Stand!

Stand!

1 Corinthians 16:13 AMPC

[13] Be alert and on your guard; stand firm in your faith (your conviction respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, keeping the trust and holy fervor born of faith and a part of it). Act like men and be courageous; grow in strength!

Paul was writing to the church in Corinth, and he had touched on different topics and issues going on in the church at the time. There were divisions and factions, with some forming groups around leaders such as Paul, Apollos, and Peter instead of focusing on Christ. Paul also had to address moral and sexual misconduct, as the church was tolerating behavior that Paul believed was incompatible with Christian teaching. There were also many conflicts among believers, as well as confusion about marriage, Christian freedom and mode of worship, particularly the Lord’s supper. The one closest to the verse above was issues on the resurrection of believers.

You would imagine that such a church would have fallen apart and become irrelevant, but this was a church that was highly gifted and zealous about the work of faith. This is what you get with the Holy Spirit; you may not always understand how He worls, but you can never deny His presence and impact in the midst of God's people. With a church with all these issues, God was still at work, backing up His Word with miracles, signs and wonders in diverse ways. This is the supporting evidence that lets us know that Christ is the owner of the church, and He has promised to build His church, and the gates of hell will not be able to overcome it. That is power 

When such a God backs you up, you focus on the big picture as well as the small details that matter. As we journey towards eternity with God, there are realities we have to face. As we have already noted, the devil will not give up fighting until it is truly over for him. This is what makes the message of Paul in the verse above quite relevant for our own time today. He charged his audience then, as well as all of us today, to be alert and on our guard. Why? It is because there is always the danger of losing sight of what matters. If I ever take my eyes off Jesus, there are so many distractions waiting to take His place in my heart. 

There is a reason why I need to stand form in my faith. My stand becomes a testimony, as well as a source of encouragement and strength to all those who may be going through tough times. God does not waste anything; if He permits it, be sure that He will use it for His glory, my blessing, and my joy. This stand involves truat in God, as well as a holy fervor. God demands holiness from all who seek to follow Him, and in whose lives He will be glorified. The verse above also tells me to act like men and be courageous. You will not know what it takes to be this kind of man unless and until God does a work in you. God seeks men who will represent Him well. Can He count on me? God’s time of favour is here. 

Like Father, Like Child!

 Like Father, Like Child!

Matthew 5:44-45 GNBUK

[44] But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, [45] so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven. For he makes his sun to shine on bad and good people alike, and gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil. 

As we know, the audience always defines the message. You place a demand on people in line with their belief systems and priorities. People generally resist messages that contradict their identity or do not align with their priorities. Jesus was also conscious of this when He preached His first sermon on the mountain. The crowd was there, but the bible made it clear that Jesus went up a mountain, and having sat down, He called His disciples to Himself and began to teach them. Yes, the crowd was there, but the target was not this uncommitted majority, but the few who had made the decision to follow Him wherever He chose to lead them.

The uncommitted majority lives by different standards. The uncommitted majority does not care about the principles and practices of love as laid out in the verses above. The uncommitted majority has no issue with petty things like hatred, jealousy, bitterness, anger, or malice. How can you preach a message of love for enemies and prayers for those who treat you badly, unless God has first done a work in your heart so that no root of bitterness or anger can take hold of your heart? How can God find expression, and be made known in and through you, if He has not totally captured your heart? This is a position that all of us must respond to: how is my heart? 

The message you give to the uncommitted majority has to first be about a change in heart and focus. How can love find a place in a heart that is still under the control and influence of the devil? Until that change is done, and love has taken over the heart, the message in the verses above is not yet ripe. The question now is: 'Who pulls the strings of my heart - Jesus or the devil?' What the verses above also say is quite interesting: "so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven".  All my actions, whether I am conscious of it or not, are reflections of my ownership and residence status. If God dwells in me, it will show in my attitude to other people. 

This inner change is important because it underpins the message in the latter part of the extract above. God has shown us the way He does it, as our heavenly Father. He makes his sun shine on both bad and good people alike, and also gives rain to those who do good and to those who do evil. He does not discriminate, giving everyone the same access to grace and mercy, so that His judgment can be fair.  As a Father, He is accessible to all, but He surely seeks to show Himself stroing in the behalf of those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. Who is your father- the one called our Heavenly Father, or the father of all liars? Whoever it is at the end, that defines your eternity. Make sure it is the right one. God's time of favour is here. 

Living in Light!

Living in Light!

1 John 1:7 AMPC

[7] But if we [really] are living and walking in the Light, as He [Himself] is in the Light, we have [true, unbroken] fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses (removes) us from all sin and guilt [keeps us cleansed from sin in all its forms and manifestations].

As always, there is always a choice between light and darkness. There is no middle ground where I am able to stay uncommitted to one side. As we have also read from God's word, God hates being lukewarm. My daily choices are the best proofs of the choice I have made. God gives me all the information, as well as all the help I need to make the right choice, but He will not force Himself on me, or go against the exercise of my freewill. I  have been given all that I need for life and Godliness. What I am not allowed to do is to then turn around and try and blame God for the consequences of the choice I have made. This is why this race is best seen as personal.

The writer of this letter, who is traditionally referred to as John, would know what this meant to me in a personal capacity as a disciple, as well as a brother to James, who was also a disciple. Both of them had different experiences as they walked with Jesus. We read of James being killed by Herod, and we also read of a John who was banished to the Island of Patmos. In all of these different experiences, we see a common thread: walking with Jesus does not shield you from trials and tough times. What it does is to provide the assurance that no matter what comes, Jesus sees and knows the end from the beginning

He is able to ensure that all things work together for my good. This is why where I live and dwell matter. What I have access to is defined by my residence status. Like many countries would lay out, benefits are defined by status. Length of time may help, but living according to the rules help. This also applies to spiritual matters too. How can I make a demand on the resources of a place whose authority I do not submit to or recognise? How can the laws of a country I am not subject to or resident in work for my favour? The emphasis here is to encourage dwelling, not temporary or fleeting attention. Am I dwelling in the light? Am I walking in the light? 

Everything that God does is for my earthly and eternal good. If I remain in Him, I have unbroken fellowship with Him. He wil not stay where He is not welcome, and He will not compete for attention. He has given me His all and His best: forgiveness of sin and full redemption by the blood of Jesus His son. In response, I either give Him my all or nothing at all. He is the Light, and all who submit to Him enjoy the benefits and blessings of the Light. I get clarity on what to do, and how to do it. I have this confidence that God has sealed my eternal hope. I have an assurance that whenever this earthly phase ends, I inherit eternal life. What do you look forward to? God's time of favour is here. 

Focused!

Focused!

Galatians 6:9 AMPC

[9] And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint.

Paul understood the assignment; he knew what he had been saved from, and what he had been called into, and he would not let anything distract him from the work that had to be done. Hie introduced himself as an apostle, a special messenger appointed, commissioned and sent out, not from any body of men, nor by or through any man, but by and through Jesus Christ. That is a clear message that the views or opinions of men do not count when it comes to pleasing God. As long as God is pleased with my life, and I am guided by Him, the offerings of my life will please Him. Of course, the opposite is also equally true. 

Paul was also writing this letter to the brethren who were in the churches of Galatia. These were people who were mainly Gentiles, and were not considered by the Jews of those days as entitled to the message and benefit of salvation. In fact, some Jews were insisting that the Gentiles had to follow the Jewish customs, particularly circumcision, if they were to be accepted by the Jewish community. Paul had to take time to educate the people here that salvation, faith in Christ, and a life of submission to the instructions of Christ, were more important that just merely following rules. This was the focal point of the letter of Paul to his audience here.

That message also includes encouragement in the verse above. Let it be clear that working for God, and being backed up by Him, will still not keep you away from trials and tough times. In fact, my surrender to God makes me a target for the devil. As we know, he does not fight those who are already in his camp, so if he is really attacking you, it means that you are doing something right by God's standards. It will be an error to assume that working for God means that the devil will leave you alone. He does not quit, and he does not give up, as long as this earthly body is in place. This is why I take encouragement from the truth that this earthly phase is not forever. 

One day comes soon when the earthly will give way to the eternal. While I wait, I take comfort from the truth that God is the One who rewards all men for faithful service. I do not lose heart or grow weary; I keep at it because I know who I am working for. He is the One who determines reward, and He is a faithful God who will give to every man the justice that each person deserves. He is the One who provides the comfort, support and encouragement that we need to confront the evil of our day, be able to fight the good fight of faith, and at the end, take hold of the crown of life. As He is with me, I cannot lose. Is He with you? Do you have Him? God's time of favour is here.

Like God!

Like God!

Luke 6:36 AMPC

[36] So be merciful (sympathetic, tender, responsive, and compassionate) even as your Father is [all these].

Let us put the verse above in context. Jesus and His disciples had had several altercations with the Jewish leaders of His time. The issues ranged from eating without washing hands to healing on the Sabbath. These were issues that should not lead to conflict, as they did no evil to anyone else, but trust the Jewish leaders at the time to seek to wield the power that they did not actually have. Jesus made efforts to correct their wrong motives, but as we know, God does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. He will provide the required information for me to make up my mind what I want to do, but He will wait for me to decide who I want to follow. 

The message in the response of Jesus to the Jewish leaders also need some focus. He did not condemn them; He provided them with sufficient information to help them decide to do the right thing. His message was about mercy. How do you define mercy? A source defines it as: 'showing kindness, pity, or forgiveness to someone you have the power to hurt or punish. It is a choice to withhold punishment even when justice says it is deserved'. Reflect on this: the target would have done wrong, and you will be right to apply the just punishment, but there is a decision to withold this punishment for a greater good. 

As it has been said, the target has to embrace the mercy shown; otherwise, a rejection of mercy typically transitions from a state of leniency back to one of strict consequence. As we also read from the chapter from where the verse above is taken, Jesus went up to pray, and thereafter chose His disciples. If it was not mercy, how would a man like Judas Iscariot get access to Jesus, to be able to betray Him? If not for mercy, what chance did Simon Peter have, after denying he ever knew this Jesus? If not for mercy, how would Matthew, a tax collector hated by the public, become one of the disciples of Jesus? This is why mercy does not always make sense. 

It was mercy that spoke the words of the verse above. It is hard to demand mercy from people who have not first understood and then responded to it. If I am to show mercy, it means it is first a settled personal encounter. How can I give what I do not have? When Jesus spoke these words, he was addressing His disciples, not the uncommitted crowd. It is easy to follow the multitude, but dedication to a cause can be lonely. Do not be worried about standing alone; if God is on your side, you are already in the majority. With God, I am able to give what I have already personalised. He is the perfect example; He has given me His all. What would I be willing to give up in return? God's time of favour is here. 

Give!

Give!

Proverbs 11:25 AMPC

[25] The liberal person shall be enriched, and he who waters shall himself be watered. 

2 Corinthians 9:9 AMPC

[9] As it is written, He [the benevolent person] scatters abroad; He gives to the poor; His deeds of justice and goodness and kindness and benevolence will go on and endure forever!

As we have always said, for every instruction God gives, the devil tries to offer a close alternative or a different attractive argument. The one consolation we have is that God has already given us clarity on the identity of the devil: he is a liar and the father of all liars, so nothing the devil offers can be trusted. If God has already laid down a principle by which He is guided and which He has proven to honour, there is no advantage on trusting the lies of the devil. God has staked His own name and reputation on the integrity of His Word, and because His Word is generational, He will always be True, no matter how complex the world becomes. 

It is this clarity and confidence in the word of God that leads us to the focus of the verse above. Right from the days of the wisest man who ever lived, king Solomon, it has been clearly established that giving is a blessing. There are people who have understood this principle, lived by it, and have enjoyed a life of unprecedented wealth. The wise words of Solomon were pronounced at a time before the Holy Spirit became fully expressed in man as it is these days, so you could argue that Solomon was not speaking to Christians. To give liberally is to give generously and freely, without being reluctant or stingy. It is giving what you have without thinking of immediate reward. 

If this principle of giving works for all men who live by it, imagine the multiplier effect for those who know and follow the God who actually commands it. It is only God that can explain how a man gives out of what s/he has, yet always has more to give. The one who hoards and thinks he is smart, may end up with less than the one who gives out. You make room for more when you give. When you have a lot and you hoard what you have, how can there be space for more? That is the precise message of the verse just before the one above: "There are those who [generously] scatter abroad, and yet increase more; there are those who withhold more than is fitting or what is justly due, but it results only in want."

The message is clear: there is wisdom in saving for the rainy day, but there are blessings in giving to causes that God is invested in. Anything that puts a smile on the face of another person, or leads to happiness and a prayer by another person has God's approval. We also have the advantage of knowing and following the example of a God who gave His best for us. What could be bigger or greater than the gift of a life, given freely to secure eternal redemption for all the people of the world, as many as would come to Him? We have this example to follow; we have been shown the way. It is a blessing to obey. May nothing be too hard to give up. God's time of favour is here. 

Ask!

Ask!

Mark 11:24 AMPC

[24] For this reason I am telling you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe (trust and be confident) that it is granted to you, and you will [get it].

The events surrounding the verse above relate to the week of passion, when Jeusus had to submit to the will of God through the cross. He had spent time with all sorts of people, from the confrontational Pharisees and Sadducees, to the sly scribes and teachers of the law. Jesus knew who they were, but He took time to relate with them, peradventure, they might come to the saving knowledge of Jesus. As we have always said, there is no life so far gone that s/he is beyond the grace of God. As long as there is a sincere search for the Truth, God is willing and ready to reveal Himself. That is why you will find men like Nicodemus being a disciple of Jesus. 

It really was an eventful week. Jesus had been honoured as he rode into Jerusalem, and He had dealt with people who had turned the temple into a place of trade, rather than prayers, for which God intended it to be. He had also cursed a fig tree that gave the appearance of fruit, and there was an immediate impact, in line with the command of Jesus. The fig tree had withered all the way to the roots. How could a tree that had leaves the day before become completely dead by the next morning? There are a lot of lessons from this story, and a few will suffice. First, the power of a command flows from the nature of its source. Where no authority exists or there is no backing, words are mere words. 

This is why we speak about the efficacy of God’s Word. From available evidence, as well as a lifetime of experience, there is nothing more stable and dependable like the word that proceeds from the mouth of God. He says that He is not a man who lies; in fact, the bible also records where two immutable things by which it is impossible for God to lie are laid side by side: God's Word and His name. From before time began, these two things have existed, and long after this earthly phase as we know it will cease to exist, these two things will still be unchanging. How can I doubt the word of a God who speaks through and to time, and can control time? 

When such a God now tells me to ask Him for anything in prayer, how can I doubt the power that is available for me? It has to be noted that the counsel in the verse above was to the disciples, not the crowd that followed Him everywhere. There are benefits and blessings that acrrue to me based on my walk with Jesus. The verse tells me to ask for anything in prayer, believing, trusting and being confident that I will receive whatever I ask for. This is a promise from a God who stakes His name and reputation on the integrity of His word. If He says it, He will do it. If He says it, His creation has no choice but to align with His command. Trust this God; ask Him for whatever you desire. If it is His will, you have it. That is a guarantee. God's time of favour is here.