Grace!

Grace!

Romans 3:23-24 AMP

[23] since all have sinned and continually fall short of the glory of God, [24] and are being justified [declared free of the guilt of sin, made acceptable to God, and granted eternal life] as a gift by His [precious, undeserved] grace, through the redemption [the payment for our sin] which is [provided] in Christ Jesus,

There is a conclusion that is not subject to any debate or contention, and that is the fact that all of us have sinned. It has nothing to do with race, culture, language, or inheritance,  but from our shared human connection to the first man created by God. As all men are born of woman through the process of conception as well as gestation, we all inherit whatever it was that Adam and Eve inherited when they fell into sin in the Garden of Eden. As they could not find their way back to God without His help, so also can we not find our way back to God without His help today too. This is an understanding we all must have and start from, if we would take hold of all that God has made available for us. 

The same place where man first sinned was also the same place were God's divine plan of redemption, sanctification, and justification  was laid out. I note that all the three benefits listed here are all part of the same package. You do not get one without the others. We were the ones who sinned, and the ones who should have been punished, but it would have meant certain death and eternal separation from God. This is why God’s principle of substitution paid the price that was demanded by the same God for sin. Reflect on the fact that even though His Son was involved, God still did not waive the price; it had to be paid. 

This ought to make me fear God the right way. If He had not stepped in, I would not be here. By the sacrifice of Jesus, I am declared free of the guilt, burden and weight of sin. I am made acceptable to God, because it is no longer I who comes to claim righteousness, but I come in the name, and under the banner of the One who stood in my place. When God sees me, He sees the Son who took my place and now, I have access to the full riches of God's grace. There is eternal life for me now, and I know that though I do not yet have it in its fullness and reality, it has been sealed by blood, and it will be delivered when Jesus returns in His glory, or He calls me home. 

This is the reality of who I am now. The price was paid, the deal was signed, sealed and delivered to me. This is where I need to step into the place that had been prepared for me, step up into the assignment that has been given to me, and step out as His light into the world in which I have been placed. All that God did for me has an earthly and eternal purpose: show off the benefits of God's grace on earth and attract men to His light, and also take hold of the inheritance that Jesus has sealed for me by His death and resurrection. I stand to gain both here on earth as well as in heaven. That is the full package on offer: God has done His bit; how do I respond? Eternity hangs on my response. God's time of favour is here. 

The Ministry!

The Ministry!

2 Corinthians 5:18 AMP

[18] But all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [making us acceptable to Him] and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [so that by our example we might bring others to Him],

Paul speaks about both the earthly body that we have been given, and the heavenly body that we are aspiring to have. As long as we are in this earthly body, there are limitations to what we can do, and for how long we can do them. We are not able to fully take hold of eternal life with God in this earthly body, and that is why we must strive to take hold of the eternal body that is able to see God and be at home with Him. This is the message of Paul in the verses before the one above: 'ny goal in life must be to please God. This earthly body is the only preparation I have for the heavenly phase. If I get it right down here, I get to take hold of eternal life with God too. 

One of the reasons why understanding the place of the physical and spiritual bodies is because of what lies at the end of the earthly phase. A day comes when we must all stand before Christ to be judged, and to receive what we deserve for the good or evil we have done in the earthly body. It is this clarity on the present and future that guide my reaction and response. Because I understand, I must ensure that I pass on this light to others too. It is not a responsibility to be taken lightly or treated carelessly. The death of Jesus on the cross is the key to unlocking this new life and the benefits that it gives. It must be the start point for anyone seeking the new life that has been promised.

We are made ambassadors for the One that we represent. The bible says that anyone who belongs to Christ is now a new person, with the old life giving way to the new life. If I have truly given my life to Christ for safe-keeping, it means that He now controls my life, defines my pursuits and priorities, and secured my eternal reality. There is no ambassador who lives for himself; he speaks for the country he represents. We do not promote ourselves; we promote the One who secured eternal life for us. When I speak, relate or interact, I am putting out there by relationship with Christ. Do men see Him when I speak? Do men see Him in my daily activities? 

This is the ministry that I have been called to. It is not until I stand on a raised platform or a public pulpit before people know who I am. It is only those who have a personal experience of Christ that can speak of it to other people. You cannot give or pass on what you do not have. The ministry of reconciliation is for those who have themselves being reconciled to God. God has done His bit; He has paved the way for me to come back to God. He has paid the full price for redemption, and there is nothing else to pay. I cannot hide; I am not able to just glide through life; I have become a beacon that will either attract or repel men to or from Christ. Which one applies? God's time of favour is here. 

The Right End 2!

The Right End 2!

Zechariah 14:9 AMP

[9] And the Lord shall be king over all the earth; in that day the Lord shall be the only one [worshiped], and His name the only one.

The prophet Zechariah served and ministered in the Jewish nation more than 2,500 years ago, according to available history.  That is about 500 years before Christ was manifest in the flesh. He was not physically there when Jesus was telling His disciples that He would die on the cross and that this sacrifice would be the key to sealing eternal life for all who put their trust and hope in Christ. Zechariah was not born, yet, God gave him clear pictures of what was ahead. The Omniscience God does not do mistakes, and there is nothing like an accident of history. Whatever it is that comes to pass falls in line with what He permits, and will also work out His will. 

This is the same God who declared in Genesis 8, after the flood that wiped out all human beings except 8 people, that as long as the earth remains in place, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night, shall not cease. That is a statement of purpose, and, as we know, God's word can never be broken or denied. Since the verse above was pronounced, we have seen the changing of times and seasons, but day will always follow night, and the process repeats itself all over again. Even when the Lord heard the voice of Joshua, and delayed the going down of the sun by one day, the sun still set and a new day dawned. That is undiluted power. 

In the midst of the same predictable cycle of creation lies the predictable return of Jesus one day. We do not know the exact day, as the Bible even records that only the Father knows the day, but if all other prophecies of God are being fulfilled, what stops this one too from coming to pass? If wars and rumours of wars were predicted and have already happened, as well as earthquakes in diverse places, we are indeed living in the days described as the end times. This is a reminder that even in the predictability of seasons, we must know that an end will come to all that we see today. What is the right response to this reality? It cannot be indifference; it has to be the right response. 

The reality is that one day, either by choice or compulsion, every knee will bow before the Lord in total submission. This is the message of the verse above: one day soon, the Lord shall be declared king over all the earth. He does not need my permission to be God; but He definitely needs my permission to be Lord of my life. It is the one decision that will impact my eternity. It is better that I bow now, and reign with Him in eternity, than to reject Him now and miss out on eternity. In that day, the Lord shall be the only one to be worshiped and His name the only one. Remember, this decision has eternal ramifications. Bow today; reign forever. Resist to the end, and there will be eternal regrets. As always, the choice is ours to make. God's time of favour is here. 

The Right End!

The Right End!

John 3:17 AMP

[17] For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him.

At the time of creation, there was no sin. Man was made in the image and likeness of God, and created for fellowship with God. The breath of God was put in man, who became a living soul, and was put in charge of all that God had created. That was awesome position to be put in, and it is not a wonder that the focus of the devil was to promote a lie about what God had done and given, so that man could be distracted. Man was sold a lie about what God had already guaranteed, and man gave up all that he was meant to be, in order to pursue something he could never really get. That is the modus operandi of the devil: lie, cheat and deceive. 

Thank God the story did not end with man's fall, otherwise we would have no hope. This is where God and His Omniscience need to be studied and worshipped. At the very place of man's sin was the place of God's mercy. God did not allow the devil claim a spiritual victory over man; as soon as man fell in the Garden of Eden, God laid down a plan of salvation and redemption, stripping the devil of whatever he thought he gained, and giving man a way out of sin. That gift of God was not given as a bribe, and it is not an automated application, where you get to enjoy the gains and benefits of the gift without anything from you. This is where faith comes in. 

The gift is given, but it must be personally appropriated. You do not get it by scientific processes of osmosis or diffusion; you take hold of it by total surrender of your life to the same God who made, formed, empowered and planted you where you are.  The gift was not given to judge and condemn the world as the first point, but to point men's attention to the benefits and blessings that are available in the gift. By this gift, our past is washed away and we are made whole and clean. By this gift, we receive grace, strength and help for whatever this life wants to throw at us. By this gift, we are able to focus on the eternal, whilst working our way through the earthly. 

However, it must be noted that the judgement of the world will still happen by this same gift at the end of this earthly phase. We have now to make up our minds what we want to do with the gift that has been given. God wants the salvation of the entire human race, because His love does not see the eternal loss of anyone. As we know, He will not force Himself on anyone, or go against the exercise of our freewill. He offers salvation, full and free, and invites us all to take hold of Him and receive life. A time comes when the gift will be withdrawn, and all that will be left will be regrets and doom. Today is the day of decision: which end would you prefer: life eternal with God, or eternal damnation away from God? God's time of favour is here. 

The Right Content!

The Right Content!

2 Corinthians 7:1 AMP

[1] Therefore, since we have these [great and wonderful] promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, completing holiness [living a consecrated life—a life set apart for God’s purpose] in the fear of God.

How do I cleanse myself from everything that contaminates my body and spirit? What do I do to keep God's temple clean in this perverse world where everything around us tends to defile us? It starts with a clear understanding that my body is the temple of God. If I do not know who I am, or whose I am, anything becomes permissible. A regular home event will help: when you buy or move into a new house, do you just clean it once and then leave it to beathe as it pleases? Would you not set up regular cleaning cycles, taking out the trash, replace broken or dead parts and also ensure that all visitors coming into your house understand the rules that govern your space? 

In the same way, in the spiritual, you do not allow things to degenerate before you address them. As the temple of God, it is a daily exercise in cleaning and cleansing, to be sure that there is no evil or dirt festering. You are careful and deliberate about what you allow to settle in or around your home, because if it stays long enough around you, it will most likely get into you. All it takes is for someone to dump an old mattress right in front of your house; before long, if you do not make effort to clear that, before you know it, people assume it is a dump site, and other refuse will follow. That is the power of one simple action, with long-term impact.

I am careful about the company that I permit around me; the sights and sounds that I allow to linger; the conversations that I uphold or promote; the quality of time spent on the things that promote a clean and pure heart. It is this consciousness of who I am that drives my terms of engagement with this evil world. I must not spread myself so thin that I think I can cover every need around me. I need to focus on what I can control. I can only give out of what I have, and I cannot give on credit, otherwise, I will burn out. Compromise, sin, and blending with the world dilute the message and make me out as a hypocrite. Knowing what lies at the end of holiness helps keep me focused and engaged.

I keep an eye on the eternal, even whilst sorting out impact in the earthly. Men may say holiness is not possible, but the One who commands it did not ask me to do it by myself. His grace is sufficient for every demand that the world seeks to place on me. The fear of God is a filter; it keeps you away from that which seeks to pollute. You have to engage the Holy Spirit on a regular basis. It is not this weekly or monthly appointment; it is a a daily dependence. I must keep clear lines of communication with God open, so He can always reach, teach and guide me. I cannot afford to switch off and forget who or whose I am. Is my life set apart for God’s purpose? God's time of favour is here. 

The Right Foundation!

The Right Foundation!

Romans 1:17 AMP

[17] For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith [disclosed in a way that awakens more faith]. As it is written and forever remains written, “The just and upright shall live by faith". 

As we know from the chapter from where the verse above is taken, both the speaker/writer and the audience have had experiences. Paul was a man who had walked in the paths of death and destruction, before Jesus stepped in and saved his soul, setting him apart to bring the gospel of Jesus to the Gentiles of his days. We also know that the church in Rome was a mix too: there were Jews and Gentiles alike, people who were bound by a common denominator, which was the call of God upon them to live holy and sanctified lives. Paul referred to them as 'the beloved of God', which means the love of God did not consider the weights we would have linked them to today.

It did not matter what they had done in the past up to this time; what mattered was who they were now, and where they were going. That is the power in the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation for all men. It is the message of God, His love, His display of mercy on all mankind, and the constant open door of grace for all, until the door is shut and the offer is permanently withdrawn. It calls for sober and thoughtful reflection by all of us: what would a God who gave so much demand from me? Would God not expect me to surrender all to Him, in full appreciation of what I had received from Him in the first place? 

The gospel reveals the righteousness of God, in which all men come from the same point to the supply of God's grace. It has nothing to do with my circle of influence, my network or networth, my bank account balance, or anything else that the world considers important. We all were born in sin, so there was no merit to hold on to. We all were born as people in need of help that we could not manufacture by ourselves, but God stepped in and gave us a way back to Himself. The offer was made at the same place and time that sin came in, and that offer is still valid till today. He waits for all of us to take hold of that offer and come to Him. This is the basis of faith. This is why labour and striving do not work.

I reach out because I know that He can save me. As always, God does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. This is what faith means: I reach out because I believe He is able to save. Everything about this walk is faith from first to last. I have not seen heaven but the One who promised eternity with Him lives inside of me, and gives me an assurance that all is well. Even when the reality around me bites hard, I hold on because I have been told where it all ends and by faith, I know that God does not lie. It is a journey of faith. There is no room for self-promotion. The offer is still open; I take hold of it, lay hold of it to the end, and wait for the reward of faith. What about you? God's time of favour is here. 

The Right Search!

The Right Search!

Isaiah 55:6 AMPC

[6] Seek, inquire for, and require the Lord while He may be found [claiming Him by necessity and by right]; call upon Him while He is near.

There is an interesting message at the start of the chapter from where the verse above is taken. There is an invitation to everyone who is thirsty. The invite says: 'Come to the waters' and that he who has no money should come, buy and eat priceless, spiritual wine and milk. Reflect on this: how can you buy something priceless and precious without money and without price? This has to be something that the riches of this world cannot fathom. It has to be something of value beyond this earthly phase. There is an endless supply of waters, refreshment and nourishment, but I have to take the step to come to the source, and taking Him up on His promises.

God does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. However, as the verse above makes clear, He is available, approachable, and willing to help me get to the place where He wants me to be. The verse above starts with an admonition or a warning, asking me to 'seek' the Lord. To seek is to actively, diligently and wholeheartedly pursue God, His will, His righteousness and His wisdom. It is an intense desire to know and follow God. You may ask: Why seek someone who is Omnipresent? This is the mystery of God- He is everywhere, yet He seeks men to truly desire a relationship with Him. 

God is everywhere, yet He will show Himself strong in the lives of all who truly surrender their lives to Him. As there are many pretenders to divinity, I need to be sure of which God I truly seek. Am I focused on the one and only God, or am I distracted by the things and people around me? There also appears to be a timeframe within which I must seek the Lord. This tells me quite clearly that I do not have forever on this side of earth to make up my mind on what I want to do. God is a fundamental part of who I am, what I will become and the plan and purpose I have been created and planted to achieve. Before it is too late, I need to sort out my priorities. 

The verse above ends with yet another word of admonition: call upon Him while He is near. Does this imply that a time will come when God is not near? Better believe it. We do not have forever on this side of eternity to sort out our pursuits and priorities. We are not given endless time in this mortal body. All we are or do today is in our earthern vessels, and one day, we will give it up to take on the body that does not die, and which will stand for judgment. Whilst I have time, and while God is approachable and available, I had better call. A day comes when eternal separation makes it impossible for God to hear and save. Does He know you as His own? Does He know me as His too? God's time of favour is here.