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