Smile because He has done great things for you..

Psalms 126:2 KJV
Then was our mouth filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing: Then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them

The year is nearing to an end and everyone has gone through their ups and downs. Though our difficulties might have not been the same but we were able to survive by the grace of the Lord. Looking back on the year 2012 it’s now our time to laugh and sing because God has shielded us through the storms of the year. It wasn’t and it still isn’t easy but as long as we are still here the Lord has kept for a reason. You are still here and that means you also have something to be joyful about. No money, gold, or even silver can buy life so if we are still given a chance to live let us rejoice to our Lord.

Jehovah is still God yesterday, today and tomorrow. He has done great things and at times we don’t even notice. Have you ever crossed an accident and thought to yourself that if you had left home earlier than you did you might have also been involved in that accident? God does so many things for us and whether we take it as normal or even for granted His love doesn’t end. He does great things for us from morning till night. Imagine how many enemies would have been capable of attacking you during your sleep but nothing has happened to you because you have God around you. How blessed do you think you are? (Philippians 4:4)


S. Mlilo

Push that door open..

Revelation 3: 8 KJV
I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Try to push open all the doors you come across until one opens. These days’ people give up so easily and this is because we have little or no faith at all. It doesn’t mean that if you’ve failed today you are bound to fail tomorrow. The Lord says “He has set before us an open door, and no man can shut it” which means that whatever He has blessed us with no man can take away from us. Even though God might have opened doors for others that doesn’t mean we should lose our perseverance because ours hasn’t opened as yet.

Perseverance goes a long way. Those who persevere through the difficult and hard times will be rewarded. The word open means revealing which is making something known. We have already been blessed by the Lord. It might be currently unknown to us but in good time our Lord will reveal our blessings to us. Yes sometimes it feels like we’ve tried everything we can and nothing is happening. God’s strength is beyond our own. It’s time to include Him in our dreams and plans because His plans are beyond ours. (Hebrews 10:36)

S. Mlilo

According to His will..

Acts 18: 9-10 KJV
Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.

Everything happens according to the will of God. At the time when Apostle Paul was in Corinth he used to go into the synagogue every Sabbath to persuade and testify to the Greeks and Jews that Jesus was the Christ however they would regularly oppose and accuse him of blasphemy. As time went on He decided that he was no longer going to preach to the Jews and Greeks but he was going to preach to the Gentiles. When he took that decision he didn’t know that the Lord had already planned for him to take that route in order for him to gain many through his preaching.

We often think that circumstances that force us to take risky decision are unfair because they don’t give us any chance and choice. What we are unaware of is that the decisions that we take are taken because of the Lord’s plan. And the only time that we often realize this is later when we see the benefits of those decisions. What I love about the Lord is the assurance that He gives to us as He did to Paul when He spoke to him at night by vision saying “be not afraid”. When the Lord calls you to do what He wants you to do, don’t be afraid because He is with you. (Psalms 23:2)

S. Mlilo

The King needs a room..

Luke 2: 7 KJV
And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

God chose the children of Israel as His chosen nation because of His covenant with Abraham and since the beginning of time He had prepared for them a King that would rise among them to rule over His chosen. When the time came for the King to be born nobody had room for Him because everybody was busy minding their own business and they expected a king that would be of glitz and glamour as the other kings were. Only a few were blessed to experience that moment when King Jesus Christ the Son of God was born and the reason for that was that they had a bond with God and they waited patiently for His promise knowing that the time will come for it to be fulfilled.

Today we are still celebrating the day when the King Jesus Christ was born however what is amazing is that a lot of people still don’t have any room for Him to stay. We are too busy focusing on holidays, functions, presents and a lot more and yet we don’t have any idea of the purpose of Christ being born. Do we want to be among those who were too busy to have time for the King? or those who were blessed to experience a moment with the King? Let’s open our hearts to Him this festive season and make room for Him to stay. When He has taken place in our hearts we will know it by our deeds and character. The will be room for forgiveness, joy, peace and happiness because the King would have entered our house.

S. Mlilo

Feel it its here..

Jeremiah 15:18 KJV
Why is my pain perpetual, and my wound incurable, which refuseth to be healed? wilt thou be altogether unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?

Talking about faith and experiencing moments that really need faith is two different things. Do you know why? It is because it’s always easier said than done. There comes a time in a life of a Christian whereby they have to go through a “make it or break it” situation not because God is not there for them but because as much as we have been given to believe in Christ we have also been given to suffer for His sake. When that time comes it’s no longer about anybody else but it’s about you putting what you have heard and declared into action.

What you are going through might feel as if it’s permanent, but as long as God exists I want to tell you it’s not. Pain is meant for you to feel, as our South African soccer world cup slogan used to say "feel it it’s here" well that’s how pain is. Even if we’ve previously experienced it, and survived it through God’s grace, yet it just feels like we are facing something new every day. That is why it’s time for us to put our faith into action not by just decreeing it but by living it. Let us believe in what God’s Word tells us and trust in Him who knows our beginning and ending because with Him on our side nothing can be against us. No matter how much we are feeling it we cannot be destroyed. (Romans 8:31)

S. Mlilo

Chat Room - December Issue

December issue

Festive fever

This is the last monthly issue for the year end 2012. It is the month of December the month that is known for its festive fever. People are excited about the year finally ending and some of them are preparing to spend most of their time with their friends and families. However it’s not happy moments for all of us. Many have had dreams and resolutions at the beginning of the year such as finding jobs, buying new cars, getting promotions and etc. but unfortunately none of those resolutions have been fulfilled.

This brings sadness to most people especially the youth. I can imagine the hope and dreams that have been lost. A lot of questions come up, questions such as “why me? Or where is God?” then they stop dreaming and lose their faith. What people are not aware of is that when you lose your faith things become worse than what they were. By losing your faith you are creating a distance between you and God. Once that has happened you stop believing in His word and you start questioning His authority.

There is always something positive in a difficult situation because life has its own way on turning things your way. It might not be easy reaching the top because there is no shortcut to success however by having faith in God, working hard and being patient you can reach whatever destination that you are planning to get to. We shouldn’t give up easily and we must never stop believing and dreaming.

We must always remember that God created us for a reason and we are living on this earth to fulfill that reason. God has plans for us that is why His word says “Ngokuba uma uvuma ngomlomo wakho ukuthi uJesu uyiNkosi, ukholwa enhliziyweni yakho ukuthi uNkulunkulu wamvusa kwabafileyo, uyakusindiswa” (Romas 10:9 - that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved). That’s all God wants from us: faith. God doesn’t care about what you look like and He doesn’t want your money or material but He wants you.

Our words have been blessed with the power of creation so we must use this to our advantage. When we see that things aren’t going our way we have to speak positivity unto our lives; speak happiness, wealth and all this shall come to pass. When you wake up every morning pray for blessing and bless those who are next to you. It doesn’t matter where you come from but what matters is where God wants you to be in the coming years.

It is not over until our God Jehovah says it is over, so stay blessed.

Sab’z

Under the shadow of His wings..

Psalms 36:7 KJV
How excellent is thy loving-kindness, O God! Therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of thy wings.
 
God’s love is so deep in such a way that we get to experience it even in moments where we don’t deserve to. Everyone knows his or her background and whatever we’ve gone through in life we’ve survived because of the love of God. That is why we need to ask ourselves what can we do without Him? When God puts us under the Shadow of His wings we have certainty that He is watching over us and we can do all things through Him because He gives us strength. Even if the enemy attacks He prepares us in time and enables us to face him.
 
We have shade and protection under the shadow of God’s wings. Whoever has faith in Him shall be placed under the shadow of His wings which is the only place where we can find peace. Peace that keeps us calm through every situation that we go through. Even if seasons change whether summer, winter, autumn or spring we will get through because He is watching over us. That is why we are able to walk in the valley of darkness without any fear because He is there with us and has protected us under the shadow of His wings. (Psalms 17:8)
 
S. Mlilo

 

The renewal of strength..

Isaiah 41:1 KJV
Keep silence before me, O islands; and let the people renew their strength: let them come near; then let them speak: let us come near together to judgment.

Keep silence before God even in the noisiest of situations. The storms and winds of this life are one of those noisy situations that we cannot control however we can get through because our God is with us. Noisy situations are not only heard but they can also be seen. Yes your situation might be making noise in such a way that those who are close to you have made you the talk of the town but still keep silence before your God because no situation is bigger than Him.

When one has to go into a medical operation they have to be medicated so that they do not interrupt the process. Well that’s why we have also been instructed to keep silence because while we keep silence before Him, He takes us through a renewal process. Let us go near to God and He will renew our strength. We’ve gone through ups and downs but with the experience that God has given us and the renewed strength we have been promised nothing can destroy us. Let us speak to Him and say what we are going through because He listens and replies. His judgment is never wrong because it brings light into our darkness. (Isaiah 40:31)

S. Mlilo

My redeemer..

Job 19:25 KJV

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, Yet in my flesh shall I see God.

We always come across occurrences that threaten to destroy us however they can never do so because we have a Redeemer on our side. Our Redeemer is our living God Jehovah and that is unquestionable. That is why even if we suffer we should not be troubled because He will reward us with a reward that is far greater than our sufferings. No matter what pain we are facing nothing can be compared to what God has prepared for us. Though it might feel like all is lost but still there is nothing that can stand in the way of us meeting our redeemer.

Our redeemer stands today and untill the end. All He wants us to do is to abide in Him and then we shall see Him. What joy it is going to be to know that through the sicknesses and sufferings we stood by Him till the very end. I can imagine us being rewarded with everything and even more than what we have ever wished for, just because we were faithful to God. All this comes from knowing our redeemer because once we know Him there is no reason for us to fear. You have the authority through the Son of God Jesus Christ to say to whatever suffering you are facing “I Know my redeemer”. (Romans 8:19)

S. Mlilo

Going up..

Jude 1: 24-25 KJV
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen

If it wasn’t for Him we would have fallen down by now. Each and every day we come across a lot of things that are pulling us down. Yes nobody wants to fall however we do fall and no matter how much of flapping we can do we can’t pull ourselves up because we can’t do it on our own. When we fall our lives are affected because it is difficult for us to make the right decisions. The only one solution that we have during our fall is holding on. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the only one to hold on to.

Whether you are falling physically, spiritually or emotionally Christ can pull you up. During a fall one doesn’t feel any pain except worry because you don’t know how painful your landing will be. Now what’s amazing with Christ is that you don’t even get to reach the ground because He is able to keep you from falling. This means that you will be worried but you will not feel any pain because our Lord will not allow you to reach the ground. Glory be to God who is our rescuer even in difficult times. (1 Corinthians 1:8)

S. Mlilo

I made a covenant..

Job 31:1 KJV
I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?

Through everything that Job went through he never broke his covenants. This teaches us that when we make a pledge we need to be ready to fulfill it even through hard times. It might be easy to make a it but it takes courage and determination to fulfill it. There are a lot of situations that will not change until you make a pledge to change them. The sinner that was with Jesus Christ on the cross decided it was time for change that is why he was brave enough to make a pledge with His Lord. Making a pledge requires only you and your heart.

Yes you might have gotten used to committing whatever sin that you are committing but now it is time to make a pledge and change your future. Don’t let sin rule over you. If your eyes, habits, thoughts or even your body has become a distraction between you and your God, marriage, work, faith and any relationship it’s time to make a pledge to change. We serve a mighty God Jehovah who knows our desires. If we truly want to change all we need to do is to ask Him for His wisdom through His Son Jesus Christ. Take a stand and make a pledge with God. (Mark 16: 17)

S. Mlilo

Our first love..

Revelation 2: 3-4 KJV

and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

There is no stage in love that can match up to the first phase of it. It is where you find all the commitment, trust, patience, effort and plans for the future not to mention the joy it brings. When the feeling of first love is no more the actions that are going to be performed will be done because it has become a habit and not out of love. That is why God says He is against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. If we lose our first love for God we lose our interest and commitment to His commandments; we forget the impact that He had in our lives; we start having faith in our own will and most of all we no longer fear Him.

Yes we might have been faithful and trustworthy in the beginning when we first knew Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior however if we no longer have our first love for Him all our work and efforts no longer count because our actions are no longer motivated by love but by habit. Like a vehicle that cannot run without being maintained love is the same. We are responsible for maintaining our relationship and commitment to God. As much as God shows us His mercy each and every day we also have responsibility to give Him all the praise and glory through our faith every day. (Hebrew 10: 38)

S. Mlilo

Those who belong to Christ..

Galatians 5:24 KJV
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires.

Those who belong to the Lord Christ Jesus have to be distinct from those who are non-believers. If you repent and become a follower of Christ you no longer engage in immoral worldly activities instead you live for God because the sinful nature that you once had has been crucified with its passions and desires. It is not something that you can do on your own however you need the Lord's touch in order for you to overcome this battle between the flesh and the Holy spirit.

The decisions that you take, the thoughts that run through your mind and the things that you love the most have an impact in the outcome of this battle. As much as you cannot be in two places at once, you cannot worship two gods at the same time. If you call yourself a believer and yet you follow the desires of the flesh this means that you are denying that the Lord Jesus Christ died on the cross and was risen from the dead in order for your sins to be forgiven. (Colossians 3:1-2)

S. Mlilo

Born to be..

Jeremiah 1:4-5 KJV
Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

Nobody came to this world by mistake and nobody came to this world empty handed. Before you came forth God already had plans for you. He knows what youshould be and where you are supposed to be. Sometimes we fall out of God’s plan because of our own desires and lusts but through His mercy He has His own way of returning us to it. Nowadays many of us are searching for our purpose in life, but the problem is we are searching in the wrong places. The only way we can discover our purpose is through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our God Jehovah blessedus even before we were formed. Now because the devil knows that God has prepared blessings for us hetries by all means to turn our focus away from God’s will, so that instead of receiving these blessings we might receive curses. Well satan will not prevail because none of his attempts can take us away from God’s plan. We might think that we are not ready to be part of His plan but we should remember that our God doesn’t give us anything that we cannot handle. If we were born to be we shall be. (Jeremiah 29:11)

S. Mlilo

 

God makes it possible..

Ezekiel 37: 3-4
And he said unto me, Son of man, can these bones live? And I answered, O Lord GOD, thou knowest. Again he said unto me, Prophesy upon these bones, and say unto them, O ye dry bones, hear the word of the LORD

Our God Jehovah knows everything. He knows what can and cannot happen that is why what is impossible to men is possible to God. As a man of God Ezekiel knew that all things are possible through God that is why his answer to Him was “O Lord God, thou knowest”. When Ezekiel spoke these words he was in a midst of the valley which was full of bones maybe he was confused because he was lead to a lifeless place which he had never been to before but he had faith because God was there with him.

When God placed Ezekiel he had a purpose and this purpose was for him to prophesy upon the dry bones and say to them “hear the word of the Lord”. I can imagine that speaking life into the dry bones was a tough task for him but through God it was possible. Maybe he didn’t know why God chose him but because God knows why he chose him all he needed to do was to rely on his faith. God knows why you are where you are and he knows where you are supposed to be. It might be confusing at the current moment but have faith in God and you will prevail. (Mathew 19:26)

S. Mlilo

Breaking the walls..

Joshua 6:20 KJV
So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.

Have you ever felt like you’re surrounded by walls and your life is on a standstill because you cannot move forward or backwards?  Well at times that’s how life’s challenges make us feel. You feel like you’re all alone and nobody else understands what you’re going through. Sometimes your even bounded by walls that have been created by pride, regret, grudges, lack or hate but God is able to demolish those walls for you.

Those who shouted that “the wall fell down flat” were shouting out of joy because they saw God’s power working for them. Instead of being in denial and thinking that nobody can help you it’s time to hand over your situation to God. Demolishing those walls around you means a way forward and a new beginning for you like those men who went straight up into the city, you too can open new doors for yourself through God’s power.  (Psalms 18:29)

S. Mlilo

Gods exceeding magnification..

I Chronicles 29:25 KJV
And the LORD magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.

King Solomon didn’t magnify himself but it was the Lord who magnified him exceedingly. When God magnifies you He does it exceedingly so that people can see the evidence of His works in your life. You may have come from a small family or background where no one expected that someone from that place or background would one day amount to anything but through God’s hand today He has touched you and has magnified you exceedingly. Even though we don’t go through the same magnification process nevertheless those who abide in Him are bound to be magnified.

The main reason for us to be magnified is to do God’s works and bring glory to His name. That is why you are where you are because God has to touch other people through you.  No one can remove what God has bestowed upon you; hence it is your responsibility to hold fast to what He has given you. Those who have been magnified by God know the value of this magnification because it is not from their own good works but it is by God’s grace. As much as God has gracefully blessed you he can just as easily take it away from you, when you lean on your own understanding instead of trusting in Him. (Deuteronomy 28:1)

S. Mlilo

I have arrived..

Deuteronomy 26:3 KJV
And thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days, and say unto him, I profess this day unto the LORD thy God, that I am come unto the country which the LORD sware unto our fathers for to give us.

Our God is not a God of empty promises. He is a God who takes you from your departure and carries you until you arrive at your destination. Off course the road isn’t always smooth but the final results are what’s most important. Today you can also profess this day unto the Lord and say I have arrived because today, my kids have grown up even though we had to go through difficult circumstances. I have arrived even though there were tough times at home yet today I have my own family and I have forgiven those that didn’t treat me well.

Conquering and being victorious under any circumstance of life means you have reached the destination of that journey. It was not through your own power but by the power of God that you have arrived. If you were previously a sinner like most of us were and today you worship the Almighty God just that alone means you’ve arrived. If you were previously addicted not because you wanted to be but because of your circumstances and then today you can say I’ve quit whatever addiction that I had that means you have arrived. Remember climbing only one mountain doesn’t mean that the journey is over yet but it shows you the power and strength of your God so that when you climb the next one you won’t forget what He has done in the past and what He can do for you in the future. If you’re still fighting and you haven’t arrived yet don’t lose hope because your destination is not far off. (Psalms 27: 2-3)

S. Mlilo

Fear not..

II Kings 6: 15-16 KJV
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.

Most of the time when we wake up in morning even if we slept with worries we wake up fresh and ready to begin a new day because God created sleep to serve as a temporary comfort from our worries. Now imagine waking up to find out that there is a crowd of your enemies that is waiting outside of your doorstep to attack you. Well that’s what happened to Elisha and his servant. Unfortunately for us there is no right time or place for our enemy to attack. The devil uses every opportunity that he gets because he wants to attack when we least expect him too.

Elisha’s servant was afraid because of what he saw and he rushed back to inform his master of what was awaiting them. Obviously the servant had already lost the battle before it even began because we lose most of our battles just from our thoughts and fears. What Elisha’s servant forgot was that his master was serving a faithful God who gives hope, prosperity, power and everything else. That is why Elisha’s words were “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them”. Even today if you are serving the one and the only true God I say to you “Fear not” because we have the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit and Gods army behind us. Fear not if you have abided in the Lord because you will come out victorious. (Deuteronomy 20: 3-4)

S. Mlilo

What would you ask for..

James 4:3 KJV
Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.

Through prayer we are given an opportunity to ask from God and to let Him know our requests. The problem is that we take this opportunity for granted. Instead of using it to ask for things that would be sensible and necessary to us we ask for things that will fulfill our envies and desires. Well God doesn’t give us what we shouldn’t have.  God knows the outcome and the results of every situation. If whatever we are asking for will destroy us then God will not give it to us.

As much as a parent would not give their own children anything harmful that’s how God is towards His own. If we could only accept that God is beyond our own intelligence, abilities, strength and being then we would surrender everything to Him. Why should we waist our requests on things that will not last us for a lifetime and things that are for the worldly boasting rather than ask for what would be necessary for our own survival. Like David who asked to dwell in the house of God. (Psalms 27:14)  

S. Mlilo

November Issue

NOVEMBER ISSUE

 

We often see people being successful at what they do, happy and glowing, growing in every way, getting promotions, getting married and achieving more in life. Then we ask ourselves how do they do it? and why not me? The fact is we all receive blessings but they are not the same blessings. Today I want to help you see how you can also attain your blessings from God.

 

 

Life

·         Put God first in everything and anything you think, say and do.

·         Allow God to heal you from your past experiences.

·         Pray for survival through the best and worst times.

·         When you wake up alive thank God for it.

·         If you know God you will always be happy so be happy at all times.

 

Personally

·         Don’t compare your life to others, you have no idea what their journey is all about.

·         Don’t overdo but keep limits.

·         Dream more and make the most of your time.

·         Life is too short to waste time hating anyone so don’t hate others.

·         Realize that life is a lesson and problems are simply a part of the curriculum. You have to go through them in order for you to pass.

 

Community

·         Each day give something good to others.

·         Forgive everyone for everything .

·         What other people think of you is none of your business.

·         Try to make at least three people smile each day.

·         Your job will not take care of you when you are sick, your family and friend will. Stay in touch.

 

Sab’z

 

The next phase..

I Samuel 3: 19
And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.

How nice is it to grow alongside God and in the Holy Spirit. God’s journey doesn’t just end off by saying yes I am a believer and that’s it but its journey of growth and fruitfulness in the Lord’s work. There are a lot of things that can help a person to grow in the Holy Spirit and in faith be it the experiences that one comes across or even the challenges that one overcomes through God. God wants us to grow that is why His word says “whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.

God wants us to grow in faith and in the fruits and works of the Spirit that He has given us through our Lord Jesus Christ. In order to move forward one needs grow. You cannot reach the best of your abilities unless you strive for growth. Growth and change does not mean we should live behind whatever we have gathered over the years but it merely means that we should increase from whatever we have. God leads us to greener pastures and in order for Him to do so we have to move from one phase to the next. Let us grow in the Holy Spirit. (Colossians 1:10)

S. Mlilo

God has spoken..

Ezekiel 33: 5 KJV
He heard the sound of the trumpet, and took not warning; his blood shall be upon him. But he that taketh warning shall deliver his soul.

How many warnings have you received from God and yet you have ignored them? Warnings are there to warn us of what is approaching us ahead and not only that but they are there to teach us about the rules and regulations of the road. When God warns us it is because of His love for us. He has given each and every one of us a conscience that gives a signal as soon as we take the wrong direction but the problem is we don’t take note of it.

In most cases that’s what happens; the most important things are ignored. There are a lot of things that make us ignore God’s commandments. It can be the joys of this world; our everyday concerns and worries and even our friends and families. That is why when Satan tempted our Lord Jesus Christ he decided to use what He needed at that very moment. Unfortunately for Him the book of law was not removed from Jesus’s mouth and that was His only weapon against Satan. We too today have a chance to overcome whatever is on our path through listening to God’s warnings. ( Deuteronomy 28:2)

S. Mlilo

I know who I serve

II Timothy 1:12 KJV

For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Knowing the one that you believe in is different from the time when you only heard about Him. When you know God you develop a steadfast relationship with Him. A great relationship has to have love, faith and trust and in God you will find all of these. God is faithful and when you know Him you are certain that He will never leave you nor forsake you. “I know who I serve” these are words of faith that acknowledge God’s power in our weakest conditions.

“I know who I serve” these are words that upset the devil because when you say them you are proclaiming your unquestionable faith in God. It’s not only about saying them but it’s about living and practicing them. We shouldn’t only know God when life is good and we are receiving abundant blessings but we should know God even in the most of heartbreaking situations. “What a Mighty God we serve” because He is He and there is no other accept for Him. (Psalms 24:8)

S. Mlilo

 

 

Are you honest enough..

I Corinthians 13:7
Now I pray to God that ye do no evil; not that we should appear approved, but that ye should do that which is honest, though we be as reprobates.

Honesty begins by you being true to yourself. Being honest makes room for change, because the Lord can only forgive us if we truly confess our sins to Him. Sometimes you find that people lie about who they are and where they come from because they are ashamed of themselves. They want to fit into a particular class and the only way to do that is by lying about their past. Lying about your life can work temporarily but unfortunately the truth catches up with all of us eventually.

The world has to see honesty in us. The only way that a sinner can repent is by prayerfully being honest and true even about the wrong things in his life, and only then can he change and accept Jesus Christ as his Savior. If there is no difference between the good and bad then it  is no use repenting, because the believer is not sincere about changing and is still living the same dishonest life. Jesus Christ is being denied by the world today because His followers are conforming to the standards of this world. Let us renew our minds and live an honest and godly life in order for the world to see His light shine through us. (Romans 12:2)

S. Mlilo

Who can listen..

Jeremiah 6:10 KJV
To whom shall I speak, and give warning, that they may hear? behold, their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot hearken: behold, the word of the LORD is unto them a reproach; they have no delight in it.

Listening is one of the most important elements of communication because it is the only way that enables one to receive the massage that is being conveyed to them. Imagine if we all could not hear, there would be a lot more of accidents, miscommunication and chaos caused by lack of hearing. The same thing is happening today. If we don’t listen to God’s directions we end up being lost. Lord Jesus said He is the way; truth and life. So in order for us to reach God’s destination we need to be able to be in tuned to God’s word

Listening is not hearing what you want to hear but it is hearing the massage of the communicator. If Lord Jesus Christ can be obeyed by the wind and the sea, so why is it difficult for man to hear Him? It is because we want to see before we can hear. Faith believes without seeing because “we do not walk by sight but by faith”. It’s funny how we want God to hear us but we don’t want to hear Him. God speaks in order for Him to guide us and this is not for His own benefit but ours. Let God be your guide, you can never go wrong. (Revelations 2:29)

S. Mlilo

Cry out to the Lord..

I Samuel 1:13 KJV
Now Hannah, she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard: therefore Eli thought she had been drunken.

When our hearts are heavy we pray not so that people should hear us, but rather we are having a conversation with God. We pray because we are pouring out our hearts to Him as He is our only solution to all matters that we are facing. There are times where words cannot express how you feel and all you want to do is just to cry out to Him. Don’t be afraid to do so. God listens to what comes from inside even though the lips can lie to Him but the heart never lies.

Eli thought Hannah was drunk as he saw her praying and in most cases that’s what we people do. We judge according to what we see on the outside rather than what is in the inside. Only God can see what is inside that is why we are not allowed to judge one another. So many times we walk and talk to people who are deeply hurting and are crying out for help but we are unable to help them in our power and all we can do for them is pray for them. There are no right words for prayer but saying what you truly feel. (I Corinthians 2:11)
S. Mlilo

I cannot change Gods will..

Malachi 3:6 KJV
For I am the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

I cannot change God’s will regardless of my situation or circumstances, I just can’t. If God’s will was that Jesus Christ should die on the cross in order for me to be saved then His will is unchanged because my savior Jesus Christ did die for me on the cross. If it is His will that I should go into deep waters and fire then coming out of them will still be part of His will.

Like weather that takes its course and nothing can be done by anyone to change it God's will is similar. If God says let it be done then who am I to question His instructions. “Let your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” doesn’t mean that His will should always favor me but what it means is that I should live by God’s plan and instructions while I’m still here on earth. Where there is a problem He is my solution and where there is an obstacle he is my strength. (Matthew 6:10)

S. Mlilo

Treasure's of this world..

Mathew 16:19 KJV
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal

The way people worry about the treasures of this world, you would swear that they don’t know that we brought nothing into this world and so we can take nothing out of it. The love of these things creates obsession to an extent that some people end up worshipping them as gods. When I speak of "worshipping them" I mean that nothing else matters to people accept for these treasures and they only live to buy and own them. Yes we do use them as they were created to serve their specific purposes but they were not created for people to worship them.

There is no treasure that can match up to having Jesus in your life. He paid a high price for you and I and he took away our sins. What’s interesting is that when Jesus is in your life whatever happens to you, you have a comforter that never sleeps day or night. We cannot run away from thieves as they are also workers of the devil but what we should learn is to let go because when we lose our possessions God gives us better ones. There are greater treasures in heaven than the treasures of this world so let us lay up for us treasures in heaven. (Hebrews 10: 34)

S. Mlilo

The devil's weapon..

Deuteronomy 20:8 KJV
And the officers shall speak further unto the people, and they shall say, What man is there that is fearful and fainthearted? let him go and return unto his house, lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart

God’s children are fighting a battle against the deceptions and temptations of the devil and because of fear not everyone can make it to the battlefield. We must know that we have been given authority to trample snakes, scorpions and to overcome the power of the enemy and so nothing will harm us. We walk confidently with our God because He is our courage and as well as our strength. If we give fear a chance to rule over our lives we might not even fulfill God’s purpose for our lives.

Fear is one of the enemy’s weapons especially when it occurs while you have to do God’s will. Fear makes you tolerate even the things that shouldn’t be tolerated because it doesn’t allow you to voice out your concerns. You end up being imprisoned by your own feelings of hurt and worry because you’re afraid to speak out. Don’t let fear rule over you because God has assured us that we should not fear for He is with us. (II Thimothy 1:7)

S. Mlilo

Yersteday's Promise and today's Fulfilment..

Titus 1:2 KJV
in hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began

So many things have happened to your life. Things that should have ruined you by now but they haven’t because the God you serve is not the God of lies but the God of truth and light. If our God was a liar then our King Jesus Christ wouldn’t have risen from the dead to reconcile God to His people. From the very beginning of His creation His word has not changed. Though circumstances might change but Gods promises haven’t changed. He promised us triumph over our difficulties and even today in the name of Jesus Christ we overcome.

When you look at your situation today don’t just look at it with your normal eyes but look at it the way God would and believe in His promises because with God you will never go wrong. He is a God that fulfills His promises. If He was able to bring things into pass yesterday then what has changed today? Remember that even when things aren’t going your way, God is still in control. Just wait for Him to show you that He can do things, and even though you may not know where He is leading you right now, do not be concerned because eventually you will realize what He was doing. Hold on to His promise and take Him at His word. (II Timothy 1:9)


S. Mlilo

Take a breather..

Psalms 37:7 KJV
Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: Fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass

You have run the daily race of your life on your own but now it’s time to take a breather and rest yourself in the Lord. Forget about all the worries and tensions that have been surrounding you since the beginning of your time and remember the promises and assurances that you have been given by the Lord your God. The guarantees that you have will make it easy for you to wait patiently without any hesitations because you know that He keeps His promises.

Don’t trouble yourself about those who are prospering before you because your time is not here yet. Don’t wish that you were somebody else because you don’t know how that person got towhere he is. Wait patiently for the Lord to do His will because He is the Lord of all things. It is not by mistake that you are where you are but it is because the Lord wants you to be there in order for Him to prove to the world that He can change lives. (Ecclesiastes 10:4)

S. Mlilo

Right problem but wrong solution..

Job 15:9-10 KJV
What knowest thou, that we know not? What understandest thou, which is not in us? With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, Much elder than thy father.

Have you notice how most of the times when things aren’t going well and you need advice, you happen to get the wrong advice and the wrong answers? In most cases those answers mislead you and may even turn you against the will of God. When King Jesus was tempted by Satan the word shows that Satan also provided Him with an easy way out. That is why at all times we should be careful whom we take advice from and what advice we take.

If we lack wisdom all we need to do is ask God for it, because if we lean on our own understanding things could go wrong. It might be that people think they know better than you do or that things have been done a certain way in the past by previous generations, however if it is against God’s instruction then we will not get the right solution. Only God is able to give you proper answers and solutions. You need to pray before giving and even receiving advice. Ask God to lead you to do what is right. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

S. Mlilo

Jesus washed away our sins..

Ephesians 5: 25-26

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

 

In order for anything to be cleansed it first has to be dirty. Well that’s how everyone was before they accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. Through God’s undeserved mercy we have been sanctified and cleansed from all our sins. When you are cleansed you are made pure. From all the hurt that you previously had to the grudges that ruled your heart they will all be washed away by the grace of God.

 

Being cleansed is not just washing away dirt that is visible to everyone but even the secreted place has to be washed. There are things that people do in the darkest of places where they think nobody can see them but they forget that God can see everything. That is why when you confess your sins you need to honestly tell God everything. Jesus has promised us that if we confess Him before men, He will also confess us before His Father which is in heaven. (1 Corinthians 6:11)

 

 

S. Mlilo

 

A Perfect Life..

I Timothy 6:6-7 KJV
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

When you speak of a perfect life, what comes up on people’s minds is luxuries, riches and life without any problems. Unfortunately those scenarios can only be dreamt of and also be seen on movies. In reality a perfect life is having godliness with contentment. In order to please God you have to be like Him and walk with Him. When our King Jesus Christ came to earth as flesh He did as God told Him to do and that is being like God. We as Christ’s followers should also be made perfect through Him.

Who cannot be content when they know that their needs are taken care of and that every situation that they face is a lesson for them. Even if you don’t or you do have the riches of this world when you’re content you’re just satisfied with what you have. You will not covet anything of your neighbor because God is your provider. No matter what size or number of things that you have there is no gain that can measure to being content and made perfect in God. (Romans 11:36)

S. Mlilo

We live to receive and accept..

Job 2: 10 KJV
But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all this did not Job sin with his lips.

We live to receive and accept even if we feel that we don’t deserve what is happening to us, however we have to accept it. We don’t live our lives by our own will but by God’s will, Because our wants change every day If we lived by our own will, our lives, and the world around us would be a mess.

Accepting is not always easy that is why people end up stressing about their situation, the result then isunnecessary sickness. God is our creator and He needs for us to rely on Him and not on our own capabilities. Through our Lord Jesus Christ we have been given an opportunity to ask for anything in His name and we will receive, but that doesn’t mean we won’t have any trials and tests. We can ask for strength or even wisdom however we must remember that God won’t allow you to have anything that you won’t be able to handle. (I Corinthians 10:13)

S.Mlilo

God says and God does..

Psalms 105: 42-43 KJV
For he remembered his holy promise, And Abraham his servant. And he brought forth his people with joy, And his chosen with gladness.

“God is not a man that He should lie” what God says, God does. He did say to Abraham beforehand that ”Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not their's, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years” and surely that’s what happened to the children of Israel. And then after that He promised them salvation and that’s what He gave them.

Whatever comes out of God’s mouth is pure and true so that is why we have to hold on to His promises. One of His promises is that He will not leave us nor forsake us. Let us hold on to Gods promises no matter what the circumstances are. If we become His children He will be our God through thick and thin. Even though our paths might be rough but our ending will be a joyous one.

S. Mlilo

Thanksgiving that's all..

Psalms 50: 12-14 KJV

If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: For the world is mine, and the fulness thereof. Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats? Offer unto God thanksgiving; And pay thy vows unto the most High.

There is no offering that can compare to giving thanks to God. Everything that we do we should do to glorify His name. God doesn’t care about our wealth because it comes from Him but what He cares about is our love and obedience. In so many instances we worry about the things that involve God but what’s amazing is that we don’t worry about God himself. For example when one hasn’t paid their tithing’s they stress out but when they disobey God it doesn’t make any difference to them.



God wants you to offer to Him thanksgiving so that the world can see His Glory. Fulfill your promises to Him and He will answer you in the day of your troubles. Don’t do things for God because you want to be seen and praised by the world but do them because it comes from your heart. Our God never forgets and He recalls our deeds. Let us give thanks to our Lord for all the great things that He has done for us.(I Timothy 2: 1)



S. Mlilo

October - Chat room

In our last issue we spoke about praying, giving God time, thanking and worshipingHis name. Today I want us to see how a child of God lives and stays blessed. I believe that we all want to be labelled as God’s children but the truth is that not all of us are His children and this is because of our sinful ways. The bible says “The beginning of wisdom is to fear God” do you fear God? You should fear God because He is our creator and because of His love for us He sent His only begotten son to die for us in order for Him to cleanse us from our sins. What we forget is that God spoke the world into being and if He was able to do that imagine what more He can do for us.We were made in his image so that we can resemble His work so If we can take that into consideration it would be easier for us to understand that in order for one to survive you need God in your life.

As children of God we have limits and so that is why we should live according to Gods commandments. We should have a relationship with him so thatwe can be close to him. If He is with us we also have the power to speak things into existence. Even though we cannot speak suns, moons and stars into existence because His ways are higher than ours but we can speak peace, joy and happiness into our lives. Our words can lead us to peace and that is why we as children of God need to think before we speak and allow God to give us self-control.

As young people we face temptations and we can overcome because God says “your words have creative power”. We should be aware that whatever words that come out of our mouths whether good or bad they have the power to bring things into pass. The scripture says you shall eat the fruits of your words this means you will get whatever you say! Start each day by saying positive things and by blessing yourself and others with positive words.

Sabz

From nothing to something..

Hebrews 11: 3 KJV
Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Things that are seen came from things that were not seen that’s how God created the heavens and earth. Faith functions the very same way through faith we are able to receive our needs and desires from nothing because God works where there is nothing to work from. Where there is an empty space God fills in the gap and where there is a need God provides.

When we pray we should ask for what we need instead of asking for what we already have because “faith is substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things that are not seen”. The Word of God has evidence of the miracles that have happened through faiththerefore we should not walk by sight but rather walk by faith. Things can only happen for us if we believe, and not because we’ve seen, but because we have aGod who is for us. (Mark 11:24)

S. Mlilo

He has heard..

Acts 7: 34 KJV
I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people which is in Egypt, and I have heard their groaning, and am come down to deliver them. And now come, I will send thee into Egypt.

God has seen your suffering and he has heard you’re groaning now he will come to deliver you as He delivered the children of Israel from Egypt. When we are going through pain and suffering, questions such as, “Where is God? come up because we expect Him to protect us from harm and danger so that nothing bad happens to us. Well God hasn’t left you and He is still with you.

If there wasn’t any suffering we wouldn’t see His deliverance. If we didn’t go through the fire and deep waters we wouldn’t know that He is with us. “I have seen” that’s what God says and “I will deliver” so it means that He is able to feel His children’s pain and respond with an answer to their problems because He is a God that can listen and answer us.

S. Mlilo

Glory be to God..

Jeremiah 20: 10 KJV
For I heard the defaming of many, fear on every side. Report, say they, and we will report it. All my familiars watched for my halting, saying, Peradventure he will be enticed, and we shall prevail against him, and we shall take our revenge on him.

If the world does not wish to see you succeed in whatever good that you are doing you should remember that you are not living to please it but you are living to please God. When you live to please God you walk by His guidance and you do not copy nor conform to the standards of this world. There are times when you will stumble and your enemies will watch in anticipation, thinking that you have been overpowered by obstacles, yet at that very moment that’s when God’s Almighty’s hand touches you.

When God is with you no one can be against you because He is a God that does not want you to fight because He fights for you and He protects you when nobody else can. When you’re insulted because of God’s name and His good works be joyful. Let nothing stand in your way to do good so that all the Glory and honor goes to Him. (Mark 8: 36)


S.Mlilo

I will not take away my integrity from me..

Job 27: 5 KJV

God forbid that I should justify you: Till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me.

These words were spoken by Job at a time of pain, hurt and confusion. Nothing can measure to the pain of losing the ones that you love. Imagine while grieving for your loss and then all of a sudden someone comes and brings you more bad news about your possessions and wealth. Well that’s what happened to Job in an instant.

At that moment a lot of us would have taken the wrong decisions because when confusion takes place you don’t think about the consequences but you just act on what your heart tells you. Now the words spoken by Job proved that “the beginning of wisdom is to fear God” because regardless of the things that were going wrong in his life Job was going stay faithful to God and he wasn’t going to take away his integrity. Our integrity comes from God that means if we remove God from our lives we are also taking away that integrity. Nothing can take away your integrity from you accept for you. (Romans 8: 35)

S. Mlilo

Take care of your blessings..

I Timothy 3:5 KJV
For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?

The way you handle your personal affairs determines how you will handle God’s blessings. God wants us to live a Holy life not only on special days or on special occasions but daily. When we call ourselves children of God it means we have to live a life that will please our father in heaven and that is why when we pray we say “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.

Whatever we have comes from God. Your children, wife, work, and job are blessings which have to be taken care of. Don’t take anything for granted because what you have today, you might lose tomorrow. If you’re blessed take good care of your blessings because blessings come with responsibility. If it is difficult for you to to look after your blessings ask God for wisdom and he will provide you withit. Colossians 2: 3

S. Mlilo

Let the battle begin..

I Thessalonians 5:6
Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober

You can never confirm what is going to happen next in your life. One minute good things might be happening to you and then suddenly terrible things which you had never thought would take place, that’s because life on this earth is a like being on a battle field and unpredictable. A soldier that knows that he is in battle always carries a weapon around so that when the enemy attacks he can be able to protect himself and also fight back. Well our weapon is the word of God.

For us not to be found off-guard we need to wake up and be sober. You don’t prepare for battle only when it knocks on your doorstep you have to have ample so that when the battle takes place you have enough amour. Until our Lord Jesus Christ returns to finish off the battle with Satan let us know that there is no time to neither rest nor sleep. Let us come out of our comfort zone and prepare ourselves for whatever is coming our way.

S. Mlilo

The original plan..

Psalms 23: 3 KJV
He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

When things fall apart God is our only hope because he is our restorer. Even if it is your self-worth, finances, marriage, work, studies and family God can still restore everything back to its original form or even better than before. God won't allow us to suffer regardless of the reason of our break down and He knows how much we can and cannot handle because He is our God.

When the restoration takes place it doesn't just happen with a snap of a finger however it is a process. Whatever has been broken has to be repaired be it your love, confidence and reason for living. He will then remove all the unwanted matters these can range from the pain, anger and hate.  So if we are being restored let us allow our restorer to take His place and do His will because that is the only way we can go back to His original plan for our lives.

S. Mlilo

The fall and rise..

Luke 22: 31-32
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.

Satan wants to have God's children so that he can use them against Him. That is why he try's by all means to tempt us and to weaken our faith because he wants us to shift away from God's path. What he is forgetting is that "if God is with us, then no one can be against us" and that we have the Lord Jesus Christ on our side. Even though we might be sifted as wheat by Satan but Jesus is assuring us that he has prayed for us so that our faith will not fail.

What's interesting is that sometimes we have to fall into and rise out of Satan's trap in order for our fellow brothers and sisters to learn from our mistakes. Jesus knew that apostle Peter was also going to go through the same situation and that is why he said "when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren".  So we shouldn't concentrate too much on our faluires but we should concentrate on how we are going to rise up . (Proverbs 24:14)

S. Mlilo

Needs verses wants..

I Kings 3: 11-12 KJV
And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee

Thinking only of our immediate wants make us ask God for things that areunnecessary, rather than asking Him for things that we truly need.  If your heart desires man made things then you must know that those things have a short life span and they were created to serve man’s purpose rather than God’s. Don’t get me wrong we do have tangibles and we do use them however that shouldn’t make us put our whole heartson them or even worship them

Some people see themselves as worthlesswithout money and cars and what is even worse is that there are people who thinkthey cannot live without certain worldly possessionswhich is not true. God is our creator and our provider that is why we should seek firs His kingdom in order for us to receive His blessings. Jesus said “I give unto you: not as the world giveth” because God gives to us according to His will. (Luke 12: 29-31. So remember “what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and loses his soul”.

S. Mlilo

The devil's temptations..

James 1:13 KJV
Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

Many of us usually think that temptations and tests are the same but this is not so. Temptations are traps and usually they are used by the devil when he deceives the children of God to sin against God. And then tests are incidences that are used by God to examine your faith in Him and to grow and increase it as well. That is why when we pray to God we ask Him to “lead us not into temptation” because when we are tempted he makes a way for us to escape our temptations.

Temptations come in different forms and in different parts of your life. Mostly temptations come by means of your weaknesses because every enemy attacks their opposition through their weakness. In order for us to protect ourselves we need to put on the amour of God at all times so that we know that we are always prepared to face the devil and his temptations. (I Corinthians 10:13)


S. Mlilo  

Submit yourselves therefore to God..

James 4: 7 KJV
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

When everything in your life is going well there comes a point in time whereby you think that you don’t need anyone to depend on anymore since everything is ok and that you are able to survive on your own because you’ve made it to the top. Well regardless of any position that you occupy in life we were not created to rely on ourselves.

One excellent example that shows us that God is our source of living and we need to depend on Him is the air that we breathe. We cannot see air nor touch it but we can feel it. Our God works alike because we cannot see Him nor touch Him but we can feel His presents and we can see His works. We were created in His image so that we may be like Him therefore let us not be thinking big of ourselves but let us submit ourselves to God. (1 Peter 5:6)

S. Mlilo

That shouldnt stop you..

Exodus 7: 4 KJV
But Pharaoh shall not hearken unto you, that I may lay my hand upon Egypt, and bring forth mine armies, and my people the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments

God knows the ending of every situation hence that is why He prepares us in advance. Even though He knows what is going to happen beforehand but He works with what I call the “shouldn’t stop you approach”. In Moses case He knew that pharaoh was not going to listen to Moses but He sent him anyway because pharaoh’s ignorance wasn’t going to stop Moses from fulfilling God’s instruction.

God prepares us in advance for the situations that we are facing even today and in order for us to succeed we need to adapt to the “shouldn’t stop you approach”. So even if you are going through troubles, temptations, trials and tribulations they shouldn’t stop you from acting on God’s instructions. He knows the future and whatyou are going to face. AllHe asks is that when you are taken down you should get back up until you succeed because nothing can stop you ifyou rely completely on Him. (Luke 10:19)

S. Mlilo

We have been taught to endure..

Hebrews 12: 3 KJV
For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

The thought of what our Lord Jesus Christ went through in order for us to be saved just shames me. He was denied by His brothers, nation and even some of His disciples but He still endured because He knew that He had to fulfill His father’s purpose. Well He did accomplish it and even today people are still denying that He is our King and savior.

Our Lord Jesus Christ has set an example for us to follow.Even though people might not believe in you,if God is with you, you will endure and in the endsucceed. Jesus Christ has been crowned by God as the King of heaven and earth and allthe people of this world will bow down to Him who died, so that if they accept Him they will live.(Philippians 2: 10)

S. Mlilo

I will make thy name great..

Genesis 12:2 KJV
and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:

The good works that you do for God are the ones that give you a great name to both God and His people. Nowadays peoplemake a name for themselves by evil deeds, just remember that evil is always terrified of good because good defeats evil.  God is aware ofevery little deed that is being done to glorify His name, that is why we do good works. We don’t dogood works because we want the world to give us recognitionbut that our Almighty God should be glorified.

How beautiful is it when God gives you a great name. Those who have been named by God are never forgotten and their names willnever be erased. The good works of God also produce blessings and prosperity. We need great names that will inspire those that follow to do good works. Don’t take for granted whatever little good thing that you do because the little difference you make has an impact on God’s bigger picture. (Galatians 6:9)

S. Mlilo

Confession time..

Genesis 44: 16 KJV
And Judah said, What shall we say unto my lord? what shall we speak? or how shall we clear ourselves? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are my lord's servants, both we, and he also with whom the cup is found

Nothing can be hidden from our God. You can do a deed in the most hidden place of all places but our God sees it all. Doing something wrong and hiding it, is more like carrying a burden and not receiving any help from anyone because you are all alone. No matter how far you can run away from your secrete but it will always haunt you. Nothing else can help you nor heal you accept for confessing your sins.

God sent His only begotten Son our Lord Jesus Christ to die for our sins. Jesus is our only solution to our sins. All He wants us to do is to confess that we did sin and we humble ourselves before Him. He is able to heal, forgive, strengthen and restore us. The first step to correcting your mistakes is to confess and that shows that you are not proud of what you did and it opens doors to new beginnings. (Mathewu 10:26)

S.Mlilo

Do not forget Gods deeds..

Proverbs 3: 1 KJV
My son, forget not my law; But let thine heart keep my commandments

It’s funny how people easily forget the good things that happen to them and can quickly remember the bad. At times we even forget the works that our Lord has done for us and when everything is going well we turn away from Him and His word. Obeying God when you’re going through hard times is not real obedience but it just means you’re using God as a tool to help you succeed and once you have accomplished your success you going to go back to disobeying His commandments.

We should learn to obey our Lord no matter what circumstances we are going through and remember the great deeds that he has done for us, which he will do again because of our faith in Him. Once we have kept His commandments in our heart s it becomes easy for us to obey His law and we will no longer need others to remind us but the Holy Spirit will be working within us. Do not forget Gods deeds. (Psalms 103:2)

S. Mlilo 

This joy..

Genesis 41:52 KJV
And Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh: For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house.

Through the suffering and prospering God is always in control. He heals the wounded, comforts those who are in distress and strengthens the weak. When you plan for your life you never plan for bad things to happen. Once you come across trials and tribulations it becomes hard for you to understand what is happening because everything was supposed to go according to plan.

Remember God is in control. His plans are beyond ours and thankfully we have been given a chance to reconcile with Him through His Son Jesus Christ. When the power of God is at work you even forget about the past experiences you have faced because it becomes as if nothing has happened. His Son Jesus Christ has left us with His joy and with this joy we are surviving. (I Thessalonians 5:16)


S. Mlilo

Take ownership..

Galatians 6:7 KJV
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

You are responsible for your own actions and the times of passing on the blame are long gone. People don’t want to take ownership of their actions instead they want to justify their deeds by blaming one another; blaming situations and even blaming God. When God gives you time on this earth He gives you responsibility over whatever you have. You are accountable for your marriage, family, work, and etc. 

The way you handle your responsibilities describes who you really are. If you treat any of your blessings recklessly you’ll receive reckless results. Take care of your household; take care of your health; take care of your wife; take care of your job and take care of your life because the day will come when there is no turning back and you can’t fix the mistakes you have made. (Luke 19: 17)

S. Mlilo

God works in His own ways..

I Samuel 23: 26-28 KJV
And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land. Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela -hammahlekoth.

God works in His own ways. There comes a time in life when you are faced with situations whereby you feel that it is the end of the road for you or maybe there is no way you are going to come out of that situation and then all of sudden when your head is down from nowhere, God steps in with a solution and that’s because He works in His own ways.

God takes charge on the last minute where you least expect any help, where all is failing and where there is no way out because He is God.  He is the beginning and the end of every situation. He knows what the source of your problem is and what you need in order for you to solve it. Everything works according to His plan and nothing happens coincidentally. He sent His only begotten Son to die for us when the world didn’t deserve His mercy because He works in His own ways. (Deuteronomy 32: 4)  

S. Mlilo

He does not sleep..

Psalm 119:67 KJV
Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy.

Pain in a person’s life can either produce a loss of hope or even a gain of strength it all depends on how we decide to take it. We go through pain in order for us to grow whether physically or emotionally. If there was no pain we wouldn’t learn from our failures and mistakes but now because we’ve felt it we won’t go back to make the same mistakes as it constantly reminds us what we went through the last time.

We need pain to remind us of God’s comfort. When things are going well we tend to forget about God; our friends and families as well as the rest of the world and only think about ourselves. Going through pain alone is not easy and in many instances it happens like the saying “when days are dark friends are few”. God does neither sleep nor slumber and He is the kind of friend that will not live you alone.  (Psalm 121:1)

S.Mlilo

The right thing..

James 4: 17 KJV
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

The word good is a similar word to right. It is doing what is supposed to be done. Everyone has good in them because the source of human beings contains good. We have a conscience that reminds us of doing good because this good comes natural to us. People were created to do good  works for instance serving the Lord is doing good.

Well bad came into existence but that doesn’t stop us from doing good. There is no feeling that feels like the one you get after you do good. If good is not done, what would this world come to be? Maybe today you were supposed to do right to somebody and you didn’t, well God is still giving you a second chance to get up and do right, to help, to ask for and give forgiveness, to assist and do lots more good wherever you can because that is what is right. (Luke 12:47)

S. Mlilo

Walking with God..

Hebrews 11:5 KJV
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

How wonderful would it be to know that you are living a life that pleases God? In many instances we live a life that pleases us, our families, friends and the world; and then we forget about God.  Walking with God is walking by faith because “without faith it is impossible to please Him”. Many of Gods children have ruled and conquered because of their faith in Him. He has created light from darkness and has called the weak, mighty because He is God. 

God has faith in His children and knows that even if the enemy might put them through temptations even if they come out scarred they will triumph because He will be with them and He will make a way for them because they are His children. Wouldn’t you love to walk with God. (Psalm 55:22)

S. Mlilo

Activating His blessings..

Matthew 6:33 KJV
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

We all start somewhere in life which shows us that the is always a starting point in everything that we do. A starting point is an activation. It means that whatever you are looking for is already there but in order to get it you need to activate it. Take for instance if you want to drive a car, you have to put the key into the ignition and then start it that's the only way you can get to drive.

Well today God is giving us an activation of His blessings. He says "seek first His kingdom and righteousness" because that is where everything starts. God is the Alpha and Omega; the beginning and end of everything so we the people of His creation should not just sit and wait for things to happen but in order to receive His blessings we have to first seek His kingdom and righteousness that's is our activation. (Proverbs 1:7)

S.Mlilo

True Life..

II Corinthians 4: 8-10 KJV
We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body

The only king who died so that His people can be given life because of His death was the King Jesus Christ. If he was able to substitute death for life it means there is nothing impossible for Him. If He is with us then nobody can be against us, regardless of being troubled on every side we will not be distressed; even if we are perplexed yet we will not be in despair because He has given us hope, and has shown us the important thing is not what we go through but the lessons that we learn from the experience.

Jesus Christ has given us life, that means no matter what we are going through we cannot be destroyed because we have been given life. Life is going through it all but surviving, and then when you look back you realize that if God wasn’t with me I wouldn’t have survived.True life is breaking all the barriers and being free; free from denial, hurt, troubles and all of the things that cast us down. Life is Jesus Christ. (I John 5:11)

S.Mlilo

His grace is sufficient for you..

II Corinthians 12:9 KJV
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. " Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.


I have often thought that the only people who needed to boast were those people who are known to be strong  because they rely solely on their own strength but then what happens when their strength runs out? or what happens when they fall? who do they turn to? Well today God says "my grace is sufficient for you". We cannot rely solely on our own strength but we can rely on Gods strength because His grace is sufficient for us.

Gods strength is made perfect in our weakness, so it means that we do need to have those times of weakness so that His power can be made perfect in those weaknesses and that the world can see His power at work. Usually when we are at our strong peaks we often think big of ourselves and forget that it is not by our own power that miracles are happening in our lives but it is by the power of God. I'd rather rely on Gods power over my own strength because in my weakness His power is made perfect. (II Corinthians 3: 5)


S. Mlilo

A blessing in disguise..

Genesis 25:33 KJV
And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob.

Often we take for granted the blessings that God has given to us because we think that we deserve to have them and maybe because we have earned them from our hard works however it is not so. Everyday someone else is crying for what you have whether you see any or no value in it. Breathing is a blessing, being able to see, to hear, to smell, to talk, to walk, to touch and the list is endless.

God blesses us so that we can use our blessings wisely to help those who don't have what we have. We don't all have the same blessings because God gives according to his Grace and plan. If you thought the reason you are living in that small shack that you are living in was because you are cursed, well your wrong and even if you thought that the parents that you have don't deserve to raise you as their child, your wrong again. Gods plan is a blessing in disguise.(Malachi 3:10)

S. Mlilo

Christ in me..

Galatians 2: 20 KJV

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

There is nothing as empty as a life that one lives without the King Jesus Christ. When I speak of empty I speak of loneliness which is an unpleasant space for one to be in. When I speak of empty I speak of lightweight which means that whatever pushes you to fall will succeed because you have no support. When I speak of empty I speak of not having any conscience which means whatever you do, you’ll do without heart and without guilt because you are empty.

It is hard going through difficulties knowing that you are empty, knowing that you have neither weapon nor any comforter who will always be there for you during whatever situation or whatever time. Well today you have a chance to know about the Christ that can live in you through good and bad days. The Christ that will never judge you or criticize you for any mistakes that you have previously made as He is a forgiving and loving Christ. I am speaking about the King Jesus the Christ that lives in me and can also live in you. (Ephesian. 3:16)

S. Mlilo

What's best for his creation..

Psalms 74: 17 KJV
Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: Thou hast made summer and winter.
 
Holy is He who is the creator of all. Take a minute and look outside of your window see all the people that are walking all over the streets, the birds that are flying in the sky, trees that are all around us and the mountains that have elevated from the earth’s surface truly God is great.
 
He has made summer and winter and it is all for the best of his creation. There are days where we wish that the weather would be hot or even wish that it would be cold however we have to remember that the only reason we don’t get that wish is because God knows what’s best for his creation. The same applies to the seasons that we go through in our lives. We sometimes wish that life would be easier, wonderful and even worry free but again God knows what’s best for his creation. Let us put our trust in Him because He is the Alpha and Omega, the God of all. (Prov. 3: 5-6)
 
S. Mlilo