Jesus is enough

Times and seasons change, friends. And as they do, a lot remains unexplained. But what I am increasingly discovering is that we don’t necessarily need to have all the answers when we have Truth.
Though it is very important for us to process our experiences with Jesus, the purpose of this relational dialogue is to bring our questions to Him, without questioning Him.

Without questioning the integrity of His nature, character and heart towards us.

Entering into the Presence of the Lord to receive the Truth of His narrative in any given experience or event that we have had to walk through remains vital, but we can learn to do so remaining anchored in the Truth of who He really, really is for us through it all.

God is Good, Faithful, Holy, Righteous and True.

He is omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent and sovereign.

He embraces us with Perfect Love, guides us in Perfect Wisdom and fights for us with Perfect Power.

He reverses what the enemy meant for evil and uses it for our good and His great glory.

He heals us, sustains us, grows us and carries us all the days of our lives.

And He remains unchanging.

He is our anchor in the storm, firm and secure.

As a Perfect Father, He is completely faithful and absolutely trustworthy.

He is the alpha and the omega, leaves nothing unfinished and as He brings it all to completion, He also authors new beginnings that we really could never have expected.

So to be able to step into the greater things and new seasons that He has in store for us, I do believe it becomes imperative to see if we are carrying the baggage of unhealed pain and unresolved trauma from the weight and warfare of seasons past.

But as we do, I also realise that there will be things that remain unanswered and that’s ok.

We don’t really need to have all the answers, when we have Truth.

The Person of Jesus with us will always be more than enough.

He Himself is our peace.

So as we all prep up to step into the newness of life that the Lord has faithfully prepared for us, may we walk with humble hearts, sound minds and free spirits.

For where the Spirit of the Living God is, there is liberty.

Liberty to lay down our need to be right so that we can be free.

And not just free, my friend.

But free indeed.

For whom the Son sets free, is free indeed.

(John 8:36)

Amen.

🧡🤍

So glad.

“Your difficulties have shaped you, but they will not define you.”

Trials and tribulations, in my experience, come at some really unexpected times. When we seem to finally have settled reasonably well in the season we find ourselves in and everything seems more or less in control, that’s perhaps when. Something completely unforeseen happens and our emotions tend to spiral out of control. Our soul seems to want to question,

“How can this be?”

Our need for justice seems to be greater at such times, than the desire to be gracious and patient. We want to sort out the issue at hand and if we aren’t careful, we will inevitably find ourselves indulging in what the Bible calls, ‘works of the flesh.’ Instead of taking a moment to still ourselves deep within, we seem to want only one thing,

Resolution.

But what God is teaching me is so very different. Jesus did not promise us a ‘perfect life.’ He promised us ‘perfect peace’ in the midst of our lives. He let us in on this eternal truth,

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Our Father informs us in the Word that we are called to be ‘in’ the world, but not ‘of’ it. He tells us to let our lives so shine before men that they may see our good deeds and give glory to God. He commissions us as salt and light in a lost and broken world. He tells us,

“You are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14)

Clearly, the implication here is that in a world that is sin bent and fallen, we will experience trials and tribulations in some shape, way or form, from time to time. Though our instant reactions can be likened to that of the Israelites where all they did was grumble, murmur and complain; I’m so glad that by the power of the Holy Spirit we now have access to the royal privilege of being made in the likeness of Christ.

So how did Jesus handle pressure and problems?

When He was betrayed by Judas, He endured. When He was abandoned by His disciples, He endured. When He was falsely accused by the religious leaders of the time, He endured. When He was brought before Pilate, He endured. When the crowds shouted, “Crucify Him,” He endured. When He was unjustly beaten, mocked and ridiculed; He endured. When He was flogged beyond recognition, He endured.

I have been so astonished at the revelation that Jesus was so secure in His Identity as the Son of God, that He refused to take matters into His own hands. The Word of God says,

“when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.” (1 Peter 2:23, CSB)

He believed God to vindicate Him.

Jesus knew who He was and was deeply committed to seeing the Father’s purpose be fulfilled in and through His life. For the joy of seeing you and me as His Beloved, He endured the agony of the Cross and despised its shame. When mistreated in ways beyond articulation, He remained still. Instead of seeking vengeance, He trusted in the vindication of God.

“As is He, so are we in this world.” (1 John, 4:17)

Friends, I’m learning with each passing day the vital importance of one eternal truth,

“I am not an orphan. I am a child of God.”

Though Jesus was persecuted, crucified and buried in a tomb; He rose again. Death could not hold Him for He is risen and reigns forever. Consequently, I live with the awareness that my Father is alive and well. He is well able to vindicate me every single place where the enemy may threaten to come in to steal, kill or destroy. All He has to do is say the Word and it is done.

That’s my Father.

So what’s my response?

I resist the temptation to make things right in my own strength because I belong to the One whose name is Righteous. I don’t deny my hurt, pain or perhaps even the feeling of being betrayed. Instead, I acknowledge them in the Presence of the most Perfect One. I don’t bury what needs to be healed and made whole in the warmth of His love and in the light of His truth. I don’t trust my emotions to guide me. Instead, I trust in the Holy Spirit. I don’t let the enemy defile my heart with the toxic waste of unforgiveness and bitterness. I draw strength from the One who IS my Strength and graciously let go.

I open my spirit to learn whatever it is that the Lord is trying to teach me and cultivate in my soul.

Trust, forgiveness, peace, patience, surrender.

For I know that even though He doesn’t cause my pain, He wants to heal it and use it for His glory.

Allow me to repeat myself.

Somewhere I’m just so glad that we have access to the royal privilege of being transformed into His likeness.

So glad.

2021: Arise and shine!

“It is when we know the whole truth that we are truly made whole.”

Come 2021, and I have felt welcomed to the Table of Truth. Crossing over from a most unprecedented year that has challenged our capacity to love in the face of offences and hold fast to the Truth in a world ravaged with lies would be futile without taking the time to take inventory of our faith as we transition into a time of healing and wholeness, rebuilding and restoration.

Earlier in the year, I felt led to journal some hard questions in and through my relationship with Christ. Going in, I felt inspired and slowly as I processed my feelings, experiences and revelations with the Lord; He showed up. I wrote out nearly ten pages that day and the Lord gave me so much perspective and clarity on all that I had learned and gained as a result of having gone through the pandemonium and chaos that has defined 2020 that I actually thanked Him for it all.

Maybe what happened was not good. We never have to pretend that it was, but the truth that our God is able to work it out for our good and His glory will always stand the test of time. 2020 included.

So I take heart. As I step into a whole new year, one thing I do know is that I want to be made whole. And the foundation for wholeness is always the Truth. The Bible clearly says, “ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32, KJV) But it’s only the truth that we know that is able to set us free. So I choose to give myself over to my Maker to know the hope of the calling I have received.

As I embark upon this journey, my prayer is that I would not be building on a flawed foundation of hurt, brokenness or unhealed pain; but rather let my Maker help me to lay down the structure in mind only brick by brick. I seek to take in a breath of fresh air in His Presence and let His Truth permeate every crevice of my being till it’s revived by His Spirit and I begin to walk in the fullness of the freedom that Jesus died to give me.

We live in a fallen world and though we don’t get to control what happens to us, we do get to choose our response to it. Choose Life, I hear Him say. Peace in the midst of chaos, Hope in the midst of uncertainty, Joy in the midst of despair, Faith in the midst of tribulation and Love in the midst of bitterness.

I give Him permission over my life to factor in firm foundations that are rock solid and sustainable. To take me by the hand and give me eyes to see it all the way He does. To teach me to walk it out only one step at a time, only one day at a time. To help me surrender my striving and learn to rest in Him instead. To enable me to be still and know that He is God. To humble me as I watch Him pour new wine into new wineskin.

Friends, I’m still learning to walk in the Light and if this year calls me to the Table of Truth then I pray that I’ll have the courage to say,

Be it unto me according to Your Word.

Amen.

Be still, O my soul

We will not be moved
But we will watch You move
The mountains and the boulders
As You hoist us on Your shoulders.

Your footprints in the sand
A testimony of Grace
We never have to strive
As we lean in to see Your face.

Shining and reassuring
Bringing calm to our souls
Your smile that meets us
In bottomless pits and holes.

Nothing is too hard for You
So we humble ourselves
You’re meeting our every need
Our souls in deep catharsis.

It’s windy and gusty
The weather patterns are changing
You’re working behind the scenes
So we wait on You patiently.

Every care and concern
We surrender our all
Nothing do we withhold
From The One who gave His all.

🍃

Be still and know

Don’t be distracted
And be anxious for nothing
Trust in Jehovah
For His Love has taken over.

He intervenes right on time
But can we be still meanwhile?
Reflecting on His unfailing faithfulness
And reminding ourselves of His unchangingness.

Tests may come
But only to reveal the gold hidden deep within
For we are salt and light
That shine only when it is a bit grim.

The sun will shine again
But we don’t postpone our joy to one day when
This is the day The Lord has made
So we will rejoice and pay attention.

To His Voice
Which drowns out all the noise
Cuts through the dark
For His Love never misses the mark.
⛅️

Friday flowering

Destiny happened when my path collided with Yours
Never did know that they were always meant to be one
Through the detours and the transitions alike
For You were always by my side.

Your radiant face beaming at me
Your Love pursuing relentlessly
Finally, Your Grace met my weakness
And my surrender made all the difference.

Your mercies are new each morning
And so is my surrender
To receive the fullness of what Heaven has
Already written in its calendar.

You plan ahead for me
So I never have to worry
Simply following Your Lead
Will suffice to take me to my Destiny.

❤️

Perfection

Gusty winds and torrential downpour
Unexpected, but truly welcome
For they carry the sound of our Lion’s roar
Affirming us that He’s in charge of the outcome.

Creation now shines so fresh, so green
Awash with manna from Heaven
Revealing the glory of His Majesty
Who calls it all so pure, so pristine.

The golden rays of the sun
Illuminating the path ahead
Pointing straight to The One
Who has laid it thread by thread.

It’s a tapestry of Grace
That He invites us to embrace
Come hail, rain, snow or storm
He’s The One who is constant through it all.

Should we trust
It’ll all fall into place
Brick by brick, layer by layer
For it’s a divine relay and not a race.

He goes ahead of us
Leading and preparing us
Paying attention does help
For the silent echoes of His footsteps are only to be beheld.

His timing is perfect
Not a minute sooner, but not a second late
For when we finally do arrive
We’ll even forget to check the date.

For He holds the times and seasons
But walks us step by step
The journey leaves us astonished
As we allow ourselves to be led.

He leads, we follow
Leaving behind the cares of the morrow
For we know He’s already waiting
Having written the end from the beginning.
🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

Hello Promised Land!

Today, I picked up my Bible. As I opened it to those initial pages that come to us blank, but in and through our relationship with The Lord, eventually become full; I was left a bit misty eyed as I saw how faithfully He has led me all these years with Him.

The Holy Spirit landed me on this one verse that grasped me as though I was reading it for the first time,

“Where man fails, God prevails.”

Going back, I realised that He had revealed this truth to me at a time where I had clearly reached the end of myself, the beauty being that where I end, He begins.

“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.” (Matthew 5:3, MSG)

For when He begins, we are pushed straight into His Bosom where we are held secure within the arms of Perfect Love who steadies our hearts and anchors our souls. He affirms us of His Faithfulness towards us, and all our fears and doubts simply fall away, empty, because the Love of God is just that full.

So full that it leaves us free. Free to be ourselves in His Presence where the reassurance of living under His Smile brings one to our countenance too. And somewhere it dawns upon us that if it’s His Smile that’s all we have, maybe we have more than enough.

For His Smile tells us that He will never leave us nor forsake us. It’s this reassurance that graces us to yield and completely give in to the process, as fluid and organic as the water and the wind. And as we do, we slowly learn to flow like that too.

We flow like the water and the wind, but we set our gaze upon the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus. We learn to see the way He does, and simply let go of the need to understand for the new life that He has freely bestowed upon us is not meant to be understood, rather surrendered.

Looking back, we realise that Faithful He has been. Looking ahead, we know Faithful He will be.

For He never changes, and the truth is our journey in Him only goes from glory to glory to glory. So as we leave behind that which no longer is purposeful, His Love and Faithfulness form the very essence of the trust required to say,

“Hello Promised Land!”

Selah.

Just so you won’t forget.

Dear Beloved,

You are an intricate part of me that I wove into being even before I laid the foundations of the Earth. I think about you all the time, and am always working on your behalf. I understand that the circumstances of this life may want you to believe otherwise, but the Truth is that even circumstances are only tools in my Hands to invite you to come closer and go deeper. As you learn to abide in My Love, you will find yourself living above the state that is simply circumstantial, and with one touch of Heaven, susceptible to easily crumble so it can be raised up into the newness and wholeness that was always my original design and intention towards you, My Child.

I am Love, and therefore you are My Beloved. I loved you at your worst, and your best will not move me either. So, I invite you to lay down the burden of performance and simply rest in me. I will lead you beside quiet waters where you will find a refreshment of your spirit and a renewal of your soul. In stillness, you will hear my beautiful voice again and the sound of Love resonating with your spirit will cause to find the strength you need to soar again. You will mount up on wings as eagles, for that is the life I have planned for you.

As you come and surrender to me the cares that try and weigh you down, I will fill you with a peace that surpasses understanding. Your heart in alignment with mine, and your steps in sync with mine will pave the way for a walk with me that will leave you in astonishment, wonder and awe. I will sensitize you to the beauty of the gifts I have already surrounded you with and you will marvel with gratitude. Your rejoicing in the simple things of life will cause a softness in your heart that will allow me to pour even more of My Love into you.

It is My Joy as Your Father to restore and redeem every part of your life as you come to me. I will recreate all things as though nothing was lost and fill you with a joy that comes from another world. You will morph into someone who is content in all circumstances because you have encountered The One who transcends all circumstances. Your joy in knowing me will surpass any challenge that seems to dim your view and passion for life.

I will give you a new perspective on the times and seasons that you find yourself in. This perspective shall flow from The Throne Room of Grace and the very things that daunted you, will blossom into opportunities for you to transform into a more loving, kind, bold and courageous version of yourself. You will no longer run away from what seems to be unknown, but rather embrace the tide of the unknown as you trust in Me to teach you how to surf through it all.

So, even though you do not know what the future holds, rest in the knowledge and the faithfulness of The One who holds it. I have engraved your name on the palm of My Hand and the thoughts that I have towards you are to prosper you and bless you with a confident hope for the future. Walk with me, Beloved and I will show you the way.

Love you more than most,

Your Heavenly Father.

A victorious hybrid.

“Humility is freedom and surrender is strength.”

When we follow Jesus, we recognize we are following The One who humbled Himself so much that He became obedient even to the point of death, and that too, death on The Cross. That humble act of obedience is the very essence of what we mean by the crucifixion of the flesh as believers in Christ. Its a gradual process that helps us grow into a more authentic version of ourselves. It is a journey where we begin to see for ourselves that perhaps compassion really is a better choice than anger, asking for forgiveness when necessary is better than having to defend oneself or blame others, sowing in peace is better than striving in flesh, giving grace is better than harboring grudges, trusting the purposes of God is better than having it our way; and as I write, the eternal Words of Jesus come to mind,

“What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” (Matthew 16:26,NIV)

Jesus is the Lover of our souls and died for it. He died for our freedom in order that we may learn to live on Earth as He did. It is the trenches of unforgiveness, bitterness, shame, negativity, rebellion that holds us in shackles, when Christ came to set the captives free – free in our hearts, minds and souls, and therefore, in life.

The more I live, the more I am aware that there are times when we have to fight for this freedom and make conscious choices to become the very embodiment of grace, mercy, gentleness, kindness and love in a world that more often than not, is anything but. Complaining about our circumstances fetches little, but taking them to The Only One who can do something about them, is where we learn to walk in victory. This requires a spiritual posture of humility before The Lord where we allow ourselves to come undone in The Presence of Him who looks at us when complete compassion and perfect love. He already knows our state, and is waiting with open arms to take us into the warmth of His Embrace in order that we may leave healed, restored, revived, renewed and set free.

This, to me, represents a prolific picture of the relationship between our posture of humility before The One who is Victorious in order that we may walk in His Freedom, freedom FROM the shackles of shame, regret, brokenness and bitterness; and INTO the wide, open meadows of faith, hope, love, peace, rest and trust. This is a freedom that we experience deep within our souls as we surrender to the Love of The Father. This surrender is not a sign of weakness or defeat, but of strength and victory for The One we are surrendering to is already victorious. Death could not hold hold Him, for He rose again with the keys to our freedom. However, this freedom is a gift from God that we walk in everyday, while simultaneously it is also a decision we make to walk in the fullness of every single day. He has set our souls free and nothing can change that, but it is also our responsibility to make wise choices that will help nourish the spiritual condition of our souls. Slowly friends, even I am learning the paradox of God.

In short, humility is a posture of strength that causes us to surrender to the very embodiment of Victory, Jesus. Humility says, “not my will, but yours.” Humility says, “I’m only a tiny drop in the ocean, yet so precious that You died for me.” Humility says, “now that I am more mature than I was, I feel like a child who knows nothing, all over again.” Humility says, “I can’t Lord, but You can.” Humility says, “I surrender all, Lord.”

And THAT surrender, friends, is what takes us from strength to strength and glory to glory. That surrender is opening our hearts to God in a fresh, new way that allows His Love and Light to break in and break out. That surrender is trusting God with every detail of our lives and allowing His Spirit to guide us forth. That surrender keeps us in sync with His leading in every season of our souls. That surrender reintroduces us to the power of walking in the Love of God as we navigate our journey here on Earth. That surrender empowers the crucifixion of the flesh paving the way to a resurrection of the spirit, a process that not only sees us walking in the Word of God, but in the ways of God.

Suffice to say, humility is freedom for it is the very point where our spirit is empowered to surrender to the power of The One who though reigns as an Eternal, Everlasting God; was humble enough to descend from Eternity to Earth simply because He is the kind who leaves the ninety nine to find the one, every single time; a detail that wins my heart over, every single time.

So, I humble myself today before Him and surrender all that He has given me in order that He may breathe on it afresh, till His fire falls on my heart and paves the way for the next move of His Holy Spirit.

I pray you would do the same.

Amen.