Holy Spirit | EsperanzaMaishani

Can one really get tired of saying how good our God is? Can you? Revelations 4:8-11 reads :-

8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:

“‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’ who was, and is, and is to come.”

9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:

11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God,to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

What stands out for me in the above scriptures is that day and night, the Lord God Almighty receives praise and worship from the living creatures. I am in a season in my life that is really catapulting me to take things easy, if I may be so kind with words to myself. I am learning to surrender my big plans and align myself to God’s will for me. The beauty I have realized so far is that things always turn out better than I had ever imagined. Why? Because I was created by the one who has all the power, our Lord and God.

When are those times that one cannot give praise to God? In my case, I have observed it is when am anxious and filled with worry, or doubtful and even when am guilty of sin in my life. It becomes a challenge to find the words. The above scripture points out areas that we can reflect on as the living creatures on earth.

That God is the same yesterday, today and forever. As simple as these words seem, but how powerful they can be in our daily lives. If only our hearts and minds can perceive the details of the stories we read in the Bible and understand that He is the same God we serve today, then anxiety would not overwhelm some of us.
That God is Holy. This was spoken thrice as the first words by the living creatures to show emphasis and significance of this element in our worship. For me, I have sort of come to a place where I appreciate the blood of Jesus. Am sinful at birth and so the sacrifice on Calvary presents the way to my salvation and a platform to fully praise the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is holy.
Lastly, that we have been created to worship Jehovah, our God. The living creatures and the twenty four elders have no other work but to praise God. They use their beings to speak and fall down in worship day and night. They put aside their crowns(sign of authority/prestige) because there is one who is above all authority. He is the one who gives the authority to all beings.

How easy is this to accomplish and acknowledge? From experience, not so much. John Courson once said that as one gets older, the more they realize how sinful they are. It just dawns on you how imperfect you are and you change your perspective on life and other people’s faults. And our Creator knows that all too well and went ahead in thinking in providing the way to redemption. And that is His Son Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior!!! Amen!

One day, we will meet this God. We will meet His Son. We will also meet all the other heavenly beings that have been God’s servants for years and years in accomplishing His plans. It has been a desire to see an angel while I am here on earth, but again may God’s will prevail. One thing is for sure is that we will meet our Creator and my desire is not just for a meet up but a spending of eternity with Him doing what I was created to do. To give Him glory, honor, and thanks as the one who sits on the heavenly throne!! Hallelujah!!

As I write this, I recall the lyrics of the song, No Other God by Dr. Tumi:”We love you Lord, we adore you Lord. We lay our lives before your throne”.

He continues to sing: “None besides you Lord, no other God but you, we lay our lives before your throne. There is none besides you Lord, no other God but you!”

Yes, truly there is no other God than you Jehovah! Receive all the praise for who you are, the Omnipresent, Omniscient,Omnipotent God!! You deserve it all!! Won’t you forgive us for the times we have fallen short, because truly we have. Let your blood, Jesus, wash us clean and may the filling of the Holy Spirit ever be our portion. Thank you Lord! May you be glorified and magnified in and through our human lives. For it is in your name Jesus Christ, that we pray and believe. Amen!!!

May God richly bless and keep you for eternity! See you next week Friday!!

#Worship #Jesus #God #Hopeforyouandme

Last month, I decided to take up a challenge from our Bishop to share the Word of God as I traveled to a nearby East African country for a work assignment. I was inspired by his sermon and testimony last month shared below.

So on the first flight trip from Nairobi, I sought strategy from the Holy Spirit on when and how to approach the young gentleman next to me. He was a Tanzanian national who had been away from home for over 3 years undertaking his studies in one of the Asian countries. And so after I told him the purpose of my travel, I paused for a while as I read the Kenya Airways magazine, Msafiri, I decided to take the conversation a step further. So I inquired if there was an opportunity for him to attend church on Sundays given the cultural/religious difference in the foreign country. He confessed that there was one available near him and he did attend. He was not born again but he shared that his mother always mentioned the need for him to do so and use his singing talent for the Kingdom of God. We continued to talk a bit more on character and holy living. He kept on asking why a young girl like me was so passionate about “church things” and we concluded it is more about the willingness to open up to the Holy Spirit and not about age. We talked more about not just attending church but accepting Christ in one’s life to be the guide in all that we do. I am glad that a seed was planted in him to rethink his life and his future according to God’s will. Every time I remember this conversation, I pray that the seed in him will be protected from the evil one and it will one day grow! I wish him all the best as he desires to start his own business.

On the trip back to Nairobi, I sat next to a gentleman from the United States who was in the company of his parents visiting East Africa for a holiday. I first noticed he had an insect bite on his neck most probably from his adventure. Contrary to the previous one, it was a bit difficult to find a place to spark a conversation with him and how much I kept on praying for an opportunity to open up. Lo and behold, when the flight attendants passed by to serve some snacks, we happened to order the same drink and this made this gentleman smile. Bingo!!! There was my chance. The conversation began with discussing his bite on the neck which was from a fly, I think the Narrow bee fly, in their adventure just as I had presumed. The profile of my neighbor was that of a young man who was once born again but moved backwards in his faith as doubt filled his mind of the authenticity of the Bible. He started reading other religious books searching which faith had the true God. At that time, he was dating a girl that seemed to have more faith in God than him and that was fine with him. And just as in the previous trip I had, a seed was planted for him to rethink his life and reconsider giving Jesus his life who can then answer all his questions and bring peace to his soul. He seemed to be aligned to the fact that Jesus is the true way but I could still see that wavering in him. Before long, the flight landed and that is when we actually got to introduce ourselves to each other and it was indeed a pleasure given the discussions we had!!

How do you know that God is alive and real? Do you believe that He is the one true God and all other gods are just works of men? What gives you that utmost deep assurance of your belief? Do you share him in your marketplace? As I write, I remember this song.

How do I know that my God is God of Abraham, God of Isaac and God of Jacob? Well because He is God!! What if I was born in another culture and not a Christian upbringing, would I be born again right now? I choose not to look at the “What If?” questions. I will look at the reality of my life and it all points to the grace of God in my life. I have been saved by grace. Ephesians 2:8-9

8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.