Losing To Win

There are several circumstances in life in which we can only win by losing, in which we can only go up by going down, in which humbling ourselves gets us exalted. And one such circumstance is forgiveness.

I recently read a great book on this issue by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Let me share with you a few beautiful insights she teaches us;

Keeping Our Resolutions

I recently resolved with a dear friend of mine to drink two liters of fairly warm water every day. We were supposed to hold each other accountable and encourage each other along the way. It shouldn’t go without saying that I have struggled to keep this simple resolution. 

Love In Action

This rich and beautiful passage from the Bible has awakened so many things in my heart. It is yet another wonderful passage that explains how to love. Enjoy.

Team LOVE: Setting Boundaries

What are boundaries?

They are limits we set beyond which we are not willing to go, and beyond which whatever happens is to our detriment.

Boundaries are intentionally or unintentionally set by one's standards, values, beliefs, principles, health conditions, economic conditions, social conditions, information, age, likes, dislikes, knowledge and so many categories that make us who we are. 

Team LOVE: No Giving Up

Love is the one beautiful thing that makes life worthwhile, whether it be for a parent, a child, a sibling, a friend, a lover and even an enemy. It may be felt more as the emotion, the feeling, but it is more of the action. The endeavor to please, to comfort, to serve and to enjoy the other person. Knowing their joy is your pleasure, and their comfort, your peace.

We stumble upon times though, when the people we love seem to give us reason not to love them anymore, even if temporarily. They get on our nerves and just rub us the wrong way, even making us feel angry, resentful, bitter and all other kinds of nasty emotions.

The Pains We Must Go Through

We all go through disorienting times, when nothing seems to work out despite the amounts of effort we put in, when things just seem to go wrong left, right and center, but even in those times, God is with us and most importantly, He is at work in us, refining us through those furnaces of pain. 

I recently was involved in a car accident, only this time, I was the driver. My front left tyre stepped over the right foot of a young man. He had stepped into the driveway without checking out for a vehicle while trying to pass a group of students on the walkway. It was the worst physical damage I'd ever caused another precious human being so it was an absolute nightmare I was wishing I could wake up from.

Vessel made by His hand

Sometimes I slip into wishful thinking. I wish for better options of myself, better circumstances, less suffering, shorter trials, greener pastures and everything nice.

But all these wishes are futile because most of the situations in my life are permanent, others are just habits and traits (guess these can be altered a bit!). I cannot change my background, my circumstances, my seasons and so many other things. It is now that the statement 'things choose you, you do not choose them' seems to makes sense to me.

All Work In Progress

We need not feel frustrated and discouraged when we fall again and again. When we find it hard to break patterns of sin and break out of bad habits. It is all a journey, full of ups, downs, winding roads, steep slopes and climbs, bumps and once in a while smooth lanes. 

All these are great reminders of our constant need for Christ, we are totally at a loss without Him. 

Though we be in Christ, we are all work in progress. The only ones who are finished are those who have died in Christ. And our walk in Christ is not always so smooth, it will be progressive in one season, stunted in another, and we'll be straying in another.

Relinquishing Control

Giving up the driving seats of our lives is not something easy. It is scary because we feel we understand best where we should be going. The problem is, we fail time and time again to deliver what we feel we should. And when we do, we leave behind trails of  fallen debris.

Pastor Julius Twongyeirwe gave a beautiful illustration yesterday that i feel is quite helpful in explaining the subject of my write-up today; He asked, "If you had a Toyota car and it developed mechanical problems, and engineers right from Toyota (who made and designed the car), offered to help you fix the problem, would you say 'yes please' or 'no, I can handle it'?" 

Living Above the Storms

There is something trust in God does for us. Something nothing else can do. It is able to keep us sane and peaceful even in the wildest of storms. People who know the tough times you are going through may see you and wonder how come you are not falling apart!

Friends, trust in God allows you to surrender all your cares to Him, it enables you to freely enjoy His presence amidst that trial, and it gives you peace, the kind of peace that surpasses human understanding.

When to Consider People's Opinions

These days, it is so common to hear people saying they do not care what others think of them, and I understand why. Considering people's negative opinions can weigh us down.

Such resistance, which comes naturally, is built in a bid to protect ourselves from pain, anger or loss of resolve. Questions like "Do you even know me?", "What do you know about it?", "Is this opinion building me?" and so many others just keep popping up in our minds, and thus we find it safer to disregard these opinions.

And other times, opinions from people who love you and have your best wishes at heart could save you from so much pain and loss. Even when they are saying 'no' to what you think is right.

Therefore, before considering someone's opinion, remember this; 

Each of us is at the center of our own worlds, we are sinful and we are not always logical. Only you can fully live in the shoes in which you were born. We may share joys and sorrows but you alone can truly understand what you are going through, the only Other who understands us perfectly is the LORD, because He knows us so much better than we know ourselves. He is our creator and sustainer. And therefore His opinion should influence our actions the most.

So, when someone gives you their opinion, remember, it is with regards to their belief,  knowledge, experience and generally, their world. It therefore pays to seek opinions from people who share your values and who have experience and knowledge about the matter. When we allow to receive from the overflow of their cups we grow in wisdom and avoid unnecessary pains and mistakes. 

When you hear someone's opinion, ask yourself; is it honoring to God? Is it loving? wise? building? (even if it means breaking down the evil in us). Is it peacemaking? If yes, listen to this person. But if it points you towards chaos, prideful attitudes and strife, do not go down that road. Listen and choose humbly and wisely what to take in and what to leave out.

Many other opinions are neither right nor wrong. They are to do with personal tastes and preferences, here just listen respectfully and choose what you like.  

Always remember that opinions are neither instructions to follow nor are they rules, they are simply people's thoughts.

Proverbs 1:5 "A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel"

Dear readers,

I have published a book. Please get yourself a copy from Amazon.com, Living Life: Nuggets for Daily Christian Living
I pray it blesses you.

CK

Why We Ought To Treat Each Other With Respect

Treating others with respect is easy when all is well, when we look up to them, when they are exemplary and when we know they like us.

But what happens when these ideals fall apart? When the person you looked up to tarnishes their image before you, when the person you liked no longer likes you back, or when someone is 'not as important as you are' or 'not important to you'?

Each of these circumstances, and many others not mentioned here, may cause us to lose our respect for these people. It almost comes naturally, but natural is not always right!

We ought to treat everyone with respect because they are all precious in God's eyes. Even those who do terrible wrong (and we are all sinners) are dearly loved by God.

When you feel someone is 'beneath' you, realize that that is a very prideful attitude. No one is 'beneath' you. You may employ someone or be in authority over someone but always remember that the least among us is the greatest before God.

Treat everyone around you with respect because the second greatest commandment is 'love your neighbor as yourself ' do to others as you would have them do to you. Now it is easy to do so when the other party is respecting you. But what happens when they disrespect you? Remember this 'do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good'. Do not retaliate. It is to the glory of man to overlook an offence.

Now this does not mean we embrace evil, no. We are to hate evil, evil is bad. It is painful and it is just wrong. But we are not to cultivate hatred and bitterness for the people, we are to get rid of these and instead love our enemies. Bless them and pray for them.

Luke 9:48 "Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest."

Our Wealth

Please enjoy these beautiful thoughts from Charles H. Spurgeon

The more abundance of truly valuable things a man has — the more he has of true riches. 

A child counts himself rich when he has a great many marbles, and toys, and rocks — for these suit his childish age and imagination. 

Just so, a worldly man counts himself rich when he has a great store of gold and silver, or lands and houses. 

But a child of God counts himself rich when he has . . .

God for his Portion,

Christ his his Redeemer, and

the Spirit for his Guide, Sanctifier, and Comforter.

This is as much above a carnal man's estate in the world, as a carnal man's estate is above a child's toys and trifles — yes, infinitely more!

It is above all things desirable, that we adopt a correct scale to estimate things. When we make our personal audit, we shall fall into grievous error if the principles of our reckoning are not thoroughly accurate. If we reckon buttons as silver, and brass as gold — we shall dream that we are rich, when we are in poverty! 

In taking stock of our own condition, let us be sure only to reckon that for riches, which is really riches to us. Wealth to the worldling is not wealth to the Christian. His currency is different, his valuables are of another sort.

Am I today poorer in money than I was ten years ago. And at the same time, am I more humble, more patient, more earnest, more loving? Then set me down as a rich man! 

Have my worldly goods largely increased during the last few years? And at the same time, am I also more proud, more carnal-minded, more lukewarm, more petulant? Then I must write myself down as a poorer man, whatever others may think of my estate. 

A Christian's riches are within him! External belongings are by no means a sure gain to a man. 

A horse is none the better off for all its gilded trappings. Just so, a man is in truth, none the richer for his sumptuous surroundings. 

Paul was richer than King Croesus, when he was able to say, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want!" Philippians 4:11-12 

Such contentment surpasses riches! Solomon, after summing up all his possessions and delights, was compelled to add, "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity!"

If a man should labor to be rich after the fashion of the poor African natives, and should accumulate a large store of shells and beads — yet when he came home to England he would be a beggar, even though he had a shipload of such rubbish! 

Just so, he who gives his heart and soul to the accumulation of gold coins — is a beggar when he comes into the spiritual realm, where such coins are reckoned as mere forms of earth, non-current in Heaven, and of less value than the least of spiritual blessings!

O, my Lord, let me not merely talk thus, and pretend to despise earthly treasure — when all the while I am hunting after it! Grant me grace to live above these perishable things, never setting my heart upon them; nor caring whether I have them, or have them not. But give me grace to exercise all my energy in pleasing You, and in gaining those things which You hold in esteem. Give me, I beseech You, the riches of Your grace — that I may at last attain to the riches of Your glory!

Don't Bite The Stick

Please enjoy this beautiful portion by Charles H Spurgeon;

"As children will thank the tailor, and think they owe their new clothes to him rather than to their parent's bounty — so we often look to the instrument of blessing, and thank that instead of God."

Second causes must never be made to stand before the First Cause. Friends and helpers are all very well as servants of our Father — but our Father must have all our praise.

There is a similar evil in the matter of trials and afflictions. We are apt to be angry with the instrument of our affliction — instead of seeing the hand of God over all, and meekly bowing before it.

It was a great help to David in bearing with the railing Shimei — when he saw that God had appointed this provocation as a chastisement. He would not allow his hasty captains to take the scoffer's head, but meekly said, "Let him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has bidden him." 

When a dog is struck — he will bite the stick! If he were wise, he would observe that the stick only moves as the hand directs it. Just so, when we discern God in our tribulations, we are helped to be quiet and endure with patience.

Let us not act like silly children, but trace matters to their fountain-head, and act accordingly. May the Spirit of wisdom make us understand.

"He is the LORD; let Him do what is good in His eyes." 1 Samuel 3:18 

"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away — may the name of the LORD be praised." Job 1:21 

"Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?" Job 2:10 

"When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other." Ecclesiastes 7:14

God's Amazing Grace

                                
The grace of God in our lives is like a beautiful covering He puts over our ugliness, our weakness, our shortcoming and our sin, so that we look much better than we actually should. We do not pay fully for the sins we commit because Jesus paid the full price for them when He died on the cross for us all.

It is that peace that comforts us during turmoil, during sickness, during trials and all the other kinds of hard times we go through. When people wonder how on earth you are still able to smile amidst that painful circumstance you are going through, you may be at a loss in even figuring that out but the answer is, “the grace of God”.

It is that strength your spirit receives when you have a great duty to perform, a calling to live out or simply a task to nail, the strength to overcome your own shortcomings just to get your assignment done. When people start asking how on earth you are able to take all that in stride, and how you juggle it all up very well. The answer to that will still be, “the grace of God”.

The grace of God is the assurance He gives us that no matter how low we fall, He is still right there with us, ready to help us get back on our feet, and oh aren’t we always falling? He ordained our days on earth to be journeys in which we are constantly being pruned, cleansed, and sanctified. These tedious experiences will cease when we finally breathe our last, but for now, our gardener patiently does His work in us day by day. He just does not tire of forgiving us, of cleansing us, and renewing us. His patience towards us is inexhaustible.

May God help us to be grateful for the grace He has given us and may He help us to give each other grace as well, freely forgiving those who hurt us, covering with love the sin of those around us, and most of all, being patient with each other. Amen.

Effective Communication

                                                 

Communication is one thing that makes life beautiful. When done beautifully it facilitates  reconciliation and restores sweet peace and love..

The warm closeness and fellowship that follows reconciliation is really a beautiful thing. So how do we enjoy this?

• Calm down, calm down, calm down
• When you have a misunderstanding or problem with someone, fairly assess and determine the extent of your responsibility in the problem.
• Assess their part in the problem as well
• Ask yourself, "Is it worth bringing up or should I just ignore it?" Some little trivial issues need not cause turmoil, and need not be talked about. For example if it is the 73rd time you are picking up your husband's dirty clothes from the floor, you need not talk about it because you probably already have. The only solution to such issues is employing tact. But do not sweep real issues under the carpet! They will only eat your relationship up. Till it is no more.
• When you have decided to communicate, first choose the right time and place then bring the topic up using respectful and loving words. Be sure to have a sieve of truth, love, grace and meekness on your mouth so no word out of this category will come out.
• Then talk about it, casually and honestly. 
• If feelings have been hurt, ask for forgiveness, do not give excuses and defenses. And also forgive them. If u need to, agree. If not, agree to disagree. Come to a mutual understanding and resume your relationship in sweet fellowship.

May God help us to be thankful for our problems for out of them, beautiful things come.

Romans 12:18 "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."

Col 4:6 "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."

Finding Our Strength In The LORD

Our Strength surely is to be found in God. There are trials that drain, that strip, that break, that empty, that madden, trials that weaken us-to the core sometimes.

It is at such times that we wonder how on earth we will handle the daily mundane tasks for which we are responsible, how we will handle relating, at least fairly well, with those around us or how we will even smile or in the least bit be at peace...

All these times call for a few things; 

Focusing our eyes on God, presenting our requests to Him and leaving them at His feet. Trusting that He is in control, relying on the grace He gives us moment by moment. 

Spending some time in quietness, just to process the events in your life or the turmoil in your mind. Time goes a long way in allowing us to calm down, bring ourselves to forgive and consider wisely what we ought to do next.

Do not forget to ask for help when you need it, friends, there is always someone there for you (even when you think you are alone). God is always with you, He never leaves you nor forsakes you (even if it may feel so sometimes) and many at times He shows you His love and support through people, even those you least expect.

When you feel weak, remember that weakness is a beautiful thing because it causes us to remember on Whom we actually rely. And it makes the strength of the LORD  shine out bright in stark contrast to our weaknesses, for His glory. 

Friends, may we learn to rely on the LORD for our comfort and strength.

Isaiah 40:29-31

 He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
 Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
 but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

In Honor Of Elisabeth Elliot

This wonderful woman loved the LORD and poured out her life for Him. When she past away over a month ago, millions who had been blessed by her celebrated her life around the world. She left a beautiful legacy that encourages us to first and foremost love the LORD and secondly love Him more. All her amazing work will outlive her by far, to God's glory. Here are a few quotes from the wealth of her resources;

“We are women, and my plea is Let me be a woman, holy through and through, asking for nothing but what God wants to give me, receiving with both hands and with all my heart whatever that is.”

“Maturity starts with the willingness to give oneself.”

“I realized that the deepest spiritual lessons are not learned by His letting us have our way in the end, but by His making us wait, bearing with us in love and patience until we are able to honestly to pray what He taught His disciples to pray: Thy will be done.”

“I have one desire now - to live a life of reckless abandon for the Lord, putting all my energy and strength into it.”

“Does it make sense to pray for guidance about the future if we are not obeying in the thing that lies before us today? How many momentous events in Scripture depended on one person's seemingly small act of obedience! Rest assured: Do what God tells you to do now, and, depend upon it, you will be shown what to do next.

“This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness.”

“Restlessness and impatience change nothing except our peace and joy. Peace does not dwell in outward things, but in the heart prepared to wait trustfully and quietly on Him who has all things safely in His hands.”

“I do know that waiting on God requires the willingness to bear uncertainty, to carry within oneself the unanswered question, lifting the heart to God about it whenever it intrudes upon one’s thoughts. Its easy to talk oneself into a decision that has no permanence – easier sometimes than to wait patiently.”

“If we hold tightly to anything given to us unwilling to allow it to be used as the Giver means it to be used we stunt the growth of the soul. What God gives us is not necessarily "ours" but only ours to offer back to him, ours to relinquish, ours to lose, ours to let go of, if we want to be our true selves. Many deaths must go into reaching our maturity in Christ, many letting goes.” 

“Leave it all in the Hands that were wounded for you”.

“One does not surrender a life in an instant. That which is lifelong can only be surrendered in a lifetime.

For more, please check out her resources online.

God bless you

What Would Peace Do?

Peace would know first and foremost that its biggest instrument is it's tongue. It would train its tongue to be slow for starters, slow to speak. Slow enough to say out well thought out responses. It would know that nothing good ever came out of blurting out words!

It would purpose to sieve it's words through a net of love and a net of grace, so that the words coming from it would be loving and gracious so that they would not be found to be disrespectful by the hearers.

It would know that it's state of heart and mind is very important. That out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks and thus would do all it could to keep it's mind and heart in order. By dwelling on thoughts that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. And in doing so, would dissolve the all the wrong attitudes that spill over through it's words. 

Peace would accept the fact that disagreements and strife keep surfacing in all our relationships, and even if it dreaded these moments, it would seek to use these platforms to build it's relationships into stronger and more loving ones. It understands that sweet fellowship and warm closeness follow reconciliation, and it knows that the key to that is; using words that build and not words that tear down during confrontation.

It would strive to live in harmony with everyone, to the best of it's ability, not because it seeks to impress these people but because it seeks to please God.

Peace forgives everyone for everything because it knows that forgiveness frees the heart from all sorts of poison; Judgment, blame, hurt, bitterness, anger.. etc It knows that there is no true inner peace while harboring these emotions. It just lets go. Not because the offences meant nothing, but because it no longer wants to carry these unnecessary burdens. It lays them at the feet of the LORD.

Peace knows one thing for sure, it is not in ultimate control of it's life, God is. Not to say it does not take responsibility for its actions, it does. But it knows that the future is in God's hands so there is no need to worry about it. It knows it is sinful to worry and be anxious because God commands us not to. Does it plan? yes. Prepare? yes. Pray? yes. Be anxious about it? no. And since the past already happened, it does not dwell on it. It lives in the moment, enjoying it as it is.

It has a close cousin called Contentment. They walk hand in hand. Peace knows it needs contentment. Being grateful for what it has. Working hard and diligently? yes. Willing to progress and grow? yes. But all the same, being satisfied and grateful for what it receives.

Peace knows that it comes from God, it is the kind that nothing in this world can give(not even great wealth or absence of trouble) and nothing in this world can take it away. And it knows that the secret to keeping it is in enjoying communion with the LORD as often as possible. Studying the Bible, praying to Him and leaving all its burdens at His feet. It knows that in that sweet surrender lies its freedom.

May God help me, help us to keep this pleasantly peaceful heart.

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

Col 3:15 "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful"