God Confidence vs. Self confidence

Self confidence:

The Oxford dictionary describes self confidence as a feeling 

of trust in one's abilities, qualities and judgement.

I grew up pursuing self confidence. There are the lucky few who believe they were born with it - I'm not one of them. I look back and realise that all I ever did was to gather evidence trying to build my self confident. I figured that if I did my job well, if I was a good friend, if I made the right decision etc all these will eventually build up to my ability to trust myself. I spent hours listening to people who had confidence to see how I could learn from them and build my own. I read books like the 7 habits of highly effective teens, listened to a lot of talk shows and got familiar with lots of quotes on self belief. These are some of the quotes I got from just  googling "self- confidence".

• "Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment" Thomas Carlyle
• "One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self confidence is preparation" Arthur Ashe
• "A great figure or physique is nice, but it's self-confidence that makes someone really sexy." Vivica Fox
• The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear and get a record of successful experience behind you" William Jennings Bryan

According to a study done by MarketData Enterprises the Self-Help industry was worth US$10Billion in 2009, with a projected growth of 5.5% year on year from 2010 to 2014.* It's good to know that I am not the only one who is eluded by self confidence!

My problem was that no matter how much I was gathering it felt like there was always someone out there in the world who did it better. In high school I studied very hard but my friends got the A's. I spent hours studying and trying to grasp concepts but my friend who spent a couple of hours on her books got the honours/colours when I got a "certificate of diligence". When I tried to make myself beautiful there was always someone who looked better, dressed better, and was more attractive then I was. I was asked to improve my confidence through attending speaking courses. However, in the make believe environment of these courses, I was told there was nothing wrong with my technique (I have a video to prove it!). When I started working I was told I was okay but if I improve a lot of things I would be better. Working on my weaknesses was called my development plan. So the evidence I was gathering was not adding to my confidence, it was reducing the little I had! I had the same feeling a person feels when good things happen to bad people - you know when the guy who lacks integrity gets promoted, the lazy girl gets the best marks and the girl perceived as promiscuous gets married.

I am a Christian, I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and cemented the decision with my baptism on the 14 April 2013. I had since been introduced to a more liberating view of trusting God and not myself. When I look at the awesome character of God it's so easy to see why I can trust him. Some people may say that's coming from the Bible and because they don't believe that the bible is God-breathed 2 Timothy 3:16 they cannot trust it to be true. I suggest you listen to Voddie Bauchan  he did a brilliant talk entitled "Why I chose to believe the bible" -   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZNXMJGYNG8.

I have learnt the following about God:
He is Good Psalm 136:1
God is Love John 3:16
God is our father Mathew 6:9
He is omnipresent
He is omnipotent
He is omniscient
He is Elohim - The strong one
El-roi - the strong one who sees Genesis 16:13
Jehovah-jireh - He is our provider Genesis 22:13-14
Jehovah-rapha- He is our healer Exodus 15:26
Jehovah-ra'ah - He is our Shepard Psalm 23:1
Jehovah-shalom - He is our peace Judges 6:24
Jehovah-tsidkenu - He is righteous Jeremiah 23:6
Jehovah-shammah - He is present Ezekiel 48:35
Immanuel - God is with us. He came as Jesus Christ to save us from our Sins.

Trusting God in all things is something I am striving towards. I don't always do it. I do know that when I do take over, most often have to run back to God asking him to fix my mess. The times when I do completely trust in him, he has never failed me. Ways I have seen this in my life this far:

• My move to Dubai was God's response to me asking him for a job. God took me to a place where I was away from familiarity of home. I had no choice but to come to the truth that without him I am nothing John 15:5. I had to rely on him in finding a place, rely on him in finding a church, rely on him in making friends and for everything else in between. God made a work colleague have compassion towards me and he spent a day driving me around searching for a place during his personal time. In his wisdom, he made me see a lots of disgusting apartments so that when I found my place I was greatly appreciative. He has continued to bless my stay in Dubai and for that I am grateful. 

• During my prayer time I listen to the voice of God: The first time it happened, I sent a message to a friend I had not spoken to since I left South Africa. The message was just encouraging her and hoping that she is well. She wrote back telling me how much that message meant to her. She later told me that the message I sent, spoke to the exact problem that she had been grappling with. Yes, I also had goosebumps! Having attended a course on gifts of the Holy Spirit and the experience with my friend, I was encouraged to seek God more. I listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. So now my family and friends get emails or sms on what scripture/advice popped up when I praying for them. 

• Work has been an interesting experience for me. I have had some brilliant leaders who have inspired and encouraged me to be better. I have also had to submit to leaders whose leadership style I didn't enjoy. From some leaders, I heard more about needing to fixing a long list of issues and less about my positive progress. I praise God that when I look back at each leader I have had I can honestly thank them for contributing to my career. I have learnt so much and sent them each a personal email just showing my gratitude. I moved from an environment which was slow to flatter to one where I am being flattered often. I now see why God put me in an environment that was slow to flatter first! When people say how great you are -  in-front of others and constantly - it can easily get to your head. You could gather "Self Confidence" and think you really are great! What I do now is bring all the glory back to God. I am brilliant because God opened the door for me to be trained by the best marketing brains in the world. God put all these leaders in my world and it's amazing how much I have learnt from them. All I'm doing is communicating what I have been taught. I am trusting God for inspiration at work. I feel comfortable trusting God's creativity because he created the world Genesis 1:1-31! His creativity is everywhere! It's in the beauty displayed in a sunset, the breath-taking beaches or the diversity in people and languages. God is a master of creativity! 

• I give advice: I pray and try to ground my advice on the truth of the scripture. Sometime it's not what the person I am advising would like to hear but may need to hear. Sometimes it's advice that is sweet to the ear. What I do know is that it's coming from a place of love. Jesus is love. He gave his word so that we may live a life of abundance! I love Jesus. I love what he did for me and those who believe in Him. I am full of gratitude and praise. I thus love His people. I want more and more people to know him and to love him. So when I give you advise it's because I want you to obey the will of God and for you to have an abundant life in Christ! 

*Source: http://www.warriorforum.com/warrior-special-offers-forum/704685-brand-new-self-confidence-private-label-rights-10billion-industry-cheap-warriors.html
http://www.forbes.com/2009/01/15/self-help-industry-ent-sales-cx_ml_0115selfhelp.html
(images courtesy of google images)

Learning and growing

"Idolatry is worshiping someone or something other than God. Worshiping means we make sacrifices (time, energy, money, emotion, thought) so we can give ourselves to someone or something because it is our highest priority. Everyone is a worshiper for the simple reason that we were made by God to worship and cannot help ourselves. But we are sinners, we are prone to worship created things rather than the Creator. Romans 1:25 teaches that this is the root of idolatry/paganism, saying "they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator."

Martin Luther taught that idolatry is, therefore, not just sin but the sin that causes of all other sins. He went on to argue that the first two commandments bear this out Exodus 20:1-17. The first two commandments tell us that there is only 1 God and that we are forbidden from worshiping anything in place or in addition to the one true God. Therefore, Luther reasons, we break the other commandments and do such things as lie, covet, steal or commit adultery only as a result of breaking the first two commandments. If we break the first two commandments, we become idolaters who then worship such things as our image, possessions, comfort and pleasures instead of God."

Death by love, Mark Driscoll & Gerry Breshears

Make friends with Christians

Mark Driscoll wrote on facebook ---Three things that will change your life: 1) Believe the Bible; 2) Make friends with Christians; 3) Pray for others. 

I saw this post by Mark Driscoll and I got it. I mean I really understood how believing the bible, making friends with Christians and praying for others could change someone's life. 

Believing the bible

After a wonderful day with my friends, we decided to do it again by having a movie night and sleepover at my place. I was looking forward to it so much that I told my mom about it and she suggested that we do communion. Communion is when you eat bread and drink wine in memory of what Jesus did on the cross. Having grown in the Catholic church I knew that communion was reserved for church because the priest was the only one with the authority to turn the bread and wine to the body and blood of Christ. So before I could do it, I went to the bible looking for what Jesus actually says. In Luke 22:19-20 it says And he (Jesus) took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them saying, "This is my body given to you; do this in remembrance of me.' In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. When I read the bible I noticed the truth. Jesus did not ask me to bring a pastor or a priest before I could share in the communion. I was ready to do it at my place. The next thing was my friend's reaction - would they welcome this suggestion? 

Making friends with Christians

On the 19 July, which happens to be my sister's birthday,  I watched as these wonderful women filled my place with excitement, love, laughter, happiness and warmth. It was so good to open the door to a big smile, a hug and to each person bringing something for all to enjoy. Some of the ladies were meeting each other for the first time but greeted each other with such warmth. It was beautiful to be a part of it.

We watched a movie with lots of commentary from the peanut gallery (LOL!).  Whilst we were warming the food, I shared how I was telling my mom about our get together and she recommended we have communion. They all said "What a wonderful idea!". After eating we had a moment of prayer just thanking God for all our blessings. We shared in the communion and then went around the room sharing what we are grateful for. I believe that Jesus was right there with us - beaming to see young women with a passion for him.

This is what I shared with them - When I was praying for marriage, one of the things I used to say to God is that I want my home to glorify Him. As I stood in the mist of that praise and worship, the Holy Spirit revealed that my prayer has been answered.  Jesus revealed that I have a home full of people who are bringing Glory to Him! I was in awe!!! It was not as I imagined it would be but it was exactly what I had asked for. God is too good. 

The rest of the weekend was awesome - we had breakfast, watched sermons and departed with prayer thanking God for all his blessings.

Beautiful ladies gracing my home

Fellowship and love picture courtesy of Natasha:) 

Praying for others

I am blessed with friends who are believers. We pray for each other. We share intimate details of our lives and trust God for a solution. We encourage each other. We share scriptures and we grow in our understanding of Jesus Christ. My personal prayer life has also been transformed. I actually pray for people. So when I say I will keep you in my prayers it's not something I say lightly. I make a note of it and genuinely pray for that person during my quiet time.

To my family in Dubai, I am so grateful that God brought us together. I know that no-one can tear these relationships apart because Jesus formed them for his great purpose. I am looking forward to long-lasting friendships with my sisters in Jesus Christ. 

God bless

(bible image courtesy of google images)

Radiant

I wanted to get married at 25 years old. I figured that way I would have 5 years to live with my husband before trying for children at 30. I am turning 30 in about a month, and I am still single. Towards the end of last year I went through a serious bout of self pity.  I was envious of anyone that got married. And it felt like everyone was getting married. I was struggling to find genuine happiness for people who were getting married. All I knew was that it wasn't me yet again. I think I could lie to myself with others but the tipping point was my little sister’s wedding. I was genuinely happy for her and honoured to be a bridesmaid. I helped her with anything I could. It was a wonderful day. But  afterwards I realised in a bit  of panic (okay a lot ) that "she is younger than me";  "I am getting old" and started asking "what's wrong with me"? I was not in a good space. I even tried to break up with my boyfriend because I was getting tired of the old age question "when are you getting married?".  It was not my highest point! That I will admit. My worst comment from anyone was that marriage is a gift from God and I need to be patient. I didn't understand how a loving God could keep something that I wanted away from me.

When I gave my life to Jesus and confirmed it with baptism on the 14 April, I was drawn to scripture and started spending quality time with God. By quality time, I mean one on one sessions where the Holy Spirit is teaching and I am receiving. Where I am given a desire to be consumed by Christ and to faithfully live out His words. I turned off my TV and Youtube became my friend, I listened to women and men who preached the word of God. I have learned a lot of truth and I have had to unlearn a lot of worldly teaching. Detailed below are some of the truths I have learnt from reading scripture and listening to God-fearing people about womanhood, manhood and marriage.

Truths I have learnt:
1. Singleness is a gift. Jesus remained single during his life on earth and he says it's a gift Matthew 19:3-12. Paul says it is BETTER to stay unmarried and he encourages men not to even look for a wife 1 Corinthians 7: 27,38. The reason is that those who marry will face many troubles in this life. Paul encourages singleness to avoid these problems 1 Corinthians 7:28. Paul points out that a single person is not concerned about the things of this world; e.g. how do I please a husband/wife. Their interests are not divided, they are concerned about doing the will of God 1 Corinthians 7:32. 

When Jesus asked his disciples to follow him, he said follow me and I will make you fishers of men Matthew 4:19. We as Christians are called to give our lives to him, have fellowship with Him and to love him and he says he will use our lives for HIS glory. He will give us purpose. He will make singleness fulfilling and meaningful. He will use our lives to bring the lost closer to him. All we need to do is follow him, believe and do his will. 

One of the scariest scripture I have read is from Matthew 7:21 ""Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. It scares me because had I not dedicated my life to Jesus this year I was one of those people. I realised that I was using my singleness to lead a selfish, carnal life but claiming to know Christ. I was unhappy with my life and "waiting" for marriage so that I can start living. Had I died, Jesus would have said to me "I do not know you" Matthew 25:12; Luke 13:27.  Now I am not saying that you have to DO something to gain salvation but your actions have to show that you really love Jesus. When you are in a relationship you try to find out what your partner loves and you do more of that and what they don't love and you do less of that. It's how you show that you love a person. Jesus is far more worthy of your affection and you need to show your love to him by being obedient to his word. 

2. Marriage is a gift. And like any gift from God, it is given in God's perfect timing. It's not something you get once you are content with being single or when you lose a bit of weight or if you are beautiful or whatever lies you believe will make you worthy of this gift. Remember that "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17). We need to trust him because He is good. God who knows us better than we know ourselves Jeremiah 1:5. 

3. We mustn't marry an unbeliever 2 Corinthians 6:14. "Marriage is a picture of the glorious and precious and intimate relationship between Christ and the church". A husband is commanded to love his wife as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. If your husband does not know who Jesus is, then he is unable to model the sacrificial love of Christ. Christ who took responsibility for the sins of the church and a husband is meant to take responsibility for his wife. A wife is commanded to submit and respect her husband like how the church submits to the will of Jesus Ephesians 5:21-33. A woman can do that wholeheartedly if her husband removes the fear of submitting 1 Peter 3:5-6. He does this by submitting to the will of God. He must be a man who is following the will of God so that she is not fearful of submitting to him. 

Do you know that God created submission before the fall? God gave Adam authority over all of creation. God allowed Adam to name his creation Genesis 2:19. God even gave Adam authority to name the woman - the man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘woman,’for she was taken out of man.” (Genesis 2:23). The only commandment they had in the garden of Eden, not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was given to Adam. Notice that God did not call Adam and Eve together to tell them about his one commandment, he told the man and it was the man's responsibility to teach the woman. Eve could trust Adam's authority because he had fellowship with God. After the fall,  the Lord God still stuck to the authority he had given. God called out to the man, “Where are you?”; notice that God is still holding Adam responsible even after the fall Genesis 3:9. Marriages are meant to replicate this authority because it is designed by God.

4. Women tend to confuse identity with roles. Who you are as a person should be firmly built on Jesus Christ, he is our foundation. We are to have God confidence. In Genesis 1:26-27, God says let us make man in our image...he made male and female in his image. So even if I am single, I am complete, because I am made in the image of God. Note that Eve is created in the image of God first before she is given a role of being Adam's helper. I think it's important so I will repeat it, God established Eve's identity first, then He gave her a role of being a helper to man Genesis 2:18. When you don't understand your identity in Christ, you start to take the role you are given and turn that into your identity. That's why you find people who have dedicated their lives to a certain roles (business person, mom, wife, husband etc) can find themselves feeling unfulfilled.

4. A man looks for a wife. Proverbs 18:22 says it well - He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD. A God fearing man will pray for God's guidance on a spouse. A woman waits patiently for a husband. Her hope is not pinned on finding a husband. Instead, she trusts that Father God will provide a mate suitable for her. She does not waste her life sampling various potentials. She does not waste her life but uses her gift of singleness to give glory to God. She trusts God because God knows her better than she knows herself. She trusts his guidance living in faith but knowing that even if God calls her to a life of singleness she will rejoice!  She knows that this life is momentary, the prize of living a life pleasing to God is that you get to spend eternity in God's presence!

 

5.  Sex is a gift from God, given to those who are joined in the covenant of marriage 1 Corinthians 7:2; Hebrews 13:4. If you chose to have sex before marriage you are disobeying God and choosing to forfeit the kingdom for momentary pleasure Ephesians 5:5. Do not be deceived by the lies that the world tells you. And NO, dating for many years does not qualify you as married in the eyes of God. If you see your body as a temple of the Holy Spirit, you realise that you are housing a Holy God in your body and you are awaken to the fact that you therefore cannot defile it. 

If you are single and longing for marriage, use the time you have to glorify God. You have more time on your hands so chat to God more. Use the "free time" to immerse yourself in the word of God. Allow God to guide you away from selfishness and self-centredness. 

The Holy Spirit stirs in us joy and peace when we are fixated on Jesus, living by faith, focused on the life to come (Francis Chan, Crazy love). Those who look to him are radiant Psalm 34:5.  So be radiant!

God bless

Additional material

1. Becoming a Godly Woman (Listen to all 3 inserts) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzFif20NW1U
2. Singleness https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=MVq0mwhu2gQ
3. Be a Man...Biblically http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZ0-kJW3nz4
4. Marriage and Men (I love the examples of submitting that are given in this sermon. If that's submitting I can do that for my husband !) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYBovk6MBEg
5. Marriage and Women http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fa44Ja6Zc5g

(images courtesy of google images)

Jesus is the answer

The more I read the bible the more I am shocked that churches in South Africa supported the government with racial segregation during apartheid. To me it reveals how cowardice the church is. Going against the word of God to please man. God's authority trumps man's authority. All the time! How can you read Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."  and still believe that some people are superior to others? God even repeated it twice that we are made in his image. Twice! How dare you replace the male and female with the lie that only white male and white female were made in the image of God? Who do you think you are? I remember at high school going into a room where a bunch of hymn books were hidden. For some reason, God made us look at this one hymn and it said "Jesus is coming! Jesus will come again! ...We hope he isn't black" can you imagine living like that?! Hoping you very own Saviour is not black?

I shudder to think what the South African church is cowardice about today? Is the church taking full responsibility of single parent households? Do they blame themselves for the gruesome rapes, the terrible crime and poor state of affairs in our country. Are they blaming themselves for the number of young people who risk their lives to AIDS/HIV just to feel loved?  Why are we silent when the government is telling children as young as 13 to condomise instead of abstaining? You might say it's not my responsibility but you know what Jesus could have stayed in heaven and watched us go to hell. He took responsibility for our sins. The question we should ask ourselves as the church is whether we truly know who Jesus is. Don't we know this mighty God who demands so much more from us?

A true encounter with Jesus will transform you. I have "tasted and seen" how precious God really is. God is so powerful and wants to use his bride - the church- to make a difference in this world. We as members of the church are meant to be the salt. Add flavour in the world that is broken and looking for answers. Luke 14:34-35 says “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” The bible says that a people of God who have lost their saltiness are not even fit to be thrown on a pile of manure! You are useless even to a pile of manure!

My prayer is that South African churches can get back their saltiness. I pray for pastors to preach the truth, allow it to change people and let the change agents influence the rest of the country. Children at 13 should be preserving their innocence not be trying to figure out how to use a condom. Jesus in the answer that South Africa desperately needs.

I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, 

may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 
Ephesians 1:17

I conclude by this song by Casting Crows - What if my people prayed. Prayer can change everything!

http://searchmp3.mobi/what-if-his-people-prayed-mp3-casting-crowns

"What if the church for heaven's sake, finally stepped up to the plate

Took a stand upon God's promise..."

God bless
(image courtesy of google images)

Status Quo

Status Quo (This devotional was written by Doug Fields)

But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent. —2 Corinthians 11:3 

Status quo. That’s the life we're drawn toward living. For most of us, it’s not that life is always a walk in the park, where the skies are never cloudy and it never rains on our parade. But, status quo appears easier. It doesn’t take courage, risk, or passion. We become comfortable with our own small and selfish agendas and don’t want to upset our apple carts. Status quo seems safe.

When you settle for living status quo, your salt loses its flavor, your light begins to dim, and inside you want something more. Why? It’s because we’ve settled for something less than God desires for us. Jesus didn’t live and die so that we could live status quo. He came to give us life to the fullest. Real life begins when we reject the lie that status quo is safe and choose a life of devotion to Jesus.

Let me say it clearly. I, Doug Fields, want to be devoted to Jesus. I don’t want to be devoted to religion or Christianity. I want to be devoted to Jesus; I want to align my life as best I can with the radical upside down, inside out teachings of Jesus, because I know that He knows what is best. This is what I want for you too.

Devotion to Jesus makes people come alive inside. Devotion to Jesus shatters the status quo. Devotion to Jesus causes people to be real change agents in this world. Devotion to Jesus is the salt that enhances and preserves the world, and it is the light that illuminates the darkness. Devotion to Jesus creates peace and joy in your heart and provides contentment in the midst of a crazy economy and a lousy job market. Devotion to Jesus is the foundation to build your life upon.

Do you want a strong foundation? Look at how Jesus describes it: “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock.” —Matthew 7:24-25 NLT

In contrast, Jesus goes on to tell about what happens when we ignore Him in our lives: “But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.” —Matthew 7:26-27 NLT

One of the things I love about God is that He gives us a choice. Yet, the choice is clear: Devotion to Jesus leads to real life, building it on a solid foundation. Ignore Him and you’ll settle for the status quo, putting your life in peril, and in danger of collapse.

GOING DEEPER:

1. How would you describe signs of living status quo in your life?

2. How does your life reflect devotion to Jesus?

FURTHER READING:

John 10:9-10; Matthew 5:13-16; Matthew 7:13-14

To receive The Daily Encourager  FREE  each weekday, click on the following link:  http://go.netatlantic.com/read/all_forums/subscribe?name=thedailyencourager

Nature appreciation

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day 

after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. Psalm 19:1-4

I have never been an admirer of nature. I didn't get nature conservation, disliked Geography and studying of any animals. There was one Biology project where I was asked to collect different types of inserts pin them to a board and then write what kind of insert they were. I'm sure I didn't do well in that project. 

I have grown to appreciate nature more as I appreciate God's creation. I have been blessed to see some of the most beautiful places in the world. The Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe was absolutely amazing. I have admired gorgeous beaches in Seychelles. I have seen The Bund in Shanghai. I enjoyed the tranquility of the Malawi lake. Cape Town is stunning with it's natural beauty. I love Durban and it's beautiful beaches. I enjoy going to the Kruger National park to see the wild life. I once saw a leopard hunting live in a nature reserve in South Africa. I've been to Champagne Sports in the Drakensberg with friends and I was in awe of the beauty created by God. South Africa is blessed with beautiful sights where you can just see God's splendor.

I recently went to a place called Al Ain, one of the Emirates. It was so awesome to see beauty in the mist of the desert. I took these beautiful pics at Jebel Hafeet mountain.

View as we were driving up the Jebel Hafeet mountain

This view was WOW my picture doesn't do it justice!

View from the top of the mountain

View from a different part of the mountain

I have also been to a place called Salalah in Oman. On the drive all you see is desert for hours then you arrive to this beautiful place which is like an oasis after such a long drive.

Drive to Oman and back was endless desert. This is what we saw for hours.

Our tour landed us in this beautiful beach. More stunning when you see it in person.

Untouched my civilisation. Beautiful beach

The beach at the foot of the Hotel. 

The Frankincense one of the gifts given to Jesus by the 3 wise men. It was so exciting to see it.

Enjoying the seagulls during the morning walk

Spot the well camouflaged grab in this picture

After hours of desert it was good to see some peaks.

Saw a number of camels during our tour

Calling on the army of God

Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions;

according to your steadfast love remember me,

    for the sake of your goodness, O Lord! Psalm 25:7

Last week I felt overcome with a desire to something I knew was wrong. My entire flesh wanted to do it even though I knew it was wrong. I remember "self-talking" that I could resist it. I couldn't do it. I was so weak. I was praying but my response was overshadowed by my "self talk". I couldn't hear God's voice and therefore couldn't hear the way out 1 Corinthians 10:13. I then asked my family and friends to pray for me. It was like I had requested an army to join me in the fight. They all came with the solution I needed for my problem. The amazing part is that they did not know the exact nature of my problem. I have since triumphed over my temptation. I would like to thank all my family and friends for praying for me. Thank you Lord Jesus for forgiving me long before I could utter the words of my repentance. Thank you for forgiving me for the sake of your goodness. I have since forgiven myself and I am now free again! 

Sometimes you need an army to pray with you to conquer
your personal battles

God bless.

(image courtesy of google images)

Leaving it to God

In my English class in High School I listened to Katherine Antel tell my teacher that she felt frustrated that she has to sit in class when there are so many people who don't know the good news of Jesus. I now appreciate what she meant by that statement. I am praying for Jesus to be revealed to my family and friends who don't know him as their personal Lord and Saviour. I am praying for my boss, my co-workers and many others in the city for the glory of Jesus to be revealed to them. I am not seeing the results. I want to see then now! I was listening to Matt Chandler preach and he reminded me that God saves. Jesus saves according to the will of God. The Holy Spirit reveals the truth. I must continue to pray and believe in their salvation. 

We serve a mighty God. He really cares about his creation especially mankind. When God created man he said let us make man in our image Genesis 1:26. Man not realising that they were already like God were tricked by the snake into believing that by DOING something they could be like God (Eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil). That is the lie that man bought into, that had to do something to gain something that they already had - the likeness of God.  Because of this choice, we are unclean and no amount of doing can make us right with God because God is so Holy that our "doing good" doesn't measure up to His goodness. The bible puts it this way All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags Isaiah 64:6. But God  is love. He so loved the world that he gave us his one and only son, that whomsoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). 

Jesus is the son of God. He was born of a Virgin and conceived of the Holy Spirit. He preached the truth, many could not take it and they killed him. He was crucified, a death reserved for the vilest of criminals. He was buried and on the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and has been exalted to the right hand of the Father. My Father, the Lord God Almighty. Jesus shed his blood and on that cross ALL my sins were forgiven. I like to personalise the crucifixion and imagine Jesus taking the beatings by naming all my sins and imagining Jesus taking them all upon himself so that I can be saved. My sins and the sins of others were so vile that they separated Jesus from God. God couldn't fellowship with Jesus because of my sins and Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli lema sabachthani?" which means "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? (Matthew 27:46). Jesus came into this world to make me righteous with God. My righteous actions could not do. The blood of Jesus brought me into right standing with God.

                                     

Realising that I still could not fully walk in holiness on my own, Jesus brought the Counselor - The Holy Spirit. If you believe in Jesus Christ, repent your sins and surrender your life to God then you became a Christian. A christian is a new creation in Christ. As a christian, the Holy Spirit of God dwells in me. That's why I have to keep my body clean from fornication, adultery and anything that defiles my body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 puts it like this - Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you are bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies. 

I pray that many people may be saved. I pray that they may know God through a personal and intimate relationship with him. I pray that they may be in awe of what Jesus has DONE on the cross. May the promptings of the Holy Spirit guide their path as they do the will of God. May they realise that they are called to be tools in the hands of the perfect master - The Almighty God, Creator of heaven and earth, Lord of Lords, King of Kings! The only true God whom I call Father. 

(image courtesy of goodle images)