Path of the Righteous

Certainly Stirred 
Written by  Allie Billat

The night had been long.
Muscles were aching.
Eyelids hung heavy.
Hearts deeply discouraged.
In desperate need of repair, the huge fishing net sprawled at their feet. Wet and empty. Repairing the net represented the hope of a future catch. But after a long, exhausting night of repeatedly dropping the weighted net into the black nighttime water only to haul it back up empty left little room for any hope.
Hope had drained from the fishermen’s heart like water through an empty net.
A large crowd had gathered on the The Sea of Galilee’s shore, hungry to hear the wise words of the Teacher. The Teacher who had been stirring hearts and performing miracles around Galilee had amassed such a great following that He required a different vantage point from which to speak. The Teacher requested the use of a boat.
Simon, the owner of one of the fishing boats gladly allowed the Teacher the use of his boat. Perhaps it would serve the Teacher better than it had them.
The Teacher climbed aboard.
Simon pushed the boat out just off shore.
 A fishing boat turned lectern.

As the fishermen went about their tedious, net-mending task Simon caught a few of the words the Teacher shared with the seashore crowd.
Words of Truth mingled with Hope. Simon’s heart was stirred - ever so slightly, but certainly stirred.

The Teacher returned the boat to the weary fishermen along with a command - return to the now sun-shimmering sea.
Return to that hopeless task.  
Return to those soul-searing, fruitless attempts.
But this time…..
Row out even further!

More effort.
More time.
Partially mended nets.
It made no sense!

Simon’s sigh was deep.
His body ached.
Expressions of exhaustion and discouragement clearly displayed on the faces of his fellow fishermen.
And there was that “drained-hope” issue….

Simon began his protest. He began to explain the situation of which surely the Teacher was unaware.
Then an ever so slight pause.
A breath.
Was it something Simon saw in the Eyes of the Teacher that made him pause?
Made him relent?
“But if You say so…”*
And, relent he did, relent they all did, and the catch so massive the boat could barely contain it!

A quizzical whirlwind of emotion and unbelief filled Simon’s head.
This was utter nonsense!
Then again, who can argue with a fish-filled boat?

Simon’s reaction?
His certainly-stirred-heart now dropped Simon to his knees before the Teacher. His life, his heart, and even his name changed forever.

Is your heart feeling certainly stirred by the Teacher?
Sensing that He is doing something new - something different? Something that makes no sense?
Stop the endless and exhausting ruminating.
Stop the spiritual arguing.
Stop the overthinking.
Grab your un-mended net.
Climb into the boat.
Row out to the deep.
And, prepare for a
“drop-you-to-your-knees” experience.

BELIEVE!!!!!
*Luke 5:5 NLT

It’s Love Month
By Candice McEachron


Did any of you happen to notice department stores sneaking Valentine related merchandise onto their shelves before Christmas was even over?
As if I didn’t already spend all of my money —on Christmas! 

Literally, the week after Christmas my youngest daughter, who is six years old was already asking for ALL of the Valentines things. I had to continually remind her of the gifts she had just received and that Valentines will be here soon enough.

Sometimes in life, I feel like all I am doing is chasing the next holiday, next vacation or next career.
Something is always pushing me to go after the next thing. So much so that I don’t even linger and enjoy where I’m at currently.

This can even happen when I’m trying to read God’s Word and spend time in His presence.

Busy schedules push on us to head to the next thing. To keep moving and to keep doing; because that’s when we get things done..right? We see signs and plaques for sell in the stores telling us… “Good things happen to those who hustle.”

Yes, there is a time to hustle and there is a time to rest. There is also time to sit at His feet and just be with Him.

We make time for the things and people we love.
We clear out our schedules to meet with the “important people.” But I have to ask the question do we clear our schedule to meet with the most important person of all? —JESUS

Some of the most pivotal times in my life were in His presence. A moment in His presence can change your life forever. The freedom you feel, the love, the embrace, the tangible touch, the grace, the joy… it’s unending!And there is so much more to Him.
In Heaven, they never get tired of singing, Holy, Holy, Holy and looking at Him who is on the throne. Why because He is constantly WOWING them with who He is.
Revelation 4:8-11

Think about that for a moment.
For all eternity, they are doing the same thing and not growing tired or weary.
He is more than we can think or imagine. No other person has ever been or will ever be God above it all.

I encourage you today to take some extra time to just be with Jesus. Let Him WOW you. Invite Holy Spirit into your daily life. Your day may get interrupted by appointments you didn’t schedule. Like the lady at the coffee shop that just needs an encouraging word, or your co-worker who pours their heart out to you and you get a nudge from Holy Spirit to pray for them.

People will notice when you have met with God.
“Moses was so radiant after spending time with God he had to put a veil over his face”  Exodus 34:29

When we spend time in God’s presence

• He not only encourages us, He uses us to encourage others.
• He will embolden you to be His mouth piece.
• He will strengthen you when you are weak.
• He will give you faith for the impossible.
• He speaks life into you.
• He will love you with an everlasting love.

The list can go on and on of what happens when you spend time with the Lord.

“Because he loved your ancestors and chose their descendants after them, he brought you out of Egypt by his Presence and his great strength, to drive out before you nations greater and stronger than you and to bring you into their land to give it to you for your inheritance, as it is today.”
Deuteronomy 4:37-38 NIV

Let His presence guide you, you will watch the enemy flee, He will give you your inheritance, He will make streams in the dessert, He will make paths in the wilderness.
-Stay in His presence-

“You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.”
Psalms 16:11  NKJV

In honor of Love Month… if you haven’t heard it lately, let me just take a minute to tell you…

You are Loved
You are Valued
You are Worth more than you think
You are Beautiful
You are Enough
You Have what it takes

We may not hear these things from other people much or even from ourselves for that matter…. But when we spend time in His presence these are the things you will hear from Him, the creator of the world, the creator of life, the creator of YOU!

People are searching the world for love and fulfillment, but we don’t have to search any further.

“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:38-39 NIV

Nothing can separate you from the Love of Jesus
 
 May you feel His unending Love always!!

By Pastor Haward Muhumuza

 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. 1 John 4:8

Love is a profound and caring attraction towards someone or something.

Love is an intense feeling of affection and care towards another person. It is a deep and abiding

 The whole duty of man towards God and towards man is summed up in one word —LOVE.

In fact, the whole commandment is summed in two simple instructions – love God and love humans (see Matthew 22:37 and Matthew 22:39).

The love of God was demonstrated by God to us from the foundation of the world in that He gave His only begotten Son to die for man in order to redeem humanity from condemnation.

God specifically demonstrated this love towards us for us to know that love is practicable.

We are to love God with all our hearts, soul and mind.

This invariably means that as lovers of God, we are to abide by His instructions and keep His commandments.

We will keep to scriptural instructions and work in line with His expectations towards us and do away with all manner or appearances of sin.

 When you love your fellow human, you are actually transmitting the love of God.

We are to love our fellow men as ourselves.

If we truly obey Jesus instruction by loving our fellow men, then all the chaos in this world will not arise.

Loving your fellow men entails not hurting nor harming them, not gossiping nor backbiting them, not slandering nor speaking ill of them, not stealing nor coveting their property.

Child of God, imagine a world that is filled with the true love of God, this world will be at peace and a better place to live in.

No matter how spirit filled a person is, without the genuine love of God at work in the life of such an individual, that person is likened to a noisy musical instrument (1 Corinthians 13:1).

This shows that love is the most important of all the virtues a believer must possess.

 We are to love unconditionally.  

If we are of God, then we must emulate Him for He first loved us, therefore, abide in His love.    

CONFESSION: Lord teach me to love as you have commanded and let your love rekindle in my heart to do your will always in Jesus Christ name.

Word Of Life Weekly Devotional.

BETRAYAL

By Pastor Haward Muhumuza

And He answered and said, he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. Matthew 26:23

In life we may have experienced or seen people delivered into the hands of their enemies by treachery in violation of trust by those who claim to love them so much.

Betrayal is a daily occurrence either in the work place, political arena, family circle or even in church.

Nothing can be more painful than a betrayal from your most trusted person.

However, every betrayal is our sure lifter to the next level in the journey of life if we are walking within God’s perfect will.

Most times until the devil shows up, you won’t know your true need for God.

So likewise until a betrayer strikes you, you will not know when to jump out of your entrapped comfort zone to the higher ground calling for you.

From our text, Jesus already knew who the betrayer was and the essence was to make a way for Jesus to fulfill His assignment here on earth as prophesied in scriptures.

He did not fight nor run away from His betrayer though He knew him from the beginning.

 Jesus endured the pain and shame that came with His betrayal; this ultimately paved a way for the salvation of mankind.

How you handle the betrayer and your attitude towards betrayal converts your pain to gain and ultimately extends the blessing for others to benefit from it.

Remember the story of Joseph? We see how God positioned and blessed him after passing through the experience of betrayal.

This was made possible because he was always acting within the will of God.

Beloved as many have been betrayed or are currently passing through the pain and shame of betrayal, I encourage you to remain steadfast in the will of God. You will see the God of vengeance show up in your favour in Jesus Christ name.

CONFESSION:  O God, engrace me to always walk and remain in your will for my life and put all my betrayers to shame as I ascend greater heights in Jesus Christ name.

What News Source are You Reading From
Written by Alycia Humphrey

If you are like the many households across America you probably have several Bibles in your home. Multiple translations, study guides, resources, and books too. Yet how many of those Bibles are opened on a daily basis?  How many of us truly love to sit and simply read the greatest book of all times?

According to the Guinness World Records as of 1995, the Bible is the best-selling book of all time with an estimated 5 billion copies sold and distributed. What makes this “book” the top selling book of all times? And that doesn’t even include the ones printed and smuggled into restricted nations or our online bible apps that we read from today. The Bible is also the most translated book in human history!

So we know the number one selling book of all times is the Bible, but do we know it is also referred to as “Good News”? Matthew 11:5 "The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor." "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news,
the good news of peace and salvation ,the news that the God of Israel reigns!" Isaiah 52:7 
So what makes this number one selling book of all times “Good News”?  Let’s look a bit deeper into exactly what makes up this book.

The Bible is comprised of 66 chapters written over a period of 1,500 years from 1400 BC to AD 90 by approximately forty men of diverse backgrounds. The Bible has many different literary styles. It’s like a textbook that could be used for each subject in school. History, geography, poetry writing, debate class, drama, sociology, earth science, anthropology and many more. With all this incredible information why is it that it is not enjoyed and read more frequently?

We know that the Bible is the word of God and He inspired these men to write this book. Second Timothy 3:16 tells us that all scripture is God-breathed, so He chose the authors and breathed into them His Good News.  So if it is news what makes it “good” news?  There are all sorts of news sources available to us today? We have newspapers, television, radio, YouTube, Facebook, and magazines, each with their own specific content and subject matter. As the world evolves the endless amount of news resources continues to unfold almost daily with the help of the internet. Nowadays we can get breaking news update alerts within seconds delivered right our phones.  No longer do we have to wait for a journalist to do the research, write, proof, and then publish the article. Media has changed tremendously with the age of technology. So what makes the Good News the most widely distributed news source of all times?

I love that the Bible refers to itself as the Good News, especially in a day and age when there is a vast amount of not-so-good news all around us. We don’t have to spend very much time viewing the current media outlets to see how much devastating news is happening globally and simultaneously. In fact the Good News even tells us that this time would come upon the earth. “See, the day of the Lord is coming —a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger —to make the land desolate and destroy sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the Lord Almighty, in the day of his burning anger.” Isaiah 13:9-13. Luke (which was written by a doctor) also tells us about these current days we are seeing in the news. Jesus says, ”Nation will rise agains nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be great earthquakes, famines, and epidemics in various places, and there will be terrors along with the great signs from heaven.” Luke 21:10-11. You might be asking yourself how can this be considered good news?

 This number one selling book was authored by God and written by at least forty different individuals with a variety of backgrounds. Some of them were fisherman, farmers, tent-makers, priest, singers, musicians, kings, fathers, husbands, some even wrote while in captivity and in prison. The one thing that each of these men had in common when they wrote was the message regarding the Good News —the salvation that is available to all through Christ Jesus. The world’s best selling book is like a letter from God to humanity that speaks of his love for all mankind. He loves us so much that He gave His one and only Son to become the redemption and atonement for our sins, because we live in a fallen world with evil all around us.  And that is why we call the Bible The Good News!  

Yeshua, The Messiah is the Good News. He is the One who brings hope, healing, peace, protection, freedom, restoration, mercy, grace, deliverance and life.  John 10:10 reminds us that He came so that we may have life, and have it abundantly! Now that is GOOD NEWS!! Life more abundantly…over and above, more than is necessary, extraordinary, surpassing, and uncommon. Never in the history books before has any one person ever been able to make a promise like this, have the capability to fulfill it, and bring it to pass.

So, if you are not reading the Good News (which I call a love letter) then I strongly encourage you to begin. All it takes is opening up the best selling book of all times and allowing the words to take hold of your heart. They will begin to guide you each and every day in this journey of life.

I leave you with the words of a popular song:
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face;
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.
A hymn written by Helen Howarth Lemmel. "The Heavenly Vision", also known as "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”

As the days grow darker, the news becomes heavier, and the scriptures are rapidly being fulfilled let us remember He, Jesus, is Good News. 

The Power of NO!

Published by  Alycia Humphrey

Staying Focused Part 3

By Pastor Haward Muhumuza

Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1

Many people, including believers, make incredibly stupid mistakes.

Even more so, they keep repeating the same mistakes over and over again.

What is responsible for this is loss of concentration and lack of focus.

They continue to let their passion, greed and indiscipline influence most of their decisions, when they should clearly know better, as a result, they make avoidable mistakes.

Focus can only occur when you say yes to one option and no to all other options.
 In other words, elimination is a prerequisite for concentration.

The wasted time could be used in better and more productive ways.

It is wise to direct your anger towards problems, not people, to focus your energy on answers, not excuses.

 Give your very best to find solutions to the challenges you are confronted with.  Anything else will simply waste your time.

Attaining a high level of focus can be challenging, it takes time and perseverance to strengthen your ability to focus, but once you have reached a certain level, you will see powerful results.

There is no use bothering yourself with things you cannot change.  It will only waste time and decrease your optimism.  

Instead of focusing on those circumstances that you cannot change, focus strongly and powerfully on the circumstances that you can.

It is often not so important how long you work, but how effectively you use your working hours.

 If you focus on maintaining a high level of concentration, you can use the available hours of the day more effectively.

 However, if you allow distractions to draw away your attention, you are less likely to accomplish much in the time available.

Don’t try to pursue a wide variety of goals simultaneously.  Instead, focus on the few things that are really important and give all you can to accomplish them.

Beloved, the human mind is not able to entertain positive and negative thoughts at the same time.  
This is why it is of the greatest importance to stay focused and concentrate.

CONFESSION:  Father, help me to channel my time, energy and resources to only the things that will help me fulfill destiny and on the things that will bring profit to me in Jesus Christ name.

Staying Focused Part 2

By Pastor Haward Muhumuza

Therefore I do not run aimlessly, I do no fight like I am beating the air.
1 Cor 9:26

Focus is also a matter of deciding what things you are not going to do.

 Most of us understand the importance of focusing on what we want to accomplish in life.

 It is also important to know precisely what we are not going to do. 

 As a child of God, you are in a kingdom that is governed by principles. 

Find out those principles, norms and values governing God’s kingdom and focus on them.  

To be focused, you need to develop a clear understanding of the activities that do not align with your goals.  

It is tremendously beneficial to know what distracts you from accomplishing those goals.

Many believers and pastors started well, but due to wrong association, bad influence, greed, pride and quest for materialism, they have lost focus.

Zig Ziglar said, “I don’t care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don’t harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there, you are never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants”.

                                                Focus is the key to productivity!!!

This is because, saying no to other options unlocks your ability to accomplish the one thing that you are assigned to accomplish. 

Learn to say NO to a sinful lifestyle. Sinful lifestyles are a distraction.It takes one away from God’s divine purpose.

Having a clear vision for your life will help to maintain a higher level of focus.  

Vision will help you to steer all your actions in the right direction, without losing focus of your intended outcome. 

Set priorities and focus your attention on the accomplishment of your high priority goals. 

Beloved, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what you want. 

No one can hit their target with their eyes closed.  

Your destiny is to fulfill those things upon which you focus most intently. 

So choose to stay focused and concentrate on that which is truly magnificent, beautiful, uplifting and joyful. (See Philippians 4:8)

The choice is yours

CONFESSION: Father,  help me to stay focused and concentrate only on thing that will help me fulfill my destiny and attain greatness in life in Jesus Christ name.

Staying Focused Part One

By Pastor Haward Muhumuza

 Ye did run well, who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?
Galatians 5:7 KJV
Focus involves directing your energy and strength on what you ought to do.

 When God came to create, there was darkness, but He said, let there be light (Genesis 1:3).

 He ignored darkness and satan and He concentrated and focused on what He came to do.

 The mistake many believers make is to focus on what satan is doing rather than on the power of the Almighty God.

 Jesus focused on the work He was here on earth to do He did not allow any distraction His way.
(See John 9:4)

 Even when satan spoke through Peter to distract Him from His assignment, Jesus rebuked him.
(See Matthew 16:23)

You have to sharpen your mind and pay attention to what matters.

Your focus determines your reality.

  What you give attention to shape your world.

  It is what you are standing on that determines what you would see.

 As a believer, don’t claim to be who you are not and don’t go to where you ought not to go.

 Samson ignored his person and personality and you can tell the story.

 Whatever you do in life, make sure you have a clear goal, otherwise, you might be spending your time in an undirected and unfocused manner.

 Knowing precisely what you want to achieve will help you to maintain a
higher level of focus and motivation,
AND
It will also encourage you to do whatever it takes until your goal is achieved.

 But if there is no dream or vision that fuels your actions, you are more likely to give up when the going gets tough.

 Do not allow irrelevant things steal away your time, neither allow human beings who are going nowhere to distract you.

 A man that has no focus or has lost focus will definitely get transport fare from satan
to embark on a journey.
(Read Jonah)
Beloved, it is only those who concentrate on one thing at a time that will advance in this world.  

A great man or woman is the one who never steps outside his or her specialty
nor foolishly dissipates his or her individuality.  

Do not allow anything distract you!

Stay focused and concentrate.  Be wise!

CONFESSION:  Lord, give me grace to concentrate. Remove distractions from me
in Jesus Christ name.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT ASSOCIATION 

By Pastor Haward Muhumuza

He who walks with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
Proverbs 13:20

A real friend loves you the way you are but He loves you too much to leave you the way you are.

One of the ways to acquire wisdom is connecting the right association.

By association I mean relationship, company and friendship.

Your association determines your wisdom.

Your association affects your discretion and decision.

People make decisions based on the kind of association they have in their lives.

Your association influences your thoughts, opinion and mindset.

The way a person thinks is affected by who he calls his friends.

Your association affects your action,  your habit and your lifestyle.

Your association affects your destination.

The person you befriend will affect where you will reach in life.

There are those who have not gone far in life because they move with those who are not going far.

Your association can do or undo you.

It can make or mar you.

It can hurt or help you.

It can raise or ruin you.

Your friend is either helping or hurting you.

Beloved, who you call your friend determines what you are and where you are going to.

Until you check your friends you don't have a future.

If you have not defined your association you have not define your life.

The progress in your life right now is a product of those you move with.

The failures in your life right now is a product of who you move with. Therefore; Define your association today.

CONFESSION: Oh Lord, Help me to connect with those who will make me remain in you, Help me to disconnect from those who are taking me backward in Jesus Christ name.

May God open your eyes to see clearly those that will lead you to your Destiny in Jesus Christ name.

FORGIVENESS Part Two


And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.
But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Mark 11:25_26

When we consider the subject of forgiveness properly, you will discover that it's not everyone who truly forgives.

It's takes deep encounter and maturity to forgive.

Most times when you consider the pains and heart breaks, it's very difficult but it's a command to walk in forgiveness as a Believer in Christ.

In the words of Jesus Christ; if you forgive not neither your father which is in Heaven forgive your own sins.

You don't forgive to favour anyone, you forgive to favour yourself.

Most people you forgive may not be qualified for it but, if you want peace with God you don't have a choice.

For you to experience PEACE and JOY you must be ready to forgive again and again.

Life is too short for you to live in it with bitterness.

To live in bitterness, reduces your speed in life. To live in bitterness affect your health negatively.

To live in bitterness makes you to walk in hatred. Bitterness sponsors rejection and frustration.      

It keeps you down and helps you to live in sadness.

One of the major reason why many can't receive answers to prayers no matter how hard they pray is because they live in unforgivingness.

Unforgivingness is the nature of the devil, if you walk in it you are not different from the devil.

Don't keep people in your hearts, free them.

Keeping people in your heart enslaves you and put you in self prison.

Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness it's a sign of great strength.

Forgiveness is not a sign of foolishness it's a sign of great wisdom.

If you ever know God you must walk in forgiveness.

Many individual's heavens and door's have been closed because they refused to walk in forgiveness.

It's not easy to forgive most times when you consider the wickedness of many but if you want to see God face to face you don't have a choice.

Beloved, understand that men must offend you, you must enlarge your heart to forgive.

Don't keep hurting yourself. Most persons who hurt you don't feel hurt.

Therefore; don't keep hurting yourself when the person who hurt you doesn't care.

Free yourself so you will not die too soon.

As you go through this devotional today, check your heart very carefully and free your offenders.

Don't allow your prayers to be hindered because of hurts and unforgivingness.

If you forgive always you will receive always..

The choice is yours..

CONFESSION: Oh LORD, Clean my heart, search my heart. Give the grace to walk in total forgiveness, Help me to live like Jesus in Jesus Christ name.

Written by Pastor Haward Muhumuza
Masindi, Uganda