Black & White 🖤

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Welcome 2022!

Bringing in the New Year with fresh hope & vigour, friends. Thanks for being a part of this tiny space this year. Hope and pray God’s very best over you and yours in 2022!

I say this often, and I can’t say it enough –

“The best is yet to come.”

Happy 2022 🎉
See you on the other side!

🖤

Armour of Christ

“Can you not discern this new day of destiny
    breaking forth around you?
    The early signs of my purposes and plans
    are bursting forth.
    The budding vines of new life
    are now blooming everywhere.
    The fragrance of their flowers whispers,
    “There is change in the air.”
    Arise, my love, my beautiful companion,
    and run with me to the higher place.
    For now is the time to arise and come away with me.”

(Song of songs 2:13, The Passion Translation)

On my walk this evening friends, I felt the Lord lay this portion of Scripture on my heart.

Navigating a shift in season perhaps, never felt more challenging. Yet, His Word remains a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. I believe there is change in the air and the sound of the cooing of doves in our land.

Does that mean there won’t be another dark night?

No.

But will that hinder the plans and purposes of our Father?

No!

So as we head into our week, I hope and pray that we will fix the gaze of our hearts onto Jesus – the author and the perfector of our faith.

Counting it all as joy, because ALL things work together for our good and His glory when His vantage point becomes our own.

Love always 🌲⚘🤍

He knows what moves you

Honesty hour.

I have often heard people worship God with phrases like,

“You reign above it all! You reign above it all!”

Until some time back, I used to think that this meant that God reigned above the messes of our everyday lives, above the chaos and confusion, above the trials and the tribulation, quite unmoved and untouched because …

… well… because He is God.

But I am so delighted to learn that I was wrong.

Our God reigns above it all. Yes, absolutely He does.

But what I’m learning now is that He reigns above it all because He is not intimidated by the work of the powers of darkness in the world.

It’s a different deal altogether.

The truth is that God is not moved by the condition of our world because He is confident in His ability to redeem and transform. In that sense, He is not moved means that He is not intimidated. It does NOT mean that He is not touched by it.

He is.

He created us and He created the world. So how can He possibly not be touched?

I repeat.

He is.

God is very much touched by what touches us. He is grieved by what grieves us. He is moved by what moves us.

John 11:35 testifies to what I feel is one of the most profound Bible verses to ever be recorded. Though the shortest, it is one of the most loaded verses ever. It goes something like this,

“Jesus wept.”

That’s it.

Two words that reveal the sheer humanity of Jesus.

God, who wrapped Himself up in flesh to tabernacle with us and make His dwelling in our midst, wept. God, who spoke the Universe into existence at His command such that it continues to expand even today, wept. God, who reigns higher than the highest heavens and remains securely seated on His Throne forevermore, wept.

Jesus wept, friends.

And that’s exactly why He moves.

He moves when we are moved for He is moved by the feeling of our infirmity.

When we are overcome with sorrow, He is moved to heal, mend and restore us. When we are confronted with an impossible situation, He is moved to give us His promises and the assurance of our hope. When we are walking through a trial, He is moved to lead us, guide us and shape us through it.

Rewind 2000 years back.

When we were unable to do anything in our own strength to save ourselves, He was moved by the feeling of our infirmity so much so that He sent His one and only begotten son, Jesus to hang on that Cross at Calvary as both, our redemption AND our redemption price.

He was moved to make a way for our salvation and our connection to the Father Heart of God.

So how can HE not be moved by what moves us?

He absolutely is.

He is moved when we are moved by the condition of a lost and broken world. He is moved when in the face of hate, we choose love; in the face of anger; we choose peace; in the face of judgement, we choose grace; in the face of injustice, we choose forgiveness; in the face of persecution, we choose prayer.

Indeed, He is moved.

And when God is moved, He moves mountains.

And guess where it all began?

With the feeling of our infirmity.

Selah.

You’re a Miracle

Hershey’s.

Hershey’s and peanut butter- strawberry sandwiches were my favourite this winter. A change in season saw me unwittingly stash away the chocolate sauce in the refrigerator.

But again.

Seasons change.

The lunar eclipse yesterday was a pretty stunning sight. A big saffron ball of light hanging low in the evening sky caught my attention like little else does.

Realising something was peculiar as the lights shining on the mountains my window overlooks had this uncommon companion last evening, I reached out for my lenses.

Yes, it was indeed the moon hanging lower than usual. A saffron ball with craters that billions across the planets had looked eyes on.

Slowly, the ball began to rise. Bit by bit till the hue changed to a bright white and the moonlight was, now that I was back in the safety of my room, shining from underneath my curtains.

I looked, I smiled, I worshiped.

Beholding the beauty of the moon through the eyes of the Father till joy bubbled up and my childlike wonder, reawakened.

Till today’s evening meal saw me toss aside the boring, mundane menu in exchange for some delicious mouthwatering Hershey’s chocolate sandwiches.

An epiphany.

Seasons change, friends. But we often miss the turning of the leaves.

So as I hasten to a close, I hope you find the courage to find your own miracle in process, because you yourself are one.

You’ve gone through the fire and the flood, the test and the trial, the mire and the mud.

And you’re still here.

Because you’re a miracle.

It’s time to make some chocolate sandwiches.

🍫 ❤️

The Pentecost P’s

“Passion, Power and Purity.”

It was Pentecost Sunday yesterday, friends.

I was exhilarated to spend time with the Lord on a day when the wonderful sweet, precious Holy Spirit of God was sent from Heaven into the Earth nearly 2000 years ago.

However, I am intrigued as I ponder the fact that the same Spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives on the inside of me. And having being released in response to the prayers and intercession of the disciples of the Lord as they all gathered with one accord to bombard Heaven, He now lives in me.

It’s so beautiful to note here that Heaven was invaded by earth first, before earth was ever invaded by Heaven.

The disciples wanted what the Lord had died to give them, and they wanted it not only for themselves but also for the world they were called to shift the trajectory of.

They were passionate about the faith, moved in power and were marked by purity. Signs, wonders and miracles were the norm. Healing and deliverance was at hand for all. Salvation had finally come.

As the last days church, I believe that’s what the Lord is doing within and amongst us as He brings about the restoration and fulfilment of all things according to the counsel of His will.

I couldn’t be more ecstatic really.

In the midst of the whirlwind of the world right now, He is calling us to a place of deeper intimacy with Him, to be a people marked by the fire of His Presence.

Because His Presence is where we meet with His glory.

His Presence is where we encounter His passion for us that ignites the flame of passion within us. His Presence is where we we begin to understand His power that enables us to come to terms with our own. His Presence is where we come face to face with the purity of His selfless, sacrificial love that empowers us to lay our own lives down to see His Kingdom come.

It’s all about the Presence, friends.

As we make our way into the week ahead, let us run into His Presence. Let us sit at the feet of Jesus and let Him mark us, make us and mould us.

With Passion, Power and Purity.

Hallelujah 🙌🏼

Victory in Christ

“What is now a Prophecy of Scripture will one day become a Testimony of Jesus; and what will eventually become the Testimony of Jesus, will always carry the Spirit of Prophecy.”

It is this that the Lord has begun teaching me, friends and I share it with great delight.

Victory for one, in the Kingdom of Heaven, is victory for all.

This is because our victory does not depend upon human effort nor is it received at the cost of anyone. For it rests solely on the cost that Jesus has paid for every single one of us at the Cross of Calvary, which is not just enough, but MORE THAN ENOUGH for one and all.

There is truly no dearth in the Kingdom of God. Our God is extravagant and in Him, we can pull from the unlimited supply of His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

He is a prosperous Father who spoke good plans and purposes into our lives through the abundance of the intentionality of His Heart. And that too, BEFORE He put us in the womb of our mother’s belly.

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5)

But He didn’t speak those plans for our lives apart from Him and the community of people that He brings into our lives.

But rather interwoven with them.

We are not an island, friends. We are a holy people that belong to the Family of God. We are called to a life that is dependent on God, and interdependent on people.

An African proverb comes to mind as I write,

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Which brings me back to the Truth that Victory for one, in the Kingdom of Heaven, is victory for all. The same God who has proven Himself to be Faithful in one person’s life, is the same God who is Faithful over mine. My brother’s or sister’s success is not my failure. Rather, it is my success too, because everyone has a seat at the Father’s table. We are all invited to dine with Him, and dine full.

Partaking of the fullness of peace, the fullness of joy and the fullness of love in and through the fullness of the Person and the Presence of Jesus.

Which is always more than enough for every single one represented across the planet.

His Presence with you does not take away from His Presence with me. And His promises towards you do not come at the cost of His promises to me.

Because there is an abundant supply of riches for all the Children of God in the Kingdom of Heaven.

On Earth as it is in Heaven.

I’m learning, friends to let go and let Him mature me into this Truth.

Risking vulnerability at this moment with you, I do admit I feel pangs of jealousy on seeing success stories as I scroll through social media each morning. But the Lord has faithfully been teaching me what I’m now finding the courage to share.

Victory for one, in the Kingdom of Heaven, is victory for all.

God’s Word testifies.

“For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Revelation 19:10)

I heard Pastor Bill Johnson speak at Bethel recently and he said something quite remarkable. He said that stewarding a Word is stewarding a relationship.

So I did a bit of soul searching and realised that every Word that God releases into our lives carries the very breath of God. It comes from His Presence and as we tenderly receive and faithfully steward His spoken Word, it makes His Presence even more real to us, and depending upon the assignment that the Lord has relegated to the Word, it can very well usher in the beauty and the majesty of His Presence even into the lives of those that we are called to.

Establishing the Kingdom of Heaven in our midst starts with the work of the Holy Spirit within us. As we diligently spend time in Scripture, the Spirit of the Living God goes to work. HE is activated, and then He activates us.

The Holy Spirit starts to reveal the Heart of the Father through His Word. There occurs an unveiling of His intentions toward us and His strategy to accomplish that which He speaks. Those plans and purposes that He declared over us BEFORE He put us in the womb of our mother’s bellies, are now revealed through His Promises.

Which is why Prophecy of Scripture is the backbone of our faith.

A time of trial where all we see are the impossibilities of life around us are an invitation to draw closer to the source of it all, the giver of true life who already has in His mind, redemptive solutions to every challenge we face.

Which brings me to yet another thought:

“Will the road towards the manifestation of that which He has spoken be rosy and colourful?”

No.

But it WILL BE glorious.

It may not be easy, friends but it will be saturated with His Faithfulness. It won’t always be comfortable, but it will be full of His Risen glory. It certainly won’t be predictable, but it will be anchored in Him.

He promises to never leave us, nor forsake us.

And as we embark upon this grand adventure of faith with the King of glory, it is THIS PROMISE of His Presence that is perhaps, the most important.

Because it is His Presence that catches us each time we stumble or fall. It is His Presence that we run to whenever doubt or unbelief threaten to sabotage our faith. It is His Presence that heals our broken hearts and binds up our wounds in the face of persecution and suffering. It is His Presence, friends.

I’m learning to slowly disengage with my problems and engage with my promises instead.

I’m realising His Presence is stronger than anything I’ll face.

I’m understanding His Presence is the thing that has begun a good work and His Presence is the thing that will complete it.

Jesus doesn’t leave things undone or unfinished.

Not at the Cross, and not now.

He is the same; yesterday, today and forevermore.

He cried out, “IT IS FINISHED!” so that we can operate from that reality, never towards it.

For the Truth of our Father’s nature and character is that He is alpha and He is omega. He is the beginning and He is the end. He is the author and the finisher of our faith.

And He who promised is Faithful.

The process is designed for us to learn the same kind of Faithfulness. Embody the same kind of Love. Carry the same kind of Hope.

The same kind that Jesus did.

Because what is now a Prophecy of Scripture WILL one day become the Testimony of Jesus so that what eventually becomes a Testimony of Jesus, forever carries the Spirit of Prophecy.

God said it, and He is Faithful.

I hope we are too.

The Rhythm of Life

“Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” (Jeremiah 33:3)

I’m learning things about the Kingdom lifestyle, slowly but surely. And what I believe that the Lord showed me recently is that though our lives and destinies are hidden in Him, they are hidden ‘for’ us and not ‘from’ us.

I got this golden nugget of Truth from Pastor Bill Johnson and it instantly hit home.

“It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.” (Proverbs 25:2)

I concur.

And I also believe that it is the Mercy of God that hides things and does not at once give us the complete blue print of our lives, but rather lets the details slowly unravel as we travel.

I think that is why the Lord delights and indulges Himself in the journey as opposed to the destination.

He likes for us to learn to walk with Him. The Bible says that the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord. I believe this because He wants to encounter us as a most loving Father who takes His Child by the hand and teaches us to walk in step with Him.

We don’t want to be running ahead of Him any more than we would like to be lagging behind.

It is in our submission to the rhythm and cadence of God that we get to taste of true life because it is a rhythm and cadence that is specifically designed for our benefit.

He knows us better than we know ourselves, and has a beautiful plan to develop us bit by bit. He does this not by pushing us around, but rather doing a deep and gentle work within us.

It’s in the journey that our weakness meets His strength and our vulnerability, His love. The ache in our hearts when surrendered at the altar sees our burdens be transformed into blessings, and our problems into promises.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

In essence, there are times and seasons to everything in the Kingdom of God. There are times of trials and testing when our faith is being developed and matured. But there are also seasons of manifestation and favour when God knows that we are whole enough to be able to sustain the very blessings we have prayed for.

This is why the wilderness makes for a rich experience because it provides us with the opportunity to encounter the Lord, develop authentic relationship with Him and let Him grow us up into the truest versions of ourselves.

The interim seasons are always seasons of preparation and growth. We may have questions from time to time, but they don’t have to remain unanswered because we have the opportunity to seek the Lord while He may be found.

Remember friend, what Pastor Bill Johnson says.

“He hides things ‘for’ us, and not ‘from’ us.”

He is a loving and faithful Father who loves to be engaged with His children. And it is His promise to us that if we seek Him, we WILL find Him.

He doesn’t play the game of ‘hide and seek.’

Rather, He invites us on a journey called,

“Seek and Find.”

Though it is the glory of God to conceal a matter, God is also glorified in revealing truth.

He is glorified when we, as His sons and daughters who belong to the household of God, seek Him. And each time that we seek, we know that we always find Him because He is Faithful.

The Word of God declares,

“The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.” (Psalm 25:14)

The Lord delights in making known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure. His guidance along the way assures us that we are walking the path to eternal life.

We need only call on His Name as we cry out to Him for answers, revelations and resolutions. And as we do, we will have tapped into the privilege of seeing our possibilities be transformed into sure promises of God which are all in Christ Jesus,

“Yes and Amen.”

To the glory of God.

Because the same God who is glorified in hiding the details of our destinies is the same God who is glorified in revealing them.

And the same God who is glorified in the revelation is the same God who is glorified in the manifestation thereof.

Because He who promised is Faithful.

Friends, it is my passion and my prayer to be continued to be taught of the Lord. To let myself be developed by God, shaped by Him and moulded in His care. To remain in awe and wonder at the depths of His love and the glory of His might. To continue to ask, seek and knock in the full revelation knowledge that the door WILL be opened up.

And as He opens up the door for me to walk through, I don’t want to be walking through it alone, but rather hand-in-hand with my Father.

And perhaps, it is in my journey through the wilderness that I get to learn the rhythm of Life.

Hand-in-hand.

Always.

Wholeness

In the agony
Standing tall
Becoming a bit like You
Through it all.

Pain translates into purpose
As I surrender my all to You
The end of my rope is where You start
For You intend to make all things new.

No, I won’t bypass the process
Help me dignify it
For that is where I find You
My light in the darkness.

Things may look bleak now
Remind me You rose again
So I can look away and look into
The face that makes me whole again.

Amen👑

Resurrection Day: I want to Follow You!