You've got mail: an update

Dear Reader,

Thank you for your patience with me.

I have been m.i.a for waaaaaay too long.
7 months to be precious.
SEVEN MONTHS!!
Gosh, its unbelievable.

I AM SO SORRY.

Although it is inexcusable not only because it was my new year's resolution to write a post monthly but also because it showed my lack of commitment to something I LOVE doing.
However, please do accept my excuses.

I was super busy with work, long distance engagement, wedding planning, church activities and activities with friends. My week days AND weekends were always packed. Yes, I like being busy...it's an addiction...seriously.

But I have good news for you and I!

Yes, great news , in fact the best news!

I have decided to prioritize myself.

That means, taking time to do not only the things that are required or give the biggest return but also those that are rewarding, things I enjoy..and blogging is one of them! Some others are reading and sleeping. Hehehehe

So I have set apart a specific time for blogging...drum roll...WEEKLY!
Yaass, you read right. WEEKLY, meaning that I'll post at least on a monthly or biweekly basis.

 *pops bottle*

So stay tuned. I have some awesome posts about work, our wedding, and my faith journey coming up.

Blessings,

Twisile x

Wanting What God Wants

I came across a beautiful quote about a year ago in my news feed. I instantly liked and it saved the image with the quote on it. I remember thinking to myself that that's exactly what I wanted to be true in my life, I wanted God to have His way. I also remember thinking along the lines of Jeremiah 29:11, because God has good plans for me, then why wouldn't I want what He wanted for me more than what I wanted for myself? After all, His plans for my life are waaaay better! 

However, a couple weeks ago when I was studying Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer, I came to understand the quote in a whole new way. The thing is, my desires (like many other people's desires) are not always in line with God's. There are times, everyday, when what I want to do or say  will not please Him and is contrary to His will and plans for my life. There is this gap between God's desires and mine. Although I do not have the power to always be in line with God's desires, God has done something in me that enables me to want and do what He wants. God has placed His Holy Spirit within me to will and do what pleases Him. 

 "The Holy Spirit will never [ever] tell us to do anything that isn't in God's will. He speaks exactly what He hears from the Father. He begins to influence our minds, will, emotions and bodies to desire what is pleasing to God and will bring Him glory. " - Priscilla Shirer

So the first part is that it is God's work.

- God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him (Phil 2:13)

- Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. (Romans 12:2)

"Our responsibility is to cooperate by obeying His promptings and bathing ourselves in the Word and in prayer. - Priscilla Shirer

But just because it is God's work, doesn't mean that we don't have a part to play. The second part is our response in obedience and in yielding.

- Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. (Phil2:12, NLT)

- I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you (Romans 12:1)

Thus, to want what God wants is not just to want His good plans for us; but it is also do desire what He desires. This means that we must be intentionally aware of the Holy Spirit and what He is speaking to us more than our own minds, bodies, emotions etc. And that we should response by yielding and obeying. 

I'll end with an example. This week, I had made a mistake with the experiment I was performing which made the data I had already collected useless. I knew I needed to inform my supervisor and instructor about the mistake I had made but I was scared and I was contemplating whether or to tell the truth. I had to remind myself that as God's child I was not a liar and that no matter how hard it would be to admit my mistake, I was to please God and not myself. I eventually braced myself and informed them. Of course both were disappointed but they also understood that such mistakes can indeed happen. In this case, the Holy Spirit reminded me of my identity and I responded by obeying. Although it was not easy, it was worth it because I knew that I did something that made God proud. 

Blessings💜


If you evaluate your own life, are you more prone to want what is contrary to God's wants?
In which areas of your life to you struggle with this the most?
What steps can you take to change that?

Check out Discerning the Voice of God from Priscilla Shirer! It's absolutely amazing! :) 

Alive and Powerful

Hello there 😊!

My sincere apologies for being MIA, it's been hectic and difficult to find a balance between all my activities. I had planned to post at least once a month but alas, that didn't happen so far but I'm working on it :). With that being said, I wanted to share something that's been on my heart and mind for some time now:  the danger of knowing the Word of God but not experiencing it's power.

You see, the Word of God is food for our spirit (1 Peter 2:2, Hebrews 5:12-14) and we need food to function normally. The energy we get enables us to do our daily activities. Therefore, we believers need a daily portion of the Word to keep us functioning properly. If we stop eating, we become malnourished and fail to grow; on the other hand, if we eat a lot but don't use the energy, we become obese and limited in our activities.When I had the idea to write this post, I saw myself as an obese person receiving therapy; that is, I knew a lot but applied very little. I had a lot of information stuck in my head and not in my heart. So in order to avoid either extremes of this spectrum, we need a good balance between intake and work out.

How can we get this balance? We need to understand a couple of things. First, we need to desire and make it a habit to read the Bible daily. Secondly, when we read the Word it first touches our minds, we gain knowledge. But in order for the Word to have an impact on our lives, it needs to reach our hearts because out of the heart flow the things patterning to life (Proverbs 4:23). It's the Word in our hearts that changes the way we see things and our behavior. I'm not saying that the mind is less important, the mind is needed;that's were digestion happens. But after digestion, the Word needs to go where it will be used and that's the heart. But if it stays only in the head, there is knowledge but no application. And if there is no application then we've got a problem because it is meant to benefit you as a believer when you read it. You should be able to bear the good fruit of the Spirit.

I also want to stress that putting to practice the Word in our lives, is the work we do together with the Holy Spirit (1 John 2:26-27). If we try to do it on our own, we become legalistic.As we read the Bible, we ask the Holy Spirit to teach us and to show us ways we can apply it, we also need meditate on the Word (chew on it over and over again until it's in the proper form for absorption and use). This is what am currently learning to do and it's not always easy but it's a start.

There are numerous verses in Scripture that point to it's usefulness in our daily lives and how crucial it is that we apply it in our lives. I have mentioned a couple below.
1. Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. - Psalm 119:105

2.For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. - Hebrews 4:12

3. But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.  - James 1:22-25

4. All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.- 2 Timothy 3:16
 
On other hand, however, I also want to remind us that the Bible is not just there to pointing fingers at what needs to be "fixed" in our lives but it is primary a revelation of God. And a friend of mine states it perfectly "The Bible is not only a reflective surface, where you look at yourself and see which areas need patching up. Read it and use it to see who God is and to understand His nature." So it's about learning about His nature that we may become more and more like Him.

Where do you find yourself on the spectrum? What steps do you want to take to do better? 

Blessings 💜

Check out:
- This devotional that spoke to me profoundly about this topic: Bearing Good Fruit
- A post from a friend: Mornings with Jesus

Fighting the Right Way

Confession.

I struggle with perfection. 

So much so that I spent most of last year hiding my mess from God. I found it hard to go to God with my struggles. My (inner) battles. I was convinced He didn't want to see nor  know about them; that He wanted me to have it all together. I thought I had to fight alone, which I tried a couple of times and every time I lost miserably; even if I started on a good note, it was never long before I failed. It didn't matter how determined I was or how much preparation I had, the result was always the same. Failure. My continuous failure took away whatever willpower I had to continue fighting and so I gave up.

 But now I realise that I was believing a series of lies. 

First, I was convinced that God didn't want me to share my mess with Him but I realise now that with intimacy comes vulnerability. If I was in close fellowship with God, which I wasn't, I would have known that He wanted me to tell Him about my mess and ask Him for help. Just as we tend to open up more, the more we know a person, so it is with God. The deeper our relationship with Him is, the more likely that we'll share our very hearts with Him. 

Secondly, I thought I could conceal my struggles but now I realise that there is no point in hiding anything from God because He knows and sees it all (Hebrews 4:13, Psalm 139). Inside of hiding things from God, we should be taking these things to Him and asking Him for power to overcome them. Praying for conviction also otherwise our hearts become hardened.   

Thirdly, I assumed that God didn't understand me nor my struggles but now I realise that He knows my frame. After all He made me. God knows both our strengths and weaknesses. I know that I need His help and for me to think that He doesn't want to help me is very wrong; after all Christ came at a time when we were utterly helpless (Romans 5:6). Without His strength, if we don't rely on the Holy Spirit, we will eventually fail. It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to overcome the power of sin through Christ (Romans 8:2).

Finally, although I knew that God's love for me was unconditional, I believed that He surely couldn't love the mess that I was. But God loves us so so much. I found and still find this the hardest truth to grasp fully. God's love for the individual is so vast! When I lost my battles, I somehow thought that I had let God down and that He probably didn't want anything to do with me. I was a failure after all. However, He loves me despite my faults. He loved me when I was His enemy and His love for us all was revealed in Jesus' death on the cross (Romans 5:8). If He loved me so then, what more now that I am His child? God's love for me isn't a blank cheque to sin as much as I want, it's actually the contrary. His love for me should motivate me to love Him back, and that means keeping His commandments (Romans 6, John 14:15-26; 15:10-17; 1John 2:5).

So to make a long story a bit short, God is teaching me to fight the right way. With Him. We are not meant to fight our battles on our own, don't make the mistake I made. Invite Him in. You can only kill a Goliath with a stone when you know whose you are and Who is on  your side!

This song by Steffany Gretzinger: Out of Hiding (Father's Song) summarizes what I just wrote perfectly. I also love this song by Positive on a similar theme: Two Man Army. Last but not least this beautiful sermon by Kim Walker Smith (I didn't even know that she preached??!!): The Art of Vulnerability. Check them out!

What lies have you believed about battles? What truths has God shown you? Leave a comment below!

Blessings 💜

Resolutions: changing for the better

Hello there!😊


My purpose for this blog is deeply rooted in my previous post (click on the link if you haven't read it: 2016: Reflections & Resolutions), in which I mentioned the importance writing down a resolutions list and reviewing it regularly. I also mentioned a lesson I learned last year, that lasting change begins, continues and ends with the Holy Spirit.

 I have already started working on my resolution list, and it's already pretty long although it's not done..and that's kind of scary BUT the good thing is that most of the points are interconnected, so we'll just call it detailed instead of long 😉.  And these past days, God has been pointing out things to me that need to change...things that I didn't consider when I started writing. God wants me to change for the better and He is initiating that change, and that perfectly aligns with what I wrote about lasting change. The things that He has been pointing out are so deep and definitely something that needs to be worked on before I find myself in worse situations. I see that God is giving me another chance or a grace period and I am so thankful for it. I see them as "God's resolution list" for me and I'll be sharing them in the coming posts.

So this whole, "God's resolution list" kind of shocked me and I was wondering if it's Biblical and it actually is. Let me explain. I was reminded of these verses from Psalm 139.

Investigate my life, O God, find out everything about me; 

Cross-examine and test me, get a clear picture of what I’m about;
See for yourself whether I’ve done anything wrong—then guide me on the road to eternal life.

God knows us our hearts through and through. He knows everything about us. He can examine our lives and point out things that are wrong in our lives and He can lead us on the road to right road. 

So as good as it is to write lists from our view, we have an incomplete view of ourselves. Therefore, I encourage you to ask God to point out areas as you write your list. Some of you may be thinking that it's too far into the new year to write or to be talking about resolutions or even to make them. But let me remind you that we have 340 days left of the year, and January isn't over yet!😁 It's never too late to want to change for the better, and we don't have to wait for a new year to make resolutions. Everyday is an opportunity to do better. And last but not least, let us ask God to guide us so that we can live out the resolutions that we have.

Blessings 💜

Relationship Series Part 1: Eggshell

I suppose I can say that I grew up in church. I remember going as a kid and I continued to as I grew older. I was surrounded by Christianity not only in church but in school too. So, what I knew about God was mainly from Sunday school, youth group and school. My knowledge and understanding of God developed more in Suriname and Belgium between my late teens and early twenties. In this time, I began to understand God and the Bible more. God was no longer this far-off person and the Bible was no longer “that-book-that-I-couldn’t-understand”.

However, despite this progression, my life was not completely surrendered to Him. Sunday belonged for God and the rest of the week belonged to me. There was a disconnection between the girl who sat in church and the girl who swore and went clubbing until the wee hours of Sunday morning. I thought I could enjoy the best of both worlds but that was a lie from the very pit of hell. I blended in with other church folk externally but was empty on the inside, like an egg shell without it’s crucial internal components. Although I could fool others, I could not fool God. Christ was not the centre of my life.

It’s only by God’s wonderful mercy that I got out of that pit. He placed people in my path that planted seeds of truth that led to my liberty. 

I wrote this post to remind and warn that being a church-goer or in an open relationship with God isn’t real Christianity. The devil wants us to believe that it is okay to love both world and God; that we don’t need to choose one or the other. But that is such a big fat LIE! You can’t have the best of both worlds because you’ll love one and hate the other (Matthew 6:24), and loving the world is enmity with God (James 4:4). Choices have to be made, all or nothing choices. God wants all of us not just some of us. We are to love Him with everything that we are: all your heart, all your mind, all your strength and all your soul. 

So maybe you were once like me, and well I thank God that He got us out of that pit! Maybe you are in that pit now, if so, don’t lose hope! He got me out, He surely can do it for you too. All you need to do respond to His call for surrender and daily pick up your cross and follow Him. It doesn’t mean you won’t fall, you will but you’ll get up each time (Proverbs 24:16). 

Blessings

Sharing is Caring

The societies we are a living in, especially in the West, are evolving from ones that are concerned about others to ones that are individualized and closed. And as a result, we are becoming the kind of people that "mind our own business" in other words, people that are concerned only about themselves.

 This change and it's consequences are contrary to what God desires of us. Human beings are created in the image of God. God is a relational being and is greatly concerned about our welfare. So when we become less relational and more selfish, we are acting in an abnormal manner. One of the most important ways to show genuine care for others is by sharing the Gospel in word and in deed, God doesn't want us to live among the lost without caring enough to tell them about His love which was so richly expressed in Jesus' sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection three days later.

In the years that I have been living in Belgium, I have found it hard to be an effective witness of Jesus not only because of the above mentioned reason. For the first two years, I was uncertain of my faith although I still sought God, it's not easy to talk about someone you don't know. After my baptism, it was mainly because I was afraid of what people would think of me if they knew that I believed or  I was not confident enough to start a conversation about the Gospel.

But last month, God had been speaking to me and teaching me about evangelism in so many ways.
- He encouraged me to not only know my faith but also share it and  He reminded me that I am His ambassador through whom many will come to know Him.
- He helped me understand that  it's not my job to convict and cause people to confess that Jesus is Lord but that my part is in planting the seed which He will tend and cause to grow.
- He showed me that each day is a day for salvation and that I should seize every opportunity that comes my way.
-  Although I can witness with my lifestyle, I can also do so with my mouth; after all, faith comes by hearing the Word of God. This to for me, has been the most important lesson because I had always relied more on my lifestyle to witness to people. However, I have also been given a mouth to speak words of life. One method is not better than the other, both a biblical and both should be used.
- Lastly, He made me realize that wherever and with whoever I am, I am there to witness.

 All this has been a lot to take in but the Holy Spirit both teaches and enables us to do good works of which evangelism is one. We can not witness in our own strength. Instead effective witnessing is a result of a rich relationship God which develops from spending time with Him, the knowledge of one's identity in Christ and a correct understanding of the Bible. The more I will know Him, the easier it will be to tell someone about Him. And the more I understand that I have not been given a Spirit of fear, the more I will not be ashamed to tell others about the Lord. Lastly, the more I understand the Bible, the better I will explain the faith.

The sharing of the Gospel to a single person has a ripple effect, like that which is seen when a stone is thrown in a lake with each subsequent wave growing larger, it not only affects the person in which the seed was planted but also his/her lineage and  the lineage of others around him/her.

What greater gift is there to give to someone than the message of eternal life because of God's love displayed in Jesus' death and resurrection?

Now is the time of salvation! Be bold, be silent no more!



How has God been using you to draw people to Himself? What do you find difficult about the sharing the Gospel? Which songs inspire you to evangelize?

Two songs that have greatly inspired me about witnessing are Tell The World by Lecrae ft Mali Music and  Build Your Kingdom Here by Rend Collective. 

Check out these devotionals from Our Daily Bread about evangelizing:
Evie's Decision
A Pleasing Aroma

Three & Free Indeed!

³⁴ Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. ³⁵ And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. ³⁶ Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. - John 8:34-36 

 Three years ago today, I got baptized and decided to take my walk with Christ seriously :)!
I have had ups and downs, overflows of  living water and dry spells. It hasn't been a problem-free, cherries and roses 3 years. However, it's still the best decision I have ever made, I don't regret it!

A wise person once said that you can't met the real Jesus and stay the same, having Him in my life has indeed changed me for the better. And I am sure that many fellow believers can agree with that! The Gospel changes everything! And definitely for the better!

The song, Thank You Lord by Israel & New Breed, is my celebration song  for this wonderful occasion!

 If you, my friend, are still doubting about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, doubt no more. Believe! His arms are open wide, ready to welcome you to a new life full of adventure! Delay no more. Now is the time for salvation.

Masterpieces of Grace

Leuven is a lovely small city. Every year and in different places something is always under-construction, it can be anything but usually it is a building, a road or a roof.The same is true for other cities like Ghent and Brussels. Renovation can be considered as something typically Belgium. Just take a walk outside and you will hear the drilling machines, the sounds of hammers hitting metal and you will see the builders at work from early morning to late afternoon in winter, spring, summer and autumn and in all kinds of weather too. Their dedication is visible. They want to see the project complete and to admire the beautiful result of hard work.  

Apart from Belgians, I  know Someone who is an expert and incredibly skilled in all things regarding restoration, renewal and rebuilding and He works on people. His name is Jesus. You might think and be convinced that people do not need repair, but we do. We are not in our original state. We used to be, until the fall and are in great need of restoration. Let me be explain further.

When God created the earth and made the first humans (Adam and Eve) in His image, it was very good (Genesis 1:31). But Adam and Eve went against God by disobeying Him. This lead to what we call sin, and every human being after Adam and Eve is born with it (Genesis 3). The problem about sin is that it destroys and disfigures us; it has stolen our true identity and left us empty and separated from God. Sin has made a mess of life. But the good news is that God has given us a solution to this sin problem. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, who was in every way human as we are but without sin. He lived, died and rose again. In dying all sin was laid on Him and in rising up again from death, He destroyed the power of sin and all it's consequences such as death for example (Hebrews 2:10-18). So when we accept and confess our sins and  trust that Jesus did this for us, we are saved and we receive eternal life, new life (John 3:16, Rom.10:9; 2Cor 5:17).

This new life consists of a lot of restoration, God bringing us to be like His Son; so in a way taking us back to our original state. He intends for us to be as holy and blameless as He is. So Christians are in fact people under-construction, this project lasts for a lifetime and ends either when we die or when Jesus returns (1Cor 15:35-58). Jesus through His Holy Spirit and our effort is slowly but surely changing our hearts and giving us new habits, new goals, new attitudes (Titus 3:5). Some habits are easier to break than others, some new characteristics will take more time and energy to learn. Some wounds are harder to heal, and painful to treat but they will be healed completely because God is not the type who doesn't finish His projects (Philippians 1:6). However, we should not use this fact that we are being renovated as an excuse to fall back into old destructive habits but as a propeller that energizes to seek to work and cooperate with God. 

And the great thing about this restoration is that, God is not only restoring human beings but everything and one day there will be a new heaven and earth (Revelation 21).

Salvation is only the beginning and Christ is making all things new!

Share your story in the comment section below or with a sister or brother, what new habits has God placed in you? What old habits has He taken away? 

For further reading on this topic, check out the links below (the short list) ;)

http://odb.org/2016/05/01/the-restoration-business/
http://odb.org/2016/05/04/out-of-the-ruins/
http://odb.org/2015/12/02/glass-beach/
http://odb.org/2016/02/03/training-for-life-2/
http://odb.org/2015/06/03/something-new/
http://odb.org/2015/07/27/the-checkup/

No Longer Encyclopedias (Wisdom)

In this post and the ones to follow I will be writing about wisdom: what is it, how to get it and why it's important (i.e. what are the benefits).

 Many of us when we hear the word  wisdom automatically think of Solomon. Although wisdom is instantaneously linked  to Solomon, it does not start nor end with him. 

So what is wisdom?

photo credit: simplydivinelove.blogspot.com

Wisdom is found in God and that's where Solomon got his (1Sam. 3). In Job and Proverbs, we are told that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. To fear the Lord means to have reverence for Him, and reverence is to show respect or honor. And what other better way is there to show God that He is worthy of honor and respect other than to obey Him? Wisdom is obedience, this should be an obedience out of love (trust me, you don't want be a Pharisee). Thus without God there is no wisdom and when you find God you also find wisdom. Colossians 2:3 also tells us that all wisdom and knowledge is found in Christ. That's why I think that the Bible also says that he who says there is no God is a fool (Psalm 14:1). And here is where we see that wisdom is not equal to intelligence because there are some pretty clever people out there that don't believe in God. Thus human wisdom will not get you anywhere with God,we need His wisdom (1 Corinthians 1:18-31).

How does it differ from knowledge?

 "Wisdom is the right use of knowledge." -Charles Spurgeon

  

"Knowledge is awareness of facts and

 wisdom is awareness of how to use those facts for good goals."- John Piper

So it's knowing what you should and should not do, and acting upon it. (Eph.5:15-17, James 1:22)

Let me give an example to make it more clearer. I recently read a book on sexual purity. I learned a lot from it, it was a great eye-opener. As long as I don't apply what I learned, I am not better than where I was before. Yes, I may know that the devil and my flesh are fighting within me to take the upper hand and cause me to fail, and I may know that I need the Holy Spirit to win this fight.But as long as I don't apply what I learned; then I might as well have not read the book. Then I am being a fool! 

This is applies to everything.For example in our readings of the Bible a lot of truth is revealed to us but as long as we don't apply and use it. As long as we don't let it marinate and take root in our hearts, then they just plain facts. This is an issue I recognize in myself, I read the Word daily but I am very weak spiritually because one of the reasons is that I am being a fool and not applying what am reading. And honestly, am fed up and super happy that God has shown me the step that am missing out time and time again.

Thus in all our getting, let us get wisdom by acting on our knowledge.
  
 "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." - Matthew 7:24

 "If you don’t have wisdom that goes with knowledge, you are only a walking encyclopedia. A book of knowledge is useless without the wisdom to know how to apply that knowledge." - Jack Wellman

Stay blessed xoxo

 The book I read on purity is called Sex and the Single Christian Girl by Marian Jordan Ellis (YOU SHOULD READ IT'S AMAZING). Thanks to my dear friend, Mukase, for recommending it to me :)

Guest Post:The Word of God by Myriam Ndanga

The Word of God, when we think about it, we think about the Bible.

But the Word of God is so much more. Let's take a look at the Bible and at Jesus.

The Bible is active and alive, it's our daily bread, it gives life, it's the Truth, it shows us the way, it is there for correction, encouragement and teaching, it's as sharp as a double sided sword, it's perfect in itself, it enlightens our ways by enlightening the path of our feet and much more.

Jesus is the living Word of God. He was in the beginning and He was with God and He was God Himself. He became flesh and dwelt among us.

Jesus says of Himself that He is the Truth, the Way and the Life. He says that He is the Bread of Life. He speaks what God speaks without error. When He speaks, He speaks with divine authority, with grace, with wisdom, with power, with knowledge, with truth and love. He proclaims the righteousness of God. And He uses Scripture to rebuke and correct and to guide.

Now, both of them are the Word of God but we can not live with one while neglecting the other one. They belong together and are one. You can not love Jesus but have no desire to read the Word also if you think that Jesus spoke to you but you can't find it in the Word it is not of Jesus, since He doesn't speak anything against or not according to His Word.

The Word of God is what God, Himself, speaks. It is what He thinks and it is coming out of His very heart. When we know and understand His Word, we get to know and understand His heart.

It is very interesting to see that He blessed us with His whole Word. Now, this doesn't mean that God doesn't have more to say, NO! God's wisdom is endless. It just means that He told us everything WE need to know in order to survive in this world and to be prepared for the world to come. He told us everything we need to know from beginning to end. There is nothing which should surprise us since He made sure to tell us everything we need to know concerning history, present and future events.

His Word also says that it is forbidden to take anything away from it or to add anything to it. Otherwise the Word would be twisted and not perfect and complete and holy in itself. It wouldn't be 100% the truth.

With that being said there are two parts of the Word. The reading part and the living part. The Scriptures help us to understand God's heart and will for our lives and Jesus helps us living according to it through His Holy Spirit. 

If you don't read the Word, you won't understand God and you would be spiritually dead and defenseless against the tricks of the enemy. If you don't live it, you can't please God, since your faith wouldn't be complete and faith without works is dead and it's impossible to please God without faith.

We have to abide in Him and His Word to understand and live it. 

Through His Word, by beholding Jesus, we are being transformed more and more into His image.

Just as Jesus is with us everywhere and everyday of our lives, it's important that the written Word is with us everyday and everywhere too.

Only For A Moment

We are so frail
And yet in all our frailty
He loves us

"As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer." -Psalm103:15-16

Our bodies though magnificent are temporary
The strength of our youth soon fades
Then we are hooked to support systems
Our bodies are opened up to replace parts that are dysfunctional

Yet in all our weakness
We dare think that we do not need the Eternal One

 "For dust you are and to dust you will return." -Genesis 3:19

But He loves us still
And died so that one day
This tent of ours will
Be replaced by a house far more beautiful

"For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands." -2Cor.5:1

Guest Post: Walking in Obedience to His Way by Wadzanai Kaziboni

Obeying the voice of God and the guidance of the Holy Spirit is an important aspect in our daily walk with Christ. We need this continuous and unwavering communication to navigate every aspect in our lives, especially when making decisions that affect us, such as whether or not to do that degree, whether or not to take that job offer and so on. Many a time we find ourselves in situations that would not have occurred had we chosen to obey. We pay that price by making a sacrifice of another element in our life such as our joy, time and perhaps happiness. There are instances also where the voice of God in our hearts is as clear as day and yet we choose to do what we want regardless of the unconcealed guidance and direction of God. This brings me to Saul and his disobedience which he paid a dear price for. In 1 Samuel 15- God clearly instructed Saul to attack Amalek and utterly destroy it. Saul chose to use his discretion, blatantly ignoring the voice of God, by sparing the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings and the lambs and all that was good even though God had set out a clear directive which was to destroy everything.

God then said“I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.”  1 Samuel 15:11.

Does God speak the same of you?

1 Samuel 15:22

“So Samuel said: “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams.”

In response to Samuel, Saul said 1 Samuel 15:24“I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.”

We need to learn to hear more of God and less of people around us and to do things out of the fear of God as opposed to doing things because we are scared of people and their opinions no matter how important these people may be to us. It is also important to be able to discern when God is speaking to you through another person. That is why we need to pray for God to teach us to obey and help us to know when it is Him talking, to be able to recognize His voice.

2 Timothy 1:7 “For He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and of a sound mind”

This should be one of the guiding principles when discerning the voice of God.

Hebrews 5:8 “though He was a Son, yet he learned obedience by the things he suffered.” 

This is a clear illustration of one of the ways on which obedience is learned. Sometimes choosing the path of disobedience seems like a more appealing and less rocky-route in the terrains of life. However even though it seems easier and takes less of our time and effort at first glance it costs more in the long run. The path of obedience on the other hand is not an easy one, because it is not that we follow in our own strength therefore we need to ask God to teach us to obey Him and enable us to obey Him. This path is worthwhile because God is our Father and He loves us and has our best interests at heart.

Matthew 7:11 ‘If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

“But when we position ourselves under the headship of Christ and learn to do what He requires of us, there is a flow of the Holy Spirit that will carry us wherever we need to go.” (Stormie Omartian- The Power of a Praying Woman).