From the storm came a great peace

 

Something wonderful happened to me this week.

The Lord told me to forgive some people who’ve hurt me so badly

and to go meet them and pray for them.

You could think it’s that easy, but I spent a sleepless night just imagining

how I will have to go down to those people who owe me

apologies, tell them I forgive them, then pray for them.

But I finally swallowed my pride and timidity and did just that.

When I began to pray with one of them, she just broke down to tears…especially when I

mentioned that I’m releasing her from the prison of my heart so that she can get blessed.

I just realized how much hurt I had been causing by keeping them in the prison of my heart.

At the end of it all, I felt so good, free and joyous. They too.

I challenge you to do same. Do not hold that person in the prison cell of your heart any longer. Do not even wait for God to say so.

Release them, pray for them and you will get blessed yourself.

It’s good to know God is not keeping someone in bondage because I, His servant have refused to forgive them.

Remember Jesus said, whom we forgive He will forgive too.

“Because of my son”

They’ve been times I almost gave up.

There are times I feel like throwing in the towel.

Very often I’ve wanted to do something really stupid…

But then I thought of how it will affect my son,

How he will live to suffer the effect…

Then I decided to choose the better option,

Even if it was the most difficult.

That is how God deals with us…

Because of His son He forgives you even when He shouldn’t,

He answers your prayers when you don’t deserve it,

He forgives you when you mess up,

He promises great things for you that you can not pay for

BECAUSE OF HIS SON.

What will you give to God this season BECAUSE OF HIS SON?

Give Him your whole heart, your worship and trust.

That’s the least you can do BECAUSE OF HIS SON.

Do you really love God?

This is the greatest test of love for God;

when it seems like He’s hidden His face from you or turned His back…

when you feel like your world is falling apart, yet you choose to keep loving Him.

when you live on medication, yet you sing praises to Him…

when you even take your pills to church because you

gonna be needing them during worship service; that is what it means to love Jesus.

From the Father’s Heart

Image

You are not single

You are not single.

You are married to Jesus

One day He will lend you out for a season

To the man who dares present such a request

A faithful steward who will keep you in good shape

And present you to your husband when He comes to take you home

And if your Husband chooses to keep you jealously to Himself

Shout for joy for you are even dearer to His heart, most precious in His sight

And He knows you’ll never find a better husband than the one He is to you.

“…even with the little you have”.

I used to think that if I don’t get a good dose of joy myself, then I’m unable or unqualified to bring joy to other people’s lives. I’ve since changed my paradigm.

I’ve learned that it takes just a little effort and will power to make someone’s day.

When I share the little I have it goes out and comes back to me in a boomerang effect.

It’s selfish of me to think that because I don’t have what I want, I’ve got nothing to share.

I could be unhappy, but at the same time possessing the seed to someone’s happiness.

At Gethsemane, Jesus wasn’t happy about going to the cross. But He knew my happiness depended thereon. So He went.

Anybody can give when in affluence; true generosity is seen when we give out of little.

IF…

If Jesus suffered this much for me to have a good life,

why would He now withhold any good thing from me?

If He paid so great a price to ensure my happiness,

how then can he be glad to see me suffer?

If He endured so much for my sake,

why will He now place any limit on my happiness?

I believe we don’t just deserve the best; God wants the best for us.

How will you feel if you painstakingly save money and then invest it on your child’s education,

Then you discover that they are not taking full advantage of the sacrifices you have made for them?

You will feel insulted isn’t it? That is how God feels when we creep and crawl and beg; when we live as beggars whereas He has furnished a table for us through a huge sacrifice.

THE POWER OF SPEECH

 

Some are ordained to be our eyes

Others are sent forth as ears for us

Many are our hand to touch and feel

Still some are called to be our mouths.

Yes, mouths to speak out loud and clear

For the dumb and for the down-trodden

To raise an awareness, to sound the alarm

That we be able to mend our ways.

Not that they are perfect in themselves

Not because they got it all together and right

God has given them a mandate to speak

And who can shut them up and be at peace?

John the Baptist spoke out, John Wycliffe did too

Jesus spoke ever so clear, against the wrong and the wicked way

John Huss spoke and died at the stakes

John Calvin wrote, Luther spoke and was ran out of the church.

They paid the price, they got the prize

They gave me freedom to worship my God

Many were shocked, many resisted

But today we eat the good fruit they labored for.

So dear, dear brother; sweet, sweet sister

Tell me I didn’t say it well; I’ll mend and I’ll correct

Don’t tell me to shut up and pack out for good

For the fire within is too hot to be quenched.

I will speak out

I will say it

If I die, let me die

If I perish, I perish.

LIKE A CHILD

Lord Jesus, I come to you today

Just like a child

Thirsting and hungering for your love

I roamed the world in a desperate search

For love, for hope and something to smile about

I did find some but so shallow and ephemeral it was

And then I came away thirsting and hungering again.

Lord, I lay aside my pride and all

I push away my own self-wisdom

crawl back to you like a baby thirsty for its mother’s milk

Sweet Jesus, take me in your arms.

Let me feel love like I never did before

Let me hope like I never dreamed of before

Because in your gentle arms is love, pure and sure.

I thank you because you never bar the door

Even to a prodigal coming back home for solace.

YOU HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE

HE WHO MADE ME WELL… (John 5:5-9)

 

One day Jesus saw a man who had been sitting near a pool for 38 years waiting for and expecting healing from God. Everybody knew about him and no one did try to help him out. Everybody seemed to think that somehow, there was nothing wrong in him being there. He had become a part of the natural décor of that environment; it had become normal to see him there year after year and decade after decade.

Then one day something different happened to him. Jesus showed up, gave him an instruction and his story changed. “Glory to God, a notable miracle has happened. Our God has done it again…” This should have been the reaction of the leaders of the church. They should have been happy to see another testimony pointing to the greatness of God. No! They had other priorities at heart.

“Why are you carrying your bed on the Sabbath? Why did that man heal you on the Sabbath?”

It is like that prostitute who goes to church feeling so depressed…more depressed than the state of her dress; but then all we can see is her short skirt and heavy make-up. We then fail to appreciate a notable miracle; the fact that someone like that has made up their mind to stop running away from God.

I like the response the man gave to the Pharisees when they desired to know why he was crying his bed on the Sabbath.

“He who made me well said to me, ‘take up your bed and walk (John 5:11).’

I don’t know who has been breathing down the back of your neck and giving you five reasons why you shouldn’t be doing what you are doing. “As long as you live in my house, it is unlawful for you to pray. You are a former drug-addict and I won’t let you see my daughter; you used to be a sex worker, I can’t attend your church; you got born into the wrong family, you can’t have a break in life…”

This is my encouragement to you. Look at them in the face and say…”He who saved me told me I could make it…He who rescued me from the pit said to me ‘you are fearfully and wonderfully made…’”

At the end of the day, it’s not about pleasing men; it’s about doing the will of God and making it to heaven.

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR

I wish you a very blessed and joyous new year 2015.

May the Good Lord bless all your endeavors with success.

Where there was failure let there be success.

Where there was rejection let there be favor.

Where there was stagnation let there be speed.

Where there was delay let there be acceleration.

Where there were struggles let there be ease.

Let sickness turn to divine health.

Let pain turn to gain.

Let shame turn to fame.

You will surprise yourself this new year

In the mighty and miracle-working name of Jesus Christ.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

I see you in that dark little room
All alone and lonesome in your thoughts
Wondering what is driving everyone around
To that frenzy of excitement and craze.

I see you wiping a tear from your cheek
Asking yourself why you have to go on
When there is just so little to live for.

I see you, angry and bitter and broke
Because you can’t join in the celebration
Not because you don’t want to
But because you don’t fit in.

I see you draw the blinds in frustration
“Who cares if I don’t go out?
No one’s gonna miss me anyway.
They’re all having fun out there.”

I want to tell you dear friend
That someone misses you so bad
Though they may not have the courage to say so
They miss that smile though so rare.

Jesus came for you too my friend
Any little act of love, joy and peace
You pose this season
Honors and welcomes your Friend to the earth.

So go out there and join the celebration
Not because you feel like it
But because He feels for you, just you
And wants to hold you in His arms.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU. JESUS CARES, YES INDEED HE DOES. HE SEES YOUR PAIN, SHAME AND LONELINESS. HE COMMUNICATED IT TO MY HEART AND GAVE ME THESE WORDS JUST FOR YOU. I CAN FEEL YOUR YEARNINGS AND DESIRES. NOT BECAUSE I’M SUPER HUMAN, BUT BECAUSE I’VE BEEN THERE TOO. HE WIPED AWAY MY TEARS; HE WILL DO SAME FOR YOU.
AMEN.

Jesus, a mystery

Creator of the universe, He was born like a poor child

Commanding legions of angels, He fled before Herod’s army

The author of Baptism, He submitted to Baptism

He created Lucifer, was tempted by him as satan

God enough to walk on water, man enough to thirst for water

He lived like the poor, He brought money forth from fishes’ mouths

Followed by a crowd, He died on a lonely cross

It is He who gives life, it is He who succumbed to death

God came to us in human form, what a mystery?

Peace

May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ fill your heart

and keep you from the constant rain of negative news

Someone cares.