This is the day of the Lord..

Hebrews 1:6
And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, "Let all God's angels worship him."

I can just imagine the greatest praise and worship taking place on heaven because God's only begotten Son was about to arrive on earth to fulfill His Father's promise. The wise man from the east were some of the few people who got to experience this joyous celebration because everybody else was distracted by the things of this world. Well even today people still substitute this given day of praise with earthly distractions. Instead of celebrating with praise and worship for example people drunk themselves of to sleep forgetting that this is the day of the Lord.

Let's not forget to praise our Lord Jesus Christ for His sacrifice. Glory be to God, Amen.

S. Mlilo
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Childlike obedience..

Matthew 1:21
"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins."

Jesus Christ a born King who traded His Godly form for human nature had a mission to save us from our sins. Throughout His mission He always had a childlike obedience. He would be thankful to God for every blessing and every miracle He would perform because He knew that God is almighty and everything that He was able to do He did through God our Father. We as His followers have to adopt this childlike obedience. We have to realize that every blessing that comes our way comes from God and we should constantly give thanks to Him.


S. Mlilo
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Change your ways..

Matthew 2:11-12
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.


If you have an encounter with the Son of God Jesus Christ you'll never go back the same way you came because He changes lives. When Jesus Christ was born the wise man from the east came to Jerusalem looking for a born King of the Jews. They used a route which passed Herod's kingdom; a kingdom of pride, jealousy and evil. After being guided to the child by God through a shining star, He warned them in a dream that they should not go back to Herod and his kingdom. As wise man they listened to God and returned to their country by another route..


S. Mlilo
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Every minute counts..

Colossians 4:5-6
"Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man."


One thing that we all can never turn back in life is time. Time is precious and needs to be cherished. Though we can never turn it back if we've somehow wasted it but we can still make up for it by changing those ways that led us to wasting it in the first place. Today the Word of God is reminding us to walk in wisdom, redeeming our time in other words if we weren't living a Christian life which is a God fearing life we can still make up for that time by changing our ways and starting a new relationship with Him. As we get closer to Him that is when we will automatically experience change taking place from our actions to our speech and way of living because He will be working within us.


S. Mlilo
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Roots of bitterness..

Hebrews 12:15
"looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;"


The plants that we plant are the ones that take time to grow because they need care and nature but the unwanted plants such as weeds just pop up from anywhere and everywhere. This is similar to human behavior it takes time for a person to learn the good deeds that they are supposed to live by but it very easy for them to learn bad habits. Let us be careful of our way of living so that we dont fall short of the grace of God.


S. Mlilo
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One on one..

Acts 9:6
"And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do."
Most of the time when we are amongst a crowd we tend to be easily influenced and usually find ourselves doing wrong only to realize it later. Apostle Paul who was once known as Saul was also a crowd pleaser before he met the Lord. He used to slaughter the disciples of Christ and because of this he was regarded as one of the greatest young warriors in the nation of Jude. Though he had his own plans to destroy the Christians however the Lord had other plans for him. On Saul's way to Damascus the Lord decided to meet with him one on one. That meeting resulted in Saul loosing his eye sight and trembling when he felt the power of God at work. He had no choice but to surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ because nothing in this world is Mightier than His power. In other words no man or army or even a situation is above our Lord Jesus Christ because he conquers all.
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God is preparing it for you..

"Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over." (Psalms 23:5).

When something is being prepared for you, you don't have control over it but whoever is preparing it for you does. It is the same with your life; when God is preparing it for you, you don't have control over it but He does. He knows what he is supposed to prepare and when He should prepare it and this is because if you had control over your life you would want to go through what you think would be best for you instead of what is the best for you. God is in control so live by His Word and let Him take His rightful place in your life.

S. Mlilo
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It all starts with you..

"Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." (Matthew 7:5).

It is very easy to point out the wrongs that we see from other people but it is very difficult to see those that we do. The lesson that we are learning today is that it all begins with you. In other words in order for you to help others you need to be able to help yourself. For example you need to love yourself before you can be able to love someone else that is why the Word of God teaches us to love our neighbor's as we love ourselves because you cannot love others while you can't even love yourself. Most recently I have learned that you even need to preach the Word of God to yourself and let it work within you before you can be able to preach it to someone else. If you don't practice what you believe others should be practicing then your no different from them.

S. Mlilo
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Defining moments..

1 Samuel 24:11
"Moreover, my father, see, yea, see the skirt of thy robe in my hand: for in that I cut off the skirt of thy robe, and killed thee not, know thou and see that there is neither evil nor transgression in mine hand, and I have not sinned against thee; yet thou huntest my soul to take it.

The way we act in difficult times defines who we really are because those times are the only time where the real us comes out. These difficult times are called defining moments because they happen anytime and anywhere without you rehearsing how you'll react. David was being hunted by Saul for so many years because of something that Saul put upon himself when he went against God's commandment. Now in this case David had an upper hand whereby he could have killed Saul but he didn't. This was David's defining moment and we all can see that truly there was no evil nor transgression in his hands. You might be facing times where you have to show that you truly have forgiveness or patience or even love stand your ground and follow God's Word and thereafter you will face your defining moment with confidence knowing that your truly a child of God.
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Made ready..

1 Kings 6:7
"And the house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building."

When king Solomon was building the house of the Lord he created certain criteria for the material that was going to be used to build it because it was not to be built just any how however it needed proper material in order for it to be fit enough to be called the house of the Lord. During the process of building every stone that was going to be used was to be made ready before it was brought inside of the house. The axes, tools and iron heard's that were making the stones ready were used outside of the house so that whatever is inside is kept clean and proper. Well we who are living on earth are very similar to the stones that were being made ready because while we are here we come across our axes, tools and hammer heard's so that when the time comes for us to be sent to God's Kingdom we can be fit enough to be called the children of God.

S. Mlilo
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Too busy

1 Kings 20:40
"And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone. And the king of Israel said unto him, So shall thy judgment be; thyself hast decided it."

A prophet of God said this parable to Ahab the king of Israel because he did not follow God's commandment instead he was caught up in his own interests. It is not easy to discover what God's purpose is for you and you can never discover it if you sit back and let things happen on their own. When you have discovered God's purpose your duty is to fulfill it regardless of your circumstances and situations. Don't let go of God's purpose because of your own interests.

S. Mlilo
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He faced what God put him up against..

Hosea 12:4
He struggled with the angel and overcame him; he wept and begged for his favor. He found him at Bethel and talked with him there.

Blessings don't come easy that is why you have to prove your worth in order for you to receive them. Jacob fought for his because he knew that he would be rewarded if he prevailed and that is what he exactly did he prevailed against all odds. Our strength comes from the Lord and if we can no longer go on, on our own we need to go back to the source of our strength.

S. Mlilo
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Because of your suffering many can be saved..

Genesis 50:20
""And Joseph said unto them, Fear not: for am I in the place of God? But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive."

If Joseph hadn't gone through the suffering that he went through many wouldn't have survived the famine that was upon Egypt. This serves as evidence that we can never determine what will take place in our lives however through faith and wisdom from God every suffering that we go through has its own fruits to bear for the good of His purpose. Usually at the time of our suffering everything seems to be going wrong but after He has given us the strength to go on only then do we realize what the purpose of these sufferings was for. Hang on and let God take His place in your life.
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Faith without fear..

Genesis 22:7-8
"And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together."

God tempted Abraham's faith by asking him to sacrifice his only beloved son as a burnt offering. When He requested this He already knew that He was going to provide a substitute for Isaac but what He needed to know from Abraham was how far his faith would take him. Abraham had faith enough to tell his son that "God will provide for himself a lamb" where God spoke nothing with regards to providing a lamb but because that's what Abraham believed that's what God gave him. "what's impossible to men is possible to God".

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In touch..

 

Daniel 10: 17-18

For how can the servant of this my lord talk with this my lord? for as for me, straightway there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me. Then there came again and touched me one like the appearance of a man, and he strengthened me.

 

Daniel was out of breath, words, and strength when he came into contact with God’s word. Even though he was in the holiest state he felt like he didn’t deserve to have an encounter with God because of God’s supremacy. In that moment of his weakness he got a chance to be in touch with God and was made strong by Him because that’s what God’s touch does to us it strengthens us during our moments of weakness and gives us courage to face our battles with confidence because we know that He is with us. Maybe this is the right time for God’s touch to strengthen you through everything that you’ve gone through you need His touch.

 

S. Mlilo

 

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inner me..

Psalms 42:5
New International Version
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.


There are lots of things that we come across that can bring our spirit down but that doesn’t mean that we should allow it to stay down. If we can win the battle against our inner self then we can approach any outward battle with confidence. Through faith the inner person is made strong hence that is why David had the courage to lift up his own spirit by reminding it that there is hope in God. Don’t allow your inner person to drag you down but lift your spirit up by praising the Lord because in Him there is comfort and  victory.

You still have a chance...

2 Peter 3: 8
But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

The God that we praise Jehovah the Lord of hosts is a loving God that is why I am confident enough to say to you today you still have a chance to change your ways. I say a day of good deeds done in His name is as a thousand years to Him because he never forgets and a thousand years of doing evil works is as a day to Him because He is quick to forgive. When you have no one else to turn to, turn to Lord because He is always there for you and when everybody else has turned against you, turn to the Lord because He loves you.

S. Mlilo

They had every reason...

Acts 16: 25-26
And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.

After Paul and Silas cast out the spirit of divination from a woman who was possessed they were charged by the magistrates and were commanded to be beaten and cast into prison. While they were in prison they had every reason to be down and discouraged because of what had happened to them but they weren’t. Instead they saw this moment of weakness as a moment to glorify and praise God. The difficulties and sufferings that we face every day shouldn’t be an excuse for us to drift away from God, but instead it should draw us nearer to Him. When we praise God in our time of hurt and need we are in fact weakening the power of the devil; as he uses those times as an opportunity to defeat us. The Lord knows our sufferings and He can those who call upon His name.

S. Mlilo

I am ready...

Acts 21:13
Then Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.

A certain prophet from Judea named Agabus met the apostles on their way to Jerusalem and prophesied that apostle Paul was going to be arrested by the Jews because of his teachings about King Jesus Christ. Paul knew that the Holy Spirit was never wrong however he had no fear because he had faith in the Lord. Through his faith he was more than willing to take on even more suffering than what the prophecy had foretold that is why he had the courage to say “I am ready”. We always have a picture of how we think and how we are told our situations are going to end and it’s not always a pretty one. But through our faith we can walk courageously ready because we know that the Lord that we serve has might and power over everything...

S. Mlilo

In the valley of the shadow of death...

Psalms 23:4
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

From the daily news broadcasts that I’ve seen on the television to the stories that I’ve read in the newspapers I’ve realised that the enemy has made life on earth very difficult for everyone. We are truly walking through the valleys of the shadows of death because of the enemy’s heavy attacks however we do not have to fear because our Lord God is with us. He has affirmed that He will not leave us nor forsake us. That is why we can go to sleep at night and wake up every day having confidence in Him because He has given us comfort and surety of his care.


S. Mlilo

You can choose how you live your life but you cannot choose what life brings to you...

Job 1:20-21
Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped and said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD

Have you ever seen how opposites attract each other? You’d imagine that a man like Job who chose to live a perfect and upright life and one that feared God, and eschewed evil was supposed to have a life filled with only good experiences however that wasn’t so because opposites attract each other. Satan was fascinated by the fact that Job was a God fearing man and he intended to prove a point to God that if God were to take away the blessings that He had blessed Job with he would no longer fear Him. Unfortunately for Satan he had gone against a man who loved God no matter what situation life could bring to him because he was rooted in faith. Don’t let any situation turn you against God but chose to live a God fearing life no matter what life brings to you.

S. Mlilo

While you are still.. God has already..

Genesis 17:17
Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?

God is always a step ahead of us. While we are concentrating on asking ourselves questions such as “how we ended up where we are?” and trying to find solutions, God has already concluded on what’s going to happen next. Abraham and Sarah were both human living on the very same earth that we are currently living on and God made the impossible possible for them because He is always a step ahead. He hears our groaning and He is faithful..

S. Mlilo

No one can take away God's shine from you..

Daniel 6: 16-17
Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

“When we are done with you no one can change what’s done”. That’s what most people think when they do wrong unto you they think that whatever damage they’ve done will be a Permanent damage. Daniel a loyal servant of God who was a preferred president above the presidents and princes, who were set over the kingdoms of king Darius, attained this position because an excellent spirit was in him. This excellent spirit was the spirit of God because when God is with you He guides you and shines His light on you.

Since the other presidents weren’t doing so well they decided to plot against Daniel because they thought that would help them gainfavour from king Darius. What’s interesting is that instead of correcting their own mistakes by improving themselves they focused on putting Daniel down, who was excelling at what he was doing, because he had God’s light shine on him. Well they succeeded for a moment but what they didn’t know was that when God has His light shining on you no one can take it away no matter what plot is plotted against you. The stone and seal was a symbol of a done deal but it was never so because God had his light shine on Daniel. Daniel was delivered like the king said “the God whom you serve continually will deliver you”.

S. Mlilo

Tarry not..

2 Kings 9: 3
then take the box of oil, and pour it on his head, and say, Thus saith the LORD, I have anointed thee king over Israel. Then open the door, and flee, and tarry not

Elisha the prophet called one of the children of the prophets and sent him to Ramoth-gilead to anoint a new king for Israel king Jehu the son of Jehoshaphat. Elisha's instruction to the child in short was "pour oil on his head, tell him God's massage, flee and Tarry not". In other words do what you are sent to do and flee before you delay and loose sight. Even though he was just a piece of the bigger picture however without him there would be no picture at all. The child did as he was instructed and the battle against Jezebel the queen of witchcraft was won.

How often do you loose sight of what God wants you to do? Maybe because of you loosing sight of God's purpose there is delay in the process of the Enemy being defeated. In God's kingdom everyone has a part to play. It doesn't matter how small you might think you are God has a purpose for you. When King Jesus Christ called His disciples to follow Him even they didn't believe in themselves but He said "follow me" because He knew that God had a purpose for them and they could only discover it through His leadership. Remember instead of being full of pride He humbled himself.

S. Mlilo

Special treatment..

Hebrews 5: 7-8
Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered

Everybody has heard about King Jesus Christ the Son of God who died for the world so that through His death and resurrection everyone's sins can be cleansed away. Interestingly today's scripture teaches us that He often prayed and offered supplication to God the Father through strong crying and tears because He knew that only He had the power to save Him from whatever situation He was going through. Jesus was heard by God but not because He was His Son but because He feared Him.
Take note even though He was the Son of God He never got any special treatment but instead He learned to obey His Father through His suffering.

Who are we then to ask for special treatment from God? We often pray that everything should be easy and simple for us but we forget that when we go through these suffering God is in fact giving us a lesson as well as grooming us to become what He wants us to be. A soldier or anyone who is fighting for a nation goes through intensive training because they are being prepared for whatever battle that they are going to face. Don't accept any suffering as being cursed or going through it because God doesn't love you but take is as preparation because we serve a God who loves and prepares us before time . If Jesus became flesh and faced hunger, hurt from loosing His friend Lazarus to death as well being sold by those who were close to him to be crucified for everyone sins then that means if we abide in Him we too can be able to endure like He did.

S Mlilo
Web: www.inkazimuloy.blogger.com
Email: inkazimuloy@gmail.com

Play your part..

Matthew 4:11
Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

The devil came, tempted however wasn't successful in his attempts because he wasn't messing around with just anyone but he was messing around with a child of God. Jesus Christ had the Word of God in Him and the very same Word worked as a weapon for Him that is why the devil never stood a chance. Interestingly when everything was taking place God the Father never interfered because He knew that He had already played His part by giving Christ the Word and so it was time for Christ to play His own part by using the Word.

When we receive God's Word it is not for our own amusement nor for motivation but it is a weapon that is given to us to use against the devil in the days of his attacks. Christ received glory after the devil left because he gave him no alternative but to leave. The devil isn't there to be entertained but he is there to be stood against. Every time when a child of God overcomes the devil there is glory and praise in the heavens. Take the Word of God and apply in your life in order for you to overcome because this Word is the Way, Truth and Life.

S. Mlilo

A normal life..

I Corinthians 10:13
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Common is not abnormal but it is usual. In other words if I would say I’m living a normal life that would mean like everybody else I’m living a life that’s faced with temptations and trials. We might not all be going through the same thing but were all going through something. Maybe all along you’ve been telling yourself that your life is an abnormal life because each and every day you’re facing different and challenging temptations well now you know that a life with temptations is just a common life.

Even though temptations are normal to everyone nevertheless God is faithful to us in such a way that he will not let us suffer above what we are able to suffer. God has faith in us that we can overcome and in order for us to overcome we need to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Take away all the negativity from you mind and stop telling yourself that nothing and no one can help you because what’s impossible to men is possible to God. Every new temptation that you face is another chance to see God at work.

S. Mlilo

Moment of truth..

Exodus 17:4
And Moses cried unto the LORD, saying, What shall I do unto this people? they be almost ready to stone me

Our lives come from God and they belong to Him. What happens when the life that God has given you goes wrong? Who do you turn too? Well the only solution is God. When things aren’t going your way that’s when the moment of truth arises where you need to tell God that “father I’ve done my best but it’s just not working”.  God knows everything and He is the only one you can to without receiving any judgment. Whether you’ve sinned or you’ve gone astray He doesn’t impute any trespasses but He wants you to be honest to Him.

When Moses cried unto the Lord it wasn’t because he was a weak leader and had no backbone to take his own decisions but it was because he knew that nothing is beyond God’s control. Some people don’t cry out to the Lord because they think they can handle it on their own. Yes you can handle it but the question is for how long? The more burdens you put on yourself the weaker you become. Be honest to yourself and before the Lord confess that you’ve tried but you just can’t go on anymore because believe you me the Lord knows that you’ve tried but His just waiting to lift you higher than where you already are.

S. Mlilo

we were bought by God..

Isaiah 52:2-3
"Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

We've all gone through falling into temptation because we've all sinned at some stage. However what we should know is that the purpose of falling isn't staying down but its shaking off the dust and standing up. Maybe you've fallen several times because of sin and now you feel like there is no way of getting up because you no longer have a chance to do so. Well that's not true because our God is a God of second chance. Through sin we were sold to the enemy however that didn't stop God from buying us back with the blood of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ.

No money can buy redemption because it is only given to us through mercy. Interestingly the word says "Ye have sold yourselves for nought" which is true because a lot of times people sacrifice things that have value for things that don't have any value. When I speak of value I am not speaking of monetary value but those important things that you take for granted whilst others are crying for them each and every day. What you should know about value less things is that they might seem like the most exciting things but problem is they don't last. We have been bought with the highest price and that is the blood of Jesus Christ which makes us the wealthiest of the wealthy.

S. Mlilo

God bought us with the Highest price..

Isaiah 52:2-3
"Shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, O Jerusalem: loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter of Zion. For thus saith the LORD, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money.

We've all gone through falling into temptation because we've all sinned at some stage. However what we should know is that the purpose of falling isn't staying down but its shaking off the dust and standing up. Maybe you've fallen several times because of sin and now you feel like there is no way of getting up because you no longer have a chance to do so. Well that's not true because our God is a God of second chance. Through sin we were sold to the enemy however that didn't stop God from buying us back with the blood of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ.

No money can buy redemption because it is only given to us through mercy. Interestingly the word says "Ye have sold yourselves for nought" which is true because a lot of times people sacrifice things that have value for things that don't have any value. When I speak of value I am not speaking of monetary value but those important things that you take for granted whilst others are crying for them each and every day. What you should know about value less things is that they might seem like the most exciting things but problem is they don't last. We have been bought with the highest price and that is the blood of Jesus Christ which makes us the wealthiest of the wealthy.

S. Mlilo

Faith in your Lord..

1 Samuel 17:37
David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

During those days when David was a Sheppard there was a time when he went into battle with a lion as well as a bear and this was not because he volunteered to do so however because the Lord Had to show His might and deliverance through his situation. The title that David had wasn't a title that qualified him to be any kind of warrior nor any kind of hero but because he had the Lord watching over him and nothing could overcome him. David had faith in his Lord that is why he was able to declare victory before the battle even began.

You might be classified as the lowest of all people and you might be given the least of all titles that are there but if God is with you nothing will stand in your way. People never believed in David before he went into battle as they had already concluded the outcome of the battle but as soon as he conquered Goliath people started shouting for him. Well that's how people are they wont all believe in your dreams or goals because they judge you according to what they see but as soon as you've achieved and all of a sudden they'll start cheering for you. Have faith in the Lord not in people because with the Lord around you nothing and no one can stand in your way.

S. Mlilo

Abundantly blessed..

Luke 1: 48-49

For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: For, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; And holy is his name

God considers everyone even those who we no longer consider because we believe that they are non-important to us. To God everybody is important and that is why He is able to make those who we thought were nobody’s yesterday somebodies today. Imagine Mary the mother of Jesus Christ being almost rejected by her own husband however that never happened because the Lord was in her favour. She felt blessed because God gave her a child but what she didn’t know was that she was even more blessed because God saved her marriage. How many things has God done for you that you don’t know about?  

Maybe you were supposed to lose your job and you are thanking God for allowing you the opportunity to retain it but what you don’t know is that you were also going to lose your husband or wife in the process. This is evidence to us that we are abundantly blessed by the Lord no matter what conditions we are living in. We need to start living our lives joyfully because God has shown that he is watching over us. Let’s proclaim this massage of being blessed to everybody who thinks that living is no longer worth it. It doesn't mean that because you don’t have all the fancy things of this world you are not blessed but it merely means that God is taking His time to produce a master piece.

S. Mlilo

down and up

Psalms 75: 6-7
For promotion cometh neither from the east, nor from the west, Nor from the south But God is the judge: He putteth down one, and setteth up another

In everyday living so many people come across this emotional state of despair that is called desperation. When one is in this state they are easily confused and they are easily confronted by attacks because they are in times of weakness. That is why when a person is desperate they don’t mind going from east to west seeking help and elevation. Now when you know that God is in control of everything   there is no need to seek help from mysterious sources but there is a need for you to kneel down and pray.

God is in control of everything that is why when your down you should know that the will come a time when you’ll be lifted up and not because it is by your own will but because it is by Gods will. God knows the reason why he has placed you in a upward or downward situation. That is why when you’re up you shouldn’t laugh at those who are down because soon enough they will also be lifted up by the mighty hand of God. Have faith in God no matter if you’re in a downward or upward situation because everything lies in the hand of God. Maybe you’re down because your faith is being proven before God and the rest of the world. Or maybe you’re up because God wants to see how you serve others with the blessings that he has blessed you with. We all don’t know why but God knows.

S. Mlilo

Our help comes from God..

Psalms 124:7-8

Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: The snare is broken, and we are escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.

Have you ever asked yourself why a lot of people are able to survive tragedies or any other near death experiences? Well that’s because our God Jehovah is our protector. He helps us to escape the traps of evil before we even reach them and He doesn’t only do that but He also destroys any weapon that is formed against us. And then you hear people complaining about God not protecting them when they were involved in a car accident not thinking that if God wasn’t there for them they wouldn’t even be around to tell the tale.

Now what’s interesting to me is that people look for help in so many different places and then they live God behind until the very last minute. Wouldn’t it be wiser to connect to God first before you even try out any of your own attempts? Because God’s works are confirmed to be the greatest even before time. Do you know that when a man made solution is created it gets tested so many times before it can be confirm that it works? So why waste your efforts and time being a specimen instead of praying for a solution from God. Our help is in His name and nothing else can help us if God doesn’t. He shows His help through others and even through occurrences because He is God and He is known through His works. God created man, heaven and earth and if that wasn’t difficult for him then why would your life be?

S. Mlilo

He is our voice..

Psalms 38: 13-15
But I, as a deaf man, heard not; And I was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth. Thus I was as a man that heareth not, And in whose mouth are no reproof. For in thee, O LORD, do I hope: Thou wilt hear, O Lord my God.

When you submit your life to the Lord Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit you are allowing Him to take over your thoughts, actions and way of living. In other words you no longer have to live the way you want to but you have to live the way our Lord wants you to. Our Lord Jesus Christ is there to protect us from anything that wants to take away the gifts that God has given to us be it the devil, people, circumstances, sin and even ourselves. God has given us life therefore nothing has a right to take away this beautiful God given gift from us.

The devil and the troubles he brings with him have a tendency of making us feel lifeless. The people that surround us have a way of making our lives much more difficult than they already are. The circumstances that we face every day are targeting our faith and testing if we really do have faith in God. Through all that we have been given the gift of silence because we know that we serve a mighty God. When the devil, circumstances or even people around us speak we keep quite because our God is our voice. Through His mighty actions He is able to fight for us. That means we shouldn’t spend our time and feelings on issues that are only there to distract us on what we are working towards but we should surrender them to God.

S. Mlilo

Remembering the children of God..

Hebrews 13:7

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.

The children of God who walked before us did so many miracles through the power of the Holy Spirit. When we remember their works we are strengthen our own faith because we are reminded that God made it possible for them which means that he is able to make it possible for us. However its not only about remembering heir works but it is also about following their footsteps and being faithful to God as they were. Choosing role models who are faithful to God can draw you nearer to Him because you would be following the path of the righteous rather than choosing role models who have no relationship with Him.

When we have role models we learn from them by example which is one of the best ways of learning because we are not only told how to handle hard situations but we can practically see from them how these situations should be handled. There are so many lessons we can learn from our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ. We can learn lessons such as the gifts of the Holy Spirit, honesty, love, endurance, faith, forgiveness and many more. Yes we are allowed to learn from their mistakes and strengths let us not make them our gods.   

S. Mlilo

No situation is beyond God''s control..

1 Corinthians 10.13

"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

We have a conqueror that conquers for us and He is our Lord Jesus Christ. So who are we to think that these temptations we are facing today are beyond His control? He has given us the strength to endure and triumph. If we rest our hearts in Him He is able to give us peace because He cares for us. The word beyond means that anything that is out of reach. If we think that something is beyond our own reach we should not think that it is also out of Gods reach as there is nothing impossible to him.

God has put His foot down and He has declared that He will not let us be tempted beyond what we can bear. This serves as a warning to anything that is coming our way that we serve a mighty God and we cannot be destroyed. Though each and every one of us sees their own situation as most difficult and more important than other peoples situations that doesn't make any difference because the Son of God Has already conquered for all of us. If he Devil thinks he will give us temptation that we cannot bear then he is a liar in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

S. Mlilo

Be not hasty..

Ecclesiastes 8:3

Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.

Do you remember how you used to feel during your teenage days? You wanted to make your own decisions without anybody questioning you because you felt that you were matured enough to decide for yourself and at the end of the day when everything backfired you would feel like life was unfair to you. The reason for that was that you never thought things through and the decisions you took were only hasty ones. You either took them because of your friends or because you wanted to have a certain status.

That’s how most of the people are when they feel like they have the strength to take care of themselves because they’ve achieved certain achievements and they don’t need God for anything. What’s funny is that when everything backfires they go back to God. Don’t be hasty to go out of his sight because He is your Lord God. Don’t stand on evil things no matter what caused them because the only person you are abusing is you. Evil hurts. Just think of a person who is always thinking of evil thoughts that person is similar to a lifeless person because they don’t have any conscience. God loves us and that’s why He gave away His only begotten Son to die for us so that we can be saved.

S. Mlilo

Stand your ground..

Ecclesiastes 10:4
If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences

We are always up against the ruler of this world Satan. His desire is to tempt us so that we can move away from where God has placed us in order for him to pursue his own evil plans. That is why he works best when we are vulnerable. Through his deception he was able to remove Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. He didn’t only do that but he destroyed the relationship and loyalty between God and his creation.

This means that when Satan gets a chance he can destroy relationships, economies, families, countries and even kingdoms. We the children of God have inherited the spirit of fearlessness from our Lord Jesus Christ. We have been given authority over Satan and all of his works. That is why when Satan’s spirit rises up against us we should not leave our place but we should stand up and proclaim the word of God as our King did. Our perseverance will shield us from great offences.

S. Mlilo

Pray your way out of it..

Genesis 41:14 KJV
Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh.

In many instances we find ourselves in positions which we wouldn't have wished to be found in. Sometimes its not even our own fault that we are in them however circumstances and situations have their own way of leaving us there. Joseph was a loyal servant of God and because of his innocence he found himself being wrongfully thrown into Pharaoh's dungeon for something that he didn't do. Though he was in the dungeon for something that he didn't do that propelled him to start doing what he knew how to do and that is praying. 

There is no other way of coming out of any situation except for praying yourself out of it. If your in it start praying your way out of it. Regardless of your critics and weaknesses if you pray to God in the mighty name of Jesus Christ He can take you out of any dungeon. What I love about God's work is that He doesn't only take you out of your circumstances but He also cleanses you of any dirt that you contracted while you were experiencing them. Maybe because of your situation you've gained hate, loss of hope and anger, God can cleanse you and renew your strength.

S. Mlilo

God has a reason for what happens to me and you..

Philippians 1:12 NIV
Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.

Apostle Paul was one of the Apostles who suffered a lot because of the gospel of Jesus Christ. His response to the Lord's calling was the reason for His suffering as he was called to preach the gospel to all the nations. The Word of God was his strength and the circumstances that he overcame were a reminder of God's power and greatness. Through his suffering the gospel advanced. Though he was the only one who was experiencing those sufferings however he went through them so that many could be saved. 

God uses our situations to save others. You might feel as if you're the only person who is going through the sufferings that you are facing today without thinking of the lessons that you will acquire as well as the wisdom you will gain to advise others who will be going through the same situation. When we are going through difficulties we often wish that there would be someone to advise us or even someone who would be able to relate to what we are going through. God speaks to others through our situations and He uses our lives to show evidence of His living power. God will not leave you nor forsake you as He is the living God.

S. Mlilo

Salvation is our ticket..

Hebrews 2:3 how shall we escape if we ignore so great a salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.

Have you noticed how we are used to living things off up until the very last minute of their time? Some wait up until the very last minute of the expiry dates of their learners licenses to apply for their drivers licenses while others wait for the very last minute of their children's school registration closing date to apply for school. Well all that comes from ignorance and procrastination. We have been given the greatest gift of all which is salvation through the Son of God Jesus Christ. Let us not wait up until the very last minute of our days to enjoy this pleasure of having Christ in our lives.

Ignorance shouldn't have any place in our hearts, minds and actions because it is one of the destroyers that destroys many peoples lives, relationships, dreams and a lot  more. Jesus Christ teaches us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves in other words what your neighbor is going through should also be your concern. Don't ignore your wife, your children, your family, your friends or whoever is crying out to you for help because things might get out of hand and it might be too late for you to offer any help as you were ignorant in the beginning. Jesus Christ paid the price for us let's not take that for granted.


S. Mlilo

God can turn your stones into a second chance..

John 8: 4-5 they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?

The scripture talks about a time when the scribes and Pharisees brought to the Lord Jesus Christ a woman who was found guilty of committing adultery. What I find interesting about this scene is that they thought they were already done with the woman through publicly humiliating her and now their next victim was Jesus Christ because their intension was to tempt and accuse Him. What they didn’t know was that the Son of God is capable of turning their stones into the woman’s second chance because that day was her day of receiving mercy instead of destruction. Jesus Christ gave her a second chance.

Sometimes we view our hardship as our fall and yet we forget that the Lord has a reason for us to go through what we are going through. When Satan asked Jesus to turn stones into bread he knew that Jesus was capable of doing anything. Even today the Son of God is capable of turning what is supposed to put you on the ground into what raises you from the ground. You might have done mistakes in your past and it might seem like everything is going wrong, well today I say to you Jesus Christ is the only solution for you. Through Jesus Christ those stones that are hitting you hard can be the very same stepping stones that are taking you higher.   

S. Mlilo

It wasnt His time to shine..

John 8: 58-59
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. Then took up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.

Jesus Christ came to earth to serve His Father’s purpose. He healed the wounded; opened the eyes of the blind; preached the word of His Father and did many more miracles however people denied that He was the Son of God. He knew that the task at hand was not going to be an easy one, but He never stopped. His father’s purpose was for Him to die for everyone so that everybody’s sins can be washed away by His blood. God knew the right time for that to happen. There were moments where the non-believers, scribes and Pharisees wanted to capture Him but they couldn’t because it wasn’t His time to shine yet.

God has a purpose for everyone. You might be talented; hard working; focused and feeling like you deserve more than what you currently have, if God hasn’t said “yes” then it is not yet your time to shine. When you want to shine and it’s not God who islettingyou shine I guarantee you that there will be a time whenthe light will fade away because it doesn’t come from God. In other words don’t make yourself big but humble yourselfbefore God and let his mighty hand lift you upat the right time. It doesn’t matter if your friends have discovered their purpose and they are fulfilling it youas a child of the living God still have to wait for God to say to you “now is the right time”, and you will outshine everyone. (1 Peter 5:6)

S. Mlilo

Janaury's Issue

January issue

Hold on to your dream

Compliments of the New Year!!! And Happy 2013!!

The holidays are now over and everything is back to normal again. Some of you will be going back to school and some to work. 2012’s chapter has been closed and now we should start looking forward to achieving our new resolutions, dreams or plans for the current year.

Maybe you couldn’t achieve whatever you wished to achieve during the previous year and now you’ve given up and you’ve stopped dreaming. Today I want to say to you God has still given you a fresh start. If you go into a forest you’ll find two different plants a fern and a bamboo. God supplies both these plants with light and water. The fern is quick to grow into a brilliant green plant that covers the forest and on the other hand the bamboo takes five full years to become a tiny sprout. When comparing both plants during the time of their growth you’ll see that the bamboo seems as if it is smaller than the furn. Well this is how most people feel when others are being blessed before them – (smaller).

What’s amazing is that after a few years the bamboo rises to over a 100 feet taller than the fern because its roots had spent five years growing underground and God has been making them stronger every day. God does not give you a challenge that you cannot handle. He will never leave you nor forsake you so why are you giving up? Yes it feels like it’s taking too long to get there but like the bamboo plant you are still being made strong. During those moments when you think your struggling more than others God is giving you time to grow your roots. Don’t compare yourself with the next person instead give yourself time to grow and rise up high like a bamboo plant. Hold on to your dream and make sure that your faith is strong as it will keep you going. Never and I say never give up. Don’t tell the Lord how big your problem is but tell the problem how great your God is.

SABZ