“THE THRESHING FLOOR”

“He comes with a winnowing fork in his hands and comes to his threshing floor to sift what is worthless from what is pure. And he is ready to sweep out his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his granary, but the straw he will burn up with a fire that can’t be extinguished!” [Matthew‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬ ‭TPT‬‬]

There’s one thing I could always attribute to my dad He always wanted to eat something fresh from the farm. I visited my dad’s farm and on one sunny Saturday afternoon I became acquainted the concept of the threshing floor; The threshing floor was (and still is) a common enough place. Most farms had their own threshing floors. A few smaller farms would sometimes share a threshing floor.

For most of its history, the threshing floor was an outside space. The grain was spread out over a stone or hard-packed dirt. Then an animal (an ox, donkey, or horse) would walk across the grain to break the kernels. So the outside shell of the grain would then need to be separated from the good part of the grain.

This is where the farmer would use the natural wind to help separate the grain from what was called “chaff.” The word “chaff” means “rubbish.” So this was just the other parts of the grain that wouldn’t be useful. The farmer would use what is called a “winnowing fork” to throw up the chaff and the grain that was mixed together. This was just a shovel that looked like a fork. The wind would blow away the chaff and the heavy grains would fall back onto the threshing floor. The process then was repeated until only the grain was left. I hope I’m not boring you just yet… lol

In our modern society, the simple things are often overlooked. We usually have our bread, fruits, vegetables, and other foods brought to us in big trucks or probably get them from the supermarkets and grocery stores. Rarely do we see the hard work of the farmers behind the scenes. These everyday workers are often forgotten.

The first key is desire. Entering the temple in Jerusalem was an uphill journey from any direction. When we pursue God, it is also an uphill journey. If you desire fellowship, nothing will tear you away from knowing God. However, if there is no desire, you are probably never going to know Him in a personal way.

The beauty of the Bible is that it can remind us to look beyond what is right in front of us. Recently while pondering on the right things to eat and what not to put into my system I was just in awe at how God uses the idea of the threshing floor, the chaff, and the winnowing fork to remind us of His judgment, His redemption and His presence.

His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire. – Matthew 3:12

1. Christ As Our Judge

When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God. – 2 Samuel 6:6-7

The ark of the covenant was used to represent God’s very presence. (Exodus 25:21-22) There were specific instructions on how to move the ark. (Exodus 4:1-16; Exodus 25:14-15) Unfortunately, when David goes to move the ark, he doesn’t follow these instructions. So on the threshing floor of a man named Nakon, another man, Uzzah, reaches out to keep the ox-cart from stumbling, and God strikes him dead.

It seems harsh, but if we understand that God judges sin, we will understand this.

David needed to be reminded of the severity of sinning and in 2 Samuel 7-8 we find David learns this lesson. Christ is our judge. As much as we like to sometimes forget this truth, the Bible is clear that Christ will judge our sins. The question is whether we have the righteousness to save us. (Philippians 3:9)

2. Christ as Our Redeemer

So she [Ruth] went down to the threshing floor and did everything her mother-in-law [Naomi] told her to do. When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. – Ruth 3:6-7

One of the most popular threshing floor stories comes in the short four-chapter book of Ruth. I love the story of Ruth and I’m not even being bias here jinx. A Moabitess named Ruth comes back to Bethlehem from the country of Moab (which were enemies with Israel) during the times of judges. She returns with her bitter mother-in-law Naomi. They are both widows, and God uses a threshing floor to provide redemption for them.

Ruth has been working the fields of a man named Boaz. She comes home to tell her mother-in-law about this man. Suddenly. Naomi remembers an old law (Leviticus 27:9-25) in which a relative can “redeem” someone’s property after he dies. Naomi’s husband is related to Boaz and therefore Boaz can redeem the fields of Naomi’s husband—and with the fields would come Naomi and Ruth.

Ruth agrees to meet and ask Boaz on the threshing floor that night. In this brief but poignant exchange, Boaz agrees (Ruth 3:9-10) to become what is called a “Kinsman Redeemer.” It is a perfect picture of Christ and His work for us

3. Christ As Our Temple

On account of King David’s sins again God, we read in 1 Chronicle ls 21:14-15 how God punishes the people: “So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died.”

Suddenly God stops. The angel of the Lord was at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite and we see God step in and say “enough!” Why did God stop the judgment at the threshing floor of Ornan? We find out if we put together some pieces found in later Scripture that this is actually the place for Solomon’s temple!

Here’s what I find intriguing; something happens when the plague reaches the threshing floor of someone named Ornan. When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” 1 Chronicles 21:15

“Then Solomon began to build the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father David. It was on the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite, the place provided by David. – 2 Chronicles 3:1”

The temple was a place of worship for the people, but it was the permanent residence of God and His presence. God would meet with them there. And isn’t it wonderful to think that the sight of this most beautiful temple was built on an ordinary plot of ground called a threshing floor?

So we need this reminder from 2 Samuel 6 to stop at the ordinary places in our life, much like Uzzah stopped on the threshing floor. We need to revaluate, and see if there is sin in our lives and let God clean us up — radiating the Holiness of God

God’s goodness to redeem: We could never be good enough on our own, but God in His rich mercy loved us so much to provide a way for us to be saved. He is our Redeemer. Ruth met her redeemer, Boaz, on the threshing floor. In the middle of a mess and debris, we can meet our Redeemer.

God doesn’t need us to clean up our lives for Him. He will pick us off of the floor if He has to, brush us off, and lead us out of the pit into a new life with Him!

God’s presence in our everyday moments: Often we think of God’s presence as something magical or majestic. Although He is Almighty and King of Heaven, we forget He is found in the small moments, too that washroom break, that lunchtime. So, maybe the threshing floor reminds us most of all that God loves us, redeems us, and longs to be with us in or ordinary moments.

God doesn’t always reveal His ways to us, but in the idea of the threshing floor, we can be reminded that God rescues, redeems, and restores us on a daily basis. We might not always see His hand, but we can trust His heart and know He is working!

Love and Light

Ruth 🤍

“YOUR FEELINGS AREN’T GOD’S TRUTH”

If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s the importance of praising God through the storms of life. Our feelings are not factual. There will be times when your feelings will misinterpret God’s truth. Times when you will doubt and believe that God isn’t near, afraid that if you allow your feelings to continue to lead you, you might end up in a dark place.

It is right to plan. However, we need to do it with the necessary humility, recognising that our plans will only succeed ‘if it is the Lord’s will’ (see James 4:13–15). The writer of Proverbs says, ‘In your heart you may plan your course, but the Lord determines your steps’ (Proverbs 16:9).

Sometimes we align our plans with God’s purposes. At other times – certainly in my experience – God overrules our plans. We should always bear in mind that we may have got it wrong and that, ultimately, thankfully, it is the Lord who determines our steps. His word and will are to be desired beyond our feelings.

Resist the temptation to allow your feelings to guide your trust in God. When you feel your mind begin to shift your focus from God, begin singing praises and meditating on God’s Word to stay close to God’s truth.

It depends on God to see you through the seemingly chaotic situations life throws, knowing without a doubt, God is always near, walking alongside you, leading you through your dark moments, and shining a light on His glory. When we find ourselves faced with the worst of feelings, we want to believe that our feelings are true — question is are they really true? If they were, you and I would not be where we are today. Remember the things you thought you’d never survive some years ago, now let me ask the question again; Are your feelings true?

I am so thankful to God that His word is always true, blocking our plans when necessary and strategically ordering our steps. If you are going through a setback or disappointment, remember that His plans and purposes for you are ‘good, pleasing and perfect’ (Romans 12:2). Nothing happens without God’s permission. God is in control and “in everything” He is working for good (8:28).

That is why we labor and strive, because we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe. I TIMOTHY 4:10 NIV

As with Paul, God will strategically order your steps. The sovereignty of God means we don’t have to worry about the ultimate outcome. Submit your feelings to God and let the truth of His word wash over them. God is in complete control, even though it may not always be easy to see it at the time.

God’s purpose is that you, like Paul, should be a witness. Everywhere you go, be a witness. When appropriate, give your testimony. Even when you are not speaking, your life is a testimony. Don’t wait until all is going well. In fact, in times of difficulties sometimes your testimony is at its most powerful.

PRAYER

Precious Lord, thank You for the endless peace You’ve given to me. Things in life don’t always go as planned, and there have been many disappointments, yet I’ve still found peace knowing that I can trust in Your timing. You work all things together for my good, and I’ve seen it time and time again that Your word is true. Help me to always trust in You… AMEN

Happy Blessed New Month

Until the next stay blessed! Love and light 🤍✨

“Grace words; Seasoned Speech”

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” Colossians 4:6 ESV

Posts twice in a month…!? Hello? Who is this person? Can we hear a little commotion for the consistency I know you want to gift me a bar of chocolate too. Well that’s just by the way before I Jinx it. Have you ever wished you could do a 360 on a response especially after realizing the damage it’s caused. I was rude; immediately the call ended I realized how much I had goofed. I apologize profusely later but my friend’s composure didn’t seem convincing that I had been forgiven so I kept at it believing that the more I said sorry the more the situation had a chance of getting fixed.

Here I was apologizing hoping that my friend would just say what I wanted to hear. I was desperate to undo what I said so we can remain as we were before I said it. While pondering the Holy Spirit then asked “What is this really about?” “Are you apologizing to make it all go away or you are apologizing because you are truly sorry.” That stung a little something to ponder about.

When I was newer in my faith walk, I resisted dealing with this area. Even after I acknowledged the importance of it, I struggled. Finally I realized that I was trying to fix myself, which didn’t work and only left me discouraged. This time around i had the chance to do due diligence with the Holy Spirit. I would probably have worsened the situation by accusing my friend of being too difficult and comparing how I would have forgiven if tables were turned. That would give us a few days of angered tempers, malice with no peace inward and outward.

I distinctly remember two teachers during my formative school days. My literature teacher was a strict disciplinarian. He was up in years, devoting his whole life to instructing young people on the finer points of English grammar and literature. On one occasion, He asked me to stay a moment after class. Assuming I was in some sort of trouble, I did so with apprehension. I approached His desk after all the others had left the room. I could not believe what he said: “Ruth, you have character, and if you applied yourself in this class, you could be an A student.” He believed in me! In fact, that day He changed the way I thought about myself with those simple words of affirmation.

The other teacher If I remember correctly taught us politics. He sought to motivate by intimidation, ridicule, and vile words. His goal was to break us down. It didn’t work for many of us. More than one kid walked away, always head hanging, never to return. They were both teachers but the words of one was building up and the other’s words was tearing down. Our words can be controlled or contentious, can be directed in a positive manner or utterly destructive. Everywhere we go, words are being shouted at us. Whether it’s on a billboard, in the music we listen to, the books we read and who we communicate with, we are always reading, listening and ingesting words that are then stored inside our brain and projected out into our life.

Thankfully there are no meaningless statements in the Bible our perfect guide in life; “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:5-8 ESV)

Having spoken about the potential of the tongue to direct speech for the good, Apostle James then went on and warned that the same tongue also has potential for evil. Words controlled by our Master can be directed in a positive way, but uncontrolled speech can be contentious and destructive like fire and poison. We must endeavor to be conscious of the words we speak and most especially since we are the salt of the earth we must speak gracefully

I love feedbacks, it helps me navigate the grey areas in my life and reflectively gain insight into doing due diligence and correcting them. Once I was able to reflect and recalibrate my mind and was truly sorry, I retreated and invited the peace of God into my heart. When someone gives you hard feedback, it’s helpful to recognize it’s not an attack on your identity but rather informative data that can help you become the best version of you.

I may have lost a friend over ungraceful speech, but I’m a good friend and if a few words said over the phone painted me otherwise, I have the rest of my life to allow to say King David’s prayer for God to do a work in me that only Him can do; Precious Holy Spirit lead me to speak gracefully. When you are genuinely sorry, it must come with peace to accept consequences and to hold space for the other to come around. If your apology is genuine, it would come with peace for you to carry on while waiting for the other to see the fruits of your apology. True repentance comes with changed behavior. A genuine apology will also come with the will to apologise again if necessary.

In Ephesians 4:29 it says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Dear friend, next time you read a book, listen to music, watch TV or interacting with a friend or family or are around someone, pay attention to the language that is used. Is it healthy for you? Are you best representing a follower of Christ? Ask yourself those questions and act accordingly.

I want the love of God flowing out of my lips, not ungraceful words or slander. So help me Lord!

Stay blessed,

With love, Ruth

“NOTHING IS BEYOND HOPE”

I am Martha; well dear friend if you and I were to choose between the roles of Martha and Mary. I’d go with playing Martha seamlessly. Don’t get me wrong, I want to be a woman who trusts God no matter what. A woman with a heart more prone to be at peace than in a perpetual state of panic.

A woman who can look at circumstances that appear beyond all hope and know that, with God, there’s always hope. But when God’s timing seems questionable, His lack of intervention seems hurtful, and His promises seem doubtful, I confess I get afraid. Confused. And left alone with those feelings, I can’t help but feel disappointed God isn’t doing what I assume a good father should do.

Can you relate? This is exactly the kind of situation we read about in John 11

Lazarus became ill. His sisters Mary and Martha sent Jesus a message to tell Him. I would expect Jesus to urgently respond. But, He stayed an extra two days and then headed to Bethany, where Lazarus was.

At first glance, Jesus’ delayed response truly does seem peculiar. Especially when we read in John 11:5 that Jesus loved Martha, Mary and Lazarus. But then verse 6 says, “So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was” (ESV).

If I love someone and they get deathly sick, my initial reaction would not be to wait around a few more days! I would frantically try to get to them as quickly as I could.

But John 11:17 tells us that by the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been dead four days. In those days, Rabbinic tradition said the spirit of the person who died hovered over the body for three days and then departed. At the end of the three days, as the body began to decompose, they believed it was “officially” too late, and death was final.

So, when Jesus finally arrived, all hope seemed lost. Lazarus was “beyond hope” dead. Jesus had a purpose, though. And while His response on the surface may seem out of character, some careful observations throughout the rest of this story give us possible insight into why Jesus delayed His departure.

First, Jesus was very specific as to why He was going to see Lazarus. Verse 4 tells us His purpose was for God’s glory to be displayed through this illness, so the Son of God would be glorified. Timing His arrival set the stage for Jesus to reveal the extent of His power and might — leaving no room for doubt over His divinity.

We also get a close look at the incredibly faith-filled conversation that took place between Martha and Jesus when He drew near. (John 11:21-27)

Martha’s faith still carried essence. She believed Jesus could do miracles. She knew He could heal people. But this situation was hopeless, right? Imagine the agony and pain of knowing that if Christ had been present, He could have saved her brother. In the midst of this reality, Martha still confesses the might of Christ, acknowledging that Jesus could ask anything of the Father, and it would be granted to Him.

But Martha was missing the point. She was looking forward to a future resurrection (John 11:24) when Jesus wanted her to focus on what He was going to do in the present. She’d given up hope of seeing Lazarus alive at this side of eternity.

Who could blame Martha for feeling hopeless? I’ve been in one too many scenarios like her. It’s hard when we find ourselves walking through devastating circumstances that appear like they’ll never get any better. But I believe God wants us to embrace powerful truth today.

We don’t have to know all the details. We don’t have to know the whys and the hows. But we can trust Jesus will accomplish His purpose. Even if our circumstances aren’t good, His purpose always is.

Let’s not miss Jesus’ question to Martha in John 11:25-26 He begins with saying, “I am” and ends with, “Do you believe this?”

“Jesus said to her, ‘I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?’ (John 11:25-26 ESV)

That’s the question for all of us, my friend. Will you believe Jesus at His word? Even if He delays His response? Even if you can’t ever see the fruit in this life? Even if the blanks remain blank and the questions unanswered? Will you believe, even if …? Even if.

Papa, give us relief from our unbelief.

We may be facing a delay, distraction or even devastation for a season. But it’s not a final destination. Resurrection is HERE. For some of us, it will be like Lazarus and happen miraculously this day. But for all who trust in Jesus as Savior, whether our circumstances change or not, there’s an eternal hope because His resurrection power has the final say.

Guess what two thousand years ago Jesus Won. He wins daily and most especially in eternity, Jesus still wins.

Father Lord, thank You for reminding us of truth today. The truth that doubt doesn’t have the final say. Disease doesn’t have the final say. Heartbreak doesn’t have the final say. Even death doesn’t have the final say. The only One who gets the final say in my life is Jesus. He is the Resurrection and the Life. My future and my present hope. So I’m choosing to declare today that even if You don’t do what I keep asking, I still put my trust in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Your story is not beyond hope, He paid it all in full, Stay blessed!

Love always, Ruth ♥️

“RUN ON HOPE”

Hey friend… it’s been a while or should I say it’s been a whole year yikes! Forgive me while we’re still trying to do the numbers. Happy blessed New Year, wishing You the Lord’s Choicest blessing in this new year, thank you for sticking with FOUND WORTHY!

A thought kept coming back to me while going the spiritual exercise of waiting. What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word, “Wait”? Trying to get into a popular restaurant? Rush hour traffic? Exam Results? Important test diagnosis, perhaps? Well, let me throw my answer in there before you do; truth is I don’t enjoy waiting. That’s it!

When we think of waiting, we often think of passivity. Waiting is practically synonymous with doing nothing besides just sitting there fidgeting with our phones or staring at the ceiling expecting the clock’s second hand to keep on ticking. Notwithstanding hopeful waiting is something I’ve been pondering on. Hope gets us out of bed—it energizes us, it focuses our attention, it pulls us out of ourselves. Hope overcomes our fears even in waiting seasons.

“Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord (Psalm 27:14, NASB).”

As a young, new Christian, I was always intrigued by people who often inserted the words, “The Lord told me or I heard from the Lord,” into their conversations. I did not have an experience of unmistakable divine revelation on a daily basis. While thinking through this; I had this. memory. Some years back My dad had just purchased a new Samsung DVD player earlier that week, eager to impress my friends I invited a couple of them home after our Saturday classes to watch a movie. After inserting the CD and pressing play we all sat quietly staring at the TV with “Loading” on the screen after 5minutes of silence “This is taking forever,” one of them said

“Does this thing work or you don’t know how to operate it?” another asked. My tummy turned with embarrassment. Finally the movie started to play. I laughed at their horror of anything that takes longer than three seconds to load. We live in such a “now” culture, where everything is immediately available at the touch of a button or with a voice command.

One of the most challenging seasons we all face, no matter what God has called us to, is the gap between God’s promise and His fulfillment. Initially He prepares our heart and gives us a glimpse of His plans. This vision fills us with HOPE. We feel unstoppable in God’s promise. We take the initial steps and are excited to see some fruit. But then, days become weeks and even months, and we’re still waiting for the fulfillment of what God has promised. Many of us don’t handle the waiting very well and we start to lose heart. We begin to forget the incredible promises God gave us and how that moment of faith felt when we first heard His voice.

Waiting. It isn’t easy, especially when we are waiting on God concerning His promises for our lives, but Scripture is filled with the stories of men and women who experienced agonizing periods of waiting on the Lord. Abraham and Sarah waited twenty-five years for God to fulfill His promise that someday they would have a child. When Isaac was born, they were old enough to be great-grandparents! The Israelites suffered for more than four hundred years in Egyptian slavery, waiting for God to deliver them from their cruel bondage. After Samuel had anointed him king of Israel, David waited years to assume the throne that was rightfully his.

For three long days Jesus’ followers waited for hope to break through their darkest despair as His battered body lay in the tomb. Jesus rose from the dead and returned to the Father to prepare a home for us, and we who call Him Savior and Lord have been waiting more than two thousand years for Him to return.

Hey friend, the difficult work of waiting often seems to be part of our relationship with God where He uses our seasons of individual waiting to refine our character and build our faith. His timing is just different from ours. The apostle Peter wrote, “Do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day” (2 Peter 3:8).

We call a woman who is pregnant an “expecting mother”. She has to “wait” for nine months but she does so actively and earnestly, expecting a specific result; a baby. She prepares for this little one’s arrival. There is a knowledge that in due time her baby will arrive. She is not just passively sitting around thinking “well, I will just sit here and see if it happens or not”.

Don’t be discouraged if you struggle to quiet your mind or you feel as if your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling or you’re dealing with anxiety, despair, or what seems like a lack of movement in your life, quiet yourself in God’s presence and let your heart grow in courage. That’s right, just be still before Him. This is the starting point for everything we do. Here, God will prepare us for the change He is bringing and for the next step in the promise he has given us. [The LORD is my strength and shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song. Psalm 28:6-7. Grant yourself the gift of relaxing into the wait and running on HOPE. Always remember Christlikeness is the measuring stick, not power and RUN ON HOPE!

“For I am waiting for you, O Lord. You must answer for me, O Lord my God.” (Psalms 38:15 NLT)

Pray this with me; Precious Lord, Grow in me the fruit of the spirit, the likesness of the son while I wait on You and run on Hope. Amen

Stay Blessed!

With Love, Ruth. ♥️

“SEEK GENUINE REPENTANCE NOT JUST RELIEF”

“If a man’s conversion to God is true; true repentance will follow.”

If someone’s conversion to God is true, lifelong repentance will follow. Its easy for the mouth of one not born again to say true things for a time. I’ve been there; a culprit. Unchanged eyes can cry. A dead tongue can sincerely sing worship songs for a season. And turning away from Christ, repenting of him, can prove it was all false — a complete façade .There is no way you can remain in fellowship with the Holy Spirit without a humble, repentant heart. Sin breaks the heart of God; therefore, sin must break yours. You must have a contrite heart when you fail God. One thing Saul didn’t have in his spiritual life is repentance. He made a bunch of excuses and blamed others, but he never repented. He apologized so that he could get Samuel to honor him, but true repentance was nonexistent. 

But like Saul, I so often tend to seek relief instead of repentance. I want God to remove the pain and guilt, not change my heart and remove sin at its root. I like saying, “I’m sorry,” instead of, “make me Your obedient servant Lord.” I want God to remove the symptoms of my sin, not sin itself. That grieves the Holy Spirit. He expects a “sincere turn around” on my part and yours as well. In Sauls moment of torment, He invited musicians to entertain him instead of inviting the prophet to deliver him. The demonized king sought entertainment instead of deliverance. He settled for relief, not for repentance. No wonder the Holy Spirit rejected that type of vessel. God will not accept an unrepentant heart.

Pain and guilt are like the blinking light on the dashboard of your car, indicating that there is a problem. It would be unwise to ask an electrician to replace the light bulb in the dashboard instead of going to a mechanic to fix the car. Repentance is fixing the issue. Saul had moments of relief but a lifetime of torment. He even prophesied at times when he didn’t know God. May we never outgrow repentance. 

I can see why God had a soft spot for David from reading Psalm 51 of repentance; he didn’t make excuses or blame anyone. David took ownership of his sin, cried, pleaded and sought after God, “the mechanic” who fixes people. Saul on the other hand made excuses, blamed others, and his primary concern wasn’t to seek God but to make sure he didn’t lose his title and position. 

There ought to be a real and genuine cry of pain — evidence of true and sincere repentance should leave you broken. There should be a birth within, a birth from above. There should be the terror of seeing ourselves in utter violent contrast to the Holy Spirit, The one true Holy God! Unless we come into this place of conviction and pain concerning our sin, I am not sure how deep and real our repentance will ever be. The man whom God will use must be undone, humble and pliable. He must be, like the astonished Isaiah, a man who has seen the King in His beauty!

Let’s not make cheap the grace of Eternal life; Romans 6:2 makes it clear “shall we continue to sin for grace abounds…” Obedience is not easy! At least that’s the case when you’re the one having to be obedient and not the one calling the shots. In John 14, Jesus is very clear about who is in charge — He is obedient to the Father.

We can find a concise definition of obedience in James 1:22: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” An important part of obedience is reading the Bible. However, reading words is just the first part of being obedient. The next, and more important part, is putting those words into action; walking the talk. When we are convicted of our besetting sin repent, when we read about giving generously to the poor, we actually go do it. When we read about forgiving our neighbor, we actually forgive them. This is true repentance and in turn obedience.

Jesus tells us why obedience is such a big deal In John 14:15–23; He connects our obedience to our love for Him. He declares that our love for Him will give us a desire to be obedient. As we learn more about Him and fall deeper in love with Him, we will want nothing more than to be just like Him. The love of God prompts our obedience, not the other way around. David’s life was a torrent of spiritual desire, and his psalms ring with the cry of the seeker and the glad shout of the finder. Paul confessed the mainspring of his life to be his burning desire after Christ. “That I may know him” (Philippian. 3:10), was the goal of his heart, and to this he sacrificed everything — seeking genuine repentance.

Prayer

The focus of my worship must be God and Him alone. As I do so precious Holy Spirit grant me an ever repentant heart and May Your peace engulf me as You transform me into Him who I worship.

Dear friend until next time; being resolute step out into this new week and beyond “Seeking Genuine and sincere repentance not just relief.“

Stay blessed!

I DON’T OWN THE RIGHTS TO THE ATTACHED IMAGE

“Walk Worthy”

…lately my motives are constantly going through the drill and there’s one lingering desire I can’t seem to shake off — that my walk with God would be a Worthy one. I would have been comfortable playing the comparison card a few years ago, your guess is as good as mine; comparing every aspect of my life to whomever I thought was better than I was — Inferiority Complex. Concluding Ephesians 3; Paul prayed that the plans God had for the Gentiles would be revealed to them. He said that he did this solemnly so that everyone would know who Christ is. I believe this prayer was so they’d be convicted. Paul further concludes the Chapter 3 by mentioning that he prays that Christ and the church will always bring glory to God knowing also that, He can do more than anyone could even imagine.

Paul then declares in Ephesians 4:1 NKJV  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called

To walk worthy you must run your race at your pace. Your journey is a marathon and not a sprint. Choose to surrender to God, and let Him lead your course, for He is the One who Called you. Notice the words that Paul uses in Ephesians 4:1 NKJV, “The prisoner of the Lord.” Paul declares that he chooses to serve the Lord. Paul declares that he submits to the Word of God. Paul was tied to Christ. Paul was tied to the Gospel. Paul’s walk was a journey and not a sprint. He went through the process. It’s your choice to be tied to the race that God sets before you. Run your race. Make Yours a worthy one!

Don’t look to the left or to the right. Choose focus. Look forward and run your race. Your race has purpose. Your race was designed for you. You were graced for your race. You were groomed for your race. You were created for your race. The gifts, talents, and abilities that God has invested in you, were given to you for your particular race. Be focused, diligent, steadfast, and determined to complete the race that God has given you. 

He designed the race that’s set before you. He saw the obstacles before you encountered them. He knows your strengths. He knows your weaknesses. He knows your beginning from your ending. God is the Author and Finisher of your faith. He is the Author and Finisher of your destiny. Walk worthy before Him. Walk by faith. Walk in obedience. Choose to trust Him even when the storms rage.

Our Father in heaven knows when you will need the strength to be a “martyr for Jesus Christ. He will supply all you need just in time.” God will give you all the guidance you need. As the psalmist continues to recount the history of the people of God (Psalm 78:9-16), he recalls how, ‘He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night’ (v.14). In other words, He guided them continually. You have the Holy Spirit dwelling within you. Expect no less. You are ‘led by the Spirit of God’ (Romans 8:14). The Holy Spirit will provide you with all the guidance you need.

God will also satisfy your spiritual thirst: ‘He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas; He brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers’ (Psalm 78:15–16). Jesus promises you that, through the Holy Spirit, streams of living water will flow from within you (John 7:38). Remember He is the Author and Finisher of your course. Keep your heart stayed on Him — yielding and serving. He created your path and He’ll surely help you finish your course.

Prayer

Precious Holy Spirit, I really need Your guidance. Please fill me today and always. May streams of living water flow from within me as I totally yield to walk worthy of Your call over my life. Amen!

Stay blessed!

“I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHT TO THE ATTACHED IMAGE”

“…That I May Know Him”!

Until a recent brooding; I realized how easy it is to play religion and loose out on the genuinity of our faith and walk with God. I should be honest with you I am a culprit of playing the religion card; and more than ever I’m desiring once again that sincere yet personal encounter of our Lord Jesus Christ — a fresh infusion of His knowledge and Truth.

“A faithful witness does not lie, But a false witness will utter lies. A scoffer seeks wisdom and does not find it, But knowledge is easy to him who understands.” (Proverbs‬ ‭14:5-6‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

How do we know if our Christian walk is a genuine one? The simple answer is: because God, who does not lie or deceive, has told us the truth in His Word, the Bible (Titus 1:2, John 17:17 ). I realize that this answer will not satisfy a great many inquiring minds — perhaps including yours. Nevertheless, it remains the best answer. But to give you a bit more to “chew on,” here are some additional thoughts…

Perhaps like myself you may be in a period of change and transformation, or yours maybe a state of uncertainty, of wondering what is next. But you also feel a deep call to be faithful to God in the process. “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death” (Philippians 3:10). To obey God’s voice speaking to your heart through the scriptures and through the prompting of the Holy Spirit.

Truth is, God by His Spirit will use the sincere reading and studying of the Bible to lead one to a conviction of the truth and ultimately trust in Jesus. The Holy Spirit will objectively and subjectively confirm the truth to us (John 16:13, Romans. 8:16). If a person ignores and neglects the Bible, he or she is likely to wrestle with a life of uncertainty and doubt.

Although the propositions and personal testimonies of the Bible are a completely adequate means of knowing what is true, God has granted us also the testimonies of believers throughout the history of Christianity. Of course, these must contend with the counter-claims of non-Christians, but taken together with the teachings of the Bible, they do indicate that true (as opposed to nominal) Christians are not delusional but have real peace, real fulfillment and real practicality in their lives. Believers interact with God on a daily basis and are able to deal with people and circumstances in love and insight.

So here and now is the time to remember the first thing you know about God, and the first thing you know about yourself stated clearly in Genesis 1:28. You and I were first created to be creative, to see new life come out of dust, to have ideas become reality, to watch broken and disconnected things become fresh and whole.

But before doing so we must first be transformed in order to dispense the fragrance of His knowledge. “But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭2:14‬ ‭NLT)‬‬

Now more than ever I desire that sincere yet intimate encounter with Him. One that leaves me with no choice than to share His good news for the liberation of captives and restoration of what was lost. May we all desire a personal sincere encounter with our creator. This has been my prayer today; I hope it becomes yours too:

God of all creation, thank You for the gift of how You made me, unique from every other person born. Thank You for the gift of every living thing, and for the beauty I observe when I pause to feel the very simplest of your creation… As I breathe in I am reminded that it is Your breath and creativity that give me life. As I breathe out I am reminded that I also get to bring life to others. Thank You for the reminder that sometimes obeying You and taking the next right step starts with being aware that I am loved not for what I make or do, but simply because I am Your creation. Amen.

So my dear friend, May the Lord bless you and bring you to a firm conviction of the truth in Christ. Blessings!

Cast Your Care

Your cares are better handled by a capable God…

I gave so much power to “worry” last month; not to say that the things I was worrying about didn’t carry any weight of importance but it was clear “I had no control over them”. Dear friend, is there something in your life that you could be very worried and anxious about and yet have no control over? Most people do, and if you don’t have something today, you might have something tomorrow or the next day. No. That’s not being negative, it’s just saying that life is real and you never know exactly what is going to come your way. But we do know God, and we don’t have to live in fear. He is with us and He’s on our side.

A lot of storms raged in the early years of my life; I remember I got to the point where my disposition was simple; bad things would always happen. Proverbs 15:15 calls that “evil forebodings,” which means you have this sense that you are waiting for the next disaster. I’ve learned that instead of doing that, I can expect something good to happen in my life and to expect it on purpose just like the continuation of the same verse admonishes me to “For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.”

The Bible teaches us to “Cast all of our care on God because He cares for us” (see 1 Peter 5:7). I recently had to unlearn and learn that; It’s not wrong to acknowledge our problems, but we need to tell them where they stand in relation to God. Worry sees the problem, but faith sees the God Who can handle the problem.

You can choose your own thoughts. You don’t have to just think whatever falls in your head. You can cast out wrong thoughts and choose right thoughts. Faith starts in our hearts, as a gift from God, but it is released when we think and speak right the things that are lined up with God’s Word. When we have a problem, we can either do what the devil wants us to do and worry about it, get anxious and try to figure things out on our own, or we can do what God wants us to do and think about the promises in His Word.

According to Strong’s Concordance the Hebrew word for “Cast” is, ‘shalak’ (H7993) which means, “to throw, cast, hurl, or fling”. Violently throw your burdens to God. Entrust your burdens, cares, and worries over to God. Let God sustain you. Let God carry your burdens away. 

When you “cast” something over to God, you’re hurling it over to Him with such force that you’re putting distance between you and the object. Think of a tennis sports player who “hurls” a ball to his or her teammate. When you give the ball over to your teammate you’re entrusting that they will “handle” the ball appropriately. Choose to trust God. He will handle your problems — if you trust Him.

A worry is a magnified concern. When you begin to carry your burdens on your own, they will begin to oppress you and weigh you down. When you meditate upon your cares and concerns they begin to mature into worries. When you worship your concerns, instead of casting them, you’re magnifying the problem greater than God. You’re worshipping the problem instead of worshipping God. Choose to worship God instead of worshipping the problem. Don’t be moved by what’s going on around you. Choose to worship God.

Dear friend, Trust in Him. Will you worry and have anxiety today, or will you cast your care and choose to trust God instead? I am praying with you and hoping that you Cast your cares; your cares are better handled by our capable God.

Prayer

Precious Lord, in the valleys I have been drawn closer to You, my God and Comforter. Teach me to shamelessly cast all my cares upon You, trusting in Your capable hands to take absolute control and care for me. AMEN

Until next time…Stay blessed always!

“I do not own the sole rights to the attached image”

“SILENT SATURDAY…”

Did I ever tell you about my love for Saturdays? Not just because it happens to be my day of birth but more so the rest that comes with it. The older I get, the more I come to realize the gravity of Silent Saturday. The immediate trauma of Good Friday had just passed, but Resurrection Sunday was still 24 hours away. And those left behind were faced with a question that you and I are often faced with.

What do you do in the middle? In the middle of trauma and deliverance? Truth is those who were grieving had witnessed not only the brutal execution of Jesus, but all the other strange supernatural phenomena that accompanied Christ’s death; earthquakes, midday darkness, the tearing of the temple veil, and more. So what did they do? What do we do?

Rest.

“Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.” (Luke 23:56 NKJV)

Those who were left behind were called to rest, because it was Christ who was doing the work. Christ was at work defeating the devil in the bowels of Hell, reclaiming what was His to begin with. It was Christ with the agenda, not us. It was Christ on the warpath, not us. It was Christ who was doing, not us.

When recovering from grief and trauma, the reactions are varied to be sure, but often doing nothing (what our souls might crave) is harder to carry out. Surely there is another phone call to be made, another closet to clean out, another demand to make, another list to record. But to rest, completely? Quite the drill. It astounds me that God planned for the execution to take place on a Friday, knowing that the Jews, steeped in the centuries-old tradition of Sabbath would know they would have to honor this day of rest. He planned the Great Sacrifice on our day off. 

Were they relieved for a moment to catch their breath? Or did they chafe under the religious traditions, wishing they could do something, anything, to undo the horror of the past 48 hours?

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalms 46:10 NKJV)

Whatever your “Silent Saturday” is, whatever seemingly unanswered prayers face you, whatever traumas you are trying to heal from, know that you can rest, knowing your Father is at work. Remember He said “IT IS FINISHED” before giving up the ghost. It may be your “Silent Saturday” today but guess what!? Resurrection Sunday is just around the corner. Where God will send forth a glorious, radiant angel right in front of you with a message of what you had hardly dared to hope. Just like they did; hold on to our Lord’s assurances about our eventual blessings. Don’t give in just yet!

Dear friend, may you experience a deeper revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ in this season. Have a happy and blessed Easter!

There’s Purpose In Your Gethsemane

THERE IS PURPOSE IN YOUR GETHSEMANE

I hope I’m not too late with my new year wish!? Well… I guess not, since this happens to be my first post this year you’d spare me for the late wish so here you go. Happy Blessed New Year, it is my prayer that our good Lord blesses you with an unquantifiable increase this year and beyond. Now lets dig right into this word.

Last year did more for my soul than any other year could, threading with resounding stance and the unrelenting desire to live more purposefully. When Jesus Christ entered the Garden of Gethsemane, He was accompanied by three of His most trusted and loved disciples Peter, James, and John. But at a certain point He left them, and the Gospel of Matthew records that He Himself “went a little further.”

And so He did, for He traversed the infinite distance between the mortal and the divine, wherein He reached the highest point of earthly experience, that is, self-surrender or willingness to bring human will into absolute submission to the divine purposes. The disciples could not, at this time, have followed Him, although later each of them undoubtedly had their own experiences in subduing the mortal element in order that He might realize the spiritual.

The name Gethsemane has a surreal, majestic, yet lonely connotation for popular thought, and the common tendency is to shun away from any path which might lead toward separation and the experience connected with it. “The word itself has the original meaning of “an oil press,” a machine in which olive berries are gently but firmly pressed in order to obtain the oil so valuable to the commerce of both the ancient and modern day.”

Gethsemane truly impels one to yield up long-cherished desires and to submit to God’s divine will — whereupon all that is rich and precious in consciousness comes forth to hallow existence and glorify its purposes. This may begin as a disciplinary process, against which all that is personal and mortal in thought rebels, for human sense is prone to cling to false estimates of happiness, reluctant to yield them up, and resistant to any experience that challenges deeply entrenched ambitions or habits.

Examine your experiences and extract the lessons you’ve learned. Review your life and think about how it has shaped you. Forgotten experiences are worthless; that’s a good reason to keep a spiritual journal. Paul worried that the believers in Galatia would waste the pain they had been through. He said, “Were all your experiences wasted? I hope not!” (Galatians 3:4 NCV). Don’t waste any of your experiences especially the ones in your season of separation. We rarely see God’s good purpose in pain or failure or embarrassment while it is happening.

Gethsemane demands first a willingness to subjugate human will to the divine purposes—a necessary experience, though perhaps harsh to pride, self-love, self-importance, and so on— the preliminary to the final step of ascension, wherein the husk of fleshly beliefs is relinquished. Even Christ Jesus drew back momentarily from the demand for absolute self-subordination and prayed, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.” Not on the cross, but in the Garden of Gethsemane was the Master prepared for victory over mortality; and the completeness of this preparation is revealed in His words immediately following His struggle, “Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”

Only in hindsight do we understand how God intended a problem for good. Extracting the lessons from your experiences takes time. I recommend that you take an entire weekend or more preferably a fast of separation for a life review retreat, where you pause to see how God has worked in the various defining moments of your life and consider how He wants to use those lessons to help others. This will give you very clear direction on the ways He wants you and your life to minister to others. Lord Jesus, we realize and acknowledge the privilege with which serving You comes with, Precious Holy Spirit more than ever we ask that You equip us to live more purposefully in Jesus Name!

Mask up and please Stay safe. Stay Blessed!

“The Posture of Preparation”

My story is no different than what God is doing in your life. Like a seed, greatness lives inside you, but it must be cultivated as He guides you through the various seasons of change. It is during your season of change and your posture of preparation in life that the costliest transactions take place. However, skepticism can be a miracle killer when it comes to faith.

When I look back at my faith-life and dispassionately analyze my own conversations with God, here’s what I find: It’s usually on my time schedule, It’s rushed, and I’m often distracted and I do less of the listening. Perhaps the harsh truth is that I want God to hear me – not the other way around. If that rings true for you also, don’t feel too bad. Know that there is an unending line of Bible characters that started their journey from a posture of self-absorption, and they went on to become Heroes of the Faith. 

One essential example of this is Jesus’ disciples, His closest friends on Earth. In this scene in Acts 1, Jesus (who was recently crucified by the Romans, declared dead, buried and miraculously resurrected – all of which He predicted) is sitting with His disciples having lunch. You would think they would be hanging on His every word and ready to do whatever He said – but no. They had their own agenda. “So when the apostles were with Jesus, they kept asking him, ‘Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?” (Acts 1:6 NLT)

Anyone who has ever found their knees knocking at the top of a climb up a mountain is against wading too far out into the roiling tide; knows that skepticism and suspicion often prove to be valuable protective instincts. But when it comes to God, this French proverb sums up one of the biggest impediments we face as human beings: we think it’s impossible, and it becomes so.

Jesus knew all about our skeptical natures, so He worked overtime to teach His followers to recognize and overcome their doubts. One key way He did this: many of Jesus’ miracles required some level of participation by the recipient. Consider the feeding of the 5000 in Matthew 14:19-20 (NIV)

“…Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.”

Jesus probably didn’t need the disciples’ help in the distribution and clean-up of the miraculous bounty, but He made them participate anyway. Why? I think He was preparing them to imagine the impossible as possible. So he made them fish when there were no fish biting, and sent them out in pairs to heal the sick, and taught them to boldly pray when there was no logical reason to hope.

In one remarkable scene in Matthew 13, Jesus returns to his hometown and is initially warmly received by those who knew him in his youth. But then doubt and skepticism take hold of the crowd, and the chapter ends with this devastating verse, “And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.” (Matthew 13:58 NIV) 

God’s blessings for you must not meet you unprepared and to believe a thing is impossible is to make it so. Build up your faith as you wait on His promise not neglecting the process. Endeavor to stay and learn the importance of the Posture of Preparation right from the point of hearing from God; we can’t expect a harvest when we are unwilling to plant and till the land. In building your personal relationship with God, cultivate an attitude of attentiveness. Train yourself daily to believe that with our everlasting and almighty God, the impossible is ALWAYS possible.

Prayer Precious Holy Spirit, I am so thankful that I never have to do anything on my own as You’ve always been my ever present help. I humbly ask that You grace me with an attitude of attentiveness and most importantly Lord, make my heart willing to hear You as I take a stance of faith and cultivate a heart that believes in the Possible Impossible, “Lord, teach me to rely on Your miracle power as I remain steadfast in my posture of preparation. Amen!

Stay blessed!

“Buried to Blossom”

Most people love the thought of being gifted and having the ability to do something great, but we don’t smile so brightly when we are placed in the refining processes of life. But what happens to a seed if it’s not planted? I love how Bishop Jakes puts being planted in perspective; we cannot rightfully ask our Vinedresser to skip out on the development of our lives simply because we are uncomfortable with being alone in dark places.

“I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.” (John 12:24 NLT)

To keep a seed from being planted is to condemn that seed to never realize its full potential. It is a fact that seeds are meant to be covered to die. No matter who we are, where we are in life, or where we’ve come from, we must begin to appreciate the ugly stages of our inception.

When we allow the Lord to shift our mindset, we begin to see that everything that has ever happened to us has happened for a reason. If we look back at the sprout that pushed itself through the ceiling of dirt above it, we discover reasons behind our adversity that were preciously invisible and imaginable but now are suddenly apparent and miraculous when we arrive at the fruit-bearing stage. Looking back, I examine previous periods of my life and remember how fearful I was in the midst of some of them.

Now standing upon His word and love, I look at those places and realize they were integral to where God has taken me and where He will continue to take me. I see that each growth interval of my life where, at the time, I was certain I was about to meet my end, were seed stages for the next season. I could not have produced fruit without the frustration. God could not ferment my fruit without the frustration. God could not ferment my fruit into His wine for maximum potency without my willingness to relinquish it to His winepress.

Though I have not liked the process, my faith has grown deeper as I discovered this new perspective. I have been changed by this shift in perspective as I accept that God never intended to lead me to a dead place and leave me there. The seeming death through which He escorted me was merely the precipice of a new beginning, and new beginning is what the planting and death of each seed is all about. Through those stages, I arrived at the truth: God wasn’t burying me – He was planting me!

Those areas and times in which the death of a dream, assignment, or vision seems to stalk your every move are nothing more than entrances into the next realm of your life. Do not run from them; embrace them. The proverbial death of what you are trying to keep alive will enrich the growth and lives of others.

Instead of condemning you to a graveyard, which is what you may feel, God is planting you in richer soil for greater fruit. Blossom!

Stay blessed!

“I don’t own the right to the attached image”

The Simple Blessings of “REST”

“Hurry robs us of the beauty God has placed in front of us and the grace others so desperately need.” 

Workaholics can rarely handle pauses…  and I must admit I am big on the roller coaster kind of schedule, always on the move and a culprit of “hurry”. We idealize a lifestyle led by simple faith and slower daily routines. There’s truly a simple blessing in slowing down… A slower life sounds delightful! Maybe that’s why beach-house living is such a popular idea.

But I’ll be honest, my beach-house will definitely need good Wi-Fi. I like the idea of a slower lifestyle, but not when it comes to my internet speed. Even a 3-second delay has me worried I might need an upgrade! (And I’m still waiting for my smartphone to make me smarter).

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23 ESV)

Truth is, some of us would be miserable if things slowed down. We’d much rather things hurry up. Until recently, a very dear pastor friend and his wife drew my attention to the evidence of my unrest — that’s when I realized that the best blessing the year 2020 has given me so far is; simply slowing down to rest. 

The problem is, my soul wasn’t created for hurry neither was yours. And as a result, hurry is the enemy of what matters most in life. Hurry isn’t mandatory. There’s always other options, especially those that made me a nicer person. Hurry doesn’t bring out my best. In fact, I can be pretty self-centered when I rush. And the work I think I’m crushing is in actual sense really crushing me.

The “why” behind living an overcrowded life isn’t easy to discover — and mine certainly wasn’t. Clearly having the right planner or time management program isn’t always the answer. The more you do, the faster you have to work to get it all done. And the hurry cycle begins.

Here’s the problem: Hurry never gets me what I really want.

• I want deeper relationships with God and others; hurry makes them shallow.
• I want to be excellent at work; hurry sometimes steals any excellence I hope to have.
• I want to serve others well; hurry causes me to brush over their needs sometimes.

Hurry will steal the best from me, if I let it. God gave you a free will with the power to choose — to separate yourself from a frantic lifestyle and choose one that is more aligned with your highest spiritual values. He expects you to do so. But you need to slow down to be able to make conscious value based choices each day.

We were designed to go at a slower pace, to ponder, to process thoughts one at a time, to focus on the phase in front of us with tender care. And when we try to go at “computer-speed”, we miss out on what’s important in life. The Apostle Paul penned a list of the characteristics a Christian should exhibit when the Spirit of God lives in them. And not one of them is possible when I’m in a hurry:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control…” (Galatians 5:22)

Guess what? Dealing with hurry is as simple as deciding to slow down. Walk more slowly … talk more slowly. Sometimes it means editing our schedules and removing half (if not more) of our optional responsibilities.

We can uncover the root of our hurry, but it takes time. To start, the next time you feel hurry start to sneak in and push the gas pedal, pause and breathe deeply. Refuse to be rushed. Declare that hurry has no room in the good work you’re doing or the beautiful life God’s placed before you.

Prayer                                                                                                                                                      Lord, thank You for Your patience with me. You are never in a rush when I come to You. Help me turn to You more often and invite Your Spirit to have His way in me, bringing a calmness I desperately need. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Remember “Better is the end of a thing than its beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” (Ecclesiastes 7:8 ESV) You can’t rush God… Rest In Him.

Stay Blessed!

“I DON’T OWN THE RIGHTS TO THE ATTACHED IMAGE”

UNLEARNING TO LEARN

I did promise I’d be posting soon… Lol I hope this is soon enough. I’d like to share what I’m currently adapting to and I hope it blesses you.

Coming back to a familiar place can be tricky — You’d want to believe nothing would be different. Our lives always take the scenic route, but inextricably God validates our trajectories by leading us right back to change. I must admit I am being stretched — From language, speech, choices to the way I conduct myself on the street, everything is evolving and I am too. I want to adapt rather than cling to the old ways. Routines.

People who have been Christians for years, perhaps when they encounter new ways of thinking and new methods of doing church, do not have a teachable heart and cannot embrace the new. It is new doesn’t mean its better, but different. There are no better or worse ideas in the kingdom of God. Sometimes, He wants to do a new thing in us to take us to new levels.

It is usually because we do not have a teachable heart that sometimes we are not able to embrace the new things that God has for us and to reach out for what will lay an even stronger foundation in our lives.

Embracing the new requires unlearning the old. If we do not make room for what God wants to do tomorrow, we will never live resilient lives and advance in all that God has for us.

This verse has transformed my reasoning. Where Paul in Romans 12:2 challenges us to distinguish ourselves from the world, not based on our outward representation, but by our thoughts. He tells us to “be transformed” in our minds. A resilient life, which is built on the rock, distinguishes you because you simply think differently

We can’t put God in a box; He doesn’t live within the parameters we define, nor does He operate the way we expect. That’s why we must constantly unlearn the old to learn the new that God has for us.

What do you need to unlearn in your life?

“He who is ignorant is not the one who does not know, but the one who thinks he knows everything. Learning has no age, so live with a teachable heart and let God surprise you with what He can and wants to do in your life!”

Embrace the new and Stay blessed!

“NO LOOKING BACK”

Yesterday was hard and; while I wanted to play back my day and reflect I heard the Holy Spirit whisper audibly “Do not look back” over my brooding soul. God is truly concerned about the tiniest details of our lives. I recently listened to a sermon by A.W. Towzer which simply turned out to be the right prescription I needed to apply today.

I love familiar places; hopefully I’m not the only culprit who does. Wait. You do too. Our past is familiar. It is heartbreaking to see so many people live their lives camping out in the past that cannot be changed and turning their backs on a grand future. We all know it is impossible to be effective in two places simultaneously and the only person who could accomplish that is God. We can never give one hundred percent of ourselves in the present if we keep dwelling on the past.

There is a lot at stake to remain, and truthfully your life will be unhappy. There is an art of forgetting, and every Christian should become skilled in it. Forgetting the things which are behind is a positive necessity if we are to become more than mere babes in Christ. If we cannot trust God to have dealt effectually with our past we may as well throw in the sponge now and have it over with.

The children of Israel found themselves in extreme bondage, they cried to God to deliver them, and God sent a deliverer. They experienced firsthand the goodness, kindness, protection, and provision of God. He split the Red Sea, he destroyed their enemies, he made bitter water sweet, he rained manna from heaven and fed them, their shoes never wore out, and their clothes were kept. He covered them, moved with them, and most of all loved them even when they complained. But they could not let go of the past and that blinded them to the glorious future God had for them.

They were eyewitnesses to the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey but because they did not rid themselves of the “Look back mentality” they saw the giants in the land rather than the big, big God with them. The past kept them in fear, and they doubted God’s plans. Because of their evil report of the goodness of God; they never made it to the promise land. (Deuteronomy 28)

Today the stories told in this plan is of greater value than silver and gold. It may have been too late for the Israelites in the wilderness, but it’s not too late for you. Fifty years of grieving over our sins cannot blot out their guilt. But if God has indeed pardoned and cleansed us, then we should count it done and waste no more time in sterile lamentations. And thank God this sudden obliteration of our familiar past does not leave us with a vacuum. Far from it.

Into the empty world vacated by our sins and failures rushes the blessed Spirit of God, bringing with Him everything new. New life, new hope, new enjoyments, new interests, new purposeful toil, and best of all a new and satisfying object toward which to direct our soul’s enraptured gaze. God now fills the recovered garden, and we may without fear walk and commune with Him in the cool of the day. Right here is where the weakness of much current Christianity lies. We have not learned where to lay our emphasis. Particularly we have not understood that we are saved to know God, to enter His wonder-filled Presence through the new and living way and remain in that Presence forever. We are called to an everlasting preoccupation with God.

The Triune God with all of His mystery and majesty is ours and we are His, and eternity will not be long enough to experience all that He is of goodness, holiness and truth. In heaven they rest not day or night in their ecstatic worship of the Godhead. We profess to be headed for that place; shall we not begin now to worship on earth as we shall do in heaven?

Living in the past is of great detriment to your future. I want to ask you today to leave the past behind, clear your heart of the clutter and take hold of the glorious future God has planned out for you. The past is over; God is about moving forward!

Looking Back Only Limits The Future

Prayer

Holy Spirit, I thank you for the revelation I received, and I genuinely want to make it into the future God has for me. I am sorry I’ve wasted so much time on the things I cannot change, I am sorry for taking for granted what you so freely provide for me every day. I am sorry for robbing the people in my life because of the “look back mentality.” Holy Spirit, help me to forget the pain associated with the past and as I visit my past from now on let it be for only moments of its lessons and remembering how you brought me out of bondage. I am extremely grateful for my future which is found in you and I believe you keep moulding, shaping, directing and leading me to that promised future. Thank you. Amen

Stay blessed always!

“I DON’T OWN THE RIGHT TO THE IMAGE ATTACHED”

When There’s No Rescue In Sight…

 

Some days (weeks, months, seasons, years) I feel hard-pressed. Like life has me between a mortar and pestle and is pounding me into fine dust. I know you can relate. You sweat and groan and weep and rage and cannot find relief. The intense pressure doesn’t stop. You plead for rescue, yet the vise of life’s challenges squeezes tighter and tighter until you think you might scream, and sometimes you do.

“For when we came into Macedonia, this body of ours had no rest, but we were harassed at every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within” (2 Corinthians 7:5).

The New King James translation of this verse uses the painfully descriptive phrase “hard pressed” to describe Paul’s trials. “We were hard pressed on every side.” The origin of this phrase comes from the practice of squeezing a fruit or vegetable (grapes, olives) to extract its juice.

“Why doesn’t God rescue me?” you cry, and the question echoes back. “Why?”

I’d like to share some reasons why God sometimes chooses not to rescue us. 

• We don’t believe He can.

God  works  in response to faith. Hebrews 11:6 tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please him. For God to answer our prayers, we “must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him” (Hebrews 11:6). Our lack of faith can be a huge hindrance, not because God can’t overrule our faithlessness, but because he won’t. He never forces faith on anyone. Thankfully, all it takes is the faith of a mustard seed to invite God to work in our lives. It’s not how much faith we have, but in whom our faith rests that matters.

• We have sin in our lives.

We cannot willfully choose to disobey God and simultaneously expect him to bless us. As human parents, we withhold blessings from our children when they rebel against us. God often does the same. More important than health, wealth, and happiness is whether we have a right relationship with God. He’ll often use difficult circumstances to help us realize how much we need him.

• We need to learn to trust Him. 

Our faith begins small and increases with every challenge. Like a muscle, our confidence in God’s power grows stronger the more we exercise it. Trials, heartbreaks, and circumstances beyond our control force us to turn to our all-powerful God. Every time we acknowledge our weakness and see Him act on our behalves, our faith grows. Before long, we have a long list of answered prayers that makes it easier and easier to trust Him.

• He knows that a rescue wouldn’t be best.

So often we just want OUT of a difficult situation. We’re not interested in what’s best in the long term, we want relief now. I remember when my nephew went through circumcision. Every now and then an ointment is applied to ensure the healing of the wound. He’d be in such excruciating pain even for a little baby. I’m sure if you asked him during this painful time if he wanted no application of the ointment, he would have said, “YES!”

My mum knew, however, that while not applying any ointment would have ended his temporary suffering, it would have interfered with his long-term health. The same is true of many of our trials. The apostle Paul knew this when he wrote, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).

• There’s a lesson we need to learn or a character quality we need to develop through this situation. 

When I lost my dad, I learnt that God is my father. When I lost my job I learnt that God is my provider. When I cared for my niece and nephew in the absence of my mum and sister, I learned patience, kindness, and unselfishness. When I worked with difficult coworkers, I learned to see them through Jesus’ eyes, not my own. Instead of asking Why? when we encounter difficulty, what if we asked What?, as in, What can I learn from this situation?

• God is building our faith story so we can one day share what we’ve learned with others.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reveals this purpose: “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ … who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” 

Because of the faith valleys I’ve walked, I can truly identify with and minister to those who have lost a loved one especially a parent, going through a hardship or brokenness, experienced unemployment, lack and rejection. Experiencing God’s faithfulness during these difficult times has enabled me to say with certainty to others, “God will help you.” It is well, this too shall pass…

• God is doing something amazing.

 You can’t see it right now, but He is working out his purpose in your situation. Nothing can thwart God’s good purposes for His children.

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

• God is developing His mind and heart in you.

 When circumstances press us hard into God’s Word and force us to seek him for wisdom, faith, grace, and strength, he begins to conform us to His image. We can’t spend large amounts of time in His presence without starting to think, act, and love like He does. One can certainly link the behavioral traits you exhibit to that of your earthly parents. How much more your father in Heaven?“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son…” (Romans 8:28-29).

God is teaching you that a close, personal, spiritual relationship with him is sweeter and more precious than a happy, healthy, trouble-free, physical life.

I experienced a trial years ago greater than anything I’d ever walked through before. With one phone call, I felt like everything precious to me had been stripped away. I awakened the next morning feeling like I had nothing left but God.

As I cried, and prayed, and cried some more, Jesus met me there. He wrapped his big tender arms of love around me and spoke words of hope into my troubled soul. He spoke words of truth into my reeling mind. He spoke words of love into my broken heart. And He spoke words of courage into my trampled faith.

My encounter with Him was so powerful and real that I will never again doubt His love, care, and purpose. “It was good for me to be afflicted,” King David wrote, “so that I might learn your ways,” and I agree. While I would never voluntarily choose to repeat those dark days, I know God used them to grow my love for Him in ways He never could have otherwise.

“… I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ” (Philippians 3:8).

God is Still Powerful, Just, and Good

There are many reasons God chooses not to rescue us from our trials. I’ve listed a few here to get you thinking. What comforts me in the darkness of suffering is the knowledge that God is just, God is powerful, and God is good.

I can rest in this, you can, too.

Stay blessed, always!

“I DON’T OWN THE RIGHTS TO THE ATTACHED IMAGE”

 

He Leadeth me…

When I can relate to a post I share; my heart is bare. Except for those things that are specifically commanded or forbidden, it is God’s will that we be free to exercise our own intelligent choice.

The shepherd will lead the sheep but he does not wish to decide which tuft of grass the sheep shall nibble each moment of the day. In almost everything touching our common life on earth God is pleased when we are pleased. He wills that we be as free as birds to soar and sing our Maker’s praise without anxiety.

God’s choice for us may not be one but any one of a score of possible choices. The man or woman who is wholly and joyously surrendered to Christ cannot make a wrong choice. Any choice will be the right one. But what about those rare times when a great deal is at stake, we can discover no clear scriptural instruction and yet are forced to choose between two possible courses?

In such a situation we have God’s faithful promise to guide us aright. Here, for instance, are two passages from the Word of the Lord:

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering (James 1:5,6).

Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go (Isaiah 48:17).

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalms 46:1 KJV

According to Strong’s Concordance the Hebrew word for “Refuge” is, ‘machaceh’ (H4268) which means, “Shelter from rain or storm”, it also means, “Shelter from danger”. God is your shelter. He is your safe place. God will guard you from danger seen and unseen. He is your Protector and He will keep you from the storms of life. 

Don’t let the wind and the waves distract you. Stay focused and let God’s Peace guide your heart. Let God’s Word lead your actions. Don’t be driven by your emotions.

Be lead by God’s Voice. Let God lead you through the storm. When the storms of life try to sink your ship, know that God is with you. He will not let you drown. He is your Refuge in times of trouble. He will keep you through the adversities of life. 

Take your problem to the Lord. Remind Him of these promises. Remember, God will not permit you to make a mistake, if you trust Him to lead the way.

Prayer:

Father, Lord Jesus, You are my refuge. You are my secret place. You are my Strength and comfort in the time of the storm. You are my Strong Tower. In You will I trust. Father, there is no weapon that is formed against me that will prosper — for You are with me and You are for me. 

Father I surrender myself to You. I cast my cares upon You for I know that you care for me. There is no storm that can defeat You. There is no weapon that can outrank You. There is no ploy or plot that can outmaneuver You. You are my Lord and I find safety and refuge in You. I will serve You alone.  

I dethrone every idol that I have exalted on the throne of my heart. No one can compete with You. No one compares to You. You are my Lord and I surrender to You forever. In Jesus Name. Amen. 

Stay blessed, Always!

“I DO NOT OWN THE RIGHT TO THE ATTACHED IMAGE”

“ANCHORED TO ETERNITY”

I recently stood over my grandma’s grave; as she was being lowered; in my black flats and matching dress, as my gaze caught that of my mum’s. Wondering to myself; could the same thoughts be running through her mind?

I know what it’s like to face an empty seat at the dinner table or dial a familiar number just to hear that voicemail greeting one more time. I know what it’s like to not “get over” death, but to get through it — solely by the strength, comfort, and power of the Holy Spirit.

The truth is: We’re all dying—but no one wants to talk about it. We’d rather focus on the next big game, the current admission, new job opportunities, upcoming vacation, or urgent thing on our to-do list. And I get it. I do it too. I get lost in my own little bubble and caught up on the hamster wheel, forgetting that my one and only life is fleeting.

That’s depressing, you might say. To constantly think about dying.

On one hand, we are called to live wide awake to whatever is right in front of us. To our people, to our communities, to God’s whispers. We have been put here, at this exact time in history, for a divine purpose.

But on the other hand, part of really living is understanding the frailty of life. To really live, we must grasp only having a minuscule amount of time to breathe air into our lungs and wear this beating heart. To really live, we must realize that life is a blink—and dare not to waste it.

In Psalm 90:12 NIV, Moses said, “Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” Another version says, “Teach us to recognize the brevity of life …”

But how can remembering that life is short give us wisdom? This eternal perspective nudges us to cling to what will last forever in a world that is fading away. It urges us to anchor ourselves to eternity, not circumstance, and maximize the days we’ve been given.

Life is not forever, but eternity is. 

God and people; people and God. The Creator of the universe desires to spend the rest of eternity with His treasured creations. That’s why we purposefuly invest in our relationship with our Savior. That’s why we intentionally shout the Good News of Jesus Christ to anyone who will listen. That’s why we don’t simply focus on the here and now, but keep our eyes fixed on the Kingdom of God.

Reflective Questions

1. At the end of your life, what will really matter? 

2. Are you investing in things of eternal value?

3. How can you shift your perspective from the things of this world to the things of God?

We can be anchored to eternity.

Stay Blessed, always!

I DON’T OWN THE RIGHT TO THE IMAGE ATTACHED TO THE POST. #JennJwell

ALL IS AT REST!

BLESSED ASSURANCE

The early hours of dawn always has this twist to it; reflective. I woke up with this hymn deeply rooted in my spirit. It happens to be one of my favorite, Fanny Crosby was absolutely one inspiring and endearing writer.

In a successful song words and music must harmonize, not only in number of syllables, but in subject matter and especially accent. In nine cases out of ten, the success of a hymn depends directly upon these qualities.

It is hard to imagine a better setting for the text, and certainly the tune and harmony do as much to carry the hymn as do the words. This is not meant as a criticism, but the text of “Blessed assurance,” dear as it is to millions of Christian hearts, is not the pinnacle of English poetry. Honestly, for the seed of hope it plants in every believer‘s heart; in the many hundred times that I have heard it sung.

Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
O what a foretaste of glory divine
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood

Perfect submission, all is at rest
I in my Savior am happy and blessed
Watching and waiting, looking above
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love

This is my story, this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long
This is my story, this is my song
Praising my Savior all the day long

Oh what a Savior, wonderful Jesus

Death could not hold You, You are victorious
Praise to the risen King
Death could not hold You, You are victorious
Praise to the risen King

Oh what a Savior, wonderful Jesus
Oh what a Savior

Wonderful Savior

Simply assuring right?

Basically our lack of assurance boils down to two issues: We don’t believe what God’s Word says, and we think we are the ones who must hold onto our salvation. Jesus said that no one can snatch His sheep out of His hand (John 10:27-29) He’s the one who holds us, and He’s promised that He will lose none of those whom the Father has given Him (John 6:39) If we begin to doubt for any reason, we must go back to Scripture and let the Lord assure us of His love and provision.

Until you walk a mile in someone else’s moccasins, you really can’t tell how you will respond in similar circumstances. While I pray it’s not how I would respond to facing a life of not being able to see the beauty around me, I’m afraid that I might just sit around feeling sorry for myself and let people help me — probably too much. Not Fanny Crosby!

Instead of feeling sorry for herself, she said, “It seemed intended by the blessed providence of God that I should be blind all my life, and I thank Him for the dispensation.” Such faith. The compensation of childlike earnestness which we dare not undervalue. I can only hope that I might respond to the dark moments I experience in my own life (when I can see clearly what God is doing) with such positive feelings.

Trust God. Know that He will comfort you and navigate your way. Don’t let fear rule your heart, know that God is with you and He is your rearguard.

Let God navigate your course. He is your Redeemer. He is with you and He is for you. He is your “Blessed Assurance”

Calmly rest — not in your reliance on shifting emotions as verification of your standing with God. Instead, perfectly submitting to Him, knowing that all is truly at rest.

Stay blessed!

“I DON’T OWN THE RIGHT TO THE ATTACHED IMAGE”

“Throne the World Promises”

The world system has made certain promises to you, that at some subconscious level you may be starting to believe, I’m here to remind you that it’s but a fleeting happiness, a passing conquest; a lie! 

My excitement died down quite swiftly when I perceived this article will end up unmasking my vulnerabilities; it’s definitely more personal than I would like… 

Have you ever cleaned out your garage or a closet and been shocked by what you found? An old leather jacket or class ring, a favorite toy from when you were a kid, or a piece of clothing that you saved up your own money to buy?

Things that were once your most treasured possessions have been reduced to something in a box that you probably never use or even think of. The promises of the world are like these things – they seem so awesome and life-giving when you first believe them and they may even make you happy for a little while, but eventually, they get worn out, irrelevant and you have no use for them! 

Instead, God’s Word points us to put our hope in something much longer lasting – promises that come directly from the Lord and are eternal.

2 Cor. 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Think and talk about a time when you have been or may be tempted to believe the world’s promises instead of God’s. I could name a few; money or more toys will make you happy, being on the winning team is what matters most, attend a particular school for self worth, bleach a little, a little filter for that comment “You are so beautiful”, instagram followers and likes for elite validation, lying will keep you out of trouble, follow five steps and become successful,  oh and the common among the youth; I want that dream house, car and ultimately get married by age twenty-five. Did that strike a nerve? Well it did for me.

We are all accustomed to promises. We are also accustomed to seeing them made and broken. Anyone who has lived for a number of years would certainly never lay claim to having kept every promise made. There are many reasons why this is true. Sometimes we forget, sometimes we are negligent, and sometimes it may be due to circumstances beyond our control.

A brokenhearted young lady will often ask, “But you promised to marry me?!!”. And the answer comes back: “Yes, but I changed my mind”. People do change their mind, and do break their promises.

What about the promises of God? How certain are they? 

Heb. 6:17 & 18 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us

The Apostle Paul, in writing about the promises of God to Abraham, addressed the church at Rome with these words:

“For the promise that he should be heir of the world, was not to Abraham or his seed through the Law, but through the righteousness of faith . . . therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed” (Romans 4:13, 16). God’s promise to Abraham was first spelled out in Genesis Chapter 12. It was repeated in Chapter 22. Verse 18 reads: “And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice“.

Now a promise is of no more value than is the ability of the one who makes it to carry through. It also includes willingness to do so. I’d know this for a fact based on the trajectory of my life. The unexpected loss of my dad truly opened up a portal for the world’s promises — Compromise a little Elinam; Take this short cut and still have the life and the existence your dad promised. The world is always there to pitch a promise! 

Then there were corporate dreams? Choosing to be Joe Mettle’s Personal assistant over other juicy career options and offers, all in the bid to attain the excellency of thr promises of God assure — Purpose. There is purpose in each and every one of God’s promises, and by extension peace! The world pitches to us a form of temporal pleasure and false fulfilment that has no bearing to the reason God put us here in the first place! It satisfies for a moment – then leaves us emptier than before and hooked on to it’s opioids! 

The contour of Jesus’ life, while living on earth, was shaped by his trust in the power of the promises of God. When Jesus said: “I am that bread of life“, John 6:48, “I am the light of the world“, John 8:12, “I am the resurrection and the life.” John 11:25, He did so fully realizing that He had been empowered with this right by the Father who had promised to raise Him from the grave. There were more than 500 brethren at one time who bore witness to the fulfillment of this promise according to I Corinthians 15:1-6.

You and I are not the Savior of the world, but we are meant to live and thrive in His service. Understanding our own scriptural “promises” is key to fully embodying our God given potential.

While we live in a sinful world that is fraught with conditional promises and relationships. Sometimes even those closest to us let us down. Despite this reality, our greatest need is to be loved unconditionally. We want to be loved with a perfect, sacrificial, forever kind of love in spite of our faults by someone who knows us intimately. Further, we want to be supported and inspired by that love to not only become better people, but to also leave lasting impressions on this earth.

God provides us with that as no one else can. That’s what theologians have meant over the years by saying that we have a God-shaped hole in our heart; there’s a space we were created with that only God can fill. And the love we were made to need is strong and unshakable. “For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). That love claims you by faith. Wherever you are feeling unloved today, drink it in.

Our world knows brokenness and sin, but God knows hope and restoration. One of my favorite verses in scripture is Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm

you, plans to give you hope and a future.'” God’s plan for your life includes hope and a prosperous future, or one in which you thrive. Psalm 103 lists many ways that God wants to bless you. The psalmist exclaims, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” God is invested in your well-being and working toward your renewal, wholeness, and healing daily.

In addition to blessing us, God has big dreams for our lives and beckons us to follow. Obedience often requires faith and risk, but God will delight in your dependence on him and always be there to support you.

You have special strength available to you through faith. The best resource that’s available to you is the power of Christ. If you are facing an uphill battle, repeat this verse to yourself frequently: “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). God will never call you to a place and leave you unattended. Be assured that the God who has numbered the hairs on your head is fighting for you. His favor will surround you like a shield (Psalm 5:12).

You have an insurmountable ally in our God — for if God is for you, who can be against you (Romans 8:31)? When you boldly claim this truth with expectation, you give God the space and invitation to show his glory.

So Just like an oak tree doesn’t start like a tree, it start as an acorn, you should see an acorn it looks nothing like the tree, your partner may not be where he/she is supposed to be, maybe your career is not where it is supposed to be, maybe your finances(salary) is not where it is supposed to be — but just because all that hasn’t reached the peak of success, does not mean you shouldn’t earnestly contend to reach the expected end as Jeremiah calls it (Jeremiah 29:11).  Trusting God that it is going to end right.

“It takes time to be excellent” You can’t be a winner overnight…there’s a process.

So God is saying I am with you, I will not leave you nor forsake you; it does not mean He is excusing you from the process. So you just lost that job and God is saying “I am with you as I was with Moses” you failed that exam He says “I am with you” His presence is in the normal days we think are irrelevant. His presence is with you yet He still has to train you to get rid of all the irrelevant things that doesn’t conform to the purpose(plan) He has for you, He still has to prune your heart and sensibilities “Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands” (Deutronomy 8:2) . Hence the wilderness is supposed to toughen you up for the coming Glory.

Where am I getting with this? Excellence is not always harder, it just sometimes takes longer. Excellence is a way of thinking, being and doing life that is mindful of what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, how it needs to be done and even why it needs to be done.

Whatever is worth doing is worth doing right and through a process. “Right doesn’t go to wrong, wrong comes to Right”

And He said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest.“(Exodus 33:14)

His Presence is in the Process.

Could you imagine better “promises” for your life? This is who the Bible says you are. My prayer is that our lives are a continual celebration of these promises.

Play “Spot the Lie” as you drive around this week, focusing specifically on the world’s promises vs. God’s promises. Whether it’s billboards, talking about movies or shows you’ve watched, or thinking about each of your destinations, where do you see the world trying to convince you that you should put your hope in temporary promises? What truth from God can you use to combat those lies?

Believe that excellence takes time while you wait on the fruition of God’s promises concerning your life.

Stay blessed!

Featured on http://teleiosonline.com/resources/throne-the-world-promises/

All there is…

Destiny is a point in our life’s journey where the reason we were born finally takes shape. Our eyes are opened to our potential, and our ears are tuned in to the whisper of our purpose.

“Naomi said, ‘Look, your sister-in-law has returned to her people and her gods. Return with her!’ But Ruth said, ‘Do not urge me to leave you or to turn back from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you stay, I will stay. Your people shall be my people and your God my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD do thus to me, and worse, if anything but death separates you and me!’” (Ruth 1:15-17)

I believe with every fiber of my being that God has ordered and predetermined our paths according to His loving-kindness.

Destiny thrives when our wills align with what God has already established and ordained. Ruth demonstrated this powerful shift when she stated that she would not return to her people, but she would travel on with Naomi to another culture and people, no matter the outcome. She knew that God was calling her higher, and she answered with a steady, “I will go” (Ruth 1:16).

Even in extreme hardship the Lord is calling us to make sound decisions, and often decisions in seasons like this are destiny shapers. The next decision you make can lead you on a lengthy detour, or it could lead you on the fast track to reap your God-ordained harvest.

Burdened with great grief at the loss of both her husband and two sons, Naomi’s opportunities in a foreign land were greatly limited. At that time in Middle Eastern culture, an aging, poor widow had limited options for survival with no family around to support her. She had to think fast about her survival. She was not willing to sit in Moab, have a pity party, and waste away. With whatever strength she could muster, she returned to the land of promise and provision. 

If we are going to fulfill our destinies, we must strengthen our inner man in Him. We must rely on the Holy Spirit to defeat any opposition, whether external, such as limiting beliefs put on us by friends and family, or internal, such as our own fears, insecurities, and inferiorities. We must build ourselves up on the foundation of our most holy faith (Jude 20).

We cannot allow the enemy to defeat our inner sense of destiny. We must conquer and press into our destinies.

“But though we speak in this manner, we are persuaded of better things for you, things that accompany salvation, for God is not unjust so as to forget your work and labor of love that you have shown for His name, in that you have ministered to the saints and continue ministering. We desire that every one of you show the same diligence for the full assurance of hope to the end, so that you may not be lazy, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.” (Hebrews 6:9-12)

What if Ruth had given in to her grief? What if, when she got to Bethlehem, she stayed home with Naomi? What if she allowed depression to lead to laziness and procrastination? Sometimes when we nurse our trauma and broken places too long and do not get ministry and deliverance, we end up manifesting things that sabotage our success. Diligence is the precious possession of a wise person; a diligent woman is one who “recognizes opportunities and seizes them” (Prov. 12:27). You cannot just see something out in the distance that may be possible. You have to be willing to get up and go see about it.

Women with the Ruth anointing are diligent, faithful, patient, and hardworking, looking to the promises of God set before them. No matter what is happening in their lives, they do not shut down; they get to work. They do not give in to a lazy and slothful spirit. They know what to do to keep themselves full of hope and assurance.

Diligence stretches the limits of your faithfulness to God. When God sees your diligence in the small things, He will surely make you ruler of much, just as He did for Ruth.

“I DON’T OWN THE RIGHT TO ANY OF THE IMAGES ABOVE”

Happy blessed birthday Elinam, with all there is, you are just becoming… RUTH. Magnify the Lord with me. Extremely grateful.

Stay blessed always!

STAY FOCUSED ON YOUR PATH

“…let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith…For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.” – (Hebrews 12:1-3)

Recently a friend wanted to know what informed my stance regarding a critical decision I made concerning a job offer — I answered him by saying God was ordering my steps since I had heard from God before taking that decision.

He smirked and remarked that I had so much potential and I was wasting them away in the name of destiny when I could be earning more if I took another alternative — Disobedience. For a moment I was discouraged, wondering whether I was on the right path. Am I doing the right thing. If I truly heard from God. But I strengthened myself in the Lord and decided to persist and walk in obedience.

For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance (Romans 11:29)

This does not refer to man, but To God. It does not mean that God confers his favors on man without His exercising repentance, but that God does not repent, or change, in His purposes of bestowing His gifts on man. We have received diverse gifts by the grace of God.

However, in as much as people may be doing similar things as you, be it singing, preaching, writing, pastoring, schooling, marriage, parenting and in my case career and ministry wise. I realize that we are not on the same level. We all have different destinies, with different prescriptions as to how they are to come to fruition. Bishop Dag Heward-Mills shared an experience about how a friend of his from his early days of ministry didn’t believe in evangelism especially the ones He did in the rural areas… Can you imagine what would have happened if he withdrew because of that? Countless souls have received the gift of salvation from his obedience and persistence.

Do not do things just because others are doing them — I personally don’t. When I relate with friends, church members who have my level of commitment and dedication, they sharpen me and I also sharpen them. Relating with people who do not care about the things of God as much as you do will make you wonder if you are normal. Avoid the distractions that come from people who have not heard from God the way you have, and who are not as committed as you are.

Learn also to avoid the distraction of unproductive arguments and quarrels.

“But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes” (2 Timothy 2:23).

I hate arguments and rarely have time to debate an issue. I love the Scripture that says you cannot do anything against the truth (2 Corinthians 13:8). This means that arguments, shouting and proving your point do not affect the truth of the matter.

The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment (Proverbs 12:19).

The truth will outlive every lie! Keep walking the path that has been inextricably carved out for you — Destiny.

Our author has promised us a great ending.

READ: 1 Kings 13:15-24

Stay blessed!

“I don’t own the right to any of the images”

MOVE FORWARD WITH INTEGRITY

Did I tell you I have integrity and excellence slated out as my resolution for this year? Well, I think I just did. Let’s see the definition of Integrity; the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles — honorable. Joseph is our sure reference.

The key to Joseph’s turnaround in life is something we can easily overlook, which is the fact that he continued to do what was right whenever he was being wronged.

Joseph was simply a man of integrity. His life is proof of the truth that — If you will trust God in the pit and in the prison, God will bring you into the palace. He will bless and favor you.

Have you been there before? How many times have you wanted to give back a “wrong for a wrong” response? I have been — okay confession — countless times.

“The Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.” (Exodus 14:14 KJV)

Continuously renew your mind to let go while God plays defense attorney on your behalf. And guess what we’ve been assured of peace. The one true peace that surpasses all human understanding. Jesus — Peace.

Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. (Psalm 105:19 KJV)

These very words were spoken with reference to Joseph, during the period of his imprisonment. For the understanding of them I think we must observe that there is a contrast drawn between two ‘words,’ ‘his’ (i.e. Joseph’s) and God’s. If we lay firm hold of that clue, I think it will lead us into clear daylight.

Look what happened when Joseph chose to move forward with integrity,
God rewarded him.

40 Thou shalt be over my house, and according unto thy word shall all my people be ruled: only in the throne will I be greater than thou.

41 And Pharaoh said unto Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.

42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;

43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had; and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:40-43 KJV)

You may not be able to see it now, but the same God who did these things for Joseph will do them for you. He will restore the things taken from you.

May the gatekeeper of wisdom redeem your life from the pit and crown you with love and compassion. Amen

Win from the inside with integrity.

 

“I don’t own the right to any of the images”

“REBUKE THAT HURTS YET SO GOOD”

Our walk with Christ is one full of “Choices” and honestly one of the great wonders of the Christian life is that we never have to end on a bad note. There’s always a choice to choose the right path. God always gives us something good to say. He gave us a Book filled with His own words of hope, even when we need to identify, expose, and lance sin with words of love and truth.

Okay… So when was the last time someone sat you down to tell you that you were wrong?

Rebuke doesn’t always feel nice, especially when it is not done right. Personally, these have been some of the most memorable and important conversations in my life, the conversations when someone I loved — father, mother, mentor, pastor, roommate, friend,— had the compassion and courage to tell me when I was out of line. However I felt in those difficult (and often painful) moments, I now treasure those memories (For instance I can now leave home well dressed and covered because my parents especially my mum during our adolescent age put us in check)  — the kind confrontations, the caring corrections, the loving rebukes.

We all need a steady diet of parental and friendly course correction, because our hearts — even our new hearts in Christ — are still susceptible to sin (Hebrews 3:13; Jeremiah 17:9). Do you value the hard conversations that keep you from making more mistakes, and guard you against slowly wandering away from Jesus?

We often under-appreciate rebuke — in our own lives, the departments we join in church even in our churches — obviously because we have such small understanding of what rebuke really is. If we are truly going to speak the hard truth in love — or appreciate when others say the hard thing to us — we need a bigger, fuller picture of what this kind of love looks like in relationships.

Reprove, Rebuke, Exhort — As the apostle Paul closes his second letter to his son in the faith, Timothy, he says, “Reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching” (2 Timothy 4:2).

Meaning you can’t go rebuking that sister or brother with a harsh tone expecting a good outcome. Paul in his bid as Timothy’s mentor — He warns Timothy that people will turn away from faithful preaching, preferring instead to listen to messages that conform to their desires and make them feel good about themselves. They will gladly trade away truths for myths, as long as the myths make much of ‘me’ — and downplay their sin and need for help and change.

Do you love the people in your life enough to “reprove, rebuke, and exhort,” even when they don’t want to hear it? Reprove with Honesty. Why reprove, rebuke, and exhort? It may sound redundant and excessive at first, as if Paul was saying, “Rebuke, rebuke, by all means, rebuke!” The three words are related, but distinct, each highlighting a critical aspect of healthy, biblical correction.

The word Paul uses here for “reprove” appears several other times in his letters, and can mean simply to rebuke (Titus 1:13) or correct (Matthew 18:15). But in most or all of the uses, it means to reprove by exposing sin or fault. For instance, Paul writes, “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them” (Ephesians 5:11). Or, “As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear” (1 Timothy 5:20).

Similarly, the apostle John writes, “Everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed” (John 3:20). And then again, about the Holy Spirit, “When he comes, he will convict [or expose] the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8). Timothy, be ready to call out sin, not just when it’s convenient, but when it’s needed, and even when it’s socially uncomfortable or costly to do so.

To care for each other well, we need to ask God for the courage and faith to tell the truth about sin, and expose it as such, even when doing so might offend someone we love.

When Jesus rebuked someone or something, he demanded, in effect, on God’s authority, that it cease and desist. Winds quieted. Demons exorcised. Fevers dismissed. And sin forsaken. Jesus says, “Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him” (Luke 17:3). Timothy, after you have exposed sin for what it is — deceitful, empty, fatal, evil — summon your brother to stop, on the basis of God’s word and authority. Open the Bible, point to or quote a particular text, and call for repentance. And if he repents, extend forgiveness from that same Book and with that same authority.

If we are going to rebuke well, we must ask God to show us in His word what sin is, and what it is not. And having seen sin in one another, we must consistently and boldly — and graciously — speak up and charge one another to change, to turn, to cease from sin.

 

Welcome to the month of February!

Stay blessed, Always!

PS: I don’t own the rights to any of the images