The good soil - Parable of Sower

The parable of the sower is one that we have come across countless times. When I saw it the other day I thought Lord not again I know everything here. Since I could not run away from it I decided to read it and just today God has helped me learn something new. In this parable there are different kinds of soil. The soil by the road or path, the rocky ground, the thorny soil and lastly the good soil. When I read this I was wondering what I can do to have the good soil but then I realized that is not my job but rather it is the farmers job. Usually a farmer is the one who tills the hard (pathway) soil, removes the rocks and thorns in order for it to be good soil.

Then I thought If it is the farmers job then why are there some people who belong to the good soil category and others to the hard soil. Then I realized everyday the farmer ( God ) is trying to make our hearts favorable to produce good fruit. He is trying to make each of us good soil but the problem is that we are not letting him do it. He wants to remove the rocks (gods) in our lives that take away most of our time. However most of us refuse and hold on to them. He tries to remove the things that separate us from him and those that are blocking us from receiving his word into our hearts but we say " God I will let go of that tomorrow". Today let us not resist the spirit of God but rather let us surrender to him our lives. Let the farmer do his work of preparing the soil so that it may be good and favorable to planting. He desires to see us produce lots of fruit. May you and I surrender to him today.

A song for the Broken hearted

Since yesterday I was battling with some trial in life and after carrying the load on my back for long, I realized it was time to give it to Jesus. This morning Jesus the ever faithful father put this song in my lips. As I sang, it took all my burdens away and he turned my mourning into dancing again.


UNTIL THEN....

My heart can sing when I pause to remember,
A heartache here is but a stepping stone.
Along a trail, thats winding always upward,
this troubled world, is not my final home.

Refrain
But until then, my heart will go on singing,
Until then, with joy I'll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.


The things of earth will dim and loose there value,
If we recall they're borrowed for awhile;
And things of earth that cause the heart to tremble,
Remember there, will only bring a smile.

What love is this?

I have been sitting here listening to some sermon clips and this particular one touched my heart. This year I have a desire to get close with God and to understand his love for me. We have all heard that Jesus loves us but really do we understand how deep his love is. Please watch/listen to this video and for a glimpse that this amazing love.

Guilty of Sin?

Have you ever committed a sin and you felt like you have really messed up your once peaceful relationship with God? Do you feel like he will not forgive you because you did it wrong again? Well that is what the devil wants you to think. Now we serve a God whose love should not be compared to the love we have on earth for each other. He does not love us because we are good, remember it is while we were yet sinners that he died for us. Yes when you fall you cannot find the strength to get up again and continue but you have to realize he bids thee arise. Like the crippled man at Bethesda who was in that condition many years. Jesus told him to arise take up his bed and walk, this was not easy because he has no strength and was a cripple. According to our natural state it was an impossible thing to do but in the command on Christ is contained the power to do so. If you are feeling like you need to first feel the strength to get up that will not happen. This is when you have to exercise your faith that the power has already been provided. Once you get up by faith you will realize it is possible and will get back on track.

Now in that situation whereby you sinned and feel so guilty and bad for what you did, confess your sin to God and turn away from walking in a life of sin. Meaning you have to stop continuing to walk in sin and live in newness of life. when we confess out sins it does not mean that is enough, no we have to turn away from doing those same wrong things. All heaven is willing to assist anyone who is focused in keeping the commands of God. Get back to your bible study, if you cannot concentrate on it pray to God for concentration and keep studying. If you feel it is hard to pray, get on your knees as usual and pray then you will notice the desire is coming back. My point is that we should never give up the Christian journey, every time we fall we should always rise up.

What is in a Name ?

Based on Luke 1:59 - 63


When it was time for John to be circumcised the people called him Zacharias but Elizabeth informed them that he will be called John. This astonished the people because in the olden days when a child was named after the father it meant that he would walk after the fathers footsteps. This means if he was named Zacharias he would also grow up to minister as a high priest. Everyday his father would teach him what to do and how to act like him. Therefore when Elizabeth said she did not want that name, to the people it meant she was saying I don't want my son to walk after his fathers footsteps. Or rather there was no one who would carry on the fathers name since he was the only child at that time. To them it did not make any sense, but when Zacharias also affirmed that he also wanted that name then it was final that the baby would be named John.

Now what was the big deal about a name or what is in a name? Well like we said it stated a lot about who you are and who you will be. In 2 Chronicles 7:14 it starts by saying; If my people who are called by my name.. ... We are Gods chosen and we are called by his name. Wherever we go we carry our fathers name and we are to live according to that name. Every action should be in accordance to that name. Meaning our life should be like the life he lived when here on earth. As you live each day remember you are called by our heavenly fathers name. Every word, action and thought should be like our fathers.

John the Baptist - The Forruner of Christ

Based Luke 1: 5-17

Elisabeth is like the church of God which is barren and for many years we have prayed for a child. She keeps all the commandments of God and is blameless. After persistent prayer when she has given up, God comes in and answers her prayers by giving her a child. This child is born of the spirit and has a special mission which is to prepare the world for Jesus coming. We the church of God and for so long we have hoped that Christ will shower the latter rain on us in order for a child to be born. This child or children will be the chosen remnant who will proclaim Christ second coming. This remnant will go forth before God in the spirit and power of Elijah. They will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just ( Luke 1:17). This remnant who will accomplish the same mission John accomplished, they will bring joy and gladness to the church; and many shall rejoice and it's birth ( Luke 1:14)

Pre-requisite for the John of our Church to be Born

1. And they ( Elisabeth and Zacharia) were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

Now in the last days just before Jesus comes he will empower his chosen to preach his coming. There are many people in the church but few actually have a relationship with God. For Jesus to come he has to empower those chosen few and they need to be a commandment keeping church, righteous and blameless before God. That is where we need to be in Christ for the latter rain to be poured on us and a new baby born of the spirit. Therefore this is the time to surrender all to Jesus and let go of the things that easily beset us. We should put away any strong drink or rather any thing in our lives that perverts us and separates us from God. Lets us surrender and crucify the flesh daily so that Christs character in us may shine forth. It is my great desire that even as the year starts, I may continue to live according to the light I have received through Christ Jesus.

Jesus Silence During his Trial

The chief priests accused Jesus of many things but he answered nothing. Here as human beings we would stand up for ourselves and try to defend ourselves. Silence and solitude as a means of getting closer to God. In Christs ministry here on earth he always talked to people and answered their questions. Many times the pharisees, elders and scribes wanted to arrest him and find fault. They did this by asking questions and he always answered. He never kept silent to anyone but despite all this they still rejected him. There comes a time when Christ has done everything to reach hearts but they don't let him in. The last resort he can give them is silence. Silence is powerful and it is a sign of judgment.If we feel the silence and this silence does not lead us to Christ then nothing else will. In Jesus trial he did not answer a word to Herod or try to defend himself against accusations. These men had already hardened their hearts and had already chosen to kill Jesus. No word from his mouth would change their minds. Every word Christ said
was meant to draw people closer to him and to change hearts and when he said nothing it meant that no word would change them. His silence was for the chief priests and pharisees who had rejected his saving grace.

When we use silence on our fellow being this can pierce hearts. It means that the person we are not talking to is not worthy of communication. Every time we use silence on someone it means we are pronouncing judgment on them that they are not worthy to be talked to. If a brother or sister annoys you and makes you angry do not use silence on them, Jesus says we have to point out their fault. Keeping quiet until they shape up is not the right way to treat someone who has wronged us.
No matter who that person is, we should find a way to make peace because silence is not good. If someone else does not talk to us and turns a deaf ear towards us, it is our duty to talk to them.

Questions;

1. Why did Pilate marvel at Jesus silence.

Answers;

1. Pilate marveled because he deeply knew that Jesus was innocent. He also knew that Jesus was sure he was innocent yet he did not understand why Jesus would let people kill him knowing he was innocent. Imagine this, the chief priests tried to have Jesus killed because they claimed that he
was saying he was the King of the Jews. Pilate asked Jesus if he was the King of the Jews meaning the earthly King of Jews at that time and Jesus clarified everything but telling Pilate he did not mean an earthly Kingdom but rather a heavenly one. Pilate understood Jesus explanation and found no fault in him. Then he told the chief priests Jesus is innocent but when they realized they had to reason to accuse him, they started to falsely accuse him. Pilate saw their envy because Jesus was well known among the people and more people were starting to love him. They desired this position and power Jesus was having among the people. So Pilate noticed all the false accusations and he knew that Jesus also understood well that he had done nothing. Yet Jesus did not defend himself. So he told Jesus aren't you going to say anything now that you see they are falsely accusing you( paraphrasing) and he answered nothing. This marveled him.