A Day Well Spent

 If you are reading this post, then you are one of those to whom God has granted the gift of life this day. It may look like no big deal, because after all we have seen so many other days before this one and are still expecting to see many more.
It is easy and common for us to take a new day for granted and not regard it so highly, seeing it as just another 24 hours that will soon pass away to usher in yet another more or less similar day.
Nevertheless, as insignificant as those hours may sometimes seem, the Bible tells us that each and every moment of each and every day matters greatly before God. It informs us that God will judge us for every single thing that we did during our time on earth, be it our words, thoughts, actions, intentions, ignorance, negligence and so on. As the following scriptures show:

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” – 2 Corinthians 5:10

"For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open." - Luke 8:17

“God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.” – Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 

"But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned." - Matthew 12:36-37

"And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books." - Revelation 20:12

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." - Hebrews 4:13

"So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God." - Romans 14:12

As mentioned above, God will judge not only wickedness but also righteousness. Those who will enter His kingdom will be given rewards of various kinds depending on how well they served Him. The Bible informs us that:

"the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames." - 1 Corinthians 3:12-15

"From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." - Luke 12:48b

"I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve." - Jeremiah 17:10

"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done." -Revelation 22:12
 
“For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them...to each according to his own ability...After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them...So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents...His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord'...Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man...and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’...But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant...take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’" - Matthew 25:14-30

It is therefore clear that everything that we have done and are doing will have a great impact on us, and that it will all be brought out into the open later on to undergo a careful analysis by God in the full view of everyone. Furthermore, we will all be judged and rewarded individually according to how we personally walked with God, and the glory or shame, joy or misery that we will receive for our actions will be ours to carry alone.
As we go through each day therefore, it is good to take note of this fact, because as the Bible says, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God, and we will all be held personally accountable and responsible for all our decisions and actions on earth, given the fact that we are always free at all times to choose to do what is right.

The Liebster Award

I was recently nominated for The Liebster Award by Ms. Patricia Townsend, who runs the blog Voice From the End Of Town at http://hsmentormom.blogspot.com. The blog is about her Christian faith and life in Christ. My heartfelt appreciation goes out to her for this warm gesture, and I am really touched and humbled by it. The Liebster Award is a real award that allows bloggers to give recognition to other bloggers and encourage them to continue blogging. To qualify for this award, you must follow the rules below:

1. Acknowledge the nominating blogger, and link back to their blog.
2. Tell 11 random facts about yourself.  
3. Answer the 11 questions that the nominating blogger came up with. 
4. List 11 bloggers who (as far as you can tell) have 200 followers or less and you believe deserve a little recognition and encouragement to continue.
5. Post 11 questions for the bloggers you nominated to answer.
6. Go to the pages of those you have nominated and tell them. 
7. Do NOT nominate someone who has nominated you.

I should have done all this sooner (as I had informed Ms. Patricia), but have been so busy that I haven’t had time to post as much as I would like to. Well, so much for the delay. I have to do this and do it now, so here goes:

11 Random Facts About Me

1. I am the first born in a family of five kids: four girls and one boy.
2. I got born again in 2004 after listening to a sermon on TBN.
3. I’m happy to be single and see it as an opportunity to devote my time to seeking and serving God more (1 Corinthians 7). I don’t mind staying that way.
4. I recently shaved my hair and find that it is easier for me to manage it that way.
5. I would love to visit Israel sometime so as to see and experience the places and things I read about in the Bible.
6. I have only been out of the country (Kenya) once in my lifetime, when I was 5 years old and accompanied my mum to the UK.
7. My favorite childhood pastime was to write, read and narrate fairy tales.
8. I used to be a Catholic before I got born again, and now I’m the only one in my family who is not one.
9. My favorite-est snack is roasted peanuts.
10. When it comes to pets, I prefer cats to dogs. I find them to be so much more graceful and elegant. Maybe this is because I grew up surrounded by as many as eight cats at a go. As I write this, there are actually eight cats in my mum’s house right now.
11. I hate pessimism. I like to keep a positive outlook at all times.

Patricia’s Questions To Me 
1. How long have you been blogging?

I started blogging in April last year. That is nine months ago.

2. What made you start blogging?

I started blogging so as to shine back the light that God has shone upon me in this dark world that I too was once blinded by (Matthew 28:19-20).

3. What was one of the greatest moments in your life?

When I finally understood God’s plan of salvation and got born again.

4. If you made a "bucket list", what would be #1?

Lead the whole world to Christ.

5. What's your favorite color and why?

Truth be told, I really don’t have a favorite color, but I prefer cool colors because I find them to be easier to blend and more professional-looking.

6. What season do you prefer?

Spring.

7. Maserati or minivan?

Maserati

8. Paris or Vegas?

Paris.

9. Moonlight serenade or dinner & a movie?

Dinner.

10. What one thing do you wish everyone understood about you?

I do not like to dwell on the past or on the negatives. I perform better when I'm encouraged rather than picked on or torn down.

11. In 100 years, how do you want to be remembered?

As a true lover and follower of God.

My 11 Nominees

1. Frank King, Frank King’s Blog: wwwefrankking.blogspot.com
2. Amircar Diaz, Christian Living: http://amircarmickydiaz.blogspot.com/
3. Richard Hobart, About The Master’s Business: http://www.heismyallinall.com
4. Scott Lolmaugh, Do You Believe That: http://dontbeliveit.blogspot.com/
5. Mel Libre, Blotfree: http://www.blotfree.com
6. Carl Jones, I’d Laugh…But All This Happened To Me!: http://youthguy07.blogspot.com/
7. Anthony (untonyto), Life and Times of Antony: http://antonyhimself.blogspot.com/
8. Freddy Winter, Media 4 Life Ministries: http://freddywinter.blogspot.com/
9. Sonam Dorji, Living Through My Thoughts: http://somdoji.blogspot.com/
10. Desmond Desyboy’s Blog : http://desybo.blogspot.com/
11. Krissy K, July Flame: http://krissyk-julyflame.blogspot.com/

My 11 Questions

1. Why do you blog?
2. What do you value the most in life?
3. If you were to start your life all over again, what things if any would you do differently?
4. What is your worst habit?
5. What is your best way to relax?
6. What is your favorite food?
7. What gets on your nerves (i.e. irritates you)?
8. Which human being do you admire the most?
9. What is your favorite quote?
10. What is your favorite TV show?
11. Who is God to you?

 

It's a New Year

We are now in the year 2013. You and I are among those who have been blessed with the opportunity to usher it in. There are many people who cannot join us in the celebration because they are not here with us. Some of them died just a few minutes before the new year began. Out of these, there are probably those who would rather be where they are now. Others, however, might want to come back (Luke 16:19-31).
We should therefore treasure and be thankful for each day that we see, because it is a God-given opportunity to do things that truly matter and that make a positive difference in our lives and those of others, both here on earth and thereafter.
Unfortunately though, this is not what always happens. Many are the things that we do that make our lives worse instead of making them better. Such things weigh us down, drain us, fill our lives with stress, depression, misery and regret, and also act as a barrier to God’s plans and blessings in our lives. They include bitterness, unforgiveness, hatred, rage, ethnic divisions, rudeness, jealousy, strife, drug abuse, drunkenness, sexual promiscuity, arrogance, and so on (Galatians 5: 19-21, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Colossians 3:5-8, 2 Timothy 2:16, etc). They are of no benefit to anyone and only add unnecessary complications and gloom to our lives.

When we begin a new year, if we do not get rid of such things, then the new year ends up being just a continuation of the previous ones’ turmoil, baggage and setbacks. We end up rotating in a vicious cycle of unprofitable clutter that becomes harder and harder to break out of as days pass. As one famous quote says,

“Watch your actions for they become your habits;

Watch your habits for they become your character;

Watch your character for it shapes your destiny.”

It is therefore good to do some spiritual, mental, emotional and practical spring-cleaning so as to break out of the vicious loops that keep entangling us and holding us back, and move on to the greater things that God plans for us. This makes life more worth the while and less strenuous.

In addition, we should use the time that we have as wisely as we can, because just like those who have not seen this year, we do not know how much time we have left and whether or not we will see the next one.

“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.” – Ephesians 5:15-16

Why Are You Celebrating The Birth of Jesus Christ?

Christmas is here again. The shops are full of goodies; sales are going on everywhere; malls are teeming with buyers; gifts are being bought; cards are being exchanged; parties are being planned; carols are being sung; kids are excited; tourism is at its peak; lumberjacks are having a great time cutting down trees, and the first chapters of Matthew and Luke are being read extensively.

As is usual during this time of the year, people are in a jovial mood and merrymaking is at its best. Towns everywhere are painted red as revelers, both young and old, flock to their favorite joints to party, drink and dance the season away. Others use this opportunity to spend some quality time with their families and loved ones. Still, others simply make a lot of money out of it.

Nevertheless, in the midst of all this fanfare, it is good for us to ask ourselves an important question: ‘Why, and what for, am I celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ? Is it because I have received what He came to give me, or am I just celebrating for the fun of it? Has He found a home in my heart, or have other gods been lodging there? Do I walk with Him, or have I been determining my own path? Am I His true follower, or am I just His fan?’

Needless to say, Jesus Christ did not come so that we can have a ball and party till the break of dawn at every end of the year. He came to give us the gift of salvation. Those who have received this gift are the only ones who can truly celebrate His birth because they are the ones who have benefited from His coming. A person may eat, drink, make merry, sing Christmas carols at the top of their voice and receive and give 1001 Christmas wishes, but if they have not received the gift of salvation then in the end all that merrymaking counts for nothing. God will not welcome them into heaven just because they knew how to get their groove on and set the roof on fire with all their singing and dancing. He will welcome only those who got born again.

To understand the foolishness of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ while not saved and devoted to Him, let us take the example of a sick person who is suffering from a fatal but curable disease. A doctor brings him some medicine but instead of taking it, the sick person simply rejoices that the medicine is there and thanks the doctor for bringing it. As he continues to rejoice, the disease gets the better of him and he dies from it. If he had taken the medicine he would have lived, but since he rejected it, all his celebration is worthless. It cannot save him from his disease and it will not bring him back from the dead. The same is true about our Christmas celebrations. When the party is over and God calls each one of us to account for our time and actions on earth, it will be of no use for us to have celebrated with all our might yet end up being rejected by Him and told off as none of His (see Matthew 7:21-23), because we did not repent and become saved. The Bible says that Jesus Christ came to save us from sinfulness (see Luke 19:10, Luke 5:32 and Titus 2:11-14).

In Luke 13:26-27, Jesus talked about people who will tell Him of how they ate and drank with Him but it will be of no use. He will reject them even though they brushed shoulders with Him. How much less impressive will mere merrymaking in His name be? As the festive spirit fills the air, here are some verses to meditate on:

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” – Luke 19:10

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” – Romans 14:17

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” – John 3:3

Image from webclipart.about.com

I Once Was Blind But Now I See

In October 2011, the story of a blind hairdresser called Salvin Okinda Mandu was featured on one of Kenya’s national broadcasting stations, Citizen TV. Salvin lost her eyesight in 2003 when she was only nine years old.

One morning, she was woken up to go to school as usual, but when she opened her eyes, she could not see anything. She thought that it was still dark and told her brother Movim, “The world has really changed. How come you are telling me to wake up and go to school yet it is dark?” Her father heard this and tested her by throwing a pencil at her, but she could not see it. She told them that she could not see anything in the room. That is when it dawned on them that something was wrong.

Salvin was taken to eye specialists to see whether her eyesight could be restored, but it was of no use. At one time, the doctors operated on her and gave her a new lens, but when her mother sent her to the shop to test whether she could see, Salvin bumped into a window and broke the lens. This caused her left eye to turn white and begin to cause her headaches.

From that time onwards, Salvin’s life changed completely. She now had to get used to life without eyes and had to rely on a guide to find her way around. She was also forced to forget her childhood dream of becoming an astronaut.

However, Salvin did not give up on life. She learnt how to plait hair and began to work alongside her mother who is also a skilled hairdresser. When she was interviewed by Judy Kosgei, the presenter of Citizen TV’s Your Story show, one could not help but marvel at how this 17 year old girl had risen above the situation to turn her test into a testimony. She displayed her impeccable hairdressing skills before the camera, inspiring viewers throughout the country.

Now, nine years after the tragic incident, Salvin has a different story to tell. She attended an end-of-year Christian revival meeting held in Kenya’s Kisumu County from 30^th December 2011 to 1^st January 2012, and was healed of her blindness. She can now see clearly and is a living testimony that Jesus Christ is indeed The Lord Our Healer.

Here are the pictures and videos of the glorious testimony:

Salvin, the blind hairdresser, in their house at the beginning of the Citizen TV interview

Salvin’s mother leads her to the site of the interview

Salvin’s mother helps her to sit down

Salvin narrates her story to Judy Kosgei of Citizen TV

Salvin’s blind eyes. The left eye turned white when the new lens broke inside it

Salvin’s mother, who is now a widow, tells of her grief

An old photograph of Salvin as a child

A receipt from the Kikuyu Eye Hospital

A sheet of paper showing the eye hospital’s opening hours and charges

The blind Salvin feels journalist Judy Kosgei’s hair

Salvin plaits a client’s hair

Judy Kosgei concludes the inspiring interview

Prophet Dr. Edward David Owuor announces that God has promised to heal many diseases, including blind eyes, during the 2011 end-year meeting

The historic revival meeting held at the Moi Stadium in Kisumu

Prophet Dr. Edward David Owuor prays for the blind during the meeting

Many people are touched by God during the meeting

The documentary of Salvin after her healing

Salvin gives the testimony of her healing

Salvin’s neighbour testifies that she was with her in the stadium when Salvin suddenly began to see and identify things

Salvin demonstrates that she can now see by picking a chair, carrying it towards the tent and sitting on it

Salvin demonstrates her healing by imitating a pastor’s movements

A pastor glorifies The Lord God Almighty for the healing

Glory be to the Almighty God! He surely opened Salvin's blind eyes. There is none like Him! May His name continue to be glorified as people from all over the world once again gather in Kisumu for this year’s end-of-year meeting that God has promised to visit in an even more glorious way. (Note: The meeting will also be broadcast live on www.jesusislordradio.info, and many people are always healed and blessed just by listening and believing).

• Video of Salvin as a blind hairdresser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZXLwES3aIw
• Video of Salvin after being healed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKXSMTtQoSo