That explains it...or does it?

A couple of das ago, i was burdened and felt sad, was it because I had a premonition of the theft that took place this morning at my house? Maybe.

So I got home, unusually early, slept on the sofa as there was no electricity. I was just too exhausted and wanted an early nap, which I got. I communicated with my friend for some time, before i called it quits and slept. I woke up around 1 am and checked the time, and this was going to be the last time i saw my phone.

Reflections on a ladder

by Yvonne Mashayamombe on Wednesday, May 11, 2011 at 3:58pm

Birthdays are meant to be fun, as one celebrates life. But today, I am not all excited, or happy or well. Not that I have no excitement or happiness or joy in me, but that I am just in a world i am not too sure where.

I have turned 24, and a lot has happened, whilst a lot more is still to happen.

Confirmation of his presence!!

So yesterday we had a Youth ministry session, more precise, a youth get - together with the societies in my circuit. The programme was organised by the circuit Youth Council, and there we were, in Aldersgate, praising God and launching the beginning of our youth week hey, which began yesterday.

This day, I was there in that place, not expecting to do anything except hear the word, but this is what happens, as I sing with other youth, just after the main service had ended and the elders had gone home, I was taken out from the midst of the people and asked "Do you mind leading the prayer session?", I was struck hey, and I said I didn't mind, but now I was scared that God, am I really worthy to stand before your children and lead in a prayer session??

Jesus and I...where am I?

It has been a very long while since I wrote on this blog, and just this morning I was asking myself why? Is it that I had run out of what to write?..But no, because God is doing something every second of my life. Is it that i felt incomplete?..well I did at some point. I felt as though I was merely talking about a God I didn't exactly know, but at the same time, I was also telling myself that knowing someone is not a one day event!!

Let me take a few steps back hey, and start looking at my personal life, the unions, relationships and friendships I have made. Frankly speaking, the people I call my friends are only a handful hey, just a few guys, say two...plus a whole barrage of people I talk to on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis. Even friends on facebook that i have never met in my life, probably the closest we can get is through the posts we send on the wall!

But all the same, I have friends, two of them that I can call on at any given time.

Today, I am talking about the relationship we have with Christ Jesus. Who he is, who he is meant to be in our lives, and how much work for the kingdom we were to do had we accorded him the right place.

So who is Jesus?--- The only begotten son of God, to whom authority on earth and heaven has been given?

Is he the messiah we all need?

Indeed, Jesus is the way, the truth, the life, the light, the water, the saviour, the lamb, the lion of the tribe of Juda, oh Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever, Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, Jesus is timeless!!

I could go on and on hey because the whole 'religion' of christianity rests with this Jesus.

He is the first born to the dead, he is the redeemer of the world, he is the lamb that carries all our sins. He is Jehovha!!

The problem we have is SIN.

You see, sin has this tendency of shrinking God and puffing us up. Today, as I was brainstorming on my life, I realised that one too many a times I have reasoned with God, given myself the place of God in my limited view, and given him the post I think best suit him, but God is frighteningly above all. He is after all God, who created the heavens and earth, who knows every atom in my body and knows the amount of hair I have on my head, strand by strand. he is an all powerful God whose strength, knowledge, mercy and grace is unending- infinite he is hey.

That realisation has been fundamental in my life because, I made a decision that I am God's child and all authority has been given to me as co-heirs to Christ's kingdom. I am part of the chosen generation, the royal priesthood. I have been called to be part of God's kingdom through Christ!!

Back to my friends, I will mention that I have grown to love them, to appresiate them in their strength and weaknesses hey. It is through knowing them this much that measures my love for them. I will love them for those things that are 'lovable', and those that are 'unlovable'.

It is when we accept the person at their weakest that we have embraced the whole person hey. So, I was asking myself, how come God loves me with all my sins? How come God continues to hold my hand and lead me in paths that I have never seen myself walk through as if I am not stubborn enough??

God is merciful, and he is loving. I am so unsettled each time i try to be adventurous in his direction because everything about him poses a moral, physical and spiritual challenge around me.

I have failed to sleep at some point thinking about this guy, I have realised that, maybe consciously but more so unconsciously, when I am happy, I would wish he were there to share my happiness, when I am sad, I just want to share with him, when there really is nothing I want to talk with him, and I have asked God why it feels like a mountain climb just to establish something like that? i was asking him the other day, that most of the conversations are informal, when I just subconsciously engage him, but why is it that I am not giving him his proper, formal time to just spend together hey? Why is it so difficult to work with God through the highs and lows, the fats and thins of my life.

I guess it is always a question that lingers on unless I consciously make time, turn it into a habit and eventually mould my character.

I am inspired each time I read the bible and i get to the part where the protagonist go to pray, as was custom!! I want that too. To have a customised way of approaching God and still maintain our informal discussions!!

I need the Holy Spirit to be guiding all my decisions, my actions and my interractions.

To God be the glory..

YM.

His love endures forever

I was in a rural community in Lower Gweru over the last weekend. You know, there is just this love that abides in the people.

My great grandfather (104) had died peacefully in his bedroom just on Thursday and when we finally got to arrive he was buried. Well, he had been buried the day before.

On our way, we got lost, turned this way, and that way until it was certain we were lost. We had to stop the car, and this was towards midnight, and we wanted to be sure we were in the right direction, so we had to ask.

At this time of the night, we stop at a couple of houses in the area and asked of KwaFiyo Fiyo, as that what my grand parent's resident was known as. Indeed we were lost. We had to travel back a good 15 km to the junction where we were to take the other route we had left.

Well we did. When we got into this area again, we still had to ask before we finally followed the correct route. Our final asking adventure led us right to the homestead of my grandpa.

One thing I learned about these people, in spite of the challenges our nation has faced in recent years, people still have the portion of trusting total strangers. In spite of the security situations in this country, the people came out into the cold winter nights to assist us, and to me that was so amazing. I stopped to think, does not God do the same? when we move without clear direction of where we are going, God is the light and brings about pointers along the journey who will help us get there.

There are times when we move away from him, its not that he is not watching. He is. Not all of us are the Saul cum pauls of this world. We do not have direct contact with God just like that. We are mentored and nurtured by people with like minds- like a sword is sharpened by a sword.

I understood that God loves us to give us people, who inspite of the bitting chill, nomatter the time, will always answer to our calls.

He is a God of all seasons.

He is a God of mercy.

He is a God full of Grace.

He is the God that lives forever.

A God who never abandons his children, nomatter what.

A father whose love is overwhelming.

I am overwhelmed by God's goodness.

I pray oh Lord, that nomatter the situation, we be able to come back to you and ask for direction. That we do not fear to come to you when we get lost. That we trust and believe in you as your love endures forever. Father I thank you for the revelation that always come with experience. that you use earthly experiences to give a heavenly meaning. Thank you for your Love. Amen
Y. Mashie

The Good of Others

I have subscribed to Zondervan and they send me these email messages daily. Today, i saw this message and it also highlighted some very powerful and informative words. Often times we have taken for granted what we do. Just because I love doing it, or I am comfortable with it, does not make it right. Thinking about other people will definately improve the way we interract with them. I hope you will be edified by the words below

Paul insists that our social lives be governed not by "purity rules" but by three simple but profound goals. First, we should live with a desire to bring glory to the one true Lord: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).

[Second,] "Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God - even as I try to please everyone in every way" (1 Corinthians 10:32-33). Throughout Paul's letters "stumbling" usually means missing out on salvation. This verse, then, is not simply about upsetting people it is about acting in a way that puts their salvation at risk.

[Third,] not only are we to avoid jeopardising the salvation of others; we are to actively pursue that salvation: "even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ" (1 Corinthians 10:33 - 11:1).

I want to ask you to reflect on Paul's teaching and on Jesus' example. Is your social life oriented toward the good of others - being with them, befriending them, doing good to them and speaking to them about Christ when opportunity invites? In short, does your life illustrate the fellowship with sinners God so keenly desires?

- John Dickson, The Best Kept Secret of Christian Mission

WHO CAN FORGIVE SINS?

This is an article i got in my inbox this morning from word @ work. i thought it might inspire someone.
May God bless you as you endevour to do more for God in all humility and love.
God bless you.


Luke 7:48-50 Then Jesus said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." The other guests began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." (NIV)

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You can read the verses around this Bible passage from the Internet Bible: - in English, and many other languages

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If somebody owes you money but cannot pay, you might choose to cancel (forgive) the debt. But it would be wrong to think you can cancel a debt owed to somebody else; because the money belongs to the creditor and not you. Every sin has to be paid for, but what is the price and who has the right to extract the price or to forgive? The penalty for sin is death and eternal separation from God: therefore only God has the right to demand payment. In the same way, only God can forgive (cancel the debt). The amazing thing is that God's forgiveness is not without cost to Himself: Jesus came to earth to be punished for every sin, thus ensuring that justice was done (see www.crosscheck.org.uk).

When Jesus declared that all the prostitute's sins were forgiven, the natural response of the other guests was to ask, "Who is Jesus, that He claims the right to forgive her sins?" The answer should have been obvious: if Jesus forgives sins, He must be God! Jesus knew that when He died on the cross, He would personally be paying for that woman's sins ... so He had every right to forgive. Her peace came because He paid the price.

The woman may not have understood all that, but she did believe that Jesus was her only hope. She put her faith in Jesus to do something to help her, even if she did not know how. It is the same today: all those who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved (Romans 10:13). So if you are despairing about yourself, go to Jesus trusting Him to do whatever is right for you. If others do not know what to do - tell them to go to Jesus and trust that He knows what to do. When it comes to sin and failure, He certainly knows how to forgive and has already paid the price to discharge the debt - so go to Him in faith and believe that His forgiveness is real, and for you personally.

Prayer: Gracious God. Thank You for being a forgiving God and for taking away my sin when I come in penitence and faith through the blood of Jesus. Forgive me for my proud unwillingness to confess my sin and receive Your forgiveness, when You are ready and willing to cleanse me and give me Your peace. Help me to be more willing to confess my sin, and to tell others how much You can do for them too. In Jesus' Name. Amen.