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.

The Right Decision!

The Right Decision!

Matthew 16:24 AMP

[24] Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me [believing in Me, conforming to My example in living and, if need be, suffering or perhaps dying because of faith in Me]

As always, we see the interactions of Jesus with the leaders of His day. The Pharisees and Sadducees were naturally antagonistic, because Jesus came to challenge their hold and authority over the people. The fact that a situation has persisted over the years does not mean that it is right, or that it must be left as it is, and not challenged. The Pharisees were looking for a sign, but Jesus would not give them anything, except the sign of Jonah who was in the belly of the whale for three days. This was a picture of the coming death of Jesus on the cross. Of course, the Jewish leaders did not understand what He was speaking about.

For the disciples, it was a different experience. Jesus spoke in parables to the crowd and the Jewish leaders, but He spoke in plain language to His disciples. These men had stayed with Him through the opposition and resistance of the Jewish leaders, but it was time for Jesus to go the way of the cross. He had asked the disciples if they truly knew Him, and Peter had pronounced those immortal words: "You are Christ, the son of the living God". The same Peter had also tried to stop the plan, thinking it was possible to use human means and methods to stop God's divine plan of salvation.  Thank God that Jesus prayed for Peter.

In the same place where Jesus foretold His death, He laid down the cost of discipleship. He did not try to sugarcoat it, as we try to do these days in order to draw men in. The truth is always the strongest attraction, because you know clearly what you are getting into from the start. The crowd was not there at this moment, and those who would take this important message to the world were the ones who needed to hear it. The invitation to make the approach is for anyone. It does not care what the past looks like; it does not matter what the stains and weight look like. All I am asked to do is to follow Jesus. He is the One who welcomes all who sincerely seek Him. 

Like Jesus, I must set aside selfish interests, and take on my cross, whatever the personal sacrifice may be, and follow Jesus. At this point, I am not seeking that which makes me comfortable, but that which glorifies the One I follow. As it has always been made clear, God does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. It must be willing surrender, but laced with a dose of compulsory conscription once you have stepped in. The example is Jesus, and not anyone or anything else. It is a stand with Jesus to the end, wherever He leads, even to death. Does this describe my current pursuits and priorities? God's time of favour is here. 

The Right Spirit!

The Right Spirit!

2 Timothy 1:7 AMP

[7] For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control].

There are times when the weight or size of the assignment in front of us seems to be crushing. If I ever get to the point where I am confident in my skills, eloquence, gifting and placement, and not in the One who aligns these things, there is trouble ahead. It has to be noted that all of God's assignments are opportunities for Him to work in and through those who belong to Him.  He knows that we are human and weak by ourselves, and at no time does He demand that we do anything by strength, guile or human wisdom. The earthly and mortal, left alone, can never achieve God's purpose. It needs the divine enablement that only God can give.

This was the summary of the life of the boy Timothy. At the time the letter above was been written, the boy was still struggling to find his way. The stars were not aligned in his favour at the time: his father was Greek, which made him non- acceptable to the Jews at the time. His mother and grandmother were women of faith, and the bible was very careful to note that these women impacted the life of the boy Timothy. Paul was the mentor who circumcised the boy in line with Jewish culture so he could be accepted by the Jews. Paul was also the man who gave the boy a platform to minister and be a blessing to the church of God at the time. 

It could have been convenient for Paul to lay out the counsel in the verse above, and let the boy muddle through on his own. Paul's life choices eased the process for the young man. Are there lives that God can commit into my hands, sure and certain that these lives will not end up in shame? The verse above also lays out God's perspective when it comes to service: do not rely on your own strength or wisdom. God is the One who supplies what is required to achieve His assignment. It is His field, His creation, His supply; His presence and His plan that define my application. If I do not know what needs to get done, how can I even know where to start and what to do? 

He does not promote fear or timidity. The work is enormous, but His Spirit is capable. He gives His Spirit, which is of power, love and sound judgment and personal discipline. This tells me that the work of the Spirit of God is first internal, before it is manifested externally. Power and love have to first be internalised before they can flow unhindered. Discipline is the product of a life of total and absolute surrender. The Spirit of God cannot thrive in a place of disunity. He may choose to manifest Himself through any vessel, but He cannot flow unhindered where there is fear or timidity. I give my life totally to God, and ask Him to do what only He can do. God's time of favour is here. 

The Right Price!

The Right Price!

2 Samuel 24:24 KJV

[24] And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the LORD my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshingfloor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

Science says that the higher you go, the cooler it becomes. God also has a view, and the experiences of the people in the bible make it clear that the higher or deeper you go with God, the more careful you have to be. This was the experience of David, a man that God Himself referred to as a man after His own heart. Yet, at the start of the chapter from where the verse above is taken, we read that God Himself incited David against His own people Israel. I am reminded again today to be careful of God. His rules of engagement are sancrosant; He will not bend the rules for anyone, no matter how special you think you are. Israel had sinned and needed to be punished, and a man whose heart was not fully committed to God at the time became the tool of punishment. 

David was incited, and who is the man that can resist God? God has not yet made a thing that He cannot control or direct. David moved, and despite the view of Joab the commander of the army, who thought that it was not the right thing to do, the king prevailed, and he got the news he was looking for: nine months of cross-country census led to over a million and three hundred thousand fighting men. At least, that was a number that could make the heart of any mortal king glad. The world also says that there is strength in numbers. If David had paused for a moment, he would have remembered several times that God gave him victory, though he was hopelessly outnumbered. Why would a man who had been helped by God this way be quick to rely on just numbers for comfort and safety? 

The damage was already done, and the just punishment had to be applied. God gave David 3 options, and it is instructive to note that the same God who was punishing was the same God David ran to for mercy. In that holds another life lesson: God will punish sin, no matter in whom it is found, but His love wil not let the sinner be destroyed, if the sinner truly returns to God. True repentance and a heart that continually seeks God's help to live right is what God will never despise. The punishment started, and seventy thousand had died before God relented. The angel was poised to strike when God said 'Enough'. We do not know, but maybe Araunah was next. This man knew he was fortunate, and was ready to give the entire floor to David to offer sacrifices as commanded by God. 

Araunah offered David everything for free: oxen, threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. David, a product of God's mercy but a man who also understood divine rules of engagement, knew that if there was no price, it would not have value. David could have been killed too, but he was spared, and now had to offer a sacrifice of value to God, as an atonement for the sin of the people. There is a close likelihood to what Jesus did. We could say we did not pay anything to get what Christ delivered, but is it really free? It cost God His Son, and He looked away as His Son bore our sin. I cannot afford to belittle that sacrifice, or treat it with levity. Going forward, as a life that knows what it has received from God, I must live a life of sacrifice and total devotion to God. Nothing less than my best. What would I be willing to give up if God demands for it? God's time of favour is here. 

Made, to Become!

Made, to Become!

2 Corinthians 5:21 AMP

[21] He made Christ who knew no sin to [judicially] be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we would become the righteousness of God [that is, we would be made acceptable to Him and placed in a right relationship with Him by His gracious lovingkindness].

It is important to consider the weight of what Jesus did for us, and to determine the precise expectations that He has from us, so we can live our lives daily in the consciousness of these expectations. It may have been said several times over the past few days, but it bears repeating again that Christ paid a huge sacrifice to secure the life we now have. God could have chosen any other way to pay the price of redemption of man, and because He is God, He would have been justified, but He chose this: the principle of substitution, where the innocent stood in the place of the guilty, so that the guilty could become like the innocent. 

This is deep. May God can shed His light of  understanding on me, so I can fully grasp the dimensions and implications of this sacrifice. The power and mercy of God says that He 'made Him who knew no sin' to be sin on our behalf. It appears to me that it was the will of God that this would happen. This was why Jesus prayed that prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, when the weight pressed on Him, asking that the coming cup of glory may pass over Him. However, He was careful to add that it was not His will that needed to be done, but the will of His Father who had it all planned long before it was made manifest. That is not carelessness; that is divine strategy. 

Oh the depths of the riches of God's love; I do not have the art or device that can fully explain the depth, scope and reach of what I have been given. Whatever it is I want to lay claim to, it is tied to the finished work of Jesus on the cross; nothing and no one else. It was an act of justice; a crime had been committed, the law had prescribed the just punishment for that crime, and it was only right that the person who did the crime should do the time. This is where God's mercy makes all the difference: the crime had been done and the punishment was still going to be applied, but someone else who did not do the crime was going to pay the price. 

By and of ourselves, we would not have made it. God used His own divine process to restore us to Himself. It is in and by Him that we become whatever it is that is His plan and purpose for us. Whatever was in my past, no matter how dirty, has been dealt with, and whatever led to my separation from God has come to an end. I am now made acceptable to Him, and placed in a right relationship with God, all because of His love that would just not let me go. This is the silent but obvious truth: be sure that an accounting will be demanded from all who have been given this gift. Now that I know what I have been given, the ideal response is surrender. Would you? God's time of favour is here.