Authenticty

One thing God has been teaching this year is being truthful and unpretentious-being myself and not trying to fit into people's ideas of who they think I am.Sometimes, you do feel a certain pressure that because you're a Christian,you must be an example and rightly so.But we are to be careful to not get to a point where we are more mindful of what people think rather than God.

For some time I struggled with balancing the two,but it all made sense when I understand thoroughly that nothing is hidden to God and he sees my motives.When it was brought to my attention that the only person I should be doing my all to impress is God,it all became easier and I am now becoming me with no burden to please people and believe me it's freeing.

But I believe one factor that contributes to pretense is FACEBOOK.Yes,it is.Often,I believe people live up to this image they create on facebook and now their lives end up revolving around the image.I personally have come to realise that facebook need not to be a diary.In fact,it was a dear sister that brought this to my mind.I was unaware that to some certain extent I had fallen prey of the facebook culture of updating about almost every interesting event in my life.

I have since learnt that you don't need to make everything about your life known,especially your service to God.There's no need for you to make an announcement when you're going to preach or doing a certain ministry.Don't get me wrong,you can share about your experience with God and how he's leading you in your ministry but I personally  don't see it appropriate to announce every preaching appointment that you have.

I personally believe not everything has to end up on facebook.I've had the most precious moments with certain sisters and I hold them dearly.And I believe for maintaining these relationships we need to have those "face to face" acknowledgements.What I mean is:if I have a great time with a certain sister,I need to tell her face to face.Why must I run on her wall?I kinda feel like this limits the level of sincerity and honesty.Why can't I inbox?All I'm saying we stand at a danger of becoming fake and proving we're also happy.

An example that's so prevalent is pictures of people taking pics during Sabbath and talking about the great Sabbath they had-in some cases it is sincere.But often the Sabbath becomes an event of meeting with friends and keeping with the "churchgoer" appearance.But it is often not kept holy.Jesting and unsanctified conversations mark the day.Isn't it evil then to appear as sincere worshipers of God when we dshonour him in His day of rest?

But then again,these are my opinions.I just pray that I don't announce every event in my life:off to a mission,shopping with friend,etc.Nothing wrong with this but a balance should be maintained.I wish I could express this in a more clearer way but I lack the correct words.All I'm saying is,nothing should be done with the motive of ending up on facebook.I also believe there should be more to taking pics-for making memories and not for the mere fact of facebook.

LOVE IN ACTION

One lesson God has to constantly teach me and remind me is Philippians 2:4 “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others”.I often get so absorbed with what’s happening in my life and around me,that I forget to reach out to others and keep up with how they are doing.

By the time I reach out,too much damage has occurred and some even conclude that I’ve abandoned them-when I could never do so.But I’m learning that it’s not enough to love people at a distance.People want to be shown and they want to be told that they are loved.Some will never take the first step,until you do.And you’ll never know what blessed companionship can come out of such a step,until you make it.

I’m learning that it’s not enough to pray for people and it’s not enough to reach out to them just once.They want to be constantly checked upon and they want you to show them that you sincerely care.

And to you my sisters,do know I’m praying for you.Do know that I do care for each one of you,even though I do not now you personally and even if I may not say it.My heart often breaks knowing the burdens you carry.I know the struggle is real-the different burden we each have to carry BUT God is there for each one of you.Hold onto Him,he never disappoints,even though I may.

22 October 1844

^" And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed."-Daniel 8:14


Today marks a very solemn day in the events of Christian's calender.In 22 October 1844,Christ entered into the most holy place of the heavenly sanctuary to begin His work as a High Priest.The Old Testatement gives an overview of the work of the High Priest.In the earthy sanctuary,the High Priest,on the day of atonement (Leviticus 16) would cleanse the sanctuary,that is,cleanse it from sin by offering a sacrifice for his sins and that of his family,and then confess the sins of the church on a goat (I think) and would then have to kill it.All this was pointing to what Jesus was going to do.He became the sacrificial lamb,carrying our sins that we may be free from its bondage.

Jesus,after his resurrection went to the heavenly sanctuary into the first compartment.But when the 2300 days ended (457 B.C-1844),he entered into the 2nd compartment.His work which involves being a judge.When we confess our sins,our sins are blotted out from the books of heaven.Because of his death and his righteous life,we're forgiven.Daniel 7:9-10 gives a picture.

So,in heaven right now,since 1844,Investigative judgement started.That is,everything we do undergoes judgement and it decides whether we'll receive eternal life or not.We are saved by faith in Christ BUT we are judged by our works and they are a deciding factor of whether we receive eternal or not.That is a subject for another day-investigative judgement.In Scripture,we're often told that Jesus is coming and he will reward all according to all they've done and in other parts of the Scriptures we're reminded that "every word,act,thought" is judged and we are to give account for it.So,judgement is NOT something of the future BUT it is happening right now.How can Christ come to reward everyone according to their deeds (Revelation 22:12),when judgement hasn't even begun?

For a further study on the issue of investigative judgement,do read here.

"We are now living in the great day of atonement. In the typical service, while the high priest was making the atonement for Israel, all were required to afflict their souls by repentance of sin and humiliation before the Lord, lest they be cut off from among the people. In like manner, all who would have their names retained in the book of life should now, in the few remaining days of their probation, afflict their souls before God by sorrow for sin and true repentance. There must be deep, faithful searching of heart. The light, frivolous spirit indulged by so many professed Christians must be put away. There is earnest warfare before all who would subdue the evil tendencies that strive for the mastery. The work of preparation is an individual work. We are not saved in groups. The purity and devotion of one will not offset the want of these qualities in another. Though all nations are to pass in judgment before God, yet He will examine the case of each individual with as close and searching scrutiny as if there were not another being upon the earth. Everyone must be tested and found without spot or wrinkle or any such thing.

Solemn are the scenes connected with the closing work of the atonement. Momentous are the interests involved therein. The judgment is now passing in the sanctuary above. For many years this work has been in progress. Soon--none know how soon--it will pass to the cases of the living. In the awful presence of God our lives are to come up in review. At this time above all others it behooves every soul to heed the Saviour's admonition: "Watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is." Mark 13:33. "If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee." Revelation 3:3.

When the work of the investigative judgment closes, the destiny of all will have been decided for life or death. Probation is ended a short time before the appearing of the Lord in the clouds of heaven. Christ in the Revelation, looking forward to that time, declares: "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and My reward is with Me, to give every man according as his work shall be." Revelation 22:11, 12.

The righteous and the wicked will still be living upon the earth in their mortal state--men will be planting and building, eating and drinking, all unconscious that the final, irrevocable decision has been pronounced in the sanctuary above. Before the Flood, after Noah entered the ark, God shut him in and shut the ungodly out; but for seven days the people, knowing not that their doom was fixed, continued their careless, pleasure-loving life and mocked the warnings of impending judgment. "So," says the Saviour, "shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matthew 24:39. Silently, unnoticed as the midnight thief, will come the decisive hour which marks the fixing of every man's destiny, the final withdrawal of mercy's offer to guilty men.

"Watch ye therefore: . . . lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping." Mark 13:35, 36. Perilous is the condition of those who, growing weary of their watch, turn to the attractions of the world. While the man of business is absorbed in the pursuit of gain, while the pleasure lover is seeking indulgence, while the daughter of fashion is arranging her adornments--it may be in that hour the Judge of all the earth will pronounce the sentence: "Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting." Daniel 5:27. “~GC,p486-491

We have no time to lose.We need to make right with God:

“Sins that have not been repented of and forsaken will not be pardoned and blotted out of the books of record, but will stand to witness against the sinner in the day of God. He may have committed his evil deeds in the light of day or in the darkness of night; but they were open and manifest before Him with whom we have to do. Angels of God witnessed each sin and registered it in the unerring records. Sin may be concealed, denied, covered up from father, mother, wife, children, and associates; no one but the guilty actors may cherish the least suspicion of the wrong; but it is laid bare before the intelligences of heaven. The darkness of the darkest night, the secrecy of all deceptive arts, is not sufficient to veil one thought from the knowledge of the Eternal. God has an exact record of every unjust account and every unfair dealing. He is not deceived by appearances of piety. He makes no mistakes in His estimation of character. Men may be deceived by those who are corrupt in heart, but God pierces all disguises and reads the inner life. 

How solemn is the thought! Day after day, passing into eternity, bears its burden of records for the books of heaven. Words once spoken, deeds once done, can never be recalled. Angels have registered both the good and the evil. The mightiest conqueror upon the earth cannot call back the record of even a single day. Our acts, our words, even our most secret motives, all have their weight in deciding our destiny for weal or woe. Though they may be forgotten by us, they will bear their testimony to justify or condemn."-GC,P486-487

 

Can't depend on PREACHERS or ANYONE for that matter

I've been thinking a lot about the sermons that are shared in the pulpit.And most of these sermons rarely call people To repentance.I think of how while growing up I never heard about dress reform,familiarity,entertainment and may other truths for this.In fact,most of these sermons have become motivational.Present truth for this time is rarely mentioned.Truth is presented in a careless manner.

In fact,all I hear is motivational sermons.You hear about how God will take care of us and of how we just need to pray and it will be so.There's definitely nothing wrong with these truths but they live you feeling like you have no need to repent.Messages that are shared in the pulpit should be pointing out sin and prparing us to to meet God.

In fact,the messages are saying"peace,peace" while a big storm is coming.The Sunday law may come any day and do people even know how to make sure they do not fall for it?Some people do not even know that we're undergoing investigative judgement.I remember how one guy who's a visitor mentioned that one day we'll face judgement.It's a pity that those who are even visitors leave with a sense of safety and do not realise that time is no more.

When will present truth be preached.God has a message for each time and our message is different from the time of Noah,the disciples etc.We know Christ died and is risen,but are we are aware of what he's doing in the holy of holies?

We have a distinct message,which is to prepare people to meet the Lord but we are not prepared ourselves?How are we then supposed to prepare others?In fact,this has made me realise how crucial it is to study the Bible sincerely and the testimonies,because truth is scarce and we are all responsible for knowing God's will for ourselves.

We can't put our trust on anyone.In fact in Jeremiah 17 we are told one who puts his trust on anyone is cursed.As much as pastors have a solemn responsibility to give the trumpet a certain sound-to deliver messages from God that will arouse his children to leave off sin,they do not,because they themselves are worldly.Some do not want to be old school.I'm always disappointed when non SOP books are quoted in the pulpit or in studies.

We can only trust God's word and the testimonies under the influence of the Holy Spirit.Now,it is time to spend much time in prayer and studying.I wish we'd turn Sabbath opening and wednesday to study the truth because it's needed.

We cannot entirely blame preachers or pastors for not knowing the truth when God has revealed everything in His word and the testimonies.I'm always surprised at how little I know and how I need to study SOP as there's counsel for everything.

I am scared as I watch BUT God will lead.How I pray we will be proud of our message and start hearing it more often.

Is your relationship making you better?

I have read that the sole purpose of a relationship is NOT to make us happy,but to make us better people and it should lead heavenward!

One lady comes to mind and I can attest that a relationship,when led by God and when his principles are taken into the place of feelings,is much fruitful and beautiful.

This lady is a Christian and although she had grown up in a family that attends church she still felt something missing.Although she had been strict with gaurding her purity she still wanted a relationship with God.She got baptised and was convinced she had reached the ideal.What she did not know about herself was that she was still  self-absorbed.She only loved those who loved her.Then she met her boyfriend.Her boyfriend loves people and he's the type who'll just talk to anyone and shows kindness to any individual,regardless of their social status.This really stood out for the lady and she since asked the Lord for kindness as well,as she did not want to be like the many wives she had seen.She had noticed that most kind husbands had unkind wives who never manifested the same kindness as their wives and she prayed that she will be a kind wife.

She then realised that it was hypocritical to love her bf sincerely while she did not even pay much attention to her own siblings and loved ones.She then learnt to first honour those around her and then the bf.She was inspired as this boyfriend really loved God and she purposed to put God first in everything she did.She has since grown in her faith and together they have mentored a few young people.

They have since grown.They continue to face challenges.Like the last time,after having not seen each other for a long time,they held hands.But as it is their traditional,to review every action,they realised they had overstepped the boundaries and prayed for strength to ever be subject to God's will.Growth has not only occured on the lady alone,the bf has since become more purposeful and more determined in life.It is his deepest desire to shun every evil.

They continue to grow.They have since learnt that prayer,study of God's word and fasting avails much.Although they love each other,they still maintain reserve.They try to only speak that which is uplifting to each other.Their friendship is characterised by honesty-so much that they point out the wrongs in each other's character,so that each makes it to heaven.They continue to pursue God individually.

Can this be said about your relationship?Is your relationship calling you to purity and godliness?Are you growing daily and is your desire for serving the Lord growing?Or are you more focused on sensual objects and you are even losing zeal to pursue your own dreams?

Morning Devotion:Heart Examination

"Closely examine your own heart, and the state of your affections toward God. Inquire, Have I devoted the precious moments of today in seeking to please myself, seeking for my own amusement? or have I made others happy? Have I helped those connected with me to greater devotion to God and to appreciate eternal things? Have I brought my religion into my home, and there revealed the grace of Christ in my words and in my deportment? By my respectful obedience, have I honored my parents, and thus kept the fifth commandment? Have I cheerfully taken up my little, everyday duties, performing them with fidelity, doing what I could to lighten the burdens of others? Have I kept my lips from evil, and my tongue from speaking guile? Have I honored Christ my Redeemer, who gave His precious life that eternal life might be within my reach."-MYP

A Different King

Lately,I've been thinking a lot about God and the more I think of him,the more it becomes difficult for me to comprehend his love for me as an individual and for humanity as a whole.There are many things that stand out for me with regards to God-the Creator.And these traits make me appreciate God more.


His holiness-I am glad that God is holy.Imagine if he wasn't!The misery we'd go through-knowing that he smiles at sinful acts which only degrade and bring misery.Even more,his holiness means he doesn't operate like me.He does not rejoice in evil.He doesn't change-he's the same.

His love-There's something particular about God's love.In fact he is love.What really gets me is that I don't need to do anything to be loved by God.I don't need to have certain traits,look a certain way,speak in a certain manner and possess certain abilities for him to love me.He just loves me.This comforts me.To know that I am accepted for the mere fact that He created me NOT because there's something that makes me likable is humbling.Even in my sinful state God loves me,even if I don't pray-he loves me.There isn't something that I can do that makes me love me more or less.His love is the same regardless of what I do or do not do.

His grace-God's grace empowers.It does not leave me in my sinful state but it calls me out of my sinful ways.This is beyond human comprehension.Not only does God love me but he wants me to be like him-holy.And so he gives me strength to reach His level.

The right to copy him-We live in a world where people will try to make the road harder if someone is trying to reach a certain level.The scenario I can come up with is of a particular employer who does all in his capability to make sure a particular individual doesn't get a certain job even if he's qualified for it and possesses everything the job requires.In fact, things like racism come to mind.But God is NOT jealous of us being like him.In fact,he begs us to copy him.He wants us to be exactly like him.Often,I have noticed that one who holds the highest position always wears differently-just so he can stand out.But not so with God.He says speak like me,think like me,etc,so that in being like me,I may receive glory.

He's a good example-One thing that has really made my Christianity journey more easier is having an example in my mother.I've always loved how she preached what she practised.Often,children complain of parents who have double standards.They'll preach about kindness and speaking kindly always,but they're often the first ones to not do this.What stands out for me about God is that he shows us  how to do all that he requires of us.This means if I cannot get a concept,he will teach me.Isn't that wonderful?He teaching me about what love truly is,how to forgive and he continually teaches me how to do every command.

He's gone through all and more-There's nothing as comforting as knowing that there's someone who understands what you've been through,but it becomes more comforting when they've gone through it themselves.And that's what sets God apart.Jesus has faced the most cruelty and SOP goes on to say that we will never be called to face such difficult situations like Jesus did.I mean what's the worst than carrying everyone's sins-even those who will decide to reject you as their personal Saviour?Nothing!He knows what rejection is like,he knows what it's like to be hungry,he's lost loved ones,he's been hungry (although he's the creator of all),he was misunderstood,he was ridiculed,he was slapped by a priest,he was beaten,he was betrayed,he was crucified and more.Some of us will never be crucified and some do not even know what it's like to be hungry-they've always had much.Some do not even know what poverty looks like-yet Jesus knows.

Not a reminder of my sins/past:What I mean is,God moves on!He doesn't spend his time reminding me of my sins I've asked forgiveness for.And I mean,we can say,he has a right since he's the one who forgives .But no!He doesn't even remind me of my sinful past.He is more concerned on who he wants me to be :).Such love!

In fact,everything about God stands out for me.

⁶ And the Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, ⁷ keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.”-Exodus 34:6-7

My mother

" Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."-James 1:17

One perfect gift I'm more than grateful to have is my mother.I am glad God never left the choice to choose my mother up to me.He chose who I needed.I am indebted to God for allowing me to be my mother's daughter.There are just too many things I love about my mom,but these really stand out for me:

Her sacrificial spirit:She'd rather deny herself basis needs than to see I and my brother suffer.My needs are a priority and through her,the Lord has provided for me in ways I cannot not comprehend-just at the right time.Not only does she manifests this spirit towards my twin and I,but to others as well.

She's open to correction.I have not met any mother who actually listens to her children when she's in the wrong,without pulling the "age" ticket.That's what set her apart.

She's one person I know I can ALWAYS count on.She has been there from the beginning and she continues to be there for me up until now.In my mistakes and failures she has been the one to strengthen me and to encourage me to pick up the pieces without making me feel worth less.Instead of ever bringing up my defects,she's always showered me with love and she continually lifts me up in prayer.

She allows me to talk a lot,without disturbing me.I am a matyr of making people fall asleep and  I thank her for affording me the opportunity,without manifesting any impatience.Now that I can no longer make one dear friend sleep (Agcobile),at least I have her.

She's always said that she sees me as a fellow sister in Christ or co-heir of the heavenly riches.She's lived out Christianity so that I can have a reference and she has lived such that she isn't a stumbling block in my path.

I'm more than pleased that she used to discipline me when I'd get out of hand.At those moments I used to dislike her,but I'm now much grateful for the discipline.

She's my friend
She cheers me along this road
She believes in me
She prays for me
She loves me
She laughs at my jokes

And I cannot wait to go home so that I can serve her,after all,that's the least I can do.