The beloved

As we get into the valentine season, much is being said about love flowing in the air. In the streets of Nairobi Kenya and in the sphere of the youth, much excitement and expectation is flowing in the year. While this is going on I just landed on my journal which I scribbled like four years ago. It’s about the beloved as described in The book of song of Solomon which is in arguably the book of romance in the Bible.

This dramatic love story is enshrined in the antics of the greatest soap opera icon to have ever Lived, King Solomon. We know this off course because he had the innate ability to entertain Seven Hundred Wives and Three Hundred concubines. We may think of This king as the greatest Immoral being to have ever appeared on the face of the earth but am taken aback by the potential he had of flowing out love and passion to all her beloveds but off course after its all said and done, his adventures were deemed as vanity of vanities.

Away from scrutiny, the book of Song of Songs records conversations full of love between the lover and the beloved and occasionally we see third party factors attesting to the love that flows between the two, pretty much like the love story that God initiates with us until the whole world testifies of it.

The beloved unleashes her love and passion towards her lover in the beginning of the book.

Song of Songs 1:2-4Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth!
For your love is better than wine;
³     your anointing oils are fragrant;
your name is oil poured out;
    therefore virgins love you.
⁴ Draw me after you; let us run.
    The king has brought me into his chambers.

The conversations continue through out the chapters. As we are going to find out, the bliss of this aura of love is not so much endowed in the beloved expressing her love to his lover but it’s about the Lover and how he unleashes tones of love that captivates and changes the whole world surrounding the beloved. The beloved is captivated by her lover and she lets into the motions of love. This is a type of the bride, the church who, you who is the bride of Christ. If we can love is because God has loved us first and therefore the rule of first love is in motion. Love is the biggest force of all times, it’s innate and wired in us because we have been created in the image and the likeness of God.

When we look into the face of Christ and see his glory in the face of God, we are drawn into his chambers. The kind of love makes us new and glorious. The beloved confesses that though she is dark, she is still lovely.

I am very dark, but lovely,
    O daughters of Jerusalem,
like the tents of Kedar,
    like the curtains of Solomon.vs 5

When the earth was created it was dark and void and without form. The darkness here represents the void and formlessness that only one lover can fulfill. She is dark so that all the brilliance comes from her lover alone. We know that our sufficiency does nt come from us but solely on Christ. And so the exchange continues in an endless run of lovable rhymes. We see this love finding its completion in Christ.

He is the love of our life and the king who has drawn us into his chambers. He has serenaded us and we are captivated in his love. Let us see the blistering centre where love springs from the heart of God. Its in this centre that human life finds meaning and completion. Souls are stilled and hearts abandoned in our one and only love

worry not

in the cool of the night
His love in you Holds
In the silence where future is unknown,
even the crickets in the thickets
are assured of this
as sure as the night endures
Daylight will come and steal the night away.

and such a hope is ours friends,
The year is up and rolling
And as the steam of the will
and the comfu of the intellect
meets all that life demands
Know that you operate in his love

Lest you get tired and wearied
wondering where has my resolutions brought me
Dont you know what they said
that you re blessed coming in, blessed going out
therefore don't stress yourself over life
what you will accomplish
what you have not, have have not

isn't life more valuable than possessions?,
How quickly you forget the ways of a child?
worrying about nothing, because papa has it all fixed
How about a momentary gaze at the birds
to realize that we are more of worth
than the creatures which toil not
 Christ in us and Christ in us.
that's How things roll, on this effortless side

Goodnews for the year

Good news for the year; God doesn’t register a scorecard against us

 

Its yet another great year full of expectations and hope. Its another year that is promising us changes, growth, new challenges, new opportunities and the many iverse things we expect to see in a new year.

 

January is that time of the year where New Year resolutions are trading like Hot –cake. Our performance levels seem to sky rocket because we believe somehow that there is something new and special something that fosters an extra impetus for life as we approach a new year. Yet when the clock ticks and the month crosses over many of us feel weighed down by the expectations we had for the new year. We get into that place where the rubber meets the road . I have been to that place too, where I made many rules for myself to govern me through the year but immediately February starts I get struck with the numerous demands of your resolutions list, stressing, isn’t it?

 

 

Romans 8:1 there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Esv)

 

8:1 there is only one conclusion. God has not registered a scorecard against us. In Christ discover the true gift of no condemnation. Discover how to walk in the manner of your true design (the spirit) and not after the manner of contradictions (flesh) (Kainos amplified)

 

 

 

 

So what about the scorecard?

Life comes along with its demands, some demands we impose for ourselves. At the end of the day we have scorecards to hit. We are governed by life full of deadlines, bills to pay, people to satisfy, rules to follow, seasons, plans, etc. When we don’t attain the levels which life has for us, we get upset, disappointed, derailed, furious with ourselves and others.

 

I love the conclusion that Paul arrives at. That now there is no scorecard registered to us by God. We may be tempted to think that the same way life demands from us is the same way God demands from us. God thoughts though are higher than our thoughts and his ways higher than our ways.

 

So what now?

In Christ discover the true gift of no condemnation. We don’t live by our lives resolutions but by the gift of God. You wonder why many people are dissatisfied with life, its because of the demands we think we have to meet in order to enjoy life.

 

In this new year, you may have set goals for your life(which is not bad, actually very commendable.) you may say, in this year, I want to pray more, to be a more loving spouse, to be a more devoted Christian, etc. You may stick to your resolutions or you may fail. The conclusion is this and is what gives me insurmountable peace and comfort that God is not busy examining my next failure or success. What we should be worried about is being in Christ rested and having his life influencing us everyday of our lives. It gives God pleasure to avail to us his life.

 

Friends there is a life that is higer than this lowly life of deadlines, resolutions, bills to pay, worried about the next meal. This life is called In Christ, where the life of Christ is our life, where the peace of Christ is our peace, where the inheritance of Christ is our inheritance.

 

In this year you can live a live free from condemnation. Even as you look forward to achieve certain things , know that you are not governed by what you do, by your failures or success. You are in Christ even when things are not working for you. I call this Peace and serenity right in the centre of storms of life. You are blessed.

the Power of Now

Most oftenly what we have currently is more valuable than what we think we dont have or we will accomplish in the future.

it was said that Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is a mystery but today is a gift, that why we call it present.

we are prone to think that that which is in the future is perhaps more glamorous than what we enjoy currently. We think and believe that our joys and bliss are found in some future date and therefore when we are tempted to enjoy the moment , the unknown of tomorrow catapults us into a fear and a waiting mode.

Theology itself has done us no more justice. Salvation in its quarters is deemed to have been accomplished but not fully yet. we  were saved we  are saved and we will be saved . The most logical thinking is to think that there s some happiness, some joy, some peace that God has purposed for us not to enjoy here on earth but in heaven in some future date albeit we can taste that here briefly.

Come to think of it. It  doesnt add more faith to think that God will do something for you in future that he hasnt done currently. Faith is not believing that God will do something in the future but faith says now. Faith is a response to the overwhelming evidence of Gods preceding actions. Faith is the mouth that recieves and eats the substance of Christ. Picture this;


He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?Rom 8:31
  


Friends , there is nothing God is withholding from us at the moment. If he gave us Christ, then he has freely availed everything that pertains to life and Godliness.This means we can Live Consequently of what God has done for us .This is the language of love. God is joyed when we are satisfied in him. When we acknowledge that we have been made complete in him. Does this mean that we have to validate this by what we see with our physical eyes?

At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. 9 But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.(Heb 2:8b-9)

presently we dont see everything subjected under Christ but we do see Christ crowned with glory and honor. And when we see Christ crowned wit glory and honor, we see ourselves too redeemed and restored in Him.This means that even though we don't walk on water like Jesus did or not all people are healed as we ought to see, it does not negate or contradict the extent of what Christ has already accomplished for us. Its a tragedy to see yourself less of what Christ sees you to be.

Let us embrace fully as we have been embraced the gift of christ.Let us see ourselves through the lenses of completion for what we believe or have been fuly convinced of is most certainly sure of being manifested in the physical, Halleluiah . 

beyond

OOH LORD

Ooh lord you have satisfied

Us with life beyond the expanse

Of the seas beyond the mention

Of many lips, you have satisfied

Us oh lord you have satisfied.

Yes you have satisfied

 

Ooh beyond our dreams you’re

Found beyond our repentance speech

You are true beyond mans devotion.

You are realer than mans impression

For with love you have satisfied

Us ooh lord you have satisfied

 

There is a place called beyond

There we reign, surely we do beyond

The tranquil and the limits of below beyond

Time, space and distance beyond

Successes, failures and regrets

You have satisfied,

Us ooh Lord you have satisfied.

 

eph 2: 6For he raised us from the dead along with Christ, and we are seated with him in the heavenly realms -- all because we are one with Christ Jesus.

 

 

Foundation

 

 

 

Theme; Foundation; 11^th Aug 2013

Sermon delivered inKitengela ; kajiado County: Wonders of faith ministry

By Kevin Kainos

 

•  IF THE FOUNDATIONS ARE SHAKEN, WHAT WILL THE RIGHTEOUS DO? The house ABOVElooks nice but what will happen when its foundations are shaken and its not strong enough? You see the Tragedy?

• If you don’t know where you are going, then any road will take you there.

• It’s not always in the seen but in the unseen where the cookie crumbles.

• Beyond and beneath, we find Christ as our only foundation. Christ is the foundation and the power that runs our lives.

 

 

Word; 1^st Cor 3:9-11 for we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

 

 

 

• What is the foundation of our lives? Why do we believe what we do believe in? Do we believe stuffs because others have set the precedence for us? Do you believe things because others have merely believed on your behalf?

• Why are you a Christian? Are you a Christian because one day you prayed a sinner’s prayer? Are you a Christian because you can pray well in the morning? Is it because of what you did and are able to do, or you are who you are because God makes you?

• Do you believe that you are unconditionally accepted by God apart from your performance?

• The tragedy of the church is to engage in self help Christianity. Its to be denied the rights of being in Christ and many people are thrown into self help mechanisms of getting themselves to be accepted by God.

• We have been marauded by forces of demand. Life seems to demand from us from every corner. Life has a way of trying to pull us from the position of rest that we think that because we are used to getting things the hard way, that’s the way it should be between us and God.

 

However

·        We are Gods fellow workers. He is the worker and we are his work. You are not on our own. God our maker is our creator and the worker. He is the one who works in us and through us both to will and to act according to his good purpose.

·        No other foundation can be laid other than the one that has been laid. Our foundation is Christ. He is the source of our lives. We should subscribe to Christ in our going out in our coming in. No other principle Holds water if it doesn’t find its end in Christ.

·        Deut 33:27The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And he thrust out the enemy before you and said, Destroy.(ESV)

 

 

The ancient God is home on a foundation of everlasting arms. He drove out the enemy before you and commanded, "Destroy!"(The message)

·        We are who we are by Grace; which means Gods ability and genius works beneath who we are. Our lives are hidden with Christ in God. We are no longer helping ourselves so that God will help us, rather our lives are hidden with Christ in God.

·        Nobody should deny us our rights which are in Christ Jesus. We have been bought by a price. Christ is the price that guarantees our redemption that raises us up from death to life. Everything holds together in Him. Everything we know in life must pass the test of Christ.

 

David co crucified Kimtai says

Isaiah 51:1"Listen to me, all you who are serious about right living and committed to seeking God. Ponder the rock from which you were cut, the quarry from which you were dug. (The Message)

 

In order to understand foundation, we must go back to the beginning. If the foundation is strong, then the whole building

                                                             .

• Christ is the rock of ages. God our father is the rock of all times and we have been created in his image and likeness. Its in order to say that we have proceeded from God. If we are cut from the rock then we are of the rock. We are rocks and God is the rock of ages. Of Him(Christ ) we are. He is our wisdom, redemption and Holiness.

• We are established on Christ the solid ground. In him we stand. He is the guarantee and the guarantor of our blessings.

• We are no longer orphans, weaklings tossed by every wave of doctrine. W are fearless and so we declare that as he is so are we in this world. 1^st John 4:16-18.

• We look back to the cross we see the rock of ages and we see ourselves established in him, unmovable and secured in his love , grace, truth, righteousness and everything that comes from our father, Halleluiah.

looking back.

Psalm 32:1-2 blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. 2 Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.

While the Old Testament looked forward to the coming of Christ and to a day when finally man will be restored and reconciled back to God. The New Testament looks back at the objective center of our redemption and restoration.

The psalmist above was looking forward to a day when the trespass of man will be forgiven, when humanity’s sin would at least be covered; for even in the priestly order, the blood of the Bulls and goats would not suffice to purge human guilt away.

We however look back in time and see Christ. We see the cross . At the centre of man’s redemption and the great expanse of eternity is he cross

He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

At the center of all things is Gods call that announced the great success story, that humanity has been embraced in Christ.

So in Christ we look back and see

Ø      Transgressions forgiven: Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven. In Christ our forgiveness is announced even while we were dead in our trespasses and sins, God made us alive together with Christ Jesus having forgiven us of all trespasses and sins; eph 2:1-10

Ø       Sin has been washed out! Good news isn’t it? We look back and see the evidence that our sins are washed as white as snow. Even Isaiah the prophet was looking forward to this; “that though your sins are as red as scarlet we will be washed as white as snow.” Our sins have not been covered but wiped and effaced out. How much has the blood of Christ purged us from an evil conscience?

For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.(Heb 9:13-14)

Ø      No iniquity of the heart. The heart of man is desperately wicked, who can know it. These were Jeremiah‘s insights against a sinful kingdom of Israel who had deserted the ways of their fathers. In the context of the Old Testament this reality is understood but we are in Christ and what David the psalmist looked forward unto has been realized in Christ.

Ø      Our spirit has no deceit. The greatest commandment of loving God with all our hearts souls and strength is now accomplished in Christ. John wrote about this in his epistles.

7 Beloved, I am writing you no new commandment, but an old commandment that you had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word that you have heard. 8 At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 1^st John 2:7-8

The new commandment has been inscribed in our hearts. Its old yet its new because what is true about God is also true about us. What is true in him is also true in us. God has no deceit in him and that is true about him and its also true about us. God has no sin in him. That is true about him and also true about us.

Halleluiah lets look back and see where we are from. God has this testimony about us that we re truly redeemed, restored and set free. He who the son sets free is free indeed. We are rested in the arms of God our love. Whenever you are unsure about your salvation because of one or two things you did wrong, just look back. The cross speaks of your unconditional state of perfection and completion in Christ. In Christ all fears are stilled , all fears are effaced and we are left abandoned face to face with God. Beholding the face of Christ who is the glory of God.