Gifts

I would like to share with you one of my reflections from my daily devotions. Today, I realized that we often confuse spiritual gifts with talents. Not that I will explain to you the difference, for I do not think I will be able to do a good job at it. However, I will let you see the difference through my own experience.

There are different Kinds of gifts, but the same spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord (I Corin 12:4). The gifts are given for the common good (I Corin 12:7).

God has given us different kinds of gifts and we all have to identify those gifts in our spiritual walk with him. What kinds of gifts are we talking about here? We always talk about them, and people mistake them for talents. Here are the kinds of gifts the Bible talks about in I Corin 12:7-11:

The message of WISDOM, the message of KNOWLEDGE, FAITH, HEALING, MIRACULOUS POWERS, PROPHECY, distinguishing between SPIRITS, speaking in different kinds of TONGUES, INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES and others. These are all the work of one spirit and he gives them to each one, just as he determines.

Not everyone has been given the same gift, and God has assigned to each individual, a gift. We can’t all be apostles, prophets, healers, people who speak in tongues, nor interpret, but we can all eagerly wait for God’s gifts to emerge in us.

However, just because you do not have the other gifts, it does not mean you are not a part of Christ’s body.

I have found that with understanding of God’s word, I have been able to acquire knowledge of how he wants us to live our lives in these modern times. I have come to understand how he wants us to win the battles of the spirit and flesh.

Through that knowledge, I have been given wisdom to speak to those I meet and to witness to my age mates. Through this experience, I have been able to glow, smile and laugh every day, because God’s love is shining bright in my heart. I have been able to give counsel to my friends, and some have said I should become a counselor  Others have said I should write a book, and I believe God has given me WISDOM. THAT’S MY GIFT.

I remember that as a child, God always put it in my heart to do the right thing, although I didn't always follow him. I didn't know it was him leading me. I didn't really know him till Age 18. I told my mentor, who today is the director of my High School, Mrs. Anderson, Lois that, I wanted to become a Christian when those around me began living out what they preached. I want them to set the example. She told me “You don’t have to wait for them to set the example. You yourself can be the example for others to follow.” I will never forget that statement as long as I live.

From that day on, I decided to live my life, based on what I told people. Over years, the things I have done based on that decision have strengthened my walk with God. Though, there are some places I wish I could go back and change how I conducted the situation, I rejoice in the LORD. For if things had been different, I would not have now what I needed to serve God.

Listen to the Holy Spirit. Let God have his way in you and let him speak to you with that gentle small voice. Do not just give because it is hard. If you quit now, you will forever be a quitter. You will never find it in your heart to be brave enough to fight. But if you allow yourself to take those blows, you will become stronger, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. You are stronger than you think.

Embark on a journey to discover your gift. You may have a talent, but what’s your gift. You can be an athlete, singer, musician, writer, dancer and many more, but what’s your spiritual gift. When you find that gift, it will enable you to use your talent and serve God. It will give you the most inexplicable you.

All you need is patience, self-control, endurance and perseverance as you walk with God and hold unto his hand. As Richard Swindoll puts it, you will be able to “LAUGH AGAIN.”

Our silliness

The little things that happen to us are not always coincidental. How many times do you pray for something and you keep praying believing that if you pray harder God will hear you? When he finally does answer you, you get surprised as in "He answered me." Weren't you praying to get an answer???????

Silly humans. We are so wise and smart, yet very silly when it comes to the demonstrating the intelligence we have.

What am I trying to say? I am just letting you know that it doesn't matter how hard we are praying and screaming and fasting, God already knows what we are asking him. Like Daniel who prayed for 21 days, believing God was not hearing his prayer. He got the reason why the answer was late in coming.

Daniel 10:12 "Then he continued, “Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. ¹³ But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia."

It was not that God did not answer him, but God answered him from the first day, but the prince of Persia didn't want him to get the answer he needed to be revealed to him. 

When we pray, we should not be surprised when God gives us the answer straight away. He said in his word to ask and it shall be given to you, according to Matthew 7:7. Why then should we be surprise when he answers our prayers? Didn't you ask in prayer for whatever he responded to?

Check this out.  God is amazing and wonderful. If ever i doubt that he does not answer prayers, shoot me on the head. Yesterday morning, i talked to him about Bradford, and how it is taking forever to reply. I also talked to him about finding a job. After i was done talking, I said, "Now you know my desires and plans, but what are your plans for me? In as much as I have two brilliant ideas, show me your idea for my life. What would you have me do?" 

I did my chores in the house, did laundry and left in the rain for class. At 5:15p.m, a dear friend sends me a message telling me to send my CV to the Head of Department (HOD) of Peace, so he can find us a job. I told her i will. It didn't hit me that I had prayed for God's will to be done. Again, I Knew about the whole work permit and how hard it is in Kenya. I shrug my shoulders and said  I will send although i am not so sure. Last night, around mid-night, i sent the CV  to the email i was given.

This morning when i woke up, I found a message from my HOD, which he sent at 4:03 A.M and it said "Goodness, please send me your CV first thing in the morning. someone needs to talk to you urgently." 

I am not sure how you will take it, but I am looking forward to God's plan in my life. It maybe something he needs me to do, and i am ready to take it as it comes. Be it school or work, i will go for it and not have questions, unless they are related to letting him do his will in my life. 

We often pray for him to use us as instruments, but we do not allow him that chance. Hence i want to be used as an instrument no matter where that might be. I used to think i will never do anything outside my home country, but God uses us all in many different ways to bring us to where he really needs us to be. 

Stop being silly, and let him do his will in you. 

Don't be surprise when he answers you right there and then.

God's love and Supremacy (FRIDA aka Freedom)

This is a true story.

Here I am waiting for my little sister to come over for the weekend, unaware of the devil’s plans. Frida texted me in the morning, asking what time I will be at home and if I can leave the keys with my neighbours. I went through the day and came back home waiting for her. About 6:01P.M, she asked me if I was at home and I told her yes. I knew then that she was on her way to come home.

It is about 7:20 p.m and she is not yet at home, and I thought, maybe she has changed her mind. So I went into the kitchen and washed the dirty dishes, and was thinking of just having some smokies with bread and nice hot tea.

Just as I was finishing the dishes, she came in at 7:35 p.m. She was sniffling and I thought she was just joking, but she just told me.

“Come join me lets thank the Lord.”

I knew right then and there that something horrible has happened. As I finished and was running out to meet her, all I could think about was her parents. She is a blessing to them as well as to me. Whatever happened, she is here and I am so grateful to God that I won’t have to bear the tears on her parent’s face.

As I sat down next to her on the couch, I found no words for the tears I saw on her face. She would not talk and I wasn’t sure what to do, apart from praying for her. So I prayed for whatever happened and for God to give her strength and courage.

When I was through, she looked up and God and said “Papa, I hope you dong hear that oohhhh.”

She stomped the floor and said “Satan with your long tail. That is why you were banished from heaven. You don’t have power and you try to show that you have power, when you have nothing. You will never be anything, but a low life. He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world.”

Then she began her story.

After she was dropped in Daystar, she crossed over and took a Lang’ata mat for Uhuru Gardens. After they passed Kenyatta market and were about to cross the second fly over where Riara University is found, a honk was blown from behind them. The driver continue to go into the road.

As she turned around to see what was happening, she saw a truck in full speed behind them, and cars were giving way in all directions. Their driver stepped on the accelerator and passed between all the other cars ahead of the truck. Everyone in the mat thought they were dead.

She turned quietly in her seat and thought of how people will be thinking “Frida is dead,” and only tears began to fall.

Out of no where, the truck just stopped. It had lost it’s breaks and cars were flying to the sides, giving open space. There was no car between them and the truck when it was going down the hill after them.

After the story, I wanted to burst out in tears, but she gave me no chance at all. She talked of God’s awesomeness and how weak Satan is, thinking he can match up to God.

“I thank you papa God. It’s not because I am too righteous, but because you are my father.”

Let us join hands in thanking God for the gift of life.

If you think your life is all together without Jesus, think again.

Thank him you were able to wake up today, and are able to go back to bed again without a scratch on your body.

Her closing prayer was “You are my beginning and end. Take my hand and never let me go. Even if I fall, don’t let go off my hand.”

I thank God for her faith.

The Joy of living for him

My happiest moment in life was when i finally came to understand what God wanted from me. I cannot clearly define when that moment was, but i think i had it all along, until finally, i had to tell myself, the moment was right.
Becoming a Christian is not the easiest moment in one's life. You are making a commitment, not to the one above, because he could still reach others without you. You are making a commitment to yourself, because you are willing to let others know the man who lives inside of you.

As Christians, how are we suppose to live our lives?

We all have ways of defining what Christianity should look like, and we have ways of judging those who do to comply to our perspectives. We thus brand them and think all kinds of things against them.
When God gave Joshua the commandments, he said in Joshua 1:8, "Do not let this book of the law depart from your mouth. Meditate on it, day and night so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."
How much different is that statement from the one Jesus gave us in the new testament. Go sell all that you have and you shall gain perfection.

I came not from a rich family, but i became rich in him whom i gave up everything to follow. I stopped living for myself and began living for him who gave me the strength.
Everyday, i asked for Wisdom, knowledge and understanding as i grew. In my last four years of University, i have grown tremendously in my walk with God and my fellowship with him.

When i got into the most amazing relationship, i struggle much in balancing attention. I finally realized that i was not the one to balance that relationship, but God himself. I began praying for God's wisdom to be instilled in me as well as Sandy. We were both off on a difficult, yet amazing adventure, which can only be best defined by God. When we got ourselves into trouble over what is right in a relationship and what is not right, and we had no place to turn to, God was right there to instill his peace in us.
His wisdom and knowledge trickled down into our hearts and minds, so that our heart was one in listening to his voice.
When the morning comes, i wake up looking forward to meeting new people, letting God run his will through me. Mornings when i wake up tired and unable to do my devotions, I whisper a thank you prayer for making me see a new day and a good rest. If i am still tired and don't feel like waking up, i complain on that bed to him who can hear me, and i decide whether i will be moody or happy on that day.
If i am moody, then everyone around me will feel it. When i see the smiles on others' faces, then it gives me more joy than i had expected that day.
The joy of the Lord is explicable when you finally find it and it flows through your every move, touch, speech and walk. God is love and without his love in us, we are nothing but empty vessels that find other means in achieving temporary joy.
His love endures forever no matter the situation. It gives you the strength to wake up amused about life.
Let us love flow through you

Your Kidding right?

I have so many things that I can't seem to tear away from. They are my most adored and private collection, which if I didn't have self-restrain, I would buy a chest full of them. There's none other than my rings. I have a thing for rings, and whenever i pass on the road and see them displayed, i want one. This was something i developed in high school and it became my thing. If i had a larger collection, it would mean war if someone touched even one of them. Right now, i am so proud that i have reduced to only 3 rings on my fingers.

The other thing i adore is sports. I had a hard time accepting the fact that my knee was damage and i needed to give it a time out. For two good years, i ran around, played soccer, basketball, volleyball and jogging, on a torn miniscus and damaged ACL. That was call going against the norm and scared to let go of what my heart desired and loved most. 

Hey, I am not saying i did not have Jesus in me. I did have him all along, but i always said. He will fix it, for he has said, when you call on me, i will answer you. I didn't know the part i had to play in this.

"If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." Matthew 19:21. 

My example may not be the best, but one thing i came to realize was that, The foundations of my faith were built on my belief and trust that God will make everything right. I refused to let go of sports. I continued playing, not for God, but to proof myself to Men and Ladies at school that i was a strong and unbreakable. I thought i had it all down and nobody could tell me anything. 

In my own world, i was perfect and needed nothing to be changed about me. I could survive this and come up on top like Destiny child says "I'm a survivor, i'm gonna make." I was superwoman, as my friends said. It gave me pride, self-reliance, and a big ego. 

That was my possession, which i feared letting go. No Kidding. I had to give that up so i could be perfect. 

What are some of the things you hold onto so tightly that you can't see in front of your nose? 

Let me guess. Your passion for popularity (known as image), your passion to get the most awesome job, your passion to compete, your passion to put others down, forget about the addiction to shoe shopping, bags, clothes, cars, a glorious house, furniture, insecurity and much more. 

How can you try to attend perfection when you are so stuck up with worries concerning these material things?

For me to achieve perfection, my body had to tell me it was enough. The superwoman that once feared nothing now fears her body. It has the power to stop her and intimidate her. I had to come to terms with my father. 

Psalm 11:3 "When the foundations are shaken, what can the righteous do?" I had to stop and give up everything to him who could set things straight. I knew i could not do things on my own anymore and the strength i possess could be thorn from me anytime. 

The things we Hold onto, are we going to carry them to our graves? Are they worth killing each other over? Are they worth decorating your house with? Not at all.

I don't even know what i am saying anymore. I think i should stop talking right now. These are my thoughts and how i feel. Will you really miss out on perfection, just because you value that thing you hold onto?