Love, God's Version 3!

Love, God's Version 3!

Galatians 5:14 AMPC

[14] For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is complied with in the one precept, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.

As it has been pointed out in the devotion for yesterday, there is a version of love that can only be explained by the One who laid out the original version. If I am only interested in the social media version of anything, I sholud know that I will end up being distracted, as everyone is seeking validation or attention. This is the default setting for the fallen man, who seeks to drive attention to his or her own needs and wants first. It is when the natural man is satiated that it can begin to look outside itself. Unfortunately, the fallen human nature is never satisfied, which means that it will continue to be selfish and greedy. Who is in control: the flesh or the Spirit? 

It is hard to demand the right kind of love from a life that ijas yet to experience the right kind of life. This is why.Romans 8:8 says quite clearly that: 'So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him'. If I am still feeding or promoting the desires of the carnal nature, it is quite impossible for the Spirit to work in and through me. God cannot produce fruit in a life in which He has not been allowed to take root. As we say: 'what you sow is what you reap'. If the Spirit of God is given full control, He is able to produce the kind of fruit that shows off His presence and power. 

Love is one of the manifestations of the presence of God in a man's life. God is also invested in teaching His own people what living in, walking with and working for Him looks like. That is why the commandments given to Israel by God through Moses are the foundations on which today's extract is laid. He wanted a people to Himself, who would show off His glory. He wanted a people who would be carriers and reflections of His presence and personality.  When people come in contact with me, what are the impressions they first see? What are the impressions I also leave with them, so that they are inspired to seek the God I have come to represent? 

People are not likely to wait to hear what I have to say, but they will definitely see what I do and how I carry myself. God has laid out the commandments for Israel, but He then provides one sentence that encapsulates the whole of human interactions this way: 'love your neighbor as you do yourself '. If I will not hurt myself, I must seek not to hurt other people. If I am invested in seeking good for myself, I must do the same for other people. It is critical to consider that love is a divine instruction from a divine God for mortal human beings, but He also provides divine help so that mortal man can attain to the standard. His help is available; would you seek Him? God's time of favour is here. 

Love, God's Version 2!

Love, God's Version 2

Deuteronomy 6:5 AMPC

[5] And you shall love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being and with all your might.

At the start of the chapter from which the verse above is taken, we read these words: 'Now this is the instruction, the laws, and the precepts which the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land to which you go to possess it'. It is quite important to note the relationship God had with the people whom He was commanding through Moses. As it has been pointed out over the past few days, you do not place a demand on people who hold no allegiance to you. What will be the motivation to obey someone whom you do not know, follow, or recognise His power and authority? That has to be the starting point for any conversation relating to the verse above. 

It is also important to consider the audience. The instruction in the verse above was to the people of Israel, who had been chosen by God to be His treasured possession. These people had been in slavery for a long time, and they had been rescued by God and sent on a journey to the land that God had promised to their father Abraham. It must be noted that with God, every instruction He gives is a command. I can decide to take it as an option, choosing to follow what He says, or I can choose to follow my own way. However, I must know that for every action I take, there are consequences that follow. This is a conclusion that I must embrace.

The command in the verse above says I must LOVE the Lord my God. What would this mean? To love someone is to hold the person in sincere affection. When the love of a person fills your heart, there is no room for anyone or anything else. From God's perspective, it is impossible to love God and the opposite of all that God represents at the same time and to the same degree. As one of Jesus' instructions to His disciples makes clear, you cannot serve God and mammon. I note that the verse refers to the Lord my God. Is He my God, or just a God that you know from afar? Is He my God, or is He just a story I have heard about, but have no personal encounter with? 

The verse above then presents this complete picture of total submission: the love that God refers to here is the type that takes the whole of my mind, heart, my entire being, and all my might. What this verse makes clear again is that there is no room for half-measures. It has to take all of me, if it will be what God commands and desires. I cannot give God anything less than my all. He will not accept anything less than my all, and it will be best that I do not offer Him anything less than my all. Of course, with total obedience comes amazing blessings. If I give Him my all, He will be all I ever need. Would I love God the right way? God's time of favour is here.

The Word!

The Word!

John 1:14 AMPC

[14] And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.

The depth of revelation and insight that has been laid out in the chapter from where the verse above is taken is awesome. The book of John starts with the immortal words: 'IN THE beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself'. We are not privileged to know what was before this declared beginning, but whatever or whenever it was, the Word was already there, in charge of the state of creation, whatever form it was. We do not know how time began apart from what has been recorded as the start of creation, but we are left in no doubt as to the identity, power and wisdom of that Word, and what He is capable of doing and accomplishing. 

As that same chapter makes clear, this Word is responsible for all of creation. There is nothing in all of creation that exists outside of the power and authority of the Word. All things we see, and the multitude of all that we are unable to see with our naked eyes, are all in existence simply at the command of God, as well as His express will. Check out all of creation: the sun you cannot stare at with your naked eyes; the glory of the planets we can see and the amazing ones we can only read about; the beauty of the starry hosts in heaven, as well as the changing times and seasons that bring in the heat and the cold in endless cycles, as long as the earth remains in place. 

All of the above and more point to the power, glory and undeniable prestige of the Word of God. How could such a glorious God, with all that power, come down to the level of mortal, fallen man? How could this awesome Creator  be able to identify with creation capable of rebellion and disobedience? This is why God can never be man; this is why the power and prestige of God, and His dealings with man, can never be understood by man's intellect or reasoning. This awesome God left all that glory and power in heaven, and took on human form, because He wanted to offer help to mortal man. He knew that the fallen human nature could never attain the righteousness required to please God, so He had to  identify with man in His state, so man could now aspire to His own state. 

That is why the Word became flesh. He became like us, so we could also become like Him. The latter part of the verse above could only come by a personal encounter with this God. He has done all He can to ensure that man becomes like Him, but He will not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. Many others saw the same person, but rejected Him to their eternal damnation. Many others saw the same person, followed and served Him, and their lives are messages we read about and apply to our own lives today.  As it was then, so is it now. He seeks to show Himself strong in the lives of all who accept Him. How do you respond? God's time of favour is here.

The Right Path 2!

The Right Path 2!

Matthew 7:14 AMPC

[14] But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it. 

The message in the verse above is taken from the first sermon of Jesus on the mountain as He sat with His disciples. As it has always been pointed out, the crowd was there at the foot of mountain, but the messages in that sermon were not directed at the crowd, but at the disciples. The standards and principles laid out in the sermon are not for the many uncommitted majority, but for the few that have made up their minds to submit to and follow Christ. Of course, the crowd was there listening to the sermon, and as we read at the end of the sermon, the crowd was amazed hearing these words, but we know it did not make that much of a difference. 

For those who have made up their minds to submit to and follow Christ, the path to life will take us through some interesting and intense experiences. I note that nowhere did Christ promise His followers a trouble-free journey through life, but what He promises is His ever-abiding presence and power. He lays down the standard, and also makes available the power to adhere to the standards. He is not like the world that will set unrealistic expectations, and still not be able to explain, defend or support its own expectations. The world cannot define success, because it does not have the self-control to know and respect its limits. You cannot give what you do not have. 

For those who are under the control and influence of Christ, we are on a journey to eternal dwellings. That journey will take us through some interesting paths, which are described as a narrow gate, contracted by pressure. The way that leads to life has been presented as straitened and compressed. It is not to take away our joy in any way, but to set realistic expectations for what is coming. It is a narrow gate, because it does not permit just anything to be done carelessly or out of line with God's express directives. It is not a path that encourages living as I please, but as God pleases. It is a path that will demand focus from all who seek to walk in it. 

It is a journey where the focus must be clear and precise. Priorities must be clearly sorted and the pursuit must be single. There is no room for multiple threads. I can have many assignments I am working on for the kingdom of God, but I must never lose sight of the end-game, which is eternal life with God. If one loses eternal life with God, there is no earthly reward that can make up for that loss. For all generations, whether it was Joshua before he died, or Jeremiah as he was sent to the exiles in Babylon, the message is the same: the choice of eternity is mine to make. God has done all He can but He will not force Himself on anyone. Am I on the right path? Are you? God's time of favour is here.

The Right Path!

The Right Path!

Hebrews 12:14 TPT

[14] In every relationship be swift to choose peace over competition, and run swiftly toward holiness, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. 

The writer of the book of Hebrews is not known, but the audience would appear to be Christians who were facing persecution, and were maybe losing their faith. The messsge in the letter covers various topics such as the sonship and suffering of Jesus, and what both means to us who now follow Him. The letter also draws a connection between the rules of the old testament, and the amazing relationship that Jesus has come to lay down under the new testament. We also read about the priestly role of Jesus, and how those who know, serve and follow Him also walk in His footsteps. This journey will not be possible without the help of the One who set it up. 

There are many dimensions to our faith that we may not be able to fully grasp on this side of eternity, but we have the help of the Holy Spirit to navigate all that is ahead. Just as we have a relationship with God, so must we also value, preserve and sustain a relationship with those who we have been placed among to impact. Salvation means I am bound for heaven to reign with Christ, but I am not taken out of the world immediately I am saved, because there are lives to impact. There is no one who can successfully claim to be a child of God that will not have to apply many of the principles of God's word to human interaction and engagement. 

As human beings are complex, so must I strive to rely on God's help to deal with fellow human beings. The wise counsel in the verse above is that I must choose peace over competition. There will always be the temptation to get in the last word, or to prove that you are not stupid, but when dealing as a child of God, the world's principles do not apply. I must also not forget that peace is a fruit of the Spirit, while contentions are signs of the works of the flesh. Whichever one I feed is the one that will grow; repercussions will be made manifest in due course. As I take stock of where I am now, which one am I feeding? Which one is my daily focus? 

The second part of this path is the pursuit of holiness. The verse above says I must run swiftly toward holiness. Reflect on this: I run towards what is critical and important to my eternity. Holiness is the nature of God, and all who will be with Him for all of eternity must seek after Him with all their hearts. It cannot be half-hearted devotion; I am either all in or all out. There is no fence of indecision to sit on, because if I am not all in, the verse above says I will not see God. It really leaves no room for alternatives; I cannot pick one and leave the other. I now know what God desires; the power to choose is mine. What would it be? God's time of favour is here. 

This Love!

This Love!

1 John 4:16 AMPC

[16] And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him.

For everything that God does or puts in place, the devil tries to offer or put in place a close resemblance or alternative. Movies and music have presented love as this dreamy thing that is difficult to explain, leaves butterflies oin your stomach, and leaves your throat dry. We have been fed these unrealistic expectations around what love is, and it is now difficult to find the genuine article anymore. Movies refer to "making love' as if it were a laboratory and scientific experiment, and people have jumped from place to person in search of the real version of love. Unfortunately, you cannot find genuine things from a source that does not deal in the original. 

How can you seek genuine love from someone God described as a liar, and the father of all liars? How can anyone who deals in stealing, killing and destroying be able to offer you anything that can promote God's kind of life? This is the start point of our reflection today: whatever you need, make sure you go to the right source. You have to know where to go and who to follow, so you are not sold the fake. This is the confidence with which John speaks here: "And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us". What boldness!

These words come from a place of clear conviction about who you are, whose you are, what you have been given, and where you are headed. God's love leaves you in no doubt as to its truth and sincerity. His words and actions have proven over the centuries that He loves me. Even before I was born, or knew that I needed help, the offer of eternal life was already made to me. Even when I was not sure I would surrender my life to Him, He still gave me His all anyway. He did not wait for me to deserve His sacrifice; He was going to lay down His life, regardless of my eventual response. That is love: the type that reaches out even when I pulled back or resisted. 

Of course, the one who will show this kind of love to other people must have had a personal encounter with that love. I cannot give what I do not have. This is not one of the things you can fake. God is the personification and expression of love, and He invites us all to come to Him for that empowerment to love the way He does. It is IN Him that I am able to love and live like Him. The verse enjoins me to dwell IN Him. It is not coming to Him only for what I can get, but seeking to know Him well enough that His imprint on me shines through and cannot be ignored. If I want to reflect Him, I have to be in Him. Does God know me as His own? God's time of favour is here.

Praise!

Praise!

Psalm 113:3 AMPC

[3] From the rising of the sun to the going down of it and from east to west, the name of the Lord is to be praised!

There is no acknowledgement of any name at the start of the chapter from where the verse above is taken, so we can take the view that it is not the usual suspects of David or the sons of Korah. However, the message in the entire chapter is clear and unambiguous, and I will do well to consider what the message is, how it applies to me, and how best I can take the lessons going forward and make them personal to me. In the face of trials, tough times, and tribulations, what is my default setting? What do I do when it seems that the whole world is against me? How do I move when it seems that everyone is moving against me? 

It is not when the tough times come that you get to decide how to respond. Capacity is usually built long before the tough times come. You submit yourself to the school of God's discipline, and He prepares you for the platform on which He will be glorified. Trust God on this: do not expect the devil to just sit back and watch from a distance. He will try all he can to distract, discourage, dishearten, and distress you. He wants you to take your eyes off the size and power of God and place them on the size of the problems that you are now facing. The great thing about God is that He leaves you in no doubt as to who is in charge. He always proves Himself as fully in control. 

What humbles you is that He will not force Himself on anyone, or go against the exercise of your freewill. The decision on the right response to all that God does must be taken with full knowledge of who He is, what He is and what He has given. When you consider the journey that has brought you here, as well as the amazing and awesome things that God has promised to all who surrender to Him, you know the future is nothing like the present or the past. Eyes have indeed not seen or ears heard what God has in store for those who fear and honour Him. I do not even have the faintest idea of the full scope of God's plan for me. 

It is by walking with Him on a daily basis that I can even begin to scratch the surface of all that He has in store for me. As the first verse of the chapter from where the verse above is taken lays out, the servants of the Lord, who know and serve Him, are commanded to praise Him. I note that identify with God helps put thls command in the right perspective. To praise God is to know who He is, what He has  done, but maybe more importantly, even for what He will not do. This is what makes God unique, and my best response is to react to Him the right way. I note that one day, either by freewill or compulsion, every knee will bow before Him. Do it now, from the heart. He deserves it. God’s time of favour is here