Living An Impactful Life - Part 2

It scares me when I hear people saying they are better off without Christians in their midst. It really pains me when I hear people saying they have lost confidence in Christians. And my friend, I have heard that many times.

If you happen to be one of those people, I just want to assure you that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. He never changes. Don't lose confidence in Him.

Thinking about Jesus, I am reminded that during His earthly ministry He came through for many who had lost hope. Those who desperately needed Him were  touched by His compassionate heart and were saved - physically and spiritually.

In our last post we talked about a woman named Dorcas whose life was a blessing to the less privileged. The people who were impacted by her life were desperately hopeless in her death. But when they heard that Peter was around, they had confidence in him that he will bring a solution hence they requested him to come as soon as possible.

We learn that living an impactful life will land you into difficult situations and you must be the solution. When people see you they see hope. When people see you they will know their problems will be solved. They will leave it all to you. They will say, "Ngoba sekukhona wena konkhe sekulungile." (Now that you are here all is well).

That is not easy. In fact, it's scary. I don't know what was in Peter's mind when he was called to 'solve the problem' (Dorcas' death). These people wanted their beloved one alive, end of story! He had to make a difference.

He could have said, "She is dead, there is nothing I can do," and settle with strengthening them with comforting words. But as a man whose mission was to make an impact, he had to take a leap of faith and go beyond the ordinary.

This scene draws us into Peter's secret. To live an impactful life, he knew his Creator. That's why before he did anything, he had to have a one-on-one talk with the Giver of life. He ordered everyone out and knelt down and prayed. What happened after that was extraordinary and supernatural. Dorcas came back to life. This news spread throughout the town, Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. What an impact!

If we are to live an impactful life, we must know the Author of life. We must have a strong and deep relationship with the Author of life. We must depend upon the Author of life!

Living An Impactful Life

"She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor." - Acts 9:36

The story of Dorcas is very brief but very insightful. Quickly we are told of her life, death, and amazingly her resurrection from death. Don't we all wish our beloved ones who have responded to the Lord's call could be raised from the dead? We find solace in the knowledge that those who died as believers shall be raised and live eternally.

The focus of the story is on the impact Dorcas made while she was still alive. She was a dressmaker and she used her occupation to serve the Lord. She stitched her life into the hearts of the less privileged.

We are told that she fell sick and died. Fortunately Peter was in a nearby town where he was preaching and he was called to the room where Dorcas body was. The room was filled with widows who were weeping and showed Peter the coats and clothes that Dorcas had made for them. Peter had to ask them to excuse him as he prayed for the resurrection of this woman and the awesome God answered the prayer. How wonderful!

The death of Dorcas was devastating to the widows simply because she had made a difference in their lives. She cared about them and endeavored to use the very talent that God blessed her with to serve them. She brought a smile to their faces and in her they experienced the love of God.

It's a challenge to all of us, especially those who profess to be disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ. What impact are you making in society? Whose life are you changing? Are you using the skill or talent that God has blessed you with to bless others? That one act of kindness can change someone's life for good.

When you depart from this planet, who is going to be standing at your graveside saying, "_________(insert your name) is gone but he/she has made an impact in my life and here's evidence."

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: Let Us Lift Our Hearts And Hands

"Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven."

- Lamentations 3:41

We have heard it so many times that when one door closes, another door opens. What if one door closes and the next door does not open? When you lose your job you often have the hope that another door will soon open and soon seems to be eternity. When you lose that business opportunity you always hope that another one will come and it seems like you will wait forever. When you are heartbroken because of a failed relationship it seems like all the good people are taken and you will not have another chance to love again.

What do you do when you find yourself stuck between a door that was closed behind you and the one that is locked before you? That place is usually dark and your days are dark as well. You know what they say, "when days are dark friends are few!' That place, that moment, is usually lonely. What do you do?

I have learnt through my few experiences and I have believed in the words of the psalmist, "It is good for me to draw near to God" (Psalm 73:28). When you are alone in that lonely and dark place of your life, God is there with you. The things that continue to distract you, and keep you from seeing His face are gone. It is you and God. The people who will want to spend time with you and keep you occupied are no where in sight. It is you and God. The people or things you normally turn to when you are in need are out of reach. It is you and God. The voices that continually disturb you from hearing God's voice are dead. It is you and God.

This is the perfect time for you to sit back and examine your position with God. This is the perfect time to do what some like to call soul searching. This is the time when you allow God to take over your life and mould you to be what He wants you to be. This is the time for purification. This is the time for clarity. This is the time to turn your eyes to Jesus. This is the time to lift up your heart and and hands to our Father in heaven.

I have come to realize that sometimes the hard knocks in life are a way God draws us closer to Him. I have learnt that through the moments when I lost what I thought were the most important things in life, God revealed Himself as the most important being in my life. His grace is sufficient for me. I have learnt that God used the low moments in my life to reveal His greatness in my life.

When I was caught between closed doors, I was in the right position to listen to God as He redirected my life. It was during this moment that God reminded me what He has assigned me to do before I depart from this planet. It was during this moment that I was endowed with the ability to hear His voice with so much clarity that I had to obey to His calling. Amazingly, when I said yes, things are starting to fall into place again.

This was the time when I began to look into my life with  a refreshing perspective. I did not ask myself "Where did I go wrong?" but I began to ask God, "What is it that the Lord is teaching me now?" I began to ask myself about God to reveal His plan. I began to cherish the moments I spent with Him. I began to enjoy to be in His presence. I began to pour my heart out to Him. Suddenly, I realized that I was not alone but He was there with me. I realized that losing the valuable things in life was preparing my heart to trust Him in everything.

My dear friend, when you find yourself in that place where it feels like a wilderness, you cannot tell where to go from here, just call upon the Lord. Jeremiah wrote, "I called on Your name, O LORD, from the lowest pit. You have heard my voice; "Do not hide Your ear from my sighing, from my cry of help." You drew near on the day I called on You and said, "Do not fear!" (Lamentations 3:55-57).

This is the opportune time to lift your heart to God. Lifting your heart simply means desiring or longing for God. It means exalting the Almighty God in your heart. It means preparing your heart to seek God. It means allowing the Spirit of the Lord to move your heart to give worship to the loving God. When the glory of the Lord fills your heart, it is manifested in the lifting of hands which symbolizes worshipping the God who sits upon His throne in heaven.

My dear friend, whilst we are waiting for God to open the next door, let us lift our hearts and and hand to God in heaven. Believe me, joy will fill your heart and you will be transformed from glory to glory!

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: Just testify for the Lord!

“But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness at Rome,” – Acts 23:11

This was a painful and frustrating time for Paul. He was under arrest and uncertain of his fate. The bottom line is that the Jews wanted him dead – only that they did not have anything warranting a death sentence. Here he was in prison for professing the truth. On his own he was probably in despair and actually afraid because of the situation he found himself in. 

No man could rescue him here. No man could comfort him under these circumstances. But the Lord Jesus himself showed himself to Paul. Him alone could give Paul the courage he needed. He knows what we are going through. He knows our thoughts and He knows the intents of our hearts. He is the one to give us the rightful words of encouragement at any given time.

Sometimes we go through situations and we wish to have a certain answer. Sometimes we wish we could be delivered from the situation. Sometimes we wish we could be taken out, removed from the situation. We feel like we are better off without undergoing that situation. We worry about our own wellbeing. We worry about our own safety. We put our own interests ahead of anyone else.

There is something we can learn from Paul, a man who fought the good fight of faith in Jesus Christ. This is a man who devoted his life for the gospel since meeting Christ. This is “a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the Gospel of God.” He faced so many trials and tribulations but he was not interested to save his life in the midst of every tough encounter with opposition.

When Paul was in need of comfort the Lord was there to say, “Be of good cheer, Paul.” Regardless of the chains the Lord was there to say “Be of good cheer, Paul.” When there was no visible sign of relief the Lord was there to cheer him up.

Perhaps Paul could have wished for a miracle that will shake off the chains, open the doors for him and lead him out of the prison. But no; the Lord had a different game plan. In as much as the Lord was cheering him up, He was practically telling Him that he will stay in chains much longer.

The fascinating thing about this encouragement is that the Lord is revealing an assignment He has for Paul. Most importantly is that Paul proved his worthiness to carry out this assignment to testify for Jesus in Rome. He had a good track record for testifying for Jesus in Jerusalem. So Jesus encouraged him by saying that what brought Paul to jail is what he will have to continue doing even in Rome. Could it get tougher than that?

Paul was dedicated to ensure that whatever happens his conduct is worthy of the gospel of Christ. He bore witness of Jesus in Jerusalem and he was arrested, falsely accused of causing a rebellion amongst the Jews. It does not matter what life situations you are going through, you have to give testimony about the Lord Jesus. The Lord has pulled you through other tough situations and you trusted in Him. You will have to trust Him again.

You may be going through different stages in life, where life seems to be tough but you have to know that the Lord is with you and watching over you. He is keeping track of the way you conduct yourself. Do not be ashamed of the gospel of Christ. Just testify of the horn of our salvation.

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: The Greatest Desire

"One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple."  (Psalms 27:4)

Testimonials are great. When someone gives a testimonial about something it means that particular person was impressed by whatever he is giving testimony to. It means that person believes in that product, service or person. That person is actually recommending what he has experienced. That means you, listening to that testimony, have to pay special attention to that which is given a good word.

David is a man who received a great testimony from the God Almighty himself. Here is a man whom God was proud of and testified of him, "I have found a man after my own heart!" How great it is to receive a testimony from God! What testimony does God have of your own life towards Him?"

The man who is said to be after God's heart had one great desire. He said, "THAT I will seek after..." He was making that commitment to seek after his desire. He knew in his heart that God will grant him the desires of his heart. He knew that God will not withhold anything good from him. But he commited himself to seek after this one particular desire.

His desire was to dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of His life. In simple terms, David desired to be in the presence of the LORD all the time. He commited to seek after God's presence everyday. He desired to behold the beauty of the LORD.

In David's era God chose to dwell in the temple. It was in the temple where David could encounter and experience the glory of the LORD (the beauty of His holiness). David had a deep longing to behold this beauty. He desired to worship the LORD in the beauty of His holiness. Oh what a wonderful experience! This is the same man who reckoned that in the presence of the Lord there is fullness of joy.

This is where he delighted himself in the LORD and the Almighty found pleasure in granting David the desires of his heart. Why? David's heart was in the right place. His heart was after God's heart. He desired to 'enquire in His temple.' To enquire is to seek to know the truth by asking questions. David knew that he could only find the truth from God who was dwelling in the temple.

Don't you know that you are the temple of the living God? His glory is shining in our hearts through the Spirit of the living God. We worship Him without fear, in righteousness and holiness all the days of our lives. His glory is manifested in our lives just like the cloud that led the children of Israel through the wilderness.

We all have our desires and God desires to give us the desires of our hearts. Our Lord Jesus Christ taught us the principle: seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these other things shall be added to you. In other words, desire and seek after the presence of the LORD - His righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

When you desire to dwell in His presence, your desires change. You begin to desire what the Holy Spirit (God) desires. He transforms you, from glory to glory. You find delight in His presence and He delights to grant you your desires because they are according to His will.

May the LORD grant you all your heart desires and fulfill all your needs. May He answer all prayers and grant you more exceedingly than you asked for. He is faithful to do it according to His great mercy and amazing grace.

"SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD AND HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS..." (Matthew 6:33)

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord!

"You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you,”
 -2 Chronicles 20:17

Our God is a faithful God. Our God is a loving God. Our God is a caring God. He knows His people and He always takes good care of them. He never disappoints. He is an awesome God.

So many times we try to fight battles that aren't ours. We try to use our own limited strength to fight a battle that is too big for us. We depend on our own limited understanding and methods. When we fail we get hard on ourselves. We shift blame to others. We even shift the blame to God.

When you walk with God you learn to recognize and listen to His voice. He is the one to tell you when to attack. He is the one to tell you to keep on fighting. He is the one to tell you to stop and watch. He is our Shepherd and we are His sheep. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." (John 10:27). He is the Commander in our lives. We have to do whatever He commands us to do.

As I am writing this I hear the song by Jimmy Swaggart stirring in my heart 

"His voice makes the difference,  

when He speaks He relieves my troubled mind, 

it’s the only voice I hear that makes the difference, 

and I’ll follow one day at a time."

There is no way you are going to listen and follow His commands if you do not trust in Him. You have to believe that He is the good Shepherd and He will lead you to greener pastures. Along the way you will walk through the valley of the shadow of death. It won't be easy and they will be many voices that will try to deceive you but do not be afraid, just listen to His voice.

We are always in a battle. Trials and tribulations are always looking to pull us down. Sometimes we even ask why bad things happen to good people. My dear friend, remember that there is the Word dwelling in you and it is because of that Word that tribulations or persecution will arise. We need the Lord to tell us how to approach the battle. 

I once said victory has been declared to our favour but we still have to go on and fight the good fight of faith. There are times when we don't have to fight at all but be still and watch God do His work. When the people of Moab, Ammon and others planned to attack Judah, Jehoshaphat, who was the king was afraid and set himself to seek the Lord. The people of Judah gathered together to seek the Lord's help.

God responded through Jahaziel. The Lord said, "You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the LORD, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the LORD is with you,” (2 Chronicles 20:17).

Jehoshaphat encouraged the people of Judah to believe in God. He appointed people to walk before the army and sing praises to the Lord. Amazingly the enemies fought and killed each other. Jehoshaphat and his people did not have to fight but believed in voice of the Lord.

My dear friend, you may be facing a huge battle ahead of you, just position yourself, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. God is with you. In the presence of the Lord there is fullness of joy. God is in the generation (company) of the righteous.

Not very long ago I was facing a huge battle and I cried to the Lord. My heart was troubled and I was confused. As I was spending time with my loving Father, reading His word and praying, His Spirit comforted me and led me to Jesus words, "Have faith in God" (Mark 11:20). 

Things got tougher but those words kept ringing in my mind - "Have faith in God". The enemy was saying "it's not going to happen" but I believed in God. I chose to listen to the promises of God and ignored the lies of the devil. I came to a point that I will not even bother focusing on the spiritual warfare but instead position myself, be still and see the salvation of the Lord. In the process God changed my prayer focus. He revealed to me Paul's words, "Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving" (Colossians 4:2).

At the end of the day God saved me from the evil plans of the enemy. I shall fear no evil!. The enemy did not give up the fight until the end but the Lord was victorious. At some point I was not in control and God was amazing as always. I sang a song of victory (my wedding went ahead as planned - in case you are wondering what am on about!).

My dear friend, whatever you are facing, know that you may not need to fight in this battle. Throw everything to God and position yourself, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord! 

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: "...Do you love Me?"

"He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?..."(John 21:17)

If there is one disciple who acknowledged the love of Jesus is John. In at least five instances he referred to himself as the 'disciple whom Jesus loved'. It is not because he was Jesus' favourite disciple but because he realized how much Jesus loved Him. Jesus loves us the same way and to demonstrate His love He died for us all. He loved us whilst we were still His enemies. 

We just need to realize the width, length, depth and height of the love of Christ. The Apostle Paul says, "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39).

It is because of this everlasting love that we love our Lord Jesus, the King of kings, the Lord of righteousness! We serve Him because of His great love. When someone loves you dearly and sincerely you can't help it but return the love. 

Jesus is our King. We submit to His authority. He said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." This is so amazing because He wants us to obey His commandments out of love. He is not forcing us to obey just because 'the Kings has spoken!' He wants us to feel free and happy to heed to His commandments. 

Do you love Jesus? "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him,” (John 14:21).

Oh what a wonderful promise! The only thing that Jesus requires from us is love. When you love Him He says He will love you and manifest Himself to you! What a privilege and honour to be loved by the King of Kings. He has promised that if we love Him He will reveal himself to us. Yes, He continually reveals Himself to me and that's why I love Him more and more. There is a song that goes, "Everyday with Jesus is sweeter than the day before!"

Even though He is the King, he does not regard us as subjects if we keep His commands. He says, "You are My friends if you do whatever I command you," (John 15:17). A friend is someone you can confide to, someone you can trust, someone you can count on take care of your best interests. This is what Jesus is to us and this is what He expects us to be to Him. We only have to do whatever He commands us to do and most importantly do it out of love.

Love is the royal command. "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you," (John 15:12). My dear friends, we have to show love to one another. We have to take care of one another. There is no other way to declare our love to Jesus than to love the people around us. 

God wants to use you for His purpose, but there is one thing He requires from you... LOVE. He is not demanding it but He is giving you the chance to make a decision and to be convinced in your heart that you truly love Him. He knows everything but He wants you to think carefully if you indeed love Him.

Peter knows this better than anyone else; "He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep," (John 21:17).


Jesus is asking you today, "Do you love Me?" 

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: "...cling to Me"

"For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,’ says the LORD, ‘that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’ (Jeremiah 13:11).

I can't help but feel God's disappointment with His own people whenever I read the book of Jeremiah. The people that God chose as His own special treasure had decided to drift away from Him. They had decided not to obey His commands. They had decided to deny Him as their God, who has on many occasions helped them through difficult times. They had made a choice to deviate from the divine plan that God had for them. The disobeyed His call for repentance as proclaimed by the prophets.

My dear friend, we are the spiritual Israel. We are God's chosen generation and we are so special to Him. Let us not disappoint Him. He has chosen us for a specific reason. Through us His name should be known everywhere we go (renown). Through us God must be praised. Through us God must be glorified. We are His people and He is our God. 

The people of Israel did not listen to God's voice. God wanted them to cling to Him but they would not hear. They were caught up in their worldly desires. Even though we are the chosen ones today, we should not forget that we are still living in the world. If we fail to cling to God we are making ourselves susceptible to worldly forces that will drive us farther away from our dear God. 

Before Joshua died, He warned the people of Israel to cling to God and not associate themselves with the lifestyles of the nations they found in the Promised Land because "...they shall be snares and traps to you, and scourges on your sides and thorns in your eyes, until you perish from this good land which the LORD your God has given you," (Joshua 23:13). 

Let us not lose what we have by failing to cling to God. The word cling is defined as to hold fast to something; to adhere as if glued firmly; to hold on tightly or tenaciously. That is what God is expecting from us. God made Jeremiah to wear the linen sash around his waist before telling him go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole in the rock. Later he told Him to go and fetch the sash. Jeremiah says, "Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the sash from the place where I had hidden it; and there was the sash, ruined. It was profitable for nothing," (Jeremiah 13:7).

God wants you to be profitable for His kingdom. You are an ambassador for Christ. You are an ambassador for the kingdom of God. Therefore God wants to profit from you. He wants to be known through you. He wants to be praised because of the way you conduct yourself. You are the light of the world and God's glory must shine through you. 

All you have to do is to cling to Him like the linen sash on a man's waist. Biblically, linen is a symbol of righteousness and purity. Even though we are in this crooked world, we have to exhibit the righteousness and holiness of God and He shall be glorified. If we cling to God, He will make sure that He takes care of us because whatever happens to us, His name is on the line, and He shall not allow his name to be ridiculed. 

My dear friend, God wants you to stay with Him and He will stay with you. He has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Let us rejoice "For God is with the generation of the righteous," (Psalm 14:5). 

Whatever happens, God is saying, "Cling to me!"

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: Lay aside every weight

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us..." (Hebrews 12:1)

Dear Friend,

I don't know what you have been going through lately. I don't know what has been troubling your mind. I don't know how big is your problem. I don't know what is holding you back, stopping you from achieving your goals. I don't know who is standing on your way, trying to pull you down, making your life miserable. All I know is that God loves you, He cares for you and He is a faithful God.

My friend, I think now is the time you need to take a moment and fix your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. In the midst of your stressful issues just remember that Jesus is waiting for you to turn your eyes to Him. He has heard your cries. He has heard your prayers. He knows what you need right now and He shall supply for all your needs. He will take you out of your misery. But He needs you to turn your eyes to Him. David understood this very well when He said, "My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net," (Psalm 25:15).

God is pleased when we keep our eyes on Him and we cannot please God without faith. The writer of the book of Hebrews illustrated how several men of God - the cloud of witnesses - pleased God with their faith. The key to this is to know that God exists and He rewards those who diligently seek Him.

There it is my friend; in the midst of your distress, just seek the Lord diligently. It's time to lay aside every weight that you are carrying and lay aside the sin that easily ensnares us - that is the sin of unbelief or lack of faith. If you know that God has heard your prayers, believe that He will respond in due time and lay aside all your worries.

The Macmillan dictionary defines lay aside as not to let yourself think or be influenced by something so that you can achieve an aim. Our aim is to run with endurance the race that is set before us. My friend, do you remember the Apostle Paul telling his spiritual son Timothy that he had fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith? That is exactly what God expects from you. He is the one to fulfill His purpose for you, all you have to do is to lay aside every weight and focus on Him.

It does not matter what tomorrow brings, but all you have to do is to lay aside every weight you are carrying. Actually just throw it to God and and do what He wants you to do. Stop worrying about it. Listen to Paul when he was talking to the Ephesian elders;

"And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God," (Acts 20:22-23).

My dear friend, I write this letter because I love you. This comes from the depths of my heart. I have been there myself but God has taught me to lay aside every weight and do what He wants me to do. "Give all your worries and cares to God, for He cares about you," (1 Peter 5:7 NLT). The more I focus on doing His work, the more He is sorting out my problems. 

It's time you lay aside every weight and fix your eyes on Him!

With love from above,

Stanley

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: "...you shall glorify Me."

"Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me," (Psalm 50:15).

The past few weeks have taught me not to depend on my feelings but to trust in God's word. I have been stretched, tried and tested but there is peace and joy in my heart knowing that God has chosen me in the furnace of affliction.

Sometimes it is easy to tell someone to hold on and have faith in God. The most challenging part is when you have to practice what you preach. That is when you realize that you cannot do it on your own. That is when you realize that at the time when you are weak, the grace of the Lord gives you strength. That is when you realize that   Jesus sustains you through it all. That is when you realize that Him alone will keep your head up when you do not even have the energy to do that.

Something then registered in my heart. So many times when we are in trouble or in need we ask the Lord to rescue us. He is a faithful God and He helps us when we need Him. But really, why do we ask Him to save us when we are in trouble? So that we can have a better life? So that we are commended for our faith in God? So that we can be revered as prayerful children of God? 

"Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me," (Psalm 50:15).

When you are in trouble it is easy to think of yourself, nobody else but you. When you have no money you always think how you are going to get money. When you have no food you think of where you are going to get food. When you are in pain you think of when the pain will go away. When you are being ridiculed you think of why you have to be subjected to such... then you ask the Lord to come to your rescue. 

When God delivers you from whatever you are going through, is He glorified? Last year I posted an article discussing the fact that when God blesses us or do great things for us it is not for our own good but for His name to be glorified. My dear friend, it is time to take a moment, consider how God is glorified when He takes you through difficult situations. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ said you are the light of the world and let your light shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Your faith in God should be witnessed by everyone and see God working in you. The focus should be in giving glory where it is due.

Even though I had come to a point where I felt like I can lock myself in the room but God has kept me going and continues to do His work. It does not matter what you are going through, continue to do what God has sent you to do and His name shall be glorified. "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord," (1 Corinthians 15:58).

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: Where Are You?

"Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" (Genesis 3:9)

Everyday we are supposed to walk with the Lord, we are supposed to be in the presence of the Lord, we are supposed to rejoice in the Lord. We have the privilege of having direct access to the Lord. Although He is our Father in heaven, He is always near us. He has promised that He will never leave us. He is always taking care of us regardless of what is happening in our world. 

Because God loves us so much He doesn't want us to go astray. He delights in walking with us all the time. He is happy to see us trusting in Him. He derives pleasure in using us as instruments of His glory. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them," (Ephesians 2:10). 

God is concerned about our well being. God is concerned about our present and future. That is why he is concerned when we lose His way and go our own way. His way leads to life and if our way is not His way then it leads to death. It saddens the Lord to see us transgressing from His way.  

That is why He says, "...repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that iniquity will not be your ruin. Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourself a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies," says the Lord God. "Therefore turn and live!" (Ezekiel 18:30-32)

Even when we have fallen, He doesn't give up on us. He wants to give us another chance. He wants us to return to Him so that He can restore us. When we hear His voice we should not try and hide from Him just like Adam and Eve did when they had fallen into sin. The Word of God tells us that when they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden, they hid from the presence of the Lord. "Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?" (Genesis 3:9). 

My dear friend, when you are not with God where are you? When you are not walking in His love  where are you? When you are not walking in His light where are you? When you are not walking in His wisdom where are you? When you are lost where are you? When God is calling your name, where are you? 

Mind you, God knows everything and He knew where Adam and his wife were, but He asked him, "Where are you?" This was an opportunity for Adam to examine himself, consider his position, confess his transgression and repent. Today God is asking the same question to us, "Where are you?"