God is not Man!

First I am hoping that I actually on track with the reading: We are on week 38 right? So yesterday´s raeding was Numbers 21-24!

I hope so:

Praise the Lord, it has been a while. Definitely I believe the Lord has been good to you as he has been good to me: His love has been amazing. I cannot take anything for granted: Today I am reminded of the Lord’s ways!

God can and will speak through a Donkey: Balaam must have had the time of his life. How does Ur servant speak to you like that? I mean we have seen the Toy Stories and Kungu Fu Panda , where these animals dance and pretend to speak , but this was different.

I have been stubborn before and while the Lord has not used my computer or phone to talk to me: I know that the possibility of it is ever true. Balaam like most of us knew that he was right, he consulted the Lord and sought his face to help him carry out his work. And he listened. He obeyed. He followed the Lord.

And the Lord spoke; Despite King Balak´s intentions and desires, the Lord spoke. And when he spoke , He came right through: As I read the First message: something comes to mind: Touch not the anointed ones of God. Balak was stupid I must say. How do you ask God´s Servant to come and curse God´s people, Well it did not work to Balak´s favour!

Rise up and Listen: my version says:

God is not a man, so he does not lie.

He is not human, so he does not change his mind.

Has he ever spoken and failed to act?

Has he ever promised and not carried it through?

The last one month has left me broken. For the past 4 months I lived a life that many envied! But it was not all rosy. September for me was bad: am now back home and trying to put 2 and 2 together, trying to pick the pieces of what is left of my heart and Life! I am broken that is for sure.

But then I read this: God is not man, so he does not lie.....He is not human, so he does not change his mind. And I decide that this God I want to know more.

That God that will be here when You go to bed watch over you at night and be more than ready to hear you out and help you out in the morning and the rest of the day! 

That is a God , I would want to bless me: because when H does, NO ONE will reverse it!

Blessings Ya"ll.

Well said.

Last night as I was reading the portion for the day.. I was challenged in s many ways..

I am usually quiet : phyisically , less talk, more mind work and observation and as a result I think a lot. Thus I get stressed over little petty things. But I have ölearned to depend upon the Lord and to let him be my Peace....
There were times I would actually get suíck because of my thoughts. At the age of 13, I was on anti-depressants. 
But I am a new creation in the Lord as I learn to depend upon Him daily: Believe me: It is a process. And so I agree with Paul or may be better I undersatnd what he is talking about when he says that:  

Learn to control your body in a way that is holy and honorable,  not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God;

It makes a lot of sense. Contol means there is no extreme , just moderation. And a we all know : too much of everything whether good or bad is always bad.
So I am not only reminded but also challenged to do better , learn better, live better not like the Pagans but like the Word Of God tells me so. For some of  us ther is no difference between us and the Pagans: We move around with so much doubt and burden hanging around our shoulders and we forget that we serve the Kings of Kings who says: Peace I have given you: NOT as the World does ....Halleluyah. The Peace that surpasses all Human Understanding: Peace Perfect Peace: The peace that cause youu to break out in song. All is well, It is Well with my soul: Amen

One of the things that shroud my soul is how knowing God has been transferred to People, Doctrines and sects of religion: It is okay to get attached to your  pastors : people that feed you: but remember as Paul says: When you reject instruction, you do not reject a human being but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit: our comforter, friend and helper.

My favourite bit has got to be :

'and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, ¹² so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.' 1 Thessalonians 4:11b-12

This has got to be the simplest bit of text ever to understand. One of those that you read: and you cannot addd or subtract anything.More like : Well said.


Need I say more:_ Paul: Well said and thank you.

Follow Me

In trying to catch up with the marathoners, I have been reading 1&2 Kings concurrently with the Gospels. It has been a wonderful experience and I have learnt a few things.

In both 1st and 2nd Kings we see that most of the Kings did not obey Gods laws  that had been given to them. For the once who tried to obey, there were some few things lacking. One King who really jazzed me in the way he did his things was Jehu (2 Kings 9&10). He was an aggressive leader and in a way reminds me of Joshua. He did good but the disappointing thing about him is found in 2 Kings 10:31...he was not careful to keep the law of the Lord, the God of Israel with all his heart. He did not turn away from the sin of Jeroboam, which he had caused Israel to commit.

Fast forward....The New  Testament. Luke 5:11 So they pulled their boats up on shore, left Everything and followed Him(Jesus).  Verse 27 of the same: After this, Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name Levi sitting at his tax booth. "Follow Me," Jesus said to him, and Levi got up, left everything and followed Him.

What I gathered from this is that to follow Jesus HE requires that we leave everything. In 1&2 Kings we see the consequences of not following God. In this case, what He required was for the people to worship no other apart from Him, to offer sacrifices to no other but Him, which is still a requirement NOW...the greatest commandment of all.

For me, following Jesus does not necessarily mean I leave my job and all that I do but to check my priority list. What's number one in that list. If it's not Him then I have some letting go to do or some serious reshuffling. See, the Bible says I seek first the Kingdom of God and all those other things will be added to me. If my number one is not God then I have misplaced priorities...this means I'm seeking all others first and expect things to work out alright for me. Nah, that's not how it should be.

I had to do this reshuffling a couple of days ago when I realized that my priorities were messed up. Look at it this way, in 24 hours of a day, how much do you spend with the one who has blessed you with that? The King of Kings who does not require that we wait for a particular time of the day to talk to  him or to go to some field somewhere to seek Him. I mean He is available all the time all we got to do is get our minds of some things and focus on God. Engage Him in our activities and for whatever we gotta do, we do WITH Him and that's when we will say we have a relationship.

Maybe I have minced my words a little but you know what I am trying to say. Get your priorities right. And as you ponder on that Read Mark 10:17-31

Bless You!

Half Way!

We are half way,
We have run the race, we have lived the talk.
We have ploughed the ground
the Seed has been planted.
We are richer
We are better
We nearer to the crown
We have learned anew
That patience and hard work do pay.

We are new creatures,
Being worked on everyday
We are fresh beings
Tapping from the Source of Life daily
We read the word,
We know its'truth
And it is what guides us all the way.

We are not perfect,
We fail everyday,
We loose our way sometimes
Live like we don"t care
Skip the verses, forget the chapters
But his Word we ought to read:
And that we endeavour to do.

His Word is Life,
His Word is Light,
His Word is Truth,
His Word is food.
God is alive and the Captain of this our Ship
And to victory He will lead.
And Honour our efforts time and money.

A generation is saved.
A  foundation is built
A bright life time is secured.
A heart is lightened,
A soul lifted.
A sinner forgiven
A spirit renewed.

Blessed Assurance Jesus is for us.
Blessed Assurance together we shall endure.
Blessed Assurance for the end we shall pursue.
Blessed Assurance the Lord is with Us
Blessed Assurance: We are Half-Way!

Solomon ..

Leaders come and go, Regimes do not last- but a legacy is left behind: Solomon.

However I think that what made him prosper was hat he lived for God!

I was at the Former Nazi Congress hall. the other day, and it is amazing what Hitler had in plan. The structure was huge......,but when it came to his regime, I think that it was about him, and what he could do. Maybe that is why
he ended up fighting the Jews. And that never lasted!
Today the Germans want nothing to do with him. They call him Austrian. He drove himself away. And that is what happens when you are a leader and you fail to live for the right purpose, even your own people dis-own. But not so with Solomon: He lived right and God was frank with him. If the people he led dis-obeyed him, year s later, people would pass by that temple and wonder what had happened! They would look at it , with all the glamour in which it stood,  and they would mock it and be appalled by its appearance!


There is lots of detail: Lots of specifications. This is one of those things that helps me believe in being really good at what I do...because that is what God did. The instructions sent were to the point: God knew what kind of a house he wanted for himself......how big the rooms would be:90 feet long, 30 feet wide....Wow: Detail...


And finally food for thought: Why are there no clouds hanging over temples, churches today?
Why are there  no priests, walking with a glow on their faces and a calmness that comes from spending time with God?
Is there evidence, both physically and spiritually that you spend time with God?

Runners!!! Yay!!

Wow, the blog's looking great, i wanna spend the whole evening here...well i woudnt be writing of course but just staring...O yah!!

For those who were thinking that you had lost me i have good news for you, not yet. :). Its not an easy task running more than one marathon, actually two very crucial marathons but God has been faithful. Talking of running more than one marathon i realize a day will come when i will have to run more than two marathons. Question is, will i be prepared for that and if i will be prepared will it be for the right kind of a race?

To all the peeps i have had a chance to talk to ya'll know that i have been all over Romans 12:1&2 from the beginning of the year and am still holding on to this verse. For me, this has been a guide to knowing what Gods will for my life really is. And for the many times that things do not work the way i would want them to...remembering that Gods will for my life is good, pleasing and perfect really encourages me.

Verse 2 of Romans 12 says: Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.Simple, Gods will for my life is good, pleasing and perfect...but i will only know what it is...ONCE i have been transformed BY THE RENEWING of my mind...

What really is transformation and how does the renewing of our minds bring about the...transformation? Do we undergo some kind of process? Say like Mind-Renewal-sis? What is needed for this process to take place, tools...chemicals....labour...amount of time etc? And at what point would you say process is finished, good job you can now go home you are nolonger a work in progress but a finished good, that is, if we will ever get to that point here?

As i continue pondering on this...feel free to share your insights so that we all can be blessed and be renewed...

BRB!!

A look at David

This was written for 17th May but just got to post it today.
Enjoy the Read.

Interesting to note today are a few things.

David's lack of pride. he was a king, but that did not stop him from
dancing in the streets. Imagine kibaki or M7 taking it onto the streets....? 2Samuel 6:14 One of those things that would happen in ones dreams..But David did it. he acknowledged God in that way:

David's Kindness: a good turn deseves another. he takes time to seek someoe that is
from Jonathan's household...And honours him. The guy was a cripple but that did not
stop David from being kind...But most importantly is: it was for Jonathan's Sake

David's respect for God...You cannot know God and repsect him unless you hear and receive
from him: I believe that David managed to succeed in all his endeavours
and battles because he trusted in God. He daily sought the lORD'S
guidance thus was victoriuos. in all his battles.

Moral of the story:

• Pride comes before a fall; Do not let anything cause you to sin and be proud God honors the humble

• Be Kind to everyone you meet. Honor your friends; if they are friends: keep tabs on them and their families....friends are priceless..

• Without God we are all nothing: Once in a while we need to loosen up and get down for God: Dance and be merry: Show the rest of the world how it is done. He is God: He deserves it. If David -a king could do it- how about us?

Knowing Scripture

One thing I have come to realize about knowing The Bible. The Pharisees knew Scripture and they thought they had arrived, but in Jesus' sight their knowledge of Scripture was useless to God. This implies that there is more to knowing Scripture than just..well..knowing Scripture! I pray to God that our knowledge of Scripture be a Godly one, given to humility and selflessness. May others profit from our knowledge of Scripture, and may God be glorified by His Word in our hearts and in our tongues, that It may perform that which God purposed it to. Halleluhya!

Psalm 38; THE WORD

It is one of those days: where the Word is The Word; Cannot add anything to it nor can can I remove anything: The Word Is Life ; Even as I read it: I feel like I am chewing on it:
So here goes;

Psalm 38^[a]

    A psalm of David. A petition.
 ¹ LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger
   or discipline me in your wrath.
² Your arrows have pierced me,
   and your hand has come down on me.
³ Because of your wrath there is no health in my body;
   there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin.
⁴ My guilt has overwhelmed me
   like a burden too heavy to bear.
 ⁵ My wounds fester and are loathsome
   because of my sinful folly.
⁶ I am bowed down and brought very low;
   all day long I go about mourning.
⁷ My back is filled with searing pain;
   there is no health in my body.
⁸ I am feeble and utterly crushed;
   I groan in anguish of heart.
 ⁹ All my longings lie open before you, Lord;
   my sighing is not hidden from you.
¹⁰ My heart pounds, my strength fails me;
   even the light has gone from my eyes.
¹¹ My friends and companions avoid me because of my wounds;
   my neighbors stay far away.
¹² Those who want to kill me set their traps,
   those who would harm me talk of my ruin;
   all day long they scheme and lie.
 ¹³ I am like the deaf, who cannot hear,
   like the mute, who cannot speak;
¹⁴ I have become like one who does not hear,
   whose mouth can offer no reply.
¹⁵ LORD, I wait for you;
   you will answer, Lord my God.
¹⁶ For I said, “Do not let them gloat
   or exalt themselves over me when my feet slip.”
 ¹⁷ For I am about to fall,
   and my pain is ever with me.
¹⁸ I confess my iniquity;
   I am troubled by my sin.
¹⁹ Many have become my enemies without cause^[b];
   those who hate me without reason are numerous.
²⁰ Those who repay my good with evil
   lodge accusations against me,
   though I seek only to do what is good.
 ²¹ LORD, do not forsake me;
   do not be far from me, my God.
²² Come quickly to help me,
   my Lord and my Savior.

Running Out Of Breath

What is every marathoners nightmare? Loosing breath, a stitch, tripping, what?

In our case then, what would we equate this to? Are there moments we loose breath, encounter a stitch or trip?

Have we stopped to make an assessment of what the cause for these could be? Every time I'm left behind on the reading schedule I've always come up with an excuse - been busy, no time, et al! Is that really the case or could there be a deeper reason?

Let me hear you...

Rumbling

Today I have been wondering about a few things: I have been dating God for a few days, and it is amazing what he reminds you of and what you get to realise. Like every runner you have got to keep training until you are good enough to keep on the track. But you do not train once and then sit and relax, once you choose to run, it is going to be an integral part of your life. That means that what you say, do, eat, how you sleep for the rest of your life is affected.

For us as Christians, well, the story does not differ at all: Reading God's word, Praying, Serving him, Witnessing, Worship: all become a huge part of who we are, and what we believe in. But times come and we slip, times come and we loose hope, times happen and we loose our way, Life as a christian for many becomes a routine. It is then that we loose out on so much. Today I was reminded of small things like praying before I eat, before I take a cup of tea. I was reminded of asking God for journey mercies whenever I get onto a boda-boda(motorcycle), Say a prayer for the hurting people that I see around me, and pray for myself as well. These are some of things that i had long forgotten. In the end, I get irritable, angry over something small. And well, this was God remindimng me; to get back onto track.

We get to care about the outside, more than the inside, we resort to keeping up appearances: Forgetting that God sees, knows, but more so identifies with us, care deeply for us and wants us to be prosper and be better...

That said:

 There is something about Isaiah 56: It is short and is almost like a psalm But the amazing thing is it makes a lot of   sense for me this morning.....Clear and simple.This is what the Lord says: Maintain justice, do what is right Blessed is the man who does this...: maintains justice and does what is right: Today what is right is relative, as I live longer I realise that there is so much that the Lord has protected me from, and I look at how carnal human beings are , I cannot help but wonder, how many of them and oof us will make it when the D-day comes?
Inotice though that there is alot on the Sabbath even as I look/read through the days'reading. Honour the Sabath. I need to: today..sunday mornings are for golf, tennis, nursing hang-overs and , we seldom use them for what they were made for, spending time with God.

Isaiah 61: 3cThey will be called Oaks of Righteounes; a planting of the Lord, for the display of his splendour; Amen, I want to be one of those. An Oak of Righteousness.

Later Freinds,

Persistence

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 
For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.


Matthew 7: 7&8

Sex..

Don't you realise that sin is like a yeast...that spreads through a whole batch of dough?
In other words; sin starts small, then begins to grow, big and big and big....It is a slow fade that is another way of looking at it.
We are supposed to look like bread without yeas: healthy and good looking on the outside, with
out any bulge....

Paul is very realistic: I love this man: I am not telling you aati that do not associate with unbelievers
you would have to leave the wold for that. He insists that he is talking about people that claim
that they are believers but engage in sin: Do not even eat with such people. Well put: I think that this was specially meant for me.

Do not hang around hypocrites....those that say: do as I say but not as I do...Paul today talks about
sexual sin: And I realise that just as it was then, even today; there is a lot of compromise with sexual sin...
The rate of which is quite alarming,. I work in a church setting and am usually among "the last to know stuff" But you hear the stories going round of fornication, adultery, and all that: and you cannot help but wonder.

This year alone I have been approached by men that know God or rather according to the rest of the world are christians: for sex. One of them, mbu is a minister of the Altar in his church... But the guy said that I make for him a schedule and the relationship will be on my terms!!!
And he is engaged to be married. Now I wondered?
 How many woman/ladies has he approached? How many have said yes, and how many has he actually slept  with??
And this is just one of the scenarios: the other met me and was shocked that he had taken 2weeks of talking to me, without actually sleeping with me.
He said that usually when he met girls, at the first meeting , the question would be so when?
And I shudder at these and many more stories:But you know what guys: There is a God that changes things!Food was made for the stomach and stomach for the food
That is just an excuse: God's grace to say NO to sexual sin: is abundant..And I am a testimony to that..
And like Paul says in Chapter 6:18: Run from Sexual Sin, No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does..

We do not belong to ourselves,We belong to the Lord. God bought us at a price. We are worth the price and by grace we stand. So we must honour God with our bodies..

So be it Lord: Help us to Stand.
Amen!!

The Book of RUTH at a glance

I am readng about Ruth and am thinking: Where are all these characters today? The Ruth of today that stick to their guns and say: Your God will be my God, Your People will be my people. And I cannot quite seem to find them in my mind. Women that will not choose the easy way out. I mean : Ruth could have opted to stay with her other sister Orpah and go to a place that she is familiar with. She had a choice of resting it all out; Go back to her peoples and let them sort her out, But she did not. She instead chose to go and keep with her mother in law: Even when clearly there was no hope of getting re-married or any other companion then.


Where is the Naomi of today. I would honestly want a woman that has been there, through it all, Marriage, child birth, dating, courting; The whole bunch of it all, that says hey that is a good man: Now behave like this so as to get his attention. I mean experience is the best teacher. Someone who will give their all, and want to lead the way in my life....A woman of God, a woman that does not fear the world and what it has thrown onto her....Where are those women?

I am sure any little girl today will care to have a woman in their lives thatwill listen to their story, understand them, pray fpr and with them and then urge them forward; pointing them to the way of the cross....Woooah: WHERE ARE THOSE WOMEN?

I want to be one of them. I do not know if I have so far managed to take on Ruth's charcacter: even while I have the name. She I believe was a woman of character that chose to not to act as everyone thought she would, but to follow God's way and have God through Naomi direct her to a one Boaz.

I do not know if I can be a Naomi in my old age : which starts even now: have a heart for the girls that are growing up in this day and age....Be a shoulder to cry on: Share my hurts, joys, truimphs and pain: and let them know that there is never an easy out......

I want to be one of these women; I need to be like one of these women: So help Me God.

Wow

Just finished reading through today's text: Gen 32-35. A few things do
stand out for me:

First is that time heals. Whoever thought that Jacob and Esau would
ever be friends after what gone down between them? Whatever it is,
give it time. You will be made whole.

Second: is the idea of dowry. It existed then, so no reason guys to
fret about it. A well-kept woman is worth even much more: but dowry is
and has always been there.

And lastly is what Jacob went through to be called Israel. Wrestled
from dusk till dawn. And everywhere he went, he built an altar. Now
that is a character to emulate.

Cheers.

--
*Ruth Aine*
**
*The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.*

As I am busy trying to catch with the reading, Guess what I come
across. One of the most amazing verses of all time: according to me.

« But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have
entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for
them.» Now that is some scripture up there. It is life. Now: I know
that this may be cliche to some of us: we say or have heard this text
over & over again. I guess what makes it better for me is the Bible
version am reading it in.

So, Eye hath not seen: which means: it has not yet become a reality,
not tangible, does not exist.

nor ear heard:::okay, it has not yet hit any airwaves. You know how
sound / word travels so fast. No one has picked wave of it.

Now here is the best part: neither have entered in to the heart of
man::: so no-one has yet been inspired to that effect. There has not
been a revelation nor an imagination or rather a thought. None
whatsover.

The things which God hath prepared for them that love him

--
*Ruth Aine*
**
*The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.*

Miserable Comforters?

I have heard many things like these;

 you are miserable comforters, all of you! 

Job 16:2

Jobs friends came to grieve with him. They came with the common social understanding that Job has either sinned against God or has contemplated sin until these tests are a warning. They urge Job to "fess up" and allow a contrite spirit to relieve him of this present distress.

God considered Job a blameless and upright man, a man who feared Him & shunned evil. It must have been hurtful for him to have friends who were not encouraging him through those hard times, and i don't blame him for calling his friends miserable comforters, well...they were miserable comforters. They questioned Jobs spirituality and integrity when they were meant to encourage, sympathise and at least try to understand him.

We have been there one way or another. When we expected our closest friends to understand us and comfort us but we instead got a sermon on confession and repentance.Or, we have been such miserable comforters to others...

We all have been called to the Ministry of Comfort. This is because all of us have gone through some painful experiences in our lives and through Gods help, we came out strong. ( Well, if you haven't gone through such an experience in your life, don't worry, don't be discouraged, the day will come and you will go through a painful experience...am i being a miserable comforter?). We go through this experiences so that sometime in future, we may take the role of a comforter in someone else's life who at that time will be going through the same thing that you went through and God got you out- these things are common to man and there is nothing new under the sun right? 2 Corinthians 1:3-5;

 Praise be to the 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.

Once we understand that we have been called into this Ministry, we will allow the Holy Spirit to teach us in being good comforters other than miserable comforters. Friends who will be there to encourage and not to discourage or criticize or judge the people who we are called to minister to. Friends who will be there and sometimes say nothing, as we have seen, our words can be meaningless. Even words like " God cares" do not make sense to a person who is grieving. Sometimes, all we will be needed to say is, " I understand" and leave it at that. To hold their hand and offer your shoulder for them to cry on...and even cry with them.

Above all, let us seek to find comfort in Christ Jesus who is the comforter of ALL. To find comfort in His Words. We are human beings living on earth(of course) :), and hard times will always be there. Let's not be discouraged when this times check in but lets allow the Holy Spirit to comfort us, lets be reminded that, even if we walk through the valley of the shadow of death, we will fear no evil, for He is with us, His rod and His staff they comfort us...and as He does this may our comfort overflow into other people's lives.

I choose to be a comforter!!!

Never Changing

I am in love with God. I love so much about Him, and one of the things i love about Him is His Consistency. He cannot tell you one thing today and then come back tomorrow to tell you, hey, by the way, about what we talked about, I changed my mind...He says something and thats it. So, he is reliable.

As i was going through Isaiah 33( Yeah, still lagging behind on Isaiah but working on catching up), i couldn't help but notice verses 15 and 16.

• Those who walk righteously and speak what is right
• Who reject gain from extortion and keep their hands from accepting bribes
• Who stop their ears against plots of murder and shut their eyes against contemplating evil

They are the ones who will dwell on the heights, whose refuge will be the mountain fortress. Their bread will be supplied and water will not fail them.

On a previous post, we looked at Psalm 15. So, what's stands out for you when you read this two passages?

The Stuff EPICS Are Made Off

Reading through some of the incidences especially in the History books, I couldn't help but think that most epics have borrowed heavily or have been inspired by some of this stuff - If we just took a graphic image of what we read!!!

Sample this:

- giving your maidservant to your husband

- conning off birth-rights

- mother conniving with favorite son

- the enormous death scenes akin to genocide. I was especially 'appalled' by the ethnic cleansing as depicted on Judges 12:4-6!!

I could go on and on!!

There could be a lot to make of this, including??

Psalm 18-20

David is estatic, grateful, amazed and in awe of who God is and what he can do: therefore he bursts into song.

You are my rock, my deliverer, my strength: Adoring God. You can not call a friend a friend unless they have been there for you. David thus could not call God his fortress out of the blue. He must have experienced him: which is a good thing. So out of the abundance of David’s heart: we see him testifying of God’s Goodness.

You know even before Jesus said that even if you do not praise, the stones will do so: David had seen it. David is amazed, and observant I must say thus he burst into song. And deep it was for him to get to a point where he understands God at work and his creation. He got to that place where even words were not enough..Ever been there and most importantly also worshipped the Lord: where all you do is stand in awe of him? Well if not?

Ask the Lord: and he will take you there.
The Law of the Lord :
• is perfect:
• Is refreshing
• Trustworthy : dependable
• Makes wise the simple;
• More precious than gold
• Sweeter than honey
• Radiant:
His statutes: trustworthy: dependable
And as he ends Chapter 19: he realise that in the end the knowledge learned and heard and seen is not that important but what is:
Is what comes out of us: May the thoughts of my mind and meditations of my heart be pleasing in your sight Oh lord: Indeed David was a man after the Lord God’s own heart.

Verses 1-5 of chapter 20 remind me of saying good bye: My mentor uses them alot everywhere blessing couples, after deliverance and on Sundays when he is leading service: Greta man of God that one.

I do not know why David used them and why it is Psalm 20 not the last..but anyhow: we learn alot from it too: Leave the blessing of God wherever you go and when ever.

Its amazing though: it is may the Lord do all those things: then verse6: He gives us kinda evidence: of I have been there, and God has been this God, and I know for sure: And so the next time you are doubting:::::
Well David has been there and gives you reason to trust and obey....

Mercy Said No

Then they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served the Lord. And He could bear Israel's misery no longer.

(Judges 10:6)

Sin, punishment, repentance and salvation are the major themes in the book of Judges. The stories in this book play out like a recurring bad dream: Israel does wrong; God delivers them into the hand s of their oppressors; Israel cries out to the Delivering God, Yahweh shows up and acts out on their behalf through a divinely appointed leader; deliverance comes; the people are faithful for a while; the land has rest and yields its increase; Israel forgets God; Israel does wrong; and well...the nightmare continues...

However, the cycle breaks in Chapter 10...in the going back to God to ask for forgiveness stage of the cycle, they say there usual prayer...of course looking sorrowful and pitiful(Ok, the Bible does not say that), " We  have sinned against you, forsaking our God and serving the Baals"...and the answer this time round was not as expected. God answered,"...But you have forsaken me and served other gods, so I will no longer save you. Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them save you when you are in trouble!" :CRINGE: How would you feel if God told you that? I would probably like Job say..."If only you would hide me in the grave & conceal me till your anger has passed! If only yo would set me a time and then remember me!" Coz, honestly, how will i live knowing God wants nothing to do with me? How does even thinking about that make you feel? I don't know about you but there is no way I can make it through this life without God.

...and He could bear their misery no longer. Verse 16 of Judges 10, however, introduces us to the heart of God. A heart of mercy. He cannot just watch us suffer. He is a forgiving Father, the only one capable of forgiving and forgetting. Israel went back to God and asked to be forgiven and be rescued from the hands of their oppressors. They did not stop at asking for forgiveness, they got rid of the foreign gods among them and served God...and God could not bear their misery no longer.

Thats the kind of heart our Father has. He cannot bear seeing us suffer. If only we could get rid of the gods that we have chosen to worship other than Him, the things that we have put before Him. the things that we have worshiped, the things that act as barriers between Him and us...we know what they are, may be not...and He will deliver us from the hand of the enemy who is oppressing us day and night.  

We all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God but He is faithful and just and will forgive us from all unrighteousness only if we confess...Gods forgiveness is complete, it is everlasting and it is always available. What joy it is to know that God willingly and gladly release us from the debt of sin and restores our fellowship with Him.

We are shaped in iniquity(Psalm 51:5) and our greatness need therefore is that of forgiveness. God forgives our sin, removes it completely and forgets it forever. He is merciful in deed. Thanks to Him that Jesus Christ has met this need and has restored our fellowship with our heavenly Father!!

Rebekah: A Woman Of Passion[For Women Only]

Genesis 24-27- Our reading yesterday and we all know the story of Rebekah and Isaac. I personally loved where the two met...ahem.

So, what kind of person was Rebekah?

Rebekah was a daughter, a wife and a mother. She mothered two sons Esau and Jacob after being barren for about 20 years. Esau was the eldest son and was entitled to his father's inheritance but Rebekah favored her younger son Jacob and desired that he gain his father's wealth. When the opportunity arose, Rebekah helped her son deceive his father. Isaac, who had become old, feeble and blind bestowed upon Jacob the family inheritance that was intended for Esau. Rebekah later protected Jacob from Esau's wrath by sending him to stay with his brother Laban.

Well, it is instinctive and proper for a woman- a wife and a mother- to live so passionately but as we can see, Rebekah's love for Jacob became a selfish jealous love, which led to favoritism of one child over another. Her love for Jacob also led her to compromise her love and loyalty to her husband. She was determined to do what she thought would help Jacob gain the family inheritance.

How often have we heard of crimes of passion? Unlike Rebekah's case some have ultimately led to the death of innocent people. As mothers and spouses, (Aleluia), we must take care that our love for our children and our spouses does not become an obsessive love- a love that would allow us to succumb to the temptation of Satan, to betray moral ethics, covenant relationships and spiritual commitments. As women of God,our love should always be pure and subject to the spirit of God.

Gods love for us serves as the ultimate, true example of a pure love, a love that is unconditional, showing no bias or favoritism- a love that is not jealous or boastful. Unselfish motives or desires define pure love: it bears all things, hopes all things, believes all things and above all never fails.

The story of Rebeka makes it clear that women can feel ambition, love greatly, deceive, and be self-sacrificing. 

Happy Women's Day Girlfriends!!

Man's Duty To God & His Fellowman- Psalm 15

Lord, who may dwell in your Sanctuary? Who may live on your Holy hill?

• He whose walk is blameless
• He who does what is righteous
• Who speaks the truth from his heart
• Who has no slander on his tongue
• Who does his neighbor no wrong
• Who casts no slur on his fellowmen
• Who despises a vile man but honors those fear the Lord
• Who Keeps his oath even when it hurts
• Who lends his money without usury
• Who does not accept a bribe against the innocent

He who does these things will never be shaken.

God’s standards must be met if we are to dwell with Him in eternity. Our life must conform to our profession. It is important not only for us to know God’s will but also to do it.

Deep stuff. Lemme digest this. 

BRB!!!!

Desire to know the Lord...

You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you. Isaiah 26:3
WOw: another reason to keep on, to move on , to walk right, talk right.....because Peace , Perfect peace will be your portion.....Amen.

I know that I stray sometimes and somehow let the worries and cares and burdens of this world get to me. And it is restless. Sometimes I wonder: how life would be without this greater God we serve: and then..I am comforted by this scripture today.

Chapter 26: Verse 8-9 A desire to know the Lord, A yearning for what makes sense and is right, And only those that hunger and thirst are rewarded. Was reading something the other day: and man it made a lot of sense......and am sure you will pick something from it as well.::

Only the hungry get fed: In the natural, most or even some of us eat when we are not hungry and that can be proved when we turn sideways, while looking at ourselves in the mirror.
However in the spiritual realm only those that hunger and yearn for God get fed. Lack of the latter is what is called Spiritual complacency.
Being hungry for God is one of the best things that can happen to us.....Most people do not feel that way: They would rather have the feeling of being dull. But Jesus promised us that fullness would follow hunger. Longing for GOd is healthy. No one hungers for God on their own: unless the Spirit of God is drawing him: John 6:44.
Hungering for God does not cause God's move in our lives. It is rather a sign that God is already at work in our lives and a part of our whole system..

So when we get hungry - we should thank God because then we are sure that God does not want us to starve abut rather, that he wants to fill us with His blessings and Love. We need a hunger that will never be satisfied until the marriage supper of the Lamb. Amen
Matthew 5:6, " Blessed [are] they which hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled". Amen and Amen.

Isaiah Chapter 28: 23: and Finally : (that is what I seem to hear even as I come to the end of this reading)
Give ear and hear my voice, give attention and hear my speech.
Dill is not threshed with a sledge::
Isaiah is giving us the icing on the cake: Why trust in God, why give ear and take heed? Because He [God] is wonderful in counsel and excellent in wisdom. And that is the guy that I want to emulate. Am sure you too: and that is why you are reading this.
So help Us God.

Till next time , So long Runners,...

Seek All The Counsel You Can: There Is Great Blessing In That

As far as God is concerned, he knows what we are worth, he knows what we are capable of him, if only we can trust him. Abram was one of those people that took God at his word: He lived a life that I am sure would have been very relevant even in the new testament.

Like we read about in Romans yesterday (Sunday 13th Feb): I think Abram lived in the spirit; he did not live by the flesh. Okay not I think, but he is an example of that part. If he had then he would have chosen the juicy land and or would not have let Lot choose the land first. And in the end he gets blessed greatly from the little and unproductive part that he took over:

This is where I remember one of those verses in the Psalms: do not be afraid of the wicked that prosper: Because usually or rather truthfully they are not that better off: you have the advantage that you are with God and last time I checked anyone with God on their team/; is a winner.

The other amazing thing that struck me was the relationship between Abram and Melchizedek. I think that today there is a tendency to think that seeking counsel, wisdom and blessing is not bad a thing like we would think it is , a wow and great feeling. Sometimes we think that being vulnerable is being weak. But I think otherwise: anyone that wants to get anywhere in this life, seeks blessing, counsel and wisdom. With Abram, you would think, he hears from God and that he has it all thus no need to go to people: but hey that is a lesson to learn,

Seek all the counsel you can: because there is great blessing in that.

--

By: Ruth Aine

Sons Of God?

Hey fellow runners!! Anyone tried to figure out who these sons of God referred to in Gen 6 were?

Ref: Gen 6:1,2 When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.

The so called Nephilim who are mentioned twice (Gen 6 and perhaps Num 13)!!

Assignment

Study the table below carefully.

Name Of The Father	Age When First Child Was Born	Name Of The Child	Years Lived
Adam	130( the 3rd Child) J	Seth	930
Seth	105	Enosh	912
Enosh	90	Kenan	905
Kenan	70	Mahalalel	910
Mahalalel	65	Jared	895
Jared	162	Enoch	962
Enoch	65	Methuselah	365
Methuselah	187	Lamech	969
Lamech	182	Noah	777
Noah	500	Shem
		Ham
		Japheth	950

For any calculations use the following formula.
  0 + 0                
     =
Answer the following questions correctly.

1. Explain any trend that you have observed giving proper references
2. How many years are there from when Adam was created to when Noah died
3. Did they all die?
4. Explain the account of Enoch
5. Seth was a pre-teen when he had his first born. Argue for or against this statement
6. From the handsome 13 names listed above, have you found any suitable name for a son. If Yes, which one and why. If no, really? 
7. In your own words, discuss Gen 5

All assignments in my office before the next class. 

:-)

... And He Died

A story is told of how this woman had been crying to God to have her husband turn to the Lord and accept Him as Lord of his life. The woman prayed fervently hoping that at least some day the husband would join her in church.

Finally her prayer was answered when out of the blue the man said to the wife that he'd accompany her to church the following Sunday.

You can only imagine the womans disappointment when the reading of the day was Gen 5 ! "Of all days? Why can't we have one of those fiery readings and sermons? Don't you know my husbands in the building? When will he ever be back?"

Well after the readings and prayers, the husband asked to be prayed for to accept Christ!

The woman would later ask what led the husband to accept Christ... His answer? ...

"THEY ALL DIED!!"

Brothers Keeper?

Am I my brother's keeper?, Do you have a keeper?

Today ; I do not know how to honestly let people in: I fear to get hurt, and the more I get hurt, The harder it gets for people to get to know me. And with today's details of Space, privacy and boundaries: How does one begin to let people in or rather be allowed in One's life? Who exactly are Keepers?

What does it mean to be your Brother's keeper; I do not know how to just get to know people: I am who believes that once we become friends, then we are freinds , thus I know the details of your life and you know the details of my life. I expect you to ask questions ,and I too the same, depending on the level of interaction and why we are interacting. So we either go all the way or never even start. As a result I have been told stuff like You are proud and very hard, or rather strict and Viola: I do not know what to say. And that is my account:: I beleive we have different accounts.
I keep thinking if we only prayed to God for wisdom as to how we can purposefully meddle into the affairs of one's life(or get to know the people in question), that is if we have to, then maybe there would be less heartache in this world. Random Thoughts I must emphasise these are.

Why would I be called your keeper? Is it that I care deeply for the affairs of your life, or that I pray for you? I so need help with this: Am kinda tired of wolves in sheep skin you know.:::

With long life you will satisfy me, Lord: That is what I am reminded of as I look at how long these guys lived. Adam: 930 years? And Uganda's life expectancy at the moment is 52 coming up from 45: Huge improvement I must say but Hullloooo?

Then the world's oldest person to ever live is a french woman that made it to 122 years. She is among are the ones that made it to google: I know there could be older people who are most probably living in places unheard of,BUT nevertheless: we cannót beat their age::::

Knowing who your God is , that is the only way through which you can respond to him rightly: Noah did all that God commanded him to do: as as usual God being the vey specific and particular God that tells him what to do and how to do it,Noah does not doubt , nor ask questions; he simply obeys the Lord: May you instill in us Lord,that steadfastness to hear listen and then act promptly.

Righteousness is rewarded: Noah was rewarded with Life and the oppurtunity to help with the Ark because he was righteous: May we never forget that life in abundance belongs to us as individuals if only we are upright with God.

On the lighter side of life...

I think I got me a cute baby's name for my son: Kenan, which is Hebrew: means Possesion: God remind me when the time comes
So long all ye runners.

Lesson

There was an ongoing relationship: Between God and Job and better still, there was a discipline that run through the family: A man that takes responsibility for his family.

I am a first born so I kinda know that at times, I do fail to initiate prayer when it is missing in the home and yet I know that I need to. I need to take full responsibilty.

Satan was confident that Job loved and served God because of what he had been given. But that was not the case. Looking at Job I think well, they are people who do not have in modern today even a quarter of what Job had and yet if and when God allows them to suffer like He did with Job, they are still faithful to God.

Today; we ‘ditch God for the simplest and smallest things. We steal to eat a meal worth peanuts, Tell lies to earn an extra buck, and curse God when we trip and fall.

I do not know how much tragedy in modern today can strike like it was for Job: Nevertheless:

After all the news had come in: Loss of family, livestock, and gardens: This one thing Job said: AND LORD may I not forget this:

Job bowed down in worship:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
and naked I will depart.
The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
may the name of the LORD be praised.”

22 In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing

Wow!!! I can imagine me asking God why, why, while crying, Trying to find out who I can call to tell the bad news:: read friends: if there are any left:; and out-rightly cursing God: Because that is what I do when tragedy strikes: The last thing on my mind would be worship honestly, But now I know better. And yet Job got it right. Bless his soul: Now we get to learn from him. (I now think he tops my want to see list when I get to heaven.) I certainly need to hear his account, word for word again.

Job2:11; Got me thinking about what kind of a friend I am. While we need to be careful about whose counsel I listen to, I also need to need careful of what I am as a friend, and what kind of support I offer to my family or anyone that I know, who may be going through a ‘JOB PHASE.’

Lord;; Teach me to be a better friend, better custodian of my family's faith. Cause Mehhnn: I wanna see you someday: in all of your splendor and glory. So help me God