A Crown of Love and Compassion

Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion- psalm 103:4

This verse forms part of one of my favorite scriptures found in psalms 103:1-6. It sits ensconced between a great salvation and healing and is followed by great blessings and restoration. I have long held a fascination for patterns and sequences and so found myself wondering why the psalmist would need to be rescued from a pit, when he had earlier witnessed God’s great salvation and healing. Was it purposeful or was it just for the sake of poetic flow in the original language? I confess that I do not really know how the original Hebrew text read but the thought stayed with me for a while.

Then recently, I believe the Holy Spirit led me to reflect on my own life. In certain areas of my life, I have experienced periods where indeed it seemed as if I was in a pit with no way out. No matter how much I cried for help, only silence and darkness met me. Some of these times didn’t last very long while others wore on interminably. One thing though, when I finally came out of these episodes, I had a greater understanding and appreciation of God’s love for me and others in a way that I would not have had, had I not gone through the experiences. It was in these times that I felt God’s love and in so doing, He expanded my heart a little more to see and love others as He does.

One particular experience stands out for me because it had a far reaching impact on my life. After leaving my first job from campus I became suicidal because I thought I was a failure. The circumstances that led to my resignation weren’t pretty. I wore myself down thinking how I could have handled it better. I had always believed I was strong girl who could not be rattled easily. For the first time in my life, I was. I didn’t know how to deal with it. Previously, I had a very dim view of people who took their own lives. I could not understand how someone could reach a place where they were so hopeless that they contemplated death as the only way out. Here I was, toying with the very idea.

I thank God, He rescued me. I dealt with the ramifications of that time for over a decade. Most immediately, I came out of that dark patch with a keener understanding of the depths to which human hopelessness can go. When He rescued me from the pit, God expanded my heart to love and pray for those who are in deep distress. In my weakest hour, I saw the darkness that most see, and thankfully like the psalmist when I cried out, He lifted me out of the depths, He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire and set my feet on a rock. Then He crowned me with love and compassion.

Peter too assumed that he was on solid ground. He was sure of his love and loyalty to the Lord. He was ready to die without wincing. When the hour of darkness descended, three little denials sent him spiraling further into the pit. One other, Judas, on realizing that his betrayal cost the life of an innocent man, took his own. Peter was probably still reeling from the acute shame of his previous actions when Jesus called him aside one morning as they were having breakfast at the shores. Three times the Lord asked Peter if he loved Him as He gave him instructions. The first two times, Peter answered confidently but when Jesus asked him the same question a third time, his countenance fell. Perhaps he was thinking about how he had blown it up on the night of Jesus’ arrest. Maybe he was getting prepared for an inevitable ouster from the group. Jesus instead reinstated him and gave him a mission.

This episode must have informed part of his encouragement to the elders and the flock in the church on suffering-‘And the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will Himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.’ He was not just saying it, he had lived it personally and seen God’s restorative work. So whether you find yourself in a pit of your own digging or like Job, for God’s own divine purpose, remember that ‘in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.’ Indeed ‘Praise be to God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.’ May you abound in the comfort that the God of compassion provides when He has rescued you from the pit!

(Psalm 103:4, John 21:15-17, Romans 8:28, 2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

God of Miracles, Father!

My country has been on the news lately for mostly wrong reasons. A cultic preacher has allegedly caused the deaths of hundreds of his vulnerable followers through false preaching on prayer and fasting. It seems that it has been going on for years. Every day we watch the screens with a mixture of trepidation and hope. The toll of bodies dug up from mass graves increase each day. There are also days the police forcefully rescue a few people still hiding in thickets in the vast forest, intent on carrying out their deadly plan to the end; fast and pray to death so that they can meet Jesus! The whole nation seems to have held its collective breathe, wondering how human beings can be so gullible and thoroughly deceived to death, literally! The rich and the poor, the learned and unlearned, single people and whole families have fallen victim to his erroneous doctrines.

At first, it seems incredible that a human being would go to such lengths. We have asked ourselves so many questions- what were they thinking? Why couldn’t they see that their own leader wasn’t following his own doctrines? What drove them to such an extreme? Why would a sane lady with a great job sell her land for seven million Kenya shillings, take her son and choose to go die? Why would a loving father take his wife and five children to go die? Why would a young man in university with a promising future become so despondent and decide to die? The heart of these questions reveals a desperation that’s crying out for answers, to be filled, to have meaning. The problem however, in our pursuit for answers was pointed out by Jesus over two millennia ago. Many times we are seeking after miracles, signs and wonders more than God Himself. The pursuit of miracles, signs and wonders without God Himself is guaranteed destruction.

It may be that we count ourselves fortunate to be alive and consider ourselves not to be so gullible, but you only have to flip over to some of the so called ‘Christian’ channels. If you observe honestly, you will see that the enemy has deceived many and is stealing, killing and destroying at will. ‘Anointed tools’ like holy water, holy oil, holy stickers, holy shawls and all other paraphernalia are being sold on pulpits. All manner of disorderly and indecent theatrics (some even violent) are performed in the name of ‘deliverance’. Hundreds of desperate people flock to these places to find answers and to hear what their ears are itching to hear; they do not study scripture for themselves or even test the spirits as the apostles urged. What about closer home? Have you ever tried bribing God for your will to be done? Maybe you have decided to fast and pray or give an offering to receive a particular answer in the way you want it? Maybe you have not, but I have. Not just once!

Naaman went to Israel to seek a solution for his condition. Elisha’s reception of this high ranked official seemed rather cold and detached, rude even. Elisha was well aware of his fame in the region given the great things he had done. He however did not want to be esteemed or worshipped by this general from Aram. He was in a position to demand it, but it seems that what he wanted most for Naaman was far more than the healing that he would experience at the Jordan. He wanted Naaman to know that there is a God in Israel. He wanted him to have an experience, a life changing encounter with God, the one true God. Naaman had an encounter with God that not only healed him but changed him. He went back a convert. And I am sure that he did not keep this news of this great God to himself, given that he had promised to build a very prominent reminder-an altar to God with soil from Israel. He must have become an evangelist of sorts, recounting this miraculous story to every visitor he received. If you read from the first verse of the chapter, you will realize that God, in His wisdom had orchestrated all these events-He was after Naaman’s heart.

That is our Father’s heart, that we may know Him and love Him with all our heart, soul and mind. God has many promises in His word for us that we freely claim as His children. He can provide for us a piece of bread for the day or a job that pays millions of shillings. He is our Father and is pleased to hear us and answer our prayers. However more than that, He seeks an intimate relationship with us because He is the only one who can truly fill that ‘God-shaped hole’ in our hearts and give true peace, meaning and fulfillment. If He is not King of our lives, then everything else we are seeking for can become a weapon for the enemy to destroy us. His will is good and perfect and pleasing when we give ourselves wholly to Him. I thank God that He has been ‘slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love’ for me. Through the Holy Spirit, He is transforming me through His Word and prayer and therefore teaching me to truly love Him. There are times I still get tempted to pull out the ‘bribe’ card, but now I remember more that the God of miracles is also my Father. Having Him is better than having all the other things He could give me, and will indeed give me according to His will. Our Father loves us.

(Matthew 12:39, John 10:10, 2 Tim 4:3-4, 2 Tim 3:16, 1 John 4:1, 2 Kings 5:1-19, Matthew 22:36-40, Romans 12:1-2)

Ambassadors at Tea!

Recently I sat down with a writer friend of mine to some finely brewed tea. I have found that tea (and many times, cake) elicits some very meaningful conversations! As we exchanged news on what we were up to in our lives and our writing projects, we drew on some interesting observations. She mentioned that she was looking to start a publication with a friend that would produce sound Christian material which would minister to readers. She had noticed, and I agreed with her, that there was very little of it in our locale and yet there was need for it.  On the other hand, publications on women’s issues, fitness, health, dating, gossip, business, sports and other topics were strewn all over the net and newsstands. All these publications inform and give advice; some great and others out rightly and increasingly wrong and sinful in their agenda. We acknowledged that our voices as Christian writers in the public space was greatly subdued or diluted. You rightly imagine it, if you picture me excited about this because I signed up right away to be part of this project!

It got me thinking though, about the many voices in this world currently and where our voices as believers lie. The world is in desperate need of our voices; voices that convey Godly truth and bring hope and life. Jesus describes us as ‘the light of the world’ and the ‘salt of the earth’. He also says that we are ‘like a city on a high hill that can’t be hidden’. The treasure we carry is no less than eternal and the one in whom we ‘move and live and have our being’ is no less than the eternal God. The one who sends us out into the world ‘to make disciples of all nations’ is one who is outside the confines of time and measurement, He is ‘from everlasting to everlasting’. One singer put it simply and profoundly-we carry God! And He calls us to share the love and hope and faith He has given us with the world. Salt, Light and a city on a high hill are not inconspicuous and weak identities. These are bold and courageous descriptions; they are identities that influence and impact their surroundings. If these identities were to be imagined as voices they would be described as bold, distinct, confident and lively.

The enemy has also raised voices seeking to drown out the truth today. Whether it’s about God, family, love, marriage, sex, children, business, entertainment, sports, friendships etc, he has found ambassadors who drive his agenda boldly. They speak loudly, they are brash and rude, they are soft and subtle, they are eloquent and entertaining and they are resourceful and convincing. Many men and women are being lured to eternal death by these voices as we watch and remain quiet. What do we do as Christians? We remain quiet because we fear backlash, we do not say ‘no’ for fear of losing our jobs or positions or titles, and we are sheep who gladly wear wolf’s clothing to blend in. However, as ambassadors of the kingdom of God, we are called represent Him to a sinful world and have no business blending in or remaining quiet about our master’s business after He has commissioned us! Paul reminds us that we are ‘more than conquerors through Him who loved us’. Apostle John assures us that ‘we have overcome the world’ and that ‘He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world.’ In every opportunity that God gives us to share His truth He promises that ‘the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say’. What would it look like in our lives, if we trusted Him more and more? Most assuredly, He would use our voices more frequently to bring the true message of Salvation to our families, friends, colleagues, community and a world that desperately needs Him.

(Matthew 5:13-16, 28:19-20, Psalm 90:2, 2 Cor 5:20, Romans 8:37, 1 John 4:4, 5:4, Luke 12:12)

Prophesy!

The psalmist of the longest psalm spoke extensively of his adoration of God’s word. At one point, the writer confesses that to him, it was sweeter than honey. I can imagine this person was so enamored of the Word that he must have gone about speaking of little else but that. I picture him meeting a friend or an acquaintance and immediately after they were done with greetings, he would dive right in to extolling God’s word or reciting a scripture that meant something to him that particular day; perhaps he’d even throw in a testimony for good measure! Maybe some people found it weird, but I am sure there were many whose lives were deeply impacted by his words. Maybe the words he shared with them on that day is what averted a potential conflict, saved a marriage, and gave renewed hope and life to his listeners.

These are distressing times. You only need to turn on your social media platforms or the TV screens to encounter a barrage of negative news. The weather, the economy, social and moral breakdown, pandemics, wars and rumors of war are daily fodder for our eyes and ears. And yet Jesus said, ‘all these are the beginning of birth pains’. It will get worse. Many of these hit very close to home and for some of us, on a daily basis. It wears down the soul and breaks the heart. As a believer, if you are not careful of your daily mental diet (what you feed your eyes and ears), you can quickly be sucked into that dark, bottomless pit of hopelessness that is consuming so many lives. And soon you realize that as your perspective is dulled by the miseries of this world, your words also lose life and the enemy renders the very testimony of your life ineffective.

Christ reminds us that though we are in this world, we are not of this world. In him, we have a hope that can’t be extinguished but has conquered the world. For a believer, we are reminded to hold on to our hope for He who promised is faithful. Darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the people but the glory of the Lord has arisen over us. Our view of what is happening is eternal and we know it doesn’t end like this. And when we know and believe this to be true, then even our talk will be different. It will give life and hope to our own situations and that of our hearers. How do we do this? We prophesy! But it is not the prophecy that involves the foretelling of future events like in the Old Testament.

Paul calls his readers to ‘follow in the way of love and eagerly desire the gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.’ I found it interesting that Paul was calling us to all desire the gift of prophecy. I imagined all the chaos and conflict it would bring in the body of Christ, if we were all able to tell one another about each other’s future. However on reading further he explained that ‘one who prophesies speaks to the people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort’. Indeed, what a timely gift that we should all yearn and pursue in this present time; that we would all be able to strengthen, encourage and comfort each other with an appropriate word from the scripture. More so, that we would be able to strengthen, encourage and comfort our unbelieving brothers and sisters with the Word when they are going through difficult seasons, and in so doing point them to the light of God.

I am convinced that more than ever before, we need to prophesy! Prophecy is made possible by a believer’s testimony of God’s goodness in their life, shared with others. It is also made possible when the Holy Spirit is able to draw from the well of the Word that we’ve hidden in our hearts and use us to minister to others. It’s therefore necessary, my brother and sister to delight in God’s Word and meditate on it so that we have deep wells. You can begin by asking God in prayer to deposit in you a hunger for His Word. Then set a time when you read and meditate on the word and commit it to memory. Begin using it in prayer and soon you will be sharing it with others as the Holy Spirit guides you. I have experienced this in my own life. The darkness in the world can overwhelm us if we let it, but God calls each one of us to ‘Instead be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and songs from the Spirit’. I choose to prophesy! (Psalm 119:103, Mat 24:8, John 17:16, Rom 15:13, Hebrews 10:23, 1 Cor 14:1-5, Rev 12:11 Ephesians 5:18-19)

The Lord-He is God!

At the meeting on Mount Carmel, Elijah issued a challenge to the nation of Israel. He called them to come out of their indecision and choose whom they would worship. ‘If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal is God, follow him’ he charged them. The words that follow point ominously to how far the nation had fallen away from God- but the people said nothing. Perhaps it was the prolonged drought that had severely tested their faith. They had most probably lost their livelihoods, their livestock and maybe their family members to the drought. Perhaps they had long ago forgotten the mighty works God had performed in Israel. Most likely, their dalliance with foreign gods completely dulled their minds and spirits to the one true God.

When Elijah had prepared the sacrifice, he prayed. In his prayer for God’s intervention, he asked God to let it be known that He was the one true God in Israel. He also asked the Father to show that he (Elijah) was His servant and had only acted in obedience to God’s commands. God answered by fire. The people were no longer silently irresolute but firmly proclaimed- The Lord-He is God! Their circumstances did not matter in that moment of revelation. Only one truth stood undeniably; that the Lord is God! God had turned their hearts back again to Himself, just as the servant of God had prayed.

The Holy Spirit reminded me of these words just before this past Good Friday. At the time, I was not sure of what to make of it. That was until I went through the texts in John 14-20 for the Easter season. In those chapters, we see the Lord Jesus acknowledge time and again that He had not acted out of His own will but the will of the Father. Everything He had done and said, had been from God the Father. And when He was lifted up, on the cross, he drew all men to Himself. He conquered sin and the grave and rose again on the third day. To those who receive him, to those who believe in His name, He gives the right to become children of God. God turns our hearts back again to Himself.

Maybe in this season, your faith has wavered. You may be dealing with the death of a loved one, a chronic health condition, job loss, marital problems, barrenness, mental health issues, financial woes or lack of school fees. Perhaps you have given into temptation and sinned and are wallowing in guilt or dulled to your need for God. Sometimes problems persist for so long that we forget that there were ever days when we saw God’s goodness and power or even that He lives. Jesus said that in this world we would have trouble but He also said would overcome the world. This season reminds us that Jesus gave his life as a sacrifice and God accepted it. Jesus resurrected on the third day and we have victory forever! In whatever situation you are facing, I encourage you today to steadfastly settle it in your heart as I settle it in mine that: THE LORD-HE IS GOD!

( 1 Kings 18:16-39, John 1:12, 14:31, 15:10, 17:1-5)

All Things!

Last month I went into surgery for a condition that I have suffered from for a long time. I have prayed over the matter for many years too. In the last few of those years, I grew in the conviction that God was able to heal me without the need for surgery. I thought that I had heard His voice on the matter and I prayed for Him to increase my faith so that I would hold on till I saw my salvation. However my health progressively worsened and eventually I asked God to give me peace about going into theater and providing the needed funds. He did. By His grace, I went through the whole process successfully.

When I looked back, I was tempted to wallow in regret at all the time I had ‘lost’ waiting for a miracle. I asked many questions. Had I really heard what God had said? Did I not have enough faith? I had postponed surgery a few times, even as friends and loved ones had urged me to take the step. What would they think of all this? I know that God still performs miracles, but I found myself doubting this and questioning my faith. Thank God, that He rescued me out of that stupor and showed me exactly what was happening. The enemy was out prowling to take my joy and use me to rob Him of His glory. I momentarily forgot about His provision and protection and the support that I was receiving from family even as I recuperated at home.

It may be true that somewhere I had missed the mark, probably because I was so stuck to my idea of how the miracle would come that I didn’t hear what God really said. Haven’t we all, at some point? Our own father in the faith, Abraham, went through it. God promised to give him a child and make him the father of a nation with descendants as numerous as the stars. The years passed by inexorably and he saw no sign of the promise. Sarah convinced him to have a child by a slave girl in their effort to ‘help’ God along. Even in the midst of this, God still fulfilled His promise when the appointed time came.

Perhaps you are like me and may have missed out on God’s leading due to fear, doubt or worry. Or maybe like Abraham, you went ahead without His leading and are now reaping the consequences of impatience. It’s not too late; if God said He will do it, He will. He is faithful, He who promised. Go to Him again and ask Him to speak to you that you may hear and obey. He will. And when He does fulfill His promise, do not let the enemy steal your joy. God says that in all things, He works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. Nothing of the experiences in your journey is wasted in God. My own journey with the past health condition helped me grow deeper in the Word and in my prayer life. And for that I thank God every day. Hope again in Him.

(1 Peter 5:8-9, Hebrews 10:23, Romans 8:28)

Our Truth, God’s Truth

There are very few things that so clearly define the age we live in like increased self-expression. It is the age of the individual voice. And it is expressed in every avenue available. It has its advantages and disadvantages of course. It also has enormous potential for the work of God’s kingdom and the spread of the gospel. As believers, we can easily be caught up in all the confusion and excitement of self-expression. I’ve witnessed some of it myself. I was part of an online couple’s group that was supposedly made up of believers but soon found out that our views were not necessarily guided by the scriptures. Some comments and opinions read like a horror movie. We even had a discussion going on with some members justifying different sexual orientations. I still do not know if it was just some trying to be seen as risqué or they actually believed in those positions but soon enough, the conversation fizzled out and went mute.

 Jesus declared unequivocally that He is the way, the truth and the life. Now, there are many truths out there, and each of us know and feel and go through very real experiences. The opinions and perspectives we gain from life experiences are as varied as we are, and so our truths keep changing. We need an unchanging God to get meaning out of all it. And He has given us His Word. What if we lent our voices to the one who has our lives? Instead of reacting in the heat of the moment and giving out ‘our truth’ like everyone else does, it would save the lives of our hearers, if our conversations were steeped with God’s truth. God’s truth would bring peace and healing and reconciliation in our lives and the lives of our hearers and readers.

When we embrace Jesus, we embrace not only truth that is unchanging but also grace. He is full of grace and truth. There’s a lot of ‘truth’ that is spewed in online conversations and at dinner tables that just kills. It is truth that is conspicuously veiled with unkindness, negative criticism, condemnation and judgement. It belittles, it is self-exalting, it is loud and obnoxious and it is proud. Many hail it as being ‘authentic’. The truth of God that is covered with grace is gentle but firm and most importantly, redeems. It has often been said that truth without grace is harsh and ugly, and grace without truth is sentimental and cowardly. It must always be our motive to speak the truth in love. May we give our voices to God and desire to speak in His truth with grace.

 (John 1:14, 14:6, Ephesians 4:15,29, Proverbs 18:21)

Forest Fires or Peaceful Vistas

We have certainly come a long way from smoke signals, war cries and ululations to convey messages. Now we can access information at the click of a button. At the same click of a button we can send out information to the world in a matter of seconds. I have been thinking about the enormity of responsibility I carry for whatever I put out to the world. How do I use the social media platform that is available to me? How do I react on other people’s platforms? What words am I using?

You see in this information age, we are emboldened, informed and have had a collective epiphany of sorts termed as ‘speaking our truths’. We will not be muzzled by anyone nor will we be stopped from expressing every thought, unguarded or not, to the world. We think little of what we say and even less of the consequences thereof. And as believers we have not been left behind. We have unconsciously created through our tongues, some miserable conditions in certain areas of our lives. Now I am not saying that every trouble that comes upon us is caused by our words, but we would avoid a huge amount of trouble if we thought about what we say.

God says through His word that the power of life and death is in the tongue. I believe it. And as a personal development trainer and coach, I have found it very telling that we take words very seriously in this field. It is spiritual. I have seen it at work in my life. There was a time in my life I was not doing well in some difficult relationships. I complained and whined and my view of the people involved did not get any better. And sure enough, like a self-fulfilling prophecy the relationships got worse. I have seen it happen in the pursuit of my dream. However, God has been merciful and through His Word is delivering me every day from a careless and a loose tongue. I have observed my perspective shift and these relationships improve. And I have seen my dream growing each day. I am learning to create a different world with my tongue.

As the body of Christ, we are called to live and walk in the same power that raised Jesus from the dead- The Holy Spirit. He is a gentle person though. He does not push His way through. If we don’t give Him our tongues, He can’t transform us. No wonder it is possible to live a powerless life that does not minister to anyone. We can sabotage our very own lives by how we speak to ourselves or how we speak of or to others. We can cause other people harm by how we speak of or to them.

Words are powerful and they are creative, whether written or spoken. The very first ones in scripture were spoken by God and brought the world and everything in it into existence, ‘In the beginning, God said’. Our words can create in our lives and others a positive, hopeful countenance and healthy self-esteem; it can create for us unimagined opportunities, wealth and open closed doors and it can bring reconciliation and peace to our environment wherever we are. The converse is also true-our words can create and perpetuate in our lives, helplessness, hopelessness, bitterness, anger, depression and cycles of sin; they can cause divisions and wars and all things negative. And when we teeter in the middle, we reap confusion. In short, we reap what we sow with our words. And there’s no getting away from it.

(Proverbs 18:21, James 3:1-12, Matthew 12:36)

Change Of Mind?

I’m a firm and passionate believer in personal development, mainly because it has taken me a good portion of my life to see progress in certain areas concerning work and relationships. I have had to grow in these areas in order to realize my dreams and fulfill my purpose. The growth was not always enjoyable but it has been worth it, even as I continue to pursue and reap the benefits of such growth.

This area was a keen interest of mine even before I could articulate what it was all about. When I look back, a lot of the mentorship programs I have done with young men and women involved content on personal growth. However I was teaching from what I’d call a ‘head’ knowledge perspective. I knew my stuff and therefore could recite it, in front of an audience at a moment’s notice. Some of what I was teaching did not apply to me because I did not really ‘live it’.

Years later, at a point that I felt stuck in my relationships and career, I joined a personal development class. It was then that I began to connect the ‘knowing’ and ‘doing’. Honestly, the information that I was getting was not new but I had not just lived it. It was in my head and not in my heart. There was no transformation that had taken place in my mind to enable me sustain the needed change and act in the direction of my intentions. However, during that class, my mind changed and since then I have experienced phenomenal progress in my life. And even now, when I teach, it comes from a place of not just knowing my stuff but living it!

One of the things that has also come out of the program was the realization of just how most these concepts are actually biblical! In fact as a believer, I am convinced that we have the most complete and up to date manual on personal growth, inspired by an eternal author-God Himself. It comes with His power, His promises and His assurances that His Word does not change. It also makes me realize that a lot of us who are followers of Christ are living far below our potential because we know what’s written but we are just not convicted to live it. No wonder Jesus admonished his listener to be careful to remove the log from their eye first before they reached out to remove a little speck from their brother’s eye. It is a lifetime’s work of yielding to the Holy Spirit in order to live like our savior. We have really no time to judge and condemn others when we are on the same journey.

To conquer sin and fulfill all our God ordained destiny requires a change of mind and a conviction that can only be brought about by the Holy Spirit. To believe in and realize the promises in His Word requires a conviction that only the Holy Spirit can bring about through a change of mind. To be the kind of neighbor to the world in the way Jesus called us to needs a change of mind that only the Holy Spirit can do. The Word of God is living and active and the Holy Spirit is here to help us with the transformation that can enable us prove the Word true in our lives. He begins it in the mind.

An unregenerate mind can’t live the great life that God calls us to, in all its breadth and depth and length. The old state of mind will only keep us wavering between a passionate wish to see change and the old familiar cycle of sin and guilt, fear and failure. Maybe that was the difference between Saul and David. When the prophet Samuel met Saul the future king, his view of himself was quite crooked. He compared himself to a dog. Though the Spirit of God came upon him and he prophesied like the other men there, perhaps his warped view of himself and God did not quite change much. Probably that’s why even when confronted with his disobedience, he took the matter lightly. David is quite often viewed as having committed very grievous sins. His personal experience with God though, convicted him of God’s mercy and love, and drove him to Godly sorrow and repentance and great exploits!

It’s a new season, full of possibilities in God that we can’t even begin to imagine! We can believe and take advantage of this time and do great exploits; or we can continue living as we always have.  May the Holy Spirit renew our minds in Christ Jesus.

(Romans 12:1-2, Hebrews 4:12, Romans 8)

Dreams And Turns

Sometimes I dream

it burns so bright!

That little beam

That God gave light.

It burns desire

and craves a path,

I stoke the fire

to give it birth.

Sometimes I scream

the labor’s hard!

days are grim

the fall’s a thud.

I build a pyre

to end its path

or go for hire

on another’s hearth.

Sometimes I scheme

to let it go,

why wait to glean

when it won’t grow.

Then He says

wait for it

it tarries,

stay with it

it comes to pass.

(Habakkuk 2:2-3)