Kept!

Kept!

John 10:11 AMPC

[11] I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd risks and lays down His [own] life for the sheep.

Jesus was speaking to the crowd, which also included the Pharisees at the time. As we know, the crowd cannot be predicted. You do not know how they think at any specific point in time. You cannot predict their allegiance to anything, as the crowd is free to flow however and wherever it pleases. In the audience too were His disciples, who had followed Him for some time, seen the mighty miracles He did, and heard Him challenge the structure of His day with kingdom principles and standards. As it was then, so is it now. Jesus still speaks to all who are willing to listen and heed. The verse above is one of these challenging messages, which we all need to hear, heed and take necessary action on. Jesus made time out to publicly introduce Himself as the Good Shepherd. Why was this important? The people could identify with the work of a shepherd. This must have been a common feature in Jesus' days. 

What does a shepherd represent? This is someone who has spent time cultivating a relationship with sheep, not goats or any other animal. One online definition lays it out as a 'person who herds, tends, protects, and pastures sheep. As a verb, it means to guide, watch over, or manage a group, often in a protective manner'. The distinction made between sheep and other animals also has to do with the nature of sheep. These are animals which are docile and can be easily led. Sheep are also known to be intelligent animals capable of recognizing faces of both other sheep and humans, and remembering them for up to two years. Once they form a bond with the shepherd, he has control over the sheep. He is able to lead them out; he identifies each one, and the sheep also responds to him. I am not sure that there is any other animal that can be this docile. 

This distinction also relates to me: am I a sheep that can be easily guided, or do I love to insist on my own way? Have I invested time in this relationship with God, so that He knows me as His own, and can guide me at all times? This relationship of shepherd and sheep is not seasonal, where you get to access resources only when it is convenient. It has to be a consistent walk; a constant dependence on the influence, connections and ability of the Shepherd. The verse above makes it clear that the Shepherd is that kind enough that He lays down His life for the sheep. Which Shepherd is able to do that if He does not have a heart for the sheep? He has laid down an example that cannot be matched: He has offered all men a way to be reconciled to God. He has made a wsy for mortal man to access immortality at the end of this corrupted earthly phase. This offer is valid only for this earthly phase, and it expires upon death or rapture. He has done His part; how would you respond? God's time of favour is here. 

Remain!

Remain!

John 15:4 AMP

[4] Remain in Me, and I [will remain] in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself without remaining in the vine, neither can you [bear fruit, producing evidence of your faith] unless you remain in Me.

Jesus was speaking to His disciples at this time, which was close to His appointment with destiny. He had spent more than three years with these men; they had gone out with Him on different occasions, and seen Him perform mighty miracles. They had heard Him challenge the leaders of His day, laying out the truths of His kingdom to all who would listen. But here He was now, away from the crowd and with the men who had walked with, listened to, and seen Him at work. This was the time for private reflection. It is instructive to note that as soon as Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, He sat down and spoke with them over almost 4 chapters of the book of John. No other person is on record as being in those meetings, just the disciples. What this tells me is that the messages in these chapters are not for the umcommitted crowd, but for followers of Jesus. 

The demand in these verses are not for people who do not know who or whose they are, but for people who are clear about their identity, purpose and direction. Does this in any way describe me? The verse above lays out one of the conditions that a follower of Jesus must adhere to, and that is to 'remain' IN Jesus. An online dictionary defines 'remain' as "to stay in the same place, continue in a particular state, or be left over when others have gone". Reflect on that: to stay in the same place. You are not undecided; you are firm about your choices. You know what God demands, and you are willing and ready to stay in place for God to use you however and whenever He may please. You are not the type to go out and come in when you please, or whenever it catches your fancy; you are fully committed to the purpose of God for your life, and it is your daily pursuit. 

That is a life that fully understands what it means to remain. Other people may do a thing and seemingly 'get away' with it; you know you answer to a different master, and cannot do what others are doing. Why this is important is the second part of the verse above: the issue of continuing fruitfulness. I was made in the image of God, and it will be to His glory if my life reflects His nature. I cannot take anything outside of God to improve on that which is God's; only that which God supplies can bring glory to God. How can that which belongs to the flesh bring glory to the name of the Lord? How can a man live to please the flesh, and also glorify God at the same time? I can only take of that which is God's, to impact the world for Him, and to bring Him glory. If He is not God of ALL in your life, it means He is actually not the Lord of your life. Am I abiding IN Him, or am I seeking alternative comfort zones outside of Him? If my life will mean something, it must be totally surrendered to God. Is mine? Is yours? God's time of favour is here. 

ALL!

ALL!

1 Peter 5:7 AMPC

[7] Casting the whole of your care [all your anxieties, all your worries, all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares for you affectionately and cares about you watchfully.

Psalm 55:22 KJV

[22] Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: He shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Different verses; different dispensations, but the same message. One from the old testament and the other from the new testament, but the words are repeated verbatim. Both verses come from the place of personal experience. The same God who inspired David to write the psalm also inspired Peter to write the letter to those he called the elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. What this tells me is that it does not matter where I am coming from, the weight of the pain of the past, the pressure of the present, or the uncertainty of the future; it matters who is backing me up. Life will not always be fair as we think it should be; the problem of sin ensures that we would have to make choices on priorities, but we do have the sure word of God that if we choose Him, He will show up for us in amazing ways. 

That is a promise we can definitely hold on to, no matter is going on right now, or what may still come our way. For both David and Peter, they had a relationship with God that gave them comfort in the midst of pain. This is why the message in each verse above is personal: I cannot use someone else's life to measure my own. I can take the lessons from that life, and trust God to help me apply them the right way. David was a complicated man, and Peter was as well, but there is no doubt that both men were helped by God when they learnt to hand over their lives to Him for safe-keeping. Let it be established today that the created can never be wiser than the Creator. The created will always be limited in scope, vision, resources and ability, and it is the limitless Creator that is and has all that the created needs for impact. Am I the one in charge, or is God the One pulling the strings of my pursuits and priorities?

As both verses make clear, the conditions for accessing the help that God provides is to be His own. David refers to 'the righteous'. Peter refers to those that God 'cares for'. We were all made in the likeness of God, and we all have a measure of grace, but God's help is readily available for those who have made a total surrender of their lives to Him. He will not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. My role is to cast ALL my cares, with the emphasis on ALL. There is nothing too big or too small to take to Him. If He made the mustard seed and the highest mountains, He sure pays attention to detail, and nothing escapes His attention. God cares for all He has made, but He has a special place for those who have given Him control. He takes care of His own, and He will preserve them to the end. Do not make any assumptions about who you are and whose you are. Make sure today that God is in charge. Your cares and worries will be taken care of. God's time of favour is here. 

Kept!

Kept!

2 Thessalonians 3:3 AMPC

[3] Yet the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen [you] and set you on a firm foundation and guard you from the evil [one].

This second letter written to the church in Thessalonica was a joint effort by all three of Paul, Silas and Timothy. These where men with different experiences in their walk of faith. We read about Paul and his many troubles in the hands of the Jews, and we read about Silas in at least one instance too, whipped and placed in prison together with Paul. We also read of the boy/man Timothy, whose birth circumstances placed in a big disadvantage, at least, in the view of the Jews of his day, but by the tutelage and mentorship of Paul, he became a force in the hands of God for the gospel. All of the above point to the truth that there is no life that God cannot use to promote His plan and purpose. There is no one so far gone that s/he is beyond the mercy and grace of God. My past or present will be part of the story of God's grace upon my life, so that it is apparent that if not for God, I would have been lost. 

That was the foundation of the verse above. These men were writing to people who had seen tough times. The audience was brothers and sisters called the congregation of believers in God. There is nothing on earth that can adequately describe all that God has in store for those who put their trust in Him. There is no experience on earth that can be adequately preparation for all that God will bring the way of those who are committed to Him. How can you fully explain this level of opposition and resistance to God's Word in the days of Paul? How do you comprehend why men resist the Word of God with so much violence these days, as it was in the days of Paul? Indeed, the heart of man is corrupt and desperately wicked, and it is hard to fully understand what it can produce. This is why it is very important that I give God full control of my heart. It is only in His hands, and by His lesding and direction, that my heart can and will produce the right fruit. 

Can I say, of a truth, that God is fully in charge of my heart? God is capable to play His part, but He will not force Himself on me, or go against the exercise of my freewill. He will supply all that I need for the journey ahead, but He waits for me to plug myself into His supply. How can He provide strength if I already claim to be strong and independent? How can He set ms up on a firm foundation if I claim to be strong on my own? How does He guard me if I have already made alternative arrangements for my own protection, or raised an altar to my own promotion? God is indeed faithful, but He will not honour my own rebellion against His ordained process for me. He will bring me through the valley if the journey of impact requires it. He will bring me through the storms if the story of change He wants to tell in and through me requires it. He is all I need for Life and Godliness. Do you have all of Him? Does He have all of me? God's time of favour is here. 

Seeing Well!

Seeing Well!

2 Corinthians 4:18 KJV

[18] while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

This is a letter from Paul and Timothy to the church in Corinth, as well as the saints in Achaia. The chapter from where this verse is taken lays emphasis on the work of God in mortal men. It reminds us that all of God's mighty works in man cannot afford to lead to pride, or a sense of self-sufficiency. In all cases, mortal man would think more highly of himself than he ought to. He thinks he has all of life figured out. There is no greater cure to this false sense of importance than salvation. There is nothing that reminds a man of his place and purpose in life than being reminded that I do not own anything down here, and whatever it is I am able to receive is given to me by God. That is the start point of our devotion today. Do I know who I am? Do I know where I am heased or what I am supposed to be doing with my life? Until that is sorted, I may continue to wallow in dangerous ventures, or be distracted by what the world thinks is important. 

How do I focus on that which is important? How do I even know what is important? One sure way is to first sort out the control centre of my heart. Whoever sits at the control will define the direction of my life. If it is self, be sure that self will lead you down the path of eternal death. If it is the Spirit of God, you can be sure that He will lead you into pursuits and priorities that line up with the will of God. One thing that must be established is that I cannot afford to be fooled by what mortal men count as important or celebrate. It is not possible to find a single thing that the human nature and the spiritual nature will agree on. Both are under different ownership structures, and both have opposing priorities. No matter how far you try and draw them, or how hard you try to explain it, these two lines will never agree. This is why I need to sort out the foundation of control first and foremost. It is the key to the verse above.

When I have sorted out control, then I am able to see the way God wants me to. Let it be clear that it is the internal control that helps in seeing well. The WE in the verse above does not have general application; it is for those who are under God's management. They keep their hearts on the eternal, whilst sorting out the earthly. They are not fooled by the drama going on around them, but use the provision and resources of the earth to advance the plans and principles of the kingdom of God. They have their hearts set on pilgrimage, sure that this earth is just a temporary phase that will end at some point, and then, the real life that has no end starts. Please note that as it is only your physical eyes that can see it, it will not last. Only that which God is lasts forever. In Him is Life, and in Him is eternal life. Do you have Him? Do I? God's time of favour is here.

Done Right!

Done Right!

Matthew 6:3-4 TPT

[3] But when you demonstrate generosity, do it with pure motives and without drawing attention to yourself. [4] Give secretly and your Father, who sees all you do, will reward you openly.”

This is part of the first recorded sermon of Jesus on the mountain, as He sat with His disciples. Of course, there were a lot of people listening to Him as He taught: a crowd was there, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the teachers of the law must have been there too. One conclusion that the people who listened to Him came to was that He taught them as One having authority, not like the scribes. The people were astonished at His teaching, but one has to go back to the start of the sermon to establish who the intended audience was. Jesus called His disciples to Himself and took them up the mountain. Yes, there was a crowd, but it was when the disciples had sat down that He began to teach them. The clear directives given in that sermon are not for the weak or faint hearted. The messages in this sermon are not for people who are unsure of who they are, or what God's expectations for them are. 

The sermon is indeed for those who have made up their minds to follow Jesus; who have counted the cost and know what it would take from them. Do you know who you are? Do you have the clear view of God's expectations from you? Am I willing to pay the price for discipleship? One of the prices for such a call is what the verse above lays out. It calls for an emphasis on life without a desire for the limelight. It is human nature to crave recognition. It is human nature to want to be seen, and to matter. There is ordinarily not much wrong with seeking validation, but why do you seek it? Why do you need to be seen? The answers to these questions reflect who you are, what your priorities are, and where you will end up. One way to gauge the state of your heart is in what you are willing to let go. Is there anything at all that I consider too important to give up, if God asks me to? Is there any price I consider too high to pay, if it leads to God's glory? 

One of the issues that weigh on the heart of man is the fact that you cannot determine the times and seasons of the reward God has promised. God asks me to do whatever it is I want to do with pure motives, and without drawing any attention to myself. It is only a broken and submitted heart that can do this. In a world that is ruled by likes and shares, and driven by what is attractive and pleasing to the eye, it takes discipline not to be fooled by what looks good on the outside. It is the Father's prerogative on how and when He rewards my generosity. Never let applause define application. Do not let what people will say keep you from obeying God or aligning with His instructions. I have to note that there is nothing the world can give you that will last forever. It is God who blesses and adds no sorrow. That which is done right, in secret, will be rewarded by God. He is worth waiting for. Would you? God's time of favour is here. 

God's Help!

God's Help!

Psalm 143:8 KJV

[8] Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; For in thee do I trust: Cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; For I lift up my soul unto thee.

Nothing is said about the events that led to the words of this psalm, but there is no doubt that there was some trouble around David at this time. Just in the few verses before the one above, you find David saying things like: "For the enemy hath persecuted my soul; He hath smitten my life down to the ground; He hath made me to dwell in darkness, as those that have been long dead. Therefore is my spirit overwhelmed within me; My heart within me is desolate". These are words that show some despair, some despondency, and some trouble around the man David. As we know, he was a man who didn't go looking for trouble, but because of the grace upon his life, he attracted a lot of opposition. He spent a lot of time in privacy, with sheep, as well as lions and bears. These ones he could control, but he had no knowledge about how to deal with human beings. 

Reflect on the fact that a king was using the might of government to hunt him down to kill him. Reflect on the fact that he had to gather together about four hundred men who were in distress, in debt, or were discontented, and he became a captain over them. That was what David, anointed as king over Israel, was reduced to. However, there was a truth about the man David that is of eternal benefit to us: he knew God. May sound simple, but this was the secret to the life of impact he had. Here is a man that God Himself called a man after His own heart. He was by no means perfect, based on the things we read about him, but he had this relationship with God that went far beyond mere words, but backed up with the right actions. This man would spend time with God, praising and worshipping God. He knew how to hold God's attention, and his life offers us a template on what works. This is not a license to make the same mistakes that David made.

It is a guide on what works and with God's help, make sure to get the same benefits that David got. David placed himself where he would hear God's lovingkindness in the morning. This tells me that David made it a habit to start the day right with God. How does God reach me if I do not make out time for Him to speak to me? David put his whole trust in this God, and we know how he ended. Same God; same principles. David would also not do most things without seeking guidance from God. Even though already anointed as king, he would seek God's face before going up to Hebron to be anointed, and he would encourage himself in the Lord when everything else was falling to pieces around him. Like David, the secret to a life of impact lies away from the public. It is private strength that drives public impact. Nobody may see the silent years, but they definitely cannot ignore a life of purpose. Like David, can I also lift up my soul to God, sure and certain that He will bring me to the place of fulfilment and peace? God's time of favour is here.