GRACE AND THANKSGIVING.

When I started the consistent bible reading course (CBR) organized by the bible explorers club(BEC) through Sam Africa ministry, never in my wildest dream would I have imagined that I would ever come as far as Ezekiel (what am currently studying). As I continue my journey through the bible, I can’t fail to acknowledge the numerous ways I have seen the word of God come to life in my day to day experiences.

(Hebrews 4:12-for the word of God is alive and active)

I remember on the first meeting, Wycliffe, our trainer told us that we have not met the devil until we start reading the Bible, we laughed. I now see, for I have experienced that his statement was so true! The moment I committed to reading the word of God, in August 2014, that is when the devil pitched a tent in my spiritual garden.

See, I was born again alright, zealous and in my thinking very strong, what I didn't realize is that I was not worded enough, of course I could quote a scripture or two but then I could not even contextualize them. For that reason, the devil would come and tease me however he wanted, planting a doubt here a discouragement there, however, whenever he felt like, so literally he had me, and I knew he did, I just didn't know how to fight him. Plus I was getting so tired of his advances, and most of the time I let him have his way by letting his crafty ideologist bring me down.

So when I started CBR, let me be honest, the first main reason was,  just  to get the devil off my neck and I thought that if he saw me reading the word, he would back off…ha! Shock on me! See before, he would come and plant a doubt leave it working in me and walk away, come back two weeks later discourage and walk away and once in a while he would stop and casually drop a word like…weak or useless and boy! How weak and useless I would get.

Most people would always advice you to pray in such situations, trust me I did, I even fasted! But the truth is, however much you pray without the proper knowledge of the word, the results will always be short term, because soon enough he will come back with a new strategy. And that strategy is always a manipulation of the word of God! So unless you really know what the word truly says, then you have no basis of argument!

(Matthew 4:1-11, notice how he tempted Jesus)

I was not a threat to him, until I started learning the truth, he begun to realize every minute I spent on the word of God he was losing his already lost battle, and that is why he moved in with all his belongings! The fastest way he captures his prey is by interfering with your finances…money is always the easiest bait. I lost my job (technically I had lost the job long ago but in September 2014, it was official) I was broke, every letter articulated, BROKE!

 I tried to fight him at first, with the little knowledge I had acquired, but after the first two months, I realized was spending so  much time concentrating on his lying conniving and manipulation and my financial struggles that I lost track of the most important person in the picture…GOD!

In December I decide to start concentrating on God alone, it was not easy, but the moment I let go and let God, his grace was sufficient  and his mercy new every morning. I was struggling financially, and I had some pretty long solemn moments and tearful nights…but God was always by my side.

(Hebrews 13:5b-never will i leave you,never will forsake you)

My CBR certificate.
My greatest achievement thus far.

Through it all I learnt to trust in Jesus, I learnt to depend upon his word. God always brought people along my way, and I never once went hungry!  Not a day passed, someone was always encouraging me.

My sisters and brother…oh Lord! I love them to bits! They never stopped believing in me.( Kataros I love you to the moon and back)!

The important lessons I learnt, one, it’s never about me! Never, it’s always about him. My existence my very essence, is through him, by him for him!

(colossians 1:16-for by him all things were created;things in heaven and on earth,visible and invisible,whether thrones or powers, or rulers, or authorities, all things were created by him for him)

 Secondly, appreciation…my! I used to take a lot of things for granted, like it was my right and deserved them, but God taught me to be grateful and planted the spirit of thanksgiving in me.  The moment I acknowledged these two things, a load was lifted from my back and my eyes opened. For seven months (August-February) God was not only teaching me to read his word but also two key things…Grace and thanks giving!

I graduated, on 11^th April 2015 as a consistent bible reader and honestly, I believe it is the greatest achievement I have ever or will ever achieve in my entire life!

picture by:Martin Mwanza.