The Same!

The Same!

Hebrews 13:8 AMPC

[8] Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today, [yes] and forever (to the ages).

It is very important to consider the context of the message in the verse above, considering the messages in the verses just before the one above. The writer of this book starts off with an encouragement to be hospitable to people, no matter their state in life at the moment. These could be poor people, those who are in prison, or strangers you do not know. It then goes on to address the importance of purity in marriage, and the judgement of God that is certain to come on all who do not honour the marriage covenant. We then read about the danger of greed, and why total dependence on God is the best decision a man can make. 

There is this very special message too about the power of spiritual mentorship, where we are enjoined to remember all who lived out the truths of the word of God, and became examples whose lives are worthy of respect and emulation. Why does this matter? This is where God's power and wisdom are beyond searching out or understanding. This is a God who has limitless resources and can decide how He wants to make impact in the earth that He formed, but He chose yet another part of His creation to be the instruments of the display of His power and glory. He has made men to be carriers of His power: through them, the aroma of His presence can be made manifest around the world. 

This is the context in which the verse above is to be understood. An immortal God places His premium on mortal, limited man. He shows off His unlimited power using limited vessels, so that all the glory is given to Him. The vessel knows that he is only empowered to do anything special because of the One who lives in him. This is why leaning my entire being on God is the best decision I could ever make. Trusting in His power, wisdom and goodness opens doors of impact that would otherwise be closed. There is no room for pride or self-sufficiency; how can I be filled with pride over an endowment I did not create? It is all God. That is what makes the verse above powerful. 

It is a message of hope, as well as a warning. No matter the changing times and seasons, God remains the same. No matter how many dispensations and generations have come and gone, God remains the same. Check out the stories of the men and women in the Bible and you will see amazing ways God has shown Himself in the lives of people. What He called sin under Adam and Jacob is still a sin under our current generation. What He also celebrated in the life of Abraham is still deeply appreciated in our own generation today. He does not change like shifting shadows. You can trust Him with your life, and He will surely bring you safe into eternal harbour. Would you trust Him with all you are and have? God's time of favour is here. 

This God!

This God!

Psalm 100:5 AMPC

[5] For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations.

We take our devotion today from a chapter of the bible titled 'A psalm of thanksgiving and for the thank offering'.  It is one of the few pslams that is not directly attributed to David. The title helps to clarify what the focus of the entire chapter is: a recognition of the nature and identity of this God, the amazing and wonderful things He has done, and a public declaration of the right response to all He has done. The fact that David is not mentioned at all means that it is someone who we may not know, but has been able to document his own personal encounter with this God. Do I truly know this God? Do you? Is all I know about Him just what someome else has written?

There is nothing wrong in starting with, or relying on someone else's testimony at the start, but I have to make my own. It helps to listen to someone else's encounters with God and hear the wonders of His power, but there is a place for my own encounters with God. It is what I know that will carry me through the many experiences that will definitely come my way. Reflect on the life of David: he did not always make the right decisions, and the journey of his life was not always pleasant and enjoyable, but he definitely had God on his side, with God declaring that He had found a man after His own heart. That is wonderful coming from God Himself. 

Can God say the same about me? Can He trust my heart that it will sing of His praise even when everything around me seems to be falling to pieces? Can He trust that my heart will rejoice more in Him than for all that I have or hold? Would my focus shift to the size of my problems, rather than fixing on the size, power, wisdom and capability of the God who made the universe, and holds all things under His control? He does not promise perpetually blue skies, or a life free of trials, tribulations and tough times, but He sure promises us His ever-abiding Presence and Power. When you do not have Him, it does not matter what other material thing you have acquired. 

When you do have Him, you have all you will ever need for all of life. When you have Him, He empowers you to be able to see Him at work in your life at all times. When you have Him, you personally experience His goodness. You can speak of His loving-kindness and tender mercies. That is the power of a personal encounter; I do not have to convince you just by word of mouth; my life will be the loudest evidence of my encounter with this God. He is not just good for now; He is good for all time here on earth, as well as for all of eternity. He is faithful and true; that is His nature. He has told you who He is; would you trust Him with your whole life? God's time of favour is here.

Right Treasure 2!

Right Treasure 2!

Matthew 6:20-21 AMPC

[20] But gather and heap up and store for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust nor worm consume and destroy, and where thieves do not break through and steal; [21] For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

As we saw yesterday, there is a need to keep an eye on the future, even as you strive to make impact here on earth. A good steward of resources does not eat everything he sees. Like a good farmer, there is a right balance between seed for sowing and seed for eating. You have immediate needs to be met, but you also have future needs that may arise. If you eat all you make or earn all at once, how do you plan for the uncertain future? Just think of the land of Egypt in the days of Joseph, and consider what would have become of the nations of the world at that time if Joseph had not overseen the storage of food in the years of plenty.

One major point noted in the devotion for yesterday was that as long as what you have and hold can be stolen or tampered with on earth, it has no eternal value. That is the start point for our reflection for today. Jesus also makes sure that He does not leave us without guidance on what is important and eternal. I note that in order to gather, heap up and store for myself treasures in heaven, the right way to prepare is from down here on earth. Pray, what do I look forward to in eternity if there has been no investment of time, resources and faith in the right direction and on the right things?  What will speak for me in eternity if there is no earthly preparation?

As I work down here, I must know that all my actions, decisions and interactions are all going towards my eternal destination. With God, nothing is ever wasted. I note that I am not expected to fold my arms and just watch the world pass me by, but I must use all of God that I know and have to change the world around me to look like the place I am headed. When we pray the Lord’s prayer, asking that the will of God be done on earth as it is done in heaven, this is a part of it. My actions and reactions must bring heaven down to earth and make the gospel of Jesus attractive to the people around me. It is by His light in me that the world is drawn to His light.

It really matters who the focus is. I am not distracted by the provisions and privileges the world gives me, because I know they are temporary. My heart is fixed on Jesus and all He has for me. He also knows the power and impact of a focused life, so He gives me all that I need for life and Godliness. He takes over my heart so that there is room for no one or anything else. If He is the treasure of my heart, He knows that He has control, and He can direct as He pleases. Let that be the first thing I sort out today: the control centre of my heart. If He is in charge, earthly and eternal impact are sorted. If He is not, nothing else will work. God's time of favour is here.

Right Treasure 1

Right Treasure 1!

Matthew 6:19 AMPC

[19] Do not gather and heap up and store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust and worm consume and destroy, and where thieves break through and steal.

We all have things that we treasure. We all spend time and resources on things that we consider as important and strategic to our overall wellbeing. What makes this even more interesting from the perspective of the world's system is that what I consider important does not have to make sense to you and vice versa. As a result of our different backgrounds and experiences, we have come to have peculiar priorities. We will do anything tp pursue and entrench these priorities, and also quarrel with anyone who tries to tamper or hinder these priorities. That is the way human nature is wired, and it will take grace for a man to set his heart on the right priorities. 

This is the foundation of the verse above. Let us consider the context and audience. As it has been pointed out several times over the past few weeks, you do not demand specific allegiance from someone who you do not have a measure of control or influence over. I cannot demand allegiance and submission from someone over whom I hold no power or sovereignty. The verse above is taken from the first Sermon of Jesus on the mountain, as He sat down with His disciples. Yes, the crowd was there listening to Him, but the bible passage was careful to note that having sat down, His disciples came to Him and He began to teach them. That was His audience. 

As it was then, so is it today. You may love the words and message in the verse above, but to be honest, if you belong to the uncommitted majority, this message is not for you. How do you encourage a man whose heart is set on the world's goods that there is a treasure bigger and better than the one he currently holds and owns? How do you encourage a mortal man to give up the known and visible for the invisible? The natural man is wired to live for the present; there must be an inner change for that man to understand the weight of the message in the verse above. Who am I? Who are you? Who is in charge of my heart: the Word, or the world's systems?

If Jesus could be advising His disciples this way, just picture the helplessness of those who do not even know Christ. If a disciple can struggle with possessions, picture the scenes for someone who has no allegiance to Christ. The counsel is simple: focus on the eternal, even whilst seeking a life of relevance and preparation down here. To store up treasure is to understand the long-term benefits; if all I care about is the here and now, I will have no interest in what tomorrow holds. I make sure not to gather or heap up treasures here on earth, where security is not guaranteed. As long as it can be stolen or tampered with on earth, it has no eternal value. What am I focused on? God's time of favour is here. 

Love, God's Version 3!

Love, God's Version 3!

Galatians 5:14 AMPC

[14] For the whole Law [concerning human relationships] is complied with in the one precept, You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.

As it has been pointed out in the devotion for yesterday, there is a version of love that can only be explained by the One who laid out the original version. If I am only interested in the social media version of anything, I sholud know that I will end up being distracted, as everyone is seeking validation or attention. This is the default setting for the fallen man, who seeks to drive attention to his or her own needs and wants first. It is when the natural man is satiated that it can begin to look outside itself. Unfortunately, the fallen human nature is never satisfied, which means that it will continue to be selfish and greedy. Who is in control: the flesh or the Spirit? 

It is hard to demand the right kind of love from a life that ijas yet to experience the right kind of life. This is why.Romans 8:8 says quite clearly that: 'So then those who are living the life of the flesh [catering to the appetites and impulses of their carnal nature] cannot please or satisfy God, or be acceptable to Him'. If I am still feeding or promoting the desires of the carnal nature, it is quite impossible for the Spirit to work in and through me. God cannot produce fruit in a life in which He has not been allowed to take root. As we say: 'what you sow is what you reap'. If the Spirit of God is given full control, He is able to produce the kind of fruit that shows off His presence and power. 

Love is one of the manifestations of the presence of God in a man's life. God is also invested in teaching His own people what living in, walking with and working for Him looks like. That is why the commandments given to Israel by God through Moses are the foundations on which today's extract is laid. He wanted a people to Himself, who would show off His glory. He wanted a people who would be carriers and reflections of His presence and personality.  When people come in contact with me, what are the impressions they first see? What are the impressions I also leave with them, so that they are inspired to seek the God I have come to represent? 

People are not likely to wait to hear what I have to say, but they will definitely see what I do and how I carry myself. God has laid out the commandments for Israel, but He then provides one sentence that encapsulates the whole of human interactions this way: 'love your neighbor as you do yourself '. If I will not hurt myself, I must seek not to hurt other people. If I am invested in seeking good for myself, I must do the same for other people. It is critical to consider that love is a divine instruction from a divine God for mortal human beings, but He also provides divine help so that mortal man can attain to the standard. His help is available; would you seek Him? God's time of favour is here. 

Love, God's Version 2!

Love, God's Version 2

Deuteronomy 6:5 AMPC

[5] And you shall love the Lord your God with all your [mind and] heart and with your entire being and with all your might.

At the start of the chapter from which the verse above is taken, we read these words: 'Now this is the instruction, the laws, and the precepts which the Lord your God commanded me to teach you, that you might do them in the land to which you go to possess it'. It is quite important to note the relationship God had with the people whom He was commanding through Moses. As it has been pointed out over the past few days, you do not place a demand on people who hold no allegiance to you. What will be the motivation to obey someone whom you do not know, follow, or recognise His power and authority? That has to be the starting point for any conversation relating to the verse above. 

It is also important to consider the audience. The instruction in the verse above was to the people of Israel, who had been chosen by God to be His treasured possession. These people had been in slavery for a long time, and they had been rescued by God and sent on a journey to the land that God had promised to their father Abraham. It must be noted that with God, every instruction He gives is a command. I can decide to take it as an option, choosing to follow what He says, or I can choose to follow my own way. However, I must know that for every action I take, there are consequences that follow. This is a conclusion that I must embrace.

The command in the verse above says I must LOVE the Lord my God. What would this mean? To love someone is to hold the person in sincere affection. When the love of a person fills your heart, there is no room for anyone or anything else. From God's perspective, it is impossible to love God and the opposite of all that God represents at the same time and to the same degree. As one of Jesus' instructions to His disciples makes clear, you cannot serve God and mammon. I note that the verse refers to the Lord my God. Is He my God, or just a God that you know from afar? Is He my God, or is He just a story I have heard about, but have no personal encounter with? 

The verse above then presents this complete picture of total submission: the love that God refers to here is the type that takes the whole of my mind, heart, my entire being, and all my might. What this verse makes clear again is that there is no room for half-measures. It has to take all of me, if it will be what God commands and desires. I cannot give God anything less than my all. He will not accept anything less than my all, and it will be best that I do not offer Him anything less than my all. Of course, with total obedience comes amazing blessings. If I give Him my all, He will be all I ever need. Would I love God the right way? God's time of favour is here.

The Word!

The Word!

John 1:14 AMPC

[14] And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacled (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) among us; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.

The depth of revelation and insight that has been laid out in the chapter from where the verse above is taken is awesome. The book of John starts with the immortal words: 'IN THE beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself'. We are not privileged to know what was before this declared beginning, but whatever or whenever it was, the Word was already there, in charge of the state of creation, whatever form it was. We do not know how time began apart from what has been recorded as the start of creation, but we are left in no doubt as to the identity, power and wisdom of that Word, and what He is capable of doing and accomplishing. 

As that same chapter makes clear, this Word is responsible for all of creation. There is nothing in all of creation that exists outside of the power and authority of the Word. All things we see, and the multitude of all that we are unable to see with our naked eyes, are all in existence simply at the command of God, as well as His express will. Check out all of creation: the sun you cannot stare at with your naked eyes; the glory of the planets we can see and the amazing ones we can only read about; the beauty of the starry hosts in heaven, as well as the changing times and seasons that bring in the heat and the cold in endless cycles, as long as the earth remains in place. 

All of the above and more point to the power, glory and undeniable prestige of the Word of God. How could such a glorious God, with all that power, come down to the level of mortal, fallen man? How could this awesome Creator  be able to identify with creation capable of rebellion and disobedience? This is why God can never be man; this is why the power and prestige of God, and His dealings with man, can never be understood by man's intellect or reasoning. This awesome God left all that glory and power in heaven, and took on human form, because He wanted to offer help to mortal man. He knew that the fallen human nature could never attain the righteousness required to please God, so He had to  identify with man in His state, so man could now aspire to His own state. 

That is why the Word became flesh. He became like us, so we could also become like Him. The latter part of the verse above could only come by a personal encounter with this God. He has done all He can to ensure that man becomes like Him, but He will not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. Many others saw the same person, but rejected Him to their eternal damnation. Many others saw the same person, followed and served Him, and their lives are messages we read about and apply to our own lives today.  As it was then, so is it now. He seeks to show Himself strong in the lives of all who accept Him. How do you respond? God's time of favour is here.