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.

Right Words!

Right Words!

Proverbs 12:25 AMP

[25] Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, But a good (encouraging) word makes it glad.

Isaiah 50:4 AMP

[4] ¶The Lord God has given Me [His Servant] the tongue of disciples [as One who is taught], That I may know how to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple [as One who is taught].

The state of the world naturally causes stress and anxiety. There is so much uncertainty in the world right now. Sometimes, 'bad' things happen to people we view as good, and it may seem that wicked people are prospering and succeeding in what they do. We may see the world as unfair, where people do not get what they naturally deserve, or do not see the fruit of their labour. It is usually easier to focus on the negative and not so much on the positive. For God to speak about it quite often, it means it is an issue that is dear to His heart. He made us in His own image and likeness, so we could worship and serve Him. How can I do this well when there are competiting interests? 

Why is anxiety such a big deal? One definition of anxiety is 'a natural human emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and physical changes like increased heart rate. It is your body's "fight or flight" response to perceived stress or danger, but becomes a mental health concern when it is disproportionate, ongoing, or interferes with daily life. One of the wisest men who ever lived understood the dangers of anxiety, as we see in the first verse above. It weighs the heart down, because it shifts your focus from the size and power of God to the wrong and inflated message about the size of the problem. 

One of the solutions to anxiety, as laid out in the two verses above, is the right word. There is a reason why it must be the right word, as the wrong message, no matter how good the intention, may do more harm than good. There is a need for me to depend on the help of the Omniscient God, to know what to say, when to say it, how to say it, and even when to keep quiet when it 'makes sense' to say what comes to mind. When the right word is let out at the right time, it becomes a source of great encouragement to those who hear it and need it. To understand the power of words, reflect on the story of creation, and you will know why you are not permitted to be careless about your speech or conversations.

The prophet Isaiah would also know a thing or two about the right words. He was sent to declare death to Hezekiah, but a few minutes later, he had to go back and declare 15 more years to the same man. What if he did not hear correctly? This tells me that the source always defines the impact. If I am to be a blessing, I can only take from the right source to have the right impact. The ear must hear right for the tongue to speak right. I have a duty to go to the source for direction and inspiration before I dare stand before people to speak. Words can shape destiny, and in the wrong lips, they can destroy lives. Do my words reflect life? God's time of favour is here. 

Give!

Give!

2 Corinthians 9:7 AMP

[7] Let each one give [thoughtfully and with purpose] just as he has decided in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver [and delights in the one whose heart is in his gift]. 

Context is important. Here was Paul writing to the church in Corinth at the time, and there was an offering to be made to support the saints in Jerusalem. Reflect on this: it was not like the church in Corinth had all it needed, but it found time and grace to look outside itself to see the needs around it. The church also did not just speak or think about it; it made a plan, and also communicated that plan to Paul, and that was why Paul was writing this letter to appreciate the church for its charity and thoughtfulness to those in need. It is a message that needs to be spoken about more frequently: there will always be needs around us; what are we going to do about the needs we can meet? 

The church in Corinth was eager to give, and as Paul made clear, they were enthusiastic about giving, and their attitude had also inspired others too to join in. Let it be clear that people are watching; they may not be able to read my mind or judge my intentions and motives, but they definitely can see the things I do and how I do them. When the demand is made, do I dismiss it out of hand, or do I seek to know what the need is, and in what way I can help, no matter how small? The lesson of the feeding of the 5000 men, beside women and children, has taught us that nothing is too small in the hands of the Omnipotent God. 

If you let Him lead, and He touches that which is in your heart and hand, be sure that He will make it work. Like the boy's lunch of 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes, the reason why my heart is critical in this discussion is because it is the seat of all decisions. If it will be done right, the foundations are laid in the heart. The verse above makes that clear: first, the purpose is laid in the heart, before the hand and the purse align. When I know what is at stake, and the One I am obeying as I give, it becomes easier to do. The verse above asks me to give thought to what I do. Remember that God does not do carelessness; He is very precise: as His creation, I cannot live a life free from purpose and direction. 

All I do must point Him out as my Lord and Saviour. It cannot be done grudgingly or under compulsion. It cannot be done with an aim to get some form of public recognition or human applause. What would human approval do? Man is fickle; the same person who spoke so highly of you now can turn around to slander you the next moment. God is the only One who can be trusted to be faithful to all who are fully committed to Him. He loves one who gives cheerfully, and as the verse above presents it, whose heart is in his gift. This is powerful: your heart being in your gift means that you know why you do whatever you do. God rewards such commitment. Is your heart in what you do? God's time of favour is here. 

This Life!

This Life!

Psalms 23:4 AMP

[4] ¶Even though I walk through the [sunless] valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me.

There are some experiences that will cause men to doubt their sanity, salvation or service to God. There are times when the foundation of all that you think you know and have are tested. There would be seasons where you know that if not for God's grace and mercy, it is likely that you would have fallen apart. This earthly phase of life is quite unpredictable; we do not have a self-designed crystal ball to check and decipher what is ahead; we only have the help of the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us in life, as we journey to eternity. Why are the reflections noted above important? It is the context in which the verse above is placed. I may not be able to fully comprehend the weight of the verse above without looking at the whole story behind the verse. Recall that this is a psalm of David, the man God Himself referred to as a man after His own heart. 

This reality should have led to a special and exclusive experience of God, and truly it did, but not in the way the world would interpret it. David knew God personally and received favour that no other king of Israel did, yet that did not keep him from some pretty 'horrible' experiences, the way the world defines it. He was special, but that did not keep him from lions and bears. He was favoured, but that did not make his father or brothers like him or his company that much. He spent the early years of his life in solitude and with sheep, and maybe that was the reason why he found time to know and experience God. What are my current realities too? What are the things that are really uncomfortable now, but which are  the stepping stones that God is preparing for my divine visitation and earthly impact?  How do I learn to view my current reality, no matter how painful or complex, in the light of God's purpose and plan for me? 

I must know that being a child of God does not insure me from 'unpleasant' realities. Being a Christian is not an insurance policy against pain. After all, David made it clear at the start of the chapter from where this verse above is taken from that the Lord was his shepherd, and he would not want for anything. How does a man with such supply end up in the valley of the shadow of death? This tells me that following God is a personal decision that will lead me down paths that outsiders will never understand or embrace, but I do not live life for the applause of outsiders, but just to please the One who called me. I am to follow God wherever He may lead, because I am confident in His eternal plan for me. I take comfort in the truth that His love for me will not destroy me, but He will display power and splendor in and through me, so that the world will know that there is an Omnipotent God at work. If God's presence is with me, it will not matter where His hand leads; I have peace that all will end well. Do you have the same assurance? God's time of favour is here. 

Walk Right!

Walk Right!

Galatians 5:16 AMP

[16] But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts].

Paul introduced himself to the church in Galatia as an apostle, not commissioned or sent from men nor through the agency of man, but through Jesus Christ the Messiah, and God the Father, who raised Him from the dead. This introduction makes it clear what is the source and inspiration of the confidence and strength with which Paul operated, and how he was able to confront the dangers he saw in that church. This was a church in which he had spent time teaching about the principles, practices and standards of God's kingdom; the audience had initially accepted and embraced this, but over time, they had shifted allegiance from Christ and were now pursuing distractions. 

It is a warning to all of us who know, follow and serve Christ that we cannot afford to be careless. It is easier to pull down someone from a high position than it is to pull someone up to that high position. It is easier to stay off the commitment, dedication and focus that a surrender to Christ will demand from you. It takes absolutely nothing from you to live a life of compromise, but for a child of God who has seen the light, tasted the gift of the Holy Spirit, and seen God at work, it is a crime to pursue a gospel, message or lifestyle that is different from that which Christ has come to establish. The devil is smart; he offers 'viable' alternatives, but these are traps of trouble and ultimate destruction.

This is why the counsel in today's verse is very apt for our time. Habits only build up over time, and they will not happen overnight. It os what I consistently do that I become good at. It is what I focus on that I eventually master and become exceptional at. I must also be careful of who I walk with; the company I keep and the conversations I have will eventually impact eternity.  These are not decisions to be taken lightly or carelessly. The counsel in the verse above is to make it a habit to walk in the Holy Spirit. This is done by seeking His will and being responsive to His leading and direction given by His voice and Word. He will never contradict Himself, and He is not an author of confusion. 

Of course, making a choice means giving up on another alternative. The thing about the choice to follow God is that it leaves no room for any other alternative. I cannot do both at the same time. The devil seeks to steal, kill and destroy, and he does these well by keeping the focus on sin and man's areas of weaknesses. Sin keeps my eye on myself; surrender keeps my eye on the divine. It really helps that we have superior help from the One who has defeated sin, the devil, and death. That understanding keeps me focused on God and the hope that I am not ever alone. Now that I know what the options are, as well as the consequences of these options, what is the decision? Follow God or perish? God's time of favour is here.