When God has called you for his purpose, his hand will be upon you all through the way.
And when I say his hand will be upon you; I mean his favour, protection, provision, direction and even encouragement. Will be with you.
It will be with you in form of people we know and even sometimes people we’ve never seen before. Because God uses people to reach to us, he uses people to answer our prayers.
It’s therefore very important to treat people with kindness and love.
And in the midst of God’s hand being with us, we can still face difficult moments and challenges.
So when you are faced with challenges, it doesn’t mean that God has deserted you.
His gracious hand will still be with you even in the midst of the storm.
I believe we all know what it means to play safe. And most of us have found ourselves playing safe in one occasion or the other.
Playing safe in the sense that, we don’t want to choose sides and we are trying to be a little bit of both sides, or we don’t want to make a decision because we are scared of hurting someone in the process.
Been there done that, infact alot of times.
But today I’m talking about how we as believers and followers of Christ play safe, playing safe in the sense that we are neither cold nor hot.
We claim to be believers, but our actions say otherwise. We boast about Christ and declare him as Lord and savior, but in the real sense we don’t want to quit the bad behaviors and leave behind the things of this Earth.
We are still holding tight to the temporary things of the world. We claim to follow Jesus and believe in him but we don’t want to do the work and deny ourselves to be like him.
We are warned in revelation 3: 16
So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:16 NIV https://revelation.bible/revelation-3-16
We will be spit out from Jesus mouth. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be spit out by Jesus.
The good news is that there is hope. Jesus is calling us to come to a place of repentance.
He is knocking awaiting for us to open for him, that’s how much he loves us, he wants us to change our ways and accept him and walk in his righteousness.
Because when we do that he will give us the right to sit with him on his throne.
Just as he says
To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:21-22 NIV https://bible.com/bible/111/rev.3.21-22.NIV
We are called not to be like the church of Laodicea.
I created a video about the church of Sardis and how we relate to it as children of God. Please check it out below
Have you ever imagined God’s love for us? Do you even understand how deep it is?
I have been in a dark place for some time, and I found myself scared and worried of how things are going to be and how they will turn out.
This means I didn’t trust God enough. Trust that he will see me through it, trust that he will provide me with the grace I need to go through this season of my life.
I felt really bad and guilty of the fact that I didn’t trust God. And I condemned myself of how God maybe dissapointed with me, that despite knowing his good promises over my life, I chose to dwell in the problems at hand.
But our feelings doesn’t change God’s love for us. The fact is that he send his own son to die for our sins. Just as the word says
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 KJV https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.3.16.KJV
God’s love for us is unconditional. We haven’t done anything to deserve it.
The same God’s love led me to his word today, as I was busy condemning myself and thinking of how God could be dissapointed with me because I don’t trust him enough.
He led me to Romans 8:38, it’s a verse that I have known, for a long time, but I wasn’t thinking about it in this season of my life.
As i read it, I saw it from another angle and it spoke to me. God used it to assure me of his love for me. That he loves me, no matter what.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. Romans 8:38 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.8.38.NLT
Not even my fears of today, nor my worries for tomorrow can seperate me from God’s love.
Nothing, totally nothing can seperate you from God’s love, his love for you, will never change. And the evidence of that love, is his own son Jesus Christ.
I believe you agree with me, for us to flourish in anything in our lives, we need to totally focus on it. To give it our total attention. To give it our best.
Sometimes we set goals, something that we may want to achieve by a certain period of time. Or rather a routine that we may want to include in our day to day lives.
We tend to start up so focused to the goal/ routine so motivated to do and achieve whatever it is. Until we start experiencing the storms of life, or the storms/challenges/setback related to that particular goal or routine.
And truth be told how we choose to respond to that storm/challenge/setback is what will determine our end result at the end of it all.
Some of us, focus so much on the storm and the setback, in the process we give the setback too much power over us. We allow the storm/setback define us.
We tend to forget of what is really important at that particular moment. Meaning we forget the bigger picture which is the reason why we started walking in that journey in the first place. We forget the goal.
I am not saying we are not supposed to feel sad and bad, I’m not saying we are not allowed to feel disappointed or exhausted. We are human, and I will be lying if I told you not to feel whatever you are feeling.
Then what do I mean? I mean that after feeling whatever you feel you rise up again and keep walking, crawl if you need to but don’t let the storm cause you to quit.
That’s how champions/heroes come about, no matter what they face, they still choose to go past their circumstances. When they fail they pick up the lessons and rise again.
What do I mean? I mean don’t give the storm too much power over you. By giving it alot of attention.
I will take you on the book of Mathew 14, the story of Jesus and Peter.
Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” Matthew 14:28-31 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.14.28-31.NLT
Most of the time, i am like Peter, I focus on Jesus or the goal and everything keeps going well. Until the storm comes, and instead of focusing more on the goal and trusting Jesus more I shift my mind from Jesus and I start paying my attention to the storm.
And once my mind is diverted from the one who holds me together (Jesus) or the thing that keeps me going (goal). Then I tend to drown, make mistakes by enforcing my will. And as humans; it’s in our nature to quit when we shift our mind from what is really important.
Just like King Saul in 1samuel 13.
but Samuel said, “What is this you have done?” Saul replied, “I saw my men scattering from me, and you didn’t arrive when you said you would, and the Philistines are at Micmash ready for battle. So I said, ‘The Philistines are ready to march against us at Gilgal, and I haven’t even asked for the Lord ’s help!’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering myself before you came.” “How foolish!” Samuel exclaimed. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would haveestablished your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom must end, for the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart. The Lord has already appointed him to be the leader of his people, because you have not kept the Lord ’s command.” 1 Samuel 13:11-14 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1sa.13.11-14.NLT
God gave Saul an instruction through Samuel, but when the storm was approaching (Israelites were being defeated) Saul shifted his attention from God and his promises over Israel , he started focusing on the storm ahead, that’s where his downfall began. Because through shifting his focus from what was really important he decided to enforce his own will(doing what he thought was right at the moment) when all he was required to do was to trust God and his promises and obey his instructions.
Whatever we do/ whatever we go through, we need to put our focus on Jesus Christ, the one who chose us and made us his own, the one who promise never to leave us nor fail us.
After Jesus keep your mind on your goal, whether it’s family, ministry or business. Remember to partner with Jesus; its the only way that you will be able to run the goals of your lifes courageously and with prosperity. Because when you partner with Jesus it only means you are operating under his will. And truth be told,there is nothing safe like being in alignment with his will.
What happens when we focus of the storm instead of our Goals
We walk in disobedience of God’s will and instructions.
We drown through the concequences of our disobedience. Just like Peter. Saul too; his rule was cut short.
The storms will always be there, but even in the storms we are required to set out eyes on the ultimate price.
It’s my prayer that God will help us to focus on him, in all times and seasons of our life’s. Amen!
Later Samuel called all the people of Israel to meet before the Lord at Mizpah. And he said, “This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, has declared: I brought you from Egypt and rescued you from the Egyptians and from all of the nations that were oppressing you. But though I have rescued you from your misery and distress, you have rejected your God today andhave said, ‘No, we want a king instead!’ Now, therefore, present yourselves before the Lord by tribes and clans.” 1 Samuel 10:17-19 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1sa.10.17-19.NLT
I believe most of us are guilty of rejecting God and his will over our lives. In one way or another. We try so hard to impose our own will when situations in our lives doesn’t go as we expected.
We fail to trust God, we forget of his faithfulness over our lives and we tend to get frustrated, demanding our own will, when we encounter challenges that are overwhelming for us.
Not knowing that through demanding our own ways and will we are rejecting God. We are rejecting his leadership and authority over our lives and all of his good plans that he has for us.
In this moments, we tend to think we know best of what and how things should happen in our lives and around us.
Sometimes it doesn’t make sense, sometimes it may be hard to comprehend and understand why things happen the way they do, but no matter what let’s learn to trust God.
How do we trust God?
By totally surrendering to him and allowing him be the boss of our lives. In this way we are acknowledging his authority over our lives, we are putting our own desire aside to seek his will alone for nothing but his plans to take place (Not rejecting him)
Reminding ourselves of his faithfulness in the past, during our trials and uncertainty. This will help us to have more faith in him. ( If he saw me through this and that in the past, he will also see me through this)
PRAYERS
Dear Lord, please help me to remember all your faithfulness, all the times iam encountered with doubt. Help me to live a life of total surrender, that even in times of uncertainty, I will still trust and hope in your promises over my life. Please help me to produce from a place of love and trust. AMEN
Contentment ; is a state of happiness and satisfaction.
Lately the holy Spirit has been teaching me “contentment“. Iam so grateful to God for the holy Spirit and how he reveals to us the truth about Jesus and the right things.
There is much joy in being contended with who/what your are/ have. Iam not saying, it’s bad to strive for more, because we serve a God who wants us to flourish in every area of our lives.
Iam simply saying as we strive for more, as we strive to make ends meet or to upgrade our lives, it’s also important to learn how to be contended.
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That no matter what happens Jesus Christ alone is enough for us. And whenever we get to the lowest season of our lives, he will provide for us what we need or he will give us the power to endure.
Sometimes, we tend to judge things with our human eyes, according to how they appear on the surface, not knowing the reality of what is taking place beneath.
Most of the times the people that seem to have more than we have may not be happy, or may have alot of complicated situations that they are dealing with underneath.
So instead of wishing and beating our heads over what we don’t have at the moment, let’s focus on the blessings that God has provided for us, let’s be greatful for what we have. Because the truth is God has blessed each and every one of us in different ways, we just have to look around.
The sad thing is that when we focus so much on what we don’t have at the moment, we miss the blessings that God has released or is releasing upon us on a daily basis.
Let’s do what we can, let’s keep seeking after his righteousness, let’s put all our trust in him, as we celebrate everything we have and every win we encounter no matter how little/small. Because in due season at his perfect time he will grant us the desires of our heart.
Never forgetting that “God’s time is the best.”
Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content. But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:6-10 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/1ti.6.6-10.NLT
Ways on how to learn to be contended.
Ask God to send the holy Spirit to teach you on how, and the holy Spirit will start revealing things to you, that will help you realize how lucky and blessed you truly are.
Make a commitment to start making a list of the things you have no matter how small they seem, and also the things you have achieved until now; in other words start counting your blessings.
Always remember, just because you don’t have at this moment, doesn’t mean you won’t have it in the future. The key is trust God , be contended and be patient. The right things will come to you in God’s appointed time.
Last week has been a rough week for me. My faith and character has been tested, and I found myself in this season where I had alot of questions than answers.
It was a season of fear , anxiety ,doubt and it was really uncomfortable. And yes as much as I believe in God, and I know God’s promises over my life, I still find myself in this season sometimes. Where I want to change everything about my life, where I forget that God alone has the power to bring change. Where I judge and don’t want to forgive ,forgetting that I myself I’m not anything close to perfect. Where I focus much on how I want my life to turn out, instead of trusting the one who has the power to turn my life around and still give me peace in the season.
What I found out that even in this season God still has the answers. He still speaks even in this season of uncertainty. We just have to pausepray and listen. And that’s what amazes me about God all the time, his unfailing love for us even in the moments when we feel unworthy, and we feel like drifting apart and just being by ourselves, because of the pressures that life has inflicted on us. Forgetting his promise
As believers ,as children of God ,we are called to create an impact, to influence those God has put around us through the gifts that God has given unto us
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. Romans 12:4-6 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.12.4-6.NLT
As we walk and operate in this gifts, it’s very important to have a community of whom we relate to, so that we can share, learn and serve one another through our different gifts. Leading to spiritual growth.
But most of the time we struggle to get the right community. And it’s very important that as we are trying and trusting God to lead us to the right community, we should use our gifts through the guidance of the holy Spirit to impact those that God has put around us, inform of family, friends and even neighbours. So that all the glory may go to God.
We may do this by:
Offering the right and Godly advice whenever they ask for one, or whenever they share their problem with us. And this needs the help of the holy Spirit. When we are not sure of what to advise them it’s important to ask them if they would love us to pray with them about it.
Sharing our testimony with them
Sharing our problems with them too, so that they can relate with us .
Inviting them to prayers or prayer meetings.
Telling them the truth when it’s needed as the word of God says
An open rebuke is better than hidden love! Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy. Proverbs 27:5-6 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.27.5-6.NLT
It’s very important to put into practise what the word of God tells us otherwise we will be deceiving ourselves
But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. James 1:22 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/jas.1.22.NLT
Lest I forget it’s important to be aware of the kind of friends we keep
Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad company corrupts good character.”
Remember our faith is like a baby, that needs to be fed to grow because
faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ. Romans 10:17 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.10.17.NLT
If your friends are not led by the spirit of God, you will know through their character and lifestyle because
You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act. Can you pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? A good tree produces good fruit, and a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, and a bad tree can’t produce good fruit. So every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. Matthew 7:16-20 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.7.16-20.NLT
And if we are not careful they are going to Infect us with their character. And drift us away from our faith and from who we are as children of God.
“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Matthew 24:42 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.24.42.NLT
Don’t forget we are all called to serve! All for the glory of God!
To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. Matthew 25:29 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.25.29.NLT
Are you like me? Are you in this season where you feel stuck? Do you feel like you were going on so well, because God gave you a word. And you were operating in God’s given identity and over a sudden, you got to this season where you feel like you are not moving forward?
The worst part is that you try to figure it out on how to move to the next step, but the more you try it feels like “mission impossible” at this moment.
Well you are not alone, iam in this season right now!
We want to grow, we can feel it down in our spirit that we were created for more, that we can produce more than what we are producing at this moment, and no matter how we try we don’t see the best way to birth what is in us.
So this morning I was in prayers, and as the word of God says
And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. Romans 8:26 NLT
So the holy Spirit revealed to me through my prayers
That I should not focus so much on the way I want things to happen that in the process I miss out on God in this season of my life. For even in this ‘stuck’ season he is still with me. The season may feel unpleasant and taking too long , but I should not forget that, my God is intentional. He has me on this season for a reason, he has some work that he needs to do inside of me to prepare me for the next season of my life. So that I can operate and produce in the way only he intended me to. He therefore has to make sure iam ready.
Therefore be encouraged, trust the one who chose and called you. For he hasn’t finished with you yet. He is just beginning, and he has you on this season for him to do major work on the inside of you, to prepare you for what he has ordained for you. By aligning you with his will so that you can produce the way he intended you to.
It’s therefore important to keep this in mind
“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord . “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. Isaiah 55:8 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/isa.55.8.NLT
So it’s time we embrace this season, thank God for it, be open minded and alert to listen to God’s instructions and operate in the way he directs us through the holy spirit, as he mould us for what is to come.
Remember he is the one that chose us and it’s very important to
For him to guide us through our purpose, for he is the one that directs our footsteps, and his intention is for us not to miss him, but for us to experience him in every season we find ourselves in.
Exile –is a state of being expelled from one’s native country for political or punitive reason.
Sometimes as believers we may feel like our life is in a state of “exile”.
“Exile” in such a way that we don’t feel like ourselves anymore, we don’t feel like we own our freedom, we are not where we thought we are supposed to be, we are not producing the way we are supposed to and we feel stagnant.
This state may arise from within us, from our relationships or even from our jobs. And sometimes this state causes us to be afraid; because we ought to think we are on the loosing end. It therefore, distracts us from committing, doing our best and giving our all.
But one thing we should know is that there is hope in our “exile”. From the book of Jeremiah 29, God sends a message through Jeremiah to reach those in exile, he tells them to continue living their lives and do their best.
Jeremiah 29: 5-7
“Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.” Jeremiah 29:5-7 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/jer.29.5-7.NLT
Those areas of our lives that feels like exile, those areas that are causing us to be afraid, doubt, hold back and not commit fully, it’s the same areas that God wants us to be courageous, to continue living in faith and hope like we own it.
It’s the same areas that God wants to use to bless us. It may not look like itright now, but just like God is telling those in exile, he also wants us to give our best, in these areas. He wants us to commit fully and to keep producing the best way we know how. And most importantly as we do our best , he is also calling us to pray for these areas.
Simply because the success and welfare of this areas will determine our own success and welfare as well.
And this means that Our commitment and giving ourselves fully in not in vain. When we commit and give our best while being patient and enduring, will not only cause success to those areas of exile but it will cause us to succeed too.
Let’s not forget the exile in our life is always associated with different kind of challanges. We will have a million reasons to give up. Let’s not focus on the challenges, because they are temporary and they will pass like they never existed.
Just because our life feels like exile, and the challenges associated with it is overwhelming, that should not stop us from living our best life, that should not stop us from serving, giving and doing our best .
For God says through Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord . “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 NLT https://bible.com/bible/116/jer.29.11.NLT
Despite of going through the challanges we should trust the one who
We should trust that he did not create, chose and redeem us in vain, he had a plan for us, a plan to give us a future and a hope. Therefore our challanges are not new to him, he will not allow us to be harmed. Because even in the season of challenges he is still with us
and live a life of total surrender. Because when we do that, he shows up in the areas of exile in our lives. And when he shows up, things are bound to change for thebetter.
I don’t know which area of your life that feels like exile, just remember to be strong and to keep giving your best. Apart from that, lean on God and commit yourself in living a life of total surrender. It may look dark right now, but I assure you that light will shine again. For there is absolutely nothing that our God can not do.
If we keep focusing and waiting on God to do something big in our lives. Like give us a house, a car, money, a promotion and etc; for us to acknowledge him, for us to see him and glorify him, then we will miss out on God.
Because God doesn’t only show up in our lives through ‘bigger blessings‘. God is always with us all the time. He shows up in our lives even through the smallest and little things.
He is always with us in the way he protects us, in the way he provides for us, he shows up even in our relationships, our children our health and etc. None of this is obvious. None of this is possible without God
When we are struggling to see God in the little things, it’s very important for us to ask him to open our spiritual eyes for us to see him and find him even in the little things.
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Most importantly, once we are able to see him even in the little things, our lives becomes beautiful, because only then will we be able to walk in the fullness of joy, that he intended us to walk in, when he first created us.
It’s high time we stop waiting on the so called “bigger blessings” and start glorifying God on how he shows up for us in the smallest things around us and in us. Remember he said he will never fail us neither will he leave us. Meaning he is always there fighting for us and making sure we are not harmed in any way.
Even when we are going through the challenges and storms of life. It’s important that we stop focusing on the negative part of the storm, and ask God to open our spiritual eyes for us to see him in the storm, because he is always there . And once we are able to see him in it, we will not allow the storm to get to us and steal our joy, we will still rejoice in the one who is our source of peace.
Therefore, when we start appreciating, acknowledging and glorifying him even in the little things, then be prepared also to see him through the bigger things
Its my prayer that we don’t miss out on God because he is always there with us. We just have to look around us and in us.
Effy khamusali 