Do Good!

Do Good!

So then, as occasion and opportunity open up to us, let us do good [morally] to all people [not only being useful or profitable to them, but also doing what is for their spiritual good and advantage]. Be mindful to be a blessing, especially to those of the household of faith [those who belong to God's family with you, the believers].” Galatians 6:10 AMPC

Paul introduced himself as an apostle, a special messenger, appointed; commissioned and sent out by and through Jesus Christ the Messiah and God the Father, and not from any special interest group. This distinction is very important, as your allegiance would usually define your pursuits and priorities. Paul was also writing a letter to the churches in Galatia, and he was seeking to entrench and embed the principles of faith over just labour or hard work in his audience. These were people who had been told all their lives that one had to earn whatever he got, and there were men who sought to enforce the principles of the law over and above those of faith in Christ. 

This message of salvation that only required faith from me is not always an easy one to accept, but the lesson from the life of Paul was that if God could save a man with such a past, then no one is beyond God's mercy. If God could pay such a high price for sin, it means that He hates sin. Anyone who will seek to walk with God must therefore have the same attitude to sin. His mercy does not tolerate iniquity; that is what His blood was shed on the cross to deal with. The blood is now the channel by which mortal man lives right and acceptably before the immortal God. It is by the blood that strength to live right and do good is provided. 

It is by the blood that people from all walks of life, irrespective of race, colour or gender are made acceptable to God. I have now become a family of believers, saved by grace, preserved by mercy, and headed in the same direction as other believers. We have become people sowing into an eternal future with God; with the clear understanding that whatever we sow is what we will reap. We are careful about our daily actions, reactions and decisions. If I sow in the field of my natural desires, I must expect to gather the harvest of death. In the same way, if I sow in the field of the Spirit, then I can expect to gather the harvest of eternal life.

It is this understanding that defines the verse above. I know who I am, whose I am, where I am headed, and what I have been planted to do. I take advantage of every occasion and opportunity to do good to all people. I am very careful to be a blessing to everyone who comes in contact with me, not from a place of compromise or complicity, but from a place of clarity of who I am in God and what He has asked me to do. The good I do must first be felt by those who are my family members: the same people I have been linked to by the blood of Jesus. Charity has to begin at home; home is where Jesus dwells. Are you part of the family of Jesus? God's time of favour is here. 

True Life!

True Life!

The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. John 10:10 KJV

Jesus had running battles with the Jewish leaders of His time. He constantly challenged them on the principles and practices that they sought to enforce, whilst also teaching about the principles and practices of God's kingdom and rules. Jesus used parables to teach the crowd about these principles, and the verse above is one of such parables, teaching about the good shepherd and the alternative, who is referred to as the thief. The first thing I note about the identity of both the good shepherd and the thief is that both are known. The one cannot pretend to be the other; both of them have their pursuits and priorities clearly stated in the parable.

The parable refers to the one who enters into the sheepfold by any other way except by the door is the thief. Why is this important? To enter by the door is to be known to the owner of the house and the owner of the sheep. The One who owns the sheep loves them, and has provided safety and security for the sheep, and appointed a shepherd over them. It is to this shepherd, known to the porter, that the door is opened. This shepherd has spent time with the sheep, to the point where the sheep have come to recognise his voice. This shepherd is able to call each sheep by name, lead them out, find pasture for them, and also keep them safe from both natural weather elements and natural predators. 

Of course, the thief does not even care to know anything about any sheep. The thief just needs quick satisfaction, so he does not mind killing the sheep to get something to eat. He does not care about the safety or well-being of the sheep because he has no investment in their welfare. He does not know the story behind any of the sheep, so he is not concerned if they perish or survive. The sheep know that the thief is a stranger, and they do not know the stranger, so they will not follow him. It has to be noted that the sheep is at the heart of the shepherd. The sheep is the one for whom the shepherd is willing to lay down his life. 

Tell me - what could be the motivation for a man to face a lion or a bear, for the sake of protecting sheep? That is what Jesus did for us too: like sheep, we could not keep out of trouble, so Jesus came and took on the weight of sin, so we could be free to follow and serve Him with all our hearts. His love for us knows no boundaries; He still paid the full price, with no guarantees that we would accept His gift. That is what makes Him worth it; even in His Omniscience, knowing that some will reject Him to the end, He still offers us all access to life that does not end. He gives abundant life; the thief only seeks to take and destroy life. Now that you know the options, who would you choose to follow? God's time of favour is here.

Right Example!

Right Example!

Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you. Philippians 4:9 AMPC

This is a letter written by both Paul and his protege Timothy. The message in the verse above is first and foremost personal. Paul was the one who found the young man Timothy and mentored him, until the boy was able to stand and defend the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. This boy was left in Ephesus to carry out the work of ministry, and he performed creditably well. The question for me is whether there are lives that are being mentored by my examples of consistency, faithfulness to service, and commitment to the standards of God's kingdom. It is never about well I speak, or the standard of outward performance; it is about inner conviction that drives outward impact.

Paul and his protege Timothy described themselves as bond servants of Christ Jesus. They knew that their physical conditions or limitations were not limits to what God could do through them. They understood that as long as they were submitted to the authority of the One who called and set them apart for His use, they would be fine. They did not allow phyiscal limitations impact the power and spread of the gospel of Christ. Like them, I am also called to be a witness to the truths of Jesus Christ, the power of His resurrection, and the grace and help that His Spirit now inspires and sustains in all who surrender totally to Him. He never leaves His own alone to fend for themselves. 

It is in that spirit that the verse above should be viewed. Paul and Timothy were writing to God's consecrated people Philippi, with the leaders also. As we saw in the example of Timothy who Paul mentored to spiritual authority, so did Paul encourage the entire church to hold on to the teachings of Jesus that Paul had taken time to lay out in that church. Paul could say quite authoritatively that his life was an example that could be emulated. He could say with confidence that his life was patterned after the standards of Jesus. Those ars high words coming from a mortal man too. We recall the example of Elijah, also a mortal man, who prayed, and God shut the heavens for three and a half years. 

Different generations and dispensations, but still the same God. He is still seeking men through whom He can shine forth and attract men to His kingdom. Paul charged his audience to practice what they had learned and received and heard and seen in him. Check out the consistency in His life: there was no difference in what he taught in public and what he practiced in private. There were no inconsistencies. That is the power of a consistent life. He could say with confidence that if his audience could model their way of living on his examples, they would be fine. That is deep; can God recommend me to His church as an example to emulate? God's time of favour is here.

Right Relationships!

Right Relationships!

“Confess to one another therefore your faults (your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins) and pray [also] for one another, that you may be healed and restored [to a spiritual tone of mind and heart]. The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working].” James 5:16 AMPC

We recall that this letter written by James, who described himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, was addressed to the twelve tribes of Israel which were now scattered abroad among the Gentiles in the dispersion. Through trials and tough times due to their faith in Christ, these people were being persecuted. Rather than stay and maybe die, some chose to leave, but everywhere they went, they made sure to spread the good news of Jesus. That is the foundation of the verse above: men and women who chose ministry over convenience. Does this in any way describe me? Do I focus on the pain? 

Can I see God at work even in the pain? New lands, new neighbours, new church people too but the message was still the same old one: the blood of Jesus is the connecting thread that links us all together. The blood was shed for all of mankind, with no regard for race, colour or gender. We all come to the saving knowledge of Jesus, and we have all become one family under God. Whatever it is that was a distinguishing or special feature for anyone is now no longer as important as the single most important person who matters the most; that is Jesus - who is taking us into the land of promise. We are al one under the cover of the blood and headed for heaven. 

As people wtih such a connection, the verse above is quite relevant. If indeed I know that I am one with other people who are linked by blood, there must be no secrets. If I am under stress or struggling with an issue, I must be able to speak to a fellow traveller without the fear of shame or rumour mongering. If all of us are pulling in the same direction, it sure makes the load lighter and the burden easier to bear. The verse above gives you a window into the early church and what God's standard is for the people who are called by His name. We speak to each other freely; we pray for each other wholeheartedly; we encourage each other without pretence. That is what God desires. 

It is also instructive to note that the verse above ties this show of love to healing and restoration. You may wonder how. When there is bitterness or envy, picture the toll that will take on the spiritual health of the people. Then picture a people who relate in love, and see how quickly God moves in their midst. It does not mean that there will not be minor disagreements, but they know that God is not the author of confusion, and He will not move where He is not given room to show His power. Picture the power of the prayers of these united people. That is what draws men's attention to this God. Do I have the right relationship with other people? Does God know me as His own? God's time of favour is here. 

Good Plans!

Good Plans!

For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord, ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 AMP

As you read the verse above, remember the context. Jeremiah had sent a letter to the rest of the elders in exile and to the priests, the prophets and all the people whom the king of Babaylon, Nebuchadnezzar had taken into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. Judah was God's own people, yet when the nation rebelled against God's express commands, He punished them in line with His Word, and after several warnings. God in His mercy does not just destroy; He will plead and warn, and then punishment will come. As I consider all these, are there warnings from God I need to heed today? Are there decisions I need to take today to avert trouble?

Consider also that both the king and queen mother, as well as the eunuchs, the princes, the court officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen and the smiths, were not spared from the trouble that rebellion against God's instructions had brought upon Judah. I recall that Daniel, a man who knew His God and was ready to defend his faith, was not spared from exile. The three Hebrew boys were also not spared, and they had to defend their faith in a land of bondage. Before you think that you are smart about sin, please remember that the patience of God does not mean acquiescence or acceptance of sin. Be careful of what you consider acceptable. 

God will not lower His standards for anyone, no matter who it is. If He did not spare His own people from the consequences of their rebellion, be sure that He will punish every unrepented sin. What makes this even more poignant is that God does not leave us without guidance on who He is and what He expects. Even creation testifies to the power of God. Now that I have been made aware of His standards, I have no excuse for sin. To make matters even more interesting, in the midst of the pain, we read the verse above. How could a God who dealt harshly with His people's sin still be this nice? How does this message of hope sit within the context of punishment? 

This is why God is not man. His Omniscience makes it impossible for man to deceive God, and He is able to foresee all that is coming and plan appropriately for it. The place of man's first sin was also the place where God's plan of salvation for all mankind was made manifest. His mercy transcends generations and dispensations. Even though many generations were going into exile, God did not forget or abandon them. He sent this word of encouragement and hope to the exiles: I have plans of peace and well-being for you. Your future is secure. It is still the same God; as long as I do not toy with sin, and I am His, my present reality does not look in any way like my eternal reality. Even when I do wrong, His mercy is there to restore me, if I truly repent. What an awesome God. Do you know Him? Have you met Him? God's time of favour is here. 

Sustained!

Sustained!

Cast your burden on the Lord [releasing the weight of it] and He will sustain you; He will never allow the [consistently] righteous to be moved (made to slip, fall, or fail) Psalm 55:22 AMPC

We read from another psalm of David, a man God testified to as a man after His own heart. We do not immediately know what was going on with David at this time, but as you read the entire chapter from where the verse above is taken, you find him struggling with the noise of the enemy, the oppression and threats of the wicked, and their persecution. You may ask why a man after God's heart should have such nasty experiences, but I am yet to find a place in the bible where God promises His own a life free of trials and tough times. As we read in the verse above, these were words of a man loved by God, yet there were burdens that needed to be dealt with. How does God want me to deal with these burdens?

The verse above charges me to CAST my burden upon the Lord. There is this brief addition to the verse, where it says I should release the weight of it to God. It is like telling me to let go of the weight and allow God deal with the heavy parts. I note quite carefully that it does not say that the burden is totally removed from me; I now have the Most High God helping me with the weight of it. How do you explain the bit about God sustaining me, if the burden is already taken away? Why does God promise me comfort in all my tribulations if there were no hard times to deal with? He does not say He will immediately remove the burden, but that He will hold my hand whilst I carry the burden. 

Could it be that God is more interested in building my capacity and character, rather than my earthly comfort? Could it be that this is His own way of preparing me the right way for the prize that is ahead? His Omniscience makes it clear that He holds and knows the future, and He also knows the right steps that will bring me to the place He has prepared for me. If there was no pressure, how would I value the pleasure at the end? If there was no cross for Jesus, there would have been no crown of life for us who hold on to the end. I must also keep at the back of my mind that some burdens may be temporary; every experience is a lesson God seeks to use to teach me dependence on Him.

Paul had a thorn in His flesh, but the grace of God sustained him through it all. The thorn remained in place, but grace sustained Paul. As the verse above also makes clear, God is able to hold the righteous up in His hand, so that they are not moved. Life's experiences have a way they can lead to compromise or giving up. Picture Job at the depths of despair and depression, losing all he had. However, he knew that God was with him, even in the pits, and we see how his life ended. Even when you do not see physical signs, let the joy of having God on your side keep your heart stable. God is able to preserve to the end all who hold on to Him to the end. Would you? God's time of favour is here. 

Live Right!

Live Right!

“Rescue any who need to be saved, as you would rescue someone from a fire. Then with fear in your own hearts, have mercy on everyone who needs it. But hate even the clothes of those who have been made dirty by their filthy deeds.” Jude 1:23 CEVUK

Depending on which source you read, Jude or Judas here was one of the earthly half-brothers of Jesus, but he understood the message. He introduces himself as a servant of Jesus Christ and a brother of James too. It did not matter what had happened in the past or what had brought them to this point; the critical bit was the assignment of missions that God had committed into the hands of Jude. Do I know who I am, who has called me and what I have been called to, or am I still stuck of family genealogies and history? Am I distracted by a desire for phyiscal influence at the expense of spiritual impact? Am I content to be seen as a servant, or am I invested in recognition and respect?

Jude knew his call, and he wrote this letter to those who are called and chosen, dearly loved by God the Father, and separated and kept for Jesus Christ. Reflect on this: the love of God brought salvation to all mankind, but it is only those who commit their lives to Jesus who are truly kept safe. God offers Himself to all, but He will not force Himself on all. As the bible also says: “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God”. As many as would come to the saving knowledge of Jesus, they have access to help and resources that will keep them on the right path. Before I start to claim, do I belong to the category of people covered by the insurance that Jesus' death and resurrection provide?

For those who have come to Jesus, there is a call to be different; to stand out; to fight for the standards of the faith; to enforce the rules and practices of the kingdom to which we belong. When Jude was writing to this letter, he referenced this when he said: "contend for the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints". We have been given a precious and free gift: salvation. It comes with its own demands, and it will ask for commitment and discipline. When it comes to this contention, there is no fence to sit on. You are either all in or all out. In the times we live in today, there are mockers and those who walk after their own ungodly lusts, yet God is counting on me to uphold the principles and practices of His kingdom here on earth. 

How do I do these things without help? How do I discern without His guidance? There are people to help from afar; there are people you need to get down and help up. As the verse above makes clear, we are to rescue any who needs to be saved, as one would rescue someone from a fire. That is how pressing the need for salvation is. We are to also have and show mercy to all who need it, but keeping fear in our own hearts, as we deal with the world we have been placed in. As the verse above also makes clear, helping others nust not come at the expense of eternal security. Avoid anything that polutes; God will not lower His standards for anyone, no matter how good the intentions were. May God help us to live right. God's time of favour is here.