Priceless Gift!

Wow! I cannot believe it's been almost a year since I have written on this blog. I did not plan to stay away that long. The good news is that I am back and I have received so much insight that I cannot wait to share with you. As we celebrate today the birth of our Savior Jesus, it is also a time for reflection about things and events that transpired in both our personal and spiritual lives. Let me just say the Lord took me to school this year. He made me wean from the bottle and challenged me to graduate from Kindergarten to a higher level where I can begin to eat some solid food such as meat. So, I have tested the "meat of the Word" and I can tell you that it is good and it gets better day by day. That's why I have no intention of reverting back to "baby food". I am praising God for spiritual upgrade and for allowing me to graduate to higher level in Christ. Throughout the upcoming blogs, I will write about the lessons I have learned and how I dealt with life's unexpected turns.
However, I just stop today to say a prayer for you but most importantly to bring my gift to Jesus: a Thanksgiving offering.
Indeed we don't need a special day to say thank you. We all know how the world becomes so frantic during this season as I mentioned it on a previous blog .  We can dare to be different by being less self-centered and more Christ-centered. After all, it is His Birthday.
Imagine for a moment being the guest of honor at a celebration that was the talk of the town. Your transportation, your clothes, your shoes, your jewelry were all paid for by the same person who invited you. Not to leave anything undone, He even booked you a room at a "Taj-Mahal" like hotel.You could hardly believe your eyes when you entered the place where the festivities were taking place : exquisite foods, "out-of-this world" delicacies and drinks" Did I mention "precious stones" cutlery and diamond plates that you did not have to return ? How about the "professional staff assigned to cater to every one of your needs. But wait, you were not just like any guest ! You were seated at the table of Honor and treated like Royalty. In addition, you were not required to bring any gift or even contribute anything. Rather, it was written in golden letters on the invitation cards:

"Come as you are, Grace will be supplied in Abundance at no Cost to you"

This is not a fantasy but a reality that anyone can live when they understand the reason why Jesus came. I don't know about you but I am going to tell you few among countless blessings He bestowed upon me when I accepted His invitation :

- He gave me a second lease as far as my life is concerned with a much better proposal that I could not refuse: "The thief's purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." (John 10:10, NLT)

- He covered my nakedness, made me over and crowned me with Glory: “ I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments.I adorned you with jewelry: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck,and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. " (Ezekiel 16:9-12, NIV)

- He covered all my unrighteous acts with His grace and made me right with Him: "For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God's wonderful grace and his gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one man, Jesus Christ." (Romans 5:17, NLT).

- He did not disqualify me because of pre-existing conditions but He accepted me with all the baggage from my past: "To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he has made us accepted in the beloved." 
(Ephesians 1:6, KJV).

He looked me straight in the eye and told me to believe until it sunk deep within my soul that: "I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (Psalm 139:14, NIV)

The list goes on. I would not have enough room to tell it all. Jesus is the "Man". How can I ever repay Him back? It is impossible. Nevertheless, I know I can do this much, which is to glorify God for bringing Emmanuel, who wanted to tabernacle among lowly men. I am so glad you came, Jesus, my Lord, my Brother and Best Friend more than two thousand years ago on a Christmas day! Happy Birthday!

Merry Christmas to all! May you be rooted in the love of God and may this wonderful season grant you an Abundance of Christ's Peace that will linger forever. Joyeux Noël!

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we come with a grateful heart to present to you a Thank offering. Nothing can compare to the most precious gift that you have freely given us, your Son, Jesus Christ. In Jesus, we have received salvation, eternal life, restoration, deliverance, freedom, peace and so much more. May your Name be praised! Power, Glory, Dominion and Honor belong to you Emmanuel, King of Kings, Prince of Peace, Bread of Life, Adonai !  I love you! I Adore You! In Jesus' Name! Amen!

May your life be a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God !

Abi



 


 

 

A New Chapter.

The city of Brotherly Love, Philadelphia has been my home for almost five years. As the Bible instructs us in Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NASB):

"There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven-"

I thoroughly enjoyed my season in Philadelphia. I am grateful to God for many blessings He bestowed upon me:

Friendships, valuable life's lessons, spiritual growth and maturity. Most importantly, this is where I really experienced God's unchanging Hand. Despite living in a foreign land, I always had a roof above my head, food on my table, clothes on my back, God's protection, God's provision and God's providence. On many occasions where I could have found myself in a pit, God intervened and showered me with Fresh Manna from Heaven. Manna is defined in the dictionary as :

" food miraculously provided, spiritual nourishment of divine origin, something of value that a person receives unexpectedly."

Yes, Miracles still happen and I have been the recipient of many. As I am getting ready to close a chapter of my life in Philadelphia, I am counting of the faithfulness of the "Miracle-Wonder-Working" God to carry me over. Our God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ is the one who will walk with me as I relocate back home to Canada.
Life will take us trough different changes. Some might even be unexpected and difficult but I encourage you to be opened during the process. While times of transition can be scary because of the fear of the unknown or leaving the familiar, we should always remember that God is immutable. He is constant in His Love for you. Therefore, He will be with you to help you navigate through periods of uncertainties. He is the God of your past, present and future. He is the Alpha and the Omega. Some doors may close, others open or be in a limbo stage but God does not change. He reminds us himself in Malachi 3:6 (NLT):

"I am the LORD, and I do not change"

What a wonderful promise! I am holding it close to my heart and looking forward to a new beginning while I continue to be in awe of God's amazing plans for all of us.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we worship you today for who you are. We magnify and bless your Holy Name! You are immutable! You are incredible !You are amazing! We thank you Lord for your constant love and faithfulness towards us as we experience periods of transitions. Our circumstances and surroundings may change but we know that your unchanging Hand is stretched towards us in every season that you have ordained in our lives as Isaiah 59:1 proclaims: "Listen! The Lord's arm is not too weak to save you, nor His ear too deaf to hear you call." Help us, Jesus to firmly believe in these promises when change comes knocking at our doors. In Jesus' Name! Amen!

May your life be a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God !

Abi

Uprooting the Weeds!

" Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." Isaiah 43: 18-19 (NIV)

Happy Monday! I hope everyone is off to a good start. I know, I am. Over the weekend, I had a "rewind" episode, playing in my head. My mind took me back to some events that occurred last year. I recalled how the actions of one individual led to the demise of my job. It was not only hard to swallow at the time because of the financial troubles it created but I also found myself hating this particular individual with a passion. Soon my emotions of pain, hurt and betrayal yielded to more than I could bargain for .Slowly but surely, I was filling my mind, my heart and my soul with weeds. Those weeds were anger, bitterness, resentment, hatred and unforgiveness. Those were unattractive, undesirable and troublesome feelings that I allow to grow wild where they are not supposed to thrive: My heart. My heart should be a sanctuary for God, a temple for His Holy Spirit. It simply happened because I kept dwelling on the past. I could not let go of the painful memories because it became an unhealthy way of coping. I found myself quickly in the prison of my past and it was very difficult to enjoy my life. How could I have any hope for the future to get better if my present appeared bleak.
It was not long before I felt convicted by the Holy Spirit to shake myself loose of the past hurts, past pains and past betrayals because these weeds were killing me softly. It was indeed time to do what God said in
Colossians 3:8 (NRS)

"But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth." and Colossians 3:13 (NRS) "Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive." 

You might be thinking to yourself that : "All of this is easily said than done". I completely agree with you but no matter how much you find it difficult, it is totally worth trying. By making the decision to forgive, you are also shedding pounds of unwanted burdens. You are not doing the person who offended you a favor. In fact, you are setting yourself free. Yes, like others have mentioned it before, Forgiveness is really for you.

If we are hurting now as the result of another person's actions, we can reclaim the power we unknowingly handed them by forgiving them. In addition, we should no longer rehearse our past but only use it as a testament of "lessons learned". Rather, we should embrace our present and move on. As we do that, God's healing process can take place and restore our broken hearts. However, we must first commit to uproot the weeds today and heed the words of St. Paul in Philippians 3:13 (NLT)

" No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead."

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we are tired of holding on to our past hurts. Forgive us our trespasses as we learn to forgive those who have offended us. As we promise to let go of our painful past, we believe that you will do a new thing in our lives. We thank you Lord for the promises of Peace, Healing, Deliverance and Restoration that are given to everyone who chooses to cast their anxiety on You because You care (1 peter 5:7). In Jesus' Name. Amen!

May your life be a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God !

Abi

2012 : I am coming Back!

Happy New Year 2012! I pray that God will perfect everything which concerns you in 2012: Health, Family, Relationships and Finances. I was one of those who could not wait to kiss 2011 good bye. I was eagerly waiting for the new year to get here. Excitement was building up as I looked at the clock ticking. You may wonder what was the hype all about. Every year, I would usually just go through the motions and write my resolutions. It would not take long before I gave up on my commitments and return to my old habits. I have been doing the same routine for as long as I can remember. However, I made a conscious decision that some things would need to change in 2012 because I was so determined to not repeat the same mistakes I made in 2011. In addition to writing my goals, I have also added four ingredients on my plate: Determination, Discipline, Dedication and Devotion. I believe these will be the keys that will transform my setbacks into comebacks. I thank God for giving me a clear vision, which allows me to understand the purpose in my pains. Indeed, I went through in 2011 in order to come through and come back. The trials were not meant to destroy me but they were used by God to brew a revolt within me that shouts: "Enough is enough! I am coming back in 2012." I have jotted down few points to explain how I intend to accomplish just that.

In fact, if  you feel the same way I do, You can come back in 2012 by being:

- Determined:  We should have a firmness of purpose and  make the resolution to put God first in our lives. We  must seek Him first and acknowledge Him in everything we do so that God can direct our paths. Therefore, We must commit to read the Bible daily, to pray without ceasing, to seek God's face through worship and to spend time alone with God so that we can hear His voice.

- Disciplined: We have to exercise self-control and train ourselves to comply to the promises we made to God and ourselves. This will be achieved by setting Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-framed (S.M.A.R.T) goals and apply them in every area of our lives: Spirituality, Career, Business, Health.

- Dedicated: We must be wholly committed to our dreams. If God has put a desire in our hearts, We should follow a specific action plan in order to see them materialize. It is no longer enough to talk about it or  pray about it but Now is the time to get up and just do it! We have to  forsake and renounce procrastination, laziness and slothfulness forever. The Bible says: "Faith without works is dead."

- Devoted: We should become zealous in our love for God, our family, friends and ourselves. We must shun negativity and pessimism in all its forms from our lives. We should engage in activities that will not only nurture our relationship with Jesus Christ but will also create health of the body, mind, soul and spirit. Furthermore, it is very important to practice the discipline of speaking positively, seeing the glass half-full rather than half-empty, turning a failure into a learning opportunity.

I am up for the challenge and It is my prayer and hope that you will join me. When you do, I am 100 % positive and persuaded that God :

" 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 (NIV).

Yes, I guarantee you that God will bless us in 2012 beyond our wild imaginations but we must also do our part. This is not just some wishful and positive thinking but it is a formula that has been tested and true as King Solomon says in Proverbs 30: 5 :

"Every word of God is flawless; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him."

As you step out of your comfort zone and walk by faith throughout the year, I am encouraging you with my "Marching orders for 2012" : to live passionately for Jesus Christ, to laugh out loud and to get back up when I fall down.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we consecrate this year 2012 into your hands. Have your way in us. Please give us the courage, the strength and the ability to be determined, disciplined, dedicated and devoted to keep the promises we make to You and to ourselves. May the goals we want to achieve in 2012 be aligned to your divine Will. May you open the doors that need to be opened and close any door that needs to be closed. May your unmerited favor rest upon us as we are always mindful to give you thanks, glory, honor and praise. In Jesus' Name. Amen!

May your life be a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God !

Abi

Who would Imagine a King?

The buzz! If you haven't heard by now, you must be sleeping under a rock.It is everywhere.People are doing their last minute shopping , picking up gifts, going over and beyond their spending limits. Come on y'all! There is a birthday celebration and no one wants to be left behind. It's Christmas time in the city!
I absolutely love this time of the year. I love the colors. I love the decorations. I love the scents. I love the mint flavored and pumpkin spiced hot chocolate. I love the sweet potato pies. I love the elaborated designs done with the Christmas lights. Did I mention the Christmas cartoons? Charlie Brown's Christmas , anyone? Above all, I love the one who inspired all this joy and excitement: Jesus Christ. Over the years, our society has trivialized Christmas and reduced it to a season of high consumerism and commercialism.
What about the birthday's boy? Jesus? For many of us, He has just become a cute porcelain figurine that we can include in the nativity display if we even bother to have one. For others, we  just pay him some "lip service" during a special Christmas' Eve or Midnight worship service. After that, let's just be merry and happy! Jesus? Oh, well! He understands our hearts, don't you agree?
I am not trying to be a "Grinch" and steal your Christmas. However, I want us to remember what the prophet Isaiah foretold about  Mary's baby boy:

" For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end." Isaiah 9: 6-7 (NIV)

Yes, Emmanuel came to us as a baby boy, born in a manger but His initial status should not make us forget who He really is:

Jesus is  Mighty God.

Jesus is the Prince of Peace.

Jesus is the Author of Life.

Jesus is the Giver of all blessings.

Jesus is the Lord of Lords.

Jesus is my King. He is your King. He is truly the reason for this season. This is just not a slogan but it is the essence of Christmas. So, as you are celebrating with friends, family and counting your blessings, just pause with me for a moment and say: "Thank You, Jesus!" . Better yet, Let's sing: " Happy Birthday, Dear Jesus." We don't need to be pitch perfect, all we have to do is to make a "Joyful Noise" unto Jesus. Trust me,St. Paul was right when he said:

"remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'" Acts 20: 35 (NIV)

Dear Friends, in the Spirit of Christmas, Let us offer to Jesus the best gift we can give Him: Our Gratitude. Merry Christmas to all of you!

Prayer: Dear Jesus, I would like to wish you a Happy Birthday! I don't have myrrh to present to you. I don't have frankincense to offer to you. I don't have gold to adorn you. So, I am offering you the fruit of my lips. I am giving you my praise and thanksgiving. Thank you Jesus for coming into the world to bring me Joy, Peace, Liberty and the most precious of all gifts: Salvation and Eternal life. I love you Lord for being my Savior and King. Amen!

May your life be a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God !

Abi

More of You and Less of Me, Lord!

2011 was a remarkable year in many ways. This was the year when the world's most renowned  terrorist was finally caught and killed. We've also seen the fall of many dictators who terrorized their people for decades. Let's not forget the tsunami that took Japan by storm (no pun intended). But can I be real with y'all? While these events were very important, I will remember 2011 as being the year when everything that could possibly go wrong, went absolutely wrong. I am not being dramatic! I started the year with a health crisis, underwent surgery, incredible trials at  my workplace, lost my job and finally depleted all my savings. I am back at square  one. At times, I could not understand what was happening to me. I thought and even debated with God during my prayer time why He was allowing all of this. I even ran the risk of becoming self-righteous by challenging God with these following questions:

" Am I not living right? Am I not religiously attending church? Am I not devoting myself to prayer and studying the Bible? What else do you want from me? Why are you letting my enemies triumph over me? Is that how you reward those who are trying their best to obey you?"

As you may think, my questions to our Heavenly Father were borderline arrogant and foolish. I thank God, who in His infinite Mercy and Patience, did not scold me as I deserve. Rather, He gently reminded me of these words from St. Paul :
"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." 2 Corinthians 4: 8-9 (NIV)

I also recalled the prayer that I made earlier in 2011: '' Heavenly Father, I want to draw closer to you. Teach me how to worship you in spirit and truth." To my surprise, God did not take this prayer lightly. On the contrary, He used the tribulations and the challenges that I was going through to make me realize how much I need God. It is so simple yet true. Sometimes, we get puffed up. We start to believe our own hype. We think that we are strong, self-sufficient and independent and we can do it all by ourselves. Nothing could be further from the truth. That is the biggest lesson that I learned in 2011. It is only because of the grace of God that I am  still standing. While it seems that I am loosing it, God is transforming my trials into triumphs. So, I am happy to report that as 2011 is coming to an end and Christmas is only few days away, God kept me. He would not allow me to let go of His Hand. He is teaching me to lean on His everlasting arms. He is encouraging me to call on  Jesus, the Prince of Peace and ask Him to calm the storms of  my  life.
If you are reading and feel that you want to bury 2011 deep down in your memory, I want  you to know that God sees you and He is neither letting you go nor down. Grab the Father's hands and Hold on firmly to His tight grip. By doing so, not only will you finish 2011 with a bang but you will also conquer 2012 with more strength, more wisdom and excellence. Still not a believer? Well, don't take my word for it but hear what God is saying to you in Jeremiah 29:11:
  
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we want more of you in our lives. May we decrease, May Christ increase in us. We thank you Lord for the gift of life, for using our trials in 2011 to teach us to rely on your strength and to depend on your love. It is by your grace alone that we made it through 2011 and it is by your power that we will have the victory during the upcoming year. May our tests in 2011 become testimonies that will allow others to encounter the living Christ. May we become your jars of clay that you can melt , mold, fill and use so that we can be  your vessels of Honor. In Jesus' Name. Amen!

May your life be a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God !

Abi

Crossroads

I wish a Marvelous Monday to everyone! I am grateful to our Heavenly Father for another opportunity to get it right. Life can sometimes leave us perplexed or cynical about the future that is ahead of us. Have you ever found yourself at a crossroads or are you in one right now ? I am talking about reaching a point when one is no longer sure about what to do, which way one should go, what direction one should follow or having no clues about the right decisions to make. Well, that's what I have been experiencing all throughout 2011. I have pondered so many times if my present condition was due to some decisions that I made in the past. While I cannot affirmatively answer , I know that I allowed myself to become helpless. It took me many months before realizing that I was living in a state of denial. I have become a "sucker for punishment" by allowing the "master illusionist", Satan to pollute my mind with his lies. Rather than confronting the problem, I was a victim. I was turning in circles rather than making progress. I convinced myself that no matter how much I try, I would eventually fail. How pathetic of me! I understand we all go through some rough patches and we all have low points in life. However, it is dangerous to allow your mind to sink so low that you no longer believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel or the dreams that God placed in your heart will not come to pass. That is a lie from the pit of hell! Crossroads are "make or break" moments. We can either use them as opportunities to change the course of our lives for the better or they can be a nuisance, which would eventually kill our God-given destiny.
The choice is ours. Thankfully, the Word of God is a compass  that will illuminate our paths during these uncertain times . This is a period when we should not abandon God but rather cling to Him with all we got: mind, body, soul and spirit. God knows what is best for us and He will never mislead us.If you want to know the way, follow the Way, Jesus. (John 14: 6). I also find comfort in knowing that our Heavenly Father is aware of every detail concerning our lives and He cares. As long as we submit to His will, we shall receive the answer. The Bible declares in Isaiah 30:23:


"Your ears will hear a word behind you, "This is the way, walk in it," whenever you turn to the right or to the left."

What a blessed assurance! As long as we have God on our side, He will reverse the situation and push the "reset" button so that we can move forward with a clean record. How do I know? God is doing it in my life and He will do it for you as well if you accept to surrender all to Him.
I am inviting you to listen to the following worship song and to let the lyrics soak in your spirit.

Prayer: Thank you Heavenly Father for turning around what the enemy intended for bad. You are the one who straighten crooked paths.As we conform our will to Your will, we pray that you direct every step we take. As the song writer says: " whatever you do in this season, do not do it without us." We are like lost sheep without your guidance. You are All-knowing and we praise you for making a way where there seems to be no way. In Jesus' Name. Amen!

May your life be a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God !

Abi