Just for a moment more!!

“You cannot afford to give up now. You’ve come too far. Let’s keep walking; we are so close to the end I can just smell it”.

Peggy and her four friends after days of endless walking had found themselves in a farmland belonging to farmer Jed. It was spacious, comfortable and there stood in the middle this GREAT tree. It stood out when compared to the rest and had branches you could rest on. On seeing this, Melinda turned to the group and suggested they stopped in for the evening and maybe stay for the night. Then just maybe they would alight early the next day for their journey home. Peggy a little uncomfortable with the idea tried to encourage her and the rest of gang to continue, urging Melinda “You cannot afford to give up now. You’ve come too far. Let’s keep walking; we are so close to the end I can just smell it”.

It was as if her suggestion was falling on deaf ears as her friends were reluctant to carry on and didn’t find anything wrong in stopping in for a short while, even if it was for the night. Peggy remembering the many years the group had been friends for succumbed but insisted that before the clock struck 4am they must be on their way. For they did not know what manner of man the farm belonged to. At 3.30am the next morn, Peggy was already awake and tried to wake the rest up; Tisa and Clarisse were prepared to follow Peggy, but Melinda chose to sleep in for a little while longer, whilst Federica opted to follow Melinda in her lie in.

As Melinda and Federica lay snuggly under the shade of the beautiful tree, the rest of them began to set off. They had just barely left the position of the tree when they realised that farmer Jed and the rest of his workforce were awake and busy working on the farm; and saw that every intruder farmer Jed’s crew came into contact with they shot at for trespassing. Peggy on seeing this feared for their life. And as they turned aside they found that they were standing close to a moving mower cart and made haste to follow the cart. They were able to follow it unnoticed by farmer Jed and his group and were just able to make it out of the farm land alive.

As they got off the farm, they wondered what would become of their friends, and Tisa and Clarisse praised God for listening to good instructions.

As always, my stories are quite off the charts J, but you can’t help but wonder how close to our breakthroughs we are even when it appears the end is still so far away. Sometimes we get distracted and sidelined, which sometimes causes one to try to settle for less than what God has for them. And in most cases a wasted life. Don’t be deceived, don’t be shortchanged, don’t let the enemy steal what rightfully belongs to you (The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full – John 10:10). Don’t be unaware of his schemes (2 Corinthians 2:11), and don’t give up. Don’t let your body cause you to sin or prevent you from entering into your rest because of disobedience or LAZYNESS (Hebrews 4:11 - Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience). The word of God reminded us to pray until our Joy is full (John 16:24). Until what He has promised manifests in our lives we should give Him no rest until He has done what He promised (Isaiah 62:7). Saints keep praying.

And what He tells us to do we should do (John 2:5b; Hebrews 12:25). Seek His counsel early, because storms will come, but Jesus has already overcome it all (John 16:33). Seek Godly counsel and let Him guide you to a successful finish (Isaiah 28:26 - His God instructs him and teaches him the right way; Proverbs 20:18; 24:6 - Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance; for waging war you need guidance, and for victory many advisers; Proverbs 12:16; 9:9; 1:8). As ungodly counsel will only wear you out (Isaiah 47:13)

Jesus said "... in this world you will have trouble but take heart I have overcome the world...(John 16:33)" So it would seem any fear, doubt and confusion stems from our reliance on our selves and ability. Despair creeps in when the task ahead of us is greater than what we and the resources we can call upon are capable of. Therefore, it seems that if we can empty ourselves of us and fill it with Jesus then our troubles of little consequence. Because we have rest for our souls not just for time but for eternity. “Pain is temporary, Victory is forever. In Christ we have that victory if and if only we trust in him”. (UgoI)

“We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead” – 2 Corinthians 1:8b-9.

Keep trusting God and He will see you through. But remember faith without works is dead (James 2:17). Keep persevering and He will grant your labours with success. You are not labouring in vain (Hebrews 6:10). You have not come to the mountain of the Lord to gloom and darkness (Hebrews 12: 18-24). No, you have come to the Living God, who is more than dependable.

It is closer than you think!! Don’t let you story be like that of Melissa and Federica. Let your testimony be like that of Peggy and friends.

Hi my Name is David!!

The oxford dictionary states that Evolution is: • noun 1 the process by which different kinds of living organism are believed to have developed, especially by natural selection. 2 gradual development. 3 Chemistry the giving off of a gaseous product or of heat. 4 a pattern of movements or manoeuvres.

After the short 7.40am bus journey to the train station, I looked forward to my quiet time inside the train. I had hopped that the train would be on the empty side so that I would be able to pray over the songs I was going to lead the worship service with, and ask God for His fresh anointing. The fast train to Verona is just a little over an hour and thankfully today (like it has been the past three Sundays) was on time. As I walked along the carriage way looking for a prime spot, I spotted an almost empty carriage and a sitting place with a tall man fast asleep. His feet spread over the chair of my choice, and so I smugly told him in English, please could you take your feet off my chair.

I was shocked that he did, woke up immediately and sat up, then said to me:

“Is that train opposite going to Venice”

I was surprised he spoke English, sounded American, at which I replied, “yes it is but it’s a very slow one and stops at every stop. But this train takes you straight to Verona, and you can change over for the fast one to Venice”

Then he replied, “I would have been surprised if they put me on the slowest one”

I was thinking to myself, please go back to sleep, I need to spend some time praying over my songs, because I need the anointing of God to flow in today’s service. But instead, he just kept talking and talking and talking. Fifteen minutes into the journey, he had given me a brief history of himself, and he was a young American footballer playing in the European league and after his two years in Bolzano (North of Italy – German speaking region), he was now playing for Barcelona (in Spain). Great, but that didn’t stop there. And at no point did it occur to me to try and witness to him. All I was thinking about was me, my worship service and my songs. I kept hoping there would be one of those “awkward moments” but he just kept talking..lol.. And finally after twenty five minutes of him jabbing away I finally said to the Lord, I give up Lord. Maybe after the train ride, on the next bus ride to my final stop, just maybe I’ll have a bit of quiet time to pray over my songs and for more of His anointing.

He spoke about, culture, life, education, women, beer you name it, I heard it all that morning J, and it wasn’t even 8.30am yet. And all I did was listen to him. I was able to tell him what I was doing too here in these northern regions of Italy, but the conversation was more his sided J.

Then finally, with only fifteen minutes left of the journey, he asks me what I was going to Verona to do, that was when it all started. I told him I was off to church and told him a little about my church. Then we introduced ourselves. His name was David, and mine Lifeofastranger.

“I’m not quite sure what to call myself. I am Jewish and my family are devout. Problem is I’m not quite sure about all these things to do with God. How is it you can believe in God, as opposed to evolution?”

Then I asked him, how do you think the world came to being today?

He had spent his first two college years taking classes in physics at the University of North Carolina (in Chapel Hill), and replied saying, “gaseous particles that soon came together to become water and small life forms started to form”.

I smiled at him and asked him, so what then gave off these gaseous particles?

Which I quickly followed with, for a product to form there has to be a reaction involving reactants. There has to be an initial event that created the reactants which were once products. And therefore if these gaseous particles are a result of - gradual development, giving off of product, a process, a pattern – these are all events that can only be initiated from an origin. This transformation leading to a product must have a beginning. And therefore, how did that beginning come to being?

He smiled too and said, “I give you that”

He moved on to ask me about the mendacity that is the world we live in today. Would I say that it is ok for one to have it all and another none? A man could have all that money, car and house. And another just working in a bar, corner shop, or a bin collector.

At which I replied, why is it so important to you how others live? How do you know if the man who is working in the corner shop is not transforming the lives of others that live in his community? Or the need that the bin man is meeting by collecting one’s refuses. You don’t know the purpose of a man; you can only know the purpose that is yours. The life and purpose of a man can only be revealed to that man, and because we are only privy to ours we can only act as a spectator, but not to use it as a yard stick to measure ours or judge what is happening around us.

He nodded his head, and gave out a smile. And as my heart continued to race faster, I realised we had reached our final stop, Verona. As he stood to bring down his belongings from an overhead compartment, he said to me what do you think of Obama?

I smiled yet again. And said, I admire the lessons that have been learned from Obama’s rise – that it doesn’t matter how long it takes, change is going to come. But whatever difference, bad or good he makes around him, will only be accredited to him to his account. But you see, because we all have our own individual purposes, nobody is going to help us build our accounts, only us. Then I asked him, what are you doing about yours? Because when we get to heaven, God is not going to ask you, “yo what do you think of Obama”, He’s going to get YOUR Life’s CV out and ask you what you did with yours. So stop watching the mendacity that is in the world today, or the successes others make out of their lives, what really matters is “what did David do with his”, and how was he able to use it to transform the lives of the people / the community around him. What did David do with his “tenure”, and what Legacy did he leave behind. To BE sure his LIFE’S CV is going to be read out ON THAT DAY. Make sure it’s Filled out.

As we stepped off the train (the doors in our carriage and the one before us wasn’t working so we had to walk to the third carriage to get off the train talking as we walked along), as he was about to bid me farewell, he held my hand and said, “this has been the most intense, and educative morning he has ever had”. We said our goodbyes and immediately he started to run for his platform for his connecting train to Venice, for his return flight back to Barcelona. I may never see him again.

But as he went, I couldn’t help but ask God to help him. After his time in Barcelona he plans to move to North Korea to teach English. I don’t know what plans God has for him, but I pray that I was able to sow enough seed to help him in that journey. My interrupted quiet time was an inconvenience to me, but I’m sure it was not to David.

So let me pose the same question I posed to David to you. What are you doing about your Life?

The Lord reminded us in our Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6:11; Luke 11:3) and in Matthew 6:34 – the importance of each day, therefore make the most out of what you’ve been allocated, and Let the Lord our most wonderful and worthy saviour guide you as you work out your faith with Him. Let Him continue to order your steps (Psalm 37:23; 17:5) and help you to finish the race well (2 Timothy 4:7). Press on for the prize in front is worth the race (Philippians 3:13-14). Make a difference. Make your life count. You have been created for greatness. Go become it!! You are created beings not evolved being. Therefore initiate the process of evolution. Transform your environment – it may be a gradual process, it may take a long time, but don’t let that stop you. Release what you are made of. Let the result be a change that can never be stopped. GIVE scholars of the result of your evolution something to debate about.

I caught my 9.17am bus, and was in church by 9.50am. And the worship service was more than I could ever have prayed for.

Does He want to?

I will sing of the goodness of Jesus, and even so for all He has done for me. This week (more so than ever) I’ve been in an attitude of gratitude and there is this overwhelming sense of peace that has followed me throughout this week. It’s not an easy task to leave it all to Jesus (I should know, J I preach more than I practice), and sometimes after thinking yes, God can do this, I sometimes wonder but does He want toJ?

I am not only reminded that He can and will, but that He truly wants to. He wants to see me blessed; He wants to see me attaining the Heights that He has created me to reach. He wants to see me be an encouragement to others who may be passing through a situation similar to mine, Oh yes He wants to display me to the world that God my Father, is not just any ordinary man.

So next time you are in doubt, consider this, do you think your earthly father would like to see you his beloved child begging for bread? How do you think your earthly parents would feel when they see you in considerable pain? ---- How much more God, giver of life? {I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread – Psalm 37:25; “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you!” - Isaiah 49:15}

There are many things that God wants to do for us, but He needs an Invitation. He says I stand at the door and knock – Revelations 3:20 – He is a gentleman. He wishes to be invited. And He is closer to you than you know (James 5:9). He is always ready and willing to be all that you want Him to be in your life. Thing is, are you willing to try Him, challenge Him? I’ve tried Him, would you?

I don’t need to be told anymore of His capabilities. I have tried limiting God, and that didn’t work. I have tried expected things, but instead received far better, greater, above and beyond the unexpected. I know now that He delights to hear from me, and that indeed is a privilege many are not accustomed to. And for these reasons I am even more persuaded that my God who is GREATLY to be praised wants to see me fulfilling His divine purpose for my life.

What of you?

A simple thought!

So He finally shows up, and you seem to think well He’s not showing out. It’s as if the prayer has been answered but it’s not like the way you expected / wanted it. You can see the manifestation of the answered prayer, but it didn’t come with all the trimmings that you expected.

It’s like you were marooned on the ocean and left to die, and the rescuers finally came, but *err* with no boats visible, as in “are you sure you came to rescue me or compound my plight”?

God can not lie (Numbers 23:19 - God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfil?). He doesn’t say something and not do it. He’s not about to rescue and deliver you from the very situation you are facing, if He’s not able to bring His promises to pass. Remember that (Romans 16:25; Ephesians 3:20). And He doesn’t answer prayers by halves (Numbers 11:23b - "Is the LORD's arm too short? You will now see whether or not what I say will come true for you"). And when your time for visitation comes BELIEVE an end has come to all forms of bareness in your life.

So what if *erm*, the manifestation of the prayer is not you know, the way you expected it to be. Didn’t God say His has no sorrow (Proverbs 10:22), and there will be a satisfaction that comes with His blessing (Psalm 91:16)? Don’t watch what or how it is now, watch what God says it’ll become.

Shocking Out!!

I had seen this sight on numerous occasions, and so today’s wasn’t expected to be any different to the others. But today I was moved; my original sitting place prevented me from being positioned to see what I needed to see. Thus I was upgraded. Yay, I exclaimed, you mean to the next class? Yes maam was the reply. I was offered the choicest of seats, and I chose to seat by the window.

And as I sat down, preparing myself for the most relaxing ride of my life, tilting my head towards the right, to get properly acquainted with the head cushion, there appeared before me this blinding ray of light trying to discomfort me and at the same time obstruct my view coming through the window; no sooner had I cursed it in my heart proceeding to pull the curtains, it seemed to disappear. As I tried to adjust myself, and lifting up my eyes, I saw the clouds. It was as if it was acting as a shield, but not doing a very good job at it, because they appeared to have holes in them, and some of the rays of light had pierced though. The holes also appeared to be many, random and scattered at the same time.

The Lord had something to show me, and I was a spectator.

Then as if I were being elevated, I was lifted above the clouds and there in front of me I could see as far as the eye could see, LIGHT, but now no clouds acting as a shield. … As I marvelled at this light, I finally realised what He meant when He said I have already blessed you in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:3-10).

You see, everything we need, require, desire and want according to His will has already been granted. But for some of us it seems we are not getting the fullness of that benefit; this is because there is a shield; there is a barrier; there is an obstruction; there is a blockade, which the enemy has placed, in the bid to frustrate us. But you see what he forgot, was we have a weapon. A weapon known as PRAYER. And every instant, we fire a PRAYER; it acts as a loaded gun that infiltrates the most resistant of shields. And the more we fire it, the more impact we have on the shield’s ability to prevent our breakthroughs from getting to us. And depending on how many rounds you fire, is related to the impact you have on that blockade. So to say if we want to succeed we need to be militant on the way we pray (mmhmm Militant PRAYERS).

And Because of that blood that was shed upon the cross of Calvary, we were reconciled with God (2 Corinthians 5:18), and so regained the authority to stand and fire at will; because God is looking for overcomers, those of us who want testimonies to share of the goodness of God (Revelations 12:11). Those of us whom through communications with God (Prayers) were able to break up unploughed grounds. Because in the end what matters, is living the Life that God predestined you to live (To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory – Colossian 1:27).

Are you ready to be Militant Prayers? I don’t know about ya’ll but am about to shock out and do some serious damage to whatever is standing in the way of my breakthroughs.

Come Share this with me

You can never grow as a person or in your faith unless you have gone through a storm / storms and realize that it was through GOD's grace and His mercy that He brought us through। And since nothing in our life just happens, and because God is the author of our life, He has already written every chapter concerning us from the beginning even to the very end. Therefore, since there is no love greater than the Love of GOD's, let us never forget that our life can only grow better under His direction.

So how fortunate that He gave him this word today again reminding us of that fact “What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory” – Romans 9:23. That what you and I have gone through or may be going through was and is for a greater purpose. Because it is entirely up to God to do as He pleases with us - ¹⁵Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? – Matthew 20:1-16. And because of what He has shown us, we ought to rejoice that He has chosen “us” to be objects of His mercy.

What you are going through will not be easy and may never get easy, but it is worth the goal in front। And the Lord Jesus is saying to you too, think of what He had to go through, which we ought not to ever take lightly. That His was never easy, but see what it meant, paying the “total” cost of our entire sins (not just mine and yours, but the whole world, those alive today, unborn, and those that died before we were born). And if we say we Love Him, we need to take up our cross and follow Him, with all this in mind. For indeed every set back is worth the goal in front.

It has been a week of mighty revelations. I pray that the good Lord who has chosen us to be objects of His mercy will continue to crown us with His glorious riches, in Jesus Name. Amen

Meaningless Existence

As I sit here at this desk, table, work top (whatever those around prefer to call it) I can’t help but recall to memory a feeling of waste. How am I sure that I have not wasted my youth, my life, my existence? Which immediately is followed by the ever reoccurring question / questions - why have I been cursed to exist in a form that is worthless to others? What have I been doing, done and is still doing.

I’ve been awake for two score minus eleven years, even though many a times it feels more like countless decades; but where was I? Yes, today the twenty second day, falling on the fifth day of that week and the fifth month of that year, the year I had promised myself a life of meaningful existence, saturated with pleasant memories. I’m I cursed to procrastinate and thus envy the existence of those that appear to oppress my memory living the life I ought to be living, of which I appear not to? I’m I trying to confuse myself? Yes, I was born to live the dream not dream the dream, or else why do I have the dreams, why does my memory remind me of a life unfulfilled, that is still to be attained. Surely the remembrance is not to oppress and leave me with a sense of failure! No that cannot be the case.

Still as I sit, glancing towards the left side of the room, peering through the window, into the garden encompassed with such rich luscious greenery, I really couldn’t help but say out loud I hate this life. Yes, I hate this meaningless existence that has plunged me into this parody; knowing fully well I should be living another, but not inhabiting this. I should be somewhere else not here, but where? WHERE?

I have tried with my own strength to breathe life to the dream. I have encountered obstacles. I have been told it’s no use. And I have tried to jump start it after repeated fruitless attempts; but my efforts were exercises in futility. I hate this meaningless existence. Away from me you dream of hope that has turned my once sweet rest to nightmares of sorts. I am determined to let go, and give up. I am determined to make this nightmare work. But how can I settle for this when I know I was not born for this. The belief that this is not the dream, continues to hold me ransom, I want to leave, I want to leave, but where to? WHERE TO?

There was a young man (not too long ago - just over two thousand years ago), went by the name of John. He was an only child and was born to his parents when they were well advanced in years. I was told that he spent all of his adult years (before he was killed that is) out in the wild wearing nothing but animal skin, in the HOT dry desert, parched, sweaty and exhausted. No shelter and no place to shield him from the scorching sun. Yes, where was I? And all day he would repeatedly churn out the same words – “Prepare the way of the LORD; Make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill brought low; the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.” – Luke 3:4-6. This he did without ceasing. Could you imagine how many times he would have had to say this each day, each week and each month?

I’m sure there were people his age, living suddenly, suddenly impressive lives, attaining the riches, wealth and glamour that he could easily have dreamed – which no doubt would have transformed his pitiful existence. And I’m sure there were countless others living the idea of the dream. We are told that men with more than one tunic, tax collectors, soldiers, came to seek his advice ([Luke 3:10-14] mind you these were people who came into money during his time). I’m sure there were many a time when after a packed day, exhausted and tired, he would have wondered, what manner of life is this. But we were told in Matthew 11:11a and Luke 7:28a “Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist”.

So think about it, John’s life wasn’t anything worth talking about let alone “posting on FB” – (I mean who would envy such a life. Tufiakwa not me”), yet Jesus said in his time, no one was greater than he? Now really think about it. Whose opinion of you matters the most? What do you think God is saying about your life, which apparently you’re calling meaningless and have the audacity to HATE. Think about it! How then can you say your life is worthless?

Now check this, we were also told that in that same Matthew 11:11b and Luke 7:28b “but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he (i.e. John).” Which translates that even if you were a beginner in the Kingdom of God, you’re automatically greater than the Greatest, which means …….. mmhmmm, EXACTLY, OH YES, you are SUPERSTAR status. So next time, you want to say your life is meaningless, let me pose this - when did you become the creator of the Universe and have the power to REVERSE words that God has already spoken concerning you. Now, if He says, You’ve got it going on, how then can you say you haven’t. Which then leads to the second question, how then can you think that what is going on in your life this minute can be termed as a waste? Every time spent in the Lord can never be a waste. Superstars are sort after, and every minute of their lives count. So I repeat that again, your time spent in the Lord will never be a waste. Have you ever wondered how YOUR Superstar status oppresses others? It is you that is living the suddenly, suddenly impressive life..

Oh and the Dreams keep on dreaming it, as my beloved keeps reminding me, there is a time and season for everything (Ecclesiastes 3:1), and when it happens, mmhmmm it will seem like a dream J

Just in case ya’ll are wondering, I AM LIVING the DREAM.