Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Lessons Learnt

Dudes, and dudettes, it’s been a year since I left the States and came back home to Kenya….and in the spirit of everything that the Lord has done in my life, I thought I would testify of His goodness in my life……..

1). Many are the seasons of life, but God controls every season…

In the 1 year since coming back, I can look back and see the various seasons I have gone through, seasons of lack, and seasons of abundance, times in which I have missed the mark, and the times that I have been on point, times when I have succeeded triumphantly and times when I have fallen miserably….But in all things, the Lord has been faithful and for that I give Him praise….He has taught me to consider not the seasons, but to love Him, for He directs the seasons…..

He has shown me that “The sun shall be no more my light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto me; but the Lord shall be unto me an everlasting light, and my God, my Glory” Isaiah 60:19

I now look to Him to be faithful to His word, credit crunch or not, bad leadership or not, poor stewardship or not”……I am fully persuaded that He is not only able, but willing to turn my night to day, to establish me in high places, and to set my feet on solid ground….and that whether the sun or moon is shining, I need not walk in darkness, for He is the light of the world……

2). Even while my land was barren, my cup suffered lack and mine enemies were encompassed about me, He was there….

In the one year or so, my life was turned upside down…..with many afflictions, many challenges, many opportunities for strife and many things that shook my faith and tested me to the uttermost…..Mine enemies were encompassed about me, those who desired my hurt talked about me and laughed at me day and night……While things worked, and even while they didn’t they still talked, gossiped, cheered and bore false witness against me…..many were my fellow brethren in the Lord, many were those I considered my closest allies……

However, the Lord was my redeemer and my saving strength….He’s shown up in the midst of it all, and brought my scorners to shame….He has silenced the tongues that rose up against me, and has set my feet on solid ground……

“The Lord was my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him; and he helped me; therefore my heart greatly rejoiced and with my song will I praise him” Psalms 28:7

Now, I am confident in his ability to save, and that even when I am all alone, and when my last play is to stand in His word, I can do so confidently…..Because He is faithful to that word…..And that I need to seek His face and His honor more than I seek the honor of man……

 3). Even though I sinned and fell short severally, and felt like there was no hope in sight, the Lord forgave me, restored me, cleansed me and picked me up……

Over the year or so, and before, I found myself falling short, wavering in His promises, being unyielding and unsubmissive to Him….

But through it all, the Lord was merciful and compassionate….He did not rebuke me in His wrath, neither did He chasten me in his hot displeasure….

He did not deal with me according to the multitude of my iniquity, but instead forgave and restored me from my sin and shame…..

Truly, “though I fell, I was not utterly cash down; for the Lord upheld me with his hand” Psalms 37:24

Now I know that it is He who has sustained me, and that His strength is more than sufficiently to keep me from iniquity and to perfect the good work that He has started in me…..And that if I remain in His presence, He will show me the path of life….for in His presence is fullness of joy and that at His right hand are pleasures forever more…..

4). My heart and my flesh failed, with all that life threw at me, at the business, at my career, it was almost too much, I was almost going under…..

As life was throwing all it could at me, things looked bleak and without hope….My heart sank at the thought of never making it, my business and my career showed signs of not making it and my heart was filled with such despair……

My mind puzzled at what would happen, but as I stayed my mind on Him and trusted in Him, He kept me in perfect peace…..

Psalms 40:1-3

“I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry” v. 1

“He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings” v. 2

“And He put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto my God; many will see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord” v. 3

I start a new and exciting career this week, in a season when others are being laid off….
My business plans are taking shape, and He is connecting me with like-minded folks who can help me get to the next level…..
5). He has restored my faith, increased my thirst for His word, and my understanding of the same, so that I need not be confused or ashamed, but that I walk in Him and remain His light…..

The many cares of the world had come in to choke the word of God out of my life….The pressures of keeping up with the Jones’ and trying to compete nearly had me go off the deep end…..

But in the nick of time, the Lord showed up….

Psalms 51:10-13

“He created in me a clean heart, and renewed a right spirit with me” v. 10

“He cast me not away from His presence, and took not His holy spirit from me” v. 11

“He restored unto me, the joy of His salvation; and upheld me with his free spirit” v. 12

And because I did all that for me, and more, I have purposed:

“To teach the transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee” v. 13

So help me God!

My prayer is that as you read this blog, something herein challenges you to look at your life, and purpose to live rightly before Him……yes, you may stumble, and you may fall, but I encourage you to not give up……don’t stop striving to be changed, to be made new, or to be blameless before Him……may that which I write up challenge you to live and grow closer to Him that loves you more than anyone can……….

May this blog help you to get closer to a God who can do that which no one else can…..

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