The Christian walk is not an easy one. Today everyone is a Christian even though there is no growth and no progression into Christlikeness and no desire for spiritual perfection. As professing Christians, we live the way of the world, we dress like the world, respond like the world and do church like the world. The only difference between our lives and that of none believers is that we go to church on Sundays and know scripture and sing worship songs. The hearts change and inward work of the Holy Spirit to transform us into Christ is lacking. We celebrate at the door of conversion singing I am born again, yet we don’t pay the price to put to death our old man who often is still very much in charge leading and governing our lives. We have lost the reverence and sacredness that comes from pursuing the heart of God. We have made what is sacred common and what is common, sacred. As believers, we must discern in our hearts whether or not the reverence or awe of God is still intact in our hearts. Do we still wonder at the splendour and magnificence of God or have we started to take God for granted. When we do this our walk with God becomes stagnant and dry. We have no new insight or revelation; we lose the sweetness of fellowship and encounter. It is as if we believe we have encountered all we have needed to encounter read all we have needed to read of scripture. But the truth is that with God there is no end to the mysteries of His greatness.

The problem is we have been created to be captivated, our hearts have been created to wonder and gaze at glory. But unfortunately, today with media, marketing and the constant bombardment of information often we are captivated by worthless meaningless things that have taken our attention and reverence from God and has also quenched and dampened our zeal for the sacred mysteries of the kingdom of Heaven. We have been captivated, by gossip, condemnation, films, games and news that now hearts are now incapable of gazing with awe and wonder on the things of God. Our appetites have been satisfied with the things of this world that often leave us empty and confused. We use our strength for that which produces death in us. We need to seek God earnestly to empty us of all these vain things that consume our hearts and occupy our minds and we must by the Grace of God guard our hearts with all diligence, that we may grow in Christlikeness.

Dear Heavenly Father, we pray for complete deliverance from everything that has captured our hearts and minds. Everything that has caused us to treat you commonly and not with the reverence you deserve. Lord set our hearts free from the bondage of being captivated with useless things that don’t have eternal value. Lord may we never lose our wonder in Jesus mighty name.

Much Love in Christ,

Your Sister,

Ruth 
Pursuing Holiness

Biblical Counsellor | Spiritual Director | Leadership Coach

It was in the midst of the large crowd following Him, that Jesus then turns and says that to truly follow me has a cost. It’s as if Christ is saying “seeing miracles, getting mesmerised and following me around is a pointless activity, it’s not true discipleship”. “To truly following me there is a requirement and there is a price”. It’s as if Christ is setting boundaries, “those who genuinely follow Me are willing to sacrifice their lives.” This would have been a reality call for those who had followed Jesus around and wanted to be His apprentice and disciples, wanting to know how they could follow Christ how they could be part of this movement. Christ’s standard “Simply hate your life on this earth”.

When we hear Christs’ call to give up our lives and the cost associated to it, this is a real sacrifice its Christ life for our life. Christ died that we may live and now He requires that our carnal self-centred adamic nature dies so that Christ can live in and through us. When we share the finished work of the cross and salvation with unbelievers, often, we speak of all the benefits of our relationship with God. We tell people, “if you come to Christ, He will heal you, He’ll give you hope and a purpose, He’ll provide for all your needs”. We speak merely about the benefits believers have in Christ, but rarely do we speak of the cost of being a true Christian. In fact, at times we have even encouraged them coming with all their idols, vanities, lusts and worldly passions. We say come as you are and often forget that true discipleship requires a sacrifice as one grows in maturity. More critically, you have places called churches that attempt and revive this old man that Christ requires dies.

The truth is that unless our Christianity renounces all that Christ requires of us, if our Christianity is void of sacrifice, the cross and separation from the world, we cannot be His disciples. It doesn’t matter whether we are a bishop, pastor or mother, it doesn’t matter if we are in church 7 days a week and give much to the poor. God is calling us all to the place of death, a death that brings forth much life. If we are still holding unto our lives, our habits our way, we may have a label as Christian yet through negligence or disobedience we cannot be His disciple.

Lord open our spiritual eyes that we may see clearly our spiritual condition. Lord search our hearts and convict us of self-love and self-righteousness, so that we may seek your power to die and renounce all that takes us away from your presence.

Much Love in Christ,

Your Sister,

Ruth 
Pursuing Holiness

Biblical Counsellor | Spiritual Director | Leadership Coach

The difference between true biblical Christianity and the false message we often come up against is the hatred of the things of this world and everything that pertains to it. Hating the world means to live according to the word of God, following His ways and statues as our standard and to renounce the ways and doctrines of society. These sometimes-unspoken rules that are communicated to the hearts of nations through films, marketing, values, systems and culture are the world and they are opposed to the ways of God. The world promotes rebellion and forgetfulness concerning God and eternity, causing people to live for this life alone, while neglecting the urgently needed care of their souls.

In order to truly hate the world we must hate our carnal man, our old man also known as our adamic nature without this utter disdain and hatred living an authentic Christian life is impossible because the natural tendency of our flesh is to pursue and desire things that take us out of the will and purposes of God. Jesus set the standard and was a living example. It is through death alone that we are to gain true life. It is the death, mortification of our members that makes us alive in the spirit. As long as we are alive and kicking in the flesh, we can never be partakers of the authentic things of the spirit. There is also nothing we can give in exchange to the requirement of dying daily, we can’t give good deeds or knowledge. God requires Adam dies so that Christ can live in and through us.

This is a constant battle. It is only when we attempt to live this life as true disciples of Christ that we come face to face with the unseen battle of the saints, who wrestled tirelessly until Christ was fully formed in them. Ease, excessive worldly care and lack of this inward struggle is evident that you have yet to begin the race or you have strayed off of the path to salvation. But God is so faithful He is knocking at the door, can you hear Him? He is daily attempting to get your attention above the distractions and busyness of this age.

Dear Heavenly Father remove everything in me that is drawn to and is in love with the world. I pray that by the power of the Holy Spirit that you cleanse me from the inside out. Wash me, cleanse me and purge me the blood of Jesus and the fire of the Holy Spirit. Lord I surrender my heart, mind, soul, spirit into your hands and I say have your way in me and through me in Jesus mighty name.

Much Love in Christ,

Your Sister,

Ruth 
Pursuing Holiness

Biblical Counsellor | Spiritual Director | Leadership Coach

It’s important to have meaningful life-giving fellowship with others, this brings the much-needed warmth in times of difficulty and the safety net of accountability that helps one grow in spiritual maturity. It’s even a blessing to gather in the house of the Lord to worship Him and seek His face and to pursue Him with likeminded believers. Nevertheless, unless we acknowledge that we are the temple of God and fan the flame of His spirit within us all the church attendance is in vain. We are the temple of the living God and we have ensured we live lives that allows His spirit not to be grieved so that He can live and remain in us.

Carelessness and spiritual apathy harden our hearts and cloud our spiritual discernment and sensitivity. Mingling with worldly people and engaging with worldly activities causes one to backslide as the spiritual impact on the heart is detrimental. It causes us to quench the zeal for intimacy with God, it makes us earthly minded, no longer satisfying our yearning and desires with heavenly things, but responding with our carnal natural man seeking solutions and hope in temporal created things and people that don’t deliver, often leaving us even more thirsty and don’t satisfy.

Let us not deceive ourselves with such an important and delicate issue, worldly people are not just unbelievers, often times the people that have the greatest impact of dampening our initial fervour towards the things of God are doubleminded Christian who have yet to be surrendered to God and now become a stumble block to those in the way to salvation. So, we may go to a physical church, but we still need to be watchful, we still need to guard our heart. The spirit of this world will limit and restrain the spirit of God working actively within us. So even when we desire in this state of spiritual coldness and apathy, to connect with God it is as if our spirit man is imprisoned and immobilised. The desire within us for the things of God is neutralised. Though we know what to do and what is required the strength to bring it about is not in us. We have given room for wild animals to destroy the temple of God through bad choices and carelessness.

Self-control and discipline by the power of the Holy Spirit is what is needed and what is essential. It’s necessary so that we are able to guard our hearts. It’s also essential so that we don’t foolishly lose our way. So that in the midst of external demands and pressures we make choices that give us the necessary room and lifestyles to nurture and tend to the temple of God within us.

Dear Heavenly Father forgive me for every way I have carelessly not guarded your gift within me. Forgive me for every way I have grieved your spirit. Lord take not your Holy Spirit away from me. I pray for wisdom and discernment that will empower me to make decisions that fan the flame of your presence in my life.

Much Love in Christ,

Your Sister,

Ruth 
Pursuing Holiness

Biblical Counsellor | Spiritual Director | Leadership Coach

Silence and study purge the soul it allows God to do what only he can do when we are powerless, He restores our soul. When the waves of the world have come in and infiltrated our soul and taken away our peace until we have lost all hope, we must like Jesus retreat into the comforting, loving embrace of the Father’s arms. We can see why the world spends so much time trying to get everyone so busy, so distracted and so very restless. Because in the chaos and confusion, they are unable to examine their hearts and give God the necessary space and time to do the required heart surgery needed to make us whole. This was very much the same with Jesus in the bible. He would leave the crowd and go to a quiet place to be alone with God.

This is the only way to keep one’s heart and soul alive in the things of God, frequently there’s a need to retreat from people, even the people we love and hold dear. To pause to have a moment of unbroken silence to be brought by the still waters of God’s presence so that He can wash, cleanse and make whole all that has been fragmented along the way. So that he can have the time to mend the broken areas of our spiritual lives that have been wounded by the busyness and the cares of the world. In the quiet, in the stillness, in the weight of God’s presence, there is a sound, the eternal sound of the splendour of God that rests upon us and engulfs us in the cloud of the beauty of our God.

Studying in the silence allows us to steady our hearts and minds from the distractions of the world that attempt to steal the inner rest that comes from setting our hearts and minds on God. It allows us to just set our focus on the things of God in the sweet silent fellowship that becomes a source of strength and life in a busy age. The word of God also has cleansing properties and searches our hearts and motives, and like a car satnav allows us to recalculate our direction when we have been blown in the wrong direction by the waves of this world. Sometimes when the storms of life attempt to blow you over, we are tempted to rush and continue doing what we have always done this often causes us much confusion and distress; instead we need to be still and know.

Being still allows us to encounter the rest and peace of God that surpasses all understanding. We have to remember that tending our soul requires that at times though there are many voices and many demands, even worthy demands of those in need. Just like Jesus, when everyone is looking for you, you have to find that still quiet untouched space to be still and be alone with God.

Lord teach me to me still, to rest in the nothingness of silence so that I can be made whole. Lead me beside still waters and restore my soul. Take a few minutes to pause to be still as you silently reflect and rest in God.

Much Love in Christ,

Your Sister,

Ruth 
Pursuing Holiness

Biblical Counsellor | Spiritual Director | Leadership Coach

In the busyness of life when we get tired and weary it is so easy to give up. We hear all the voices internally and externally telling us that we have messed up and there is simply no way out. We feel the weight of disappointment, which in a short time turns to discouragement, despair and finally despondency. The aim of these waves is to disconnect us from our hope and our source and to keep us looking at our selves and our in ability and to make us feel there is no way out.

The truth is that within ourselves there is no way out there is no hope. Without God we are hopeless, but God has not left us alone. He is always there is in our very darkest hour when we want to throw in the towel because we have fallen so many times and now we are so very disappointed in ourselves, our failures, our sins and mistakes. God is such a good good father. Yes He wants us to learn from our falls and many mistakes but He doesn’t want us to get stuck in yesterday analyse until we are immobilised to take steps in the right direction.

My sister my brother get up and don’t give up knowing that you God is able to perfect His will concerning everything in your life. Don’t focus on the waves but set your gaze on God who is so mighty to save. Shake off the dust, shake off the past.

There is so much power in confession, confessing our sins to one another and coming with a repentance heart before God acknowledging your weakness and your inability to do anything apart from God.
Much Love in Christ,

Your Sister,

Ruth 
Pursuing Holiness

Biblical Counsellor | Spiritual Director | Leadership Coach

Lord, help us to have heartfelt and earnest prayers. Revive our hearts to desire you above all else. Deliver us from duty and restore our first love.

Much Love in Christ.

Your Sister,

Ruth 

Pursuing Holiness
Biblical Counsellor | Spiritual Director | Leadership Coach

When you have become spiritually cold and inactive attempting to pray consistently for a duration of time becomes so difficult, one day you’re up the next day your down. In fact, as we are attempting to press into the things of God, we see the opposition of the enemy who will use all manner of distractions to get us in a place of inactivity and prayerlessness. When I get to a place like this having a prayer partner with a desire to press into the deeper things of God is a gift a priceless gift that can help you overcome the obstacles of quitting. Just having that accountability of a sister or brother beside you not only gives you stamina and strength but also helps you to defeat the discouragements and snares of the enemy. We see this in scripture two is better than one. If I am tired or weary, I have a sister who runs with me and will pursue me to pursue God. What a gift what a blessing. As we run this race, we need godly people, people in pursuit of true biblical Christianity, who have their focus on eternity and the kingdom of God to run with us as they will ensure that they are there to lift us up when we fall. There is a temptation to go it alone and the truth is you can do that for a while, but to sustain the burning fire on the altar of prayer as a lifestyle we must pray for godly companions. As our saying goes, we are stronger together. We can achieve much more together and overcome the plans and devises of the enemy when we set our hearts to be part of someone else’s journey.

We see the benefits of running together in the same way there are benefits for those who train and run for a marathon. As believers we need each other to survive. The wisdom and discernment required is seeking and allowing God to choose your running mate, because just as it takes one to lift you up it also take one to pull you down.

Heavenly Father revive our hearts and our spiritual lives. We acknowledge that we cannot do it alone and in fact without you we can do nothing. Lord we pray for divine connections for people who are consumed with zeal for your house. Connect us with people of prayer who will teach us to pray and run alongside us so that we can stand in Jesus mighty name.

Much Love in Christ,

Your Sister,

Ruth 
Pursuing Holiness

Biblical Counsellor | Spiritual Director | Leadership Coach

Let me share an incident that left a deep impression on me.

In 2019 I went to the US for a business visit. My returning date home was delayed by a month due to unexpected changes. My family was unprepared for this change, and so was I.

My wife sent screenshots of my eight-year-old daughter’s (her name is Jemima) scribbling on her note. “Pappa, I miss you so much”, and whatsapped that she was moving around visibly sad at home. I video called as soon as I saw the note, “Jemi, I am sorry the work required me to stay here longer. I will come as soon as I can. Do not be sad. What do you want? I will buy anything you want from here. Tell me, Jemi.”
I looked in the phone for her expression. She was thinking.
In her sweet way, she said, “Pappa,… Pappa..” Whenever she says Pappa two times, she would say something big..I thought she decided on some big toy.
She said, “Pappa, I want you.. I don’t want anything from the US.”
I was so moved that I was in tears when she said that.

Her pure longing for her unworthy imperfect father’s company made me ponder.
Do I long for my Perfect Heavenly Father like that? Why am I not longing like that towards God, my perfect Heavenly Father?

I used to wonder why King David is called the man after God’s own heart. You can see the answer in his own words. Look at his Longing & Thirsting. Look at him concluding God’s loving kindness is better than life.

“O God, You are my God,…. My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You; In a dry and thirsty land where is there is no water” (Ps 63:1)
“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You” (Ps 63:3)

I realised that Psalmist David loved God as if He’s a real flesh & blood person.

David missed Him.
He longed for Him.
He sang love songs to Him.
He danced excitedly, praising God.
When he sinned, he cried, repented as if he cheated a real person.

He didn’t reduce God to just a concept or as an emotionless being sitting up above or treated him as a GODFATHER; he would go to for favours. For David, God is a real person who’s loving, just, faithful, infinitely holy, intimately personal, relatable in every way, full of emotions, jealous, passionate, zealous over His people.

He related to God, honestly from the core of his being- as anyone would do to a real person when they are real friends to them! He said he would not do anything for the Lord, which doesn’t cost him. His heart was burning with a desire to build a temple for God, asking how he could live in a palace when the ark is out in the tent.

This lack of knowing God as a person is where we go wrong. We don’t love God as a real person. We think of God as an impersonal being up above who can be treated like a genie with the word of God and prayer. That’s why we don’t long or hunger for Him!

May God correct our wrong understanding and give us the same thirst, same truthfulness and same hunger that David had.

The saints of yesteryears tell from their lives that in our God is such an infinite unexplored, uncharted depths of personal intimacy available for each of God’s children.

Without any pretence or religiosity, let our hearts be stirred to seek the heart of God, loving him as dearly as David did! May we long for Him more than any other thing on earth or heaven! May we become restless till we wholeheartedly pursue Him! Amen!

Much Love in Christ,

Your Brother

Arun
Pursuing Holiness

Sometimes God allows storms, struggles and rejections in our lives as part of His marvellous plan. Our view of life is often very limited, and our ways are simply not like Gods. God often uses the storms and traumas to develop in us a deeper hunger and thirst for His righteousness. Without them we would be satisfied with our lives and the things this world has to offer. Without the rejection from family and friends we will not have such a great void that only God can fill. Without the wounds and scars of the past we wouldn’t know the love and the power of Jesus operational in our lives. In fact, Christ is our perfect model because without the suffering and death of Christ on the cross we wouldn’t have eternal life and salvation. In the things of the spirit, death proceeds life. It is in the dead situations of our life that God brings forth hope, restitution and new beginnings. It is these same situations that make us solely dependent on Him and lose our dependency on people and things.

So, rejoice in all those areas where the enemy thought he had your destiny. Rejoice in your many failures and falls. My dear rejoice. Because it is due to all these things that you know God the way you do. It is all these things that has positioned you towards deeper intimacy with God. Just look around all the people without a struggle all the people who have not had to fight. The ones that live comfortable, stress free lives, can they even consider for one minute to spend all night is prayer? Can they not eat for 21 days to see the face of God? No

They already have their God and they seek, lack and desire nothing. So, on the outside though they seem fruitful the truth is that where it counts, they are barren and fruitless. Unproductive, because they lack the necessary brokenness that propels one to live in an abandoned way before God. Don’t envy evil doers. Evil doers are simply those who believe they do not need God. Because of their many positions, possessions and plans, they now think they are gods and don’t seek him. Thank God for your storms because He is working it out for your eternal good.

Lord thank you for your grace in the times of trouble, thank you for refining me by your fire. Teach me to trust you through it all, through the suffering, pain and doubt. Teach me to trust you even when I don’t know how the story is going to end. Lord I surrender all my anxieties and concerns into your hand.

Much Love in Christ,

Your Sister,

Ruth 
Pursuing Holiness