I AM MORE THAN A CONQUEROR – PART 1

I heard one of the worst news today.... However, I refuse to allow the devil pull me down with his tricks and gimmicks!!...

Do you ever feel like life just has a way of throwing hard rocks at you? Do you ever go through situations where the only thing that comes to your lips is “Why me?”... Do you ever wonder where God is?? You start to think about how hard it has been, how it seems as if you have been fighting a battle all your life and there never seems to be time where you can rest or even retreat! You are spent and all your ammunitions are just not strong enough to fight the battle! Life they say is not a bed of roses, life they say is ever changing! Nothing is constant aside from change itself and God Almighty!

The news hit me like a shock of waves! I thought that my faith would be enough to carry us through, I thought that my faith would just be able to propel us to where God expects us to be... but I thought wrong! I found myself thinking the exact same thing that kind of lingered in the room... “Where is God?? Haven’t we been praying?? Don’t we pray?? But we are Christians? When is this ever going to stop?? Why us??”

I became angry in my spirit and indeed wondered why us? Indeed wondered what it means to be a Christian if we still had to go through things like this? I wondered what the difference was between us (BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS) and people that have never even stepped a foot in the church, let alone know who God is! I just could not get over the fact that I felt cheated and unduly treated! Was it something we did?... NO! She would never hurt a fly; she hardly had friends and tried her best not to offend people... So who might she have wronged? She spent most of her time studying the word and praying!! So where is the “problem”...“Battle” from??

I could not help the hot tears that came so freely down my cheeks! I could not help but agree with them forcing their way hastily from my eyes, down to my cheeks! I thought indeed they deserved to be let out! I ignored the voices in my head that seemed to come at that very “perfect” time... “God does not care about your tears”, “Your tears do not move God”, “Cry now!! Cry it all out!!” All of a sudden, all the sermons I have ever heard came rushing to me... I refused to meditate on them... All I was concerned about was the helpless woman that sat next to me and the terrified child that stood before me! What have they truly done? Who have they wronged? All their life, they have had to fight off death in order to live! They have had to sacrifice their lives in order for others to live theirs... Now, just when they could fully reap the benefits of their hard work... It’s about to get snatched away, like it was not deserved!

I had pitied myself and these people enough! I was now truly very angry in my spirit and needed answers! I wiped those unruly tears and matched like an angry soldier ready for battle! Went straight to my room, down on my knees on to the cream carpet I had stained with a lot of my mascara coated tears!  This was where I knew how to fight best, this was where I knew how to regain all my stolen joy! I was on the battlefield... It was time to take the battle to the King of kings and Lord of lords! The enemy has indeed taken a lot away from me and I have literally sat back and watched him loot freely and unashamedly! I was going to take this one precious part of my life back... The battle line has been drawn!

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places!”

This is just the beginning...

LOVE STORIES

The following is a note from the author of "Redeeming Love"....in my opinion, one of the greatest love stories ever written. It's a truly compelling novel, based on the book of Hosea. There is power in this beautiful story, and it will change your life. I challenge you to pick it up...you won't want to sleep until you've finished it!

"Many Christians talk about a single conversion experience that changed their lives forever. They can tell you the day and the hour they made their decision to live for the Lord. I can’t do that.

I was reared in a Christian home. I went to Sunday school and church camp. I attended youth groups. When I filled out various forms that asked what religion I was, I checked the box that said “Protestant”. Yet for me, my actual conversion came slowly – like the changing of seasons – and with a power that still humbles me.

I will not go into details about the mistakes I made. Suffice it to say I was burdened and soul-hungry…yet even through the hardest times, I can look back and see that God showed His love and concern for me. He was constantly holding out His arms and saying, “Come to me”…

We opened our house for a home Bible study, and our pastor began a study on the gospels. Then we did a study on materialism. Then we began a study on the minor prophets. We eventually came to the book of Hosea. That portion of God's Word hit me so profoundly that I knew this was the love story the Lord wanted me to write! His story, a deeply moving story of His passionate love for each of us - unconditional, forgiving, unchanging, everlasting, self-sacrificing - the kind of love for which most people hunger their entire lives, yet never find.

Writing Redeeming Love was a form of worship for me. Through it, I was able to thank God for loving me even when I was defiant, rebellious, contemptuous of what I thought being a Christian meant, and afraid to give my heart away. I had wanted to be my own god and have control of my life the way Eve did in the Garden of Eden. Now I know to be loved by Christ is the ultimate joy and fulfillment. Everything in Redeeming Love was a gift from the Lord: plot, characters, theme. None of it is mine to claim.

There are many who struggle to survive in life, many who have been used and abused in the name of love, many who have been sacrificed on the altars of pleasure and “freedom”. But the freedom the world offers is, in reality, false. Too many have awakened one day to discover they are in bondage, and they have no idea how to escape. It is for people such as these that I wrote Redeeming Love – people who fight, as I did, to be their own gods, only to find in the end that they are lost, desperate, and terribly alone. I want to bring the truth to those trapped in lies and darkness, to tell them that God is there, He is real, and He loves them – no matter what.

I used to believe the purpose in life is to find happiness. I don’t believe that anymore. I believe we are all given gifts from our Father, and that our purpose is to offer them to Him. He knows how He wants us to use them. I used to struggle to find happiness, I used to work to attain it. By the world’s standards, I was successful. But it was all meaningless vanity. Now I have joy. I have everything I ever wanted or dreamed of having: a love that is so precious I can find no words to describe it. I haven’t achieved this through my own efforts. I certainly have done nothing worth to earn it or even deserve it. I have received it as a free gift from the Lord, the everlasting God. It is the same gift He offers you, every minute, every hour, every day of your life.
 

I hope this story will help you see who Jesus is and how much He loves you. And may the Lord draw you to Him"  

REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Last year was a rollercoaster! Full of ups and downs and everything in between... I went through a phase these past couple of weeks, just before the year ended, where I was only nagging, screaming and wondering why God had “forsaken” me! I exhibited all the traits of a “Drama Queen”. I was so wrapped up in what I wanted and in the fact that I started to believe that God had not done what He promised. All these self orchestrated noise was so loud that I failed to listen to that calming still voice deep within! Do we find that we sometimes allow our ever so long list of requests, expectations and “errands” becloud our love and desire for God?! I find that I am my happiest when things happen the way that I expect them to and the way I want them to. I become a totally different person, even a stranger to myself when I don’t see things happen my way. It is funny how we are so quick to raise “holy hands” and act righteous when everything listens to us and acts accordingly. But woe betides the people around us when we suddenly realise that life is not a bed of roses, neither is it milk or honey.

God allowed me to cry all I could, He allowed me to throw all the tantrums and He did what I hated the most! ... He kept quiet! Not a word, not even a scripture to encourage me and tend to my “wounds”. I was all alone, I stopped crying enough to see if He bothered and was probably speaking amidst my crying... NOTHING! Quiet as a grave yard and was scarily deafening. I tried to turn to everyone and anyone I could, to hear God speak through them, but He was not going to speak to me while I was in that mood.

I finally stopped acting like a child and decided to go back to Him... I remember that night like it was just a couple of hours ago, I went on my knees and asked Him to take me back, with all my flaws and ungratefulness... Still no word. Suddenly, I started to get words from my family and friends, telling me to remember where God brought me from and what He did for me in the past, knowing that the same God that did it then will do it again! I was reminded of how great my God is and how mighty He is! I was reminded of how much He loves me and will do what is best for me and not what I want. The word finally came... "REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS, AGAIN I SAY REJOICE!" I got the word and ran away with it. I remembered how far He brought me and all the awesome things He did and is doing, even though I could not see them. I turned my drama to dramatic praise!! I looked for something, no matter how small, to thank Him and just lift His name! I made a decision to love and praise God regardless of what I went through, good or bad!

Guess what?? Just when I thought He was done with me, He started to speak to me again, even clearer than before!! He did what I expected and even more. My praise had broken through for me!

We sometimes go through very low times and seasons, where we feel like we are all alone, but regardless of your situation, whether things go your way or not, never for once forget the things He did for you in the past and rejoice because you know He is going to do it again!

Have a praise (full) and fulfilling new year!

Peace and Blessings

Be Love

YOUR LOVE IS LIKE NO OTHER!

“Love the Lord your God, and love one another. Love one another as He loves. Love with strength and purpose and passion and no matter what comes against you. Don’t weaken. Stand against the darkness, and love. That’s the way back into Eden. That’s the way back to life.” - "Redeeming Love"

O Holy Night - Gaither Homecoming

LOVE YOU!

It’s that time again.... It’s that time where some of us expect to give and receive “special” gifts from loved ones; it’s that time where we start to love and probably remember what it means to love in the way we give; It’s that time again where we remember what it means to be given a second chance at living- The birth of our one and only true LOVE- Jesus Christ!

I sat staring into space and wondered why some people wait for “special” occasions before they can show acts of love or gratitude- If it’s not Christmas, It’s some special season or day set aside to do something specific. Do we really have to wait for such “special occasions” before we show the people that we love (which in my book is EVERYONE!!), that we really love them by buying them gifts? I also started to ponder on these things.... Is buying gifts the only way we can show love? Everyone seems to be buying into the idea of Christmas = gifts! I don’t quite follow.... Then it dawned on me – As much as we might not want to admit it, there is an atmosphere that is set by Christmas! As I said earlier on, it is indeed the season where we remember the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ! I know that the ageless book records that the birth of our saviour was a free “gift” from God, the Father! He gave His only begotten Son (John 3:16) God started this act of showing love through the giving of gifts... Of course there is nothing wrong with giving and receiving gifts, but what was behind the idea of God giving His only begotten Son? Well, to the best of my knowledge, God gave His Son as an everlasting gift that will remain now and forever! The gift of Christ was not just something to have and forget! Christ was not a seasonal gift, Christ was not an after thought, and Christ was definitely not a way to silence nagging wives and unhappy husbands! Christ was given out of love to me and you in order for us to have something EVERLASTING!!! Life (Salvation!)  

So this is my take on giving gifts, especially in this season of “giving” – Don’t give because you just want to partake in the norm of placing gifts under Christmas trees, do not give gifts as a replacement of your time with that child and a way to silence that nagging (but very lonely) wife or that cold (but love starved) husband! Don’t give to buy love; don’t give as a way of ticking off one of the chores you have to do before the year runs out!

Give because you want to give out of genuine love, give because it is something you are accustomed to, almost a lifestyle!! Give because that Child, Mother, Father, Husband, Wife or neighbour deserves your act of love, not out of obligation, but out of an undeserving and unmerited act of LOVE!

Give something that would not just last for that Christmas day, give something that would last a life time- It doesn’t necessarily have to be presents, it could be your time, your kind and compassionate words, it could just be YOU! Give selflessly, Love passionately and remember the reason for this season and the reason why you are alive and breathing!

Merry Christmas

Be love. 

      

PERFECT LOVE... CASTS OUT FEAR!!!

I find that I keep asking myself the same question, time and time again... Why do we fail to be ourselves, regardless of who is around us? Regardless of what people might think or say? Why is that such a difficult task? It does not make sense for us to try to be everything but ourselves!! It is unnecessary hard work! Imagine the pain of frowning, when you are a natural smiley face!  What do we get from acting like we do not care when really and truly we do! Is there supposed to a trophy or medal for being someone else? I really find it hard to comprehend... It is funny that I ask these questions, because I am a 100% guilty of this crime!

Guilty as charged, yes! Nevertheless, I need to get behind the motive of this crime... Why do I act oblivious when I know exactly what is going on; Why do I feign ignorance and amnesia when I have my brain cells working perfectly well! I prayed and thought logically about it... Then suddenly it hit me! FEAR!!!

Fear can be so crippling! Fear can turn a Lion into an Ant in a split second; fear can destroy something great and promising! Fear can destroy YOU! Having had that light bulb finally come on in my head.... I decided to overcome this “spirit”!  The first step they say to recovery is admitting that you have a “problem” and understand what that “problem” is...

According to Dictionary.com, “Fear is a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc; whether the threat is real or imagined, it is a feeling or condition of being afraid.”

Don’t act like you are macho and fearless when at the slightest hint of danger or pain, you automatically curl up into a shell and try to hide from everyone, and unfortunately, even yourself! Would you rather act differently from who you are, MANIPULATE people’s opinions about you, because you are so bent on them having a certain impression about you? At the expense of losing who you truly are? My question now is this... Why is it so important for you to lose who you are, place very little value on God’s approval and get everyone’s approval? Can we please try to prioritise our lives and destinies!! Would you rather be an impersonator?  Proverbs 22:1 says “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold”. So do you want to preserve your name and who you are, or would you rather be tagged “an impersonator”- What’s the deal?

We need to cherish who we are and stop trying to be something we are not. Fear is a carnal thing and only God, through the Holy Spirit, can help conquer that fear. To be honest with you, that is the only solution I came up with. God is love (1 John 4:8b) and there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love (1 John 4:18). So the answer to all the questions I asked above is... LOVE!!! Love God, Love who you are and love others; and the fear to be looked down on or disrespected will be destroyed, because you will start to walk in God’s love which will enable you to love yourself enough to be yourself and love others enough not to deceive or manipulate their opinions about you!

So what are you trying to hide away from people? Be yourself! Nevertheless, be willing to emulate good characters and personalities; don’t try to be hard and tough, when you are not! It’s so hard to be something you are not, why don’t you take the easy way out? ;)  If you really want to compliment someone, but the fear of having it thrown in your face is stopping you from saying it, overcome that fear with the love of God and say it already (The only reason you will be afraid to say it, is if it is inappropriate or if the motive is wrong! Are you paying compliment to get something in return or do you genuinely want to compliment that person out of love? And I don’t mean romantic love!!). Know that whatever you say or do is unto the Lord; you are complimenting God’s creation! – What a good way to show that you appreciate and love God ;)

Something came to mind... Why is it that when a single man/woman sees another single man/woman, they try to put up a front (and I mean both the man and woman!). You would rather frown, feign blindness (The person is right in front of you, but for some weird reason, you just can’t see the person!!), act “posh”, “arrogant”, in fact anything and everything so that the person does not “think” that you like them or might like them. Why are you scared to be your friendly self and have that mistaken for like or love as the case may be? If that is your fear, then how on earth will you ever meet that person that God has set aside for you, if you walk around with your nose in the air? I don’t know where we got that attitude.... To be honest, I think it is more of a culture thing! Our mothers and even fathers (older generation) tell us to act a certain way in order to be seen in a certain way, but what we do not realise as singles is that that attitude will follow you right into that relationship (when you eventually admit that you like someone) and eventual marriage – you might try to manipulate your spouse and act tough and macho (goes for both men and women) and in the process deprive your spouse of love! The key word here is “LOVE”....

Be yourself and let the love of God radiate through you! Stop being suspicious about everything and everyone!! Stop analysing and over analysing every word and action!!  If that boy or girl smiles at you, it does not necessarily mean that he or she fancies you!! Don’t allow suspicions and impressions rob you of good “friendships”, possible “relationships” and wonderful “Marriages” – hey, hey, hey... This goes for me as well. ;)

“DON’T BE A CHRISTIAN BY WHAT YOU SAY ALONE, BUT BY WHAT YOU DO AS WELL!!”

Peace and Blessings

Be Love.