Tag Archives: My Testimony

Lord, If You Are Willing, You Can Make Me Clean🙏!!

Hope and Faith, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hello, beloved creation of God,

How is your heart today? What about your thoughts? What is your mind filled with today? What song are you singing? This is my way of asking the usual question “How are you?” or “Hope you are well” greeting that receives the “expected” superficial answers like “I am doing well, thank you”. Hope there will be honest answers😇🤣😉!! Thank you for your time and may God meet you at your point of need even as you read to the end of today’s post🙏 Someone say Amen!!🙋

Please turn with me to the book of Matthew 8:1-4. It reads as follows, from the NIV version:

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy

8 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. 2 A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”3 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. 4 Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” I am very much drawn to the humility this man portrayed. It is this humility and faith expressed by kneeling, that makes him stand out of the crowd. It is clearly stated that it was not a large crowd that followed Jesus down the mountain but large crowds. This was after he finished his teachings in Matthew chapter 5 to 7 on topics like the Beatitudes, fasting, divorce,murder, adultery, oaths,prayer,love for enemies,judging others, giving to the needy and others. It was also out of faith that he took further steps of first inquiring whether Jesus would be healing to him. It almost feels that he was not sure whether it was going to happen. Or maybe more of acknowledging the power Jesus displayed in how he conducted himself? Did you notice that even before Jesus answered him, he reached out and touched the man’s hand? This must have felt amazing for that man. Okay then, he received a touch of assurance even before the answer was given. He received peace even before his eyes could see the answer he needed. It feels like there was need for a peace of mind in the heart of the man more than the actual healing of the flesh. It was important for Jesus that this man appreciates the need to be at peace and not anxious about his situation. That if his trust was truly in God, then all his requests would be granted according to God’s will. I like the courage/curiosity of this man.

This post is for those in need of healing. In need of a touch of assurance. In need of peace. Peace that will position them in a place to help them understand that Jesus can within seconds calm the storm in their lives. Peace that will assure them that despite their many sinful deeds, that Jesus is able to purge them with hyssop and make them clean. These are guaranteed when we abide in him. I am very much speaking to myself. I write every week on this blog not because am holy or so knowledgeable. It is not even that I write so good. Am ever reminded by my faults and desire for grace in this journey that it is all about Jesus. I have come this far and will go far only because Jesus, my Lord is willing. My part to play is to take time to listen to his teachings and then choose to stand out of the large Sunday congregations by kneeling daily in his presence to ask for his will. Many crowds follow Jesus in churches all over the world, attend weekly services, listen to TV and online preachings, but how many are curious or willing enough to truly believe that the power in the word is found in him too? That the word can come alive in their lives if they allow it to truly touch them in the areas that they really need healing and not the ones they think and even ask of. Jesus sees the deepest parts inside of us and sometimes or most of the times our prayer requests do not fully reveal those needs in our hearts. We ask for shoes and clothes, yet we actually need a higher self-esteem and better self-image, we ask for a Godly spouse, yet we need self-control and discipline, we ask for higher salaries, yet we need to know our purpose in life. You get the drift? 🙋

I join the leper by telling Jesus, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean”. Am in need of revival and restoration. My heart, my thoughts and my mind are in need of his assurance and peace. He is after all, the Prince of Peace!!! How I pray that I will not forget to show myself to the priest and offer a gift as a testimony🙏😇. May we all not forget all the healing we have received in this race. May we all not forget that he is willing!!

What are you in need of? What do you desire for our Lord to do for you? What cleansing do you need? He is willing to grant your request according to his will. And he is able to top it up with peace and assurance to allow you live life to the fullest.

God bless you and see you next week Friday, same place!!

#Peace #TheManWithLeprosy #Jesus #Healing #Faith #Humility #Hopeforyouandme

 

What Would You Tell Your Sixteen Year Old Self?🤔😇🙃

Hope and Faith, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Once upon a time, in a small village in the countryside, there lived a girl called Eglyne Esther. She very much enjoyed indoor activities as her personality was more of a quiet and shy one. Her parents adored her as she was not so much trouble raising as a child. Eglyne grew up as a God fearing young lady who always kept her parents, three brothers and sister in much prayer. How do I know all this? Well, I know her.

So, I happened to meet Eglyne last week to just catch up about life. We had not had a girl talk for quite some time and I had really longed for one with her💃💃. She shared how much she is grateful for the far that the Lord has brought her. Her birthday was actually on the day before we met. So the curious me poked this lost friend of mine to open up of what resolutions she set herself now that she was one year older. It was amazing to listen to her share of what she would have done differently in her life instead of the future plans I inquired about. To be precise, she talked of what advise she would give her younger self…a sixteen year old Eglyne Esther?🤔🤗 She would tell her have her always remember Matthew 6:25-34

Do Not Worry

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you— you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Wow!! I starred with amazement as she beamed, her eyes twinkling with pride, her mouth moving with utmost confidence. “This must definitely be out of experience given such vigour and assurance of the word”, I thought to myself. Whom am I kidding? My poking self could not just keep calm and so I gave into the temptation of asking to hear more of the inspirational sharing🙃😉!! As she opened I realized how much she focused on verse twenty nine that says “ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendour was dressed like one of these”. It really struck me that Solomon with all the wealth he had was not as beautifully dressed as the lilies of the field. I hope we are all on the same page of how wealthy Solomon was. Or do we need to do a lifestyle audit?🤔😂😂. Oops, seem to be digressing here. I know my countrymen understand 🤣😉!!

Okay now going back to the man who asked God for wisdom when He handed him a blank cheque. The Bible says in 1Kings 10:21, “All King Solomon’s goblets were gold, and all the household articles in the Palace of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Nothing was made of silver, because silver was considered of little value in Solomon’s days“. 1Kings 10:23 also says, “King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth”. Did you also know that during his time, silver was common in Jerusalem as stones?😱🙄🥈💰🤑. Come read 1 Kings 10:27, “The king made silver common in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar as plentiful as sycamore-fig trees in the foothills.” I guess we now all know. Forbes would have definitely loved this guy💯😎💃🕺!!

Eglyne (whom I call Queen Esther) really got me thinking. Isn’t God just amazing? What is impossible with Him? Nothing, absolutely nothing 🙅. He has everything under control. Eglyne wishes her younger self would not have wasted so much time worrying about how things would turn out. Rather she would have purposed to fix her eyes on things above, be at peace and enjoy life in Christ. Anxiety and worry just bursts the fun out of the life balloon. Nearly three decades on this earth has taught her that if she surrenders control to her creator, the giver of all things, then she is certain of God’s will being fulfilled in her life. Some answers to prayers may not turn out exactly how she wanted, but then time proved that truly God’s ways were better than hers. Not as easy as it sounds, and that is where the Helper comes in, the Holy Spirit. To teach us all things.

So what would you tell your sixteen year old self today?😕😎😍🙋💖💜💝

It is obvious that it is only after time passes by that some things start to make sense. You get to understand and appreciate the crooked turns and bends, the mountains and the valleys of your past life. But most of all God’s faithfulness. This is my personal testimony. That I serve the God of Abraham (Covenant keeping God, the God of Isaac (God of Impossibilities) and the God of Jacob (God of change/transformation). Amen and Amen and Amen!! So what would your advise be to your younger self?

See you next week Friday and God bless!!!😇🙏

#Hopeforyouandme #UnchangeableGod #QueenEsther #Eglyne

What Do You Do When You Lack Peace?

Hope and Faith, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Peace. What is peace? Well, Merriam Webster dictionary has five definitions:

(1) A state of tranquillity or quiet: such as
a : freedom from civil disturbance. For example, Peace and order were finally restored in the town.

b : a state of security or order within a community provided for by law or custom. For example, a breach of the peace.

(2) Freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions. For example, I have been in perfect peace and contentment —J. H. Newman

(3) Harmony in personal relations. For example, the sisters are at peace with each other.

(4) a: a state or period of mutual concord between governments. For example, there was a peace of 50 years before war broke out again.

b: a pact or agreement to end hostilities between those who have been at war or in a state of enmity. For example, offered the possibility of a negotiated peace.

(5) —used interjectionally to ask for silence or calm or as a greeting or farewell
— at peace: in a state of concord or tranquillity. For example, the problem was settled and his mind was at peace. The peace am referring to in this post today is that of freedom from disquieting or oppressive emotions. Peace despite facing volatile circumstances. How do you have such in your life? Well, the Word of God says in Philippians 4:6-7

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. How often do we allow ourselves to want to solve matters our own way? Or want to ache our minds with worry, yet there is nothing much we can do to change the situation?

A story is told of a member of a famous orchestra group who approached the great Italian conductor with an expression of sheer terror on his face. This was shortly before a major concert before a standing-room-only audience. “Maestro,” the musician fretted, “my instrument is not working properly. I cannot reach the note of E-flat. Whatever will I do? We are to begin in a few moments.” The great conductor looked at the man with utter amazement. Then he smiled kindly and placed an arm around his shoulders. “My friend,” the maestro replied, “Do not worry about it. The note E-flat does not appear anywhere in the music that you will be playing this evening.”

My confession today would be to admit that the orchestra player and I share something. In such moments, I tend to ignore the still small voice that says everything will be all right. I figure it is better to worry then afterwards nothing happens than not to worry and then something bad does happen. A complete lie from the devil. That is such a waste of time and emotions that could be used more positively. The author of “The Waste of Worry”, Brad Stevens wrote the following: “If we were to keep a record of all the things we worried about during a given period of time, we would discover–in reviewing them–which the great majority of our anticipated problems or troubles never come to pass. This means that most of the time we devote to worrying, even the constructive kind that prompts us to try to come up with a solution to what is troubling us, is wasted. Thus, we not only caused ourselves unnecessary mental anguish, but also took up valuable minutes and hours that could have been spent elsewhere. To avoid this, it is often necessary to subject potential sources of worry to the coldly objective and analytical light of reason.

So How Do You Have Peace In Volatile Circumstances?

Many self-help ideas tend to focus on deep and long breathing exercises, Yoga, others talk of taking a walk, reading a book, walking away from the volatile environment, counselling, and going to the gym, cooking or really doing something to take your mind off the problem. When you come to a church setting, solutions vary from praying, singing, opening up to the Pastor or close confidant or even taking time to serve in church or the needy. The latter two stem from the idea of taking focus from yourself and help out others who may actually be in a greater dire situation than you.

One of the great reliefs I have discovered recently is to just praise God. Praising Him with actual utterances from my mouth. Not necessarily singing but speaking out praises to the Kings of Kings. I had to work on the inner me to avoid the temptation of doing so in expectation of reciprocation of immediate blessings or sudden solutions to my problems. It is important for me that my motives are pleasing to my Heavenly Father in all that I do. One morning in the past few weeks as I made a few steps in my bathroom, I was overwhelmed by intense pain in my body. Mobility was completely not possible as a tiny movement of my legs brought excruciating pain. I believe neighbours must have heard my screams. As I was standing still for about twenty long minutes in pain, I sang and praised God. I told Him that He was good and I was glad to rejoice in the day He had made. I recall calling out the name of Jesus so many times. In my mind, whether God took away the pain that moment or not, He remains to be God. His throne remains to be in heaven and earth His footstool.

As I digress a bit, my personal testimony of my journey in writing since February 2018 has created events in my life that test the word that I actually share. It comes back to test whether I would do exactly as my post say. And that experience in the bathroom was one of them. It was a test of the post “…God remains to be God”. What I did in that bathroom did not take away my pain immediately. Taking a bath, heading to work, and working through the day, I was still in pain. But guess what? Something changed inside of me that gave me the strength to take the next steps of the day. There was the option of calling in sick and not go to work, but my mind and heart had changed despite the circumstances not changing much.

What then is the use of praising God if the current circumstances do not change immediately?

Well, in my experience they will change. It may not be at the time or the way you desire but the promise is that they will change. It is not a matter of if, but when. Whatever has a beginning on earth has an end. It is only Jehovah who is the same yesterday, today and forever. It is not easy when the flesh is fighting back with anxiety but that has been a sure way for me to receive peace in my not so interesting moments. Remember 1 Corinthians 10:13..No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

The fiery furnace may not be the most exciting place to be in life, but it sure does make one grow. So, maybe our prayers should focus on allowing God to be glorified in the valley and ask for grace and strength to see us through. One prayer I have been making this week as I thanked God for my birthday is to use all my pain and suffering in my past for His glory. That it would not be in vain and the results of the fiery furnace be used to expand His Kingdom. Just noticed I have no emoji today and am not sure what that means. All I know is that God remains to be God. Our environment does not change who He is. He deserves worship and adoration no matter our circumstances. My prayer is that He shows Himself strong in and through our lives even as we purpose to do exactly what we were created to do. To worship Him!!!!

Thank you so much for taking time to read. May the Good Lord lead you in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Amen and God bless. See you next week Friday!!!!!!!

#UnchangeableGod #Peace #PraisingGod #Worship #Hopeforyouandme

Are You A Joseph🤵🙋😇🙏?

Hope and Faith, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Image by Walter Chavez via Unsplash

Hey there!

I trust that our God who never sleeps nor slumbers has been watching over you. Am glad you have taken the time to not only read but also hear from Him. May He truly meet you at your point of need! Amen

So am still stuck in the first few chapters of Matthew and today’s post is really on Joseph’s first actions. Am truly intrigued by the role he played in Mary’s life and by extension in Jesus’ life thereof. At first, my curiosity was where he disappeared to as I moved on in reading but my eyes opened to the great value he brought instead. So am back to chapter one, specifically verse 18 to 25.Did you know he was only mentioned in Matthew and Luke seven times each while twice in the book of John? Did you also know that an angel of the Lord appeared to him, and not just any angel, one of the three in the Bible mentioned by name. The three angels mentioned by name are:

(1) Michael, the Archangel in Jude 1:9

9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses,did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

(2) Abaddon in Revelation 9:11

11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

(3) Gabriel in Luke 1:19

19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news.

He was actually recorded as the first man to see an angel in the first book of the New Testament. Of course the Old Testament had several others such as Abraham, Hagar,Lot,Joshua, Gideon, Balaam, Zechariah, Manoah and his wife who were parents to Samson.

Given that I do not believe in coincidence or luck I write with absolute awe of God’s perfect ways in Mary’s life. Imagine if Mary would have been betrothed to another man, would that man have taken the path that Joseph did? Or what if Joseph chose not to marry her even after an angel spoke to him? Why was Joseph chosen to assist Mary in fulfilling her purpose in giving birth and raising the Son of God? Well my personal response would be in Matthew 1:19..Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and… I want to truly believe that Joseph’s way of living prepared him for the journey ahead of him. It allowed his heart and spirit to be in a position ready to discern what and when God is directing him in a certain path. I do not feel that the appearance of an angel changed who he was but rather confirmed the fear of God in him. His mind may have conceived to divorce Mary quietly but his heart and spirit made a complete turn around upon receipt of the direction he ought to take. And that was to marry Mary….ululation please🙌🙌😊😆😃🤗!! This was not only courageous but obedient too. The Bible states that when he woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and he took Mary home as his wife...verse 24.

Verse 20 of Matthew chapter one states that the angel called Joseph(Mary’s husband) the son of David while his father was actually called Jacob. I guess the culture of calling children after their forefathers was existent from long ago😉. I find the angel to be very intentional with his choice of words. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear or read of King David? Well for me, it is the fact that he was a man after God’s own heart. So out of all the names of Joseph’s ancestors that he was a “son of”, the angel chose to pick out David. I want to believe there was something inside of Joseph that was also in David that was significant enough to call for such relation and distinction in who he really was….as God saw him. A righteous man. A man faithful to the law!!

Joseph can be any of us in the present time. Righteous. Faithful. Obedient. Courageous. It must have made the angel’s work much easier to deliver that kind of overwhelming message to a person whose heart was ready to obey despite previous considerations. Joseph’s response to the message from the angel must have put a smile on our Heavenly Father 😊😇!!

This post today is a calling to you and me to possess more of Joseph’s attributes. Those that will position you to be ready to not only hear but act as God instructs. Despite our past failures, it is still possible to get back up again and continue running the race once more. This is a calling to desire more of what the Spirit says rather than our own understanding. This sometimes can be difficult given what the physical circumstances are presenting but Joseph’s actions and the results thereof are a proof that God’s wisdom is no match for any mortal. His plans are perfect. So won’t you be encouraged that there is hope and great fulfillment in obeying God?He is calling us with a desire to plant us in various parts of this world to display his splendour. May we be counted faithful!!

God bless and see you next week Friday 🙏🙌🙋🤗😇!!

#Joseph #David #Jesus #God

#Hopeforyouandme

Does Your Family Lineage Really Matter 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦👵👴 😊🤔?

Hope and Faith, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hey there!

Hope you had a blessed and fruitful week indeed! Well I thank God for my life even as I spent most of this week unwell and had to take time off work. The headache still present as I type this but I know my God is faithful. I guess that is what is called encouraging yourself in the Lord 🤒😇😉!! So here we go! Karibu sana (You are welcome in Swahili)

As I finished the Book of Ezra in my personal reading, I felt the Spirit move me to proceed to the New Testament instead of the next book of Nehemiah. It was a push to help me also appreciate the life of Jesus on earth just as I have done with the kings and events in the Old Testament. So obedience was a virtue that needed to rise to the occasion 🙂😊!!

Did you know that there were 42 generations from Abraham to Jesus? Distinctively, there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to Christ…Matthew 1:17.The first chapter of Matthew clearly details them by name. Moving to chapter two and three only made me more curious and thus took me back to chapter one, specifically to the genealogy of Jesus. There should be some significance to this list as it begins the history of a new era. A new dispensation of the impact of the Son of God here on earth 🙌🙏!!

It was quite conspicuous to me that the end of each set of fourteen generations, began and ended with such a significant happening or descendant. The first set began with Abraham, the Father of Faith and ended with Jesse, the father of King David who was the man after God’s own heart. The second set began with David and ended with Josiah at the time of the exile to Babylon. Remember King Josiah was the one stated in 2 Chronicles 35:18 as: The Passover had not been observed like this in Israel since the days of the prophet Samuel; and none of the kings of Israel had ever celebrated such a Passover as did Josiah, with the priests, the Levites and all Judah and Israel who were there with the people of Jerusalem. He was key to many reforms in his time and the Book of the Law given through Moses was found during his time. The third and final set began with Jeconiah (Jehoiachin), son of Josiah and ended with Jesus Christ.

It is without a doubt that God orchestrated this list for His glory. Yes, it does point out that God is in control of our lives and He knew us before being created in our mother’s womb but what else does the list show us? That God’s ways are better than ours. Yes, what else? That He is the Creator and Giver of all things; that He is mindful of man despite our failures; He still works out a plan for our salvation. That it was never a mistake that we were born in the family lineage we currently come from, whether evil or good, whether rich or poor, whether famous or unknown, whether religious or not. Rahab was the prostitute in Jericho who aided Joshua’s spies to bring down its walls and she became the great great grandmother of David. Am sure you heard a preaching of Rahab by now but that is not entirely my focus in this post.

What is the message that the word of God exactly trying to pass across by deliberately listing down the family lineage of Jesus Christ even before it details his birth and life? After reading this post, it confirmed my thinking that genealogies were important to Hebrews as it served as identification for them as Jews and the related inheritance of their specific tribes. I now recall Ezra 2:61-63
61 And of the children of the priests: the children of Habaiah, the children of Koz, the children of Barzillai; which took a wife of the daughters of Barzillai the Gileadite, and was called after their name:62 These sought their register among those that were reckoned by genealogy, but they were not found: therefore were they, as polluted, put from the priesthood.63 And the Tirshatha said unto them, that they should not eat of the most holy things, till there stood up a priest with Urim and with Thummim.

Yes, it was that serious then 😱😨😮😉😊!! What of today? Do we know our ancestors past our grandparents names’? Of what importance would it be to know your family lineage? It is vital to note that the ancestry line of Jesus was not full of perfect people. Not all of them had their lives detailed past the mention of their names. Your family lineage does not have to be perfect, for me it matters that it is a line. That is what stands out for me. Let the line of history exist whether of good people or not. As long as I am confident in God’s wisdom in placing me in that specific lineage, then I choose to remain hopeful. Hopeful for significant happenings in my lineage. Hopeful of the future. Since I have no control of my ancestor’s actions, my heart believes in hope for my descendants.

God is my witness of the number of times I have prayed for my generation who will come before me one after another until the day Jesus comes. That is how far my faith and my eyes see. I see my descendants being used of God way after my death and the lineage will never be cut even after the last trumpet call 🙌🙏!! My purpose in life will transcend from generation to generation, all the to the glory of the Author and Finisher of my faith. My purpose needs therefore be combined with actions to keep this hope alive. Tragedies will come for sure but the victories will definitely override the pain and loss💃💃!! What do you desire for your descendants?

Am amazed at how much grace has been released for me as I type this on my bed this Friday morning. Read a Biography on Queen Victoria and Lee Kuan Yew, great leader in Singapore yesterday and I guess their resilience is rubbing on me. It may also be my current reading of the expeditions of Alexander, the Great of Macedonia which inspired me so very much this morning. Hope to write a post once am done. Was actually tempted to repost a previous post or share another blogger’s post but God is faithful!! Thank you Jehovah Rapha for your healing over my body. Am grateful for you are ever watching me to ensure your word that you sent fulfills its purpose in my life. You have brought me from this far, my Ebenezer and greater is my future in you Oh Lord. Thank you for being my Heavenly Father who never gives me a stone when I ask for bread or a snake when I ask for fish. After all is said and done you still remain to be God.

Am a lover of tea and need I mention the main ingredient of milk is vital☕🤣😂😁😊!! So the kitchen is where am heading next after clicking “Publish Now” on this post. Thank you for your time. God bless and see you next week Friday🙋😉🤗😇!!

#Hopeforyouandme #FamilyLineage #Geneology #Abraham #David #Jesus #Abraham#UnchangeableGod

Why Was Cyrus, The King Of Persia (Iran) Important In The Bible🙄 🤔🕵😇?

Hope and Faith, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ever read names in the Bible but never paid much attention to who they really were and the implications thereof? Ever read the below verse before?

1“This is what the Lord says to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I take hold of,to subdue nations before him, and to strip kings of their armor,
to open doors before him, so that gates will not be shut: 2 I will go before you and will level the mountains. I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron. 3 I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. 4 For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me. 5 I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me,6 so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the Lord, and there is no other. 7 I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things...Isaiah 45:1-7

Yes, Cyrus, King of Persia (today known as Iran) or commonly known as Cyrus, the Great was the one being referred to in the paragraph above. His name struck me as I read through the last two paragraphs of the last chapter of 2nd Chronicles. The first mention of this prophecy is actually in Isaiah 44:28. I must confess my ears have not heard of preachings about this king neither paid attention to his name in the Bible before. Or perhaps I just never paid much attention🤔😨😱😉!!

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the Lord spoken by Jeremiah, the Lord moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and also to put it in writing: “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: “‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. Any of his people among you may go up, and may the Lord their God be with them.’” 2Chronicles 36:22-23

Am not sure if by reading the two portions of the verses above, you see what I see or feel what I feel right now. The prophecy detail continues in Ezra 1:1-11.Weren’t there Israelite kings available to build the Lord’s temple, keeping in mind he was a “heathen”? Isaiah 45:4-5 clearly states twice that Cyrus did not acknowledge God. Did God have to put in the effort to send a prophecy about this man many years before his birth? What was so special about him? The two books of Chronicles have detailed out various kings with different histories as I pointed out in a previous post. So to have this king as the last one mentioned in the very last chapter must be of some significance, I believe.

The internet has various accounts of this king plus the prophecy interpretations but I choose to speak out on what I think based only on the Bible verses. Am not a theologian or anything, just a curious being and lately, having an inclination to history. Some accounts refer to him as the “messiah”.Well, the verses clearly call Cyrus the “anointed” and the only non-Jewish to be called so in the Bible, I must say. For God to call you by that name only means that definitely you are as He is the source. Messiah can be translated as a deliverer or saviour. But specifically in the Bible, Cyrus was to be the “messiah” of the Jewish people. Please note this was the era when the Israelites came out of captivity in Babylon under the rule of Nebuchadnezzar. So the remnant that were taken to exile stayed in captivity for 70 years as per God’s word through Jeremiah.

What stands out for me is God’s Omnipresent and Omnipowerful attributes. It did not matter how many years it took, but He ensured that His word does not go back to Him in vain. For the fact that He speaks, He then fulfills. So it was not about how special Cyrus was but it was how favoured the people he was helping were, the Israelites, the descendants of Abraham and Jacob. God had covenants with these two that needed fulfilling which truly did and presently is still being fulfilled.

I was more touched by this story to see that all the events happened to fulfill this prophecy was because of one thing and one thing only. El Shaddai moved each person. For the sake of fulfilling His word and promises, the Great I AM moved the heart of a man who did not even worship Him. God also moved some of the Israelites to believe Cyrus proclamation that Yahweh had sent him and they obeyed the instructions to build the temple of Jerusalem. At this point there is need to acknowledge that Jesus, the Messiah of not only the Jewish but the whole world had to leave his heavenly glory to come to earth to accomplish the ultimate saving plan. Can this mean you cannot save yourself that someone else with a special anointing is the one who can help you out of a pit? Or even when the times you do have the strength and will, where will it come from if not from the Creator and Giver of all things? I mean how can you deliver yourself if you are the same person with the problem? Am reminded of directors in companies who believe consultants’ reports and recommendations other than their own managers in solving of crisis. What about local companies that hire expatriates to move them to the next level of growth or from a poor performance? Can we say that the verse “…no prophet is honored in his own hometown” applies here then?

After all is said and done, am left with hope for me. For my life and future even after this world comes to an end. That Jehovah never sleeps nor slumbers. We may have a strong enemy but God is way way greater. He creates and was never created. He is both merciful and faithful no matter how low I fail in life. He is the Alpha and Omega. My prayer then becomes that He moves in me. I pray that my heart is moved so strongly to empower me fulfill the purpose of my life. Undoubtedly my own flesh cannot get me to my destination. Am in need of more filling of the Helper to guide me through this journey. All am saying is that I need the move of God in my life. He is my deliverer and my portion. He is my salvation. What of you?

God bless and see you next week Friday 😊🙃🤗😇!!

#CyrustheGreat #UnchangeableGod #Hopeforyouandme

What If You Could Have Back What You Lost🌼🎄🎁💜💖💗🤔?

Hope and Faith, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Have you ever lost something dear to you ? That pained you when it got lost ? That treasure that left some empty space in you ? Well, what if I told you, that you could get it back ? That there is hope for restoration ? What would you give to have that loved,precious, valuable treasure back in your possession? How wonderful does that sound ? Definitely music to the ears if you ask me🙋😇😊!!

Before I get misquoted, there is need to point out that some things and some people are just best left where they are. God in his wisdom has clarified that for me in my own life. He has helped me differentiate between what I have lost that deserves to be lost from what I need to have back in my life. The latter sometimes stays lost out of my own pride or lack of effort and some times even lack of desire/will. As I worked on this post, a former close friend called and my pride definitely did not allow me to pick. And I know and I know and I know that God has been speaking to me about walking in the path of forgiveness and reconciliation and this friend is definitely on that list. The long paragraph is evident of how much emotion this topic raises in me. And how much my heart desires to see this process to the end. Can I say this is where the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak 🤗😇? I stretched out of my comfort zone and did call back..Story to be continued😉 !!

This week in my church has been a prayer and fasting one seeking for revival/renewal/restoration. The theme is based on Psalms 85:6…Won’t you revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you ? It is evident between the Holy Trinity and I that a special part of my spiritual life was lost and my mind has knocked on that door of old memories quite often. So this week for me served as such an opportune moment for me to pour out my desires for restoration to God, my Heavenly Father for what I lost.

Loss brings with it sadness, tears, regret, pain, anger, resentment and even depression. For the loss brought by death, hope lies in meeting the dear ones in the afterlife. Others have lost materially for what they have worked so hard for. Some have experienced emotional and spiritual losses while others have lost parts of their bodies through sickness or accidents.

Focus for me this week has been to admit and confess that I did lose a former precious part of me that I truly need back to help me fulfill the purpose of my life. Am more than convinced that my purpose lies in a revival in the insides of me. From my thoughts, my mind, my heart, my words and in relation, my life. My inner man desires a renewal that can only come from the fire of the Holy Spirit. And as a result every sphere of my life will be positively impacted.

I am taking the step of faith on this mountain for repentance and confession of my sins combined with rebuking every wicked scheme of the evil one. Am taking the minutes to whisper my a thousand and one prayers combined with shouting of praise and worship to the Kings of Kings.

So what makes me so sure that my prayers will be answered ? Well, the beauty about this is that am asking from the source of all things. The Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, Yahweh, the Great I am. He is God of Abraham, God of Jacob and God of Isaac. He is the Author and Finisher of my faith. And am very much aware that God remains to be God. He is Sovereign and I trust His wisdom. His ways have always been better than mine. The truth be told, whether I receive or not, God still remains to be Jehovah. He is changeless. I might as well be grateful that my actions have moved me closer to Him. And maybe that was the whole idea in the first place 🙃😉😊🙂!! You see, I told you, God knows what exactly He is doing. He got this !! He got me !! He got you !! Isn’t it better to walk with the Creator of all things than the things themselves ?

This post is to acknowledge loss does occur in each one of us. Is there hope for recovery ? God has the full answer to this. You can choose to ask of Him and let His Sovereignty reign in your life or you can choose to continue with life as it comes. The former does seem wiser and really is the best for you. Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be open unto you (Matthew 7:7). One thing is certain God hears and answers prayers, sometimes not the way we want, but the fact remains is that He does. Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!(Matthew 7:9-11)

My hope is renewed that my Creator is truly my Heavenly Father. Am not sure what you have lost or what you desire back. One thing that am confident of is that God knows and He desires for you to talk to Him about it. Let Him be your light. Let Him make your paths straight to your destiny. Let Him lead you to your purpose. Be encouraged that He has the best of intentions for you 😊😊😇!! It is written that many are the good thoughts He has for us that they would outnumber the sand.

God bless as you take time to seek for restoration, revival and renewal in all areas of your life !! See you next week Friday🙋!!

#Hopeforyouandme #UnchangeableGod #Restoration #Revival #

……….God Remains To Be God 🙌🙌!!

Hope and Faith, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

My spirit desires to commence by acknowledging that the far I have come is ONLY possible through the Sovereign Power of the Almighty God, my Creator. My heart is filled with so much gratitude as the memory lane increases in years. You have been so faithful to me Oh Lord 🙏!! You have seen me through tough times in my life. The sorrowful times my pillow stayed wet through the night. The desperate times I regretted life itself. You wiped my tears and granted me peace and joy beyond measure. Not that all my requests have been answered right now but because your love has penetrated the inner depths of my heart and shone a light so bright!! My soul testifies of the many valleys and mountains that Yahweh,the Great I AM has seen me through! Who am I that you are mindful of me Oh Lord? Won’t you receive all the praise and thanksgiving that I pour out today?

My beloved reader, have you recently taken time to literally write down the blessings in your life…the positives? Even the obvious that we take for granted like having time to read this post. Or the two eyes to read anything at all. Many are in wartorn countries or desperate situations unable to utilize such precious privileges.

As I read the two books of Chronicles (now in Chapter 16 of 2 Chronicles), I noted eras of various kings, some evil indeed, others who sought to please God. Notable names I came across ran from Adam to Israel (Jacob) to Saul to David to Solomon to Rehoboam to Abijah to Asa to Jehoshaphat and Ahab and the list continues. Some who began so well but then lost focus along the way. Others who sinned but later corrected the err of their ways. A famous quote talks of the only constant thing in life is change. Well, I think the only constant fact in life is that God remains to be God 🙌🙌!! Tempted to add a smiling emoji there but I choose not to share in God’s glory lest the lightning strikes my head… hehehehe….now the emoji can come in….😊😊😇🙃!!

Looking back at the all the stories of people whose lives were selected to serve as examples for future generations, you truly note that as years passed by, we had different individuals but still the same Heavenly Father! People were born, some had short lives, some long, others meaningful lives while others wasted themselves. There are those who died in battle, some through calamities and others whose details were never revealed. They differed in character and purpose. But one thing remained, God knew each one of them by name because He remained in control of all the universe. Not one moment did He sleep or slumber…NOT ONE!!!!!!!

This message is in no way to ignore that people go through difficult moments. No, that is not my aim as that is part of every human being, rich or poor, tall or short, fat or thin, black or white. That is just the way it is. It is life. What am saying is that no season so painful or so joyous in a person’s life will change who God is. No circumstance will be so disastrous to an individual that God will choose to be different than what the word says He is. Who then is God?🤔 Well, I choose to say who He is to me:-

  1. He is my Creator and Heavenly Father
  2. He is Jehovah Jireh, my Provider
  3. He is Elohim, the Source of my Strength
  4. He is my Guide
  5. He is my Protector
  6. He is Jehovah Rapha, my Healer
  7. He is my Fortress and Refuge
  8. He is my Redeemer
  9. He is the only one who loves me unconditionally
  10. He is the lifter of my head
  11. He is the source of my joy
  12. He is faithful even when am faithless
  13. He is the source of my blessings
  14. He is the source of my victories
  15. He is the source of all the favor in my life

Who is God to you? What has He seen you through? What do you want Him to see you through? There is nothing He cannot do, nothing He cannot change, nothing He cannot turn around. We can be assured of His Omnipresent and Omniscient character never to change. One thing that I currently challenge myself is to recognize that my needs and wants will always be present, different in every season, but El Shaddai remains the same. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Whether am happy right now or sad. Whether am hungry or full. Whether am clothed or naked. Whether am employed or have no prospective jobs. Whether I get married or not. Whether I get children or not. Whether I buy the latest car or not. Whether I own a posh house or not. Whether I become famous or not. God remains to be God. So why not fix my eyes on Him and let Him take control here and now. Not so easy I must confess. But I must acknowledge some peace seems to overcome my ever running mind upon this realization. And force/push me into a place of calmness in the midst of this world’s storms.

Because as I focus on Him, His never changing faithfulness remains in my life. My prayer is that I be counted faithful in fulfilling my purpose. God bless and see you next week Friday😇🙂🤗!!

#UnchangeableGod #Hopeforyouandme

Has Your Heart Ever Flooded..Is There Hope?

Hope and Faith, , , , , , , , ,

Last week in this country, we observed several areas experiencing heavy rainfall as predicted by the Kenya Meteorological Department. This led to flooding that destroyed property and loss of lives.

My sincere condolences goes to the family of the bereaved during this time and I pray for grace and restoration for those that lost their property.

Even as the heavy rains fall on our land, I think of the times our lives have felt flooded by life experiences. Just like the water filling those houses, you feel suffocated by the experiences in your life.

Just like the vehicles getting crushed by the weakened trees, you also feel the burden of the previously strong anchors in your life that are now weighing you down. Just like the property in the homes getting carried away, you also feel helplessly swayed by every painful occurrence in your life.

Rains are normally welcomed by those practising farming as they are glad that their efforts in planting will bear much fruit during harvest. Without the water, most farmers incur great losses and that is when we hear of increased food importation in the country.

However, when this same eagerly awaited season arrives and the water is too much, then such losses are experienced as a country…yeah a double edge sword indeed!

When the trials in our lives are too much for us to bear, we tend to hear of suicidal incidents, family members killing one another, adultery, too much debt financing, some resorting to sorcery and witchcraft, some to drug abuse, all in an effort to find solutions to their flooded lives.

Is there a way as a country we could have avoided the losses? If yes, why haven’t we? Are there other countries in the world we can emulate in such related disaster management?

Before we can point our fingers to the Government, what about our own personal lives? For the current “flood” in your life, was there a small chance the damage could have been avoided? Is there a possibility that you could have made that decision differently?

Back to our country, now that lives and property were destroyed, how can we improve our infrastructure to be better prepared for such a calamity? Some depend on us as citizens during our property investment decisions with regards to location.

In the same way in our personal lives, we may need to learn from other people’s experiences and how else if we do not seek help? Aren’t there people you know or heard of that have gone through the same or can offer advise on your issue? If not, may God guide us to people that can hold our hands through this journey of life.

1 Corinthians:10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Did you notice that even as the houses were filled up with water, the water actually found a way out? The water cannot last forever in that house no matter how high of a level it may have reached. If it found a way in, then there is a way out!! I love this! Am actually preaching to myself. If no one gets this, at least I have 😊

I feel it is time that I express my deep gratitude to those that stood by me when my own heart felt flooded. To those who moved closer to ensure that I did not drown or get carried away, despite not having the full details at times.

I needed to come to a place where I would not allow pride to prevent me from seeking help. I needed to find people that I could open up to and would not laugh at me, judge me or run away but rather hold my hand.

I deeply bless God for I found such people! I must confess I was in a really dark place! Did I just say “I was”? Didn’t think I could ever say that. I do not know about you, but during my flooded season, it didn’t seem the water would ever clear away.

“How many have you heard of that die because of troubles/worries unless they were killed or killed themselves?” is the voice I hear right now of what my mother once asked me. “For how long have I heard of people complaining of troubles yet they have grown to old age?”, I later thought to myself.

Recently, I shared with her how it felt like am now out of a bottle and my eyes see much further than they used to.

I am moved to recall this common quote used in times of adversity, What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger. This quote was originally used by the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche in his book, Twilight of the Idols (1888). And for the history lovers, you will note it was quoted as a motto by the Nazis in the Hitler youth training centers in the 1920s.

With that in mind,I write this post as an encouragement to those troubled by the worries of this world, no matter how big or small they may seem.

I am writing to remind all of us of 1Corinthians 10:13 stated above. As you read this verse, may it be the last of my words and the beginning of God’s comfort and guidance to you. I hand over to you Lord from here!

#Godwillprovideawayout

#Hopeforyouandme