Look Right!

Look Right!

Colossians 3:12 AMPC

[12] Clothe yourselves therefore, as God's own chosen ones (His own picked representatives), [who are] purified and holy and well-beloved [by God Himself, by putting on behavior marked by] tenderhearted pity and mercy, kind feeling, a lowly opinion of yourselves, gentle ways, [and] patience [which is tireless and long-suffering, anx,>;×s3nd has the power to endure whatever comes, with good temper].

As is the custom, we consider the audience of this letter, in order to understand the weight of the message in the verse above. Paul and his son in the faith, Timothy, are credited with writing this letter to the church in Colosse, and this letter is addressed to the saints: the people consecrated by God, and who are faithfully following and serving Him. The first point to note here is that God sees and knows all about me. There is nothing like 'secrets' when it comes to God. He made the heart, so He fully understands all its dimensions. It will be a pointless venture to seek to keep the heart's focus away from the attention of the One who made it. It is best to surrender it to Him.

It is the foundation above that drives the words of the verse above. Anyone who has surrendered his heart to God for safe-keeping and guidance cannot at the same time, insist on his own way. There is a particular way that a surrendered heart appears, speaks, and relates with other people. It cannot be the same way the people under the influence and control of the world's system would appear or speak. That internal condition is key to all external expressions. As God's own chosen representative, I have to appear in a certain way that looks like my ownership; after all, the One I represent is the One whose view and opinion count. 

If He is happy with my service. It really does not matter what anyone else thinks. If He is also not happy, it still does not matter how much applause I get. This desire to be liked by everyone will lead to compromise and hypocrisy. Like Paul, there may be times when you need to identify with the challenges and realities of the people you seek to preach salvation to, but it must never be at the expense of the truth of God's word, and His standards. We also know that in those days, the appearance of a man would usially reveal who he was or where he was from. If we apply this to the spiritual, can men deduce who I am and whose I am, simply by the way I appear, speak or relate with other people? 

Let us check out what the verse above requires of all who seek to look like God: a tender heart, pity for and mercy on others; kindness, patience, long-suffering, endurance and a good temper. Do we notice how many dimensions of the fruit of the Spirit is in the verse above? This tells me that I cannot exhibit anything that looks like the above without the imprint and impression of the Holy Spirit in and on me. These are not things you get by labour or by inheritance; these are born and sustained by the presence of God in me. His life in me will definitely flow out to touch others. Do I look like my ownership? Is God evident in and through me? God's time of favour is here. 

Fight Right!

Fight Right!

1 Timothy 6:12 AMP

[12] Fight the good fight of the faith [in the conflict with evil]; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and [for which] you made the good confession [of faith] in the presence of many witnesses. 

It is important to consider the author as well as the recipient of this letter. Paul was writing to the young man, Timothy, who he had met on one of his missionary journeys, and had groomed to preside over the church in Ephesus. That was no mean responsibility, considering that Ephesus was a town known for idolatry. It is important to note that depth will always be tested. Timothy had learnt a lot under Paul, but now was the time to apply those lessons to daily reality. Like Timothy, I must take every opportunity to learn about God very seriously; the times we live in call for some serious commitment to Godly pursuits and priorities. 

As the verse above makes clear, we have been drafted into a fight. Like all fights, this is one you have to go into with clarity on what the target is, with the right motivation, and focused on the right end. The choice of words here, such as 'fight', makes it clear that even though we serve a God of peace, with Jesus called the Prince of Peace, yet, in the same Scripture, He is also called the man of War. This tells me that there will be times and seasons where I have to take a stand, make a choice or simply focus on one thing. We also have an advantage, which is that the One who described this as a fight is skilled in it, and has never been defeated. 

God speaks from a position of strength. He does not lose; and for those who follow and obey Him, they also do not lose, no matter how the fight may appear to end for them. It must be clearly understood that we are called to a fight against a known enemy: evil in any form, which is propagated by the devil and his cohorts. The child of God is expected to take a stand against all that the devil represents. It cannot be this comfortable hypocrisy, where we do not want to offend other people. It must not be this middle-of-the-road thing, where we stay on the fence without being known or committed to any side. Being lukewarm comes at a cost: rejection by God.

My confession of Jesus as my Lord and Saviour has made it clear to people where I stand and who I stand with. I could not have called myself, because I did not even know that I needed help. This also means that with my new relationship, I have now taken hold of eternal life with God, which is His promise to all who hold on to the end. I must also know that the devil will continue to try to distract, deceive, deflate and defeat me, but as long as I am focused on the One who calls me, I have nothing to fear. This is the encouragement that should gird my heart: in His hands, I am safe. In His hands, nothing can touch me without His permission. What can anyone offer me that could beat that? God's time of favour is here.

Focused!

Focused!

Romans 8:18 AMP

[18] For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us! 

I believe one of the central themes of Paul's letter to the Romans is faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross. That is what brought men like Paul to the saving knowledge of Jesus, and that is also what has brought me to the same experience of God more than 2,000 years ago. It is the starting point of any discussion one wants to have about the undeserved grace of God, expressed in the gift of Jesus to the world, and the ultimate price He paid on the cross of Calvary to offer full and free salvation to all men. If I paid nothing for it, and I have been invited to take hold of the free gift, where is the place for pride or self-glory?

That is what Paul referred to in the first chapter of his letter, where he stated, quite clearly, that 'For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith'. It is a journey of faith, which means that a lot of the things that would happen to me on this journey will not be planned and may not be fully understood on this side of eternity. For example, God has made several promises of safety and security, but then, how do I determine if I am truly safe and secure if nothing, at any time, threatens those senses of safety and security? How do you determine that God keeps His promises? 

If I ask God to teach me perseverance and patience, how does He do this without some uncomfortable pressure that will teach me how to respond the right way? It is clear that this present world is not able to grasp the various dimensions that God can use to teach His children the lessons He wants us to learn, but we have our entire lifetime on earth to apply the lessons our interactions and engagements with God bring us. It is clear that nowhere in the Bible does God promise us a life free from pressure, trials, or tough times. In fact, it appears to me that God needs to take us through these experiences, so we can be better prepared for the glorious experiences ahead. 

Jesus' life on earth was a good example of this: He was rejected by His fellow countrymen, a disciple betrayed Him for money, even though he had followed Him for more than three years, the cross came with its pain and shame, and all the disciples forsook Him and ran away. If He is the perfect example, how can we expect anything less? If we are set up for greater works, why would we think we can get away with just coasting along: no pain, no trial, and no preparation? Let it be clear: God may not be able to extensively use a vessel that He has not tested and found to be dependable, faithful, and committed to Him. Am I one? God's time of favour is here. 

In Him!

In Him!

Ephesians 1:7 AMPC

[7] In Him we have redemption (deliverance and salvation) through His blood, the remission (forgiveness) of our offenses (shortcomings and trespasses), in accordance with the riches and the generosity of His gracious favor,

As is always the case, context is important here. Paul, writing to the church in Ephesus, introduced himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the divine will of God, and sent to those who had been consecrated and set apart as God's chosen ones in that church. One of the reasons why this context is important is because of the history of both parties mentioned. Paul had an interesting past; he did not always serve God this way, but initially, in ignorance, he persecuted those who believed in Jesus. He had an encounter with this same Jesus, and his life never remained the same since then. Like Paul, we need that personal encounter too. 

Paul's conversion took him to the Gentiles, and one of such places was Ephesus. This was a town steeped in idolatry; there were gods of all sorts, and there was even a temple of Artemis. There was also strong opposition to the gospel of Jesus, and plenty of false teaching to address. At some point in time, Paul had to leave the young man Timothy in Ephesus, so he could teach the truth and also challenge all the false teachings gaining ground in the city. That was the context in which the verse above is placed. Here was a town that did not know Jesus, but by the ministry of Palu, people like Timothy came to know and serve Christ. 

The standard and expectation of God have not changed. He is still looking for people who would come to the right place, and for the right help to live right and please God. The start point for a life that will impact for God nust start from the foot of the cross. There is no argument that can beat the need for the salvation of the soul. I can decide to pull religion and be full of just activities, but it will not take me anywhere. The good news is that even Jesus us invested in my eternity, and that is why the cross has been given to me free of charge. At the time He died, I did not even know I needed help, but He paid it ahead so I could walk into it.

It is IN Him that we have all these, not outside of Him. If He does not give it, I cannot force it out of Him. I must remind myself not to believe the lies of the devil, who seeks to kill, to steal, and to destroy. The One who calls me His own has secured eternal life for me. He does not do part-time salvation; it is full and free as soon as I confess to Him, forsake my sin, and depend on Him for help. By virtue of this remission of sin, and by the reach of the riches and generous grace and favour available to me because of my faith in Jesus.  I cannot fake it; I cannot pretend to have Him.  My life will show the quality of the depth in me. Do you have Him? Do I? God's time of favour is here.

Give Thanks!

Gove Thanks!

1 Chronicles 16:34 AMPC

[34] O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!

Context is always important. When you read the words of the verse above, you may think that everything was great all the way to this point. Let us refresh our memory: not too long ago, the ark of the covenant had been carried carelessly, and Uzzah was killed by God. Out of fear, David diverted the ark to the house of another man, but this time, the man knew how to treat the ark the right way, and God blessed the house of this man. This time, David had learnt the lesson, and knew what was required before the ark of God could be moved. As it wad then, so is it now: God has not changed, and His standards have not been lowered. He is not called the Unchanging God for nothing. 

What God commanded the people of Israel to do, in terms of worship and reverence, is still applicable to us today. Remember what David said to the people: "For because you bore it not as God directed at the first, the Lord our God broke forth upon us–because we did not seek Him in the way He ordained". It is a huge risk to forget, neglect or disregard God's instructions and rules for service in His vineyard. We must not get to the point where we lose the awe that God's name must invoke in us. We must not get so used to the tokens of service that we forget that this same God is also a consuming fire. He is merciful, but He is also jealous for His glory. 

David always knew how to get God's attention so it is a bit of a surprise how he missed the important signs of what God demanded of men who approached Him for worship. The verse above enjoins us to give thanks to the Lord. This is solid counsel, and we will do well to heed and obey, but even more important is the heart and attitude with which we seek to give thanks. Cain and Abel offered sacrifices to the Lord; we do not read that it was God who demanded the offerings, but these men, of their own volition, brought an offering. Yet, God, who sees the hearts of men, accepted one man's offering, and rejected the other. This is what makes this interesting. 

There is nothing I can do to change or improve on who God is. I should consider it a privilege to be called to give thanks to the Lord of all the earth. The verse above gives a few reasons why God deserves my thanks: He is good, no matter what the reality around me looks like. There may be evil in the world as a result of the fall of man, yet God's nature of goodness and mercy never changes. His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever. He is not just good for today: He is also good for tomorrow and forever. These are just a few of the many things that God has guaranteed for me, and for which He deserves thanksgiving. It is a choice for now; make it a habt and a lifestyle. God's time of favour is here. 

Rest!

Rest!

Genesis 2:3 KJV

[3] And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.

The context of the verse above is important. God, the Almighty, had just finished the work of creation. He had clear ideas of what each part of His creation would look like. He made land and sea animals, as well as the birds of the air, of various shapes, sizes and strength. He made the starry hosts; different lights to rule the day and others to rule the night, and he also made trees and vegetation. There was the amazing separation of land and sea, as well as the the creation of man in His own image and after His likeness. Reflect on the wisdom and tact needed to put each part in its rightful place, and to hold all together in place for as long as they have been. 

When you consider what the heavens and the earth look like now, you have to marvel at the wonders of God's wisdom in what He has done, how He has done it, and how He continues to hold everything together. He does not get tired or weary, and does not give up on His creation. He does not switch off or go to sleep, so it is amazing to read such a verse as the one above, where we are told that God rested from all the work He had done. Did God need rest, or is there a direct message in this for us? How would a God, who is nothing like man, who holds the whole world in His hands, and with the earth His footstool, ever need to rest? 

What does it mean to rest? It means 'to stop all physical or mental activity to regain strength, recover from tiredness, or heal. It can involve sleeping, sitting down, or simply taking a break from a demanding task'. Pause and reflect on the above: it is to stop for a moment, in order to recover and be restored. I am not sure the rule was directly relating to God alone, but it is a standard that has been laid down by Him for man's benefit. If the Almighty God, who does not grow weary, laid down a rule of rest, where He sanctified a day by resting from all the work of creation He had been doing, what would be my excuse for not taking time off to rest?

If the Lord God Almighty thought it fit to set aside one day for rest, we have been given a mandate to make sure we do the same, if we are truly His children. I just also note that it will be hypocrisy to take out a day of rest when no work has been done. It is not a religious matter; it is first and foremost a relationship matter. We follow the model of our Father; we work hard and also rest well. We do not work like people without hope; we know that it is not mere labour that blesses, but it is God who gives increase. Take time to work, but also devote the right time to rest. God is glorified by obedience and my body is also grareful for the break. Use all He has given wisely; God's time of favour is here.

Safe!

Safe!

Psalms 4:8 AMP

[8] In peace [and with a tranquil heart] I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety and confident trust.

When you read the first verse of the chapter from where the verse above is taken, it is not a surprise that David comes to the amazing conclusion laid out in the verse above. You do not come to a place of quiet confidence in God by accident; it is the product of several and varied dealings by God, through which He brings His children to a place of absolute and total trust in Him. As we have always asked and said, how would my understanding of God as refuge and protector make sense, if there was never any danger or reason for fear? How can I trust that my heart will remain focused on God if there were no distractions to test the quality and depth of my convictions?

The chapter opens with the confident words of David: 'You have freed me when I was hemmed in and relieved me when I was in distress'. He had seen God at work in various times and in many ways. He has faced very difficult circumstances, and he had seen God respond in ways that left no doubt that only God could have done it. These past incidents and experiences became the foundation of his confidence that God would be gracious to him and hear and respond to his prayer. Like David, God is ready to fill my bank of personal experiences of His power, so that when the days of trouble come, I know He has got my back. 

I can look ahead to whatever is ahead, since I now know that God has already gone ahead of me to ensure that all ends well. I am careful not to be carried away by what the world calls success, as the world's view will never align with what God has in store. He is a God who does not sleep, slumber or get tired so He can be trusted to take care of all that relate to me. Like Paul said in his letter to Timothy, "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day". That statement comes from a place of absolute confidence in God’s presence, power and authority. What more can be added? 

Like David here too, we know him as the boy who kept sheep, but became king over all Israel. David did not earn it; he could not deserve it in any way, but God, in His mercy, found him and raised him up. It did not matter if there was a storm around David; as long as he had God inside of him, he was fine. This is the only way a man can lie down in peace and tranquility, even when things are not going according to plan. It is also one thing to be able to lie down, and it is a different thing to be able to sleep. God guarantees both; He is the One who can preserve and protect to the end. Am I actually in His hands? Are you? God's time of favour is here.