A blessing for each one of us

 God created each one of us in such a way that each person has their own portion of blessings. We don't need to strife over any physical or spiritual blessing. I hear people make it look like God has lined us up to bless us one by one. When one person's blessing manifests people are encouraged that they are the next. God is certainly not unable to cause all our blessings to manifest at the same time but because HE has wired us differently, this manifestation happens at different times & in different ways. God is not is not a human being so HE is not limited by anything or anyone. In Genesis 26 as we saw yesterday, the phillistines really felt threatened when Isaac got so blessed. Their herdsmen kept stiving with Isaacs herdsmen but they could not prevail. They also kept trying to block these blessings by clogging his wells with soil. But the man kept redigging his father's wells and digging new ones until they were unable to stop him. The bible says that he waxed great.

A well symbolizes a means of sustenance. It symbolizes life because it contains water. That is why one of the greatest inheritance that Abraham left to his decendant Isaac was the wells of water. Have your "wells of water" been clogged with soil by those who stive with you? Redig them in prayer. Have people been striving with your over your own God given blessings(your business/job etc? Don't give up. Destroy the spirit of stife & envy in prayer & redig the wells that God gave you. Isaac kept digging new wells until he eventually dug one and named it Rehoboth because no one stived over it. May the Lord give you a Rehoboth well in JESUS Name.

We'll leave with nothing.

 1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

Philippians 3:2 Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

Revelation 22:14 "Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. 15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood. 21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.

Draw me close to you Lord.

 Psalm 139:1O LORD, you have searched me, and known me. 2 You know my sitting down and my rising up. You perceive my thoughts from afar. 3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 For there is not a word on my tongue, but, behold, Yahweh, you know it altogether. 5 You hem me in behind and before. You laid your hand on me. 6 This knowledge is beyond me. It's lofty. I can't attain it. 7 Where could I go from your Spirit? Or where could I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend up into heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, and settle in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 Even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will hold me. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness will overwhelm me; the light around me will be night;" 12 even the darkness doesn't hide from you, but the night shines as the day. The darkness is like light to you. 13 For you formed my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother's womb. 14 I will give thanks to you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful. My soul knows that very well. 15 My frame wasn't hidden from you, when I was made in secret, woven together in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes saw my body. In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 If I would count them, they are more in number than the sand. When I wake up, I am still with you. 23 Search me, God, and know my heart. Try me, and know my thoughts. 24 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way.

Rivalry is unhealthy

 There is nothing wrong with competing with the aim of winning in sports, athletics etc, but it should never be done out of rivalry. Philippians 2:3 says "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, 4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

In a race only one person wins and recieves the prize. In life, we are all at different levels and taking different "lanes". The spirit of jealous competion makes one dissapointed when another person wins. No wonder we have heard of Soccer fans/team players who commit suicide when their "teams lose". Personally, I have trained myself never to be emotionally distressed/overexcited because of either excelling or seemingly failing in life "things" One day our school didn't do so well though we had done our very best in preparing the students. So our principal asked me how i was feeling about our performance and he was so surprised when I said" I feel nothing" Truly I was feeling nothing. If one does their very best but are not at the top of the human rankings, I believe they are still head & not tail according to God's ranking. They are still above only according to God's standards. But people are socialised from a young age to have very unhealthy competition. This sadly, has brought competition even in church. There are people who even fast & pray to get "blessings" that God never gave them. Others are so sad when onother person testifies about their "successes" before them.

A lady once told me that her class 6 son who usually performs excellently in class will normally have serious headaches and keep knocking his head against an object when he becomes number 2 in Math second to another boy in their class. The only time he is okay is when he is the one leading. This parent thinks this behaviour is okay but this is very wicked competition. If she doesn't train her son to have healthy competition, the boy will one day practice the same in the company he will work for. No wonder people wickedly undercut one another in businesses, work place etc. Who says one has to be number 1 in class to be at peace? What about those who occupy the last position? Are they not humans? If the grade they got is the best they could get, then they are still head & not tail. Friends, let's kick out this ungodly competition from our society & raise a generation that does not do things out of rivalry & selfish ambition.

Be happy for the blessings of others

 Every time someone else is blessed, I thank God for them. This is an attitude that I intentionally adapted to overcome envy, jealousy & ungodly competition because i know my own blessings are with God. I refuse to make a covenant with those worldly & wicked spirits. One Kikuyu singer sang a song that says "Irathimo ciakwa, winacio, Kiria ndiririirie winakio, ndi mwana waku na nii ni njui, irathimo winacio ciakwa"...In this song, the singer was simply telling God" I know You Are The One Who has all my blessings & everything that i desire for i am Your child."

The sufferings & pain that many times people go through before they experience their blessing is part of the reason no one should covet another person's blessing. Personally I would not want even an inch of somebody else's blessing..... no matter how appealing the blessing is. Every one of us has a portion of God's blessings according to HIS purpose for our lives. Why desire/covet other people's blessings? What if you miss what God has ordained for you while coveting what HE has ordained for others??

Many are the times I have personally gone through either a long waiting period or alot of suffering and pain before I see my blessings manifested. Recently I was working with a lady as we were administering the exams & the Holy Spirit kept quickening me to tell her testimonies of great things that God has done for me over the years. After every testimony, while she was still awed, I would carefully explain to her what pain & suffering i went through before God blessed me with whatever I had just revealed to her.

Friend, after we suffer for a little while, God comes & glorifies us by establishing us in His ordained blessings..1 Peter 5:10 says...."But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you."

Truly the sufferings we go through can never be compared to the glory that The LORD reveals in us. Halleluyah!

Suffering for a little while

 I know when we are in the midst of suffering, it doesn't feel like it is for a little while, but according to the bible, we only suffer for aittle while then God comes and glorifies us by perfecting, establishing and settling us. It is then up to us to take this glory & give it back to our God. Whenever i find myself suffering, i eagerly wait & look forward to the glory to be revealed in me because God has never failed to glorify me after suffering.

1 Peter 5:10 But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To him be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

God alone deserves the glory & honour. He will not share HIS glory with anyone because HE Is a jealous God.

Isaiah 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

Have you been going through a season of suffering? May the LORD glorify you now in JESUS Name!

Palm Sunday

 What is palm Sunday all about? This is the 1st day of the passover week when Jesus Christ made a triumphal entry into Jerusalem. It happened the day after HE raised Lazarus from the dead & became very "popular" in the minds of the people who heard of it. So they decided to celebrate HIM as a potential political leader who would overthrow the cruel Romans & save them.They took palm branches and spread garments on the road & sang prophetically according to our today's scripture. "Hossana" means "save now". By then JESUS had sent for a young donkey to ride on because HE knew that the prophesy of Zechariah according to JOHN12:15 was being fulfilled.

In LEVITICUS 23:40 God had commanded Moses that when they come into the land of Canaan, people should take palm branches & rejoice before God for 7 days-to celebrate the passover week & their entry into the promised land.Many people carry palm branches on Palm Sunday without knowing that they symbolize victory/ triumph over death by JESUS giving us eternal life, peace & joy. JESUS knew all this even as they celebrated HIM with their wrong reasons.

Friends, today marks a very special season-the passover season. I pray for anyone who has been experiencing trouble, that this passover season you will enter into complete rest from all the troubles you have experienced. In ancient Greek a victorious athlete was awarded a palm branch. In Exodus 15:27 after the Marah experience of bitter water, Israel came to Elim where there were 70 palm trees, symbolising complete rest. Palm trees are evergreen tall trees but have many scars on the trunk. Don't worry about the scars in your heart because you are coming out victorious, tall and evergreen. Be hopeful in God. JOHN 12:15 says Don't be afraid daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes sitting on a colt" This was prophesied by Zechariah. Friends, today, take The Word from the LORD seriously. Behold your king, Jesus Christ comes to give you rest!

First offsprings

 Exodus 13:1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 "Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal." 3 Then Moses said to the people, "Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand. Eat nothing containing yeast. 4 Today, in the month of Aviv, you are leaving. 5 When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites—the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey—you are to observe this ceremony in this month: 6 For seven days eat bread made without yeast and on the seventh day hold a festival to the Lord. 7 Eat unleavened bread during those seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you, nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders. 8 On that day tell your son, 'I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.' 9 This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that this law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand. 10 You must keep this ordinance at the appointed time year after year. 11 "After the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and gives it to you, as he promised on oath to you and your ancestors, 12 you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord. 13 Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem every firstborn among your sons. 14 "In days to come, when your son asks you, 'What does this mean?' say to him, 'With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.' 16 And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand."

The Passover.

 Exodus 12:21 Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, "Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover lamb. 22 Take a bunch of hyssop, dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. 23 When the Lord goes through the land to strike down the Egyptians, he will see the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer to enter your houses and strike you down. 26 And when your children ask you, 'What does this ceremony mean to you?' 27 then tell them, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.'" Then the people bowed down and worshiped. 28 The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron. 29 At midnight the Lord struck down all the firstborn in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock as well. 30 Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead. 31 During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. 32 Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me." 33 The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. "For otherwise," they said, "we will all die!" 34 So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing. 35 The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36 The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians. 37 The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Sukkoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children.

41 At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the Lord's divisions left Egypt.

The Easter.

 There has been some controversy about the name Easter and its pagan origin yet God has not called us to disputes and contoversies. Let me remind you & bring to light this matter yet again. The bible says teachers will be judged more harshly & i refuse to be on the recieving end on the day of judgement.This week we have seen that in the month of Abib/Aviv/ Nisan in the hebrew calendar, God sent the angel of death to kill all Egyptian firstborns. When he got to the israelite houses, he passed over, because he saw the blood of the passover lamb on their doors. A 1 month old lamb without blemish was slaughtered- representing the sinless Son of God- Jesus Christ who was to later be slain for our sins. JESUS is therefore referred to as our PASSOVER LAMB not our easter lamb.

Passover festivals happened at the beginning of spring. People used to celebrate the change of seasons from the cold winter to warm spring. At around the same time Ishtar, a Mesopotamian goddess of love, sex, fertility & war used to be celebrated by the non- christians(pagans). When the early Christians began celebrating passover around this time, it looked like there was a clash between their celebrations and those of the godess Ishtar. To avoid controversies & to easily win over the pagans, they called the passover celebrations Easter which means Ishtar. Of course the devil uses this as an opportunity to accuse Christians, to belittle the passover & to influence non-christians to over indulge in alcohol, sex and other things that used to be done by pagans to celebrate their goddess Ishtar.

What should we do then? We should sanctify the name Easter with the Blood of JESUS & deny the devil any opportunity to accuse us. The bible says the earth is the LORDs & everything & everyone in it. The devil has no day, date, season, time etc. Everything belongs to our God. We continue to celebrate this passover season with no apology to the devil or his agents. For me i call it Passover but i have no problem with those who call it Easter. This season belongs to our God.The most important thing this passover is to abandon anything that doesn't glorify God & to genuinely return to God. What matters this Passover season is to remember & to celebrate JESUS Who Is Our Passover Lamb because HE was slain for us but rose on the 3rd day & is alive forever more!

I will fly away, by Jim Reeves

 Some glad morning when this life is o'er

I'll fly away

To a home on God's celestial shore

I'll fly away

 

I'll fly away, oh Glory I'll fly away when I die

Hallelujah by and by I'll fly away

 

When the shadows of this life have flown

I'll fly away

Like a bird from prison bars has flown

I'll fly away

 

I'll fly away, oh Glory I'll fly away when I die

Hallelujah by and by I'll fly away

 

Just a few more weary days and then

I'll fly away

To a land where joy shall never end

I'll fly away

 

I'll fly away, oh Glory yes I'll fly away when I die

Hallelujah by and by I'll fly away

Take my hand precious Lord, by Jim Reeves

 When my way groweth drear

Precious Lord, linger near-ear

When my light is almost gone

Hear my cry, hear my call

Hold my ha-and lest I fall

Take my hand, precious Lord

Lead me on

 

Precious Lord, take my hand

Lead me on, let me stand

I am tired, I'm weak, I am worn

Through the storm, through the night

Lead me on to the light

Take my hand, precious Lord

Lead me home

 

When my work is all done

And my race here is are you-un

Let me see by the light

Thou hast shown

That fair city so bright

Where the lantern is the light

Take my hand, precious Lord

Lead me on

 

Precious Lord, take my hand

Lead me on, let me stand

I am tired, I'm weak, I am worn

Through the storm, through the night

Lead me on to the light

Take my hand, precious Lord

Lead me home

Where do I go from here, by Jim Reeves

 Where do I go from here?

What fate is drawing near?

Touch my heart

And guide my lips in prayer.

 

Through the grace of God alone

I'll cast aside these fears I've known

And lift myself from

The depths of deep dispair.

 

Lead me through the darkness

And through each gloomy day.

Take my hand, oh, precious Lord

And help me on my way.

 

Give me strength that I might find

Abiding faith and peace of mind

And I won't ask

Where do I go from here?

 

Please, Lead me through the darkness

And through each gloomy day.

Take my hand, oh, precious Lord

And help me on my way.

 

Give me strength that I might find

Abiding faith and peace of mind

And I won't ask

Where do I go from here?

Have thine own way Lord, by Jim Reeves

Have Thine own way Lord

Have Thine own way

Thou art the potter I am the clay

Mold me and make me after Thy will

While I am waiting yielded and still

 

Have Thine own way Lord

Have Thine own way

Search me and try me Master today

Whiter than snow Lord wash me just now

As in Thy presence humbly I bow

 

Have Thine own way Lord

Have Thine own way

Hold over my being absolute sway

Filled with Thy spirit till all can see

Christ only always living in me

Precious memories, by Jim Reeves

 Precious memories unseen angels sent from somewhere to my soul

How they linger ever near me as the sacred past unfold

Precious memories how they linger how they ever flood my soul

In the stillness of the midnight precious sacred scenes unfold

 

As I travel on life's pathway know not what the years may hold

And as I ponder hope grows fonder precious memories flood my soul

Precious memories how they linger

I would rather have Jesus, by Jim Reeves

 I'd rather have Jesus than silver or gold I'd rather be his than have riches untold

I'd rather have Jesus than houses or land

Yes I'd rather be led by his nail pierced hands

Than to be the king of a best domain and beheld in sins dread sway

I'd rather have Jesus than anything this world affords today

 

I'd rather have Jesus than worldly applause I'd rather be faithful to his dear cause

I'd rather have Jesus than worldwide things I'd rather be true to his holy name

Than to be the king...

God be with you, by Jim Reeves

 God be with you till we meet again by his cancels guide and pull you

With his sheep securely fold you God be with you till we meet again

Till we meet till we meet till we meet at Jesus feet

Till we meet till we meet God be with you till we meet again

 

God be with you till we meet again need his wings protect and hide you

Daily man I still provide you God be with you till we meet again

Till we meet till we meet...

It is no secret, by Jim Reeves

 The chimes of time ring out the news, another day is through

Someone slipped and fell, was that someone you?

You may have longed for added strength your courage to renew

Do not be disheartened, I have news for you

 

It is no secret, what God can do

What He's done for others, He'll do for you

With arms wide open, He'll pardon you

It is no secret, what God can do

 

There is no night for in His light, you'll never walk alone

You'll always feel at home, wherever you may roam

There is no power can conquer you while God is on your side

Take him at his promise, don't run away and hide

 

It is no secret, what God can do

What He's done for others, He'll do for you

With arms wide open, He'll pardon you

It is no secret, what God can do

Where we'll never grow old, by Jim Reeves

 I have heard of a land on the faraway strand this a beautiful home of the soul

Built by Jesus on high there we never shall die

This the land where we'll never grow old

Never grow old never grow old in the land where we'll never grow old

Never grow old never grow old in the land where we'll never grow old

 

When our work here is done and the life's crown is won

And our troubles and trials are o'er

All our sorrow will end and our voices will blend

With the loved ones who've gone on before

Never grow old...

An evening prayer, by Jim Reeves

 If I have wounded any soul today

If I have caused ones foot to go astray

If I have walked in my own willful way

Dear Lord, forgive

 

Forgive the sins I have confessed to Thee

Forgive my secret sins I do not see

O guide me, love me and my keeper be

Dear Lord, Amen