Straying Galore....

My dad's side hustle was farming so he had livestock and every Tuesday during the school holidays we would accompany the cowboy to the village cattle dip to treat the cattle. I was in awe every time I went there because there were a countless number of cows and they mixed at the cattle dip bay or call it 'waiting room' but after the dipping (well allow me to call it that), every farmer knew his own cattle and you wouldn't hear of cases where some farmer had taken another person's cattle. My dad knew every single cow/bull by its name, and I still wonder to date how he did that because to me all cows look the same, I still think so. One time, one cow, yes just ONE strayed and somehow got lost and my dad spent a whole day combing the whole village looking for it. He was all frustrated and all that and I was like dad, that's just one cow out of like a hundred (okay not exactly) why are you wasting time on just one, si you just let it go? I can’t remember his answer. 
 

No the blog hasn't turned to a cow-tale, however this flash back reminds me of the book of John 10: 14 'I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me'

Jesus points out that he is not just a shepherd but a good one. Just like our then cowboy and my dad, Jesus knows his flock. No matter how many they are. There is no way you can stray and Jesus misses out on you. He sees us even in our disguises. “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way” Isaiah 53:6.
 

As Christians in our own nature, there is a strong tendency to go astray, heeding to the desires of our flesh. 

I cannot even start to count the number of times I have fallen into temptations, allowing myself to yield to the desires of my flesh. Okay I hate using the words 'fall into sin', because lets be clear honey, I didn't fall into sin, I walked right into it!. How? by hanging out with the wrong crowd, being too scared to say no and wanting to fit in when I know so well that I have been created to stand out! 

Did you know that sheep are the most helpless creatures alive? When they are on their own they can't survive long. They need to be fed, protected from wolves, guided when they go to water so that they don't drown or even fall over cliffs. I think sheep are blind because otherwise I don't understand how they sheepishly follow each other around. Well I have news for you, we, you and I, are just like sheep. As soon as we stray from our Creator we follow each other around, trying to conform to the ways of this world, then we drown and we fall over cliffs. We are fully dependent on our shepherd, well at least I know I am, cuz I need his care and protection, His provision and love, His grace and favour. 

You ought to remember that no man is perfect, we have all fallen short of God's glory and have strayed in one way or another infact if we say we are without sin we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us....according to 1st John 1:8

Jesus declared that He is our Shepherd and demonstrated it by giving His life for us. In proclaiming that he is the good shepherd, Jesus speaks of laying down His life for His sheep in John 10: 15-27. Just like sheep we ought to stick with our Shepherd no matter what!

What is the shepherd's obligation?

·         He is obligated to KNOW his sheep

·         He is obligated to LEAD his sheep

·         He is obligated to LAY HIS LIFE down for his sheep

·         He is obligated to DEFEND his sheep

·         He is obligated to BRING other sheep 

  
 Jesus Knows us by name. Each and every one of us, He leads us to green pastures, that is He has promised to provide for us and ensure that we are eating out of the green pastures. He lays his life down for us, he protects and defends us. When you go astray, he leaves the rest of the flock in His helper's hands (Pastors) and goes out personally to look for you. 

YES HE VALUES YOU THAT MUCH.




So today you have a choice: I know am gonna stick with my Shepherd, how about you?

Of Healing.

When I was Nursing, I developed cracks on my nipples that were so sore. They were so painful I thought I would die. I tried all possible balms but nothing worked. Then my pal recommended something that did the magic. There is a local balm that is used to soften cow's tits when milking them. Its called 'Arimis' Yes! that's what did the magic. I applied that for two days and the cracks magically disappeared. I applied that every other day until I stopped Nursing. I kept that balm and continued to apply every single day on my skin. Oops now you know the secret to my smooth skin :)

2011 was not a very interesting year for me because a lot of things fell out of place in my life and I would cry myself to sleep. They say when it rains it pours. Every thing that could possibly go wrong went wrong and I felt so alone. I would hold that  'arimis' in my hand and try to apply it to my heart directly just to get a relief just like I did my nipples when nursing. Yes, you guessed right, it didn't work, cuz well, I couldn't reach my heart! I then drowned myself in drinking and partying despite the fact that I had already turned to God. It was a year of double living for me (story for another day). One day I came across a blog that talked about the Balm of Gilead and I knew there and then that it was directed right at me!

You could be hurting because someone let you down, or things are stuck in your life or something you thought you hoped for didn't come through.

What is this Balm of Gilead? This is a healing salve that grew in the area of Gilead. It was famous in the biblical days and was used to heal every kind of malady you can think of.  Jeremiah referred to this balm several times e.g. in: Jeremiah 46:11 and Jeremiah 8:22.

So how did it work for me?
After I read about the balm of Gilead, I decided to use it as a last resort to heal my pain. The pain that I had carried for so many years. You can also pray the balm of Gilead over your self.

Two easy steps:

First, find a quite spot where you will not be interrupted. You will need about an hour. Begin to speak out LOUD to the Lord. I believe in spoken words. When God created the earth he would SAY stuff out loud 'and he SAID let there be light'...he did not think or murmur. So speak out loud, speak out what is causing your pain and let the tears flow. Sounds crazy, no? Begin to pray balm of Gilead over your hurt. 'Lord, I am asking the Balm of Gilead to go into the deep reccesses of my broken heart and begin to heal.......(mention whatever your hurt is alongside the name of the person responsible for the hurt). Pray over and over until you begin to feel a sense of calm. Take all the time you need.

When ready, place your hand over your forehead and ask God to heal the memories of what happened. Ask him to help you such that the memories will not be a source of torment anymore. Pray and sit quietly waiting for the good Lord to finish His work.

No, I did not pray just once and it worked. I would be lying, if i said so, I prayed so, so many times and finally I began to feel that peace that I was looking for. So if it takes like forever, thats okay, just dont give up. And remember that this works just like any other prayer. It requires faith and believe that its gonna work.

"Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world."C.S. Lewis

When you are at the edge of the cliff

One day when I was about ten years old, I eavesdropped on my aunt Zippora and mum. This is how the conversation went. Mum: (Bla bla bla bla)...she was speaking in our local dialect which I didn't understand at the time, but I guessed from my aunts response she was complaining about the economic crisis.
Aunt: Mungu yupo. (Swahili for God is there/alive)
Mum: So will we eat Jesus, or put on (sic) Jesus?

From that day onwards, I developed an attitude that Jesus can do nothing for you and I never sought him when I was going through anything. Because most people around me were staunch Christians but ironically were struggling the most and would come to our home to borrow stuff. BUT I WAS WRONG. God owns the earth and  all that is in it according to Psalms 24: 1. There is enough provision for us and it is reserved in extremely unthought of places if only we learn to tap into God's well of favour. 

 Being in the Lord gives one peace beyond ones understanding. In 1st Peter 5: 6-10 Peter wrote to Christians about their enemy--warning them and urging them to be vigilant, which is where we often put the emphasis. Just before he wrote those words, however, he said, "Casting the whole of your cares all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully" (v. 7). We must remind ourselves of God's love for us.

When struggles, trials, and hardships come your way--and they always do believe you me--you have a choice. You can heed Peter's words and give God your cares, worries, and concerns. No matter how dark the night or how evil the situation, you must remind yourself that God is not only present with you in those situations, but He also loves you and will provide for you.
Did you know that satan hovers around you? Yes he does. The one thing that we have that connects us to God is Faith and satan tries to destroy that very faith with whispers like: "If God really cared about you, why would He make you go through this trial?" "If God truly loved you, would He treat you this way?" If he can make you think you're not loved or that God doesn't have your best interest at heart, he can plant tiny seeds of unbelief.

Always remember that we are engraved in his palms and he will never, ever forget us. Isaiah 49:16.

He never said that it would be easy but he said he would never leave and that his Grace will be sufficient in every time of need.  His love can be an anchor that you can hold on to.

My Prayer Every Morning: Today just like Abraham I choose to Stand on the promises of GOD!