Christmas Lights

Lights, lights, lights, it's the time of the year where every where is dressed up in lights. 

My house is transformed into a light House at this time of the year. We, (for the most part hubby) deck the front lawn in lights… Santa sleigh, gift boxes, tree light,,, twinkle lights all combine to give a bright glow….

I love lights which makes this my most favourite season of the year… as everywhere is lit up… 

Why light?  what's so special about lights especially  at this time of the year? 

Here in UK we have shorter days in winter which means that the day is already dark by 4.00pm!! And daylight doesn't show till 7.00am and sometimes 7.30am...so for the most part we are In darkness… 

It is commonly known that some people are affected by the change from summer when we experience longer days to winter when we are plunged into darkness from 4.00pm… 

People suffer from seasonal affective disorder a form of mental illness, many hospital struggle

To cope with the increase in patients needing treatment during the winter season due to SAD. 

It is not uncommon to see people bright, happy and with a spring to their steps at the appearance of light...

Some people can and are able to go about their daily activities thanks to street lights. 

Here are 5 main reason lights are significant...

1. Lights Gives Joy: imagine your light goes out temporarily and returns suddenly Everyone screams with joy… elated that lights is back, we rush about to do the things we were unable to do in the dark. 

2. Light Makes Us Feel Safe: I usually start work early which means living the house at the crack of dawn and in winter that means while it's still dark. To feel safe I avoid dark alley ways and paths and stay on the main roads which is lit up. Walking in the light is comforting and reassuring. I feel safe that nothing is lurking in the corner. 

3. Light Exposes. Nothing can be hidden where there is light.:. Which makes it is quite difficult to commit evil in the presence of light. This is why crime is high at night simply because criminals don’t want to be exposed. Light gives illumination which makes others aware of previously hidden truths.

4. Light Displaces Darkness: this is obvious. Light and darkness cannot coexist. When one comes the other is displays, he is the Christmas promise to all.

5. Light Makes Thing Possible: we are able to accomplish so much during the day. Working at night and other times is the exception not the norm.. the night is made for rest and day to work.

Christmas lights holds a significant spot in the advert Calendar as not only does it beautify our streets, it reminds us of Christ who is the light of the World. 

Christ who represents everything that light is.
Christ as light brings us joy, in his presence there is fullness of joy. 

Christ as light makes us feel safe, in his presence is safety. 

Christ as light exposes the darkness of this world and leads all to repentance. 

His presence displays darkness, when we come into the knowledge of him we are transformed from darkness into the kingdom of his dear son. 

Christ is light and in him is no darkness at all. Anyone who believes in him will experience constant light of his glory joy and grace. 

Christ as light makes all things possible, stop doubting him and start believing him to bring the impossible to pass in your life.

Get to know him and he will bring the lights of his glory into your everyday life… his joy will become your source of strength… 

So this Christmas as you light up your house, walk down the street, let the light of Christ shine into you.. for he is the light of the World. 

A Gift Worth Giving.

It’s that time of the year again, I love the season of Christmas, because I get time off work, try to relax and read, I get to catch up with friends, I get to have a proper Christmas meal!

What I don’t like is the frenzy leading up to Christmas, people buying gifts which they will probably not remember in a years time, because they don’t’ want to be left out. After Christmas, most people are so tired that they can’t even remember what all the fuss was about. Recently, a news reader mentioned, are you dreading Christmas? Because you have to sit in the company of the in-laws and pretend you love your gift when all the time you want to choke them.

Don’t get me wrong I celebrate Christmas and believe in what Christmas stands for which is the Birth of my Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ. What I don’t stand for is the commercialism which has taken over, call the spirit of Christmas.

The Spirit of Christmas to me is the spirit that causes us to be selfless all year round not just at Christmas, the spirit which will look on the cause of others and show compassion on the less fortunate, regardless of the time of the year, the spirit which will love and give and not expect anything in return.
The special thing about Christmas should be the spirit of love we share for others, which should shine through in our gifts giving.

If you are giving gifts this Christmas, here are a few thoughts to ponder:

What is your motive?
Can you afford it?
Are you giving gifts because you don’t want to be the one who didn’t give a gift after receiving one?
Does the person you are buying a gift for really need it?
Are there people outside your circle of friends and family you can reach out to at this time of the year? (locally or internationally).
Have you considered the possibility of not buying gifts but rather donate the money to a charity involved in a worthy cause.
Are there other ways you can show the people in your life how much you care for them.
Have you accepted the greatest gifts of all? This is the person of Jesus Christ whose birth we should be celebrating, but alas, we give gifts to others but fail to give the celebrant the gift of our life and love. If you have not done this I urge you to strongly consider it, because after all, it is his birthday and all he ask from you is the gift of your life. In giving him your life, you are opting to receive from him a life time of priceless gifts.

Have Yourself a Merry Christmas.

Taken (Final Part)

Yes he died a wretched death.
He allowed himself to be taken and killed because he wanted to take something back for himself!

He was taken so that he could take back:

Sons and daughters of his, bound by sin
The down trodden and restore them to wholeness
The weak and give the strength
The poor and give them riches
The broken hearted and fix their hurt
The hopeless and fill them with assurances of better things to come
The loss and show them the way
The accused and free them from guilt and shame
The isolated and bring them into the fold
Taken! Yes he took the stripes, the beatings, the scorning, the accusations, the causes
So that he can take away our shame, hurt, sickness and pain.

No wonder “Good Friday” turned out to be “Good” after all, because he wasn’t taken,
HE WAS THE ONE WHO TOOK IT ALL.
He took my place instead! That’s why today we celebrate, our freedom from Sin.

"Taken" away on that Good Friday afternoon when he hung and died”. He visited Hell and set us free from sin and death.

Happy Easter.

Taken (Part 2)

He was taken, beaten and killed
He died a painful death,
He was not killed by the beatings, the nails or the crown of thorns which hung on his head,
But by the many, present on the day and the many not yet conceived.
He allowed himself to be taken without a fight of resistance or a word of protest
He was taken, not gently but roughly, dragged, kicked, whipped, even though he offered himself willingly!
He was nailed to the cross, his side pieced!
His garment taken as he hung naked on the cross for you and me!

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Taken (Part 1)

Some see the cross as a symbol of sadness, pain and shame, rightly so too. You see the event which led to his death was everything depicting sorrow, pain and shame.


Imagine it:
He was caught, handcuffed and lead away.
Taken before the judges of his day, he was accused of all manner of good deeds. Say, how can one be accused of doing good? Yes he was.

It was a sad day for the many that were with him, his disciples were full of sadness as they watched their saviour gave up himself without a struggle.
The road to the cross was littered with Jeers and snares from the angry crowd! Cries of “away with him! He’s a scum”

A saviour! No not on that day, for he couldn’t even save himself, rather he was "taken" without putting up a word in his defence.

How! How! How! Did we come to believe in this man? I imagine this was the thought going through the mind of his disciples. They were perplexed, angry, dismayed, amazed, ashamed and afraid to be identified with him, no wonder the denial!

The one whom they have come to believe in, was led as a lamb to be killed, a saviour? No not on that Friday Moring, he was anything but that!

Good Friday? Far from it!


I imagine it was a gloomy day. for his Disciples it far from being ‘Good’ their saviour and friend has been “TAKEN” and worse "killed"! What was good about that day? Surely nothing “Good” can come out of his death, they thought. They would never have guessed the event which unfolded in the days to come!



See part tomorrow!

Season's Greetings: Today and Everyday

It's the season to be jolly right? How come I've heard so many people say they won’t celebrate Christmas this year"? Why? I have asked, and the replies have often been, O, it's just the same old, same old routine of buying presents, attending parties with people you'd rather not be around, buying cards and presents, etc. I must say that I felt like that too and decided not to send cards this year, not because I don't like my friends and family but because I feel that I can use technology to express my wishes to them.

I like that my church has decided that instead of everyone sending cards to each other, we should donate to a charity and this year we will be donation in the form of the money we would have spend on Christmas cards to the children's society. You may think the amount is insignificant. Be that as it may, when pooled together it will go a long way to impact someone else’s life.

I still like the buzz around this time of the year, primarily because it's the end of the year, I take time out to reflect on the past months, relax, catch up with friends and recharge for the coming year.

Regardless of whether you will be celebrating or not, I want to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas and a fantastic year ahead.

As you tuck into your turkey, my Christmas wish is that you remember:

it' was a birth that was predicted thousands of years before he was born
it' was an announcement that was made to a virgin
it' was a birth shrouded in controversy,
it was a seed that was not human
Yet it was planted in human body
It was an act without man's involvement, except as a vessel in the form of a virgin
it was a divine birth that brought Christmas to us today
it was a God that became man in human flesh.

Not just on Christmas day, but every day.

It was his birth which led to his living, it was his life which leads to his death
it was his death that brought us pardon, it was his resurrection that brought us life
it is his life in me that causes me to celebrate his birth everyday and on Christmas day!

Happy Christmas today and everyday!


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Pearls of Thunder

The next time there is a thunder pause and think, something of worth may be about to be dispatch from heavens store house. Often we associate natural disasters with evil. Yes, while earthquake, lightings and thunders destroy lives and belongings. I read in God’s word that there are certain thunderous storms and quake that are sent in answers to our prayers! Could it be therefore that our focus on natural pheromone prevents us from reaching for the pearls within the thunder?

In the mist of pain and sorrow, crying and wailing no one is watching to see what good will come from a disaster, moments or months afterwards. The human mind automatically reverts to sorrow and acknowledges a sense of loss.

As a Christian, God’s word, the bible, tells me that all things works together for Good to them who love God. This scripture has given me hope and encouraged me to hold on while going through tough times. Yes things may sometimes look bad, situations may occur that threatens to knock us off balance, but my bible tells me that it’ll work out for my good in the end. I’ve seen it happened time and time again in my life, where out of the storms and thunders something beautiful is born.

In January, bush fire ravaged the Austrian Queens’s land. It was reported that the fire travelled at 70 miles an hour consuming everything and anything in its path.
After the fire, rangers were sent in to assess the extend of damage done and to gather evidence from the disaster.

One ranger while going through the rubbles was started by the shape of a bird at the base of a tree The bird has been badly burnt with its wing spread out wide, out of curiosity he shook the remains with his stick and behold underneath the bird were its chicks! Immediately he did that they flew away!

During the fire, the mother recognising that they had little or no chance of her escaping with them, shielded them from the fire by spreading her winds over them. In spite of the intensity of the fire and the ferociousness of the heat she did not move, she gave her life for her own. Wow!

You may be going through tough times right now, the intensive of the recession, job loses, lose of your home, a love one, disaster may have rocked your world. Remember the Lord said, he is your shield, Psalm 91:4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.

Like that bird, he will spread his wings over you, protecting you from the fire of loss. He will not leave you. He even died for you on the cross! Taking the heat for you to set you free and just like those birds, you too can fly and soar above the situation which threatens to burn you. The heat will come, the fire will rage, but he has promised to be with you in the storms and fires of life. So in the mist of your pain and sorrow, someone is watching over you and within the thunderous storms, peals of hope and laughter will roll.

Relevant scripture passages:
Revelation 19:6 And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thundering, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth.
Revelation 4:5.
And out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices: and there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God.
Psalm 104:7
At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.

Ps 97.

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I wonder

I was in prison yesterday. Yes in a maximum security prison for that matter. I didn’t go in as an inmate but as a minister. As a member of the Prison Outreach Network we frequently attend different prisons in and around the country to worship with the inmates. The services are always inspirational, the simplicity of the inmates never fail to amaze me, the worship is always breathtaking and that is without guitars, drums, piano or the other stuff that we think we need before we can praise God. To hear the inmates lift up their voices in one accord and praise God is just a blessing and one I always look forward to.

This got me thinking, about our churches today. You see in today’s church especially our Pentecostal ones the focus has shifted, I am sad to say that we no longer worship in spirit and in truth. Over the last few years, there has been a change from true worship to human worship.

Our pastors or leaders are held in high esteem, we the people come short of worshipping our leaders. It’s no longer what the word says, but what pastor this or that says.
I am all for giving honour to whom honour is due, but what qualifies one to receive honour? Who determines who gets honour?

Does being a pastor qualifies you to automatically receive honour and in what form?
Is there a separate place in heaven for pastors and leaders and for the rest of the people? If not why do leaders, pastors etc separate themselves from the rest of the people? Why are they so untouchable, unreachable, and unapproachable? Why the change? Why should the size of a congregation affect a Shepard's heart? If they are approachable before how come that changes once the numbers increased?

Today’s “leaders” (I use that word lightly because really we are all servants), are far removed from the people they’ve been called to serve. They are suppose to be the lead-servants of all of us and we are to follow their examples in savant hood, serving faithfully. Jesus was honoured even though he served his disciples, they saw his humility and servant's heart that they were humbled in his presence and compelled by what they saw, to serve him.

What happened to the days of simply walking up to your pastor without fear of being shoved aside by one of the body guards masquerading as protocol officers? What happens to the days of simply walking into his office and saying hello because you were in the building? You don’t need counselling, don’t want to be prayed for, or encouraged, you don’t want an appointment, and truth is you’ll only be 2 seconds.

What happens to the spirit of being a servant? What happened to we are called to serve not be served. Or the people are called to serve the pastors not the other way round? How come we qualify to be preached to, told what to do, admonish, encouraged from the pulpit, but we don’t qualify to embrace the pastor after the service. I know there are those odd ones who if given a moment with the pastor would recite their live's problems, but I think the pastor can kindly say please not now book an appointment with my PA. I genuinely think the majority of the congregation just want a simple hand shake after the service.

I wonder what happened to the Christ like spirit. Isn’t the meaning of Christian “Christ like” those who are like Christ?

You see Christ doesn’t look at me any differently than he does those inmates. We are all sinners saved by grace, whether it took them going into the prison to get saved or I being born into a Christian home. It is by grace we are all saved, the same blood was shed for us. In the same vain, God doesn’t regard pastor so and so or bishop so and so, more highly than the usher or the children’s teacher or the member who is simply a member. Let’s stop this segregation, this us and them attitude. I don’t think our leaders deliberately set out to be untouchable or unreachable. I think there was a shift in focus or purpose either because they became busier or pride found its way in.

Even our master described himself as a servant: Here’s a few of what he said:

For even the son of man did not come to be served, but to serve and gave himself a ransom for many. Mark 10:45

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am GENTLE and HUMBLE in heart and you shall find rest for your souls. Matt 11: 28-29.

He was the greatest teacher of our time yet he described himself as lonely in heart
He was besieged by people from all places, yet he never turned one away.
He demonstrated his capacity to give unconditionally when he gave his life on the cross
He demonstrated his love for all when he choose to dine with those of unequal status as he
He demonstrated his humility when he choose to serve rather than be served
He was all things to all men
To the sick he was a healer
To the thief he was a saviour
To the prostitute he was a forgiver
To the dead he was the resurrection and the life
To the leper he was the cleanser
To the blind he was their sight
He chooses to serve rather than be served.
To the deaf he was their hearing
To the downtrodden he was an up lifter
To the unjust he was a judge.
He was sort by many and available to all.

I wonder if one of us or our big preachers today were in Jesus shoes how would they be described.
I wonder.

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