About

The most scandalous thing in history, arguably, is that God came and lived among men almost entirely unrecognised. Unrecognised to the extent that they even killed Him.

KJV John 1
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

I know I have often thought and marvelled at the utter incredulity of it. How blind and obstinate did that generation have to be for this to go over their heads?! But as is often the case, we are more like them than we’d like to think. Perhaps the only difference between us and them is the luxury of retrospect.

I was on my way from church, absolutely upset. I had not met the Lord. Well, rather, I felt that the Lord had not met me. I had done my best to be attentive; to calibrate my mind to the messages of the day. Nope, there was nothing for me. Or was there sin in my heart? (Proceeds to conduct a mini investigative judgement on myself).

Back to Israel, the primary reason most of them missed the fact that God was with them is they had assessed the problems in their lives and made conclusions on how God should show up for them. The most striking example of someone specific who almost stumbled on this point was John the Baptist. Jesus’ forerunner! On the surface, John the Baptist feels like good company to be in. But His momentary failure to recognize Christ is in fact the one that hurt Him the most.

Unlike the religious leaders of his days, he had led a life of simplicity and humility. He had stood valiantly calling out the sin of his people; the rich and poor alike. He prepared the way of the Lord, he baptised Him and, even heard the testimony from heaven affirming that this was the Son of God. But then when he was imprisoned and alone, He started to doubt. But his doubt was not merely because of his troubles. It was a misunderstanding of how God should have come; how He should have met them.

Like the Saviour’s disciples, John the Baptist did not understand the nature of Christ’s kingdom. He expected Jesus to take the throne of David; and as time passed, and the Saviour made no claim to kingly authority, John became perplexed and troubled.  DA 215.2

Later that evening after I woke up from the nap I needed, I looked back and realised that Jesus had met me. I had been unwell that day. Oddly, with very little effort, I had found people to delegate my duties to. I had wanted a profound sermon or timely song. Instead, I got people who welcomed me, insisted to sit next to me, asked me how I am incessantly seeing I didn’t look myself. I even got an easy leeway to leave church way earlier than usual to take a nap. That’s what I really needed. And that is how Jesus met me.

Do you know what convinced John the Baptist of the legitimacy of Jesus as the Messiah?

The evidence of His divinity was seen in its adaptation to the needs of suffering humanity.  DA 217.1

Jesus infact said no words to the disciples John sent to confirm His divinity. He just helped and healed people and told his disciples to go back and report what they had seen.

The disciples bore the message, and it was enough. DA 217.2

So like me, what if we miss God because we think He cares more about the profundity of the sermons than that you’re unwell and you just need some sympathy and some sleep? And like Israel, we’re waiting for Him at the throne but He’s in Samaria at a well talking with a heathen woman? In Bethany weeping with mourners? Or even in Cana, providing wine for a wedding? What if proof of God is His capacity to meet us right where we are?

It is not lost to me that our discernment on what we need is often wrong. My answer to that though is just pray and pay attention. Jesus is very near.

Acts 17:24-27 MSG
The God who made the world and everything in it, this Master of sky and land, doesn’t live in custom-made shrines or need the human race to run errands for him, as if he couldn’t take care of himself. He makes the creatures; the creatures don’t make him. Starting from scratch, he made the entire human race and made the earth hospitable, with plenty of time and space for living so we could seek after God, and not just grope around in the dark but actually find him. He doesn’t play hide-and-seek with us. He’s not remote; he’s near.

Hey there. I hope you are doing well. But if not; and by that I mean you’re truly in the heat of it, maybe this particular blog post isn’t for you. You could try praying? Call a close friend? Read a few Bible promises and you know probably eat then take a nap… I hope things get better soon.

With that out of the way, as you can tell, I’m struggling not to apologize for this blog post. If you’re still here, I’m sure you can probably name at least five things that are not going your way. Life is hard. And I get it. But I’m seeing something concerning that’s happening; on pulpits but mostly on our social media timelines which has given all of us pulpits of sorts it seems. I’m seeing this quasi prosperity gospel becoming prevalent, probably as a reasonable response to the hard times in which we live. I say quasi because I don’t think that all the nice bible verses and cute quotes are heretical in and of themselves. The danger we’re in is a half-truth type of situation where the difficult things we’re also assured will happen are totally eclipsed.

I would like to think that as an avid prophecy listener (yes, I said listener), I am inoculated against these sentiments, but no. Deep down, on my hard days, I want that nice, well-written catchy quote that assures me, brighter days are ahead. More than this, I was confronted in a recent Bible study just how invested I am in this good vibes theology. Proceeds to demonstrate:

We were studying Romans 4, which touches on the life of Abraham. Someone asked what would have happened if Abraham failed the ‘sacrifice your son’ test. It sent me on a tangent and that’s why we are here today. Said tangent:

In the obedience of faith, Abraham had forsaken his native country—had turned away from the graves of his fathers and the home of his kindred. He had wandered as a stranger in the land of his inheritance. He had waited long for the birth of the promised heir. At the command of God he had sent away his son Ishmael. And now, when the child so long desired was entering upon manhood, and the patriarch seemed able to discern the fruition of his hopes, a trial greater than all others was before him. PP 148.1

The quote was such an indictment to me. You see, we’re more than halfway through the year. In the particular place of service God had called me to at the beginning of it, I have felt that I have done, not everything, but I have tried. Truly. It has been hard. There has been weeping, sacrificing and so much in-between. But I have felt myself slipping into a metaphorical slouch in the chair feeling that surely, the hard days should be behind me. My hard work should count for something; something that should require less effort going forward. But there is no clearcut Biblical precedence for this. Abraham’s worst trial after decades of not perfect, but impressive faithfulness; his worst days, were ahead. Yet the testimony proceeds to say about him:

Abraham did not seek to excuse himself from doing the will of God…He might have pleaded that age should excuse him from obedience. But the patriarch did not take refuge in any of these excuses. PP 153.3

So friends, what if our worst days are ahead of us?

Away from the minuteness of individual experiences, the Bible is clear that in the last days, there will be a time of trouble and it adds, ‘such as never was’. ( Daniel 12:1). Things will get worse before they get better. Our wishy washy, diluted messages that promise peace in this world will not serve us. They will rather tend to our destruction by denying us the preparation that is required to meet the tough times ahead.

KJV 1 Thessalonians 5
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Conversely, I want to know what Abraham was made of. I want that long obedience in the same direction. That faith that sin’s wild ocean cannot drown nor its soft arts beguile. I know that there is a significant role that God plays in keeping us from falling but it seems to me, that there’s still effort required on our side. It seems to me that in meeting the hard days we face here and there today we build the muscle of faith that will helps us meet the greater crisis. (Romans 5:3-5)

But past faithfulness does not cover the future. Like Abraham, it must be so everyday, to the end of our days. You want to know where the Abraham tangent landed me?

KJV Ezekiel 18
24 But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned: in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die.

I hope this piece rouses you to healthy vigilance. To diligence. To cling closer to the everlasting arms. We live in perilous times. We have a ferocious enemy who is ramping up his efforts in seeking our perdition because he knows his times is short.

However, I hope none of this also, scares you. God is committed to our salvation. And let this be a stay to your heart:

KJV 1 Corinthians 10
13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

The deliverance He gives is not the deliverance of escape but the deliverance of conquest. It is not a deliverance which saves a believer from trouble but one that brings him triumphantly through trouble.
-Anonymous

Unbeknownst to me, my friends have heretofore thought of me as a child. In the words of Dada with my birthday anniversary approaching, ‘ My age is finally catching up with my brain.’ I was understandably horrified at this discovery. I will say though, they have done a good job of hiding this sentiment. I have never felt infantilized by them.

All this to say, I’m realizing the perks of being older experientially; namely, respect. I was called to minister in a certain church last year. As part of the logistics, an elder from the church called me to do a preacher reconnaissance of sorts. After a courteous exchange, he proceeded to ask me, ‘ And how old are you? Your voice makes it sound like you’re pretty young.’ I told him my age. It wasn’t my voice guys; as per his metrics, I was pretty young. He proceeded to assure me that the Lord would use me, my age notwithstanding.

So yes, this year I’m a bit excited about my birthday. It’ll hopefully help avoid certain conversations, and reconcile the contradiction for my friends of why they are friends with a child. But quite frankly, that’s about it. To me, up to a certain point aging is a good thing, then it becomes synonymous with atrophy. Basically, not a good thing. And that’s putting it lightly.

A close loved one broke her arm last year. The bone still hasn’t fully healed yet. Why? Her age. And we all have probably experienced variations of this; where our loved ones’ vitality is compromised simply due to age. So that I don’t find the statement, ‘I want to grow old with you’ sentimental at all. I mean, what do you mean? Let’s not just say things guys.

This is where I make the unnecessary clarification that, yes, I love life. My loved ones are giving birth, getting married, others are coming to Jesus, ministry is expanding, lifetime prayers are being answered and I keep discovering new pieces of beautiful music almost weekly. There’s so much to enjoy now and so much to look forward to. I want to be around for a long, long time. Eternity feels just about right. So to my people, I want to have eternity with you; in eternal youth.
It’s not farfetched. For the Christian, it is our blessed hope.

I am come that you may have life, and have it more abundantly.
-Jesus.
[John 10:10.]

I was peacefully munching down my supper with my mind, God knows where. Then I was hit by a, “Daisy you’re supposed to be helping us make sense of this.” My folks were watching the news; a budget team of sorts trying to explain why national expenditure is exceeding revenue. For context, my degree is in economics and finance aaand I graduated so I’m supposed to be all smart and stuff. I looked at my dad to assess whether he expected me to give a professional diagnosis of the situation. I don’t think so.

However, deep down, I thought how I would have loved to be in that room, brought in as an economist to give a strategic plan on how to move forward. I would have just loved to mount that stage after my professional credentials being read out and told the people, “Haya, repeat after me: Lord Jesus…” Basically lead them through the sinner’s prayer, hand them each a Steps to Christ and we could come back in maybe a month to discuss policies.

Yes guys, I know its not entirely practical. But a girl can dream.

All the same, there’s point I’m getting at. A peril, infact. That particularly as Christians, we may be tending to a mindset that sees the solutions of life’s problems in outward systems, policies and I’ll say it, even science.

When we see an overtly selfish, self-centered person nowadays we call them a narcissist not a sinner. The result of that diagnosis is that they go to therapy and not Jesus. That’s a problem.

No, I’m not against therapy or science or systems. Instead, I believe:

The foundation of all true science is contained in the Bible.  COL 107.3

I look at the legislative landscape as not lacking in mere policies. I see it lacking in:

…Men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall. Ed 57.3

And yes,

Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life. SC 18.1

If we have a problem with the fruit, maybe we need a different seed.

Of course this piece presupposes you are a Christian. If not, you need an entirely different article. But if we are Christians, we need to start acting like it. Like we believe what our Bible says:

KJV Proverbs 4
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

KJV Jeremiah 13
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.

We need to be saying this to the world a bit more- no, a lot more- that:

KJV John 1
29…Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

Jesus is the answer is my conclusion of the matter. But the prophet said it better:

The gospel is a wonderful simplifier of life’s problems.  MH 363.1

This article is being written on the day Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly know as Prince Andrew, was arrested to be investigated under suspicion of misconduct in public office following the recent release of the Epstein files. Now, the first thing I’ll say on this is just how betrayed I feel by the rhetoric I had in my brain of what a prince is like because of the Disney fairytales I watched. And that’s all I’ll say on that.

I would have you know that this blog has been in the works for a while now. It all started with a post that ticked me off after Albert Ojwang’s controversial death. The official reports suggested that he’d died of suicide but the masses disagreed, to put it lightly. The post, sympathetic to the feeling of the masses, said and I quote:

No amount of justice could make up for this.

Admittedly, in my own brushes with mistreatment, I have shared in this sentiment. But it usually lasts for a fleeting season not because I avoided it; oh no! Avoidance doesn’t work on me, more so on this. Rather, I believe this is a life and death matter. Because, walk with me here:

If a good and Omnipotent God doesn’t exist and as Neal Degrasse Tyson said, ‘the universe is blind to our sorrows and indifferent to our pain‘ or as Deists believe, ‘God exists but He’s simply uninvolved in human affairs,‘ then guys, what’s the point? Why endure it? Why not just choose death? There’s no retribution, accountability or redemption? I’m sorry but I’d rather die then.

But I’m still here. Which means I have reasons to believe that those things exist; retribution, accountability, redemption. Infact in the words of Fyodor Dostoevesky:

I believe like a child that suffering will be healed and made up for…that in the world’s finale, at the moment of eternal harmony,  something so precious will happen that it will suffice for all hearts…

I believe like a child!

The atrocities that have been committed in this world are beyond human computation. I have spent this week reeling in rage for just a fraction of them.  I have cried with people on the other side of the screen who I literally don’t know. There is so much groaning going on. Even in inanimate creation; because what’s up with thorns on roses shuwally? Ah. Quite frankly, anyone who suffers this world to go on any longer for mere material ambition is either terribly ignorant or completely heartless.

The more mind-boggling thing however, is how so many people can live without hope. It seems to me that there is either deep-seated  hope in people or the suicide rates ought to be higher than they actually are. I don’t know, that’s just me trying to make sense of that phenomenon. But what I do know, is I have so much hope in my life.

This is where I want to make a caveat: I do not relish in the destruction of the wicked. That is one of the avenues of justice; not the only one. There is another way: the cross.

At the cross, I face the reality that I am both victim and villain. Yet by the greatest injustice in history- the killing of God- justice has been satisfied. Every offender, which is us all, simply deserves death. That is how seriously God takes the mistreatment of His children. But Christ, willingly takes the penalty:

KJV John 3
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Everyone who receives this can be forgiven. And not only that; by God’s grace, they deeply regret what they’ve done and turn from it. It’s called repentance. Ah, isn’t it beautiful?

KJV 2 Peter 3
9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

But to all who slight this immeasurably gracious provision,

KJV Hebrews 10
26 …there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.

Under the meticulous supervision of my loving God, nothing slips through the cracks and noone is above the law. A couple of months ago, God reminded me of someone I had hurt more than 10 years ago. I had to go and ask for forgiveness. Because of the cross, I could be forgiven.

I yield with this:

The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.
~ Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

It was not amusing at all. Scene: I had just gotten home. My 11-year-old brother is sitting right next to me scrolling on YouTube shorts. On his phone. In full view of at least three adults.

I was absolutely appalled. And if you don’t see how this is disconcerting, I honestly don’t know help you. O yes, I hate to break it to y’all but I am not the cool, nonchalant, big sister; I’m the deputy parent type. And so I sprang into action: explained to my brother the peril he was in, disabled YouTube with his consent and called my parents to a discussion on further measures.

Speaking about parents…these same parents wouldn’t allow me have a phone in high school. I tried everything: begging, psychological manipulation…uhm, we’ll leave at that. You already know too much.

In any case, I’ve realized my high school self wouldn’t want me, as at now, as a parent. I thought my parents were uptight but the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree does it? Wahenga were on to something there.

I know up to now I’ve made it sound like I’m pretty mature. I’m not too sure. Our 11-year-old receives constructive feedback  better than I do. I kick and scream at least 98% of the time when God says no to my plans. And there’s been a lot of kicking and screaming this year lemme tell ya. This past week actually. God is currently trying to get me off milk. But God, what happens to ice-cream? And Wild berries Delamere yoghurt? Ah. You see? Kicking and screaming.

But I am learning to give it time. To trust and obey. God is good Father.

KJV Psalms 84
11…no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.

As we lay the year to rest, I see how He has led me. Tantrums notwithstanding, He has led me well. And in so many ways I see that if we were to go back, I would have it no other way; except to have trusted more. Just like the phone drama.

God never leads His children otherwise than they would choose to be led, if they could see the end from the beginning, and discern the glory of the purpose which they are fulfilling as co-workers with Him. DA 224.5

I’m writing this as I’m having brunch alone in the middle of town on a Thursday. No, solo dates are not my thing. I’d rather be locked up in my room and having a homemade meal. No, it’s not a case of being stood up by a date either. None of those. I’m here because I missed my photoshoot appointment. I also don’t do that… And by ‘that’ I mean: photoshoots and missing appointments… But let’s talk about the latter first…

I woke up at 4:30 a.m. The night prior I had done all my time estimations: a one hour devotion and then there’s the showering but most importantly, the hair. The hair! Ah, if you know, you know. I even accounted for metro queues and traffic… What I didn’t remember is this is graduation season. There was traffic nearly to a standstill…But I’m just a girl. I tried my best, I promise.

Suffice it to say, I couldn’t make it. I was almost an hour late. My contact person from the studio requested to reschedule to 2:30 p.m. This is after I was 400m to the place. I took a cab back to town and resolved to go home after.

You see, back to my first point, photoshoots aren’t exactly my thing. This wasn’t my idea. It also isn’t on my bill. My friend insisted I do it and paid for it. But even after that, I had to call up another friend to convince me to book the session last night. The resolve to go home is easy for me. I’m not even that upset about the deposit I already paid. And don’t get me wrong; I respect my friend’s money, perhaps even more than mine. But I want to go home.

All this hullabaloo is over graduation. Yes, my folks are going to be part of the reason for the added traffic I was complaining about. My friends are excited about me graduating. My mom? Ecstatic. And she’s travelling six hours to see it.

Me on the other hand… Well, I’m not ungrateful. It’s more of relief than excitement for me honestly…mixed with a little bit of good riddance. School has been like a really long rolercoster ride. It’s fun at first and then at some point, you feel like you’re going to throw up and begging that it stops.

This graduation should have been two years ago. Methinks that’s why everyone is excited that it has finally come to pass. But it’s the same reason why I am not. Interesting how the same thing can illicit polar-opposite reactions.

But I’ll tell you what, I concede. I give in to this weird excitement around me. That’s why I’m seated in this restaurant  eating awkwardly slowly. I’m waiting for 2:30 p.m. I’ll go back to that studio. I’ll take the photos. If not for anything, then for my happy community. They have prayed with me. They have cried with me. How could I not allow them to be happy? Will the devil surely steal everything from us?

And I’ll make that my last point. The devil wasn’t trying to steal my degree. He doesn’t need it. He was after my faith. But here I am. I’m still standing. My faith? Stronger than ever. And there’s no crazy, big job and salary waiting for me. There are no eloquent, 10 point answers on why things have had to be this way. But I’ve got God. I’m good.

After this hard and protracted season, I’m not proud to have gained a degree. I’m proud of a faith that has grown, a community that’s fireproof and a closer walk with God. So yes, let’s celebrate. Cheers!

KJV Romans 5
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Apparently this is a risky thing to believe. Infact, I am currently banned from saying this in a number of my friendships. So allow me start with the clause:

This statement should not be used to cancel people and or avoid working through hardships in our relationships. Relational resilience terms and conditions apply.

With that out of the way, let’s talk about death. It’s already been on our tongues. Especially if you’re a Kenyan reading this piece at the time of its release. But I am not about to eulogize Raila nor give you a study about the state of the dead, though the latter is quite tempting.

Death; quite a common phenomenon. Interestingly we are often rather ruffled when it happens, especially close to home. And that’s putting it lightly. Are we usually under some subconscious delusion that our people are immortal? What’s going on?

Instead of me waxing philosophical, how about a bible verse?

NLT Ecclesiastes 3
11 Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart…

It didn’t say He has planted eternity in the heart of Christians. It said the human heart. And if we won’t go for it in God we’ll go for it somewhere. Hence the ongoing transhumanism movement; this deep-seated desire to live forever but, without God. The microwaved version of the Tower of Babel. Dr. Aaron Kheriaty calls it, that’s transhumanism, Salvation by Science and Technology.

Admittedly, now and then, even as a Christian, I’ll graple with the fear of losing ‘my people’. I want us all to live forever. There are sleepovers, phone calls, discussions, walks, etc…that I want to last forever. Then it hit me: ‘we’ll catch up in eternity’. Eternity is a legitimate desire and such a thing exists. God has made provision. Lewis would say: Creatures are not born with desires unless satisfaction for those desires exists. If I sound a bit cheesy I think that’s, well, a you problem. You don’t love deeply, do you?😅 ( Seriously, are you okay?😅)

Again, this does not lessen the import of living life to its fullness on this side of eternity. Quite the opposite. You see, eternity is a place you can’t be towed into. You don’t accidentally slide in. And this is where we land this plane-

In my musings about death, about catching up in eternity this is where I have landed;

That it starts with me. Am I securing my eternity? Can the people around me rest in the thought that we’ll have another chance to make up for what’s lost on this side? I’m working on that. And all that anxiety whether my people are doing the same, well, I’m channeling that energy into intercession.

KJV Philippians 2
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

KJV Philippians 1
6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

So yes, that’s on death for me. But the implications are obviously so much more:- I met a new person recently and she said, Where have you been my whole life? The feeling was mutual. We have a whole lifetime to catch up on you see. And there are too many variations of this. I am at liberty to love deeply and when necessary, to let go freely. Why?

Say it with me now: We’ll catch up in eternity! And to be honest, I don’t think it’s far away.😊

How cheering is the Christian’s hope, While toiling here below! It buoys us up while passing through This wilderness of woe, It buoys us up while this passing through This wilderness of woe.

I’ve sailed this sea too long,
To doubt my Captain now.
Yes, the waves are getting strong,
But He’s still in control somehow.
And so as He urges an advance,
While not calming the raging waters;
Just to catch in the end His glance,
I’ll obey my Captain’s orders.

~Soulsunshine.

The path where God leads the way may lie through the desert or the sea, but it is a safe path. PP 290.3

I recently attended Sabbath fellowship at a certain school. After the sermon the pastor made a baptism appeal. There was nothing emotional about that appeal but I just remember seeing this multitude of students go upfront. Now usually, when this happens I’d be in tears; tears of joy. But not this time. It was still a solemn moment but I remember going home thinking,

Heh, these boys and girls just made a mortal enemy.

I’m chuckling a bit now that I spell it out this way and also after what I’ve learnt in the time that has lapsed between now and then… But walk with me here. I can explain.

The reality is that every decision made for Christ is basically a declaration of war. Jesus has an enemy called Satan. And when you side with Jesus guess what? His enemy becomes yours too. Unfortunately, this simple fact goes unmentioned in our sermons and appeals. Ministers, informed consent applies in the decision to follow Jesus too.😅

So much of Christianity is war. Maybe not all of it. Maybe not even most of it. But a fair chunk is. However, we are often, to use a KJV translation term, offended when we meet with trouble. Maybe partly because your minister failed to include this in their appeal, but hey, read your Bible. Jesus says it bluntly and I quote, ‘ In this world, you shall have tribulation…’

The caveat of course is that trouble is inevitable in our world for everyone. And the devil is against all humanity including those who are not on Jesus’ side. But my dear Christian brethren, he brews special trouble for us.

I recognize the danger of overspiritualization of things but I believe the other extreme is equally problematic and prevalent: overmaterialization. Most of us need to give the devil more credit for our trouble than we do. Once I walked into a room and found that my friend had been crying. I asked what the matter was and the first thing she said was: Its the devil😹. She was right. And it was obviously not a laughing matter. But she’s okay.

I stand by everything I’ve written so far. Infact I believe that things are going to get worse before they get better. But I do not want you to be robbed of the joy of seeing people come to Jesus like I was that Sabbath. And so I’ve said all the above only to now say, I still want people to come to Jesus. Why?

Well, I’ve had so much trouble in my life because I’m a Christian. But I also have so much joy in my life. So much peace. So much hope. Because, and only because, I’m a Christian. And the part I left out in what Jesus said about the trouble we will have in the world is that He adds:

Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

God has set up a system that is not only true and beautiful; It is also successful. Our enemy is mighty. But our God is mightier. He asserts:

KJV John 10
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:
28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.

The Christian is, eventually, delivered out of all his trouble. But the deliverance God gives is not the deliverance of escape but of conquest. And thus, Paul concludes Romans 8 with the rousing doxology that:

KJV Romans 8
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

In the words of Eugene Peterson;

The plows of persecution are not working and the oxherds haven’t even noticed!

And so my brethren, immense trouble lies ahead. But in its effect to separate us from our God, spoiler alert: it doesn’t work!