Sow Right!

Sow Right!

Hosea 10:12 AMP

[12] Sow with a view to righteousness [that righteousness, like seed, may germinate]; Reap in accordance with mercy and lovingkindness. Break up your uncultivated ground, For it is time to seek and search diligently for the Lord [and to long for His blessing] Until He comes to rain righteousness and His gift of salvation on you.

Context to the verse above will help. Israel was God's chosen people, and they had been given benefits that they did not labour for, or earn by good behaviour. In fact, they were people you would describe as being habitually ungrateful. They would stay loyal as long as there was food, water and the good things of life, but at the slightest pressure or lack, they would rebel and murmur against God. The great thing about God was that He did not immediately lash out against them in anger, but He sent several prophets to them, warning them about the danger in their ways and giving them opportunities to return to God in repentance. 

As we know, Israel would not heed or return to God, and in line with His clear and unambiguous warnings, He applied the punishment that was due to Israel for its ways. Israel that was a luxuriant and prolific vine became a land that bullt altars to Baal and other idols. The heart of the people became divided, and they followed after whatever caught their fancy. This is the clear warning I must heed: comfort must be well managed so it does not become the pathway to destruction. How did a land that God helped become so disconnected from the same God who brought them this far? How do I guard against making the same mistakes Israel made? 

As the verse above makes clear, if the end goal is that which glorifies God, I will be very careful about what I sow and how I sow. The best seeds in an unprepared ground wi yield no harvest. The bad seed in the most fertile ground will also end up the same way. There must be harmony between the seed and the ground in which it is to be sown. The verse above says that I must sow with a view to righteousness, if righteousness like seed must also germinate. You get back that which you put into the ground. I can look forward to reaping in accordance with mercy and lovingkindness once the seed is sown right. Is my life right? Is my heart and all it seeks to offer right? 

As the latter part of the verse above makes clear, it is time to break up the uncultivated ground, and prepare it to receive the good seed that promotes righteousness. God is always invested in doing amazing things for His people, but, as we have always said, God will not force Himself on anyone, or go against the exercise of my freewill. It is a willing sacrifice that sits well for Him to make Himself manifest. He wants to send His rain of righteousness on us all, but we must tune our lives to Him, seeking to obey Him at all times. He is limited by unyielded vessels; if we long for His move, and align with the conditions for His move, He will definitely show up. Would we let Him in and let Him work? God's time of favour is here. 

God's Nature!

God's Nature!

Psalm 30:5 AMPC

[5] For His anger is but for a moment, but His favor is for a lifetime or in His favor is life. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.

This is one of the psalms attributed to David, a man that God Himself referred to as a man after His own heart. That reference is not one to be taken for granted, because it reveals the truth that mortal man, even in his human cover, is able to know the mind of God, and can access the necessary grace that is needed to walk this walk the right way. What makes this even more interesting is the fact that this was not yet the dispensation of the Holy Spirit given after Jesus had come to the earth, died and was resurrected. In most instances, the Spirit of God would come upon men for a reason or for a season, and for a specific assignment. This is what makes the testimony of God about David all the more special. 

Like David then, so is it today. God has not changed the mode of communication, or the channel of access to Him. He is still the same God who spoke to Moses face to face; the same God who Enoch walked with and was just taken away, and the same God who seeks to show Himself strong in the lives of all who sincerely and truthfully seek Him. Like David,I must be aware that God wants to have a special relationship with me. This is not one where I am forcing myself on an unwilling or resistant God; His delight is in relating with His creation, because we are the only part of His creation made in His own image and likeness, and therefore naturally inclined to bring attention to His power deposited in us.

This is why the message in the verse above is timely for us today. There is a danger in taking extreme positions, where we completely deny or ignore God's power, or we are extremely fearful of what we hear of Him that we keep our distance. Both extremes are unpleasant. What God seeks from us is a reverential fear borne out of a deep knowledge and personal experience of Him. When you have truly met and interacted with this God, you do not want to do anything to displease Him. This is not first from a sense of fear, but of love. Let it be known that the same God is indeed both the Lion and the Lamb; He can tear apart and destroy completely, but He can also heal, restore and secure eternally. 

Truly, it is because His anger lasts for a moment that we are able to stay alive till today. If God were to mark iniquity, no one will be able to stand. There are many reasons why weeping may happen or persist; one could regret past actions, or simply be weighed down by life's challenges, but whatever the reason may be, God never leaves His own alone. Pain may come, but His presence never leaves. No matter how hard life gets, I must always remember that nothing down here was built to last forever. The night may look like it will never end, but as long as God is on the throne, be sure that joy will surely follow the night. Do you know this God? God's time of favour is here. 

Helping Others!

Helping Others!

John 13:34 AMP

[34] I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another.

Galatians 6:2 AMP

[2] Carry one another’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the requirements of the law of Christ [that is, the law of Christian love].

The two verses above are connected; one is by the ultimate discipler, and the other is by one of the many disciples of the discipler. The discipler spent time on earth, laying down the principles and practices of His kingdom; He also spent time raising men that would live out these principles, and became visible and audible testimonies to the power and impact of these principles. Jesus is no longer in the flesh down here on earth  but those who He has raised as His own and breathed on, are still here on earth. How would Jesus be made known, and how would men be drawn to Him if there was no one to reveal what He looks, speaks, walks and works like? 

This is where the disciple comes in. For all who have come to the saving knowledge of Jesus, there is an expected lifestyle that reflects new ownership, new pursuits and new priorities. We now live by different standards. Whatever it was that was important in the old life no longer holds the same attraction in the new life. That change of direction is really non-negotiable. I cannot successfully play both sides: please God and please the world at the same time. My new ownership places a demand on me to look, speak and relate like the One I claim to know and follow. It must be clear that the world knows those which are its own, and that is why being a true follower of Christ cannot be hidden.

The discipler has laid down the standard. In the account of John, a new commandment was laid down, which is that those who know and follow Him must love others the same way He loves them. Truly, you can only show off that which you have, and you can only take out from that which you have in abundance to bless other people. If I am still under the yoke and influence of the old nature, it will be near impossible to love others the way Jesus has commanded here. Before Jesus, you could get away with the minimum, but in this new dispensation of grace, the demand is higher. I must look outside myself to be a blessing to other people. I must see others in the light of how Jesus sees them.

One thing that is clear is that Jesus will not demand from me that which He has not first supplied sufficient grace for. As the disciple lays out in Galatians, I am expected to help carry other people's burdens. It does not mean that I do not have my own burdens, but I have been set free from the burden of selfishness and given a burden of love for other people. It is only a Jesus-broken man that can see as Jesus sees. As I seek to be a blessing to other people, God will also raise men that will be blessings to me too. Not to forget that helping others is one of the laws of Christ; if I am His, I will live by His laws. Are you His? Am I? Can He command obedience from me? God's time of favour is here. 

Fear- Good and Bad!

Fear-Good and Bad!

Proverbs 1:7 AMP

[7] The [reverent] fear of the Lord [that is, worshiping Him and regarding Him as truly awesome] is the beginning and the preeminent part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; But arrogant fools despise [skillful and godly] wisdom and instruction and self-discipline.

It is actually quite instructive to note that the book of proverbs lays out itz purpose very clearly in the first few verses. It speaks about the writer, as well as the usefulness of the words in the book. Solomon the king of Israel and the son of David is credited with most of the book, and this is a man that God blessed with wisdom beyond his years. Reflect on what he said about these proverbs: to know skillful and Godly wisdom and instruction; to discern and comprehend the words of understanding and insight; to receive clear instruction in wise behavior and the discipline of wise thoughtfulness, rghteousness, justice, and integrity.  

Tell me, if a man is skilled and knowledgeable in all the areas above, what else does he lack?  If I am able to understand the words of insight, and be able to comprehend Godly instruction, then I am set up for a life of impact and relevance. However, there is a key that defines access to all God is and has, and that is laid out in the introduction to the book, as well as the verse above: this is a personal encounter with the God who is wisdom personified Himself, and who freely gives of Himself to all who aak Him. This is the power as well as the danger of freewill; you get to make a choice of who to submit to or what to pursue, and live with the consequences of your choice. 

As the introduction to the book also makes clear, the wise make a choice to hear and increase their learning, whilst the foolish person takes the opposite direction. The wise also acquire the skill to lead others to the truth, but the foolish person will stick to the folly of his ways and lead other undecided people astray. This is why you cannot explain Godly wisdom without fear. Ordinarily, fear is a strong, unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm, whether real or imagined, but when it comes to God, there is a good fear. This is a deep sense of awe, reverence, and respect for God's supreme power, holiness, and authority. 

We call both fear, but both have different origins, targets and eternal destinations. One cripples; the other sets you free to worship God. One limits; the other constantly reminds you that you have a Father who loves to see you come before Him regularly. That good fear is healthy for anyone who wants a life of purpose and fulfillment. To have no fear of God is to be in danger of eternal destruction. It is arrogant fools who despise skillful and Godly wisdom. As always, God does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. If I fear Him, I have nothing else to fear. God's time of favour is here. 

Right Help!

Right Help!

Psalms 121:1-2 AMP

[1] I will lift up my eyes to the hills [of Jerusalem]— From where shall my help come? [2] My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

The writer of this psalm is not indicated, but the message in the psalm is clear. The title of the psalm reads as: 'a song of ascents or degrees' which is generally interpreted to reflect pilgrimage or spiritual progression. It presents a picture of someone fully aware of who he is, where he is headed, and how best to get there.  That is the first impression that jumps at you in the first line of the extract above. Jerusalem was surrounded by hills, and the writer must have been in or around theae hills. The hills offered physical protection, but I am sure tha writer knew that the hills alone could not do the job of safety and security well. 

The Judean hills provided a natural fortress, and for a nation quite used to wars, there was an advantage to being able to see the enemy advancing. Like the writer, we could also be tempted to trust in physical measures we have put in place to secure what we have or know, but we must also realise that the life we have now cannot be truly secured by that which is also created. How can that which is temporal and ephemeral provide eternal and error-proof safety and security? How can the created itself secure just another thing that is created? Only that which is eternal can guarantee results that are also eternal. What fuels your hope? 

It is easy to be impressed by the size, range and reach of these hills. The world knows how to sell that which it wants you to focus on. It will create the problem, and also sell you the solution at a higher cost. This is why there is a need to shift focus from that which the world is making noise about, to what God is saying to us today: size and reach alone do not answer the question about true help. Help generally means to give assistance, support, or make a task easier for someone, which could tempt one into thinking that this help is only intended to make things easier for me, as I could do it by myself. That is the world view of help. 

There is the kind of help that comes from God which is detailed in the latter part of the extract above. This is the One who has authority over all that has been made, and is in control of the affairs of men. It does not matter how high or deep the problem is; the One called the Ancient of Days has been in charge of all long before the problems arose. 

My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. His own help does not wait for me to earn or deserve it before He gives it; after all, what could I have done to earn His gifts of salvation and eternal life? He gives grace in fullness,; He shows mercy in abundance, and He saves from danger even when I am not aware that there is a problem. That is the kind of help that I have access to: timely, complete, unbreakable. Do you know this God? God's time of favour is here  

God's Way!

God's Way!

1 Peter 5:6 AMPC

[6] Therefore humble yourselves [demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation] under the mighty hand of God, that in due time He may exalt you,

As is the custom, we consider the identity of the writer of this letter, and the audience to whom it is written. Peter introduced himself as an apostle, a special messenger of Jesus Christ. We know how he started: a simple fisherman who became the spokesman of the apostles and a bold witness to the saving and healing power of Jesus. He was a timid man whose name was Simon, and the early part of his life shows that he was a timid man, easily blown about by the wind, but following a proper encounter with Jesus, he was renamed as Peter, which means 'a rock'. The events that followed his life gave him the confidence to introduce himself this way. 

A personal encounter with Jesus is the basic and non-negotiable minimum requirement to be able to speak confidently about the principles of the kingdom you claim to be a part of. How can I encourage other people in the path I have not walked, unless God gives me the right words? How does my life provide comfort to others, if I have not first submitted to the dealings of God. The audience of the letter by Peter were described as elect exiles of the dispersion who were scattered abroad in different regions. They were going through difficult times, but there was a comfort in knowing that they had been chosen and foreknown by God the Father and consecrated by the Spirit. 

It is these dealings of God that empower a man to stand in the face of tough times and to keep himself under God's mighty hand. I must always remember that no one is able to come to Jesus unless the Father draws such a person. Where then is the place of pride or a sense of self-sufficiency? How does a man ever think that he has all he needs for life and Godliness all by himself? As we are human beings first and foremost, we learn to be daily dependent on the grace of God that helps a man keep himself humble under God's mighty hand. What does a man have that was not first given to him by God? Which of us can by manipulation or sheer force of will add a cubit to our height? 

The verse above also reminds me that there are things that God will not do for me. He has given sufficient grace for me to know Him and His standards. He will not force His will on me but I must be sure that if I surrender to Him, there is no limit to what He can do in and through me. It is my job to humble myself; it is in God's time to decide to exalt me. In fact, God will not extensively use a man who is unable to humble himself. Mine is to see myself in God's light, and it is left to God to decide what He will do with me. After all, if I am His, then I must live for His glory. Anything else is a waste of time. God's time of favour is here. 

Truth!

Truth!

John 8:32 AMPC

[32] And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.

How do you know the Truth? One way to look at this is to first consider how it is defined, which will help us to know what it looks or sounds like, and what it does not look or sound like. One definition of truth' is 'the quality of being true'. A definition of 'true' itself is: something 'matching facts and reality instead of being false'. It would appear that you cannot really understand truth without knowing what is true and what is false. Truth from the definitions above will be something that is absolute, and not capable of multiple meanings or diverse interpretations. If something is only true in certain contexts or situations, then it will be hard to argue that that thing is true at all times. 

This is why it is also important to consider the foundation to the verse above. This was at the time of the Feast of Tabernacles, a season of thanksgiving for the harvest, as well as the remembrance of God's protection during the Israelites' journey through the wilderness. Jesus had spent time teaching the crowd about the principles of the kingdom He had come to establish, and had laid down some truths that were absolute and beyond argument or contention. One of these truths is the clarity of God's instructions when it comes to sin. He does not leave us in any doubt as to what He calls sin. Covetousness or adultery are a few of the actions of man that are clearly laid out as sin by God. 

Another truth from the background to the verse above is the truth of man's fallen nature. The best of us at one time were sinners who were headed to eternal damnation, but the truth of God's mercy, revealed in His plan of redemption for all of mankind, shows us a path back to God. Another truth that is made clear in the background to this verse is the truth of eternal judgment for all who still reject all the other truths that have been laid out above. If Jesus has done all He can to save, redeem, restore and secure eternal life for us, how can we turn around and blame Him for the eternal consequences of the decision we made to reject His free gift of salvation? 

The truths above are all absolute. You cannot argue against any of them. There is now this final truth that binds them all together, and that is the Truth introduced to us in the verse above. There is a Person that makes all these truths real, and it is only in and by Him that we receive grace to accept all the other truths, and align our lives with His demands. This is where the truth of personal choice comes in; having heard all these truths, how do I respond? Like the Jews who believed in Him in those days, so do we need to make a decision today. Only by a personal encounter with this Truth can I receive grace to live daily in line with these other truths. He is all we need for the times we are in. Do you know Him? God's time of favour is here.