... 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

Insight

One of the things that struck me yesterday was the way God's word is: It is particular, His instructions are very specific.

Once again; God being the generous Almighty that we know is offering free advice: Blessed are those who do not walk in step with the wicked:_| Plain clear and simple. And knowing God and who he is , I would rather follow this insight, Lest I am listed among the wicked: And that's not what I signed up for really when I took on his semblance as a child of God.

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

Recipe for success. Fruit , produce , bountiful harvest is only enjoyed when it is timely , thus has got to be in season. There is green all through , life is alive if I should say all through their course of life.

Life is achieved when we tap into God's abundant reservoir. There we know that His grace and favor are forever abundant in us.

Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth rise up
and the rulers band together
against the LORD and against his anointed, saying,
3 “Let us break their chains
and throw off their shackles.”

4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
5 He rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 “I have installed my king
on Zion, my holy mountain.”

I am so sure that this applies to me today. I am being challenged to forgive, a lot this season of my life, and this passage reminded me why.

And for all of us in life when we get betrayed, let down,slandered, sabotaged and mocked: Do not fret, because even then, God am sure will fight for you, say to your enemies, This is my son: They ask and I will make the nations their inheritance, the ends of the earth their possession: Whoa Even so , Come Lord Jesus.

be warned, you rulers of the earth.
11. Serve the LORD with fear,
and celebrate his rule with trembling,

Kiss his son, or he will be angry
and your way will lead to your destruction,
for his wrath can flare up in a moment.

But above all: Blessed are those who take refuge in him.

The Living Word...

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" 2 Timothy 3:16 (NIV)

On day 2 of the race, for all of us who are in this, we read Genesis 1, 2 and 3. Verse 26 of Genesis 1 tells us man was created in the image of God, in His likeness that he may RULE over;

• The fish in the sea
• The birds in the sky
• The livestock
• All the wild animals
• All creatures that move along the ground

Literally, this is ruling over everything on earth. So why did God give man all so much authority over the earth, anyone?

Chapter 2 of Genesis, lets look at verse 7, man was formed, God did not say...let there be man. He breathed into his nostrils and man became a living being. I believe this is one of the reasons man was given authority to rule over the earth, he is special to God. Imagine God breathing into your nostrils, anytime God, anytime. :-). In simple words, God breaths into anything and its starts living from then on...

Now to 2 Timothy 3: 16, scripture is God breathed, any doubt that it is living? No!! ( Speaking for me).  My prayer is as we go through the Bible, may we be transformed by it.

I pray that God's Word will Teach Us:
May it teach us who He is so that we may follow in His footsteps.
Teach us to Love as you have loved us God, more so to Love you more and more each day as you are Love. You loved us even when we did not know you.
You are a forgiving God teach us forgiveness.
May we gain Wisdom as we go through Your Word. May we grow in knowledge of You.

I pray that God's Word Will Rebuke Us: 
The Lord rebukes those He loves. May we be receptive to this. May our hearts be open to this so that we may see and repent of all sins that need to be repented. I believe God uses the rod as the last remedy...personally, i don't want to get there...naogopa kiboko. :-). Seriously.
Read Hebrews 12:1-12

I pray that God's Word Will Correct Us: 

Why does God correct us? Lets read Hebrews 12:7-11

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Need I say more?. God we accept correction from you. We know you love us. Amen.

I pray that God's Word Will Train Us in Righteuosness:

God we pray that Your Word  will train us in righteuosness that we can fellowship with you and do Your bidding in courage, joy and faith. May it train us in righteuosness that we become thoroughly equipped to pray, praise and serve You in every single way that You would desire.

May Your Living Word come alive in our lives.

Amen.

The Race

The Marathon,
A race for life indeed
An earnest search for the truth,
The truth in-depth.
A moment to learn,
That life is and will always be,
God Oriented.
A search for deep intimacy with my creator.
Am reminded that as one spends more time with someone else,
Then more like them they become.
More like the creator of the universe,
The lover of my soul,
the Great I am.
So as I journey this race,
Everything obscure around me
I have an everlasting hop that is forever vivid.
And that I choose to grasp even more firmly,
Till more and more like Him I become.

So be it Lord...

Starting With A Bang - Literally!!

Talk about baptism of fire. So on the eve of kicking off our 52 week journey we have a road trip to go to attend a meeting at my sons school. 2AM we are up and about, prepping the mandatory chapati na kuku!!

5:30AM after a prayer, we are off. Just about halfway through the journey, chatting away with Jo as we chart the way forward for Rafikistry (the teen centre that she's recently launched) we encounter a drizzle and after the dry season that it has been lately we make comments about the interesting turnaround.

A few kilometers later on a steep descent we loose control of the car and off we go!! Turn this way, nothing doing. Turn that way, nothing doing. Next thing we know ... BANG right into the road barrier. Suddenly the car is facing the direction we came from and one more time ... BANG. We come to a halt and all we can do is proclaim the glory of the protection of the Lord.

Were the car to have a blackbox some of the last recorded conversations would have included the following from Jo:

• 'O God do not allow this to happen'
• 'God we can't end like this'
• 'We are finished'
• 'O my God'

Psalm 91 and 23 came alive!! The 'limo' was pretty damaged and could not move ... but that matters for nothing. We were protected by God. No one hurt - just a tiny scratch on Jo's toe.

A review of what could have been revealed the following among others:

• there no other vehicles on either side of the slope
• there were no pedestrians along that point
• despite the impact the barrier never completely gave way - had it done so the end of the slope is a river way way down from the barrier
• help was at hand... we were not far off from the nearest police station, we have friends from around that area who mobilized help, Jo's home is not way way off and we had the car towed there, another car with parents to my sons school mate was behind and Jo was able to proceed to school ...

We could go on and on ... BOTTOM LINE - 'He will save you from the fowlers snare' - He did!!

And we are off with a BANG.

You?

Week I

In order to keep check on how we are proceeding it would be nice to have a print out of the route map in order to check out as we journey on. However, we still provide a list here of the readings to be covered under week one:

Sun: Rom 1 & 2
Mon: Gen 1, 2 & 3
Tue: Josh 1 - 5
Wed: Ps 1 & 2
Thu: Job 1, 2
Fri: Is 1-6
Sat: Mat 1,2

Let's go.

Starting...

Oh Lord;
May my knowledge of you increase even as I start this journey.
Knowing you makes all the difference in my life,
And as I journey on to worlds unknown,
With my heart alert, and my feet to the ground,
May I learn and accept to unlearn
To your glory,

Amen,

Even a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

So be it Lord.

On Your Marks ...

First up, it's great to have people to be with when going through the tough race that is life. It is even better when that race is about connecting with God through His Word.

Allow me to make a few quotes that could be relevant:
'A journey of a thousand miles start with a single step'
'If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.'
'Two are better than one,because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.'

I attach herewith the road-map to covering the Bible in 52 weeks. As indicated we'll use the Thematic Approach - adopted from bible-reading.com.

In order to keep ourselves in check I propose to start a facebook event where we shall be posting our comments and our status in the race. Herewith a blog where could share our experiences and stories over the journey. Any avid bloggers among us?

Every quarter we shall be running a health check to see whether we are experiencing growth in our walk with Christ. I will be sending this out by separate email next week and I encourage you to take the check as soon as you receive it and compare your result with other subsequent checks.

Please note that the marathon should not replace your daily quiet times with the Lord but rather supplement your walk with Him. I also attach a RBC booklet on Keeping Our Appointments With God which provides some good input on how we can enrich our daily encounter with God.

Please feel free to tag along your friends and colleagues as we kick this off on Sunday.

Remember - this is a marathon, not a sprint - we are in it for the long haul.

On your marks ....