Wholly Devoted To Him!

This God we serve, who can understand him? On the 15th of September I put up a blog with the heading "Would I?" talking about would I give it all up to follow him. This came out of the following passage:

Mark 10:29-31

²⁹"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel ³⁰will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.³¹But many who are first will be last, and the last first."

I have never understood this passage before. The other day I heard the Lord ask me, "Would you give up your hope for marriage and children to be wholly devoted and focussed on me?" Honestly that was one of those questions I had never thought the Lord would ask me. I have always thought I would get married. Anyone who has followed this blog for any length of time will testify that marriage is a big deal for me. So what is this now?

I heard the Lord refer me to Paul's discourse in 1 Corinthians 7. I did not have the courage to read it. Not until today. This passage is extremely difficult to read. Paul says that staying single is better than being married. I have never heard anyone, other than Paul make a case for staying single for life. I have never heard a sermon on it. It is always mentioned in passing. But what if this is what God requires of me?

The word 'devoted' keeps jumping up at me. Particularly when put as "wholly devoted." I'm hearing God saying to come out and be wholly devoted to the work for which he called me. And this passage says that staying single allows one to be wholly devoted to the Lord without distraction. Would it be so bad to remain single all my life? Jesus said that if I give it up I will, in this world, still get my reward. I believe him. This one is still up in the air. My answer is that I want to serve him in the way that he thinks is best for me.

Strangely enough I hear him asking me to make the choice. That if I choose to be married it is well and if I choose to stay unmarried it is well. There is no condemnation. But he would prefer that I focus wholly on him. There are things he can show me and use me to do only when I am single. Free will!! What to do with it?!!

2 Corinthians 8:12 says "For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have"

Lord, make me willing to devote myself wholly to you. I want to be used by you to the uttermost. I feel the loss of what I would be giving up if I choose to remain single forever. Yet I want your best for me and if that means being single till death then you help me to be willing to make the choice. Not grudgingly Lord, but with joy. I am yours. All yours. Make me willing O God and have your way in me.

Remember Me Oh Lord!

Many times in this blog I have spoken of my desire to be married and have many Children of my own. At the age of 26 I remember calling my mother and telling her that I felt I was now ready for marriage. 7 years later I am still waiting on the Lord. But I thank God, because 7 is the number of completion. The Lord has used this lack of fulfillment in my life to teach me many things and continues to do so even today.

Reading the Bible I find that a woman's desire for a husband and children is natural. Having one without the other does not satisfy either. I read the story of Leah who even though she was married was an unloved wife. The need for her husbands love and attention made her a miserable woman even though God gave her many children. Her rival Rachel on the other hand was blessed by the love of her husband but her lack of Children made her life miserable. It is clear that one must have both a loving husband and children to feel complete.

The Story of Hannah also puts this into perspective. Here is Hannah, a woman so loved by her husband that he blessed her in double portions. Yet her heart yearned for children of her own. The taunting of her rival did not make things any easier. The Bible says that she poured out her heart before the Lord and asked him to remember her. What does it mean for the Lord to remember you?

In the Bible, the word "Remember" as in when the Lord remembers his people, means to go into action on their behalf. It is not just to recall or to bring to memory. It is to look on their misery and do something to remove it. It is to express concern for that person and to act with loving care for them. When the Lord remembers you, he favors you and meets your need. Hence when he remembered Rachel, she got pregnant and bore Joseph. When he remembered Hannah, she too conceived. He went into action on their behalf in order to meet their need.

May the Lord remember you today. May he meet you at your point of need and shed light and favor where you need it. May he step into your situation and act on your behalf.

Reading the Bible through in a year - Update

I am very excited about reading my Bible. I have made much progress and the Bible makes a lot of sense when read in sequence. Who knew?!! Having fully understood what God had told the Israelites in the Torah I now understand why in Judges, Kings and subsequent books he would get so annoyed with them. The book of Job even made real sense to me this time. I understood why Jobs friends had to ask him for forgiveness and why he had to pray for them. It makes sense!!

Okay. Call it tooting my horn but here is a list of the books I have read so far:

Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalms
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians

This Month I am scheduled to read the following:

Ecclesiastes
Song of Songs
Isaiah
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians

I can't wait to begin the major prophets. I know that they will make sense too. I know that God will shed his light on them and I will understand them in a new way. This is tons of fun. I love the one year Bible it has made it so easy to read the word of God. It's downhill from here. 4 months to go and I will have read the whole Bible through in a year! Hallelujah!!

Your Current Assignment

I don't believe in fate. I think that God is too much of a thinker to let things fall where they may. Although the universe and our lives in general tend towards entropy when left on their own, I think God, being a master planner, had planned our lives from the start. If we tap into his thoughts by prayer, reading the word and meditating on it, we will surely find the path ordained for us from the beginning of days.

My friend Rose is a homemaker and a mother of 5. She loves being a homemaker and homeschooling her kids. She made a comment today that got me thinking about our lot in life. She said I sounded so accomplished and professional that she was almost afraid of me. I couldn't help thinking how accomplished she is, raising her kids in the ways of the Lord and running her farm in Indiana.

We all have our lot in life. But the most important thing to remember is that they are assignments. We are all working on the same thing: Building God's Kingdom. Whether that means raising a godly offspring or working in the marketplace. I consider my job and business my current assignment. That means that the assignment could change and within a few years I could be the homeschooling stay-at-home mom. Whether I am in the market place or at home I am building the Kingdom and that is the most important thing.

Here is a quick challenge for you. How are you building the Kingdom in your current assignment?

Grieving Michael Jackson

The radio is on and there are all these Michael Jackson songs playing and Maina Kageni keeps saying "Michael is not supposed to die! He cannot die!" shortly I hear people calling in to request their favorite MJ songs and then Maina Kageni refers to him as the 'late' King of Pop. Shock on me, Michael Jackson is dead!!!

I felt very sad and found that I was literally mourning his passing. It is strange, because he was never really one of my favorite artists, and you couldn't catch me dead trying to moon walk. But I just really felt sad about it. So of course a conversation ensues between the Lord and I. I am trying to figure out why I am grieving for him so much and the Lord says, 'You are feeling what I am feeling.' Now that was something. The question came into my mind 'Did he accept Christ at any point in his life?' if not, then he was on his way to hell and there was nothing anyone, even God, could do about it now.



It made me want to tell everyone about Jesus. The word says in Ps 116:15 "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints" it is precious to him because he takes them to heaven to live with him. However, his heart grieves for every soul that goes to eternal damnation. He made them all and loves each one. He mourns those who do not get into heaven. Pray for those who do not know Christ that they may come to the knowledge of his saving grace.

A Living Sacrifice

I have been telling God that I want to be a living sacrifice that is acceptable to him. Being a living sacrifice means that he is all you live for. That all you do is for him and because of him. I have never really understood the living sacrifice concept. Jesus really lived it out though.

Jesus said that even the words he spoke were what he heard the Father say. He said that he only did that which he saw his Father doing. Again he said that his Father was always at work, therefore he too had to keep working. And ultimately, he died on the cross for us because the Father wanted him to. That is a living sacrifice.

As a living sacrifice, you are no longer your own. You belong to God in every way. Your relationships, your words, your thoughts, your works and everything about you is governed by God's word. If God does not do it, you don't do it. If you are not doing this, no matter how much you claim to be a living sacrifice you are missing the boat and God cannot accept that.

I usually pour out my heart in this blog and there are many things in this blog that I consider private. Because of that, I have chosen to be anonymous and not put up my pictures. However, the other day the Lord urged me to put this blog address on my facebook profile so that all my friends could access it. That was difficult. Then the Lord reminded me that I was not my own. He wants to use this blog to bless others and to bring them into the Kingdom of God.

Anyway, I am going to put up my picture and the like so you all can see me now. But not today... I have to run to church so I can get a good seat at the Daughters of Zion Meeting. See you there!!

STEER YOUR LIFE ARIGHT

Daniel 11:32b AMP
“… the people who know their God shall prove themselves strong and shall stand firm and do exploits for God.”

What does it mean to know my God? It means to know his character, his attributes, and his ways. Ps 119 talks about desiring to know God’s ways. The writer says it over and over again. Teach me your ways, precepts, ordinances and commandments. Only when you know your God can you do exploits for him.

Exploits are commanded into being. The way to do this is to decree what you want to see happen. When the earth was empty and void, God said “let there be.” He spoke what he wanted to see. We being made in the image of God and being imitators of Christ must likewise speak into being what we want to see. Just like he did. Hence, the word says “Decree a thing and it shall be established for you.”

The only way to command exploits is to know the will of your Father in heaven and speak it into existence on the earth. What does his word say?

3 John 2
“I wish above all things that you would prosper and be in health even as your soul prospers.”

So I must prosper in my soul. My spirit must flourish, planted in the courts of Jehovah. Once my spirit and soul are prospering in the word, then my material wealth and physical health must prosper too.

It is God’s will that I be in good health. Therefore, with my mouth I procure divine health. It is God’s desire that I want for nothing since he is my shepherd, therefore with my mouth I procure wealth and Dominion in my Nation of Calling.

I am done letting life dictate where my life is going. From now on, I take full charge of my life, submitting it under the authority of Jesus Christ and letting the Holy Ghost show me the way. From today I decree with my mouth and let God establish it for me. From today, I will direct my life in accordance with the word of God.

James likened the tongue to the rudder of a ship. He said that just as a ship is steered by the rudder, so is your life steered by the tongue. So steer your life every day by decreeing what you want to see happen that day. Soon the law of momentum will catch up with you and “I think I can” will become “I know I can.”

His Ways

God is so controversial. I never knew how much until he affected me personally. There are some things that he tell us to do that may be totally out of the norms of society. I thought I was alone until I read Acts 10. There is no denying that God himself had told Israel not to mix with the gentiles. But here he is now asking Peter to go eat at a gentiles house and hang out with them. Why does God do that? It always throws me off. Isaiah 55 says his ways are not ours. Neither are his thoughts. The most I can do is trust in him.

8For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, says the Lord.

9For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.

10For as the rain and snow come down from the heavens, and return not there again, but water the earth and make it bring forth and sprout, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater,(D)

11So shall My word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void [without producing any effect, useless], but it shall accomplish that which I please and purpose, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

Like a Tree by Streams of Water

Knowing Christ and the significance of the cross and what was purchased for you at Calvary is by experience. You have to know Jesus through personal experience. This has been a trying week. I was dealt a blow by the enemy that for all accounts and purposes was supposed to leave me paralyzed in the market place. To cripple me good, and leave me struggling for a while. But God is faithful. Jesus bought me rest on calvary. Because of the cross, I can walk through the fire and not be burnt. I can walk through a flood and not be swept away. Jesus bought my safe passage, and bought provision for me in such times. Psalm 1 describes the person purchased by Christ's death and dwelling under the shadow of the Almighty.

PSALM 1

1 BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather.

2But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night.

3And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity].

4Not so the wicked [those disobedient and living without God are not so]. But they are like the chaff [worthless, dead, without substance] which the wind drives away.

5Therefore the wicked [those disobedient and living without God] shall not stand [justified] in the judgment, nor [b]sinners in the congregation of the righteous [those who are upright and in right standing with God].

6For the Lord knows and is fully acquainted with the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly [those living outside God's will] shall perish (end in ruin and come to nought).

I love it. We who were bought with a price do not struggle to stand firm. Because of Calvary, I will not fall. Provision has been made for me. The supply to produce fruit and see it mature is there already. Therefore, regardless of the storms of life, I will stand. Regardless of the challenges in business, I will prosper. When other businesses are shutting down, I shall be like a tree planted by stream of water, yielding my fruit in its season. My leaf shall not wither!! Hallelujah! The provision for my prosperity was made on calvary! I am already more than a conqueror.


Hallelujah! I lived this out this week. And now I know it is true. This is my prayer:

Philippians 3:10

"[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death, [in the hope]"

Lord, I want to know you!

I want to know you

I had an interesting dream Saturday night. I was in church and I was trying to get a seat very close to the front about the 4 - 5th row. I wanted to hear and see the pastor and get everything he had to say. I felt that the closest I could get was the 4th -5th row. In the next scene we were worshiping and we were singing this song:

Nataka Nikujue (I want to know you)
Nikufahamu Bwana (To acquaint myself with you)
Nafsi Yangu ya tamani (My spirit longs for you)
Nataka nikujue ( I want to know you)

I woke up with that song in my mind and heart and my spirit was yearning for God. I began to pray about that dream and to tell God just how much I desire him when he brought a picture of the woman with the Alabaster box from Luke 7. I could see her weeping at his feet, kissing them, wiping them with her hair, and massaging them with perfumed oil of great worth. As I prayed about what God was showing me, he revealed to me that I have never felt free enough in his presence to touch him like she did.

Many times when I am praying, I imagine God sitting on his throne and many times I have seen myself kneeling before him, and even sitting in his lap, but I have never seen myself adoring him unashamedly like this woman. Just touching him and loving him.

For some reason, I began to see his feet, with the holes in them. And he was inviting me to touch them. To put my finger in the hole like Thomas did. And then I could see the cross and Jesus hanging there. There was an invite saying "Come and touch me. Put your finger in the holes where I was pierced for your transgressions. Touch my back where I was whipped for your healing. See how I hang on a cross in my underwear, scorning the shame and the curse of hanging on a tree, just so you would never suffer shame, so you would be blessed and not cursed."

For the first time I touched him, and I kissed his pierced feet. I know that there is more revelation here. I want to know what the cross was about. I know I am redeemed, but I want to know the WHOLE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE CROSS!!! There is so much I don't know. When I take communion I want to truly discern the body of Christ that was broken for me. That is my hearts desire. To know what was purchased for me on Calvary. All of it.

Revelation come! Eyes, be enlightened! Ears, hear what the Spirit is saying to the church! Lord, I want to know you!

Angels on Assignment

Psalm 91:9-12

"Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place There shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent. For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service]. They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone".

Because he is my refuge and my dwelling place, he has put angels on assignment concerning me to accompany and defend and preserve me in all my ways. I acknowledge and receive the ministry of angels in my life. How will we escape if we ignore so great a salvation?

Chronos to Kairos

This morning I was looking for Exodus 20 and somehow found myself in Deuteronomy 20. God had a plan! The title of that passage is Going to War (NIV). And it starts by saying that when you go to war against your enemies and their armies are much larger than your own, do not fear them. Vs 4 “For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”

Then God gives them the strategy:

First make an offer of peace – basically ask them to yield to you and become subject to you. They open their gates, you enter in and make them all slaves.

If they refuse – LAY SIEGE TO THAT CITY

The thing is this, either way you have dominion. They can yield quietly, or they can go down fighting. The end result is the same, for God has already given the city to you!

Fast forward to Joshua 6 – The strategy has been put in place and Jericho is under siege. A very strange siege indeed. Here are all these men of war, dressed up for battle, marching around the city and then going back to their tents. They do this for six days. On the seventh day, there is a change! The priests are blowing trumpets, and today they much around seven times. What a curious bunch! A little on the fruity side.

I can just see the people of Jericho up on the wall, looking down at these strange Israelites trying to figure out what in the world they are doing. Thinking to themselves “These guys are not serious. They can NEVER take this city like that.” Then all of a sudden the priests give a long blast of their horns, and their leader Joshua gives a command “Shout! For the Lord has given you the city!” The crazy warriors begin to shout at the top of their lungs. The guys on the wall begin to laugh at all this madness. Suddenly the ground beneath them begins to tremble and shake, giving way as the wall collapses. Many on the wall die before they reach the ground. Israel takes Jericho.

Wow! What a wonderful story of laying hold of that to which you were called. Many times as life goes by the circumstances seem dire. You wonder if you will make it financially, if your terminally ill friend, parent or child can be healed, if your business will escape the start up statistics. But God has a plan and a strategy for you to take the land. First, go in peace. Command the situation to yield. If it won’t bow the knee, lay siege.

This time during which you have laid siege is the chronos time – the normal passage of time. Nothing seems to be happening. The sick person goes through the motions and cycles of the illness afflicting them. The unsaved person continues to misbehave. The business continues to struggle. Life goes on, just like it did in Jericho when the crazy soldiers marched around it and went home. But God has a plan!

Daniel says in chapter 2:21 that it is God who changes the times and the seasons. It is God who will turn your Chronos into Kairos – the appointed or set time for your miracle. Everything you desire and that needs to come into your life has a set time when it is scheduled to come. There is a set time for the turnaround of your business. A set time for healing for your loved one. A set time for prince charming to walk into your life. However, the work is done in the chronos time. In that time when it looks like nothing is happening, the Holy Spirit is busy setting a table for you. He is putting together the series of events that will bring about your breakthrough.

With every step the army took around Jericho, the walls became weaker, the foundations loosened, the mortar began to crumble. It was not visible, but every step broke something apart. By day seven all they needed was to yell and the wall fell! Whatever your Jericho is, every prayer counts, every seed sown makes a difference, every kind word spoken, every prophetic declaration, every act of faith, and every expression of faith in God. All of it counts. The walls are getting weaker and weaker. The foundations of your Jericho are shaken. Do not fear!! God has already done it. The victory is yours. The breakthrough belongs to you. Hallelujah!

Continue to lay siege to that thing and let God breakthrough for you like the breakthrough of many waters. Listen! Hear the roar of your breakthrough rushing to you! I hear the sound of the abundance of rain. I hear the rumble of thunder. The sound of a mighty downpour. There! See the lightning? Hear the thunder? It’s here!! The season of your breakthrough is here. The seasons have changed from Chronos to Kairos.

“You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time (Kairos) has come.” Ps 102:13

Sibling Rivalry

Many times parents fuel sibling rivalry without intending to. They may have a specially gifted child and compare the other children to this particular one. They may have one that is way more responsible and organized than the others, and once again fuel sibling rivalry. This is to be avoided at all costs. The family unit must be a team.

My dad will be coming back tonight from the US where he has been undergoing treatment for diabetes, kidney failure and cancer. It was a very tough time for us when he was here, and in the 4 years that he has been abroad it has still not been easy. We are now bracing ourselves financially and psychologically for dialysis payments, pharmaceutical bills, hospital visits etc... but we are so glad he is coming home!

I have talked to my siblings about the financial implications involved severally, and I am sad to say that none of them has made any plans on helping out with the costs. I am not worried about that though. I know that God will come through for us. I will do all I can to make sure he has what he needs, although it will be a strain.

What I am afraid of, is the comments he will make. He will probably start comparing them to me and I know the results of that. I will be targeted for snide remarks and resentment - classic sibling rivalry!

The Story of Joseph is a classic in this. Jacob loved him because he had been born to him in his old age and made him a heavily ornamented robe or a robe of many colors (Gen 37:4) The other children noticed this and resented Joseph.

Gen 37:3-4

"Now Israel loved Joseph more than any of his other sons, because he had been born to him in his old age; and he made a richly ornamented robe for him. When his brothers saw that their father loved him more than any of them, they hated him and could not speak a kind word to him".

This matter has been weighing very heavily on me. I want peace and harmony. I asked God what to do and he gave me the following passage.

Matthew 6:1-4
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you".

I must keep my contributions quiet. I'm not sure how I will get dad to do this, but on my part I will ask him not to talk about it. Then I will pray for peace.

LOL! Doing good is not necessarily easy. But we must do good at all times and conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel. Hallelujah!

One thing I do know, that whatever happens it will all play into God's hands. Joseph was sold into slavery and God elevated him. It all worked out for good. This will too. The devil meant it for harm, but God meant it for good. My hope is in God.

Birth Order

We serve a strange God indeed. He elevates even in families and sets one above all the others. I don't know why he does it, but he does. He reaches down to a second born, a fourth born and makes them the FIRSTBORN!! When Rebekah was pregnant in Genesis 25 she was found to be with twins. God put them there and knew that Esau would be born first and Jacob second. Yet for some reason he planned that Jake would get the birthright and the blessing that went with it. In fact the bible says:

Romans 9:10-13

"Not only that, but Rebekah's children had one and the same father, our father Isaac. Yet, before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad—in order that God's purpose in election might stand: not by works but by him who calls—she was told, "The older will serve the younger." Just as it is written: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated."

One was loved before the beginning of time and the other was hated. Esau stands for sinful man, the one who will neither listen nor obey what the Lord says. He loves wickedness and hates righteousness. Jacob stands for you and me. Heirs of the truth. He loves righteousness and hates wickedness. Therefore you and I are loved. Hence the Lord says:

Psalm 45:7

"You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy".

Promotion and elevation comes to Jacob from God. Before he was born the Lord said he would rule over Esau who represents sinful man. The righteous will rule over the wicked.

I have seen this in my own family, where the one who seeks God and follows God's rules is elevated and held in higher regard than the one who chooses not to do things God's way. It started with Cain and Abel. Abel was accepted and Cain became a restless wanderer. Now it has happened with Jake and Esau.

The First Born in most cultures has a place of honor in the family. It was the same in this case. Esau by virtue of his birth was to get the greater portion of the physical inheritance plus the special blessing that went with it. In Genesis 28 you find him lamenting after he discovers that the blessing is gone. He says of Jacob in verse 36 "He has deceived me these two times. He took my birthright, and now he's taken my blessing" and he planned to kill him.

That statement is not entirely true. The blessing was pure conniving no doubt, but the first time around, the birthright was purchased with a bowl of stew and the Bible records in Gen 25:34b "So Esau despised his birthright." He considered the bowl of stew more valuable than his birthright. Jacob on the other hand knew that the birthright came with a special blessing. It separated him as the one elevated above his peers. It spoke of double honor and double wealth and double inheritance. He saw not just the birthright but what was attached to it. And when the blessing came, he was blessed thus:

Genesis 27

27 So he went to him and kissed him. When Isaac caught the smell of his clothes, he blessed him and said,
"Ah, the smell of my son
is like the smell of a field
that the LORD has blessed.

28 May God give you of heaven's dew
and of earth's richness—
an abundance of grain and new wine.

29 May nations serve you
and peoples bow down to you.
Be lord over your brothers,
and may the sons of your mother bow down to you.
May those who curse you be cursed
and those who bless you be blessed."

He was sustained with grain and wine. The earth's richness. Nations were to serve him and his relatives to bow down to him. This speaks of material wealth and honor. The curse was devoured and anyone who tried to curse him discovered that it didn't work and that curse turned back on them. He was blessed by God and as such was to be blessed by men!! This is my portion. I am Jacob and so are you if you love righteousness and hate wickedness. If Jesus is Lord over your life and you are walking after the Spirit.

When Jacob was about to die and had called his sons around him for a blessing he did some reversals of his own. Reuben was his firstborn in the flesh so he deserved the birthright and the blessing that went with it. But it was given to Judah. Son number 4. Judah's blessing was as follows:

Genesis 49

8 "Judah, your brothers will praise you;
your hand will be on the neck of your enemies;
your father's sons will bow down to you.

9 You are a lion's cub, O Judah;
you return from the prey, my son.
Like a lion he crouches and lies down,
like a lioness—who dares to rouse him?

10 The scepter will not depart from Judah,
nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,
until he comes to whom it belongs
and the obedience of the nations is his.

11 He will tether his donkey to a vine,
his colt to the choicest branch;
he will wash his garments in wine,
his robes in the blood of grapes.

12 His eyes will be darker than wine,
his teeth whiter than milk.

Once again he is proclaimed the head of the family. He is given honor and dominion. He is given wealth in verse 11. The obedience of Nations is commanded for him. Wow!!

And he did the same thing with Josephs sons in Genesis 48 putting Ephraim ahead of Manasseh even though Ephraim was younger. When Joseph tried to correct him, thinking he was unaware of what he was doing, he said to him:

19 "But his father refused and said, "I know, my son, I know. He too will become a people, and he too will become great. Nevertheless, his younger brother will be greater than he, and his descendants will become a group of
nations."

So God has a way of elevating us even in families. Take a look at your own family. It could be that God has elevated you and blessed you above the others. It could be that God has considered you the firstborn of that family regardless of where you fall. He gives you this honor and responsibility because he loves families and is looking for someone that will bring them together, unite them and help solve their issues. Yes, being a firstborn comes with responsibilities, but God blesses you so that you may become a blessing.

I am a second born in my family, but God has elevated me to be the firstborn. I used to be resentful because of the responsibility that comes with it. But God has shown me that he blesses me with all I need to be who he has called me to be in my family. So I take my place. And I urge anyone else that God has called the firstborn in their family to take their place. Let us guide them to God and uphold them to God as he requires.

Heritage of the Sons of God

I smell change in the air. Usually I would be terrified of it, especially because the enemy is all dressed up for battle. But this time around I am strong and very courageous. God is fighting for me. Plus if he can conquer Jesus then he can conquer me since I am hid in Christ. I must get mine!! Whether the devil is happy about it or not I must take my inheritance. I must walk in the heritage of the sons of God. And what is my heritage?

a) I am the top, never the bottom
b) I am the head, never the tail
c) I am above only, never beneath

God is about to showcase me. I'm I not created for the display of his splendor? My time has come. I am expectant and very joyful. God has done it for me.

Psalm 45:7
You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions
by anointing you with the oil of joy.

Psalm 75
6 No one from the east or the west
or from the desert can exalt a man.

7 But it is God who judges:
He brings one down, he exalts another.

Psalm 18
34 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

35 You give me your shield of victory,
and your right hand sustains me;
you stoop down to make me great.

God of the 24 hour turn around!

With God all things are possible. Circumstances that seem dire and unchangeable can be changed in the twinkling of an eye. Hallelujah! He is the God of the 24hr turn around and he is my God.

God has been known to make some really incredible statements. Picture this: Your city has been under siege for quite a while. The water has dried up, the food has been long gone. It is so bad that women actually make deals to kill, cook and eat their own children. Then God says through the man of God 2 Kings 7:1 Elisha said, "Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the LORD says: About this time tomorrow, a seah [a] of flour will sell for a shekel [b] and two seahs [c] of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria." He was proclaiming a 24hr turn around in a place where a donkey's head is a King's meal!!

Now there are two ways to look at God's statements. You can take the Abraham approach and count him faithful who made the promise or you can say like the soldier "Look, even if the LORD should open the floodgates of the heavens, could this happen?" I choose the Abraham approach. I choose to count him faithful who has made the promise. I choose to look to the Rock from which I was hewn and follow in my fathers steps. I believe and it is credited to me as righteousness in heavens records. He is the God of the 24hr turnaround!!

And you know exactly what happened, God made a way and the word of the prophet was fulfilled. Vs 16 "Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans. So a seah of flour sold for a shekel, and two seahs of barley sold for a shekel, as the LORD had said".

Ruth is another person who experienced a 24hr turn around. She was a poor widow, and outcast in society one day and the next she was the wife of Boaz a wealthy Jewish man, and a leader in the society. The Bible says that she went to the threshing floor, made her request and went home. That morning Naomi says to her Ruth 3:18 "Then Naomi said, "Wait, my daughter, until you find out what happens. For the man will not rest until the matter is settled today." Praise the Lord! Today the matter will be settled. Today it will happen. Today the turn around comes! And sure enough, Boaz gets up and hurries to the City gate to make sure the deal is done. The Bible records that he calls the elders of the land to witness that Ruth is now his wife.

Ruth 4:10 "I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon's widow, as my wife..." Just like that, in 24hrs, she turned from a poor widow to the wife of one of the wealthy leaders of the city, and was put in line to be King David's grandma and an ancestor of Jesus!! Ruth 4:13 "So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her, and the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son." God is just quick like that!!

When your Kairos time comes, he does it in the twinkling of an eye. When the set time comes, there is nothing to stop it. The turn around must come. Hallelujah Lord!!!

Psalm 102:13
"You will arise and have compassion on Zion,
for it is time to show favor to her;
the appointed time has come."

My Kairos time has come. It is time to show favor to me, my appointed time has come!!

Isaiah 26

2 Open the gates
that the righteous nation may enter,
the nation that keeps faith.

3 You will keep in perfect peace
him whose mind is steadfast,
because he trusts in you.

4 Trust in the LORD forever,
for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal...

7 The path of the righteous is level;
O upright One, you make the way of the righteous smooth.

8 Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, [a]
we wait for you;
your name and renown
are the desire of our hearts.

9 My soul yearns for you in the night;
in the morning my spirit longs for you.
When your judgments come upon the earth,
the people of the world learn righteousness...

11 O LORD, your hand is lifted high,
but they do not see it.
Let them see your zeal for your people and be put to shame...

12 LORD, you establish peace for us;
all that we have accomplished you have done for us...

15 You have enlarged the nation, O LORD;
you have enlarged the nation.
You have gained glory for yourself;
you have extended all the borders of the land.

Awesome God, you are worthy of all my praise. I honor you and lift you up. I glorify your name and praise you. You have done me well O Lord. You have done me well. Be exalted in my life forever.

BOLDNESS

Sometimes I find myself dreading to make a call and solicit a client. If I send out an email or a letter, I find that I am afraid to follow up, and sometimes I give up on it. How many clients have I lost this way? Today the Lord revealed to me that I am a coward and really the motivator behind these actions is fear. Fear is not of God! It is specially designed in hell to paralyze us so that we are unable to take dominion. The following verses in Joshua 1 blessed my heart and caused me to vow with the help of the Holy Spirit to become bolder. To pursue hard after my clients and to take possession of the Land!

Joshua 1:3-9

"I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses...No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous... Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

So boldness is a function of knowing that God is with you wherever you go, whatever you do. Now that I think about it who wouldn't be with the Almighty God backing them up. Boldness is not a suggestion, it is a COMMAND! Not being bold and courageous is really holding God in contempt. You are really saying "Lord, I don't know if you can handle this one". I repent Lord.

The Bible says in Proverbs 28:1 that "...the righteous are bold as a lion." and you are the righteousness of God in Christ, the word says that he gave him who had no sin, that we may become the righteousness of God. Be Bold!

I pray that this blog gives you the boldness to do whatever God has called you to do. He is backing you up. Be bold as a lion!

TODAY IN PROPHECY!!

With all the catastrophes and disasters that have been happening around the world I decided to read Matthew 24 for a feel of where we are today in Biblical prophecy. The earth is travailing and is in the early stages of child birth, but the contractions are getting stronger and faster. According a Reuters report, Natural disasters have quadrupled in the last 20 years. I believe it! I found an article on the UN website titled "Extreme weather events are part of a 'new normal' trend" The article begun like this:

"Intensive storms sweeping across Asia and the Caribbean, devastating droughts in Africa, wildfires in the southwestern US, massive flooding throughout Asia and large swathes of Africa – 2007’s global list of catastrophes read like a tired Hollywood disaster script."

And below are some statistics given:

a) In 2006, 426 disasters affected 143 million people and resulted in $35 billion in economic damage. The number of floods and related disasters was 43 per cent greater than the 2000-2004 average.

b) In South Asia, successive waves of flooding last summer affected over 60 million people, devastating lives and livelihoods for years to come.

c) Some 200 million people on the planet now live in coastal flood zones at risk from more intense storms and rising waters; in South and Southeast Asia alone, 60 million people are particularly at risk in the mega-delta regions.

d) In just one generation, the number of disasters triggered by these natural hazards has increased threefold, and losses, both direct and indirect, have increased five-fold. Rapid urbanization and rising population density, particularly in coastal mega-cities, mean more people are at risk from major disasters than ever before.

e) The health status of millions of people is projected to be affected through, for example, increases in malnutrition; with increased deaths, diseases, and injury due to extreme weather events.

f) In Africa by 2020, between 75 and 250 million people are projected to be exposed to increased water stress due to climate change.

Jesus, over 2000 years ago, predicted these difficult times that would come upon us. Matt 24:6-8 reads:

"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains"

We hear of wars all around us, the US vs Iraq, China vs Tibet, Somalia, chad, Sudan are killing each other. Genocides and holocausts all over the place. Inter-racial, inter-tribal wars that we like calling, clashes, or skirmishes, or gang wars. Take your pick...

And yet as bad as it is this is just the beginning of birth pains. In other words Mambo Bado (You aint seen nothin yet!) the worst is yet to come. In fact Jesus says that when you see this things happening "see that you are not alarmed" why because "Such things must happen, but the end is still to come." This things must take place. They are called forth prophetically and the end is almost here. The Lord's agenda scroll is on the very last pages of his plan for humanity. He is getting ready to come back, reward the righteous and punish those that have rejected him.

Now we like to say that a loving God would never hurt humanity, and you are right. That is not the desire of his heart. But he is a just God and he has told us how to live our lives, and the consequences of not doing so. Justice must prevail.

Matt 24:12-13 "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved." This we have already seen and continue to witness. There is so much wickedness in the world, that even the African Nations are beginning to go into it. We used to be sheltered!! I remember that when I went to university in the US at age 21 I was so innocent, so clueless. I had heard of the word lesbian but I couldn't for the life of me imagine how that worked! Well, that quickly went out the window when I found myself surrounded by lesbians everywhere. In school, in the workplace, in my neighbourhood... everywhere. Gay men were everywhere and all of a sudden, I knew how they did it too. Flipping through TV channels at 7pm I would come across pornography and all manner of other junk, I mean you were literally bombarded with all of it. I remember thinking, "I never want to raise my children in this country, in this environment."

When I finally decided to come back home to stay after 6 years in the States, one of my most comforting thoughts was "I am so glad that I don't have to look at a woman and try to figure out if she is male or female!!!" Tell you what! My bubble was burst shortly there after. Young men, gay as a two dollar bill where working at the office where I was. There is no escape from iniquity and wickedness. Not if you are still living on planet earth. It is everywhere, and multiplying like a bunch of mutated cells that just won't quit!!!

I am so glad that the Bible says that even though we are in the world we are not of it. And that we should be of good cheer because Christ has overcome the world. Hallelujah! I know that we can still have children and bring them up in the world, yet not of it. God will show us how. And above all that the people caught up in this bondage are put around us so we can be a light to them, and so we can point them in the right direction. We are getting closer and closer to the last day, we must do what Jude said to do in vs 23 "snatch others from the fire and save them; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh." You have been put where you are to snatch them out of the fire. Snatch them!! And show them mercy, hating even the clothes on their flesh but loving them! We must never, confuse the sin, for the sinner.

One of these young men is now a friend of mine, and every time I see him we talk about his life and he confides in me. I only pray that I can be a light for him in these last days.

Jude gives us a way to stay pure, to stay in the Spirit and to stay hid in these last days. He says in vs 20 - 21 "But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life."

Build yourselves up by praying in the Holy Spirit. This is the time to pray in tongues like you never have before. This is the time to engage your spirit in prayer. If you do not pray in tongues, desire to and receive his gift in Jesus Name. Tongues, have a role to play today in prophecy, and that is why the enemy fights the gift of speaking in tongues so much.

My prayer is that you will find your place and stand in it today in prophecy!

He Has a Plan!!

God has a plan! He has a plan! That is one of the most important things we should know. That when he says "go right" he has a plan. He always has a plan, he always knows what he is doing, he always knows where he is going. You can never be lost with God in the lead.

Jer 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".

I tend to forget that as I am sure you can tell from my earlier blog. But the truth of the matter is, God will never take you anywhere he cannot sustain you, and bring you out VICTORIOUS!!! Sadly though, past experiences may cloud our judgement and put fear in our hearts so that we do not see God but our issues. You may have attempted to lose weight for many years with heartbreaking results, you may have started business after business and each one has failed. Now you are in a place where you have given up on losing weight and on having your own business. Don't let the devil derail you!! God has a plan.

Peter was in the same place you are at in Luke 5. He had just come from the most disappointing fishing trip of his life. He was disillusioned and tired. He just was not having any more of it, at least not that day. So here comes Jesus and he tells him: "Put out into deep water, and let down[b] the nets for a catch." Pete looks at the Lord and says "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." He said "Dude!!! I did that already!" Don't you ever feel that way? Like God is telling you something you have done before and failed miserably. You are not even willing to go there anymore. And guess what? He may not even change the method. He may say go back and send that email again. Go back and call that guy again, and say the same thing... again! The whole time you are thinking "the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again hoping for different results!!" But this time it is different. This time the Lord is the one who has given the instruction. This time it is God who has said "Launch into the deep, and let down you net!!!"

I had one of my Pastor's say that the word "Master" in this passage means that Christ was Lord over Peter, Lord over the fish and the sea as well. And he is! So when Jesus gave the command to throw his net back in the water, he also gave the command to that particular school of fish to come into the net!! How about that?!

LOL!!!! When God tells you to go back work on your weight, he has also commanded the extra weight to come off you! When he sends you to do business he has already commanded clients for you who will favor you! Hallelujah! He already has a plan. It is all laid out. There is nothing to fear!

vs 6-7 "When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink." Look at that. They had so much they had to share just to survive, just to get to the shore they had to sow seed into other peoples lives. This is our portion. Our God is an extravagant God! He NEVER does anything on a small scale. If your going to kill someone, it needs to be Goliath. God will bless you so much, that just to make it you will have to give to others!!

So wherever God leads he has already made provision. He has already, made the way. He has already commanded your victory from Zion. We are blessed! So God says this morning:

Isaiah 43:18-19
"Forget the former things;
do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!
Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the desert
and streams in the wasteland.

Forget the disappointments of the past. Throw in your net but one more time, and see the deliverance of your God!!!