WALK AS HE DID

Authentic Christianity

2013-05-06T02:25:00.002-07:00

Reference Scripture: Matthew 7:21-2

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’…”

Definitions:
Christian:
Merriam Webster: One who professes belief in the teachings of Jesus Christ
Authentic:
      Of undisputed origin; genuine: "authentic 14th-century furniture"
      Made or done in the traditional or original way: "authentic Italian meals"
Synonyms: genuine - true - real - veritable - original

The concept of Christianity is one that has become seemingly confusing in the recent past. So many people find it difficult to substantiate what it really means to be a Christian. It is not uncommon to note that all over the world people have adopted their own notions of what they really claim to be true Christian living. Such notions arouse so many questions among unbelievers, making it rather difficult for them to come to terms with what is expected of them in the event that they choose to follow the way that is presented to them from different quarters.

Such questions may include:
i. If indeed Christianity is about one person, how come we have so many denominations all over the world, all having different belief systems?
ii. Why do we have so many scandals rocking the Church, yet if anything, that is expected to be the place of perfection?
iii. Why is it that those people we expect to show us the direction are the same people who mislead us, in fact, we seem to know more than them?
iv. Why do good things happen to bad people?

These are some of the myriads of other questions that any unbeliever will have regarding Christianity. In my honest opinion, even though some of these questions may not have direct answers, it is also important for us to note that, to some extent, The Salt has lost its saltiness. We have so many Christians out there who do not real themselves with things as they are on the ground regarding Christianity.

Indicators of an authentic Christian
1.      Believes in the person and teachings of Jesus Christ
Living as Christ did and believing in His Word
John 3:16, John 1:1, 1John 2:6

2.      Must live a life of total surrender to Jesus Christ (Humility is essential)
Acts 9 (Saul’s conversion), John 13 (Jesus washes disciples feet),
a.       Must be able to come to a point of admitting his inability and acknowledge his sufficiency in Christ alone as guided by the Holy Spirit
b.      We are out to please God, and no other people or ourselves. He is more interested in the state of our heart than our outward appearance

3.      Must love other Christians as well as potential Christians
We are constantly reminded in scripture to have the attitude of Christ
Love is the foundation of every single thing that was portrayed in Christ’s attitude towards us
God Himself is love, and it is thus expected of us to show love to others.
We will never get the opportunity to win souls to Christ and keep them in Christ, if we are not able to portray the love that we claim to have.

4.      Should be a regular reader of God’s word
Deuteronomy 8:3
“So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.
Many Christians live malnourished Christian lives because they haven’t come to the realization that the Word is a significant facet of their Christian wellbeing
Note that it is possible to survive if you are not eating healthy, and this is a guaranteed risk factor to your health and general wellbeing
The bible to some is just but a book to be opened by the preacher on Sunday, after which it is closed, awaiting the next Sunday

Why study the Word?
1.      It is life (Eternal life) (John 6:63, 68-69)
2.      It helps us build our faith in God and express our genuine belief in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:6, Romans 10:11,14,17)
3.      It makes us wise (Psalms 19:7, 2Timothy 3:15)
4.      It brings about spiritual growth (1 Peter 2:2)
5.      It shapes us to adeptly fit in God’s purpose (2 Timothy 3:16-17)
In essence, God’s word is our standard of life as Christians.

5.      Must be willing to share in the suffering of Christ and own the cost of being a disciple
1 Peter 4:16, Hebrews 12:1-4, Luke 14:25-35
The reason why we lose so many Christians is because in our quest to win souls we pamper them with a promise of beds of roses in the event that they get saved
It is a high time we came to a point of getting real with the situation and made it plain to God’s people that Christianity is not just about this life, but more of the glorious life which is to come
One who calls himself a Christian should be willing to undergo persecution, and tribulation… having the assurance that it is well with their soul

6.      Christians also ought to be prayerful and have faith
James 5:16b
Prayer is the only known weapon that a Christian may have

Sunday 5th May 2013, King Jesus Faith Church, Mayanja

Dining at The Lord's Table

2012-10-25T12:25:00.002-07:00

Reference Scripture: Deuteronomy 8:3

“So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord.

God’s word

Word – that by which we communicate our will; by which we convey our thoughts; or by which we issue commands i.e. the medium of communication with others.

1. The ultimate source of knowledge

2. It is a seed, hence it is alive (Luke 8:11)

3. It is Jesus Himself

The divine word of God; the second person in the Trinity (incarnate in Jesus)

(John 1:1-3,14, 6:33,35,38,51)

Why study the Word?

1. It is life (Eternal life) (John 6:63, 68-69)

2. It helps us build our faith in God and express our genuine belief in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:6, Romans 10:11,14,17)

3. It makes us wise (Psalms 19:7, 2Timothy 3:15)

4. It brings about spiritual growth (1 Peter 2:2)

5. It shapes us to adeptly fit in God’s purpose (2 Timothy 3:16-17)

In essence, God’s word is our standard of life as Christians.

How to effectively study God’s Word

1. This begins with the understanding that God’s Word conveys His will for us. It therefore necessitates us to seek out His mind whenever we study the Word. We need to read the word expectantly, meaning that we understand that it is God’s word specifically tailored for us. (Proverbs 25:2)

2. We ought to understand that the Bible is understandable

3. We should develop proper attitudes when studying the word i.e. a humble and teachable heart. Understanding that those who express hunger and thirst; will be filled. Stay hungry stay foolish. (Matt 5:6)

4. We also need to develop an open mind and seek to challenge what we already know (Acts 17:11 –Bereans, Matthew 13:14-15, 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11)

5. We need to be consistent, patient and persistent in the study of the word. This calls for discipline 2 Timothy 2:15

6. We should always remember to pray as we study the word. Our study is meant to be conversational. In such a case we have the assurance of God’s express will.

RED WITH NO CARS DOESN’T MEAN IT’S OKAY TO CROSS

2011-09-25T04:28:00.001-07:00

I know of a place where you will be looked at as a strange individual if you stuck to the traffic rules.

Now, I have known of traffic lights ever since I was very young. It is also quite appreciable that it was a number of years later that I came to see the actual street lights. This really helped me a great deal since I realized what I was taught in primary school was not the actual case on the ground.

At least, what I learnt from my primary school is that one was supposed to look right, look left, look right again, and if the road is clear, you are free to cross the road. It was a rude shock when I realized that that is not always the case especially if you consider how things were actually done, more particularly during rush hours. People will actually cross the road at any convenient opportunity that presents itself. That is whenever the cars are moving slow enough to allow you to cross without much ado.

Just a simple example, suppose you wish to cross the road and it is very clear. I mean, there is no traffic at all, only that the traffic lights indicate that you are not supposed to cross. What will you do? Food for thought…

Anyway, we are not talking about those cars and lights we are used to but those that we are usually too busy to think about. An analogy of this can be made with regard to the lives of Christians. We have the commands of God expressed in His word which dictate how we should live our lives. These can be compared to the street lights which direct the drivers and pedestrians when using the road. One very clear thing that I believe you will agree with is that both the driver and pedestrian can move very smoothly without necessarily looking at one another but focusing on the lights.

In a similar fashion, it is very possible for us to enjoy our lives to the fullest when we focus upon God and his will and not what is happening around us. The problem with humans, however is that there are times when we are so preoccupied by circumstances that we forget to focus at the master. This in turn leads to a great level of compromise among Christians due to situational ethics. We tend to do things out of convenience even when God has not given us the okay.

One important thing we should understand is that traffic lights are meant to guide us and we should always wait for the right time to cross the road whether or not there are cars. In a similar way, we should live according to God’s word, whether or not certain situations engulf us. It is important that we listen to His voice because He always has the best answer at any given time. The bible tells me in Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 that “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

It is my urge therefore that we seek God’s will no matter what. If God says no at a given time He has simply said NO and He does not plan to change.

Numbers 23:19

“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?”

Take the example of these three young men in Daniel 3:16-18 “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” (KJV)

They knew that bowing to other gods was not an option for them, and even if God did not deliver them, it only meant that it was not His will. As Christians we are also not expected to justify our actions when we clearly know that we are on the wrong.

Instead, let us move on obeying all traffic rules, not only the traffic lights, for instance, Proverbs 4: 27 tells us:

“Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil”

LET MUM DO THE COOKING

2011-03-26T21:18:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday I attended a church service with a friend who suggested we sit at the backyard seats. I immediately objected the idea saying that at the back I could not see clearly what was happening in front. At that, my friend grinned and said, ‘one thing I like about you is that though you don’t see, you are very good at listening, congrats’. In short, he had every reason for me to sit at the back and still enjoy the service. Consequently, the service itself summed up whatever God had intended to reveal to me on that day.

Now, I began thinking about the way God has always expected us to live. From the general overview of the Bible, God’s ways are not our ways. That is why He tells us to trust Him with all our hearts and not to lean on our own understanding. He knows that through human wisdom (the wisdom of the world) one may not understand His working.

In essence, what God requires from us is simply what is known as blind obedience.

Isaiah 42:19

Who is blind, but my servant? or deaf, as my messenger that I sent? who is blind as he that is perfect, and blind as the LORD'S servant?

(KJV)

God can only use us if we are willing to follow Him without asking questions. It takes trust for one to follow a voice without actually seeing the direction where one is heading. This is indeed a sure way of us proving our faith in God. Abraham’s righteousness was accredited to the great faith he had in God. At times we are faced with situations in which there is clearly no way. The problem with us is that we are in most cases limited to the solutions that are present in this world, which in one way or another have proved to be very meager. We forget that we have an ever present help in times of trouble

Ps 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. (KJV)

Thanks to one man’s quote, faith is when there is no other option. It has become apparent that for most Christians at the times when there seem to be no options is when they give up when that is actually the time when our faith should be seen, if anything.

About doing things our own way, yes God has put several wonderful gifts at our disposal (These range from the opportunities he presents before us to several other things in our lives). We however forget that He is the one who knows how better to use them. Surrendering to God’s will has always been one great mountain that has seemed difficult to climb. People want to do things the way they deem fit. They forget one key element of scripture.

Pr 14:12, 16:25 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

(KJV)

We know that God, as our father, assumes a parental role in our lives. Take the example of a mother, who is also a parent. No mother will wish that anything bad happens to her child, instead, she will always ensure the child gets what he or she needs and not necessarily what he or she wants. Whatever the child wants may seem good to his or her eyes but it is the mother who understands better what suits the child. A friend of mine was giving an analogy of a mother and her child in the kitchen. Of course the mother turns out to be the better cook in this case. Though the child has access to the ingredients, if he is allowed to take over the cooking, you can imagine how pathetic it can be. For example, because sugar is sweet, the child may be convinced that adding sugar to vegetables may make them tastier. The best way therefore of the child being involved in the cooking is to give (surrender) to the mother everything so that she may prepare the best meal for her.

That is a proper reflection of what is happening on the ground. The devil may make us to notice some things that seem good in our eyes. If we do not ignore our understanding and surrender everything to God, all we have to do is nothing other than to prepare for disaster.

What we have can only yield much fruit if we surrender it to God. Take the small boy in John 6:9 for example. If he had not given out his two fish and five loaves of bread, they wouldn’t have amounted to much. In fact one of Jesus’ disciples could not see the sense in feeding the multitude with this. He says, “There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?”

Trusting God is what will keep us going. The song ‘God will make a way’, by Don Moen has been a great inspiration to me. Just imagine walking, not necessarily seeing, but listening to a voice that directs you, trusting it, knowing that you are destined for a great future. Don’t we all wish to be like so? Trust God

Isaiah 45:2 I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron:

(KJV)

BEING THE GATEKEEPER

2011-03-08T01:48:00.000-08:00

How many of us have ever sat down and just tried to imagine if there would be any fun in being a gatekeeper? What has always been the case is just but its association with the general stereotype of a rather ho-hum, lower-class job with not much as to call fun or anything close to it. However, it is a high time we realized that this could be the very best occupation in the spiritual realm, given its many promises and general evidence of it in the Bible.

I would just like us to change our perspective a little on the same for the sake of understanding what I am about to talk about. First of all, a gatekeeper is defined as ‘someone who guards an entrance’, in other words, he keeps watch. Another definition could be ‘one who controls access to something’. I would however like to coin my own definition, which is ‘one who keeps at the gate’, in essence, this is an individual who is more likely to be found at the gate than anywhere else.

Initially, I did not understand what David meant in Psalms 84:10 “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.” (KJV)

This was not until I understood what it really means to be a gatekeeper (more or less a doorkeeper).

The first thing we have to understand about a gatekeeper is that he will always be found at the gate or entrance of a place at any given time. In addition, from the second definition, it is worth noting that a gatekeeper will always control the access to something.

One thing I have learnt from gatekeepers is that chances are high that they will always know when someone is around or not. This is based on the fact that they have had enough experience seeing people entering and leaving the gate. It is also worth noting that consequently they will always be in a position to distinguish new faces from old ones and you can’t beat them in this.

Now, coming to the spiritual realm, we are told in Matthew 24:42 “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” this is reiterated in Matthew 25:13 “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh” and Matthew 26:41 “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak”.

These are just but some instances in the Bible where the word watch has been used. As Christians we should be pretty aware that we have always been in constant battle with our permanent enemy, the devil. When we watch however, it is two way, we watch for the advances of the enemy from the outside while at the same time watching that we do the will of God our father. We are to wait upon the Lord to see Him doing his work in our lives.

Two perfect examples in the book of Genesis actually inspired me into writing this article. We actually risk missing out on God’s blessings if we do not keep watch.

Genesis 18:1

Abraham was actually sitting at the door of his tent when the Lord appeared to him. It was in this very setting that he was given the great promise of having a son who would make him a father of many nations.

The question to ask is, if Abraham had not sat at the door of his tent, would he have seen the Lord?

Genesis 19:1

Lot was sitting at the gate of Sodom when the two angels of the Lord appeared to him.

Here we ask ourselves, how many people do pass through the gate of a city in a day? What made Lot know that these were not ordinary people? How long did it take him to figure this out?

The answers to these questions are very simple, Abraham would not even have had an idea that the Lord was passing.

So many people are expected to go through the gate. It only takes one who has stayed long enough to be accustomed to the people who go through the gate to identify new faces from the usual ones, and Lot did exactly that.

There is so much to talk about but let us make it as simple as this:

Let us keep watch through prayer and fasting at all times. It is best for us to pray:

ü When we feel like praying

ü When we don’t feel like praying

ü Every other given time

In doing this we should bear in mind that in watching we have to be alert.

1Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

(KJV)

This will surely keep us in check!

This will change your view of life:

2011-03-03T11:51:00.001-08:00

THE WOODCUTTER'S WISDOM -by Max Lucado

Once there was an old man who lived in a tiny village. Although poor, he was envied by all, for he owned a beautiful white horse. Even the king coveted his treasure. A horse like this had never been seen before—such was its splendor, its majesty, its strength.
People offered fabulous prices for the steed, but the old man always refused. “This horse is not a horse to me,” he would tell them. “It is a person. How could you sell a person? He is a friend, not a possession. How could you sell a friend?” The man was poor and the temptation was great. But he never sold the horse.
One morning he found that the horse was not in the stable. All the village came to see him. “You old fool,” they scoffed, “we told you that someone would steal your horse. We warned you that you would be robbed. You are so poor. How could you ever hope to protect such a valuable animal? It would have been better to have sold him. You could have gotten whatever price you wanted. No amount would have been too high. Now the horse is gone, and you’ve been cursed with misfortune.”
The old man responded, “Don’t speak too quickly. Say only that the horse is not in the stable. That is all we know; the rest is judgment. If I’ve been cursed or not, how can you know? How can you judge?”
The people contested, “Don’t make us out to be fools! We may not be philosophers, but great philosophy is not needed. The simple fact that your horse is gone is a curse.”
The old man spoke again. “All I know is that the stable is empty, and the horse is gone. The rest I don’t know. Whether it be a curse or a blessing, I can’t say. All we can see is a fragment. Who can say what will come next?”
The people of the village laughed. They thought that the man was crazy. They had always thought he was a fool; if he wasn’t, he would have sold the horse and lived off the money. But instead, he was a poor woodcutter, an old man still cutting firewood and dragging it out of the forest and selling it. He lived hand to mouth in the misery of poverty. Now he had proven that he was, indeed, a fool.
After fifteen days, the horse returned. He hadn’t been stolen; he had run away into the forest. Not only had he returned, he had brought a dozen wild horses with him. Once again the village people gathered around the woodcutter and spoke. “Old man, you were right and we were wrong. What we thought was a curse was a blessing. Please forgive us.”
The man responded, “Once again, you go too far. Say only that the horse is back. State only that a dozen horses returned with him, but don’t judge. How do you know if this is a blessing or not? You see only a fragment. Unless you know the whole story, how can you judge? You read only one page of a book. Can you judge the whole book? You read only one word of a phrase. Can you understand the entire phrase?
“Life is so vast, yet you judge all of life with one page or one word. All you have is a fragment! Don’t say that this is a blessing. No one knows. I am content with what I know. I am not perturbed by what I don’t.”
“Maybe the old man is right,” they said to one another. So they said little. But down deep, they knew he was wrong. They knew it was a blessing. Twelve wild horses had returned with one horse. With a little bit of work, the animals could be broken and trained and sold for much money.
The old man had a son, an only son. The young man began to break the wild horses. After a few days, he fell from one of the horses and broke both legs. Once again the villagers gathered around the old man and cast their judgments.
“You were right,” they said. “You proved you were right. The dozen horses were not a blessing. They were a curse. Your only son has broken his legs, and now in your old age you have no one to help you. Now you are poorer than ever.”
The old man spoke again. “You people are obsessed with judging. Don’t go so far. Say only that my son broke his legs. Who knows if it is a blessing or a curse? No one knows. We only have a fragment. Life comes in fragments.”
It so happened that a few weeks later the country engaged in war against a neighboring country. All the young men of the village were required to join the army. Only the son of the old man was excluded, because he was injured. Once again the people gathered around the old man, crying and screaming because their sons had been taken. There was little chance that they would return. The enemy was strong, and the war would be a losing struggle. They would never see their sons again.
“You were right, old man,” they wept. “God knows you were right. This proves it. Your son’s accident was a blessing. His legs may be broken, but at least he is with you. Our sons are gone forever.”
The old man spoke again. “It is impossible to talk with you. You always draw conclusions. No one knows. Say only this: Your sons had to go to war, and mine did not. No one knows if it is a blessing or a curse. No one is wise enough to know. Only God knows.”
The old man was right. We only have a fragment. Life’s mishaps and horrors are only a page out of a grand book. We must be slow about drawing conclusions. We must reserve judgment on life’s storms until we know the whole story.
I don’t know where the woodcutter learned his patience. Perhaps from another woodcutter in Galilee. For it was the Carpenter who said it best:
“Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (Mt. 6:34)
He should know. He is the Author of our story. And he has already written the final chapter

Want Some filleted fish?

2011-02-26T02:49:00.001-08:00

This week I was inspired by a story I learnt from a man I was working with during my internship. The man, known as Mr. Barasa was generally narrating to me the story of his life and one bit of it captured my attention. He says soon after being employed in the year 1991 he had a dream which changed the rest of his life.

In his dream, he was confronted by two men who offered him fish and insisted that he devours it wholesomely, including the bones and spikes or else he would face the wrath of the machetes they were brandishing. He tried explaining to them that eating the fish was no problem but he couldn’t understand why and how they expected him to eat the bones. They could hear none of this and hence he resorted to use the slightest opportunity to escape. The men confronted him and in fact one of the men ran so fast that in no time he was ahead of him. He therefore remained so helpless and all he could do was to lie down and ask for help. Sure enough, a voice answered him and asked him whether he had tried Jesus. Soon after this discovery, much was revealed to him during that has changed his life to this day.

What am I saying in many words? The world has so much to offer to us. The problem with us is that we don’t realize that we are given both the meat and bones to eat and unless we are properly guided we may end up causing disaster to ourselves. Jesus came into the world that we may not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). This is by giving us divine wisdom if we believe in him. Through this wisdom we are enabled to know the truth which sets us free from the snares the enemy has put in our way in this world.

(John 8:32-36) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free? Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (KJV)

Trust me; if you devote yourself to Him you will eat filleted fish. The very reason as to why we are not to be conformed to the patterns of this world but be transformed by the renewal of our minds. The world may offer much but we may not know what is important for us.

(Romans 12:2) And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (KJV)

What is your bearing?

2011-02-17T08:51:00.000-08:00

A story I heard a few months ago made me to recall my high school days when I used to study geography. Particularly of importance was map work where you could be given a topographical map which you were supposed to study and answer a few questions. One of the most frequently asked questions was on bearing. As such you were expected to determine the bearing of a given point on the map from another. Before embarking on this task, it was important for an individual to consider a few issues, a major one being what is known as the magnetic declination.

It would be important for us to firs understand what magnetic declination is. There actually exist two north poles that is the true north and the magnetic north. As is expected, the two poles are not always together as the magnetic pole keeps fluctuating. However, there are times when both are together. On the maps there was always an indication of the magnetic declination which would enable one to determine the probable position of the magnetic north before determining the bearing of a given place from another, depending on the number of years from the time of designing of the map.

That aside, I believe you are eager to get the story that made me to delve into this avenue of thought. And here it is…

One day a small devil (maybe we could call him a devilet) approaches his father, the big devil concerning a failed mission. So he immediately launches his complain, “Dad, I think this time you gave me much than I can chew, I mean, this guy is too difficult, I have tried my best but I can’t fully lure him into our kingdom.” The big devil looks at the deviled and smiles (if there is any such facial expression on his face) and pats him on the shoulder, “It is okay son, you are doing the right thing. All we have to do is to let him on a crossroad. In this case, by the time he realizes he is on the wrong road, it will be too late for him to go back to the right track.”

It is in this way that many of us have fallen prey to the devil’s antics. It is important to realize that however small an angle is, the deviation may be too much depending on the distance from the point at which the angle is measured. In the same way, there are some things that we look down upon as Christians, not knowing that they have dire consequences to our spiritual lives and our relationship with our creator. This is what I strongly define in one word as COMPROMISE.

By doing this, we are not any different from those that have been described in Psalms 73. Perhas those wicked people assume they are on the right track. However, verse 18 we are told that they have been put on sliding ground.

There is only one way though in which we can understand this,

Psalms 73:17

Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.

Let us therefore long to enter the sanctuary of God. Putting in mind that the magnetic declination changes with time. Let us focus on the ‘true north’. This is none other than the truth of God, which sets us free!

Servant of God

2011-01-18T08:26:00.000-08:00

Do you really understand what it means to be a servant of God?
Isaiah 49 gives a perfect definition. It however also explains the fact that most of us don’t understand our true identity and many a times we question ourselves about the same. We are so much preoccupied with thoughts that are the exact opposite of what we really are. Despite the assurance of what we know the bible says about us we find ourselves thinking in the same line as this:

But I said, “I have laboured to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. Yet what is due for me is in the Lord’s hand, and my reward is with my God.”

Never at any given time should we doubt God if we are really his servants. This is very clear in James 1:6-8

“But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. Why then, what need is there of another mediator or priest? A digression or going aside from his matter, as compared to prayers which are conceived with a doubting mind, but we have a trustworthy promise from God, and this is the second part of the epistle. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

God is never pleased with double minded people. He tells us in Revelation that we are neither hot nor cold and He will therefore spit us out of his mouth.

Let us realize that we are servants of the Most High God and think according to Isaiah 49

Isaiah 49:7

Kings will see you and rise up, princes will see and bow down, because of the Lord, who is faithful, the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you

Let nothing else define us rather than what God says about us!

Which Child Would You Like To See First

2011-01-16T17:29:00.001-08:00

I was watching ‘Gifted Hands’ the movie, reviewing Ben Carson’s life and was very touched by these words. Here are disturbed parents with the agony of bearing conjoined twins. The separation of the two is a very delicate ordeal and chances of survival of both are minimal. If there was any ray of hope, it could be that only one of the two would survive. However, despite knowledge of all this, the parents went ahead to make a request that seemed next to impossibility. All they needed was both their babies sound and healthy. This swung the doctors into action and sooner or later, having fallen into slip amidst their worry, they are wake up and the first question they hear is “Which child do you want to see first?”.

Relating this to our heavenly father, He has told us in Philippians 4:6 “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God”

It is good for us as Christians to know that God is able to do far much more than any competent surgeon or paramedic. Just picture God issuing orders, at your request. Prompting angels to swing into action. Isn’t it just too remarkable?

The parents of the Siamese twins, despite the fact that they knew the risk they undertook to separate their twins, had faith that the operation would be successful. So, for all those situations we think cannot be solved, let us not be anxious but have faith and according to Mark 10:27 “And Jesus looking on them said, With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”

Having that focus and remembering God’s word in John 15:7 “If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you”

At a time when you feel all hope is lost, God will present to you the question “Which child do you want to see first?”

A time for Restoration

2011-01-10T22:05:00.001-08:00

Joel 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.

This could probably be the best definition of hope ever. Many are the things that we had but in one way or another they were not that beneficial to us. With the year being as young as this, it is the time at which most people make resolutions. How many are they that we have made that we have not achieved.

The Lord tells us here to that He is going to restore all that we seem to have lost. There have been many locusts in our lives over the past one year that have devoured the blessings that God had intended to be ours. The main reason was maybe because of the few times we had no connection with God. The locusts may be our own thoughts and mindsets as well as following our own natural instincts rather than what God expects of us.

It is therefore important for us to submit our ways to the Lord that He may make our paths straight. It is indeed a time for our restoration iff (If and only if) we stay in the Lord at all times

A New Beginning with Him

2011-01-01T09:50:00.003-08:00

It is yet another year all to the glory and honour of God. Indeed it is by his grace, mercy and unfailing love that we have come this far and have not been consumed (Lamentations 3:22). A new beginning it is indeed and according to the Bible “time and chance happens to them all” Ecclesiastes 9:11.

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

The good thing with our God is that He is a God of another chance. His mercies are new each passing day. It is therefore a time for us to review our past year and look at what we can do to make things better in this New Year. The best way to move forward with God is to look back at His faithfulness. It is therefore important for us to thank Him for everything (in all circumstances).

Let us understand that the end of something is better than the beginning. This is simply because it is just but the beginning of something else. Brand new blessings come with everything as long as we are grateful for the little we have.

I take this chance to wish you all the best as you get into this appointed ‘Year of the Lord’. Remember that you are bestowed with the power to make things go well for you in this year, of course not without the divine connection with our good Lord.

Learn to be patient at all times and show love to everyone and indeed you will be surprised at how much blessings will overtake you. Remember to reflect Christ in your life this year as you indeed are the change we need. Don’t forget:

Cause change and lead

Accept change and survive

Resist change and die

The doors are open. Go right through them! God bless you.

Life and death

2010-12-28T23:31:00.003-08:00

Two things exist; life and death. I believe no human being is usually comfortable with the idea of dying. One definition of death is “the ending of all vital functions or processes in an organism or a cell”.

I tend to believe that death comes in very many forms. Men experience death in various areas of their lives. Be it in our dreams, visions, relationships, education ...name them. One thing, however, that most people do not realize is that the power to live and die is within them.

The Bible states very clearly in Proverbs 18:21 that “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof”. Many a times Christians find themselves exercising the power within them but to their own peril. Complaining is no exception in the equation.

At times, though things may seem difficult we should always employ these ‘eyes of faith’ with which we can see the better side of things. Remember that no matter how long it takes, as long as you confess something with your tongue, you must at one time eat its fruits.

Have that positive attitude towards situations, seeing them as a means of preparing you for what is to come in the future. We are told in Psalms 30:5 that though sorrows may last for a night, His joy comes in the morning.

Let it therefore be our prayer as David in Psalms 141:3 “Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” Through this we can be sure to make correct utterances that will positively impact our lives and those around us.

Food for thought: Picture Jesus walking all over Nazareth, Jerusalem and all those places complaining about the many hardships he could have faced. Complaining about the people’s attitude, his disciples’ lack of faith, the motives of the Pharisees, Sadducees and teachers of the law, do you think mankind could have been saved?

It is up to you then, either choose life or death

A Sunbeam Cannot Be Defiled on a Garbage Heap

2010-12-27T09:16:00.000-08:00

The truth of this statement is undisputable. We have been told several times that we are the light of the world, but the question that remains is, how many times have we verified the truth of this in our own lives. Remember that walking as Christ did entails our sharing of his thoughts and standing for the same things that he stood for.

Why then do we, Christians find ourselves compromising our faith because of the circumstances that come our way? Is it okay for us to allow ourselves to be swayed by the happenings around us? Absolutely NO!

Romans 12:2 clearly tells us not to be conformed to the patterns of this world but to be transformed by the renewal of our minds in order to approve of the perfect will of God. Of course our lives are all about doing the will of God, but then, if we don’t let his will work in our lives we can never boast of being in a relationship with God.

It is important for us to learn the true meaning of the words in the hymn that reminds us that Christ is the solid rock on which we stand and all other ground is sinking sand. As long as Christ dwells in us and we allow the Holy spirit to guide our actions we surely cannot be defiled by whatever comes our way.

James puts it very clearly that we should not just be mere listeners of the word and deceive ourselves but doers of the same (James 1:22). This goes hand in hand with another portion of scripture in which he tells us to have faith with actions (James 2:17). I have all the reasons to agree with him. It is a fact that men cannot see our thoughts or whatever is within our hearts but there is one thing they are guaranteed to see, our actions. It is therefore my urge that we maintain the heavenly focus as we continue being earthly relevant.

God's Goodness

2010-10-09T10:34:00.000-07:00

Hi to all the readers of this blog. For a long time I have not posted articles due to a few commitments that have taken most of my time. I however wish to inform you that Jesus has continually been my closest friend and has sustained me in my salvation. I have seen a lot of manifestations in my life for the past few months and I attribute them to the word in Romans 8:28 where we are told all things work together for the good of those who love the Lord and are called for His purpose. Many things have happened in my life, most of which I can't explain and it is like I have been receiving fresh blessings each passing day.

Of particular interest is my utter amazement on learning that this particular blog could make it to the top 98 Christian blogs, something I least expected. For this I give all the glory and honour to God. Thank you for your prayers and support. How I just ask that you may continually pray for me that God may use me to spread His good news to the nations and that He may continually give the grace for the perfection of His work in our lives. I love you all and may God bless you. I hope to post more articles in due time and hope that they will be a blessing unto you.

HIDING THEM ONLY MAKES IT WORSE

2010-05-07T12:48:00.000-07:00

All have sinned and fallen short of God's glory (Romans 3:23). Even those who think they are utterly blameless have the sinful nature of man which began with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden (Psalms 51:5). However, many Christians are never willing to confess their sins.

1 John 1:8-9 tells us that God is always faithful and by the simple act of confessing our sins He forgives us, but if we don't, we deceive ourselves while at the same time 'making Him a liar'. Instead we are supposed to humble ourselves and accept our sins (2 Chronicles 7:14). This makes God to hear from heaven and heal our land at large.
We can't be successful in anything whatsoever if we hide our sins.

When David sinned with Bathsheba there was no peace in his house (2 Samuel 11:12). God was about to worsen David's punishment but David's repentance made things better for him (2 Samuel). Peter in Matthew 9:13 confessed he was a sinner and that was just the beginning of his greatness in ministry.
Luke 13:3 gives us two options, we either REPENT or PERISH!

WHERE GOD COMMANDS BLESSINGS

2010-04-27T02:58:00.000-07:00

Most Christians often ask for God's blessings in their prayers. However, there is an even easier way in which we can be assured of these blessings. The Bible tells us in Psalms 133 that the Lord commands blessings, even life forevermore where there is unity.

It is a proven fact that when people are united there is some form of 'virtual effort' that tends to exist. For instance, when one person tries to push a car, it may not move, when another joins in, it will move very easily. It is not a guarantee that when the effort applied by the other is vested on one the car will move, rather it is through the energy out of unity, which may not exist in a single individual.

In Genesis 11 we are told of the tower of Babel. These people talked the same language and were united. God Himself admits in verse 6 that nothing could be restrained from them, which they had to do. Much as these people had an ill motive, their unity could make them do anything. That is why God 'confused' their language, thus disuniting them.

Ephesians 4:1-16 talks of us being part of the body of Christ hence the need to be unite. Special attention to 1) Verse 3, 'Endeavosing to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace'

2) Verse 13 'Till we all come in the unity of faith, and of the knowledge of the son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ:

Another useful scripture is Romans 6:5 which tells us we are united with Christ in the likeness of his death and ressurection

THE BATTLES WE MUST TAKE PART IN

2010-04-22T05:01:00.000-07:00

In our daily Christian lives we engage in battles. However, our battle is not physical, but it is a spiritual one (Ephesians 6:12). The same applies to our weapons (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). If we tend to sleep we allow the devil to plant weeds into our lives (Matt 13:24-30; 36-43) (Matthew 7:16). The devil works day and night to torment God's people and when he finds the slightest chance he won't let it go.

A good illustration in the Bible could be what happened between David and Uriah's wife (2 Samuel 11:5-27).We are told that it was at the time when kings went to battle but David didn't go. This caused him to sin. We are encouraged in Ephesians 6:11-13 to put on the full amour of God which will help us to fight the enemy.

According to Joyce Meyer's book 'The Battlefield of the Mind', our minds act as the battlefields in which the enemy plants the strongholds. She clearly explains some of the negative thoughts that the devil puts in our minds, which she terms wilderness mentalities, with reference to the Israelites in the wilderness. If you can I would advice you to get your copy as it is very elaborate on what makes Christians not to grow.

UGALI SAUCER

2010-04-20T03:29:00.000-07:00

I was listening to a song entitled 'ugali saucer' and it really made my day. For those who don't know, 'ugali' is a local dish of maize meal in Kenya, mostly accompanied by greens and/or beef. When one orders ugali in a café and it gets finished before he is done, he will automatically be given extra ugali, 'ugali saucer' absolutely free of charge.

To make this clear, let's take the example of a hotel somewhere in Kenya, where you are given free coffee with every meal.

The song 'ugali saucer' alludes to the Bible in Matthew 6:33 where we are told "seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these other things shall be added unto you"

We know God works in ways we cannot see but many people don't seem to understand this. They instead go for the earthly things (coffee), rather than going for God's kingdom (the main meal). It is practically impossible for one to walk into the hotel and ask for the coffee and be given even if it is free of charge.

Yes, it is true the kingdom of God comes with a price and even the Bible assures us that when it says,"Since the times of John the baptist the kingdom of God suffers violence, and the violent shall take it by force." (Matthew 11:10)

Now ask yourself, would you rather pay for what is meant to be free and lose what is important or pay for what is important and get everything?

GOVERNMENT BY BIBLICAL FACTS

2010-04-18T22:31:00.001-07:00

Ministry of Finance (Hagai 2:8)

Gold and silver are mine, declares the Almighty God

Ministry of Education (Hosea 4:6)

My people perish for lack of knowledge

Ministry of Roads (John 14:6)

I am the way, truth and life, no one comes to my father except through me

Ministry of Tourism (Mark 16:15)

Go into all corners of the world and preach the good news to all creatures

Ministry of labour (Matthew 9:37)

The harvest is abudant but the workers are few

(Matthew 11:28)

Come unto me ye all who labour and I will give you rest

Ministry of Sports (Matthew 19:30)

Many who are first will be the last and many who are last will be the first

Ministry of Health (Isaiah 53:5)

I took all your infirmities, and by my stripes you are healed

Ministry of Internal security (Isaiah 54:17)

No weapon formed against you shall prosper

Ministry of Agriculture (John 15:1)

I am the true vine and my father is the gardener. Every tree that bears no fruit should be cut.