Archive for September 2010
In solidarity with Shepherds’ and Flocks’
From the human and narrow perspective, the challenges faced in your
daily walk with Christ could be off-putting to say the least. But believe it or
not, it’s all part of the divine pathway to the realization of God’s purpose for
you. Whilst your focus is heaven, your workplace is here on earth; laden
with wickedness, unimaginable treachery and imperfections.
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As people of God, there are realities or challenges relevant to the
‘workplace’, the ‘harvest-place’ if you like, that God allows so we can
experience ‘the world’  firsthand; and not through the pages of books or the
deceitful and misleading misrepresentations associated with man. As is
commonplace with all mortal beings, you are also susceptible to mistakes or
wrong judgments; whether innocent or otherwise, that you must learn from.
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As the Lord order your steps, He may lead you in a circle but He will not
lead you off beam. The Bible is replete with men of God who faced untold
challenges in the course of discharging their assignment. Great favour
attracts great challenges; but the ultimate victory is not in starting or
running the race, but in breasting the tape at the finish line. To the
foolishness of the wicked, these challenges are divinely allowed for a blessed
and triumphant outcome. Embarking on the ‘great commission’ is not a
bread and butter endeavour; and the Lord will always tutelage and prepare
His people for the onerous task ahead.
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It is instructive that Hosea at the prompting of God took for wife, Gomer – a
woman of easy virtue. Arguably, he may not have elected to walk that path
by his own leading. The travails of David even in the hands of King Saul to
whom he was subservient speak volume. But it was a painful but necessary
pill preparatory to becoming a great king and one dear to the heart of God.
Let us not be unmindful of the persecution of the Church and early
Christians as the Bible accounts in Acts 8. It was an agonizing means to a
glorious end. The resultant rapid spread of the word of God was its direct
consequence; a fallout that depicted a glorious dawn after a bitter spell of
darkness.   Â
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Assignments are determined by God and discovered by us. Our prayer is
that the good Lord should lead His people through this faint path of
discovery. We are confident that the challenges you presently contend with
are not walls but doors to your next season. However, whether as shepherd
or flock be mindful that there are locations and people that you are
completely unnecessary to. Whilst in the waterway, refrain from swimming
upstream; stay in the flow of God. The battle is the Lord’s and victory is as
certain as day and night.
                                                        - Victor & Jolomi Awani (30/09/2010)
Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010 Victor Awani
[Translate]Outstretch your hand
A folded hand;Â hands closed and tucked away
Bereft of empathy, devoid of moral concern
Contempt for the needy, a scorn at their toil and groan
Conceals life, a dreadful denial of bread and sustenance.
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Help deprived, expectation blown into oblivion
Ocean buried beneath ground; not one drop to wet the lip
Happiness withheld; indifference to the pangs of hunger
Scorched bowels squeal for attention; the absence of a meal.
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Outstretch your hand; break the yoke, restore a lifeÂ
Release the lock; salvage a neighbour drowning in the sea of lack
Key into a pain and wipe the tear; give a portion and munch the rest
By His grace you received, freely give just as you were given.
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Outstretch your hand; unfold it, lighten a burdenÂ
Hold back nothing; give a hand with gladness
Be a conduit for survival; waste no chance at conferring hope
AÂ giver receives more (Acts 20:35); a gift opens the way
Bless the poor, you will lack nothing; the reward spans eternity
Outstretch your hand; give life a sense.
                    –  In His Grip,
                      Victor Sisan Awani (29/09/2010)
  Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010 Victor Awani
[Translate]Threading the opposite path
You were made in the image and likeness of God, ordained to reign in the earth as king-priest (Rev. 5:10),
yet it is possible to miss yourself; walking as though sightless, at variance with who you are.
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You miss yourself: when you walk away from your kingship,
oblivious of what you are; lost on who you were made to be.
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Living at cross purpose with His intent; in contradiction with divine will,
heading north to a slum, when a palace lay waste down south;
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Flying the banner of the world,Â
a proud holder of season ticket; running commentary on the round leather over a chilled pint,
the ‘Word of Life’ consigned to desolation in a bookshelf.
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Ferociously tight – lipped with mind foreclosed to the ‘Living Truth’,
paying allegiance to no one but self; defining your relevance by vain titles and status garnered,
life’s success miserably measured by rectangular papers stacked in vaults and printed statements.
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Self takes centre stage, and your sense of ‘a neighbour’ narrowed to family relatives,
when your vision captures only your shadow.
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You miss yourself, when your values and practices are at odds with the will and purpose of God for you,
when like an undiscerning sheep you stray from the shepherd; threading the opposite path.
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                                                                                                                     – Victor Sisan Awani (07/09/2010)
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Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010 Victor Awani
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