Guard!

Guard!

Proverbs 4:23 AMPC

[23] Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.

(Pro) 4:23 CJB Complete Jewish Bible

[23] Above everything else, guard your heart;for it is the source of life’s consequences.

Proverbs 4:23 NIV

[23] Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

Let us consider two main words in the verse above: HEART: The heart works as a powerful, four-chambered pump, controlled by its own electrical system, that circulates blood through two loops: sending oxygen-poor blood to the lungs to get oxygen, and then pumping that fresh, oxygen-rich blood out to the entire body, repeating this cycle continuously. This happens with coordinated contractions (systole) and relaxations (diastole) of the atria and ventricles, directed by one-way valves, ensuring blood flows in the right direction. All of the medical grammar noted above underscores the importance of the heart and the work it does all through a man's life. Just imagine how much a heart has worked to keep a man alive for 90 years. This is the amazing thing about God: it is the little things that drive big impact. It is the hidden parts of life that does the work no one sees, yet would lead to death if they do not work well. 

The other word is GUARD, which is to 'watch over in order to protect or control'. This simply means to be aware of what is going on around you; intentional about what you allow in, and deliberate about what you keep out. I cannot do one without the other. I cannot claim to be only focused on what my life produces on the outside; it is that which goes in that will eventually determine what comes in. Why do I need to guard anything at all? Why is the heart very important in this lfe conversation? Why am I required to guard that which sustains life? It is because of the consequences of carelessness. There is nothing like a lack of accountability; God does not do anything without a reason. If He creates a heart that can receive, process and apply information, then it is equally important to ensure that I lay the right foundation with that which I allow to make an impression on my heart. 

Let us apply both definitions to our lives. We have been given a processing centre; one that is able to absorb anything. The capacity of the human mind is beyond understanding; it keeps working until it does not. We may call the work it does boring, but in that 'boring routine' is safety. In that almost unnoticed cycle is human life sustained. However, in that routine also lies the danger of assumption. Is it because we do not physically see the work the heart does, that we put pressure on other parts of our bodies? Am I careless with what I allow in? Be sure that no matter how minute the inflow is, it will definely leave a mark. If I get careless with what comes in, it may lead to studen or untimely death. That is what happens when blood becomes contaminated; it affects the entire body. My guard must kick in at the point of inception, not firefight when the damage is already done. Just as my human heart needs diet and exercise, so does my spiritual heart need nurturing, through faith, prayer, or meditation, in order to stay "healthy" and be receptive to divine leading. God does not force Himself on anyone, but be sure He will display His power in me if I let Him. Would you? God's time of favour is here..

Right Response!

Right Response!

Luke 1:46-47 KJV

[46] And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, [47] And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Context matters here. How do you handle news that you are not prepared for? How do you handle opportunities as well as threats that may come your way in this journey of life? Here was a young lady, minding her own business, doing the right things by Jewish customs and traditions. She kept away from fornication, keeping herself for the man she was betrothed to. I am sure both were looking ahead to the day they would start their own family. One day, everything she thought she had locked down was turned on its head. An angel came to her to give her unusual news. She would be pregnant, but not by the one she was betrothed to. Even the name of the child, as well as its mission on earth, was given to her. Tell me, how would you have handled this complete upheaval of all that you have known all your life? Is God permitted to change the course of my life if it aligns with His will and purpose for me? 

It is hard to define how this lady really took the news. At least, we read of the proposed response of Joseph, who was planning to divorce her quietly, to keep her from public disgrace. When God deals with me as He pleases and as I permit, there is no guarantee that men will understand or applaud my experiences. In fact, it is likely that men who do not know anything about God's dealings will mock and talk negatively about me. That is the way of the world, and that is why it is not sensible to stake your life on the basis of what men say. Once God has spoken, I have all that I need. Once God has spoken, it does not matter the number of the people who say anything contrary. We know how this story ends but what if it was what the world calls 'bad' news that was delivered? Would you still speak as Mary did in the verse above? Can God trust my response, even when the events around me do not make sense? 

Mary's reaction here speaks of a heart of total surrender to the will of God, no matter where it may lead. Hearing the news was going to change her life and the lives of those around her, but she knew that God's plans always lead to blessings beyond her wildest dreams. She broke out in worship, saying her soul magnifies the Lord. No matter what was there now or coming, my soul worships the Lord. No matter how hard things get, I have made up my mind to hold on to God. Where else is safe? Who else can guarantee a good end like this God, who calls Himself the author and finisher of our faith? Her spirit also rejoices in God her Saviour. Her entire life was focused on God. That has to be my default setting too. It cannot be this occasional or weekly catch up with God, where I touch base with Him when I need something, or when things have really gone wrong. Does this speak about me? Would I also surrender to God and allow Him work that which is His perfect will? God's time of favour is here.

Fruit!

Fruit!

Hebrews 10:23-24 KJV

[23] Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) [24] and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

The writer of the book of Hebrews is not part of the record of the book, but we can deduce the audience from the first chapter of the book, where it states that God in these last days has spoken to us by His Son, Jesus, and has made his angels to be ministering spirits sent to minister to those who are heirs of salvation. This tells me that the promises and commitments that are made by God in this book can only be claimed by those who have given their lives to Jesus, and have taken hold of eternal life. If I will lay claim to any good thing in the Bible, I have ro align with the terms and conditions of that thing. God is a miracle worker, not a magician, and He does not waste resources. If He has made clear what the requirement for His intervention is, He will not lower the standard for anyone. That is why advancements in technology, medicine or science have not been able to change what sin is. 

If it was sin under Adam, it remains sin under this current dispensation. The message in the verses above are for those whose lives have been surrendered to Jesus. The admonition is that I hold fast the profession of my faith. The reason for this admonition is connected to the reality of the times we live in. It is easier to blend in than stand out. It is easier to keep quiet than to challenge the iniquity of the times we live in. However, the bigger source of encouragement is the statement made in the verses above, that the One who promised is faithful. This is a commitment that can be relied upon. God is unchanging; He can be trusted to keep His promises, and there is no one who has truly experienced God that can say He cannot be trusted. If I know the value of who God is, what He can do, and what I stand to gain if I hold on to the end, I will not let go. Do you know this God? Does He also know you as His own? It is that personal knowledge and experience that drives the second verse above. 

When I know this God, I am able to impact lives. If I have experienced God's kind of love, I am able to also express that to other people. The verse above charges us to provoke one another unto love and good works. It seems to be that showing love should be a 'healthy competition', almost as if we should try and outdo one another in love. It does not lead to envy or hatred, or anything negative. It is being sensitive to the needs around us, being careful to let the love of God permeate all that we do, and being intentional about the motives behind what we do. The good works become the output of the inner presence of God in us. Just note again that it is the audience that drives the demand. If you do not belong, you will struggle. May the fruits of my life show total dependence and reliance on the One who loved me enough to die for me. May my life be visible and audible proof of a life that is owned by God. God's time of favour is here.

Doers!

Doers!

James 1:22 AMP

[22] But prove yourselves doers of the word [actively and continually obeying God’s precepts], and not merely listeners [who hear the word but fail to internalize its meaning], deluding yourselves [by unsound reasoning contrary to the truth].

James was not writing to any specific church in a particular location, but was writing to the twelve tribes who, due to persecution, were now scattered abroad among the Gentiles. In those days, it was almost a taboo to be seen among the Gentiles. The Jews took pride in their nationalistic outlook, and considered those who inter-married with Gentiles as less than Jewish. That was the scene where the Jews of those times found themselves. Just reflect on the fact that before Jesus left the earth, his instruction was that His disciples would be witnesses of Him in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and to the other parts of the world. If those who know Christ stay in their comfort zone, how would others hear the good news of Jesus? God orchestrated it that those who were now armed with the right knowledge of Jesus were forced to move into the community of those who were yet to hear about Jesus. 

When uncomfortable things happen around or to you, do you ask God to clarify what His plan and purpose are for those experiences? Do I see God at work, when nothing seems to work? For the Jews at the time, amongst other things, there was a need for the spread of the word of God to all nations. The first part was now done, and the Jews who knew Jesus were now living among the Gentiles. How would I live my life in a way that would be evident to those who are unbelievers that I am different? It is in the fruits that you are able to determine the nature and quality of the seed. The fruit is the outward expression of secret and uncelebrated investment. This is achieved by the instruction in the verse above: prove yourselves doers of the Word. It is not a passive movement; it is active engagement with the Word, and then deliberate obedience, and then walking and working out what I have heard, seen and experienced from the Word. 

What the verse above encourages us to do is to actively and continually obey God’s precepts. I do not get to pick and choose the instructions I will obey. God's Word is His name, and I cannot accept just the nice  instructions that make me comfortable, and then conveniently ignore the ones that hold a light to my weaknesses. I internalise the lessons, and ask God for grace to let His Word change me from the inside, so that I can have impact on the outside. The world is ignorant, or chooses to ignore the realities of the importance of Jesus, but I have to make Him known. Anything that seeks to take away from the Word, or reduce its efficacy, is to be taken as delusion and unsound reasoning. Do not let anyone tell you anything about God's Word that you cannot find for yourself. God has given all of us access to Him. Seek Him; make Him yours, and let His Word do a work that will secure you for all of eternity. God's time of favour is here. 

None!

None!

1 Samuel 2:2 AMP

[2] “There is no one holy like the Lord, There is no one besides You, There is no Rock like our God.

A quick context to the verse above. There was this woman named Hannah who the bible was careful to note these three facts, among many others: her husband loved her very much, she was barren and it was the Lord who had shut up her womb. We can debate whether God does the things we label as 'bad' by our own standards, or we can accept His Omnipotence and allow Him work as He pleases in our lives, so we can turn out as He desires, and not the way we want. God can do whatever He pleases with His creation, and I can engage Him in prayer to understand His purpose for me, but He chooses how and when He wants to respond. One thing that has been clear since the beginning of time is that there is no one or anything in all of creation that can defeat or thwart God's purpose. If He allows it, it is because it will work out that which is in line with where He wants me to do, and who He is building me up to be. 

Can I trust me with my life, even when it seems that God is not doing it the way I want? Can I tarry in the place of prayer until He gives direction on the next step? Hannah would come year after year, asking for a child, and it would seem that God was not listening. On this day, everything seemed to align. God, who knew what was ahead, was already planning for a replacement for the priest of the house, as it did not appear that any of the priests in place at the time could serve in that office. It is also not recorded whether Hannah knew God's mind at the time, but she said a prayer that seemed to line up with God's desire, and with the priest's blessing, she got a child that she was able to dedicate to the Lord, in line with her prayer request. Who says it does not pay to know, follow, serve, and submit to this God? Hannah's life shows the power and impact of persistence in the place of prayer.  

Hannah got what she wanted, and it is not a surprise that she is credited with the prayer or song in the verse above. It takes a personal encounter with this God to make declarations like the ones above. How do you celebrate and reverence a Holy God the right way, if you have not seen Him at work, or seen what His Holiness demands? If you have not taken time to reflect, how can you determine that there is no other God besides the One true God, and a Rock like no other. Being dependable at all times and in all situations is not an attribute that can be assigned to the natural man. Being a Rock means a place of safety and security, a place of rest and restoration, and a place of refuge from storms. Hannah had come to know this God, and we will do well to also come to know Him this way. He wants to show Himself strong, but it is by total and absolute surrender that He will be able to do all He has promised. Do you know this God? Does He know you? God's time of favour is here. 

Helped!

Helped!

Psalms 143:10 AMP

[10] ¶Teach me to do Your will [so that I may please You], For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

This is one of the psalms credited to David, the man whom God referred to as a man after His own heart. Unlike some of the other psalms in the bible, which had situations and backgrounds to the songs provided, this one does not have any circumstance or story provided in support of the song. The first lesson that comes to mind is that I do not need a reason to find God, or to seek Him with all that I am and have. I do not need a flash in the sky to acknowledge the power of God at work in and around me. He is not God because I agree He is; in fact, let the world end today, and God will still be God. After all, He has spoken of the end of the present earth and heaven, so if all changes today, He already gave us ample warnings. He wants to have a relationship with His creation, because it was for His pleasure that we all are created, and it is in giving Him glory that our lives truly find meaning and relevance. 

This is why the verse above is quite critical. It is a sign of total surrender and acceptance of my weaknesses and need for dependence on God, that this prayer has to be mine too. The world has interests and desires that are in full opposition to those that God promotes. The world system and God will never agree on anything eternal, because both are from different sources, and have different eternal priorities. They will never agree, no matter how far or hard you draw them. The prayer in the verse above comes from a heart that has weighed available options and come to the best option available. This best option is to know and follow God's will. From a place of personal experience, I can say that this is a journey that one never graduates from, or grow out of. It is not an experience you can mature out of. Like David, I need to make up my mind what my life's pursuits and priorities will be, conscious of the truth that an account will be demanded by God of the life He formed to give Him glory. 

I note also that David was not just focused on knowing; he was committed to doing the will of God. It is not enough to seek knowledge for show-off; there is no value in that. The value of life is in pleasing God by doing what He asks. The bible says without faith, it is impossible to please God, but the value of faith is best seen in what I do. If I claim to know and follow God, the fruits of my life,  seen from what I do, how I do them, and why, will be the strongest evidence of my faith. It will be a grave mistake to let the system of the world dictate terms and conditions. There are many slippery slopes the world will disguise as attractive options, but when God is your focus and help, you have nothing to fear. If He does not know you, you have everything to fear. He is the One who can help me through the valley of the shadow of death. He is the One who can level the mountains. Do I truly know, have and follow Him? God's time of favour is here. 

WHO am I?

WHO am I?

Psalms 8:3-4 AMP

[3] When I see and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have established, [4] What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him?

Depending on the version you read, at the top of the chapter from where the verses above is taken, there is this interesting entry: 'set to a Philistine lute, or perhaps to a particular Hittite tune'. There is no other definition given for the 'Philistine lute, except the fact that it is also mentioned at the top of Psalms 81 and 84, written by Asaph and the sons of Korah respectively. What could have been quite special about the lute, a musical instrument or a tune, that it warranted being mentioned in the Bible? Its origin most likely was not Jewish or Hebraic, yet it formed part of the records of some of the most amazing songs of the greatest earthly king Israel had. As the song in the verses under review today points out, as well as the supporting instruments that have been noted as part of the story, what is that situation that appears to be beyond the power and reach of God to change or correct? 

The verses above first look at the wonders of God's creation. Reflect on all you have read about creation, and how every part you see was supernaturally fitted into the fabric of creation. From the light of the first day to the land animals of the early part of the sixth day, we see God laying down the support system that man would need to be effective in his work on earth. The moon and the stars were part of the account of the fourth day, as God laid out times and seasons, days and years. We see the accounts of other days, as God laid down the beauty of the earth as each day showed off God's glory in all its fullness. All of the above point to the fact that man was not created until all the required provisions for the realisation and achievement of his divine purpose were all in place. Man was not one of those things you call 'unplanned for'; in fact, all that God was doing was laying down the foundation for the manifestation of man.

It is not a wonder, then, that the psalmist, after considering all that his eyes had seen and his ears had heard, had to ask the question: 'What is man?' As it was then, so is it now. No man has been able to answer that question, without resorting to the original template of how man was made. The created is not the best option to determine the value of itself; it is the Creator whose view must be sought, if I will know my true value. Check out the amazing care God lavishes on animals and plants, and how He ensures that the sun and moon rise and set unfailingly every day. If these created things with expiry dates can be cared for this way by God, how much more would God take care of His creation that has been made in His image, in His likeness, and made to live forever. I take the position of deep appreciation for all I have received from God, and ask for grace that my whole life will be an offering He will accept and use for His glory. Do you know who you are? God's time of favour is here.