BEING KEPT IN PERFECT PEACE

 Welcome to Rose Gatobu Inspirations 

Today's verse comes from the Book of Isaiah 26:3

 '“You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You—in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation]. '

Isaiah 26:3
https://www.bible.com/bible/1588/ISA.26.3

 

In the recent past, i realized i am not reading the word of God on a daily basis.  So i called myself for a small meeting because i realized i am not doing very well in my commitment to read the word of God on a daily basis to hear what God is saying.  Some days i would be consistent but some other time i will forget about it and concentrate on doing my own things.  During the time i am not reading the word of God, i have realized i use my own understanding and many things that i do backfire a lot because am not guided by the Lord.  Using your own understanding means, doing things according to the way you want without a guidance. As a child of God, there is one who guides you if you allow Him to.  And that person is non else but the Holy Spirit.  How will the Holy Spirit Guide you?  

 

For you to be led of him, you have to receive him so that he dwells in you.  How do you accept him?  By receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour through confession with your mouth believing that he came from God. This is not coming from me but from the Word of God as we read Romans 10:10:-

'For with the heart a person believes [in Christ as Savior] resulting in his justification [that is, being made righteous—being freed of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God]; and with the mouth he acknowledges and confesses [his faith openly], resulting in and confirming [his] salvation. '

Romans 10:10
https://www.bible.com/bible/1588/ROM.10.10

Now that you accepted Christ, and (if you have not done so, please do so."  Then you qualify to be a child of God and you can face God in whatever state of life you are in; because you are justified.  What is being justified? I know you may ask if you don't know what it means to be justified. Simple! It is to be declared righteous?  How now?  Well, you see, accepting Jesus who died for you on the cross through his blood that washes you white as snow and makes you whole.  What can wash my sins away?  Nothing but the blood of Jesus...  Sing with me the song 

 

Haki Rose you are getting deep. Yes, i am getting deep because many times we get away with our sins we think God is pleased with us.  God doesn't love sin. But because of his love, he overlooks it for he gave his Son to die for us!  Do not celebrate when you sin and  see things still going on well with you and think God is pleased with you?  No!  Just know it is because of the justification that comes from his Son he loves; Jesus Christ.  And this doesn't just happen but happens through our life in Christ.  Listen to what Galatians 2:20-21 says:-

 'I have been crucified with Christ [that is, in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body I live by faith [by adhering to, relying on, and completely trusting] in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. I do not ignore or nullify the [gracious gift of the] grace of God [His amazing, unmerited favor], for if righteousness comes through [observing] the Law, then Christ died needlessly. [His suffering and death would have had no purpose whatsoever.]”'

Galatians 2:20-21
https://www.bible.com/bible/1588/GAL.2.20-21

Oh, my goodness!  Behold what manner of love that Father has given unto us ...  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojHxW3zMGyU You see the life you live is no-longer yours but Christ.  He lives in you, because he bought you with a price.  

'You were bought with a price [a precious price paid by Christ]; do not become slaves to men [but to Christ]. '

1 Corinthians 7:23
https://www.bible.com/bible/1588/1CO.7.23 

 

So do not go boasting around thinking you are living your life.  No.  Someone paid a big price for you and therefore you ought to live like Him and be like Him. (Jesus)  But how can you live a life for Christ and you keep on sinning?  Well, my answer will be this: You are justified.  Period! I will repeat that.

 

Yesterday, i told you how i struggle with short temper.  I will have to make a confession that, that is not the only sin i struggle with.  And i know you also agree with me that you also have your struggles.  Yes, now we are talking.  We are all sinners and anyone who says they have no sin they are liars. 

'If we say we have no sin [refusing to admit that we are sinners], we delude ourselves and the truth is not in us. [His word does not live in our hearts.] If we [freely] admit that we have sinned and confess our sins, He is faithful and just [true to His own nature and promises], and will forgive our sins and cleanse us continually from all unrighteousness [our wrongdoing, everything not in conformity with His will and purpose]. '

1 John 1:8-9
https://www.bible.com/bible/1588/1JN.1.8-9 

I have many struggles but i always work on them on a daily basis because they manifest differently.  This is because once i deal with a sin, another one pops up and i wonder,  "I thought finally i will be free from this?"  Ole wako my friend!  It is not over until it is over.  You will be shocked sinning is always with us and we sin daily depending on what we sin about.  Therefore we are called for repentance.  

 

One day, i sat next to this handsome well dressed man in a Matatu (Public Means) along Westlands area in Nairobi.  The guy looked awesome from dressing, he smelled wao! and carried himself with a very good persona like a banker https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=persona+.  Oh yes!  Actually he looked like a  Banker.  Anybody in the house who is a banker?  Guys, bankers are always smart, well presented, cool, calm and collected not to leave news anchors too.  I can imagine you are now getting the picture of the man am trying to talk about.  But something let him down in a big way as much as he looked official and professional.  He lied! What?  Yes he did.  How?  He received a call from someone i do not know and he lied where he was and that made me feel offended?  Whey would he lie?  Such a smartly dressed person?  So, let me ask you, how many times have you lied weather you are smart or not?  Let me share my experience just the other day about a lie i made that is still disturbing me because i have not confessed to my best friend about it.    The other day, i had an argument with my best friend.  The ague was about my phone.   He loves checking on it now and then to see who is talking to me secretly.  Hahahahah  If you can remember my yesterdays story about trust you can relate.  Yes, this day he told me he wants to use my phone torch so that he can light a room that did not have lights to check on something.  I gave him the phone. But while cooking i remembered there is something i lied to him about some money and i knew for sure if he gets to see the amount he will be offended i lied to him.  When i remembered that, i  ran towards him and snatched the phone because i did not want him to see the message that would show the exact amount i got.  I stared complaining he is snooping on my messages as a coverup not knowing i was trying to hide my lie. Thanks be to God he did not see that but am still not at peace until i confess.  You see what i was talking about priding in the sins we get away with?  Anyway, I will confess this evening because i am not in perfect peace because of my Sin.  Heheheheheh!   You see lying is a sin.   With all his smartness, this man struggles with lying too.  Let me rebuke you today as i do to myself, a lying tough is a sin and God is disgusted by lies.  Please it is not me saying, but God; Let us read Proverbs 12:22 

'Lying lips are extremely disgusting to the Lord , But those who deal faithfully are His delight. [Prov 6:17; 11:20; Rev 22:15] '

Proverbs 12:22
https://www.bible.com/bible/1588/PRO.12.22  If you practice that, please stop.  Stop it and start living in the truth.

 

Back to myself.  I call myself a child of God yet i have short temper and i lie?  Leave me alone, i enjoy the grace of God that enables me to go to his throne of grace because that is where the righteous run into and they are safe.  I confess every time i see i have done wrong because the Holy Spirit convicts me to repent and walk in righteousness.  My purity is what God wants and that is why i put all my trust in him in hope he will save me from all the evil and guide me in the right path.  Therefore, in that state of mind he keeps me in his perfect peace because i am steadfast.  Hey Rose!  Today you are preaching.  Not really my dear friend.  Am expressing what the Lord is putting in my heart to share with you so that you can understand we a on a  journey and this journeys is based on putting all our trust in the Lord because of his love-kindness, mercy and faithfulness.  Not because of how good we are but because of his unconditional love for us.  And therefore being committed to him he gives us peace and joy that enables us live a joyful life even when things are not working well with us or going through a storm.

 

When i was reading the verse Isaiah 26:13, the word steadfast caught my eyes as i wanted to understand when you are steadfast what does it mean so that i will be kept in the perfect peace?  This is what it means: being loyal, faithful, committed, devoted, dedicated, dependable and reliable.  When you are all that to God.  The Bible tells us he will keep us in perfect peace.  Who can be in perfect peace in this world that is full of dramas and uncertainty?  You may ask.  Well, it means you do not practice the above virtues to enjoy the peace of God.

 

I was sharing with my best friend how a friend of mine when we were growing up went through a painful experience.  I will not call her by her real name lest you know her, but Faith was getting married.  We were in our twenties then.  As a single Mum i was really happy for her hopping one day,  I would get married and live happily thereafter as they say.  But in that happiness and joy, on her wedding day, the car her mother in-law was riding in got an accident and she died on the spot together with other family members i can remember the number.  Those news broke my heart terribly and wondered how did Faith cope with that pain of loss.  I mourned with her but i could not imagine the loss.   When, i looked at Faith she looked very okay and not very perturbed by the ordeal as i thought it would have affected her. Instead, she looked stable and at peace.  I kept on wondering what kept her in that peace?  Now i understand because she was very committed in church.  She loved the Lord with all her heart even from her actions.  But that did not spare her the pain majority of us go through; in the loss of our dear ones.  But what keeps us in perfect peace?  Only God can do that because he knows and understand us and can only allow what we can bear because he knows our fears and weaknesses. Let us read 1Corintians 10:13

'No temptation [regardless of its source] has overtaken or enticed you that is not common to human experience [nor is any temptation unusual or beyond human resistance]; but God is faithful [to His word—He is compassionate and trustworthy], and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability [to resist], but along with the temptation He [has in the past and is now and] will [always] provide the way out as well, so that you will be able to endure it [without yielding, and will overcome temptation with joy]. '

1 Corinthians 10:13
https://www.bible.com/bible/1588/1CO.10.13

So, as i pen off, are you steadfast in Christ so that you enjoy the peace of God that surpasses all understanding?  Lets see what Philippians 4:7 says;

'And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours]. [John 14:27] '

Philippians 4:7
https://www.bible.com/bible/1588/PHP.4.7

 

Brothers and Sisters let me wish you all the best hoping to see you on Monday, 3rd June 2024 God willing for another sharing.  I hope i have spoken to your heart.  That is the message that the Lord put in my heart to share with you today.  Until next week, have a lovely week end. Bye! 

 

 

KNOWING THE TRUTH

The Verse of today 30th May, 2024 comes from John 16:13 

'All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. '

John 16:13,15
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/JHN.16.13,15

Yesterday, i shared the verse that talked about how God has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the Kingdom of his Son he loves.  In whom we have redemption the forgiveness of sins.  If you call yourself a child of God, just know you are redeemed of the Lord.  His blood covers you and thus you are justified to go to him just the way you are.  Do not shy away to go to God because you have struggles that way you down.  Accept you have them but work on them as you walk with the Lord daily. 

 

If you were able to read the article to the end, i hope you received Christ as your Lord and Savior.  If you did not, say this standard prayer after me and you will be born again.  "Pray this aloud: "Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins and surrender my life. Wash me clean. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That he died on the cross for my sins and rose again on the third day for my Victory, I believe that in my heart and make confession with my mouth, that Jesus is my Savior and Lord."  https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=standard+prayer+of+salvation+

 

If you have said  that prayer; now you are a child of God. Look for a Bible believing church near you so that you can be fed in the Spirit through the word of God and grow Spiritually as you fellowship with others.  You can join Church online meanwhile if you can't identify a church very soon.  Church Online helped me grow in the word of God.   I believe your life will never be the same again.  The church will guide you very well before you get a physical church of your heart desire around where you are. https://www.life.church/ 

 

When i came in the morning to do my morning devotion, i was in a state of anger.  This is because, someone i really love made a comment that made me get so mad.  I vented and vented and vented.  This was in protest in something we have been arguing about for an year now.  I hate when i argue especially when i argue so bitterly because i give a very different picture of who i am. As much as i struggle with that aspect.  I am reminded that God still loves me even in my weakness.  He will help me overcome that bad behaviour that i learned from my home that i use as a mechanism to defend myself when i am judged wrong.  What is your struggle?  You see we have redemption through Jesus Christ by the forgiveness of our sins.  I will tell you for sure as a christian, temptation will always follow you.  What will help you is the Holy Spirit who will guide you not to sin depending on how you relate with him.  As for me i struggle with quick to anger when offended. 

 

Today's, verse in John 16:13,15 is telling us that Jesus helps us understand the truth (Himself) in the Spirit.  The Holy Spirit does not speak about himself but speaks on behalf of who has sent him and that is Jesus Christ our Lord. 

 

When you understand that the Spirit will guide you in all the truths, you will keep rested in the Lord as he guides you through the pains we go through in the world.  My today's pain was dealing with a friend who doesn't trust me.  The reason for him to think of me in that way, i am yet to know because we are in the state of knowing each other on a deeper level.  If you are getting my point you will understand what i am talking about.  

Things to do with trust are very tricky and very delicate to handle.  People have lost trust in so many ways especially in relationships whether private or public.  You will find that, TRUST is an aspect that is affecting every human being and therefore trusting anyone is not that easy.  Its very frustration when you are in a relationship with someone who doesn't  trust you just because of the insecurities they have faced in life.  When i say that,  I do not mean people can not trust each other.  But for someone to trust you, you have to test that person many times to earn it in relation to the world of today.  That test is not easy because it comes with a lot of fights, arguments and other factors to prove you can be trusted. Especially if they have been affected negatively in relation to trust.  In the Bible we are told not to trust every spirit because not all spirits are of God.  'Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. '

1 John 4:1
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/1JN.4.1

 

We see the Bible is warning us about false prophets and that is why we are supposed to test the people who claim to be men of God before we trust them with our hearts by following them as our Church leaders.  Any spirit that testifies against Jesus coming from God; that is the spirit is of antichrist.  'but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard is coming and even now is already in the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, '

1 John 4:2-3
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/1JN.4.2-3

 

Therefore let us test all spirits around us; starting with the spirit that leads us to loving God and doing what he commands us to do by being the followers of Jesus Christ.   For you to be able to test the spirits, you can only walk in the true spirit of God that testifies that Jesus is Lord.   'But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. '

Galatians 5:18
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/GAL.5.18

 

We have many spirits/aspects that are affecting the people of the world in relation to trust.  The only way to fight these spirits is to walk in the Spirit of God and be guided by Him.  How do you know that you have the Spirit of the true God. 1. The Spirit of God will always agree with the word of God 2.  The Spirit of God will lead you to freedom. When i got offended by my best friend and got very fumed, i went to the word of God and i was reminded by the Holy Spirit that, i should not be quick to be anger.  'My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. '

James 1:19-22
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/JAS.1.19-22

 

As much as he hurt me terribly with his sentiments that portrayed he doesn't trust me, i was not supposed to get angered but understand where he was coming from in relation to trust.  Was he betrayed by someone he trusted and wants me to prove to him am trust worthy?  If that thought came immediately in my mind, it would have agreed with the word of God by taking it positively through listening, then take time to interpret that in relation to the word of God and the Holy Spirit would not have led me to getting angry but understanding my best friend. I do not know how to face him in the evening because i acted stupidly trying to defend myself.  I always tell him he should trust me.  But how does he trust someone who has not proved to him that he can trust?  Passing the test of trust is not easy but enduring it will bring good fruits especially in relationships that are dear to you like marriage, business partnership, work relationships among others. 

Let us familiarize ourselves with things that can break trust. 1. The spirit of Lying 2. Being too secretive 3. Breaking promises 4. Being a hypocrite 5. Using dirty tactics and cheating and my list is endless.  

It doesn't  matter in what relationship you are in; if you do those 5 things that i have pointed out there, you will not be trust worthy.  For me, i have to go back and ask for forgiveness because of my bad behavouir of venting vehemently before taking time to digest to understand where my friend was coming from. My actions were not meant to cover up anything, but i was just defending myself in relation to what we were talking about that affected me since my interpretation was;  "he is suspicious of me cheating on him some day." Of course i cant prove that i will not, but when i say i am walking in the spirit, I believe the Spirit of God will not led me to cheating?  And i pray i will never do that.  For him to trust me i have to prove to him am trust worthy by doing what is right not venting and defending myself adamantly.

 

If what you are doing - whatever it is, if it is not in tandem with the spirit of God (Word of God) then you need to check yourself.  The Spirit of God produces gifts that lead us in doing good as opposed to doing wrong: 'But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. '

Galatians 5:18,22-26
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/GAL.5.18,22-26

 

In all this, what am i driving at?  Well, let us be led of the Holy Spirit in what we do.   What the Spirit is leading me to do today is to go back to my friend by swallowing my pride and ask for forgiveness and make him understand why i felt the way i did so that we solve that problem amicably.  But i should promise myself i still have a long way to go; to make him trust me.  And for him too, he has to pass my tests to enable me trust him.  So we are on a journey of getting to know each other in order to entrust our hearts to each other, gearing to our future goal that we will announce when the time is ripe. 

 

As i pen off, i hope i have talked to your heart and helped you understand; let us walk in the Spirit of God as He will guide us in all our endeavors.   'The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.'

1 Corinthians 2:14-16
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/1CO.2.14-16

We have the mind of Christ, let us be led by the Spirit of God.

Bye for now dear friend.  Hoping to see you tomorrow as i share with you the days' message in relationship to my experiences that relate or teach something new.  

 

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ARE YOU A GOSSIPER? WELL ...

The verse of today is from Colossians 1:13-14 'For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. '

Colossians 1:13-14
https://www.bible.com/bible/111/COL.1.13-14

When I woke up in the morning, I did not know what the day will bring and therefore, I opened my phone and because I have downloaded the App, I decided to read the verse of the day as shared above. I was able to memorize it very fast and I thank God I did. But I had to take a keen reading of the two verses so that it can sink. I was able to do this because I came to work early. And I felt the love of God just flowing within me that, as a child of God, he rescued me from a dominion of darkness and brought me to a KINGDOM of the Son he loves. In whom i have received redemption the forgiveness of SINS.

You see, God is not interested with my sins because he dealt with that 2000 years ago where he allowed his Son Jesus to die for a sinner like me and be redeemed of him once and for all. As I write this, i am not coming as a holier than thou person, but a sinner who God loves so much and thus allows me to go to him without shame because he knows and understand me even when I sin. What he calls for me is to repent always.

Yesterday, I was talking to my best friend, and I remember I gossiped around three people. This is because, these people have not been treating me well and I felt offended by their behaviour towards me. When I say I gossiped I want you to understand gossip is a sin and God doesn't like gossipers. But in one way or the other, we find ourselves gossiping may be because we want to vent as a relieve from the pain inflicted by the people we are gossiping, or we are trying to put a point out so that the anomaly can be corrected. May be to find solace from the hurt because you are not able to face the offenders and thus opt to find solace sharing with someone you trust and believe in who will not judge you harshly but understand your pain or maybe you are gossiping them because you would want the person you are sharing with to find time and talk to them. There are many reasons that enable us gossip around. Let me share with you the meaning of gossiping. Gossiping is talking about other people's private lives: Stop gossiping and repent. https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=what+is+gossiping+mean


Now that you know, imagine you are a gossiper. It doesn't matter who you are whether born-again, atheist, non-believer; add to the list what you believe in. You will understand that we sin daily by gossiping. When God put Jesus to die for us once and for all he knew for sure we are capable of sinning on a daily basis. But to avoid them coming daily to die for their sin, i will make one of my own to die for them once and for all so that they are able to come to me just the way they are to seek for help from him. Therefore, he brought his KINGDOM to his Son Jesus Christ so that when you are in that KINGDOM you are protected by the blood of Jesus and thus the guarantee that God will hear us even when we are in our sinful nature.

I am sure sometimes we forget to repent and we just pop up to God with our needs pleading for his help in time of our need and forget that yesterday, we gossiped and did not even remember to say we are sorry. Even in that state of sinfulness, God doesn't reject us but hears us and answers our prayers because he rescued and redeemed us from our sinful nature (the Dominion of Darkness.)

Having had said that, i am not advocating to gossip but let us repent when we find ourselves in that state of sin remembering we are but sinners who were redeemed by the blood of Jesus. We are in the Kingdom of God and thus God will not judge us harshly but would love us especially when we acknowledge we are sinners and are quick to repent and have a good relationship with him. God wants us to be holy like him. We can only be holy through the blood of Jesus. Do you know Jesus as your Lord? If not, please join his Kingdom because in his kingdom there is fullness of joy even when hurting. His comfort and love speak to us and gives us hope to face everyday challenges.

This is what the Lord impressed in my heart today. I hope I spoke to your heart. If you did, please leave a comment.

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 God bless you and have a lovely day!

This is your friend, Rose Gatobu 

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YOUR ACTIONS WILL SPEAK LOUDER THAN YOUR WORDS!

In the course of my side hassle I met this celebrity who i engaged with and I was very excited.  Do you sometime see someone on TV or hear him or her on Radio and feel like you personally know them?  That was the feeling when I met this guy.  He is a star; he has sang beautiful and very influential music.  I remember when he was singing for the worldly songs, I supported his songs so much because I knew this guy had something special inside him but I could not tell what it was, only to realize that God had something special in him that attracted me to him in relation to spiritual things.  For me it was a divine connection that I am very sure will unfold as time goes by, as I strongly feel we have something in common for the kingdom of God.  This for sure I will share in the future when I cross that bridge.   

I had no idea one day I would meet the person and I had the honour to meet him yesterday.  I screamed like a fool, in excitement, I told him how much I loved him not the worldly way, but the godly way.  I am not sure what he felt in his spirit when I said I loved him, because he kept on saying, glory be to God, glory be to God.  And from his response I realized that the man is truly changed and no longer was the same man who used to sing the songs that influenced the worldly world so much.  This confirmation also came as we continued having the conversation we had as he pointed many things that he is doing in the kingdom of God and especially about his mentors and where he goes to church.   

Now what caught my attention in relation to his former life,  is when I told him I connected with him because of one song that really hit in the market and he did not respond with the enthusiastic because, I guess, he is no longer in that kingdom.  That song was so evil for sure, leave along influencing people in the dancing mood.  It really influenced many in the worst of sins that I do not need to mention here.   When I had backslid the song ushered me so well on that side as much as I was offended and wounded in the inside, as I knew I had lost my way.  I ignored that voice of God that told me that I should not be in that world.  Later in life I paid for my sins facing the consequences of my fall, as the Lord had to take me back on the track and thus today, I am walking in right with my God. 

So, my remark reminding him about the song, I guess, somehow made him not respond with the excitement I expected and this made me feel rejected.  Not knowing it was not about him rejecting me, but him not agreeing with me about his former ways which are now changed.  I remember after we engaged a bit before we left his office compound, he told me he has to bid his workmates bye.   He went to do that and I overheard him telling his workmates byes but before he did that, he told them to come to the office and pray to close the days’ work.  That touched my heart. How many people today know God, call their colleagues and tell them let us pray?  For sure that really challenged me so much as a child of God and thought, I should stop playing religion but focus more on the things that please God and men that are around me so that I bring them closer to God.  Anyway, not long he came by and we left for his destination to pick his wife for home.  But as we continued, he started to mention the song that he has sung in the Kingdom of God that is a hit like now, but I was not getting his point.  Remember, when I met him I was relating to him focusing on the former song that was not godly.  Immediately, when he said that, the gift of discernment I have, reminded me of a conversation I had with my son who connected with the song the other day and he told me,  “Mum, so and so got saved, imagine the song that is being sang is his!”  I run to the TV to watch who it was and I found it is my fun who I am talking about.  I do not want to mention the person for security reasons and also protect his confidence because I truly respect him.  

I remembered the song and immediately we connected in the spiritual realm and that is when I got the opportunity to ask him about his stand with Jesus.  And with so much joy, he told me he gave his life to Jesus.  That blew my mind as in, he confirmed to me, for sure he is now in the kingdom of God.

I do not know about you my dear reader.  What is that one thing that makes you look different from your past life that makes others see you are different?  As a child of God, you do not need to go telling people how born again you are because I know many Christians dread sharing their stand for fear of being judged because they know they have a past that was not so good and they do not want to face their real world.  But why would you fear?  If you truly know you are born again, why don’t you say it?  My argument here is not about screaming around telling people how born again you are, but your ACTIONS! What are these things that you do that can tell someone that truly you are in love with Jesus.  Kenya we are 80% Christians, what is this that makes us not live like true Christians?  God revealed to me that, many of us are weeds in the Kingdom of God.  That is the reason we are 80% and yet we do not yield the fruits that God wants us to yield.  So, in the 80%, are you the wheat or the weed.  Remember when the last day comes, weed and the wheat will be separated.  So, my biggest question to you is, where do you belong?  Think about t it and make the right choice to be the wheat and not the weed.  Your actions, will speak louder than your words.  So, if you truly say you belong to the kingdom of God, let us see your actions.  I am really working hard on mine and I pray I will be counted among those who are walking in the right path.  That is my prayer for you too my reader.    God bless you as you ponder on this. 

FATHERS DAY 2017 – FOND MEMORIES!

I was just telling my colleague how dad went to be with the Lord on a Father’s day of 2015. For sure dad will always be remembered by us all as a family and friends. No one can understand the gap we feel like now, but the fact remains, dad did a lot for us in a way we cannot express merely with words.

Many might know him as Kapepe, Kata and all manner of names he was called, but to us, dad was a very special person, full of wisdom and humour. He had his weaknesses but it is in those weaknesses that we were perfected as his children. I had and still have a deep desire to know God in a deeper way and this was because dad gave that environment that made me seek God on a personal way. For sure, dad sacrificed for me to be what i am as much as he is not here with us to see me as a living testimony.

I fondly remember dad for many things, but there are these two things that I will always remember him for, one, for being my earthly father and secondly, the person who ushered me to the job I am currently in. One day, dad came home with this jovial mood and turned my world by asking me to apply for a job he had seen in one of our Daily’s. This happened when i was a first year student at St Mary's Secretarial College Isiolo, where i applied for a job he had seen advertised in the newspaper for a post of Copy Typist. He really wished me so well despite that I did not pass well in my KCSE because I was sick when I did my exams at Mulango Girls High School in 1993. Obeying his advice, i applied for the post using my first year results as the post of the Copy Typist needed the papers I had obtained in my first year training, which were stage I’s (ones) and II’s (twos). - This is a language known by trained secretaries. Today, i am a Senior Assistant Office Administrator in the Government of Kenya, courtesy of my dear Dad Jasper Gatobu Mariene who wished me so well and wanted me to be someone in the society as opposed to the words he used to call me when he was not sober. I picked the positive aspects and moved on. For sure dad was a HERO in his own way and that is so special to us, as a family. Those who knew dad, knows him very well for his love of alcohol which finally resulted to his demise. But that is not my point. My point is, he was my Father despite his weakness and I am here to celebrate him two years after his demise. Dad died on the Father’s day of 2015 and thus every time we celebrate Father’s day, I always feel we all celebrate him whether we know him or not.

My father will be remembered always because all my brothers and sister including me, God has blessed us with children whom we have named after and thus his blessings came in FULL. I remember in his last days, when our last born brother brought his girlfriend home, dad was very excited and happy for him. He even became happier when this beautiful lady gave birth to a baby boy to crown his legacy! Of course this boy was also named after him and thus we have four children named after our father! What a blessing? :) His remark was, “Now I can die in peace because my last born son too, has given birth to me”. For sure dad did not live long after his remarks, as the sickness weighed him down so fast and finally succumbed to his sickness and went to be with the Lord.

We miss dad so much but at the same time, we celebrate him because he left a legacy that can never be lost nor fade away. Celebrating all what he did positively makes me feel so joyous and happy that, God gave us an earthly father who lived with us for over seventy years and loved us for who we are and gave us the best he could. We also celebrate our Heavenly Father who is all in us and we cannot forget to thank him for the many years He gave us to celebrate with our dear Father Jasper Gatobu Mariene here on earth. All glory and honour goes back to Him because he is so good to us the MARIENE’S. As we all sing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqybaIesbuA

God bless you all for reading my tribute to my dear dad. Rest in Eternal Peace Dad, till we meet again!

Fondly remembered by your dear wife Teresa Tirindi Mariene, your daughters, sons, son’s in-law, daughter’s in-law and grandchildren, Rose Gatobu, Caroline Gatobu, George Gatobu, Isaac Gatobu, Basillio Nthiga, Caroline Mugure, Caroline Bundi, Collins Munene, Calvin Muthuri, Innocent Gitonga, Ethan Mutuma, Roy Mwenda, Christine Nkatha, Silas Waiguru and Hubert Mwirigi respectively.

YOU ARE AS IMPORTANT AS ANYONE!

In the eyes of God we are all equal and thus the Bible tells us that, God is not a respecter of persons. In the past used to walk so down cast because I felt not worthy. Most of the time when one is insecure, they would feel everybody and everything is against them. I will agree with that opinion because, I suffered so much of rejection which has never stopped to date.

But I got this secret after many years of suffering, that, you can never please everybody. You can only please yourself and a few people who will appreciate you for who you are. This great breakthrough came to me when I once listened to Pastor Joyce Meyer, a lady I love because she has taught me so much from her teachings. Joyce suffered so much because of the abuse she received from home. I will not delve in her story, but her story is not very different from many of our stories and thus God put her there to encourage us.

For you to be accepted you have first to love who you are, it does not matter how people look at you. Just a few days after I shared about myself and how people take me, call me and say about me, I visited this place and a lady looked at me directly and told me, I looked familiar. To help her, I told her, I am a staff in the institution we were at, though working at a different working station. She recalled me and said “yeah I remember you, you were in this section some years back, I wondered where you went, and just the other day, I asked someone about you and they said you left to another station. I told her, “Yes it is true I was transferred. Not long, another colleague came in and made the same remark that I looked familiar. Reiterating, I told her I am one of them. She asked me my name and I told her my first name “ROSE”. She was very excited and told me that, she could see I am familiar but she could not really get where we had met. Immediately she shouted, after I said my name and said, “by the way, now I get it, you are “Rose the Thorn”. Shocked and not believing she just said that, I laughed out loud just to make it look like a joke and we all laughed hysterically.

Pretending, I was not that amused, but just put the show to get more information why I was called that, I asked this lady why I was called “Rose the Thorn”. She told me because, from the outside I am a very beautiful lady like a Rose but inside me there is a thorn. True, Roses as in flowers, have this description which is a fact about them. Then I asked her politely and trickily why people said that. She said, “Because you are very tough and I do not entertain nonsense. If someone brushed you the wrong way, they will face the music in terms of the thorn inside you.” I got it. For sure, do not meet me when I am angry because you will doubt if I am a child of God. I am saying this because those who have experienced my thorn can attest to the statement. But this is not the problem because as I have always said, I can never pretend to be what I am not. I am always so real to a point I do not mind anyone branding me any name when I am in my worst state. The point is, do you go looking down about yourself because of those two or three weaknesses/flaws you have and you always think you are good for nothing?

I will not lie to you, after I got to know I am “ Rose the Thorn” I went asking myself, really? Am I that bad that I am called all these names? I went really reasoning with myself and asked God to just reveal to me what is this that makes people call me names. Some names are good others are so bad. I will never forget when I was in class four; there is this boy who used to call me “typewriter”. I never understood why, but one day I got guts and asked him why he called me that. He told me, it is because I talk one hundred words per minute. For sure, I have lived knowing my talkativeness is a very bad thing and thus I hated who I was.

Today I love who I am because, God had all the reasons to create me the way he has and I do not need to get any negative approval from any man because God loves me just the way I am. If God was qualifying people because of how good and perfect they are, then I do not think anyone in this world would qualify. So, why would someone pin you down using your weakness to prove a point? Please do not agree to that. If we will appreciate who we really are and love ourselves for who we are, then we will not have all these problems around us about competitions, gossiping, jealousness, backbiting, slandering and my list is endless. You are fearfully and wonderfully made and thus no one should define who you should be. You should not fake it to make it as I hear many people say. They justify this statement that, in order to survive in this world; you have to fake it to make it. THIS IS A BIG LIE. Do not forget this will not last for long because at some point your real self will come out and you will pay the price for all what you have been faking to be all the years you have faked it and especially if you have been gaining wrongly.

Someone said in Swahili, “malipo ni hapa duniani.” This means, “Nothing will go unaccounted for on this earth”. I want us to know, we were all created for a reason and a purpose on this earth. One should work on pursuing more of their purpose than listen to the negative voices that come our way to dis-value us. It is unfortunate today to fit anywhere; you have to have a show so that you fit it. My motto is, I will always be real even if you take me to be a fool. This is because, I tried to be a people’s pleaser in the past and I never won anyone. In any case, I suffered so much trying to; to a point I was left like a pauper who has to go begging for approval. Having a personal relationship with my God has given me so much peace of mind that today; I do not mind how people see me or call me.

You are there and you feel so down cast because people have tried to weigh you down, they say you are good for nothing; they call you names that you cannot really relate with? I want to encourage you and give you hope where there is no hope. Do not mind about the frogs in the river. If you are thirsty, go and drink your water. The noise the frogs are making should never scare you because, frogs are created to make noise day in day out. If you will listen to the noise of the frogs, then you will die thirsty.

Believe in yourself; prove to the world you are not what they think you are. This can never be achieved by faking it to make it, but to be real. It is in your realness that you will know exactly who you are, and then you work on your flaws. Do not be cheated by anyone there is anyone who is perfect in this world. We are all in a process of being made every day we wake up. We learn our lessons every day and we become different as the day dawns.

Today I wanted to encourage you and call you by who you are that, you are chosen, you are unique and nobody will be like you ever. Love who you are and work on your weakness and embrace your strengths.

DO YOU HAVE A LOG ON YOUR EYE OR A SPECK?

Sometimes, when we think others are very wrong and you want to reach out to them, rethink and look at your weaknesses because you may be the cause why they are behaving the way they do and look so wrong.

What am I talking about? When someone genuinely loves you and cares, do not take them to be desperate. When someone wants you to take a bold step of faith, what they are doing, they are helping you to stop depending on yourself and stop fearing to make more mistakes as they do not love you because you are perfect. Please depend on God and not your failures nor your strengths. So, stop telling them they are helping God to help you make your mind to make a certain decision. When one is vulnerable to you and face you boldly by saying things as they are, they are not trying to belittle you or undermine your ego, but they are trying to make you be responsible and very decisive amidst all the mistakes you have made because they love you either way. In any case, they wish you well and even if things do not go well, they will stand by you. If things go well, they will celebrate you and celebrate with you your victories. So, man up/woman up.

When someone wants to know whether you are reading from the same page and you respond like you are being pushed, then, the thing here is, stop wasting people's time as time lost is never recovered, so be real it does not matter what, because you will never meet an angel as angels live in heaven and you are not one of them either. People are hurt more by actors but real people hurt for a short time as when reality dawns, then you will respect them for who they are, as you are never better than them but a compliment.

When those you have hurt run away from you, it means they are looking for space to heal and move on with life because life is not about you, but what makes them happy and also note that, they have not backslid but they have made a better decision not to sit and wine over their loss, but open a door for those who embrace them for who they are.

My point today is, please stop removing specks on other people’s eyes, but remove the LOGS in your eyes FIRST!