I CAN'T PROMISE TO BE PERFECT

I'll be totally straight with you . . . I don't like it when someone tells me that I'm making a mistake or that am wrong. Call it foolish pride I suppose. Can you relate with that too? After all, no one's perfect and I know I make mistakes. There are things I have done that only God knows and I sure thank Him for His mercies that endure forever! I have found myself in places and positions I never in my wildest dreams would have contemplated. There are also things I have failed to do and many times I wonder if I will ever have another opportunity to make amends. Anyways, truth be told no one's perfect living here. This goes for many of us Christians who want to see life through perfect spectacles! Amazing teaching from the Master himself that there are two different kinds of houses-the one built on sand and the one built on the rock. When the rains, winds, waves and storms (4 different categories of trials and temptations) come, only those founded on the Rock will stand. Brings me to a simple conclusion. I can't determine what nor when the storms will come. Its not in my power to decide when a trial or a temptation comes. They may come at weak moments and I find myself making some gross mistakes. So I can't promise to be perfect but you know what? I sure can promise to love Him with a perfect heart. I can promise to run to Him even after the mistakes I make. His love and mercies (notice its in plural) endures (is longlasting) forever! O la la! That's a spot for a Faith Shout!!! No wonder our Blessed Savior when asked what the greatest commandment is; without equivocation said, its two of a kind- Love the LORD thy God with ALL thy heart... and Love thy neighbour as thyself. I can promise to do that!!!!! SELAH!! See you next time. (c) 2011 Chinelo Dillimono

I CAN BEGIN AGAIN

Life is truly amazing. My recent mantra has been "I can begin again with the passion of a child!" and I truly believe it. God always gives us new opportunities to start again. The Prophet Isaiah spoke about God doing a new thing. Jesus through John the Revelator says "Behold I make ALL things new". I can give a Faith Shout for that! Failure, it is said, is never final. The battle is not over until you win. Most often it seems we are at the end of the road and we tend to put a closure on it but its usually a bend. The end of one road is the beginning of a new one! If there happens to be a mountain on my way, then I bore a hole through it. I won't give up now because its not working. I won't throw in the towel because I made a mistake; or putting it succintly, I sinned. I will not let the enemy have a field day because I have messed up my last opportunity. I won't stop dreaming because I have hit the big 4 and looks like I'm stepping into the evening of life! I won't give up on friendships because one went sour! I won't stop being a blessing because someone didn't appreciate my last sacrifice. I can't stop loving because I have been hurt by someone who probably didn't deserve my love (I wonder if there's really anyone undeserving of love). That I failed at something doesn't mean I can't win at something else. Truth is; I CAN BEGIN AGAIN! I can be renewed and ready for a fresh start. Yes I can! I can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens me. I can begin with a new passion and make a success of whatever I have set my heart to. So what do I do then? I will wake up from my slumber; look myself in the mirror and tell myself one more time: I CAN BEGIN AGAIN! SELAH! See you next time!

THE FAITH SHOUT!!

Loving Christ is one of the greatest things and profits that can ever be made! He is most real. Many times in our lives, possibly because of the picture painted by the 21st Century Church that it will always be well, smooth-riding, fine, no troubles, no struggles, no problems type of Christianity, we get lost when the boat of our lives seem to rock.Amazingly, it is when our boats are rocking that we really see the power of God in operation!

Recently I was on a flight with my kids going home after a few days away from home! The weather was so bad and the flight was quite rough and turbulent. Like everybody else, I was pretty scared! Hey! I was with both my kids!!! My destiny is still unfolding before me, my beloved husband was waiting at the airport to pick us up and here I was in an uncertain flight with my 'generations'!

Somewhere in my spirit, God's word and promises of protection began to roll into my spirit and I spoke them into the air! Of course I had to encourage my son with same scriptures to boost his faith! At some point here was my son speaking God's word and praying to the one whom he has learned is the only one who holds the whole world in his hands! Did I mention that at some point my kids began to sing 'He's got the whole world, in His hands'? Oh sure they did and I knew that song came from their spirit! Guess who joined in the song!!

Now I had to give a FAITH SHOUT! Why? Not because I wasn't scared, after all who wants to die before time or even in a plane crash anyway. I understood that my life is in the hands of one greater than all! Not only did I trust Him with my life or had I entrusted Him with the lives of my kids and of course the lives of everyone on that flight. I began to see that this situation was building in my kids a faith I cannot build in them myself! I saw the fact that this was a moment where God Himself was teaching my son Himself, through his situation that the only one to trust in is God. I began to see that it is in the midst of our troubles that faith is built! We see God move in tremendous ways that we cannot see Him when there are no storms to deal with!

Faith doesn't say that everything will be alright all the time,but faith says that in the midst of my troubles, trials, temptations, weaknesses, uncertainties, I will still recognize who has my life in His hands, bow before Him and give Him a praise!

Shout to the LORD, All the earth let us sing! Power and majesty, praise to our King! Hey, you don't need to FEEL like shouting to SHOUT His praise! Our God works by principles not by feelings. Besides the just lives by faith! Can someone give a FAITH SHOUT! Watch those mountains come down!!!!

See you next time!!