ZVAUNGAITE KUTI UFADZE MWARI

• Vose vanodanwa nezita rangu, vandakasikira kukudzwa kwangu vandakaumba uye ndikaita. Vanhu vandakazviumbira, kuti vaparidze kurumbidzwa kwangu. Isaya 43: 7, 21 • Asi nguva inouya uye yatouya zvino apo vanamati vechokwadi vachanamata Baba mumweya nomuzvokwadi, nokuti ndivo vanamati vanotsvakwa naBaba kuti vamunamate. Mwari mweya, uye vanomunamata vanofanira kumunamata mumweya nomuzvokwadi. Jahani 4: 23 – 24. • Varidzi vehwamanda navaimbi vakabatana pamwe chete sevane inzwi rimwe chete, vachirumbidza nokuvonga Jehovha. Zvichabatana nehwamanda makandira nezvimwe zviridzwa vakasimudzira manzwi avo vachirumbidza Jehovha vakaimba vachiti: “Iye akanaka; rudo rwake runogara nokusingaperi.” Ipapo temberi yaJehovha yakafukidzwa negore, uye vaprista vakatadza kuita basa ravo nokuda kwegore iroro, nokuti kubwinya kwaJehovha kwakanga kwazadza temberi yaMwari. 2 Vakoronike 5: 13 – 14. • Nemiwo, semabwe mapenyu, muri kuvakwa muimba yomweya kuti muve uprista hutsvene muchipa zvibayiro zvomweya zvinogamuchirwa kuna Mwari kubudikidza naJesu Kristu. Asi imi muri vanhu vakasanangurwa, uprista hwamambo, rudzi rutsvene, vanhu vamwari chaivo, vaakadana kuti muparidze kunaka kwaiye akakudanai kuti mubve murima, muuye muchiedza chake chinoshamisa. 1 Petro 2: 5, 9. • Naizvozvo, kubudikidza naJesu ngatirambei tichipa kuna Mwari chibayiro chokumurumbidza, ndicho chibayiro chemiromo inopupura zita rake. Uye musakanganwa kuita zvakanaka nokugoverana navamwe, nokuti Mwari anofadzwa nezvibayiro zvakadai. Vahebheru 13: 15 – 16. • Makafanira, Ishe naMwari wedu, kugamuchira mbiri nokukudzwa, uye nesimba, nokuti makasika zvinhu zvose, nokuda kwenyu zvakasikwa, uye zviripo nokuda kwenyu. Zvakazarurwa 4: 11. • Uye pasina kutenda hazvibviri kufadza Mwari, nokuti ani naani anouya kwaari anofanira kutenda kuti ariko uye kuti anopa vanomutsvaka nomwoyo wose mubayiro wavo. Vahebheru 11: 6. • Nokuda kwaizvozvi, kubvira pazuva ratakanzwa nezvenyu, hatina kurega kukunyengetererai uye tichikumbira Mwari kuti akuzadzei nokuziva kuda kwake kubudikidza nouchenjeri hwose hwomweya uye nokunzwisisa. Uye tinonyengeterera izvi kuitira kuti mugare upenyu hwakafanira uye kuti mufadze iye mune zvose: muchibereka zvibereko mumabasa ose akanaka, muchikura mukuziva Mwari. Vakorose 1: 9 – 10. • Naizvozvo, ndinokumbira zvikuru kwamuri, hama dzangu, netsitsi dzaMwari, kuti mupe muviri yenyu sechibayiro chipenyu, chitsvene uye chinofadza Mwari, uku ndiko kunamata kwenyu kwomweya. Musaramba muchizvienzanisa namaitiro enyika ino, asi mushandurwe nokuvandudzwa kwepfungwa dzenyu. Ipapo muchakwanisa kuti muedze uye mugoziva kuti kuda kwaMwari ndokupi, kuda kwake kwakanaka, kunomufadza uye kwakakwana. Varoma 12: 1 – 2. • Naizvozvo, pakutanga kwezvose, ndinokurayirai kuti vanhu vose vakumbirirwe, vanyengetererwe, vavongerwe. Izvi zvakanaka uye zvinofadza Mwari muponesi wedu. Ndinoda kuti varume kwose kwose vasimudze maoko matsvene pakunyengetera, vasina kutsamwa kana nharo. 1 Timoto 2:1, 3, 8. • Muromo wangu uchataura kurumbidzwa kwaJehovha. Zvisikwa zvose ngazvirumbidze zita rake dzvene nokusingaperi-peri. Mapisarema 145: 21. • Ndicharumbidza Jehovha nomuromo wangu zvikuru; paungano huru, ndichamurumbidza. Mapisarema 109: 30. • Uchirai maoko, imi vanhu vose; pururudzai kuna Mwari nokudanidzira kwomufaro. Mapisarema 47: 1. • Jehovha anofadzwa naavo vanomutya, vanoisa tariro yavo parudo rwake rusingaperi. Mapisarema 147: 11. • Rumbidzai Jehovha. Imbirai Jehovha rwiyo rutsva, rumbidzo yake paungano yavatsvene. Israeri ngavafarire Muiti wavo; vanhu veZioni ngavafarire Mambo wavo. Ngavarumbidze zita rake vachitamba, uye vamuridzire nziyo namatambureni nembira. Nokuti Jehovha anofarira vanhu vake; vanozvininipisa anovashongedza korona noruponeso. Vatsvene ngavafare nokukudzwa kwake, uye vaimbe nomufaro vari panhoo dzavo. Kurumbidzwa kwaMwari ngakuve pamiromo yavo. Mapisarema 149: 1 – 6a. • Avo vanotongwa nenyama havagoni kufadza Mwari. Asi imi hamutongwi nenyama asi noMweya, kana Mweya waMwari achigara mamuri. Uye kana munhu asina Mweya waKristu, haazi waKristu. Varoma 8: 8 – 9. • Uye tinogamuchira kubva kwaari zvose zvatinokumbira, nokuti tinoteerera mirayiro yake uye tinoita zvinmufadza. 1 Jahani 3: 21. • Runako rwenyu ngarurege kubva pakushonga kwokunze, kwakadai sebvudzi rakarukwa uye nekushonga zvishongo zvegoridhe nenguo dzakaisvonaka. Asi, runofanira kuva rwomunhu womukati, iko kunaka kusingaori kwounyoro nokwomweya wakapfava, kunova ndiko kunokosha pamberi paMwari. 1 Petro 3: 3 – 4. • Asi Jehovha akati kuna Samueri, “Rega kutarira chiso chake kana munhu wake, nokuti ndamuramba. Jehovha haatarisi zvinhu zvinoonekwa navanhu. Munhu anotarisa zviri kunze, asi Jehovha anotarisa pamwoyo. 1 Smueri 16:7. • Zvino, sezvo tichiziva kuti kutya Ishe chii, tinoedza kugombedzera vanhu. Zvatiri zviri pachena kuna Mwari, uye ndinovimbawo kuti zviri pachena kuhana dzenyu. Hatisi kuedza kuzvirumbidza kwamuri zvakare, asi tiri kukupai mukana wokuti muzvirumbidze nokuda kwedu, kuti mugone kupindura vaya vanozvirumbidza nokuda kwezvinhu zvinoonekwa panzvimbo yezvinhu zviri mumwoyo. 2 Vakorinde 5: 11 – 12. • Kana tichireurura zvivi zvedu, iye akatendeka uye akarurama, uye achatikanganwira zvivi zvedu agotinatsa pakusarurama kwose. 1 Johani 1:9.

"I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."Romans 12:1-2

Over the past few days, I've been discussing the will of God and how to walk out His will daily in our lives. The Lord's general will involves the development of our character and the ways in which we relate to Him and to our fellow man. Much of this is the same for every believer. But each of us is unique, and each has a potential life vision unlike any other. God has an individual will for every soul that belongs to Him, an individually shaped destiny which varies according to our gifting and calling and purpose in His Body. Not every believer knows or even desires to walk fully in that vision, calling, or destiny. At times we may try to think about or shape a vision for our lives, but the scripture says that we ought to be able to test and approve what is God's good, pleasing, and perfect will. How do we do this? First, Paul urges that we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice. What does this mean? It means that we make a conscious decision to devote our entire lives to the Lord, holding nothing back, to give ourselves to Him without reservation. The Old Testament sacrifices were animals which were totally offered to God and usually were burned on the altar in fire. Their aroma was pleasing to Him, as their flesh was consumed by the fire. As living sacrifices, we remain alive... but given over, as though we were burning on His altar. Our life is not our own, but is devoted to His purpose and pleasure. This is a conscious decision, a choice which every believer is urged to make. The Lord is then free to shape our lives, our experiences, our discipline, according to His perfect will and purposes for the best possible result. Paul expands on this decisive act of devotion, saying we must not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of our mind. So the act of devoting our life to Him involves a decisive renunciation of the ways of thinking and the values of this present world. (Much could be said about this.) And it also involves a process of renewing our thoughts and values according to the thoughts and values of our Lord. These, then, are the conditions which the apostle gives that we may be able to test and approve what is God's good, pleasing, and perfect will for our lives. Brothers & Sisters, it's often said that "God has a wonderful plan for your life." To me that has always sounded a bit "robotic", as though I were a rat who needed to find His way through the maze of some "Cosmic Scientist". But now I know that God's "plan" for me is anything but mechanical. Rather, it involves the profound realities of my unique individuality; things that He has placed in me and no one else, such that He can beautifully express Himself through my life, my personality, my gifts, relationships, and unique position in the world. Indeed, it is a "wonderful plan". But in order for Him to shape this destiny, He requires my unreserved consent, my offering... of MY BODY, a LIVING SACRIFICE. OFFER YOUR BODY!

ZVAUNGAITE PAKUSHANDISA NGUVA YAKO ZVAKANAKA

• Tidzidzisei kuverenga mazuva edu zvakanaka, kuti tiwane mwoyo wouchenjeri. Mapisarema 90: 12. • Akati kwavari,”Hazvizi kwamuri kuti muzive nguva kana musi wakatarwa naBaba nesimba ravo pachavo. Mabasa 1: 7. • Ko, mushandi anowanei kubva mukushanda kwake kwose? Ndakaona mutoro wakapiwa vanhu naMwari. Akati chinhu chimwe nechimwe chakanaka nenguva yacho. Akaisawo zvisingaperi mumwoyo yavanhu; kunyange zvakadaro havangagoni kunzwisisa zvakaitwa naMwari kubva pakutanga kusvika pakupedzisira. Ndinoziva kuti hakuna chinhu chakanakira munhu kupfuura kuti afare uye kuti aite zvakanaka achiri mupenyu. Kuti munhu wose adye uye anwe uye azviwanire kugutsikana kubva pakushanda kwake kwose, ichi ndicho chipo chaMwari. Ndinoziva kuti zvose zvinoitwa naMwari zvichagara nokusingaperi; hapana chingawedzerwa pazviri uye hapana chingabviswa pazviri. Mwari anozviita kuti vanhu vamukudze. Muparidzi 3: 9 – 14. • Ani naani zvake achateerera murayiro wake haangawani chinomukuvadza, uye mwoyo wakachenjera uchaziva nguva yakafanira namaitiro akafanira. Nokuti kune nguva yakafanira namaitiro akafanira pazvinhu zvose, kunyange nhamo yomunhu ichimuremera zvikuru. Sezvo pasina munhu anoziva ramangwana, ndiani angamuzivisa zvichauya. Muparidzi 8: 5 – 7. • Usazvionza nokuda kuwana pfuma; iva nouchenjeri hunoita kuti uzvibate. Kungoti tarisei pfuma, wanei yaenda nokuti zvirokwazvo inomera mapapiro igobhiruruka ichienda kudenga segondo. Zvirevo 23: 4 – 5. • Mwoyo wamambo uri muruoko rwaJehovha; anouendesa kwaanoda sehova dzemvura. Zvirevo 21: 1. • Shamwari inoda panguva dzose, uye hama yakaberekerwa nhamo. Zvirevo 17: 17. • Maoko aneusimbe anoita kuti munhu ave murombo, asi maoko anoshingaira anopfumisa. Uyo anounganidza zvirimwa muzhizha, mwanakomana akachenjera, asi uyo anorara munguva yokukohwa, mwanakomana anonyadzisa. Zvirevo 10: 4 – 5. • Maoko anoshingaira achatonga, asi usimbe hunopedzisira mukushanda somuranda. Zvirevo 12: 24. • Kana munhu ari simbe, denga remba rinosakara; kana achigarira maoko, imba inobvinza. Muparidzi 10: 18. • Shoko rataurwa nenguva yakafanira rakafanana namaapuro egoridhe mumidziyo yesirivha. Zvirevo 25: 11 • Mwanakomana wangu, nyatsoteerera zvandinotaura; Usaite kuti abve pameso ako, achengete pakati pemwoyo wako; nokuti upenyu kuna avo vanoawana uye noutano kumuviri wose womunhu. Pamusoro pazvo zvose, chengetedza mwoyo wako, nokuti ndicho chitubu cheupenyu. Bvisa nhema pamuromo wako; kutaura kwakaora ngakuve kure nemiromo yako. Meso ako ngaatarire mberi bedzi, ramba wakatarira mberi kwako. Gadzirira tsoka dzako gwara ugofamba munzira dzakasimba chete. Zvirevo 4: 20 – 26. • Nokuti nzira dzomunhu dziri pachena pamberi paJehovha, uye anoongorora nzira dzake dzose. Zvirevo 5: 21.

"Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1 Thes 5:14-18

The apostle Paul's epistle to the Thessalonians contains clear and powerful exhortations concerning the will of God for believers. These exhortations express the specific will of God in relationships with others, with ourselves, and with the Lord. Packed into these short verses are patterns of life and behavior which receive His blessing in all these relationships. "Warn them that are unruly"; people who are idle, undisciplined, pleasure seeking, need to know the danger they are in. "Comfort the feebleminded"; comfort people who are disheartened; come alongside them with brotherly affection and encouraging words, and pray for them. "Support the weak"; our natural tendency is to despise and neglect weaker people, to stay away from them since they have nothing to offer us, and can damage our reputation. Jesus says no, find them, and lift them up however you can. "Be patient toward all men"; realizing how patient God is with you, and that "patient" is the first thing that love is, [1 Cor. 13:4]. It means waiting in love and hope, with prayer, for people to see what they need to see, do what they need to do, change how they need to change. "See that none render evil for evil;" do not allow evil men in this world to corrupt your own behavior and character. This is a constant temptation throughout life because evil people are everywhere, including the church. "Follow that which is good"; being and doing good of every kind is our lifelong mandate as believers; there are millions of ways to obey it. This is God's will for us toward all men – even those who don't deserve it! "Rejoice evermore"; Jesus has rescued your eternity from unspeakable misery and pain to everlasting joy and pleasure. The constant reality of your life is undergirded by an ecstatic future forever. You can afford to be quite happy about it. "Pray without ceasing"; 'impossible', you say. Given the fact that your relationship with the Lord is wide open to communication with Him , why not continually include Him in your words and thoughts? "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you"; gratitude is a life saver, apart from being the most appropriate response to having been created, redeemed, and blessed by our loving Lord. Thankfulness in all things turns you into the beautiful soul your were intended to be. Gratitude in the midst of suffering is a special perfume for the Lord. Brothers & Sisters, the will of God is not so hard to figure out when we read these simple statements. Just obeying these exhortations is enough to do for a lifetime. Wherever the Lord calls you, He calls you to this lifestyle. God's Holy Spirit inspired these words, and He alone gives the power to carry them out. Our part is to believe and act, He will fill us as we do. WALKING OUT THE WILL OF GOD!

"While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brothers stood outside, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to speak with you. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brothers? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brothers! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."Matthew 12:46-50 ; "Then came to him his mother and his brothers, and could not reach him for the crowd. And it was told him by some who said, Your mother and your brothers stand outside, desiring to see you. And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brothers are these who hear the word of God,and do it." Luke 8:19-21

As I continue this series of devotionals on "understanding the will of God", I'd like to talk about a story which is told in all the synoptic gospels, except that Luke's account gives a significant nuance. (Many skeptical Bible "critics" point out differences in the gospels to argue that they can't be reliable -- yet it's actually the differences which support the validity of these accounts because they reveal that the events recorded were simply experienced and told from slightly different viewpoints, a very common circumstance when people are telling a story.) The gospels of Matthew and Mark give an account of the Lord's mother and brothers arriving to see Him, and wanting to speak with Him, though they were hindered because there were so many people around Him. Jesus takes this opportunity to define a broad new "family" principle when He says, ".. whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother." But Luke's account adds something, "those who hear the word of God and do it!" The word of God is going out across the whole world, and many are hearing it. Those who are acting on what it says are defined as the true family of Jesus! Brothers & Sisters, here, then, is another simple approach to living in the will of God. Read His Word -- and don't be a hearer only -- but be a doer, one who acts according to what he hears or reads. If you do, you reveal that you are a close relative of the Son of God, and that's a relationship better than any other in the world! BE A HEARER -- AND A DOER!

"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. " Philippians 2:13

Throughout the years of writing daily devotions, I'm often asked how do I find the will of God? I believe in order to find the will of God, you must begin at the very basics -- to understand the will of God then you must understand the heart of God. When you have the heart of God, you'll search to desire the things that God desires. To be passionate about what God is passionate for. To be broken over the things that break God's heart. Brothers & Sisters, so to begin to understand the will of God for your life, simply start with the heart of God in the things you do. Find out what God is passionate for -- and make that your passion. When you run after the heart of God -- the will of God will follow you! HOW DO I UNDERSTAND THE WILL OF GOD!

"A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity."Proverbs 17:17

A careful reading through the life of the Apostle Paul will yield insight concerning those who surrounded him. In this brief devotion, I want to focus on two of Paul's friends -- Luke and Demas. Luke was a true and faithful friend to Paul, staying with and supporting him to the very end of his life, even through the worst adversities (2 Timothy 4:11). Then, there was another friend, whose name was Demas, about whom Paul wrote positively at first, (Col. 4:14; Philemon 1:24) but who did not remain faithful to the end. Paul records that Demas forsook him because he "loved this present world." (2 Timothy 4:10) As the end of the age approaches, we also will be tested as to where our love lies; with the Father, or with the world. The apostle John writes, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15) I do not believe that Demas lost his salvation, but he did lose his capacity to sense and express the love of the Father, which damaged his testimony, his spiritual relationships, and undoubtedly cost him heavenly rewards. What kind of friend will we be to God? Will we be faithful, or will we allow the love of this world to quench our fire, and compromise our relationships? Brothers& Sisters, my encouragement to you is to be faithful until the end. Don't forget that Jesus gave a warning to end-time saints, saying, "because iniquity abounds, the love of many shall grow cold." Become a friend like Luke, and learn from the life of Demas -- do not allow love for the world to quench your love for God. Don't forget, a true friend loves...at all times! BE FAITHFUL TO THE END!