father, thank You so much that even though my intentions and motives are
wrongly judged by those around me- you know all things. Help me please not to
judge others falsely, but to see the good in them. Strengthen me when those I
love misunderstand me and may your glory always prevail, In Jesus’ powerful
name I pray amen.
Believe in God 10/08/15
Let me
paraphrase the story of David and Goliath from 1Samuel17, hopefully as I do so the
expected outcome of my title will be reached. David was a 17year old,
fine-looking, shepherd boy, the youngest from eight children. By reading this
chapter one can deduce that David was obedient, faithful, friendly, hardworking,
and a lover of God. While David was busy with his daily chores (probably
shepherding sheep), a giant Philistine named Goliath was busy threatening the
Israelite's on the other side of town. Goliath placed his confidence in his overall
physical appearance and his ability to scare people off. The bible says that when
the Israelite's saw the man they all ran from him in great fear (1Sam17:24). One
day David’s father asked him to take food for his brothers who were at the
camp. It seems as if only the oldest, strongest, “more capable looking” people
were allowed to go to the camp while the weak ones remained home. When David arrived
at the camp he heard how Goliath shouted, and was made aware of how threatened
the Israelite's were. As David inquired about the whole situation he was reprimanded
by his oldest brother. “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you
leave those few sheep in the desert? I know how conceited you are and how
wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle” (1Sam17:28).
Though David had his heart and motives wrongly judged by his brother he was not
offended- it shows that his confidence was not on men, no not even his own
family, but was on God. He said to Saul the leader of the Israelite camp that
no one should be discouraged by Goliath because he will go and fight him!!Saul,
just as expected, undermined David. He told him that he was only a boy and the
man he wanted to fight had been fighting all his life! David still was not discouraged.
Now the difference between him and those who were at the camp is that David not
only knew that God could use him, but he also believed in his heart that God
will use him. He remembered the times in private how he had been helped by His
faithful God to defeat the lions and the bears! David never had a social media
platform where he portrayed to be bigger than he actually was, no one knew
about Him but God. For years David had to experience private victories before
he was confident enough to stand in public and when the time to stand in public arrived his faith was on the
Lord. He said, “The
Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will
deliver me from the hand of this philistine!” David believed without a
shadow of doubt. As you read your bible, ask yourself if you really do believe
His Word. Because if you do, your faith will not be in your circumstances but
on the Lord. David boldly told Goliath, “You come
against me with a sword and a spear and javelin, but I come against you in the
name of the Lord Almighty!” David truly trusted God and he knew that
this battle, though it seemed huge in people’s eyes,was a tiny matter to
the Lord who caused him to supernaturally kill Goliath. Goliath's death was
supernatural: which giant in the world can honestly be killed by a mere stone?
When we believe in our supernatural God He will supernaturally work on our
behalf. The problem is instead of believing, we accuse, blame, and challenge
His Sovereignty! We need to repent and begin to place our faith in our powerful
God; who makes all things work together for our good.
Father God,
thank you so much that you work supernaturally on my behalf. Forgive me for all
the times I challenged, blamed, and accused you for what I feel is wrong in my
life. Help me through your Spirit to step into your peace and truly believe in you,
your word, your son, and your gospel. In Jesus name. Amen.
Let God fight your battles 06/07/15
Story from (2Kings17-19)
Hezekiah was a king
whole-heartedly devoted to the Lord. During his reign; one of his missions was
to help the Israelites turn away from worshipping idols to worshipping the
Sovereign Lord. The king of Assyria had the poor Israelites under control
(taking them away from their homeland and placing them into exile) since the
Lord had banished them from His presence, sadly because they chose to disobey
Him by worshipping idols. When Hezekiah stepped in as king he fought for the
liberty of the Israelites. Now, the Assyrian king took pride in his strength-
he had defeated kings before Hezekiah’s reign, this man was in control! He
ridiculed Hezekiah asking him “On what are you basing this confidence of
yours?” He belittled Hezekiah’s faith in the Sovereign Lord by asking questions
such as, “On whom are you depending that you rebel against me?” He discouraged
Hezekiah by telling him that all that he was doing was a command from the Lord,
“The Lord Himself told me to march against this country and destroy it”. He
caused the people to believe that there was no hope for them, “Do not let
Hezekiah deceive you. He cannot deliver you from my hand”. He influenced and
manipulated them to believe that he had a better future for them than anyone
else, “Make peace with me and come out to me. Then everyone will eat from his
own vine and drink water from his own cistern…choose life and not death!” He
threatened them by reminding them of his previous victories, “Has the god of
any nation ever delivered his land from the hand of the Assyrian king? Who of
all the gods of these countries has been able to save his land from me?” You
can imagine how intimidated everyone, including Hezekiah must have felt when
they heard those words. We get so intimidated by past fears, insecurities, our
enemies, an unknown future, and many other factors. We are in bondage because
circumstances seem to be against us and our God seems to be silent; but be
assured He is fighting for us! Hezekiah went into the presence of the Lord and
prayed, “It is true, O Lord, that the Assyrian
kings have laid waste these nations and their lands. They have thrown their
gods into fire and destroyed them, for they were not gods but only wood and
stone, fashioned by man’s hands. Now, O Lord our God, deliver us from his hand,
so that all the kingdoms on earth may know that you alone, O Lord, are
God!”(2Kings19:17-19). In the midst of turbulence or obstacles
Hezekiah’s faith in God did not wither. He knew that the God he prayed to was a
living God who never fails nor disappoints. After Hezekiah’s prayer it didn’t take long
for the Lord to show up! “That night the angel of the Lord went out and put to
death a hundred and eighty-five thousand men in the Assyrian camp”. And later
on the King of Assyria’s own sons killed him! All that Hezekiah did was worship
the Lord, place his confidence in Him, and he never had to fight a single
battle- the Lord miraculously fought for him. It’s true that the enemy might
have prevailed before, or worldly circumstances have become overbearing, but
you can rest assured that as you soak yourself in His presence, the Lord will
fight your battles. “Worship the Lord
your God; it is he who will deliver you from the hand of ALL your
enemies.”(2Kings17:39).
Father, thank you so
much for being my strong warrior! When I’m lost in confusion and sadness and
all the troubles of life, I know I can rest under the shadow of your wings. I
lay down all my burdens and cares to you, and I know that you are already
fighting for me! Amen
If you stay long enough
in the Christian walk you’ll discover along the way that time and again you
will experience defining moments in your life. These defining moments are the
difficult times when you are confronted with a choice to make. The choice might
be hard if initially you didn’t decide that your beliefs will in no way be
compromised despite the pressure to conform. This brings to mind an event in
1Kings13 about a certain man of God from Judah who was led by the Lord to
prophecy (Read the whole story in 1Kings13). After his prophecy a king
requested the man to go home with him and have something to eat, enticing him
with gifts too. Whether the king’s motive for requesting that was pure or not (considering
that earlier he tried to destroy him) the man of God replied, “Even if you give me half your possessions, I would not
go with you, nor would I eat bread or drink water here. For I was commanded by
the word of the Lord: ‘You must not eat bread or drink water by the way you
came’.”(1Kings13:8-9). The man of God had heard the Lord and was
determined to obey though enticed with pleasurable things. As he left; another prophet followed the man
of God with a similar request. The man gave this second king the same answer;
he was determined to stay true to the word of God. However, the prophet
employed a cunning strategy saying, “I too am a
prophet, as you are. And an angel said to me by the word of the Lord: ‘Bring
him back with you so that he may eat bread and drink water” (But he was lying
to him)”-1Kings13:18. At the hearing of those words, determined to
please the Lord in every way, the man of God went against his conviction and
returned with the lying prophet. The consequences were deadly as you’ll see at
the end of the story. How often are children of God deceived not only by the
world but also by those in the church who manipulate others in trying to
achieve their own agendas claiming that they’re God sent? People were masks; it is critical that
followers of God are able to discern their true motives through Spirit of God.
Many of us are determined to obey God but as soon as we experience defining
moments we suppress the word the Lord personally spoke to us and swerve with
what comes along. It’s one thing to be in church every Sunday yet another to
experience God’s power strengthening you during the defining moments of your
everyday life. Let us not allow the enticements of the world stray us away from
our devotion to the Lord. We know the truth, God has spoken it in our hearts-
let us hold on to the truth pushing aside anything contrary to the word the
Lord has spoken. And we will make it till the end as good and faithful
servants.
Faithful Jesus, help
me please to stay true to your word. Remove any confusion; give me a determined
spirit to obey you every moment of my life. I ask also for the discernment to
be able to distinguish what is evil and what is good. In your powerful name I
pray, amen.
Nehemiah
was a servant of God who carried a heavy burden in his spirit for a Jewish
remnant that survived exile but had no place to dwell in, because Jerusalem, a
place of their dwelling was broken down. You know when there’s a huge burden in
your spirit to help the poor, to speak for the abused, to finance the kingdom
of God- a burden so heavy that it drives you to seek the gracious hand of God
upon your life to enable you to make a difference. Nehemiah wept, prayed and
fasted for the Jewish remnant carrying a plan to rebuild the walls of
Jerusalem. He didn't worry much about the resources needed or the time it will
take to finish his project, he just had a drive and hunger to do what the Lord
had placed in his heart. So Nehemiah went about fulfilling his mission. First
he went to God whom of course gave him favor in the King’s presence, and lastly
presented the project to men who were willing to work. Now, you’d expect things to go smoothly for
Nehemiah and his men since he had fasted and prayed and had the gracious hand
of God upon him. No, there was opposition. Nehemiah chapter two from verse 18
states that, Nehemiah informed the men about rebuilding Jerusalem and they enthusiastically
replied; “Let us start building!” However in the midst of them all were
three men, just three who were against the building. Nehemiah said, “They
mocked and ridiculed us. They asked, what are you doing? Are you rebelling
against the King?” Isn't it amazing how when you are in the process of building
there will always be a few people who will try by all means to oppose the work
of God? They use sarcasm, silent treatment, name calling to discourage you from
fulfilling the burden you carry in your spirit. Oh, how I wish there was a way
we could escape persecution not only from the world, but even from the people
in the church. How I wish like Jesus I could say, “Father, take this cup away
from me...” But the fact of the matter is; truly born again Christians who are
fulfilling the purpose of God will face persecution. Just as Satan employed
agents to fill Jesus’ life with suffering and sorrow. From being hunted down
from place to place, to false accusations, to the last cries-“Crucify him!
Crucify him!”, he will also do the same to Jesus’ true followers! And like
Jesus we have to say, “...Nonetheless, not my will, but yours be done!” Hallelujah!
This is an
encouragement to you if you are doing God’s work and you face persecution,
endure it because when the Lord is done testing you, you will shine forth as
gold. You will have the strength to reply to the enemy, just like Nehemiah did
in chapter 2: 20; “The God of heaven will give me success!”
Oh my
gracious Father, thank you so much for the gift of life. You have placed a
burden inside of me that drives me to weep and seek your face. You have given
me everything that I need to fulfill your plan, but it’s not easy. Give me strength
to endure persecution for your name’s sake. And I know that You Father from
heaven will cause me to succeed. IN Jesus Name Amen.
From all the prophets I’ve read about so far, Ezekiel
was one who endured so many burdens for the world’s sake. There are things that
the Lord instructed him to do, and though many did not make sense he obeyed.
Ezekiel was so focused on the Lord that the world’s events did not affect him
at all; he was blind to the things of the world but open to the spiritual
things of God. Ezekiel’s availability to
the Sovereign Lord made him a candidate to spread the Word from nation to
nation. From the valley of the dry bones, to cooking pots, to eagles and vines-Ezekiel
constantly had to endure things that did not make sense but the most shocking
experience was when his wife died! The Lord said to him, ‘with one blow I’m
about to take away from you the delight of your eyes (his wife).’ The Lord instructed
Ezekiel to go and proclaim His Word to the nations and must never mourn for the
dead. He said, ‘Do not lament or weep or shed any tears. Groan quietly; do not
mourn for the dead.’ Ezekiel24:16-17. Do you know why Ezekiel had to endure the
pain of losing his love? For the world’s sake. God has eternity in mind. He
told Ezekiel to tell the people that because of their sins, he will take away
their joy and glory, the delight of their eyes, their hearts desire, and their
sons as well. Ezekiel told them that when all that was done, they will have to
do what he did. They will not mourn or weep but will waste away because of
their sins. God wanted a practical example to reach out to his people and He
used his beloved prophet by taking away his wife. This is just a demonstration
that as Christians God is going to use us for a far greater purpose than
getting married someday, or being rich, or having our hearts desires fulfilled.
I remember before Dr Myles Munroe passed away it was my greatest desire to sit
down, shake his hand, and converse with him someday. But with one blow, the
Lord took him away. That’s when I truly learned that; ‘It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s
mercy.’¬Romans9:16. We are living and enjoying blessings because of His
mercies. Let us never forget that we are spiritual beings having a human experience,
therefore, our minds should be set on things above- on the Lord! Do not pursue
things because you’ll just never know what the Sovereign God has purposed for
your life. As you pursue Christ, things will automatically pursue you.
Dear Father, thank You for the blessing of life. As I
repent for all the times I’ve set my mind on worldly things, please help me now
set my mind on You. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
Get the right vision 15/12/14
Vision is the ability to form a picture in your mind about the future. According to research, people mostly successful in their careers; such as businessmen or athletes are those who constantly envision the end in mind. These people have grabbed the concept of the first and second creations- you first create a picture in your mind and whatever picture you hold in there will be manifested in the physical. The world around us is deeply en-grafted in sexual sin simply because from an early age boys and girls began watching programs only suitable for adults. Consequently, as they enter teenage hood they dabble with hard core erotic programs such as pornography. By constantly viewing such explicit material, people inevitably become professionals in creating bad sexual habits and learned behavior that they carry out through their lifetime. Sadly, these only lead to their ruin. You've got to shift your paradigm and get the right vision, hence God in His word constantly urge us to repent and renew our minds. It’s critical for you to understand that the vision you carry in your mind is what you will hold in your hands- be it good or bad. In His love God urges us to choose life. He has given us the power to choose, but He has not given us His glory, know the difference! In Ezekiel chapter12:22, God asked the prophet, “What is this proverb you have in the land of Israel: The days go by and every vision comes to nothing?” And He continued to say, “Say to them, this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I am going to put an end to this proverb, and they will no longer quote it in Israel.” What he said next will strike you, “Say to them: The days are near when EVERY vision will be fulfilled!” It is critical for you to destroy every vision that brings ruin to your life and begin to form the right vision, for sooner or later it sure will come to pass! You have a choice between life and death, blessings and cursing: Choose life so that you and your descendants may live!
Dear Father, thank You for the power of vision. Help me walk in the vision that you have for me always, in Jesus name, amen.
Hold on to God’s Promises 14/11/14
Life isn't always as we expect it to be, it’s a roller
coaster with ups and downs, joys and sadness and everything else in between. In
fact one of the most comforting scripture for most believers is in Ecclesiastes
chapter 3, A Time for Everything. God
placed you on earth with a clear plan on mind. Now, there are days when you
know that you are walking in that particular plan, but there are also days when
you intentionally or unintentionally rebel against God’s plan for your life. Things
just become different, your feelings, your words, your mind- and this could get
frustrating as you know the kind of life you ought to live. When you get frustrated
your spiritual energy levels drop, instead of running to God you seek the
things of the world to satisfy you only to become even more unsatisfied. There
is a secret to this whole Christian journey and it is in holding on to God’s
promises. When you have rebelled against God’s plan for your life either in word,
thought or deed, then you can count on His promise from Jeremiah 33:8, “I will
cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive
all their sin and rebellion against me.” It’s always a new day with Jesus!
Things don’t always go well, sometimes we loose track of the way, but because
of His mercy we are not consumed! I like what God said to Jeremiah in chapter
33, (Paraphrased) “If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant
with the night, so that day and night no longer came at the appointed time-
then my covenant with you can also be broken. If I have not established a
covenant with day and night and the fixed laws of heaven and earth, then I will
reject you.” Wow, that simply means that as long as the sun rises and sets, God
will always remain faithful to His promises, regardless of whether you change,
or your feelings change, or your mind changes. He remains faithful to His Word!
Get up each morning; forget what happened yesterday and embrace God’s promises.
If you delight in Him He will give you the desires of your heart! “The days are coming says the LORD, when I
WILL FULFIL THE GRACIOUS PROMISE I made to the house of Israel and to the
house of Judah.”~Jeremiah33:14
Heavenly Father, thank you so much for your sweet promises.
I am still standing in the faith because of them. With mercy and compassion,
please give me strength each day to hold on to you and live in your ways. I
know that the days are coming when I will see the fulfilment of Your gracious
promise coming to pass in my life, In Jesus name Amen.
There
are two types of prophets: God appointed and self appointed. God appointed prophets
are those whom their prophesies align with God’s word and self appointed prophets
are those who prophesy things from their imagination. This is some sort of
fortune telling and is no where found in God’s agenda because His ways are
always precise. Many church goers are told the kind of spouse they are going to
marry or the amount of money they will possess. However, as good as it may
sound such prophecies preoccupies the mind with worldly things yet the bible
says we must set our minds on things above. God is more concerned about our
eternity more than anything else because those things that are not seen are
important than those we see. Self appointed prophets render such false
prophesies for the sake of power or for riches but you will however know them
by their fruits. They will either sell their prophesies by demanding money from
those whom they prophesy to for the use of their own pleasure and not for God’s
kingdom. People should freely give generously out of their own hearts because
anything that is done to please man, even giving, means nothing to God. Throughout
scriptures God earnestly warned people against false prophets. For instance in
Jeremiah 23:16 the bible says, “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, hearken not unto
the words of the prophets that prophesy unto you: they make you vain: they
speak a vision of their own heart, and not of the mouth of the Lord. They say
still unto them that despise me, The Lord hath said, Ye shall have peace; and
they say unto every one that walketh after the imagination of his own heart, no
evil shall come upon you.” First the bible says that these prophets make people
vain; that is being preoccupied with self, making them no different to the
world, and secondly, they say to those that hate God that they will have peace
yet there is no peace for the wicked. People become impatient as they heed the
false prophets prophecies that never come to pass. They begin taking matters in
their own hands working against the will and time of God. They do this because
they believe the words of a man’s mouth more than they do God’s and His word in
Jeremiah 29:8-12 once again says, “Let not your prophets and your diviners that
be in the midst of you, deceive you. For they prophesy unto you in my name: I
have not sent them, saith the Lord. For I know the thoughts that I think toward
you, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then ye
shall call upon me, and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto
you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all
your heart.” All of us are encouraged to search the scriptures for ourselves in
order to find God’s prophesies concerning our lives, those who don’t read the
word of God deserve to be deceived!
Father
God in the name of Jesus, I thank You for your word that gives understanding,
light, truth, and correction. Keep me in your word for therein I find the way
to your plan for my life, amen.
Jeremiah
was God’s messenger just as many of us are. Much of the difference between
Jeremiah and many of us is the fact he did not tickle people’s ears, rather he
prophesied every word that God privately spoke to him- and some prophecies were not
so pleasant to a sinful world. Jeremiah understood that conformity to worldly
customs converts the church to the world, never the world to Christ so even
when Pashur, a priest and the chief high governor imprisoned him, Jeremiah
continued prophesying what the Lord had told him. The secret to Jeremiah’s
boldness in declaring God’s Word is in the fact he spent much private time with
God. In chapter 20 from verse 7, we see how he honestly expressed his
heartache, disappointments, and frustrations to God. He got to a point where he
said, “I will not make mention of Him, nor speak any more of His name. But His
word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones…” (Jeremiah20:9).
It’s hilarious how all God’s messengers are alike. When persecution and
opposition arises we get upset at God for choosing us for such a life! The
Collar, a poem by George Herbet describes many of us because at the end of the
day we are on our knees and declaring…”I said I will not make mention of His name,
but His Word was unto me as a burning fire shut up in my bones!” We become
unstoppable in declaring the good news and inviting people to church! We become
unstoppable in standing up for the truth even if it means standing alone! We become
unstoppable in our relationship with Christ because His Word in us is like an
unquenchable fire shut up in our bones!
But As I
raved and grew more fierce and wild
At every
word,
Methoughts I
heard one calling “child”
And I replied
“My Lord”~ George Herbert
Father,
in the name of Jesus, I cringe as I recall how I displace the anger caused by
the world towards You! As unworthy as I am You’ve nonetheless chosen me for a
worthy cause- to bring people into Your Kingdom of light! Give me strength to
go on, and make me unstoppable for your purposeful glory! Amen
The above
heading sounds cliché until you realize how easy it is to use words that
destroy others let alone ourselves. We find ourselves in the company of
negative people so by fearing to stand up for our values we rather compromise them to be
accepted. We begin using adjectives that degrade a particular
situation or our personality in order to avoid embarrassments. We
pray so often behind closed doors and yet the situations never seem to change
because in public we declare words contrary to our prayers. The bottom line is
that despite how many hours we spend in prayer, if we do not change our words
the situation will never change. In Jeremiah 1:9-10, we see how God placed His
hand on Jeremiah’s mouth and gave him His words to speak. He said, “See, I have
this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to
pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” Indeed
the power is in the tongue, and God is saying the same to us individually.God used
His words to create the earth and the same words that He used; He places in our
mouths to create. Jesus used words to preach the gospel of God’s kingdom, and He places the same words in our mouths. The disciples used their words to bind
evil spirits, and God places the same words in our mouths! The power is in the
tongue. You are planting your own destiny with every word you utter either to
build it up or to destroy it. Whoever you are and whatever role you lead in our
society, it is important that you choose your words carefully. C.S Lewis once said
that, “A sum can be put right: but only by going back till you find the error
and working it afresh from that point, never by simply going on.” Our error has
been so much in our spoken words and today God is giving you another chance to
start afresh by using words that simply build the destiny He has for you.
Dear God,
thank You so much for giving me the power to create and to rule and to build
and to plant. Thank You so much for putting Your powerful words in my own mouth
just as You did with Jeremiah. I admit though Lord, I haven't been using these
words in the right way-forgive me please as I repent. From this day forth, let
me use words that only give glory to your name, In Jesus’ name, amen.
All of us
seek ways in which we can be more in control of our circumstances than them
being in control of us. While everybody seeks solutions from different sources,
Christians have the advantage of having Jesus as their light. When we have Jesus as
our light, He leads us in the way we should go. His footprints are not seen but
He walks ever before us showing us the light. In order to experience God’s plan
unfolding in your life you have to walk in a direction that consistently
prompts you to choose the right decisions. But how would you know that the
choices you make align with God’ plan for your life? How would you know if you
are in the right place, with the right people, at the right time? Only through
God’s light. Jesus said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever
follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” This
is a true promise and it reminds me of a time ago when I was at a bank. A lady
whom I've never seen said to me, “There is a light shining in you and it’s
addictive.” I was awakened to the reality of God’s light in my life even though
I didn't feel that light. People will see that light, they will get drawn
closer to it. Your enemies will see it and they will acknowledge that truly
Jesus lives in you! “Arise shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the
Lord is risen upon thee. The darkness shall cover the earth, gross darkness the
people…but the Lord shall rise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon
thee.”(Isaiah60:1-2). All that you need in order to be more in control of life’s circumstances is the light of God in your life. Having God shining bright in your life is the
greatest achievement you can ever attain as a Christian because in His light we
see light. He shows you how to live a purposeful life impacting those around
you. He helps you discern what is good from what is evil. He gives you
confidence knowing that you have his light and you will never stumble in
darkness. Walk in God’s light and His amazing plan for your life will unfold
right in front of your eyes!
Dear God,
You are the light of my life. You show me the way in dark places, in trials,
confusion, and uncertainties. Open my eyes to the reality of your light inside
of me and let it illuminate every darkness around me. Let your light be seen in
the way I carry myself, in the words I speak, and in the way I treat others
whom you love so dearly. In Jesus’ sweet name I pray, amen.
“To whom much is
given, much is required.”
Jesus taught a parable about a master who entrusted money to
each of three servants and then went on a long journey. While he was away, two
of the servants invested the money wisely and received a double in return. The
third servant did nothing except hide the money away in fear, complaining that
the master is never satisfied. When the master returned, he commended the two
servants who invested wisely by rewarding them with increased privilege and
responsibility. However, he cast away the third servant who avoided his
responsibilities because he was lazy. Many people are like the third servant.
They have bee entrusted with much; leadership in the church, opportunity to
work and/study, responsibility in the community and etc, but they’d rather
enjoy worldly pleasures(sleeping all day, drinking alcohol all weekend and
doing nothing, complaining and criticizing those who are doing something and
etc). The Lord has entrusted each one of us with something that can contribute
to earth. Some might have more than others but the matter of fact is we each
have gifts and talents; and it is our responsibility to use them while on
earth. If you still battle with an identity crisis, get on a discovery journey
with God your Creator who will effortlessly reveal your responsibilities as His
child. After that, pursue them consistently, passionately, and persistently
until you reach the end of your journey and hear these words, “Well down good
and faithful servant.” (For unto
whomever much is given, of him shall much be required: and to whom men have
committed much, of him they will ask the more. Luke12:48). Don’t sit on the
sidelines criticizing those who are doing something. Don’t scorn them when they
make mistakes trying…Do something too. Your gift is needed in this world.
Dear God, in the name of Jesus, I’m truly thankful to be
part of this wonderful world. It is only now that I realize that You were
intentional in creating me, and have given me gifts and responsibilities to rule
on earth-for Your glory. Help me identify all that you have given me, and let
my life be an investment of everything You've entrusted to my care. Thank You
so much for believing in me. Amen
Don't be a People's Pleaser 02/07/14
“For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I
seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of
Christ.”~Galations1:10
When you are a worker for the Lord, you
will get many compliments and well wishes from a lot of people. In the
beginning they see you as a hero, but as time goes by the adoration ceases as
they discover that you’re also human fully capable of committing mistakes. When
your identity as the Lord’s worker depends on humans, you will live most of
your life broken and in despair because the same people who compliment you
could be the same ones who break you down. Now I’m not saying that you should
reject the compliments you receive, just don’t let them define your status as a
Christian worker. As we might all know Daniel in the bible; who was filled with
the Holy Spirit. He was known by all as a man who had an excellent spirit,
light, wisdom, and knowledge. Whenever there was crisis in the king’s life,
Daniel was always called to the rescue. Here’s a particular incident: One day
King Belshazzar had a feast where he invited a thousand people to drink wine
and praise the gods made of silver, brass, wood, and stone. While they were
still merry enjoying a great time, they saw a hand appear which wrote a few
words on the plaister of the wall with its finger. The king’s mood changed, he
could not understand nor interpret the words written so somebody recommended
Daniel to him. When Daniel arrived the king asked Daniel to interpret the words
for him, and promised to give Daniel many things if he could do it well. Daniel
wasn't flattered at all, what he said was this, “Let thy gifts be to thyself,
and give thy rewards to another: yet I will read the writing unto the king, and
make known to him the interpretation.”(Daniel5:17). Daniel depended on the Lord
for his reward. He understood that he was chosen by God Almighty, not human
beings. The king didn't have to reward him, yet he was still going to continue
doing God’s work anyway! It is not about people. It is not about what we
receive from them (their compliments, gifts, validation); it’s about the
ultimate Gift-Jesus Himself.
Dear Father, it’s so easy to live off the
validation I get from others while doing your work, but that’s not how my life
ought to be. Keep me away from being a people’s pleaser oh God; keep me away
from seeking their rewards. I look to you Father as I repent from my foolishness.
My expectations and hopes are now on you. Be the reward of my life, in Jesus
name I pray.
Becoming a vessel of honor to the Lord is simply being
available for God to carry out His work through you. Many Christians shrink
away from this idea of being used by God because they consider their
imperfections. Rick Joyner wrote, “We all stumble in many ways. If we had to
wait until we were perfect to minister, no one would qualify for the ministry”.
The truth is-yes, we are not worthy to be used as God’s instruments, however;
it is not about us. We have to remove the focus from ourselves (our strengths,
weaknesses, sin), and gaze upon God Almighty (His love, purity, righteousness).
God uses imperfect people to touch the lives of His people. An example of a man
who became a vessel of honor unto the Lord from the bible is Daniel. It says in
Daniel1:8, that Daniel purposed in his heart not to defile himself. If there’s
purpose and a desire in our hearts to please the Lord then that’s enough.
“Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God.” Not the pure in speech,
or conduct, but in heart. Not only did Daniel not defile himself, but he also
worshipped and revered the All-Powerful God. In every matter he consulted with
God first, and at the end of the outcome, praised Him. God powerfully showed
Himself through Daniel one day, in King Nebuchadnezzar’s and the community’s
presence (Read Daniel Chapter2 for the whole story), and this was the outcome,
Daniel2:47, “The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that
your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets.”
Everyone saw the power of God and began to worship Him. Daniel was a vessel not
to be puffed up, but to show forth God’s glory! As you seek to become a vessel
of honor unto the most powerful God, the Creator of heaven and earth, remember
that it’s all about Him-for His glory, for His purpose, and never about you.
My Lord Jesus, for the sake of this generation, I give every
part of my life to you. Your desire is that your creation will experience Your
love and salvation-and If I can be of any use, please use me. Let me become
your vessel of honor; let my life bring glory to Your Name. I pray this in the
sweet name of Jesus, amen.
Keep Depending on the Lord 19/05/14
It’s quite
easy to fall off the faith when one no longer sees the need for God. For
instance, when you finally walk in victory and are no longer troubled by a
particular sin. In our Christian lives, I believe; there are phases we have to
go through and in each phase there’s a test to pass. Often times it takes a long
period of time to gain victory over a weakness which then keeps us depending on
our Savior. When they eventually experience victory, many feel that they have
already “attained it”, and no longer depend on the Lord. We enter the Christian
life by repentance yet it’s surprising how in the long run we try to run our
lives in our strength, by our works. Just as we entered the Christian life by repentance,
we have to continue in the same way. Once we gain victory in one phase we will
yet discover that there are more victories to experience. In simple terms, we
have not yet attained it; we have to keep depending on the Lord. We have to
understand that there’s still more to come. Ezekiel28:13
says, “But the word of the Lord was unto them precept upon precept, precept
upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a
little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and
taken.” The Lord leads, reveals, and causes us to experience certain events
little by little; we have to keep relying on Him despite our victories. Paul
the Apostle was a man whom the Lord used to carry out great exploits yet he
said, “I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do,
forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things
which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus.” Stay humble in your Christian walk and Jesus will shine
His light on every step you take.
Lord Jesus,
keep me humble in You. Cause me to keep depending on You. And when I fall off
the faith by trying to do things my way, discipline, correct, and put me back
on track. In Jesus’ name, amen.
We live in a society where one’s esteem is
based on class, background, race, and perhaps- religion. People might have
looked down on you especially your teachers at school, judging you based on
your physical appearance and background. Everybody thought that you will never
amount to anything as the generational curses of your family flowed into your
life, curses of passivity, immorality, mediocrity, stagnancy, and the likes.
You might be at a place where you have given up on yourself too, but I would
like to encourage you with these words from Micah4:11-13; “Many nations are
gathered against you. They say, ‘Let her be defiled, let our eyes gloat over
Zion!’ But they do not know the thoughts of the Lord; they do not understand
his plan…Rise and thresh, Daughter Zion,
for I will give you horns of iron; I will give you hooves of bronze, and
you will break to pieces many nations.” Let me assure you that sin always
brings a curse, so don't you think that God will do great things for you when you want to hold on to your sin.The only way to break that curse is through repentance. This
is the good news; that you don’t have to stay in that place forever. This is
good news; that Jesus’ blood has set you free! Today is a new day, there is
hope for you. People don’t understand what is inside of you but God knows. He
has a plan for you; He is going to do great and wonderful things through you.
It is not too late!
Oh Father, forgive me for every time I
rejected your invitation to be the Lord of my life. Forgive me for all the
times I looked down on myself and failed to recognize the promise I have in
You. I’ve believed a lie for so long, but today I chose to believe in the word
You have spoken about my life. Help me to turn away from my filthy sins, please
lead me on journey of repentance all the days of my life. Do great things in my
life my God I pray, in the powerful name of Jesus, amen.
God Chose You- Get Closer to Him 01/05/14
The book of Amos is one powerful piece of
scripture that would change your life, as far as I am concerned. Amos was a
prophet ordained by God to spread the heart-beat of His message to a sinful
world. However, the world rejected what Amos said because it was not
ear-tickling, rather convicting. So, one day a priest called Amaziah said to
Amos, “O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat
bead, and prophesy there. But prophesy not again anymore at Bethel: for it is
the king’s chapel, it is the king’s court.”(Amos7:12-13). What Amaziah was
insinuating was that important people lived in Bethel and Amos should not dare
step on their toes. We often fear speaking God’s message to people who seem
important and powerful, don’t we? Amaziah wanted Amos to shut his mouth, and go
prophesy elsewhere because His prophecy was not pleasing to them. Let’s look at
some of the things Amos spoke:
·
“Seek the Lord and ye shall
live, lest He break out like fire in house of Joseph, and devour it…”(Amos5:6)
·
“Take thou away from me the
noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols…”(Amos5:23)
·
“I will turn your feasts into
mourning and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring up sackcloth
upon all loins, and baldness upon every head, and the end thereof is a bitter
day.”(Amos8:10)
God needed someone to convey His message to
His sinful people and He chose Amos. Facing conflict and rejection from people,
all that Amos said was, “I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I
was an herdsman, and a gatherer of
sycamore fruit: And the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said
unto me, Go prophesy unto my people.”(Amos7:14-15). If you have a message
burning within you and you know that it is from God, there is no need to fear
judgment, rejection, and persecution from people. Walk in the direction that
Jesus leads you and He will vindicate for you. God is calling out to Christian
believers who will get closer to His heart-beat and hear His words, not only
for themselves, but for a sinful world out there.
O Lord, such
great news to know that I have been called and chosen by You!!! I don’t need to
try too hard, there’s no need to try and manipulate people with my intelligence
and willpower, there is no need to fight any battle, and everything is in your
hands Lord. I desire to get closer to you, help me hear your voice and spread
the message that you place in my heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Return to the Lord 29/04/14
Every one
of us has a void within us that can only be filled by Jesus. We often opt for
other means to fill this void because we fear that when we live for Jesus our
lives will be boring. God placed a longing for Him in our soul, which is why at
times we find ourselves in a noisy or busy environment yet still feel alone. Jesus
exhorts us time and time again to return to Him but we shut out that conscience
by keeping ourselves busy with worldly pleasures. I’m reminded of a scripture
from the book of Amos4:7-8, “I also withheld the rain from you when there were yet three months to the
harvest; I would send rain on one city, and send no rain on another city; one
field would have rain, and the field on which it did not rain would wither; so
two or three cities would wander to another city to drink water, and would not
be satisfied; yet you did not return to me,” declares the Lord. The Lord was
reminding His people how He relentlessly pursued them by withdrawing many
various things from them. He wanted them to understand that He was all that
they ever needed, and still in difficult times, they refused to return to Him.
He withheld the rain from their land, and they travelled to other cities to get
some drink, but they were still unsatisfied, yet they continued in their stubbornness.
How sad it is when we lose God’s blessings for our lives simply because we
refuse to let Him satisfy our dry and weary souls? Jesus says that whoever drinks the water He gives
will never thirst. Indeed, the water He gives will become in them a spring of water
welling up to eternal life! Jesus will fill that void until eternity. When you
return to the Lord unstoppable living waters begin to flow out of your inmost
being, you would have found satisfaction for the deepest yearning of the human
soul. Return to the Lord and allow Him to manifest His awesome power and reveal
His kingdom secrets to you.
Dear Lord,
I hand myself over to you. I’m constantly facing a battle between my flesh and
my spirit, and I just can’t do it on my own. Give me power and strength to
return to you always, regardless of my imperfections. As I return to you,
please restore everything that that the cankerworm, the locust, the caterpillar,
and the palmerworm has eaten. Let my life be a testimony of your grace, In
Jesus name. Amen
Be Patient 09/04/14
“The race is not unto the swift”
-especially to those who sprint too swiftly, too soon. The word “swift” means
to do something too quickly and immediately. I always witness this phenomenon
while at the gym seeing new people running around hyper actively. They’re so
excited about their endeavor, and that is good, but they are clueless about the
journey that awaits them. There are trials to overcome, sacrifices to make,
tests to “write”, and most of them you fail. Many of us when we gave our lives
to Jesus we were so excited about it. We were enthusiastic, all over the place,
until we fully discovered what it means to really follow the Lord-Obedience,
sacrifice, death. Perhaps when you first gave your life to Jesus you were so excited
about being a prophet. You had a vision that sometime in the next year you will
be moving mountains for the Lord. You did everything so quickly, and a year or
two later, you are discouraged because you skipped the stages that were
important for your growth. “The race is not unto the swift.”(Ecclesiastes).
You need not hurry to reach where God wants you to be, take one step a time.
You need not take shortcuts; fully walk in God’s pan for your life. You need
not despair; He’s got your life already planned. All it takes is just steps of
obedience moment by moment, hard work and persistence. It doesn’t matter if it
takes you months or years, it doesn’t matter if you’re slow and everyone around
you is racing, all that matters is that one day you will cross the finish
line-holding Jesus’ hand by your side.
Oh Precious Jesus, I commit my life fully
to you. Many days I’m wallowing in distress and depression, wondering when will
I ever make it, when will I ever see my dreams coming to pass? Yet I hope in you
Father. I know that moment by moment you are carrying me. All I see now is the
falls, the disappointments, the sweat, the tears, but I know one day with patience and endurance, I will
cross the finish line. Thank you Jesus, amen.
Challenge Yourself 17/03/14
Everyone at
some stage of his or her life experiences failure. Some choose to wallow in
self-pity and never rise above their failure while the rest choose to pick themselves
up, and try again. I’m reminded of an event on campus where a “gladiator
competition” was held. I was feeling energetic and without a shadow of doubt
believed that I’m going to win the competition. As you would know in any gladiator
competition, there are a series of levels we should complete, and the one who
finishes first gets the prize. So with much self-confidence, I picked
an opponent who was way slimmer than me(I was way bigger then by the way).
We took off our shoes, we rubbed our hands, I felt sorry for her, and the
whistle blew! While still struggling on the first level which supposedly was
easier, my opponent was on the last level jumping up and down on the castle waiting
to punch me down. Everyone was laughing, they took pictures, my jeans were falling,
I was embarrassed, I wanted to quit. The Strength in me however kept me going,
telling me to finish what I've begun. It took an awful amount of sweat and persistence
to finally get to the castle only to get knocked down by my THIN opponent!!! It
was embarrassing but the judges thought that because I didn't give up; I
deserved a price too, so I got exactly what my opponent got! From that day on I
learned to challenge myself every day and take risks. That challenge taught me
to train harder, eat right, and be persistent in creating a better version of
myself! In Luke 22:31 Jesus says to Peter, “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to
sift all of you as wheat. But I have
prayed for you, Simon that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned
back, strengthen your brothers.” Jesus knew that Peter would go through a
challenge that would cause him to fall, but he assured him that his faith will
not fail! When he gets up from that failure he should now go and encourage
others, testify about the faithfulness of God to others. Personally, I believe
that this is one of the essence of the gospel: people coming to Jesus and
finding new hope and courage to put their past behind and start again! It’s a
new day friend! Challenge yourself. Live, go after your dreams, and if you
fail, get back up again!
Father God
in the sweet name of Jesus, how often do we get crushed as wheat by the Devil
and fall? How often do we become statistics like so many others and give up along the way? How often does the scornful laughter of our enemy, the trials
and temptations, the difficulties weary us? Oh Father, you are our only hope.
You are the one who prays for us and keeps us. It doesn't matter how often we
face adversity and fall, what matters is getting up again. Give us strength
Lord. I’m reminded of your promise in
Psalm 37 which says, “If I fall, I will not stay down because the Lord will
help me up.” I want to live for you Lord. Give me courage to follow hard after You. Give me confidence to live in the abundant life which you have already prepared
for me! Amen
Hope in the Lord 4/03/14
When we get
accustomed to the Christian life, it no longer becomes something that we once
deeply valued, or isn't that true? Our days become monotonous and our desire
for the Lord decreases. One of the causes of this is when we find ourselves
trying to live righteously yet constantly falling in the ways that don’t please
God. In the long run our desire to please Him diminishes as we listen to the devil’s
lies: that “following Jesus is just vain”.
We become like a man who commits murder and is plagued by terrible
guilt. He continues to kill and with the passing days, weeks, and years his
guilt becomes lesser and lesser; until he eventually becomes comfortable
sleeping with the corpse. However if you take that leap of faith to hope in the
Lord just one more time perhaps several more other times, you will discover
that the journey has barely begun. After having striven so hard to walk in the
ways of God you will discover that your journey has barely begun. Hope is a beginning of a new journey. Hope
does not disappoint. (He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of
the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but
those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings
like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:29-31). When you feel weary God increases your power. When others get
tired and quit, the Lord will renew your strength to get up again! When your
hope is in the Lord amazing things will begin to happen in your life. Let God’s
Word remain true and our experience false.
Lord Jesus,
when circumstances beyond my control approach, when I constantly find myself
walking in ways that don’t please you, when life seems burdensome, help me
place my hope in you. In your word you say, “come to me all those that labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” I rest in you lifter of my
head. I believe this is a beginning of a new journey for me. Amen
Dream Again 16/01/14
Initially, the experience of your salvation
was exciting and spirit-filled. You were on a race track, ready to tackle the
world for Jesus. You were so eager to be a blessing to those around you, and
with the gifts God gave you; you were wiling to serve selflessly. However, as
the days, and the months, and the years passed by, the dream God gave you
slowly faded before your eyes. Your light flickered until it eventually went
off, you lost your savor. “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt has
lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? It is henceforth good or nothing,
but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the
world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and
put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and giveth light unto all the
house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Mathew5:13-16. This is just a
reminder that what God has spoken in your life has never changed. Perhaps
you’re your feelings changed, or circumstances changed or even people changed,
but God has never changed. “Never forget in darkness what God promises you in
the light.” It’s time to rekindle your fire again, stir up your gift. Put the
lamp on and continue shining bright for Jesus!
Father, in the name of Jesus…so much has
happened, so much has changed, but I'm comforted by your promise which says,
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but your Word remains.” When I'm on the verge
of loosing myself, you come back running after me, that is real love. I love
you Father. Thank you for making me a light and a salt to my generation. Please
breathe in me again, cause these bones to live once more. I command my dream to
live, I say “Dream, live, live, live, again in the name of Jesus!” Thank you
Father that it is done, amen.
Often times we tend to overlook the little things
that our loved ones do for us. For instance, scholars are no longer grateful for
the fact that their parents make Education possible for them, siblings take one
another for granted and tend to expect more from what the other person can
offer. Instead of sowing our gratitude to our family, we’d rather go all out trying
to impress people who do not care much about us; teenagers are prone to doing that,
but its sadder when even adults do that. At the end of it all your family, are
the only people who are going to be there for you when the world crumbles. You
should never place your hope so much in other people because as soon as you
take off your mask, and they get to know you for who you really are they might
drop you. Family is different because they know the real you. What you have or
don’t have doesn't matter to them, they just appreciate and love you for who
you are. I like this saying, “BoyfriEND, GirlfriEND, FriEND,…everything has an
end except for family. And the last three letters in the word family stand for
I Love You.” Love your family, appreciate them, and tell them you are thankful
for the sacrifices they make continuously for you. Love is not all about
snuggles and kisses, it’s also about duty, sacrifice, and responsibility. So
think about that next time you say that your parents don’t love you!
Lord Jesus, thank you so much for the
wonderful family that you have given me. Help me to appreciate them and only
see the good in them. Help me to build them up with encouraging words,
gestures, and any other way that can make them become better people. Bless my
family, keep us strong and united to each other with bonds that can never be
broken. Amen
Don’t pretend to be somebody you're not 13/10/13
“He that covers his sin shall not prosper,
but whosoever confesses and forsakes them shall attain mercy.” Proverbs28:13
As long as your inner life has not ceased
from sin as your outer life has, you have to continue exposing your sins. Make
people know you for who you truly are and not what you portray in the outside.
A lot of people are bound in religion, seeking love and applauds from others
for following the Lord, yet the Christian life is supposed to be a lifestyle. I
call myself a Saint even though I sin every day, and still expose my sin for
others to see because I’ve come to an understanding that my righteousness is not
based on my good works but rather on what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for
me.
There was a time when I said to the Lord,
“I wanna preach a new gospel, something different from other preachers, a
message that will get people saved and on fire for you.” And He said, “There is
no other new gospel, other than the fact that God sent His son Jesus Christ to
die for all our sins that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have
eternal life.”
What a great joy it is to know our Father’s
unconditional love and strength in all our weaknesses. Seek Him daily and He
will transform you from one degree of glory to the other. I know that one day
your inner life will correspond with your outer life, and you won’t boast about
it because you know what it took (People’s judgments, criticism, undermining)
to get where you are.
Dear Lord, I’m so thankful that you saved
me from sin. Yet though I no longer live in willful sin, I still struggle and
that is a constant reminder that I need you to work in me every single day. I’m
still in need of you my Savior. I pray that even though I have not reached the
stage which you want me to reach, continue to use me in that special way that
only you can. Let me not pretend to be someone I’m not, but rather allow your
grace to unfold in all the weak areas of my life. Thank You so much that it is
already done, in the name of Jesus. Amen
It’s so easy to get puffed up after
experiencing the touch of God in our lives. All of a sudden we walk around with
pride forgetting who we once were. We are so quick to look down on other
people, or even use our Christianity as a force to overpower or manipulate
others. Remember who you were before Jesus came into your life. Perhaps you were not liked or wanted by others, perhaps you struggled in life, perhaps you don't have a degree or anything to boast about, yet God still saw something in you. ( Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. 1Corinthians1:26-29). Say to the Lord, “Lord, let me never forget where you
took me from.” Never use the precious gift of salvation to get people to serve,
love, or accept you. Do not take advantage of the gift of salvation and use it
only for your own conveniences, to compensate for your past. Humility is the
key, yes God still has great promises for you, but humility is still the key.
If it weren’t for the grace of God you would be nothing today, people would
have still seen you as the same old person they knew but your Father was
gracious enough to reveal who you really are to them. Always be grateful for
that!
Amazing grace, how sweet that sound, that saved a wretch like you and me!
Amazing grace, how sweet that sound, that saved a wretch like you and me!
Dear Lord, I appreciate the work that you
have done and are still doing in my life. It’s so easy to boast about
everything that you have done for me, looking down on others, judging
them-forgetting exactly where you took me from. I pray that you keep me from
such a trap, the trap of looking for fame, reputation, or power over others. Let
me not seek to build organizations or gain followers. All I ask for is humility Lord,
make me humble every day and in everything that I do. I pray this in the name
of Jesus, amen.
Many of us have problems with knowing our true identity.
This is nothing new, we always hear about it but it seems as if we always go
back to that place of uncertainty. We strive so hard to be liked by the people
of the world yet we know that the world cannot love or understand us. The world finds you weird because you are an
alien in this world, you are a citizen of heaven and your principles are
according to heavens standards. I always feel so pathetic when I’m hanging
around people who are against my belief. Their primary goal unconsciously, is
to turn me away from my destiny. They pressurize you to just have that glass of
alcohol, they try to convince you not to offer your money to the church that
builds you up spiritually but they can spend it on alcohol, and smokes, and
girls- I don’t get that? They make you feel down, they even call you weird!
They neglect you and form a group by themselves, and although you know that you
can never be a part of them, you still crawl back to them! When are we ever going
to learn that unequally yoked relationships cannot exist? How can you agree
with somebody who constantly talks bad about your church, your pastor, and your
friends in the church? How can you even agree with somebody who doesn’t believe
in Jesus? We need to stop trying to be liked by the world because it’s not
going to happen. If you don’t know who you are and what you stand for you will
be easily swayed away by the wind! God has blessed you with Godly friends from
your church whom the world calls weird but understood by you, because you all
come from the same Kingdom. Cherish them! Be grateful for your new life stop
trying to go back to what you have been set free from! Not everyone has your best interest at heart!
Heavenly Father, I admit I face so many pressures to blend
in with the world, to be liked by them and sometimes I don’t know why. I pray
Lord Jesus that you remove this confusion that I have with my identity. Please
give me courage, strength, and a backbone to stand strong for you and not be
influenced by the world. In Jesus name, amen
Do what you were created to do! 29/08/13
After graduating from high school, many,
many years ago if I may add (laughs), I definitely knew that I wanted to be a
teacher. I had gotten good marks in my math, science, and biology though so
folk thought studying Education would be a waste of good
marks, insinuating that I should study something related to science. I
studied Biomedical technology but always struggled with what seemed like the
easiest things. Every time we do something we are not meant to do it takes
twice the effort and extra strain! I struggled so in my studies
because I was trying to please the people around me, not considering the
dream that God has placed within me. After I got born again, I began to have a
voice of my own. My destiny was revealed so clearly to me that I didn’t have to
fear other people’s opinions about my future. Not out of disrespect, but you
don’t owe anybody an explanation to fulfill the dream that God has placed
inside of you! I challenge you today to
look yourself in the mirror, and ask yourself; “Is this really who I am? Am I
doing what I was created to do? Am I being my true self?” Life is too precious
to waste on wrong things, so be yourself, manifest your true self, and be true
to yourself! After I enrolled for an Education degree people would ask me, “what
are you studying?” I’d be so ashamed to tell them because I knew they would look
down on me. But when you are walking in your God given destiny, it doesn’t
matter what other people think. You know what you want in life; God has placed
it in you, so go on do it! (No one should compromise who she is in order to
gain acceptance from anybody else. You are not like anybody else. You are authentic.
Authority is the right and the power to be and to become who you are! Dr Myles
Munroe)
Heavenly Father, in a society full of
differences, confusion, identity crisis, I pray that you keep me intact in your
will. My desire is to be everything that you have created me to be, and just
to put a smile on your face with every step i take until you say, “Well done, my
good and faithful servant!” Help me never to conform to the worlds standards
and never to base my achievements on other people’s successes! My life is just for
your glory, in Jesus’ name, amen!
Refrain from drinking too much alcohol 23/08/13
Show me people who drink too much, who have to try out fancy drinks, and I will show you people who are miserable and sorry for themselves, always causing trouble and always complaining. Their eyes are bloodshot, and they have bruises that could have been avoided. Don't let wine tempt you, even though it is rich red, and it sparkles in the cup, and it goes down smoothly. The next morning you will feel as if you had been bitten by a poisonous snake. Weird sights will appear before your eyes, and you will not be able to think or speak clearly. You will feel as if you were out on the ocean, seasick, swinging high up in the rigging of a tossing ship. “I must have been hit,” you will say; “I must have been beaten up, but I don't remember it. Why can't I wake up? I need another drink.” (Proverbs23:19-35)
I don't have to say much because King Solomon says it all in this proverb. Alcohol destroys lives in various kinds of ways, physically, emotional, spiritually, socially, and intellectually. How many people have died in accidents due to excessive drinking and irresponsible behavior? How many people have lost their loved ones and things they've worked so hard for(wives, children, career) due to excessive drinking? How many people have been involved in irresponsible, unexpected sexual behavior followed by awful consequences? Well, That's something to think about. Many girls think that they're cool just because they party every weekend, and they have guys with cars buying them expensive alcohol. I used to be this kind of girl before King Jesus saved me, but when it was all said and done, alone my room, all that I felt was the void in me. The only thing that people achieve from getting drunk is embarrassments, regretful memories, and hurtful consequences that they have to carry for the rest of their lives. "Show me people who drink too much, who have to try out fancy drinks, and I will show you people who are miserable and sorry for themselves". Sure getting drunk can get you feeling good for a few moments, but you can never escape from the sure realities of life. We all know the dangers of alcohol so, lets love ourselves, take care of our bodies, and strive to make our lives better!
I don't have to say much because King Solomon says it all in this proverb. Alcohol destroys lives in various kinds of ways, physically, emotional, spiritually, socially, and intellectually. How many people have died in accidents due to excessive drinking and irresponsible behavior? How many people have lost their loved ones and things they've worked so hard for(wives, children, career) due to excessive drinking? How many people have been involved in irresponsible, unexpected sexual behavior followed by awful consequences? Well, That's something to think about. Many girls think that they're cool just because they party every weekend, and they have guys with cars buying them expensive alcohol. I used to be this kind of girl before King Jesus saved me, but when it was all said and done, alone my room, all that I felt was the void in me. The only thing that people achieve from getting drunk is embarrassments, regretful memories, and hurtful consequences that they have to carry for the rest of their lives. "Show me people who drink too much, who have to try out fancy drinks, and I will show you people who are miserable and sorry for themselves". Sure getting drunk can get you feeling good for a few moments, but you can never escape from the sure realities of life. We all know the dangers of alcohol so, lets love ourselves, take care of our bodies, and strive to make our lives better!
My loving God, You are the Creator of my body and life, thank you. Alcohol has destroyed many lives, it still does even today. So I pray Lord that you help me stay away from it. Every craving for alcohol, every desire to get drunk, I lay them all at your feet where my deliverance is found. Help me to never intoxicate myself with any harmful substance, because my body is Your temple where You richly dwell. Amen
No matter what happens, don't give up! 18/08/13
I always find myself messing up spiritually. And I ask myself, "can God really use a messy person like me?" The next day I'm back on my knees crying out to God to use me for His glory.
Some days I indulge in junk food and think, "agg who's got time for fitness anyway? Stuff gym, stuff the broccoli! I hate them!" And I eat my chocolate and drink my soda! The next day I'm back at gym fiercely working on the treadmill and planning healthy meals!
Sometimes I'm like..."Lectures? Nah that's my thing in life. And I just bunk and sleep all day. But the next day I'm back in class sitting in the front seat and taking notes, determined to graduate.
Some days I get tired of striving to be a home-cell leader. I'm like, if they don't wanna come, aint nobody gonna force anybody to experience God's goodness in their lives. The next I'm walking around inviting people to my home cell!
My point is we all get weary and have days when we want to quit doing good! But we've got so many promises in Jesus to always be hopeful. The aim is just to finish your course while learning how to trust in God! Many times I don't feel like reading the Word but I always get down on my knees and hold my bible so tight, and let those tears flow in those pages! Even when I cant express myself verbally because of the heaviness in my heart, My Father already carries my burden.Let us not be weary in doing good, for in due season we WILL reap, if we faint not! Gal6:9
Lord Jesus, I give my whole life to you. People always say, its not how you begin that matters, its how you finish, Help me to finish strong. When I feel weary and want to give up doing good, remind me of my calling, renew my vision, and give me the strength to go on! I love You so much my Mountain-mover! Amen
11August2013
The lips of another man's wife may be as sweet as honey and her kisses as smooth as olive oil, but when it is all over, she leaves you nothing but bitterness and pain. She will take you down to the world of the dead; the road she walks is the road to death. She does not stay on the road to life; but wanders off, and does not realize what is happening.
Now listen to me, sons, and never forget what I am saying. Keep away from such a woman! Don't even go near her door! If you do, others will gain the respect that you once had, and you will die young at the hands of merciless people. Yes, strangers will take all your wealth, and what you have worked for will belong to someone else. You will lie groaning on your deathbed, your flesh and muscles being eaten away, and you will say, “Why would I never learn? Why would I never let anyone correct me? I wouldn't listen to my teachers. I paid no attention to them. And suddenly I found myself publicly disgraced.” Proverbs5:3-14
Irresponsible sexual behavior will in most cases lead to AIDS, and I think that's what King Solomon was saying here in this proverb. Irresponsible sexual behavior is anything outside of marriage in my point of view. It's better to learn now while you still have the chance, learn from the bible, learn from people's mistakes other than regretting later when everything's been done. I have seen one of the most powerful men I knew lie so helplessly on bed because of Aids. All his riches, cars, everything is being owned by other people, and he has been forgotten like the passing wind. He died young and so painfully. I wish everybody could understand that aids is real and not just be driven by temporary pleasure. If you are young enjoy your youth in the right manner, there's so much more to live for than sex, and all those kinda things. Sexual Immorality may lead to abortion, STI's (some are incurable), unstable insecure kids because they don't have both parents in their lives. You don't have to rush really. Most of the people I hangout with now are virgins and they're in their 20's, sometimes I wish I could turn back the hands of time and undo everything I've done. It's impossible but at least I've got another chance to live, to make something better out of my life. Enjoy your freedom in the Lord and enjoy your youth, not having to concern yourself with matters too large for you. I can't wait to teach this to my children and students one day, hope they will listen :-)
Dear Lord, I give my body to you as a living sacrifice. Please keep it pure and holy for your service. I pray for the world out there, just like you opened my eyes, Lord open their eyes too. Reveal their worth to them so clearly and the dangers of sexual immorality. Thank you that you care for us so much to always be our guide and our shield. I love you Lord! Amen!
I always
get so excited when I read the Word of God but it’s not always nice. The Word doesn’t
only quote sweet promises like our awesome pastors do in the church; it
actually reveals the true condition of our hearts. Every time I read the Word I
feel like an immature Christian (which I am of course), but there’s always
hope. Hope that things will get better, that I will become better, I will get
healed from all worldly sin one day.
Titus 1:16 says, “They (we Christians) profess that they know God, but
in works they deny Him.” When I claim that I know God and yet dislike my
neighbor, entertain lustful thoughts, promote gossip, I am not living what I claim
to be. I don’t know who God really is. It’s not an easy path, anybody can
choose the easy way in life (to hate, to lust, to gossip), but I pray that God
gives you sincere Christian the strength to reach a place of purity. (Blessed
are the PURE in heart, for they shall SEE God. Math5:8). I pray that our Father
will purify your heart so that you may see him. Not just talk about Him, but
really know Him.
One day you
and I will be able to say like Paul did to Titus: For I myself also was sometimes foolish,
disobedient, deceived, serving diver’s lusts and pleasures, living in malice
and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that, the kindness and
love of God my Savior toward me appeared. Not by works of righteousness which I
have done, but according to his mercy he saved me, by the washing of
regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.
My sweet
Savior and King, I long after you. With everything that is in me, I desire to
walk in your path of righteousness. It’s hard. I find myself trying so hard at
times, and then I just fall and get discouraged. I don’t want to give up so I
thank you that you are always there to lift me up again. Help me to live a holy
life, a life that pleases you. Show me what following you is all about, In the
precious name of Jesus. Amen
Dont Criticize what you don't know! 20/07/13
"YOU CANNOT BE WHAT YOU DON'T HONOR, YOU CANNOT HONOR WHAT YOU DON'T KNOW"
This is something very interesting I read on a friends Facebook profile (Linda), and I thought it would be some great advice to share for many of us out there.
I used to think that Mandela is not really being honored but worshiped! I WAS WRONG!!! I never really made an effort to learn more about him beyond what Mrs Estrehuizen taught me in my HSS class THAT WAS MY PROBLEM, how could i have understood what it means to honor Mandela if i didn't read up on him. Friends I took time out to read about this man, A LEGEND! In my opinion a man who honored the assignment God had given him & made it a point that the day he gets called back to heaven and expected to give an account he will give "A GOOD ACCOUNT". My prayer is that we should stop criticizing what we don't know, and do our best to honor & give credit where it is due.
I made a personal choice of being a Mandela of this generation, I am determined to fight against MEDIOCRITY with all that I have.
LONG LIVE TATA, LONG LIVE!!!
Lord thank you so much for the mighty leaders that you have sent to change our world. Help me Lord not to criticize what I don't know but to give honor where honor is due. I want to reflect your humility, please make me humble. Bless all those wonderful people who were and are still brave enough to make South Africa and every part of the world a better place. Amen
Don't Be a Lukewarm Christian 20/07/13
When I
was a lukewarm Christian the world LOVED me. They knew that I'm just
fooling around posting Bible verses and going to church for
entertainment on Sundays. They loved me because I tolerated them calling
me with flirtatious names, doing everything that the world was doing,
talking, acting and living in the same manner. Basically they knew that I
was fake and my "Christianity" meant nothing, that's why
they stuck around. After truly re-dedicating my life to Jesus and
living fully for Him, all these people disappeared. Some "un-friended" me
right on the spot, some were just cross, some said hurtful things to me. It
was not nice not having people "wanting" me anymore, loosing attention
and no longer being "Popular". But I had to let them go. There should be
a clear distinction between darkness and light, hot and cold. If you
claim to be a follower of Christ yet you FLIRT with the world, check
your spirit. As Christians, we should like the reformed Paul say: "What
things were gain to me I now consider them loss for the sake of
Christ... I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found
in Him." Phil3:7-9. If ye were of the world, the world would love
his own: but because ye are not of the world, therefore the world hateth
you. John15:19
Dear Lord Jesus, you have called me to be a child of light, to walk in your truth and obedience. My life is not my own, help me. I want to know you more. I want to live a life that pleases you be it in public or in private, let my life glorify your name. Set me ablaze for your kingdom and let the fire of the Holy Ghost burn in me. Let your light radiate in me and expose every darkness in my heart. Lead me in your path I pray, in Jesus' name, amen.
Value your friendships 13/07/13
In my
life time I always had a wrong concept of what friendship is all about.
I was taught that friends are there to kill you,to bewitch, to
basically just destroy you. Because of this, I found it so hard to
believe that friends could be loyal, faithful and trustworthy. I was
always searching around trying to find worth, even from friendships but I
was always disappointed. I was disappointed because
I thought it was my friends responsibility to replace the lost time I
didn't spend with my family, to replace the pain that men caused me. Now
I realize that my friends are not my psychiatrist, they are not my
family, they are not objects that I can use. I don't want to have
friends just because I NEED something from them, but just because they
are simply amazing people. If you have a friend, value them. Don't
gossip about them, don't pretend. Friendship is a gift from God. I've
lost friends in the past because of my foolishness and ignorance, but I
don't beat myself up because the road has simply run out for us. I want
to make my social life better and valuable. I pray that God helps me
cherish the friendships that he has put in my life and enjoy the life
that he desires me to have. If your friends disappoint you, remember
they're human. A man of too many friends comes to ruin, But there is a
friend who sticks closer than a brother.(Prov18:24) That friend is
Jesus, love Him!
Dear Lord, thank you so much for all the lovely people you have placed along my path. Help me be a better, genuine, loving friend. Help me to see the good in others and always be reminded that friendships is a wonderful gift from You. Amen
Be Yourself 06/07/13
I stayed with a friend
for a couple of weeks and during the first few days of my stay there I found
myself going to the greatest lengths of trying to please her. For instance, I don’t
normally eat junk food, but when I was at her place I’d buy us some junk food,
just to make her happy I guess. Deep down in my heart I wasn’t happy because I
normally snack on healthy stuff, but I thought that I had to be something
different in order to please her. She also did the same, when we went grocery shopping
she’d ask me what I wanted her to buy, whereas she had the liberty to buy the
usual stuff that she normally eats. There’s nothing wrong with trying to make a
friend happy, or anybody else for that matter, but don’t push your happiness
aside in order for you to please somebody else. You need to be yourself. The
problem with pretence is that sooner or later you are going to get tired of it
and reveal your true character. We ruin perfect relationships by being fake in
order to make others happy. The reason why we put on masks is because we are
all naturally scared of rejection but, people have to accept and love you for
who you are and for them to do that, you should accept yourself first. We are
human. We have flaws, moods, stress, fears, and uncertainties, there’s no point
in faking a smile all the day long to keep the peace. When I realised that I wasn’t
happy eating all that junk food with my friend, I told her the kind of person I
am, and began buying only healthy foods. She loves junk so that did not stop
her from buying what she liked either. I’d cook healthy foods, she’d cook her
pap. When she watched a movie I didn’t feel compelled to watch it with her, and
when I did taebo she didn’t feel compelled to do it with me. All I’m saying is,
we have our differences but we learned to accept those differences. God created
us all in a unique and special way, so drop your guard, take of your mask, and
be real!
My loving Creator, you
know all about me. My personality, my strengths, my weaknesses…thank You. I
pray Lord that as I seek you daily, I will find myself in you. Let me always go
back to the mirror of your Word. Teach me how to accept and appreciate myself
for who I am, never hiding behind a mask. I want to be real. Let your identity
be revealed in me. In Jesus’ name, amen.
After a year + of abstaining from sex I thought I was
strong. I thought nothing could ever bring me down. I thought I could go around
COMMANDING people to stop fornicating, just because I could do it, yet I never
knew their struggles. I considered myself so spiritually strong and able,
always having answers and opinions to everything that everybody said. Until I
fell, right into something that I thought was my strength. Now my heart is
scarred, it’s so painful. It feels like a knife going through my heart. I feel like a fool. But I realize that God is
breaking me so that I will become nothing. God doesn’t want me to boast in my strengths,
but rather in my weaknesses. I want to be used by my Creator, but if He uses me now,
He won't get the glory, but I will. That's why I want Him to break me until
there's nothing left of me. (Many people
have asked me, "Brother, why is it, it takes so long to get victory? I
try, I’m sincere, again I fall, again I fall." You see, you’re not weak
enough. God wants you to fall, fall, fall, fall and fall and fall and fall,
‘til you say, "Lord, I cannot make it." If you got victory too soon,
you would look down on others who were defeated. You would be proud of your
victory. That would be a counterfeit holiness. Zac Poonen). Let Jesus be seen and
receive the glory, not you. I love what the bible says in Jeremiah 9:23-24, “Let not
the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his
might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth
glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which
exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in
these things I delight, saith the Lord.” You are what you are, where you are,
who you are, not because you are stronger than the other person, but just
because of God’s grace. Be humble!
 |
| Preacher Zac Poonen |
Dear Lord, My Saviour and King, your love and grace in my
life is such an undeserved blessing. You had to break me to put me in my place.
Take the wheel Lord; I’m tired of talking too much. I’m tired of wanting to be
heard and seen. I’m tired of seeking honour and glory. I’m your vessel, purify
me, and use me for your blessed service. I love you my King. Amen
I recently fell into sexual sin and that
was the most embarrassing moment of my life. Initially my concern was the
haters that desire to see me fall and give up. I also thought about the people
who look up to me and are inspired by this decision I made to remain sexually
pure. See, when I sinned, I chose to expose my deed but that doesn’t mean I
didn’t have a choice to keep it to myself and pretend as if nothing happened. I
could’ve continued updating my Godly statuses and get many likes, acting all
spiritual, but who will I be fooling? I believe that as Christians our lives
should be the same in public as they are in private. Of course some who remain
in their sin will disagree with me, claiming that your life is private and all.
If you are a true follower of Christ you will be the light of the world, flaws
and all. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. Being transparent about my
Christian life has helped me in a tremendous way. I have had the courage to break all barriers between
what people think about me, what God says about me, and what I know about
myself. People will love you today, the next day they stop loving you, that’s
because people change, they are looking for perfection, many can never be
pleased. Learn to live for the audience of one, and that is God. The Devil
would like you to be bound by your own guilt in your own little room but the
Word of God says, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but
rather EXPOSE them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do
in secret.” Ephesians 5:11-12. Expose the Devil before he exposes you, and
before you know it, your life will be back on track again! I tell you now; I’ve
never been so excited about my life than before!
Oh Gracious Father, thank You that you know
and understand me in this complicated world, full of imperfections and failure.
If it wasn’t for your love King Jesus, where would I be? I love you, and I want
to follow you, I want your life to be reflected in mine. Be pleased with me
Lord, your approval is all that matters. Amen
Read Your Bible!!! 12/06/13
I cannot begin to fathom the incredible
transformation that has taken place in my life ever since I gave my life to
Jesus. Since that time my dependence has been on nothing else but God’s Word. I
value my Fathers words; I respect them, because they changed my life. Several
times in the past I attempted changing my negative thoughts and mediocre
attitude but I couldn’t because I was not connected to a life changing source.
The word of God has given me a new perspective to life, that there are no
limitations in God. (With men it is impossible, but not with God. For with God
all things are possible. Mark 10:27). Read the Word of God like a hungry beast,
take it in, absorb it, and it will come alive in you. God’s word is not like
any other book so you need God’s spirit to breathe life in you as read. Before
you read your bible, say this prayer: Lord, I believe in your word. I pray that
the Spirit that is in this word will be the same spirit that ignites revelation
in my spirit as well. Respect God’s word. Make time to hear from Him. Kneel and
show reverence before Him and before you know it, your whole life; mind, body,
spirit, and soul will be consumed by God’s Word and nothing will be impossible
in your life.
Thank you Lord for your life changing Word.
I’m really blessed to be a partaker in your kingdom and to hear daily from you.
Please give me the desire to read more about you and to understand the
mysteries in your word. And when it’s all said and done, Lord I pray that your
word will come alive in me and burn every lust of the flesh, every limitation,
and every mediocrity in Jesus’ name, Amen!
Be a different Christian 11/06/13
I went through my twitter timeline a few
days ago and was shocked to see professing Christians arguing over a social
network, yup, they don’t even know each other. I can’t help but ask myself, is
it a calling for some Christians to expose the flaws of others? They portray a
sense of disrespect in the quest of trying to bring another Christian down to
misery. It really pierces my heart.
Following Jesus is hard enough on its own yet other people make it more
difficult for the other person by condemning and pointing out the wrong that
they do, delighting in seeing them fall and fail. What kind of Christianity is
this? I don’t think that it is your responsibility as a Christian to point out
another person’s weakness. As much as God works in you, He works in the other
person’s life too. No one is perfect or wise and that’s why we have the church.
Your Pastors, overseers, leaders are there to correct you when they err because
they made you what you are today, they built you. Not a stranger on a social
network who doesn’t know anything about you and yet makes evil assumptions
about you…the same person who insists on chatting with you in private calling
you petty names-check the fruit. Get planted in a church. People not planted in
a church often have negative things to say about other ministries and Pastors.
They hop around from church to church criticizing everything the Pastor says,
not knowing what goes down behind closed doors. Why would you make it your personal business
to drag another person’s name down? What kind of spirit is that? It’s so
amazing how people are quick to point out the wrongs that people do and not
even acknowledge the right things. (Therefore judge nothing before the time,
until the Lord come, who both will bring to the light the hidden things of
darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts. 1Corinthians 4:5).
Be busy working out your own salvation in fear and trembling. Obey Jesus’
commandment, love your neighbor as you love yourself and this will be a better
world for you to live in. Jesus told us to shine our lights in this dark world,
feed the poor, give water to the thirsty, visit those in prisons yet Christians
are busy arguing with one another, trying to prove how spiritual they are? And
they’ll know we are Christians by our LOVE not by our fights or arguments!
Father God, I pray that you make me a true
follower of Christ, minding my own business and doing what’s right in your
sight. I pray that you make me love everyone who comes across my path because
it is your love that covers the multitudes of sins. Forgive me Lord for all the
time I passed judgment instead of extending Christ’s love. Make me a better
Christian from now on in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Praise More
06/06/13
God is awesomely good and so much alive!
His omniscience, omnipresent, and omnipotent characters are demonstrated when
we finally receive answers to what we have been praying for. Come to think of
it, we put so much energy presenting our requests daily to Him, yet on the
contrary, less energy in praising Him when He answers our prayers. The energy
and attitude we have when we present our requests to our loving God, should be
constant with our praise to Him. Have you considered how we pray intensely and faithfully
every day for the same thing but when we get our answer we only thank God once
and for all, and move on with our busy lives. Why do we only draw closer to God when we go
through hardships? The first thing we think about in the morning is our trial,
and what's the first thing we say? “Lord please help me.” It ought not to be this
way. God wants to hear your praise first thing when you open those eyes. (Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early.
I will praise you, O Lord among the people: I will sing to you among the
nations. Psalm 57:8-9). Try doing things differently this time around. Instead
of presenting the same request daily to God, do it just once and begin praising
God every single day. Move from a place of worry to a place of faith, and faith
praises God through any trial or tribulation.
Dear Lord, I thank You for your
faithfulness and Your Sovereignty. My whole confidence is in You. I will rise
early in the mornings and praise you all throughout the day, for your constant goodness and
mercies in my life. Amen
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