Empowered!

Empowered!

Philippians 4:13 AMP

[13] I can do all things [which He has called me to do] through Him who strengthens and empowers me [to fulfill His purpose—I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency; I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses me with inner strength and confident peace.]

Paul was writing to the church in Philippi, and as is the custom, it is pertinent to note the audience he was speaking to. In this instance, Paul and Timothy were addressing the saints, including the overseers and deacons. The message in the verse above is part of a larger message intended for those who had made a decision to follow Jesus. It needs constant emphasis to note that demands are placed on those who claim to know and follow Jesus. The decision is always first and foremost personal, and the devotion to that decision always remains personal, but the fruits of the decision cannot remain personal. At some point, the benefits of my relationship with God must flow out to impact the lives of other people. The personal decisions I make, and the commitment to devotion and service will speak of my life's priorities. This was part of the message of Paul to this church in this letter: 

Paul could say he had come to the point where nothing moved him anymore, because he knew the One backing him up. We now know the story of Paul and his many trials and tough times, and when you read verses like the one above, you have to wonder if it is the same man with these 'bitter' experiences that could speak with such clarity and confidence about God. This is what happens when mortal man gets it right with an immortal God. There is a supply that cannot be mentally explained. There is a supply that man cannot turn off or limit. There is a supply that cannot be fully explained by logic, reasoning, elocution, or diction. It is a supply and support system that makes a man go higher, further, farther and longer than he could have done under other circumstances. God is the only One who can guarantee such support and supply for as long as life exists. Would you trust Him for all of life? God's time of favour is here. 

Response!

Response!

Romans 5:3-4 KJV

[3] And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; [4] and patience, experience; and experience, hope:

As we saw in our reflection of a few days ago, the season we are in calls for something that this world cannot give you. You have to see with the eye of faith if you will rejoice in the face of trials and tribulations. The verse above also has the same theme, and it seems to me that God would prepare us for all that is ahead. He does not want me to be unprepared for all that this race calls for; ahead of the seasons that may come, God wants to know if I am on His side. The verse above speaks to specific people who are justified by faith, and have come into peace with God through Jesus Christ. These are people who have access into unprecedented grace, and can rejoice in hope of the manifestation of the glory of God. Does the above describe me in any way? Is there anything at all in me that looks anything like what has been described here? 

Pause and reflect: have I been justified by faith? Have I come into the new life that Jesus was made manifest to give to whoever will accept Him as Lord and Saviour? Do I have this hope that no matter what today holds, there is a tomorrow that is greater and better than anything I have ever seen. Pause and reflect: what could make a man rejoice in the face of trials and tribulations? There has to be something the man sees or knows that is not visible to others. The part that always makes me wonder at the mighty works of God is joy in the face of tough times. It is hard, but you rejoice because you know it is for a short while. You cry sometimes, but at all times, there is a presence that assures you that all is well. It is clear that we are not speaking of anything that this world produces but something only an eternal God can initiate and sustain. 

That is why I can rejoice in the face of trials and tribulations. I can laugh at the storm because Jesus is my boat. I can rejoice in tribulations because, as the verse above makes clear, there is a working of patience that God knows I need for whatever it is He will bring my way. If I ask God to teach me patience, how else would He do this if I do not learn from tough times? As I go through these experiences, no matter how unpleasant, I am stretched. The things that I did not know I could do become easier. The things I used to struggle with become easier. The pain and discomfort that sometimes accompany life's pursuits become bearable, because God is in and with me. The end really justifies the means. Because He lives, I have all I need for life and Godliness. At the end, I reign with Him. This hope keeps me sane and focused. What about you? Do you know this God, or better still, does this God know you as His own? God's time of favour is here.

Grace!

Grace!

2 Corinthians 9:8 KJV

[8] And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.

In all situations, it is important to keep in mind the reason why you do whatever it is that you do. Motives are important; God does not first look at the action; he judges motives and intentions. It is man that makes a case out of what he sees or thinks he knows. At a time in the lives of this church in Corinth, the people had made a commitment to sacrifice some of their income to support the ministry of the gospel at the time. Paul was careful to note that this was not an extortion, or an attempt to guilt trip the people into giving up their hard-earned money, but it was a gift that came from their hearts, and had been previously committed to. Reflect on this: is there anything I consider too big to give up for the sake of the gospel? This is not so much about money, but about priorities. Of all the things that God has blessed me with, what do I consider to be the most precious that I cannot easily give up? 

The answer to that question would define my heart. The human nature always wants more and will not be satisfied even with plenty. We keep asking God for more and more, because our needs are never fully satisfied all at once.  We hold on to what we have, will not give up anything without a struggle, yet we want God to add more to what we have. The nature of God is one full of grace, as the verse above makes clear. It must be noted that God does not need my money, because He owns the whole earth, but He needs to be sure that there is nothing of the earth that can take His place in my heart. It is His grace that keeps my heart free from competition with anyone for relevance or impact. I know I am not defined by what men calls me, but who God says that I am. He is the One who can direct resources to the place where they are needed for the work He needs to get done. God seeks lives He can inhabit, and then empower to achieve great things for Him. Can He trust me with the riches of His grace? Can He trust that possessions will not possess and distract me? 

If there is nothing that can take God's place in my heart, I am in the place where God's grace can do exploits in and through me. The verse above refers to grace that can make a mortal man to be sufficient in all things. It sounds a bit outlandish, but as you read the accounts of men and women who trusted in God completely, you find that God's grace is such that does not need me to be perfect before I can access it. I cannot do anything to earn or deserve it; otherwise, it would be strictly by merit. Thank God men could not pay for it, or else many of us would have been excluded. It is grace that gives me all that I need, yet it is enough to share with other people. I can reach out to others with what I have received because it is enough for the whole world. If I have received such grace from God, what else should be too big for me to give up for God, if He asks? Anything at all? God's time of favour is here. 

Patience!!

Patience!

James 1:2-3 KJV

[2] My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; [3] knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

James introduced himself as a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. This introduction is central to the message of this letter that was addressed to the twelve tribes who were now scattered abroad. These must have been tough times for these people, as they did not expect that there would be any upheavals due to their newfound faith. As we now know, being a follower of Jesus opens you up to a whole world of experiences. There is really no way to prepare you the right way for whatever is coming, except to know that Jesus foretold these experiences and also promised us His presence as we live through these experiences. At the time Jesus was leaving the earth, He made it clear that His followers would be His witnesses in Jerusalem, in Judea, in Samaria, and to the uttermost parts of the world. It would start with the familiar and then move on to the unfamiliar. This was the stage where the audience for this letter now found themselves. 

It must be laid out that if there were no scatterings abroad, maybe some people would not have heard of the love of Jesus at the time they did. It is in the scattering abroad that the world gets to hear of a love that is amazing and eternal. However, it must be noted that this love will not keep us from tough times. As mentioned above, it is love that draws us to Jesus, and it is His love that will uphold and sustain us through whatever may come, but this love will definitely be tested in various ways. If everything went well at all times and there were no rough patches to sort out, how would you know if what you held is the genuine thing? That is the message of the verses above: as long as I am in Christ, whatever comes must lead to joy. I have joy because I know how it ends. I have joy because no matter what comes my way down here on earth, it is timed and limited, and must expire when its purpose is done. What I must have left is that which is eternal, and no man can kill or take away by force. 

The message about joy in the midst of trials is not for everyone, but for those who totally surrender their lives to Jesus. He is the Source and Spring of Joy; there is no other way to have joy, which is one of the manifestations of the fruit of the Spirit, and can only be accessed by those who allow Him in. God does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. Reflect on the purpose of these trials: that I can learn patience, which is another manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit. There is no wastage in God; there is nothing He cannot use to teach me how to be like Him, and there is no experience He cannot design and implement that will bring Him glory in and through my life. I will not get there overnight, but if I allow Him work, there is no end to the amazing blessings that are ahead. As it was in the days of James, so is it in our days now. Can I look ahead to tough times, sure and certain that they will work out God's perfect will for me? God's time of favour is here. 

True Strength!

True Strength!

2 Corinthians 12:10 AMP

[10] So I am well pleased with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, and with difficulties, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak [in human strength], then I am strong [truly able, truly powerful, truly drawing from God’s strength].

Context will help us understand the relevance and importance of Paul's attitude to tough and unpleasant situations. At the start of the chapter, he speaks of himself in the third person, identifying a man who was caught up to the third heaven, or as he also mentioned, the place called Paradise. While he was there, he heard things that were too sacred to tell. Of course, were it to be any other person, the amazing experience could lead to pride, or to a sense of spiritual superiority. It is the way of the natural man to ascribe special attention to unique experiences that are not common to other people. Could it be this is the reason why some people never get to see into the realm of the supernatural? God is Omniscient and knows us more than we could ever know ourselves, and because He is invested in our eternity, He will bring our way only that which will do us good. Can God trust me with deep revelations of what is ahead? 

As Paul also said, the God who knew him had to also help him by keeping him from pride and eternal destruction. As we know, pride of any kind will deprive a man from entering into eternity with God. To help Paul, it was recorded that a thorn in his flesh was given to him, in order to keep him from thinking of himself as important. What insight! What a God!. What love for man is this? Man may not even be able to see what is right in front of him; how much more would he be able to see what has eternal implications for him. God had to help Paul by keeping him in check. It is still the same God who is watching out for me today. He wants to show Himself strong in my life, but I have to surrender total control to Him. I cannot insist on my own way, and still insist that God deals with me in His own way. It must have been quite inconvenient, maybe painful, for Paul, because he asked God three times to take away that thorn in his flesh. 

God's response drives the focus of the verse above. Instead of taking away the thorn, God gave grace that was very sufficient for every inconvenience that the thorn would bring. The grace of God gives enablement that nothing and no one else can secure. As we consider the life and impact of Paul, we know more of the workings of grace in his life, than the limits that the thorn could have brought. Paul could say he was pleased with weaknesses, insults, distresses, persecutions and difficulties, all for the sake of Christ. This position does not come from a place of human strength; it is the product of a life that God has worked on, and is in total control of. A man does not speak like this unless he has tasted of the grace of God that enables a man run faster than a chariot, and do exploits that clearly could not have been done by virtue of only money, influence, connections or position. When I am weak by human standard, I lean on the grace of God that gives strength. He wants to help, but He will not force Himself on me, or go against the exercise of my freewill. Would I let Him work in me that which will secure eternal life for me? God's time of favour is here.

Critical!

Critical!

1 Timothy 4:8 AMP

[8] For physical training is of some value, but godliness (spiritual training) is of value in everything and in every way, since it holds promise for the present life and for the life to come.

Paul was speaking to Timothy, his son in the faith, and a young man he was mentoring. Are there lives that God can commit into my hands for nurturing and safeguarding? In the last days that we are in and where many are turning away from the faith and paying great attention to false, deceitful and seductive spirits and doctrines of demons, I am always reminded that I cannot afford to be careless about the foundation and pillars of the faith that I profess. The devil knows the value, having lost his place due to pride, and he will seek to drag as many people as he can into eternal damnation with him. The good thing here is that long before things go wrong, the Omniscient God tells us what is ahead and how to prepare the right way. The verse above is one of such ways that God wants us to be ready for whatever is ahead. 

As an athlete or anyone preparing for a race, a fight or any competition, you know there is an end in view. You know what lies at the end of the cycle, and what exactly you need to put in in order to win the reward. You do not prepare like a boxer in order to run a 400m race. You cannot afford to spend all your time on speed only, if you are engaged in a marathon. The nature of the encounter is what will define the terms of engagement. The people of the world understand this perfectly, and they will invest time and resources to prepare the right way. Imagine the time, effort and preparation that go into winning a 100m race that lasts maybe all of 10 seconds, but the global and economic realities that surround success make the investments worthwhile. If this can be true of the human experience, reflect on the implications in the spiritual. 

If men can sometimes cheat in order to win an advantage in races or fights, imagine what the eternal implications of getting it right will be. If physical exercise is of value, as seen in the lives of people who have attained global acclaim by success in their chosen field, it is also important to consider how I can apply the same principles to my spiritual walk. The spiritual training of Godliness is fundamental to my earthly and eternal realities. Phyiscal exercise profits for a season; Godliness profits for eternity. Both physical and spiritual exercises must be maintained to keep the relevant body in tune, but physical exercise is only for a season. A day comes when it is no longer sustainable in intensity. However, for spiritual exercise, you never outgrow the need for it. I am encouraged to focus on that which is of eternal value. My eternity will be glad I did. God's time of favour is here. 

Run Well!

Run Well!

Hebrews 12:1 KJV

[1] Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us

The verse above starts with a direct message to specific people. It follows on from the list of heroes of faith who walked with God. They didn't see the fullness of the plan of God made manifest in their time, but we have been given the grace to experience Jesus in His power as Saviour and Lord. We have tasted of the gift of the Holy Spirit, and been given a foretaste of what joys are ahead of us if we hold on to the end. The verse above is solely addressed to those people who identify with Christ, have taken Him up on His offer of life eternal, and are focused on pleasing God in every way. It is important to define who I am in the light of the description above. Anyone can make claims to anything, as talk is cheap. However, you can only access that which you are entitled to by new birth. Do I qualify to be one of the WE referred to in the verse above? Does my life reflect a connection to the One who is Life?

WE are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, both alive on earth and witnesses from heaven. We cannot afford to live as we please, because the new life we have does not permit carelessness. WE have lives to impact; WE have souls in need of direction and care. Men are on the lookout for those who know God and can point Him out by their actions. It is not this seasonal catch up, where I get to act as a Christian when it is easy or convenient, but a lifetime of focus and dedication to the things that please God and make Him known. This is what is called a race that is set before us. Why a race? WE are on a journey to a definite destination. We do not know when we will get there, but we are sure of the place. We have been made aware of what we need to have to get into the place, and we will do well to avoid any distraction that may take our eyes off the goal. 

That is why we must lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us. The world has its worries and cares, and some are legitimate. We must take care of our families and play our part in the society. There are people who look up to us for some of life's decisions. In all, we must not forget that God calls us to represent Him wherever we go, and in all we do. WE cannot afford to toy with sin; WE cannot use life's challenges as excuses for sin. Challenges will come to all of us at different stages of our lives, but we have the support, encouragement, and examples of all those who had gone ahead of us, whose lives teach us that total dependence on God pays. A race has been set before us; it is not one race for everyone on earth, but a personal race that will lead to personal reward at the end. I must run my own race, dependent on the One who sets out the rules. I must run in line with the rules, so that I may take hold of the rewards. May my life not be a waste. God's time of favour is here.