Trinity Vineyard Church Nakuru

Jesus leading his life towards the cross for our complete freedom and us becoming sons and daughters of God leaves on this trail freedoms for us to experience. He calms a stormy sea showing that he has power over nature which means as God's children we do not have to fear things that happen in nature.

The interesting thing is that, he was asleep in the boat as the storm raged. He had a peace inside him that could silence the storm outside. He was in perfect peace held in the father's arms. His confidence in his identity allows him to be in perfect peace, and only from this place of peace could he speak peace to a storm. The storm did not shake him yet love for his scared disciples moved him.

As the world navigates response to the COVID-19 pandemic Pst. Edgar invites us to allow the Holy Spirit to remind us of our identity as sons and daughters of God which will give us peace even as the storm rages on and as the world panics. And from that place of peace, the church can speak peace to the world. Even as we respond in different ways; caring for affected and infected family, self quarantine, ceasing of meetings and praying for the world, it is not from a place of panic or fear but a place of love for a the world.

"A frightened world needs a fearless church" - A.W Tozer

Jesus lived his life towards the cross. Each day leaving us glimpses of the freedom he was going to win for us at the cross and at his resurrection. Today on our Lent Journey, the trail to Freedom, we talk about the forgiveness Jesus offers to all of us. Jesus met a paralysed man immediately offered forgiveness first before healing him. Because the human soul desperately needs forgiveness and to be reconnected to the father.

And, yes, God would pay the ransom for our forgives precisely because he is our father and a father would pay anything to see their children free.

Often in church we say that we are children of God which is really true when we accept Jesus. But how often do we really liv our lives from that place of being in God's family? In freedom? We are not guests, we are not workers or slaves, we are sons and daughters because of what Jesus did in with his life, death and resurrection.

Kicking off the Lenten series, Trails to Freedom, we are starting with an invitation to ask the Holy Spirit to show us each day how to live as children of God.

Arise and Shine for your light has come. It is a new season not just for Trinity Vineyard but for the church. Pastor Edgar encourages us to dream with God about what different areas of our city could look like because we are aware of our identity and are boldly living out as children of God.

Responding to the physical felt needs of our community is part of showing compassion on the world around us. It is as spiritual as praying for the sick and sharing the good news. And all it takes is opening our eyes to see the world around us. The unemployed, those who cannot afford shelter, healthcare or an education. The church is God's plan to heal the city. And the resources to respond to our city are already in our hands. It is what we have already marked for ourselves just like the boy had 5 loaves and 2 fish for his own lunch. Partnering with the Holy Spirit multiplies what we trust in his hands more than we could imagine.

When we join God in what he is doing in the world by showing compassion to the sinner and the least of these we allow ourselves to meet Jesus in a way that forms us.

God is in the business of compassion. And as a church we are invited to join in our father's business. The true character of the church will be revealed in the way we respond to the least of these, just as Jesus revealed the true character of God's heart by always showing compassion. He was always stopped in his tracks to show compassion on sinners, the poor and the sick and those oppressed by the powers of evil or the wickedness of human beings.

Will you join in God's business of showing compassion to your city?

Is it not interesting that sometimes even the wisest people we know do not make very smart choices and end up in places we did not expect them? Just like King Solomon who was the wisest person that ever lived.  Well that is because in life it is direction that determines destination. Not great intentions or great convictions. Your marriage, finances, parenting and even discipleship will eventually get you in the direction you are leading them in. So, what really is that direction? Jesus makes the invitation to us to follow him. That if our lives are to ultimately end up in the destination we really are hoping for, he is the real deal. He is the way. Following Jesus might just make us better at life too, wanna try? Both for believers and those who have never made the decision to follow Jesus, do you wanna try following Jesus?

The things that matter in life are often very poor competitors for our time, our investment and commitment. It is easy to even do those areas of our lives without knowing what we'd like to see come out of them? What does a win look like in your marriage? What is a win for you as a disciple fo Jesus? What is a win for you as a father? What is the win for your church? Could we be clear about what the win looks like and then do these areas of our lives as if they were a race as Paul talks about in his letter to the church in Corinth. Do it with the discipline it takes, the practice and self sacrifice required as if it were a race and there is a crown at the end. Because often, in the thing that matter in life, the crown is life.

As we start the year and want to spend time having conversations about how to win the important battles in the right battlefield, our mind we start at the very beginning. With the story of beginnings and seeing what implications that story has on us. And as it comes at the beginning could be significant in how we also face our new seasons?