Restored!

Restored 

Jeremiah 33:14 NIV

[14] “ ‘The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah.

When you read the verse above, then consider the context in which the verse is placed, you may struggle to understand how God moves. The first verse of the chapter from where the verse above is taken refers to the prophet Jeremiah, who was confined to the courtyard of the guard, because of his prophecies and messages to both the leaders and the led in Israel and Judah. He stood for truth, but the people preferred to listen to and trust in lies, and of course, God cannot be mocked or ignored. As He has made clear what the standard is, and made help available for His people to comply, He would have been justified to punish any who disobeyed His instructions. 

This was the place Judah found itself. It was a nation helped by God, but now, it had found itself under the judgment of God because of its sin of rebellion. Let it be clear that God has no favourites when it comes to sin, and He will punish sin, no matter in whom it is found. 

However, just a few verses down the line, we read consecutive verses where God makes it quite clear that He was going to hide His face from the city of Jerusalem because of its sin, and that enemies would come in and destroy the city completely. This was a city protected by mountains, but that did not do any good once sin came into the camp. Avoid sin at all costs. 

However, just immediately after this declaration of punishment, God promises that He will bring health and healing into the city; He will heal His people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. How did we move from certain punishment to certain restoration? These are some of the mysteries of God that we may not fully understand on this side of eternity, but we will do well to know His standards and adhere to them. He can punish, but He can also restore. He can kill, and He can also make alive. He is not a God to be trifled with. This is the background to the verse above. In spite of all that Judah had done, God was still setting a time for their redemption and restoration. 

If you do find a man who has fully understood God's ways and knows His next move, please let me know. God's ways are beyond searching out; His understanding no one can fathom. When He makes a promise, He is staking His name and reputation, and you can be sure that a God who watches over His Word to perform it will not be careless about the words He speaks. Hs does not make empty boasts. It does not matter how long ago He made the promise; what counts is that He made it, and He will move heaven and the earth to guarantee the integrity of His Word. As I go through life, I must not dare confront the world without the sure word of God. Whatever may come, it must find me in God. Where are you too? God's time of favour is here. 

Arise!

Arise!

Isaiah 60:1 AMP

[1] “Arise [from spiritual depression to a new life], shine [be radiant with the glory and brilliance of the Lord]; for your light has come, And the glory and brilliance of the Lord has risen upon you.

Isaiah was a prophet whose ministry was in the days of the kings of Judah such as Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Some of these men started well but ended badly. Some of them became proud as a result of success or victory, and thought that they could play God. In some instances, kings allowed idol worship to go unchecked, and the hearts of the people were drawn away from God. Of course, God was going to react. God had given very clear instructions on what was acceptable to Him, and had provided the template, vessels and channels for worship and sacrifices by His people. Unfortunately, like all things comfortable, we get easily distracted. The people did not fight many wars during the times of these kings, and they became complacent. May the grace of God upon my life, which should make me careful, not lead to my carelessness.

May that which God has given me to impact life with not prevent me from enjoying eternal life with Him. The people were given a land flowing with milk and honey, and all God wanted from them was submission and total obedience. As promised, He punished them when they rebelled against Him, but He would not push them out until they had really pushed Him. Isaiah prophesied for roughly 60 years during the reigns of these kings, so it was plenty of warnings. The people would not listen, and of course, the faithful God would not lie. The wages of sin have been death since sin came into the world, and God would not lower the standard for anyone. He has laid out His Word for us to be guided by, and He also supplies grace in abundance, so we have no excuse for rebellion. As I take stock today, what changes do I need to make to my current pursuits, so I do not incur God's wrath?

This is where the verse above comes in. Even in the face of judgment, the mercy of God is revealed. Even when I deserve punishment, God speaks of mercy. The people of Judah were to be punished, yet God was charging them to arise, because the light of God had come, and would be shining upon them. The people definitely did not deserve it, but then, when did man ever deserve God's mercy? In this new season, God is reminding us that His mercy is still available for all who will seek Him. Where darkness had reigned due to sin, God is promising that the light of His glory will shine. In the place where shame and disgrace were the order of the day, a new dawn of God's righteousness had come. It is very important to mention here that God will not force Himself on anyone, or go against the exercise of my freewill. My response to that which God wants to do has to come from my heart. God has done His part; the time to arise is here. God's time of favour is here. 

The Example!

The Example!

Philippians 2:5 AMP

[5] Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility]

Paul and Timothy, in writing to the church of God in Philippi, described themselves as bond-servants of Christ Jesus,  and the church, including the overseers and deacons as the saints or God’s people in Christ Jesus. A bond-servant is an individual who is bound by contract or circumstance to serve a master without wages, usually to repay a debt or serve a term of years. While similar to a slave, a bondservant usually enters the arrangement willingly and would be entitled to eventual freedom. Let us apply that to the lives of Paul and Timothy. Both were adults that chose to surrender to and follow Christ of their own freewill. There was no coercion. 

The slight difference between the definition above and the reality of the Christian experience is the reality of eventual freedom. This is one encounter from which you are not expected to recover. You do not get in, and then plan to leave sometime in the middle of the journey. This is a lifelong engagement between the Saviour and His subjects. I might not be working for physical wages, as the world will describe wages, but I am definitely not working for free. Truly, there is a debt to be repaid; the one to whom I am now bound gave up His life for me, so that I do not have to pay anything anymore, other than to live to please the One who saved me. 

Does the above describe my current reality? Have I come to Christ of my own personal choice, or am I there only for what I can get out of it? Are there selfish interests behind my decision to follow Christ? Do I even know the impact behind my current reality, and what is at stake for me? These are not questions that can be answered publicly; these are personal reflections and personal encounters, and all have both earthly and eternal implications. It is not a wonder, then, that the chapter from where the verse above is taken from starts with an encouragement for us to consider who Christ is, what He has done and given, and what this understanding requires of us. 

We have the perfect example of humility to guide our daily engagement, interaction, and conduct with the world around us. Christ did not have to die, but He did. He left His glory in heaven, because in that form, man could not touch Him, not to talk of putting Him to death. He became like me, so He could walk in my shoes and offer acceptable sacrifices to God for sin, effectively ending the power of sin over me. When such a God then calls me His own, and asks me to serve and follow Him, what a privilege it is. He has laid down the perfect example; all I can do is ask for grace and strength to be able to follow in His steps. He will help, if I depend solely on Him. God's time of favour is here. 

Led!

Led!

Psalms 23:3 AMP

[3] He refreshes and restores my soul (life); He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

The verse above is taken from what we call the shepherd's psalm. It is a personal song, as you will find several references to my, me and I, and not a single we or us. The AMP version has 19 such references in 6 verses. It is not a general call, or something applicable to all and sundry; indeed, God is the Creator of all things and people, and He does give generic and general blessings to everyone He has made, but let it be known that there is special consideration for all who surrender their lives to God for safe-keeping. You do not expect God to fight you for control of your heart; He does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill.

It has to be voluntary surrender for it to fully activate the blessings described in the verse above. Let it also be known that being under God's control does not preclude you from tough times, trials and tribulations; there will be no need for refreshing if there were no instances of pain, trials or tough times. I am not promised a trial-free life; I was guaranteed God's abiding presence at all times. When He is with me, I can face whatever comes my way. When He is with me, it does not really matter who else is not with me. When life has happened to me, and it seems that it is easier to give in or give up, He reminds me that I am His own, and He supplies that which I need for the time and season.

God refreshes and restores my soul when life seeks to weigh me down. His hand rests on me as I navigate life's uncertainties. Yes, life may seem unfair; health may fail; family and friends may die or leave without notice; I may be distracted by life's pressures, and be tempted to seek counsel from elsewhere, but at no time does God ever leave me to my devices. He stays with me when everyone else steps out. He goes with me everywhere I go, as the Omnipresent God. As Omnipotent, He steps into every situation and ensures that all works for my good. He can change any situation, no matter how dire, into something that celebrates His glory and power. 

As Omniscient, He knows just the right mix of pressure and pleasure that will bring out the best in me, and ensure that I do not become discouraged, or self-sufficient. The package on offer from God also includes being led in the paths of righteousness. This means that God is always seeking men He can lead, as an example of what works. There is a right path and a wrong path, and no amount of influence or negotiation can change what God calls wrong to right. He does this for His name’s sake. As His sheep, I bear His name. As His sheep, I represent Him in every way. His mark upon me means I cannot be careless about my life's choices. Is He yours too? Does He own you? God's time of favour is here.

Pray!

Pray!

Acts 4:31 AMP

[31] And when they had prayed, the place where they were meeting together was shaken [a sign of God’s presence]; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness and courage.

In order to understand the power of the verse above, it helps to lay the context. Here was a man born lame, never walked, who Peter and John had healed, by the power of God and the name of Jesus. Rather than rejoice for the lame man, the priests, Sadducees and leaders of the people raised a ruckus about the timing and motives behind the healing. The leaders came and arrested Peter and John, on the charge that they were teaching the people and proclaiming Jesus as raised from the dead. They could see their influence, power, and sway over the people vanishing before their eyes. Before we point an accusing finger at them, are we sure we do not have the same heart as them? 

Is my sole focus the glorification and edification of the name of Jesus, or the maintenance and sustenance of my selfish interests? Do I seek to push my own agenda on the body of Christ where I have been planted, or am I ready, willing and surrendered enough to let God have His way, and take all the glory that is due Him? I have to always remember that it is His church, His children, His message, His word, His audience, His platform, His enablement, His power. He can raise anything and anyone to proclaim the message of salvation to anyone. After all, He made a donkey speak when it lined up with His will. That is undiluted and unadulterated power. 

The reaction or response of the apostles to the harassment of the Jewish leaders is also instructive. Rather than retreat into their shell and keep quiet, they gathered to pray. The level of opposition against them was huge: Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John and Alexander, and all who were of high-priestly descent were there. These men could order that Peter and John be put to death, but what did the apostles do? They boldly declared that they could not stop speaking about Jesus and what He had done. This level of courage does not come from wine, drugs or muscles, but from the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. When mortal men threaten, what do I do? Where do I go? 

For the apostles, the response was to gather and pray, asking God for boldness to declare the message of salvation; not for the death of their accusers, but for power to speak about their faith in Christ. It is not a wonder, then, that the place where they were gathered was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and given courage and boldness to speak the word of God. True power does not shout; it simply manifests itself wherever it is given the room to flow unhindered. My own resistance does not deny its existence. I ask God to show His power in and through me. I ask God for boldness and conviction to speak about who I know and believe in. What of you? God's time of favour is here. 

Proven Love!

Proven Love!

Romans 5:8 AMP

[8] But God clearly shows and proves His own love for us, by the fact that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

It is easy to be deceived by the images and messages of love presented in novels, films and life experiences. People engage in sinful acts sometimes, and label it love. We have been innundated with messages from all sorts of sources, trying to present love only from the perspective of specific actions. Yes, love is seen in action, but the foundation of it is actually a person. This is where the message may be difficult to accept: the One who gave His life for us did so on the basis of the love He has for His creation. We see the action, but this was based on the state of His heart, first and foremost. You cannot consider the action outside of the condition of the heart out of which the action came from.

This is why pretence, eye-service, hypocrisy and deception are easy. People can deceive you by actions only, as you cannot read their motives or intentions for doing whatever it is that they do. You find men and women 'falling in love' quite easily, and then falling out of love also quite easily. Once they do not find what they seek out of the relationship or interaction, they seek divorce or separation. What was supposed to be a life contract becomes a negotiated settlement of what I can get. Thank God that He is not man. Just imagine what it could have meant for Jesus to wait until He could get something from us before He died on the cross. 

As the verse above makes clear, Jesus had love in His heart for His creation, but He did not wait for us to be worthy of it before He gave us His love. He showed and proved His love for us by dying a death of shame. By the customs of the Jews at the time, it was a curse to be hung on a tree. This explains why the thieves were also crucified, but at least, they were suffering the consequences of their actions at the time. Jesus knew no sin, but He was treated like a criminal, standing in my place and paying the price I should have paid. He could have walked away from the pain and inconvenience, but His love for me was stronger than the temporary pain.

As the verse above also makes clear, He did what He did for me, not minding my eventual response to Him. There were no guarantees that I would submit my life to Him. The God who is Omniscient and knows the future knows those who will accept or reject His love but He still went ahead to give His life, even if it was for the sake of one person. It makes His love even more precious, knowing it was not conditional on what I would do or not do. That is love that has been proven true through several generations, and it will continue to be effective as long as this earthly phase is in place. Now that I know what has been given, how would I respond? God's time of favour is here. 

Power!

Power!

Acts 1:8 AMP

[8] But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.”

Jesus had risen from the dead, and appeared to His disciples. He had spent time with them, charging them up not to forget the work that had been committed into their hands, and as the Omnipresent God, also promising them His ever-abiding presence. As always, we are reminded that God does not demand from me that which He has not first supplied sufficient grace for. If He commands it, be sure that He will back it up and support it to success. The assignment was and is simple: go and tell other people about me. Share the personal encounters you have had of me, let your life show off the love you have received from me, and trust me to do the rest.

Generally, power is defined as 'the capacity, ability, or authority to do something, act in a particular way, or influence others. In this context, Jesus is promising those who are His own the ability they need in order to influence other people. I note that this power has nothing to do with muscles, but simply with the inner calm and assurance that only God can give. I note also that the world has its own versions of power too, but the right kind of power comes from the Holy Spirit, who is the third person in the Trinity. He does not seek to draw the wrong attention, but His presence in a man's life cannot be ignored or denied. Do you have the right power? 

As the verse above also makes clear, this power is required before you dare to work for the source of this power. This work is to be done on God's terms, not mine. The work is His, not mine. The targets of the assignment also belong to Him, not me. The message that has been committed into my hands is about Him, not me. All I bring is my surrender and availability. Do not presume that years of experience, or high church titles, count as anything important. I reflect on this: why was it power that is emphasized after the Holy Spirit comes on me? It is because that is what drives me to do what I could not normally do. This is God at work.

When the Holy Spirit has come, the whole world becomes the target. It starts from home, where people who know me personally and directly can be inspired by my life. That is who a witness is: s/he directly speaks about what has been seen, heard, touched, tasted, or personally experienced. This is why courts do not rely on hearsay, no matter how strong it looks like. This is the power of a witness too: you get to speak about what you know, not just what someone else tells you. The world, starting from my Jerusalem, is waiting for my eyewitness testimony. The ends of the earth must hear it. Are you available? Am I? God's time of favour is here.