Worship is More than Just a Song

Are You Limiting Worship to Just Music? Here’s What You’re Missing

For years, I thought worship was about the music. The melodies, the harmonies, the words that stirred emotions. And yes, music is a beautiful expression of worship—but if that’s all we think it is, we’re missing something deeper.

Worship is more than what happens on a stage or in a church service. It’s not limited to the songs we sing or the instruments we play. Worship is a way of life, a posture of the heart, and a response to who God is. It is how we live every moment in surrender to Him.

Worship Is About Surrender

The heart of worship is not in performance but in surrender. It’s about coming before God with open hands and an open heart, acknowledging that He is worthy of everything we are. Worship happens when we lay down our own desires and say, “Lord, have Your way in me.”

Romans 12:1 (GW) says: “So, brothers and sisters, because of God’s mercies, I encourage you to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, dedicated to God and pleasing to him. This kind of worship is appropriate for you.”

A living sacrifice. That’s not just about music—it’s about daily choices. It’s about how we treat people, how we handle our work, how we respond in difficult moments. Worship is not just what we say—it’s how we live.

Worship in the Ordinary

One of the biggest shifts in my understanding of worship came when I realized it wasn’t confined to church. Worship is just as real when you’re washing dishes, driving to work, or sitting in silence before God. It’s in how you serve your family, how you handle your business, and how you walk in obedience.

Colossians 3:17 (GW) says: “Whatever you do, whether you talk or act, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

That means your work can be worship. Your kindness to a stranger can be worship. Your patience in trials can be worship. Every part of your life, when done in love and obedience to God, becomes an offering of praise.

Worship in the Waiting

There have been moments in my life when I felt stuck—when prayers seemed unanswered and doors stayed shut. In those moments, I learned that worship is not just about thanking God when things go well. It’s about trusting Him in the waiting.

Paul and Silas understood this. When they were thrown into prison, they didn’t wait for freedom before worshipping. Acts 16:25 (GW) says: “Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God. The other prisoners were listening to them.”

They worshipped while they were still in chains. And that’s the challenge for us—to worship not because of our circumstances, but in spite of them.

Worship as a Lifestyle

When we understand that worship is more than a song, everything changes. We begin to see every moment as an opportunity to glorify God. Worship isn’t just what we do—it’s who we are.

So, what does worship look like in your life? Is it in the way you serve? The way you love? The way you trust?

Let’s choose to live lives of worship—not just on Sundays, not just in music, but in every moment. Because true worship isn’t about a song—it’s about a surrendered heart.

What does worship mean to you? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Why Performance Based Faith is Draining and How to get Rid of it

 

Why Performance-Based Faith Can Be So Draining (And How to Relinquish It)

My dear friends, imagine for a moment that you are on the treadmill of existence, with every step taken merely to demonstrate your adequacy. This quest for acceptance is akin to reaching for a mirage of grace, always just beyond your grasp.

Consider the lyrics of my song:

I was running on the treadmill of life,

Every step just proving I’m not enough.

Reaching for grace like it’s out of my hands,

Trying to earn what was never mine to grasp.

Does this resonate with your experience? The relentless pursuit of feeling worthy, of feeling sufficient in God's eyes? But let us not forget the sweet promise of Jesus:

"Come to me, all of you who are overburdened and overwhelmed, and I will give you rest." - Matthew 11:28 (GW)

This respite is not discovered in our own exertions, but rather in yielding to Him.

The Whirlwind of Self-Reliance

In the tempest of guilt and fear, we flounder,

Our self-reliance like a ship in a stormy sea that falters.

Perhaps you have felt the crushing weight of guilt, the relentless gale of self-condemnation. You endeavor to be good enough, yet every failure seems to pull you further under. This cycle of effort and defeat is as ancient as the dawn of time.

But be of good cheer! For Jesus strides upon the very waves that threaten to engulf us. When Peter took his eyes off the Savior and onto his own capabilities, he began to sink. Yet, when he called out, "Lord, rescue me!" Jesus did so without delay (Matthew 14:30-31).

Such is grace. It is not a trophy for the most diligent, but a lifeline thrown to those who are lost at sea.

Releasing the Grip of Performance-Based Belief

The truth we must embrace is that grace is not something to be merited. It is not the result of our laborious striving. It is a gift, bestowed upon us freely.

"It is by grace that you are saved, through faith, and not by your own efforts. It is God’s gift, not a reward for your good deeds." - Ephesians 2:8 (GW)

Now, how do we disembark from this endless treadmill? How do we release the burden of performance-based faith?

Recognize your acceptance in Christ -

 Understand that in Him, you are already cherished, pardoned, and selected (Ephesians 1:4-5).

Cease your striving and begin to abide - Instead of toiling to deserve grace, find solace in what Jesus has completed (John 15:4-5).

Exchange guilt for faith - 

When guilt whispers of inadequacy, remember Jesus' all-encompassing sacrifice (Romans 8:1).

Allow grace to reshape you -

 True transformation arises not from the dread of disappointing God but from resting in his love and allowing his spirit to mold you (Philippians 2:13).

Grace: A Lifeline, Not a Reward

The more I exerted, the more I was found wanting,

Sinking like a vessel worn and frail in the deep waters of doubt and fear.

If the weight of performance-based faith has been your burden, it is time to set it down. Step off the treadmill, my friend. Halt the futile effort to earn what has already been given without charge. Instead, dive into the welcoming embrace of grace.

Jesus did not summon us to perform. He summoned us to find refuge in his love.

You need not prove your worthiness. In Christ, it is already established.

I encourage you, if you have grappled with the exhaustion of performance-based faith, to share your reflections in the comments below. Moreover, I invite you to listen to my recent composition, which delves deeper into this transformative journey of releasing our grip on striving and welcoming grace.

Unburdened: Living in the Freedom of Grace

 Where Grace is the Boss

Living in the freedom of grace is not a far-fetched idea. It's what we are called into. But, is that what we are doing on a day to day basis? Read on to find out if you have been living in liberty, or as a slave.

Understand Grace

Hey, so we've all heard that we're saved by grace, right? It's like the coolest thing ever, but sometimes it feels like we're just nodding along at Sunday school instead of actually living it. We roll up to Jesus tired out and lugging all our junk, and He's like, "Come on, let me take that load off," and gives us this sweet gift of rest. But then we're out here trying to pay Him back with gold stars for every good deed. But all those points are total rubbish to him. He doesn't care if we are going out of our way to "please" him or not, he only cares for the work He did for us! It's like we're back in kindergarten or something.

Grace isn't just the VIP pass to get into heaven—it's supposed to be the whole party vibe of our lives. It doesn't stop at salvation and leave us stranded. It is the very bread and butter of our lives, we embrace it and live victoriously. But what happens? We get all serious again and start slapping ourselves with rules that aren't even in the playbook Jesus gave us. We're talking about stuff we think we gotta do to keep God happy, like praying with the right words, serving in the exact right ways, and being all holy on the outside. It's like we're trying to win a prize that's already ours.

Absurd!

Now, let's not forget that pitfall of thinking we gotta keep our salvation on a tight leash with all our hard work. We start acting like we're in some kind of divine competition, making up rules that aren't even in the Bible, but we treat them like they're God's own to-do list for us. Maybe, we are so used to abiding by rules that we can't live without them. It's like we're trying to be superheroes when really, Jesus already played that part.

Let's take a page from Paul's book in Galatians:

"Are you really that clueless? After starting with God's Spirit, are you now ending with your own human effort?" (Galatians 3:3, GW)

Our human efforts don't play any part in making God more into us. Isaiah intimated that ALL our righteousness(they are many) are like used sanitary towels. they are good for nothing, except to be thrown into the pit. The only thing that does it is the free gift of righteousness, which is received by grace.

Grace is like the ultimate wingman—

it doesn't just get us in the door, it keeps us grooving on the dance floor without falling over. In fact, grace pulls all the stops and moves, while we enjoy the show. If God ever wanted to be impressed, He already impressed Himself when He gave up His only son to be killed on a wooden cross. That was His greatest show of love. there's nothing we can do to outbid that act. So let's drop the act and stop trying to impress God. He loves us already.

Now, some of this heavy stuff we're carrying around is like hand-me-downs from the religious thrift store. We get told that we still gotta play by Moses' rulebook, with all those old laws about what we can and can't do. But Jesus was like, "Nah, I got a better deal for you. Believe that I exchanged all your sins; past, present and future, and gave you my own right standing with God. 

I played by Moses' rules to the letter, but I still received punishment for those rules you couldn't play by yesteryear, today, and forever. After doing that, I pinned those rules and their legal demands on the cross with my own stamp that said, "Paid in full". Now you don't have to keep on trying to re-invent the wheel, by following them. By me they became obsolete. outdated."

So why are we still lugging around those ancient chains?

But how do we actually live like we're free and loving this grace thing?

Chill with Jesus' Finished Stuff – We don't have to run the extra mile here. What He did on the cross is more than enough for us to be in with God. We're not on a never-ending tryout for His love. You're not inn some kind of probation, if not, recruitment for heaven. In fact, Christ has already made us sit in the heavenly places with him. you may not see it with your naked eyes, but that's where God already sees us.

Say No to Legalism 

– If something makes it sound like we gotta add to what Jesus did to be cool with God, it's fake news. The ones that seem to suggest that you may have lost a place in the book of life.

 Who told you that there's a big filling department in heaven, and the angels are always writing names and deleting? Who lied to you that there are angel reporters following you everywhere, and writing back to heaven? Who lied to you that God blesses according to how good you have behaved? 

He has already blessed you with ALL spiritual blessings, and there's nothing left for you to work for. But legalists will always tell you that there's something left for you to do. Legalism is like a friendship bracelet that's actually handcuffs.

Do Stuff Because You're Loved, Not to Get Loved . 

There's nothing you can do to earn God's love. He already loved you when you were a sinner. Giving in church can't make Him love you some more. Nor can carrying the pastor's stuff to the pulpit every Sunday, or even helping the poor. We read the Bible, pray, and help out because we're already part of God's squad. It flows from the new nature that god gave us when we believed. It's not about brownie points.

Follow the Spirit's Lead. 

Christ left us the Holy Spirit to be our guide and helper. If only you can stop trying hard, and let the Spirit, who is the most natural thing for a believer, to do his thing. Ditch the rulebook and let the Holy Ghost be your GPS. He'll steer you right without the pressure of keeping all those man-made laws. 

Be Friends with God, Not Frightened of Him

 – Knowing God is about chilling with Him, not being scared of messing up. His grace is the warm blanket we snuggle in, not the stick that keeps us in line.

This is exactly what John is saying when he writes that perfect love drives away fear. Instead of trying very hard to be perfect in your behaviors, understand the word of God, and be perfected in His love, Know how greatly He loves you and rest in that love. God is not a Mafioso. Don't run away if you feel like you've messed up. Instead, run closer to him. After all, He's the only one who can make a better you, not yourself.

So let's ditch the fake freedom for the real deal. Jesus didn't just set us free so we could build new cages for ourselves. He wants us to kick back, let His love run the show, and enjoy the ride. So let's get into that groove, my friends, and live like grace is our jam.

The Secret to a Life Brimming with Grace

 

Here are a a few secrets I have discovered for living a life filled with and dictated by grace. Your life will never be the same after discovering the full meaning of grace that God has bestowed on us. 

Ever feel like you're lugging around a heavy backpack that's full of everyone's expectations, your own let-downs, and the never-ending quest to be good enough? That's a pretty common experience for a lot of folks. But the good news is, there's another way to live, a way that's been laid out for us in the gospel—a way of grace, freedom, and being fully accepted in Christ.

Sealed by Grace

When the Bible says we're sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13), it's not talking about some temporary fix. This is the real deal, a sign that says we're God's and nobody else's. It's a promise that no matter what we do, He's got us.

What does this sealing really mean for our day-to-day lives?

• We're part of the family. Our status with God isn't based on performance; we're His because we're in Christ.
• We're unshakeable. Nothing can tear us away from God's love—not our mistakes, not other people, not even ourselves (Romans 8:38-39).
• We've got divine help. The Holy Spirit is like our inner renovator, transforming us from the inside, making us more like Jesus.

Embracing the Freedom of a Life Steeped in Grace

You might know about grace, but are you really living it out? Sometimes we keep pushing ourselves like we're back in the schoolyard trying to climb the moral ladder, when actually, we've been given a free pass to the top. As if we can really take ourselves there. 

Remember, that Christ was crucified because we could not bring ourselves to God. If there was a single chance, however remote, that we could behave into a right standing with God, then Jesus would not have had to die. 

The way to God is not some ladder that we can climb on our own; Christ is the only way, and we need to learn to rest in his finished work. To us it means freedom. Here's how to start living in the true freedom that comes from grace:

Rest in His Finished Work

   When Jesus said, "It is finished," on the cross, He meant it (John 19:30). He had already done all that was required for our justification, redemption and even our being transformed to his own image. 

Mark you this, he didn't leave anything behind that we need to do. His work is completely complete. We can stop trying to add to what He's done and just bask in the joy of knowing we're saved. 

If ever there was something that Christ left undone, know that you can't complete it. If I can't lift a rock, my kindergarten daughter can't lift it too. 

But Christ did what we could not do. Not only that, he died for our mistakes, past, present and future. He bridged the gap between us and God. What else do we need to do?

Ditch the Performance-Based Acceptance Myth

   It's easy to get caught up in thinking we have to earn God's love. But the truth is, we're loved because of Jesus, not our to-do lists (Titus 3:5).

Here's the thing: If God were to show love to us based on our conduct, He'd end up hating us with a passion. But he loved us even when we were sinners. Even when there was nothing good to be said about us, He came to look for us. Not only did he look for us, he gave up his only son so that we might be his children too.

Friends, we are not working to be accepted by God. No. It is God who is extending His love to us, and we need only to accept it and live in it. Let us swim in the love that God, our father has lavished on us.

Let Grace Fuel Your Actions

   Instead of doing good to get right with God, start from a place of being right with God and watch the goodness spill out. We have already been made right with God through Christ Jesus. 

Because we are right with God, we have been blessed with all spiritual blessings. There's nothing we can do to add to those blessings. As I have said, He poured ALL His blessings into us the moment we believed. 

You can't be more blessed by giving in church, tithing faithfully, helping the poor, preaching more..... None of those impresses Him. In fact, there's nothing you can do to move God. He moved Himself when He let his son be humiliated and die on a cross.

So, our actions are not fueled by a need to earn God's nod. It is the opposite: we nodding to what He has already done. It's not about us trying to make God react to our actions. It's about living from what God has placed inside us, reacting to the gift of righteousness(2 Corinthians 5:21).

 It's about living from what He's given us, not trying to impress Him 

Follow the Spirit's Lead, Not Your Fleshly Whims

   Being free in Christ doesn't mean going wild. Some people wrongly think that grace is a license to sin. But that can't be further from the truth. Grace is actually the power that enables us to live above sin. 

Before a right standing with God was revealed through Christ, we used to live a life of strife. We tried our best to at least keep the 10 commandments, but we were unable. This was mainly because we didn't have the Holy Spirit in us, and that we were sinners by nature. We were like a scorpion that can't help stinging, even when it shouldn't.

But now God has given us a new nature. one of righteousness. We are new creatures, created in the image of His son. On top of that, we also have the Holy Spirit, who silently leads us to do what is right. We don't struggle t follow a to-do-list. Whatever is nobble, right and praiseworthy has already been carved out in our very being.

So it's not about trying to live by 630+ rules; we have no chance there. In fact, my Bible records that the power of sin is the law. It's about living out who we are from the inside. If only you knew who you are from within, you'd stop trying to become.

 It's about saying yes to the Holy Spirit's gentle nudges and finding joy in doing what's right out of love, not fear (Galatians 5:16-18).

Be a Grace Giver

   Once you've tasted God's grace, you'll want to share it. You can't afford to keep quiet with all this sweetness. Once you know how much forgiven you are, how much loved you are, how much valued you are.

A child who knows how much their father loves them will always want to display their father, parade him in front of their peers. No, it's not an obligation, but just an action from a feeling that can not be held back. 

Am saying this because my daughter loves to show me to her friends, telling them how good I am, how I lavish her with good things, how much we are in love.....

As a result, my daughter treats her peers with the same love, care and tenderness. As her father is, as she has known him to be, so is she. And this is also true to us. the same way we know our God to be, so shall we be. The secret here is to know God even more, coz as He is, so are we.

Before we can show grace to others, we must know the man called grace. to know the man called grace is to know ourselves. From here, we will not struggle to show grace to others. It will naturally flow from within.

The Happiness of a Life Saturated with Grace

When you're sealed and free, you're not just living a peaceful life; you're living a life that's full of joy because you know God isn't holding your past against you. He's not waiting to hit at you at the slightest mistake too. He's showering you with love and affection on account of Christ.

you can easily say like Paul, that it's no longer me who lives, but Christ through me. Everything that God is doing in my life is not because I am good, but because Christ did all the heavy lifting. I am clothed in Christ, and all that God sees is His own righteousness. He accounted all my mistakes  on Christ, long before I was born, so that now I am wearing shining robes of righteousness that can not be stained. For this, I have confidence to approach the throne of grace, having already obtained mercy.

It's a life of confidence, knowing that you're safe in Jesus' arms, ready to take on whatever comes your way. And it's a life that shines love to a world that's still wearing those heavy chains.

So, let's drop the weight we've been carrying. Let's grab hold of grace and really live. You're sealed, and you're free. Just like that.

After the Christmas Fun.....

 Christmas is already behind us. Those who had gifts have already unwrapped their boxes and now we are looking forward to a new year. More celebrations...

But let's go back a bit and ask ourselves, what does Christmas really mean to me?

Some would simply say, "nothing " and move on. Christmas is to many a chance to meet with friends, eat nyama choma, get high on something.... 

Some will even tell you that Christmas is not the day christ was born. Suppose it's not? We do not have Jesus's birth certificate nor do we have the Jewish Callender, we only know that he was born. We celebrated that fact, and we don't have a problem doing so in any month. 

Here comes the third question, or is it the second? Would Jesus have celebrated his birthday, as we do? I suppose not.

Jesus's birth marked the beginning of his humiliation stage. Having lived the life of God, as creator of the world, he now had to live in the limitations of a human body. His rank was drastically lowered from lord of all to a position where mankind is: a little lower than the angels (Hebrews 2:7-9)

He would get angry, hungry, feel sad, and be limited by time and space. To be sure, he was still God, born like us(galatians 4:-5)

Before we could talk about redeeming those under the law, we should talk about the ultimate human weakness: death. God can not die, but Jesus OBEYED even death (philippians 2:8)

This is where my redemption came from. He took my place on the cross and gave me his position in heaven. Pilate found nothing to accuse him of, the law and the prophets found none either, yet God heaped all the sins of the world on him.

Because he was judged on my behalf I will not stand in judgment. He has become the end of the law so that there may be righteousness to the likes of me, who believe *(Romans 10:4)

Am waiting for Easter, which stands for my redemption and glorification.....

Can a Loving God Punish?

 

An inferno representation of wrath and hell

No, it's not the nature of God to hit back when we do wrong. He answers wrong with love.

I know what you are thinking right now: what about Sodom and Gomorrah, what about Uzaiah, what about the foot of the mountain when Moses found them worship calf and 3000 died? I will tell you; Moses's misrepresentation of God made him the first Jewish terrorist.  He ordered those men to be killed. 

Now tell me, between the idol worshipers and the killers, who was the sinner?

That's a great illustration of religion. It makes you think you are reacting on God's behalf while in real sense, you are doing your own stuff your own way.

Love, not wrath 

God always reacts with love, in fact, He proactive with love. When Adam disobeyed and found out his nakedness, God, who must have been angry in our minds, devised clothing for him. In the time of Isaiah when the whole world was sinful, God said, " Come, let's talk. Even if your sins are red as crimson, I will make you as white as snow ". 

When the stench of sin was nolonger bearable, he sent His only son to save us from the punishment for sin and the power of sin.

Galatians 3:13 NLT

[13] But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 

https://bible.com/bible/116/gal.3.13.NLT

The old testament writers wrote about God's wrath because they didn't understand him through the lens of Christ. Though they were inspired by the Holy Spirit to write, they had liberty to pen their own thoughts, which were shaped by the torrah and traditions. They didn't understand the God whose kindness leads to repentance. 

My Bible tells me that in his forbearance He continually let it slide until Christ came( Romans 3:25). All the punishment that was due to us was heaped on Jesus on the cross. And still on that, God did not punish Jesus as a person, but as sin personified. 

Romans 8:3 KJV

[3] For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

https://bible.com/bible/1/rom.8.3.KJVThat's to show that God doesn't have a problem with the sinner, but with sin itself. To save the sinner he dealt with the issue of sin completely by making his son sin itself so that we may become not just righteous, but righteousness itself in him. (2CORINTHIANS 5:21)

That's his perfect will, that we'd all be saved through Christ. Instead of lashing out, God points us to the one who can save us, the one He punished on our behalf, the one who took our weaknesses. 

To sum it all, a loving God doesn't and can't punish. Poverty is not a slap from God, nor is sickness, drought, war, or any bad tidings. The wages of sin are death, not any of the above, and Christ Jesus died on our behalf, taking away the charges that stood against us.

Colossians 2:13-15 NLT

[13] You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. [14] He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. [15] In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.

https://bible.com/bible/116/col.2.13-15.NLT

Don't anticipate God's wrath and punishment, anticipate all the riches in his glory!

Forgiveness and Reconciliation: Reconciling with the Past

You will learn to live a happier life if you learn to forgive and forget

Forgiveness

This is the source of very deep actions of forgiveness and reconciliation; they heal our souls and repair the fragmented relationships that have been disintegrated. These processes are not easy, which requires a high degree of courage and humility. In solving these ruptured relationships, the path requires that we understand true forgiveness and right the wrongs committed. The process is difficult, but at the same time, it is worthy in experiencing inner peace and spiritual growth.

Our Power to Forgive

Forgiveness is an action of power—freeing us from being enslaved by our own bitterness and resentment. Not necessarily forgetting the wrongs done to us, but choosing to let go of their claim on our hearts—in an act of the will.

Consider a lady called Sarah, who draped the albatross of her bitterness against her father for many years. He had left the family when she was but a small girl, leaving her feeling abandoned and all alone. That abandonment hurt had trailed her into adulthood, poisoning her relationships and robbing her of joy. Every time she would try to get on with her life, the bitterness pulled her back again, shining the spotlight on those ugly deep scars from her childhood.

One day, Sarah attended a church service where the preacher was talking about the power of forgiveness. 

His message pierced her heart and she suddenly realized that her angry feelings did not hurt her father at all; it only killed her inside. 

Sarah prayed that she receives the grace to forgive, not her father for his wrongful deeds towards her, but to free herself from the bitterness that had taken control of her. 

As she whispered some prayer of forgiveness, a weight lifted from her shoulders, and for the first time in years, she found true peace.

The Bible underlines that liberating power of forgiveness in

 Ephesians 4:31-32 (NLT)

Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you."* The journey of forgiveness for Sarah had enabled her to move on, no longer held hostage by the pain in her past.

The Road to Reconciliation

While forgiveness is a personal act, reconciliation is a joint effort. It involves the rebuilding of trust and restoration of relationships gone bad. 

Reconciliation is a process that calls for humility and patience and often the will to confront unpleasant truths.

Consider the example from the Bible of Joseph. While his brothers sold him off into slavery, he spent years being away from home, undergoing so much hardship, and led a completely different life. 

Even when his brothers wrongly sold him into slavery, Joseph did not take revenge on them when he finally rose to a position of power within the government of Egypt. 

He tested the hearts of the brothers, to see whether they had changed or not, and after he was convinced that they were truly repentant, Joseph revealed himself to them, embraced them, and gave them his forgiveness.

In Genesis 50:20-21 (NLT), Joseph tells his brothers', "You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.  21  No, don't be afraid. I will continue to take care of you and your children." So he reassured them by speaking kindly to them.

Joseph did not immediately set on a reconciliatory journey. It took him some internalization that probably God would heal the wounds of the past. 

Joseph, for giving his brothers and reconciling with them, did not just restore his family; he eventually saved them from the famine.

 Reconciling With the Past

Reconciling with the past is an important step that has to be made on the journey to forgiveness and reconciliation—to acknowledge the pain, seek healing, and decide to walk on with love and grace. 

It does not mean that the past has been erased or that the wrongs, by some magical process, are now right, but it does mean that now no longer has the past power over our present and future.

When we reflect on the stories of Sarah and Joseph, we realize that forgiveness and reconciliation are very important to our relationship with God. 

They are the most faithful of acts: the incidents that challenge us and call us to embrace God's plan and transforming power, that even in the agony of it all, it could result in healing and growth.

In 2 Corinthians 5:18 (NLT), Paul reminds us, "And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him."

 Just as God has reconciled us to Himself through Christ, we are called to pursue reconciliation in our relationships.

Conclusion

Forgiveness and reconciliation are not easy, yet they are part and parcel of our well-being and spiritual growth. In the act of forgiving and striving for reconciliation with others, the deepest healing and peace will come. 

It is painful, but what freedom of the past and the future that you gain with every step is so much a benefit.

As you consider your personal history, think about areas where you might need to forgive or be reconciled. Pray for empowerment to make the necessary steps, believing that God will guide your process. 

Remember, although the past shapes us, it does not define us. Forgiveness and reconciliation can bring freedom that will enable us to move on—to live in the fullness of God's grace.

Ministry of the Holy Spirit: 1; The Indwelling Spirit

 

Ministry of the Holy Ghost

The Holy Spirit Descended on them like flames of fire

Let's start this discussion with Genesis 1:2

² Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.

Genesis 1:2

I this verse we see that the earth was in chaos. Wherever there is chaos the Holy spirit is there to bring sanity and order. We also find that God the father, son and Holy Spirit are acting in unison

• Father is the author of salvation or creation
• son executes the plan of the father
• Spirit reveals the plan of God
• 

From this elaborate work of creation man has continued to pass on the seed of sin that can only be paid with death but the holy spirit Gives life.

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— ¹⁷ the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you

This is a verse from John 14:16-18 where the Holy spirit is promised as a helper, one that will be with you always. It's quite encouraging as a believer to know you have this power from God Himself, in fact God Himself always with you.

in John 18:17 we see Peter reacting outside of the Holy spirit, in fear, since the Holy spirit had not yet been given to the disciples. when the Holy spirit is at work the fear is no more. We can bear witness to that when the same peter testifies openly and boldly about Jesus on the day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon him and the others.

The world can't see or know the Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 12:12 We are baptized into one body though having different gifting and the Holy Spirit manifesting in us in different ways.

The moment you believe in Jesus, the following happens

• the Holy Spirit imparts in you an eternal and inseparable union with Jesus. He baptizes you in the spirit of Jesus
• You start receiving the riches of God's grace, one of them being imputed with righteousness.
• Imparts in you the gift of love and the ability to defeat temptation.

Though Adam was morally upright, he lacked the Holy Spirit so he fell when he was tempted by the devil. This is one of the key works of the Holy spirit in a believer in that He strengthens him to resist temptation.

He is also a guarantee that you'll meet God in heaven.

In the old testament the Holy Spirit would on come UPON men but not live In them. We have a classical example of Saul, who would consult from the prophets, get insights to rule over his kingdom and when the Holy Spirit was on him he would do exploits. But when the Holy spirit left him, Saul would become mad, necessitating the services of David, the guitarist.

And here comes the Pentecost

Pentecost comes from a Hebrew word that translates to the 50th day. God chose that day for the Holy Spirit to come and take over from Jesus, to permanently live in us and never go back.

In the old testament the presence of the Holy Spirit was represented by the Ark of Covenant. You needed to be in a certain place, with a particular person as your representative because the box was only meant to interact with a chosen few, the priests. but when the curtain to the holy of holies (where the ark of covenant was kept) tore in the middle, everyone was given free access to Him. He now lives IN US. In fact the Bible states clearly in Acts 7:48 that The Most High can't live in houses made by human hands

 ⁶ But Christ is faithful as the Son over God’s house. And we are his house, if indeed we hold firmly to our confidence and the hope in which we glory.

Hebrews3:6

¹⁹ Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

In the old testament there was a temple, set apart for God, where there was an Ark of Covenant in the Holy of Holies. this is where the Shakaina glory lived. Today if you believe that Christ was raised from the dead and confess His lordship, you become His dwelling place through the Holy Spirit and you have the Shakaina Glory of God.

²⁰ Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

Ephesians 3:20

The power of the Holy Spirit is resident and at work in us who believe.

⁴ You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

1 John 4:4

This scripture tells me that the Spirit of God is in me and is greater than the one who is outside. Now that God can't share the same place with the devil, that means that the devil can't dare get inside me. the only thing that the devil can do is play tricks on you until you mess up and deceive you how God is angry with you.

Romans 8:8-10 confirms that that the Holy Spirit lives in us . the beauty of it is that by being the Holy Spirit's palace, the angels guard it all the time whether you pray about it or not coz the power of Heaven lives in you.

How to Create a Deeper Relationship with God

 

Grow in Faith

Becoming more intimate with God is not just an experience. It's an ongoing process that calls for dedication, reflection and a teachable spirit. There are so many who want to be closer to God, but only want to do it by their own efforts, and by their own standards.

On the contrary, God wants to bring you closer to Himself by his own hand, and on His own terms. After all Christ is not the bride: you are. Now tell me; between the bride and the groom, who entreats the other to themselves? The groom, right? Then why do you want things to be different with God?

Spiritual Growth... or is it growth in Faith?

When people talk of growing spiritually, they are referring to being conformed to the image of christ. It's a process that starts from the time you believe in the gospel of Christ, and continues.....

2 Corinthians 3:18

New International Version

18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Sanctification, as it's referred, is a process grounded on the working of the Holy Spirit. All you need to do is to yield yourself up to his leading, and he will gradually transform you from inside out. In Galatians 5:22-23, Paul lists the fruits that will be apparent in you when you subject to the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

However, you would do better than to try to force them out of yourself without Him having born them inside you. You will burn out sooner or later. If you are guava inside, don't struggle to bear mangoes. Wait till the Holy Spirit bears them through you in increasing measure.

Prayer and Meditation

Prayer is not just another ritual or even a religious activity. It is communion with God. In prayer we thank God for all He has done, which can see or are yet to see, we interact with Him through the connection of His Spirit, and cast our care unto him.

It is for this reason that we are reminded to pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:16). Like your most cherished lover, God wants to be in communion with you. You don't have to ask, ask, ask, ask. You can marvel at the divine attributes of God.

Pray for others, pray for the nation...by all means pray. Instead of sulking you can take those worries to God This is what He is telling us:

Philipians 4:6-7

But before you can pray effectively, you need to know what the word of God says. This is because an effective prayer is based on God's will, which you can only know through His word.

That is exactly what is contained in the Bible. God's word is His power... unto salvation. It has all the things you require to live an abundant life. If you meditate on the word of God daily(Psalms 1:2-3), then you will have led a beautiful life. You will know God all the more, and will be drawn to him all the more, and His power will be more apparent in your life.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

As said earlier, it is the work of th eHoly Spirit to build a more intimate bond between you and God, and yours is to subject yourself to him. His indwelling guidance will help you live a life that honors God. 

The Indwelling Spirit

Upon believing and being born again, the believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. He is not just a sign of salvation and a mark that we belong to God, he is also the springboard for sanctification and the driving force too. In 1 Corinthians 6:19, Paul speaks of our bodies as the temples of the Holy Spirit.

Well he is not talking of the temple like the church where we go to every sunday and go about our businesses out of church the whole week: He is talking from the priest's point of view, because th epriest lived in the temple. Now the Holy Spirit has made our bodies his dwelling place. He's not moving out any time soon or later.

He signifies that we are set aside for God's purposes, and continues to make small changes within us to conform us to our new identity.

While inside us, the Spirit testifies with out souls that we are children of God(Romans 8:16-20). As God's children, he nourishes us with what we need for growth in faith and in knowledge of the truth. He convicts the world of its sin through us and demonstrates our righteousness in God(John 16:8) He is the only one we need in us to live a life concurrent with our new nature in Christ.

The Holy Spirit as a Guide

In John 16:13, Christ promised the Helper who would lead us into all truth. He has now come, lives in us and leads us into the word of truth. His guidance is more than that of a father to a son; he searches the innermost secrets of God and helps us align with the thoughts of God.

This is more than a mere discernment of right and wrong. In fact, no one has ever been made right with God by doing what is right and shunning the wrong. The Holy Spirit makes us understand th escriptures in depth, allowing us to know what exactly God is saying and meaning and thus cementing our faith in Him.

Needless to say, the Bible is God's blueprint, and to understand it is to get into his thoughts. Furthermore, it is the primary tool for sanctification, as it bares the character of God to us and tells us, " this is what you have become.(2 Timothy 3:16-17)

This brings to mind the story of a vulture that was captured as a small chick, and brought up among chickens. As the small chicks quaked and scratched, the small vulture, we shall call her Hellen, having no other role model, believed she was one of them and scratched and tried to quack like them. 

In her adolescence Hellen was behaving exactly like the other adolescent chicks, but wished she could fly every time an eagle passed by. But one day a vulture perched herself in a nearby tre and said in vulture language, " you are one of us, look at me and compare with yourself!" Hellen looked at her reflection in a water tray and realized she was more of a vulture than a hen

When the vulture in the tree flew away, Hellen followed suit, flapped her wings and glided in flight. That's what the Spirit does to us. When we read what humans can't do, He tells us, " you are gods"(Psalms 82:6). When the world is cracking under the weight of sin he announces to us that we can not sin(1 John 3:9). When others are struggling to grasp the truth, the Spirit has revealed all things to us(1 John 2:20). I have covered more in depth on the role of the Holy Spirit in my book. Grab a copy and read more.

If you give yourself wholly to the Holy Spirit, are intentional on getting deeper into a relationship with God, and are committed to the journey, you hav eno cause for worry. Many have been here and succeeded. In fact, there is nothing to succeed in. It is God drawing you near to Himself. Yours is to comply. To believe him when he says you are what His word says you are.

 As we commit to prayer, meditation on Scripture, fellowship with other believers, and reliance on the Holy Spirit, we will find ourselves growing in faith, love, and holiness. As I have said earlier in this blog, growing in faith and getting deeper is not a destination but a journey. With the help of the Holy Spirit, you have already been brought close to God. In fact, You are in God.