Priorities!

Priorities!

“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ. ”

Galatians 1:10 KJV

A child of God is required to have the right priorities. The moment I decided to leave all and follow Jesus was the moment I knew my current direction was not taking me anywhere safe. For all of us naturally born of women, the moment of decision is non-negotiable. For Paul who wrote this letter to the churches in Galatia, there was a moment too when he had to make a choice: persist in his old ways, or choose to follow Christ. We now read of the impact and effect of that decision by Paul. At some point in his journey of faith, he came across these churches, and he introduced himself as an apostle, not of men, neither by man, but by Jesus Christ, and God the Father.

That is clarity of purpose and direction. That was a man who knew who he was, what he had been called to do, where he had been planted to thrive and impact, and where he was headed. It was that clarity that made him sure of what he was saying to these churches in this letter. There must have been a clear departure from the truths Paul had worked hard to teach this church; now there were people who were pushing and pursuing a gospel different from the one that Paul had taught. That is the danger of the generation we are in: it is easier to blend in with that which is sinful than to hold on to the standards God has set in righteousness. 

It is clear that God will not lower His standard for anyone. It does not matter how long the unrighteousness has stood; it does not matter how far the lie has travelled; the truth of God’s word will always outlast the lie. That which God punished in the life of Adam and Eve will still be punished today, if the sinner remains in sin. That is the standard of a God who does not change like shifting shadows. Reflect on how serious Paul viewed a departure from the divine standard, when he said that even if one of the camp of the apostles, or even an angel from heaven came to preach any other gospel other than that which had been preached, such a person should be cursed. 

Strong words, but quite timely for such a time like this. There is grace that draws men to the salvation that Jesus offers, and it is also the same grace that keeps the same man in the path of salvation. Men are the tools that may be used by God to draw men to the light of the gospel, but we must not take our eyes off the Saviour and fix them on the vessels. I owe it to God to fix my gaze on Him as the One who matters. All other people or things are mere tools in the hands of this same God to work out His purpose. There is no pleasing man; I cannot play both sides and win. It is either God takes all or nothing at all. Who is in charge; who is the master? God's time of favour is here.

This God!

This God!

Know, recognize, and understand therefore that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God, Who keeps covenant and steadfast love and mercy with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations. Deuteronomy 7:9 AMPC

The image of God that we love to speak about is one of amazing love. Indeed He is, but that is not always the complete or total picture. We know Him as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, but we are also now introduced to the same God who commanded His people Israel to utterly destroy the people of the nations in the land they were going to possess. Israel was to make no covenant with them, or show mercy to them. They were not to make marriages with them too. Reflect on this: the same God who made these people was willing to let them go down this way because of Israel. God really deserves to be studied; He is not one to be trifled with. 

Two linked reasons are given for these instructions: the first is that the people in these nations will turn the hearts of Israel from following God to serve idols. The second is that God's holy people cannot afford such distractions. For a God who jealously defends His name, be sure that He will punish any act of rebellion. If God had moved in a mighy way to secure a land for you, and you turn around and give your heart to another god, then God is within His right to punish such rebellion. This is NOT a God who can be worshiped alongside any other authority. If He does not take the whole of my heart, then He really does not have any of my heart. How much of me does God hold?

Before we think that Israel must have bribed God, the same chapter from where the verse above is taken states clearly that God did not set His love on Israel because they were more in number, but sinply because of the covenant He made with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It was the walk of faith of other people that gsve Israel this special status with God. Who says that anything we do for and with God is a waste of time? Who says God does not see our hearts or examine our thoughts? He is not a God we can deceive with empty devotion; He cannot be mocked. One man's faithfulness led to a whole nation's favour. What steps do I need to take today to secure such favour too?

The above is the background to our focus today. In light of all you have read above, it is important to note that this God is faithful. He does not forget those who walk with Him in truth. He does not renege on a covenant. He stakes His name and reputation on whatever promise He makes. It is a personal encounter with Him that will help me is know, recognize and understand this God. What worked well yesterday may no longer be relevant today, but with God, you find consistency. Aa He did with Abraham, He is able to hold the same standard for a thousand generations. Still the same God seeking men who will give Him the whole heart. Can He count on me? God’s time of favour is here. 

Love!

Love!

Ephesians 4:2 AMPC

[2] Living as becomes you] with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another.

Paul was writing to the church in Ephesus, and as we always point out, the audience defines the demand and the direction. In this case, Paul was writing to people who had been divinely called by God to a life that was different from what they had always known. This is the first message: if the call of God does not challenge you to a higher and nobler walk, check it again. God does not meet any man and then leave him the same way He met him. There will be a change first on the inside of that man, that will definitely manifest on the outside. The question for me today, which I must find an answer to, is if I have had an encounter with this God.  

Am I still used to the same old measures, or is there an insatiable desire for God burning on the inside of me? The answer to that question will define the rest of this devotion. As the verse just before the one above makes clear, there is a calling we all have received by virtue of the death and resurrection of Jesus. He did not pick and choose those who would enjoy the benefits of what He offered; all of us have access to the grace of God available in Christ Jesus. At the time Jesus died and rose again, none of us was alive so none of us can claim superior advantage or higher access to the benefits over any other person. It has been freely given to us all. 

I note the words in that preceding verse: a summons to God's service. That is what the call of God upon a man's life is. Remember: God will not demand from me that which He has not first supplied sufficient grace for. If He says I should live or love in a particular way, it is because He knows I have been given the grace to so do. After all, God does not call a man and then leave him to figure out what to do or how to walk; He holds the man up and guides him on a constant basis. He will supply the information required to take good decisions, and to live in line with the dictates and demands of this new life. Remember also that it is the life of God in me; the One who owns the life is the One who will help me live it the right way. 

That is the thrust of the verse above: I must live as it reflects my ownership and allegiance as men must know whose I am. That which is inside of me cannot be hidden; that which is of God cannot be limited. If it is the life of God, it has to find expression in and through me. Humility is not normal for the natural man, and meekness is strange to the man who is not yet broken. The natural man will push himself forward, and wants to heard and seen at all times. The man who has had an encounter with God seeks to make God known at all times. Love by God's standard becomes the norm, because the One who lives on the inside is able to flow unhindered to bless lives. Do I have Him, or do I need to really get Him? You cannot fake His presence; if He is in, it will show. God's time of favour is here.

Right Mind!

Right Mind!

Romans 8:6 AMPC

[6] Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin, both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever].

No matter how nice or firm a house is, once the owner decides that a new house is to be bullt, the owner has to draw up a new plan, factor in costs and then bring down the old house completely, before taking steps to build the new house. This is what the chapter from where the verse above is taken makes clear: it is not possible to build the new nature that Christ promotes on the ruins or foundations of the old nature. No matter how nice the old structure is, as long as the desire is a new one, the old has to be completely dismantled. If you do want to just patch up things and just go with the flow, a mix of the old and the new  at the same time may be permissible from your own perspective but not from God's view.

There is a natural flow that comes from the control centre. If I am under the control and influence of the old nature, it is expected that my life will produce in line with that nature. The bible makes clear what the produce of the flesh looks like. In the same way, if I am under the control and influence of the Spirit of God, my desires and pursuits will also reflect this control. Indeed, the same bible also lays out what the evidence of such control looks like. This is why you do not argue with anyone about who s/he is; the fruits of that life will eventually reveal who is in charge. This is not a comparison scheme; it is first and foremost a personal conviction, which then drives life's pursuits, priorities and purpose.

The warnings in the verse just before the one above, as well as the focus of the devotion today, are worthy of focus. For every choice I make, there are both earthly and eternal implications. If I am focused only on the things that are of the earth, of course I will get the rewards of such focus, but that may be all I get. When the earthly phase is done, what is next? When all of life is gone and I am standing in front of the throne, what plea can I make that will speak for me in eternity? This is the reason why I must get the balance right; God saves me from sin, but then leaves me on earth to represent Him. He wants men to be drawn to the light in me. He wants men to be convicted of sin based on the evidence of my life. 

If all I have is of this earth alone, then it is a miserable existence. The mind of the flesh, which is without the Holy Spirit, only leads to death, both physical and eternal. Flesh cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven, so all that belong to the earth must give way to that which is of the Holy Spirit. The power of sin has already been broken through the death and resurrection of Jesus, so I have no excuse for not depending on what has been settled to live a life free of sin. I have all I need in order to live in peace both down here and then inherit eternal life with God at the end of it all. There is no bigger or better package than this: earthly calm and eternal settlement. Do you have this God? God's time of favour is here. 

Wisdom!

Wisdom!

Proverbs 3:7 AMP

Be not wise in your own eyes; reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn [entirely] away from evil.

Proverbs 8:13 AMPC

The reverent fear and worshipful awe of thm8 Lord [includes] the hatred of evil; pride, arrogance, the evil way, and perverted and twisted speech I hate.

Indeed, Solomon is recorded in the bible as the wisest man who ever lived. When you consider the books that are generally attributed to him, you find the themes of enthusiasm and romance of youth in the book of Songs of Solomon; themes of the wisdom and responsibility of adulthood in the book of Proverbs from where the verses above are taken, and then the themes of the reflections and lessons of old age in the book of Ecclesiastes. That is essentially all of life's full coverage, from birth to death. God is invested in my entire life too, from birth to death, and He wants me to submit all to Him. That is an offering God will never turn down. 

God blessed Solomon with wisdom because he asked God for it, and we see the impact of a life that God blesses. Two of the great lessons that the life of Solomon teaches me are that God is ready, willing and able to give us all that we ask, as long as the purpose behind usage is to glorify the giver. The other lesson, as we have consistently pointed out, is that God will not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. These two lessons run through the verses above. Just like Solomon, If a man seeks to glorify God, God is also interested in blessing such a man. Am I interested in an offering that God is pleased to accept?

That is what happened to David and Solomon. David laid the foundation; Solomon knew that the kingly assignment was beyond his current capacity, so he went to the One with limitless resources to help him. In the same way, if I will ever amount to anything of value, I cannot be self-sufficient. As the verse above makes clear, I cannot be wise in my own eyes and still depend on God to help me. I am unable to combine both extremes into a single heart. How can I juggle and satisfy the demands of two completely different authorities at the same time? How can I seek to please God one moment and then appease the flesh at the next moment? That is confusion.

As one of the verses above lays out, the reverent fear and worshipful awe of the Lord also includes the hatred of evil and arrogance or pride. The other charges us to reverently fear and worship the Lord and turn entirely away from evil. I cannot turn to God, and also have an eye on pleasing the human nature. This is what God calls lukewarmness, and the eventual impact is that God spews such people out of His mouth. I cannot love God and also love whatever He hates at the same time. He has not left us in doubt as to what He desires from us, and this is what makes His judgment right. Would you seek Him the right way? Would I? God's time of favour is here. 

God's Nature 2!

God's Nature 2!

Isaiah 41:13 AMP

[13] “For I the Lord your God keep hold of your right hand; [I am the Lord], Who says to you, ‘Do not fear, I will help you.’

Just as we read yesterday, God is not a God to be trifled with. He does not joke with sin, and when you consider the size, scope and scale of the price He paid in order to deal permanently with sin, you know that sin is not something to be trifled with either. God will also punish sin, no matter in whom it is found. He has made that clear with the way He had dealt with His own people Israel. This was a people loved by Him and chosen from among the many nations of the world at the time to be the source of His affection. This was His prerogative at the time. However, as we know, being chosen and loved by God places a duty on you not to forget the grace that chose and placed you where you are. 

When God would punish His people, He raised up nations that were not even as strong as the people of Israel. That is what sin does: it renders you powerless. Whatever you had as a defense and protection are gone; anything can push you over. Whatever it is you were able to do in the past quite well becomes a burdensome activity. This is why God paid such a high price to deal with sin. His choice does not absolve me of the responsibility to listen to, heed His instructions and follow Him closely. Interestingly, God who raised up kings like Nebuchadnezzar to deal with Israel for its sin is the same God who raised up another king Cyrus to implement His will for His people and to exact justice on those who had maltreated His people. 

I must never forget where I have been and who I was before God saved me. This must keep me entirely dependent on God for this walk of faith. I was not able to defeat sin on my own, and even after Christ has died and also resurrected, I am still not able to defeat sin on my own. I need the help of this God on a daily basis. This God is always willing to help. That is the message of the verse above. He lays out His credentials as a God who is ever-present; He does not let go, and He does not give up on me. Fear has no room in my heart anymore; His presence does not leave room for anything else. Remember: this is a willing sacrifice. God will not force Himself on anyone. Would I embrace His help? God's time of favour is here. 

God's Nature!

God's Nature!

Lamentations 3:22 AMP

[22] It is because of the Lord’s lovingkindnesses that we are not consumed, Because His [tender] compassions never fail.

When you read the first few verses of the chapter from where the verse above is taken, you will struggle to align the messages. At the start of the chapter, we indeed read of the lamentations of the writer Jeremiah. Here was a man God had used to teach the children of Israel the dangers of rebellion against God and the dire consequences that follow. He spoke out against the political and 'spiritual' leaders  of his time, and he paid a huge price for his words. We read of times he was put in prison in the court of the  king, and at another time, he was beaten by a man who was supposed to be a priest, a chief officer in the house of God. 

These were just a few of the things Jeremiah had to face because he was speaking God's mind to a rebellious people. Who says being on God's side automatically keeps you away from trials and tough times? In fact, it is then that the world opposes you because it knows that it no longer has any hold over you. This was the reflection of Jeremiah at the start of the chapter when he introduced himself as the man who has seen affliction because of the rod of God's wrath. He was not the one who did wrong, and he was only sent to speak God's mind about the people's wrongs, yet he suffered affliction. Before I claim to be on God's side, am I ready for what that claim really entails? 

One great thing about God that is evident in all His dealings with those who He uses is that He backs them up. He does leave us to fend for ourselves or to struggle through pain on our own. Jeremiah was harassed, beaten and oppressed, yet God will not allow anyone to take his life, not even the king  with all his might and army. Jeremiah had some nasty experiences, to the point where he even went to God to complain about what he deemed to be God's heavy hand against him. Thank God that the answers to his dilemma came in the verse above. God never leaves us in doubt that He is on the side of all whose hearts are fully committed to Him.

He does not call and abandon. He does not send out without backing up. One theme that has run through the experiences of Jeremiah is that God's mercy and love is beyond compare. There is no way that man in his fallen nature can fully comprehend the loving kindness of this God. Even for Israel that had sinned, God would not leave them alone, how much more a man that was faithful to God's message. If Israel could experience God's mercy, despite its failings, it gives me hope that God will not give up on me. He will not let me go; He will not abandon me to my devices and He will do all He can to restore me. That is love from God's perspective. How do you respond? God's time of favour is here.