Here and the Now

Matthew 6:30-34 MSG:
“If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don’t you think he’ll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I’m trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God’s giving . People who don’t know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. “Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.

This is the popular Matthew 6 that talks about not fretting about what tomorrow brings. It advises us to seek God and his kingdom first, and see how God will work everything out for our good. This version is chosen because of the simplistic way it goes about encouraging us to trust in God.
On a very personal note, this verses speak to me right now, as I seek to evaluate where I am coming from, where I am right now, and where I believe God is takijg me to.  I remember today, exactly 24 years ago, when I first heard of the need for salvation from my mother. Her teaching sounded strange but her life spoke volumes. I wanted what she had, and wanted the kind of peace that seemed to radiate from her. I didn't understand what she said then, but I took a step of confessing Christ. It has not been smooth sailing, but then i remember that my mother always said that God didn't promise us a trial-free life, what he promised us was that he would take care of us and bring us safely to the place he has prepared for us.  I take stock of the past 24 years and I can say that through all the trials, the fallings, the failings, the rising up,the stumblings, the mistakes, the success, the not-too-good times and the sorrows that have come, one thing stands out- God's faithfulness. He's been there like a rock to lean on, bringing his purposes to pass in spite of the devil.
As I look back over the years also, a warning sounds in my heart: I won't be down here forever, things won't be like this forever, this world and its issues won't last forever. This reality is brought close to home as I remember that just last night, a colleague in the office passed away, leaving behind a husband and three kids. If you ever thought that you were too young to die, or too busy to make the right choice now, death has a funny way of helping you to decide. Unfortunately, if you wait till death comes, you have waited too late.
As I read these verses again, I ask: am I seeking God's kingdom or pursuing my own agenda? Have I come to know God and what he can do? Am I living in the consciousness of the temporal nature of everything about me? If my appointment with judgement comes earlier than planned, and I stand before the impartial and perfect judge, can I truly say that i sought, found and lived out his kingdom while on earth here? If you can read this, you have time NOW to make sure you are on the right path. No one else can do the deciding for you.
Christ is the answer to the question of eternity. He is the One who is the Way, and the destination. Seek him, find him, find life and live the life you were chosen to live. His time of favour is here.

The Right Life.....

Colossians 3:3-4 NIV:
For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

How much faith did you place in yourself to acquire salvation? None. Then why do you trust in your ability, your talent, your strength, your charisma, your education, your intellect, your beautiful earthsuit, even your spiritual gifts, to live the life that you acquired by faith? Oh, the folly of such independent living! Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). Jesus is not a life. He didn't give you a type of life, nor did He set the curve for a life-style, leaving you some principles by which to live. You are not the standard and you can't define true life on your own terms. Christ is your life. Just for the sake of emphasis, let me repeat this extract: "For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory. Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to sin" (Colossians 3:3-5). Eternal life is not a mere extension of your old, sinful Adamic life. Here is God's definition of eternal life: "What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we beheld and our hands handled, concerning the Word of Life-and the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us" (1 John 1:1-2). Christ is the eternal life you signed up to acquire if you are born anew. Eternal Life is a Person, not an extension of your old Adamic life, not an "it," not a phenomenon or a set of values. And this Person, who is Himself Eternal Life, is to express life through you, by faith, as you present yourself to God as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1). This is not to be understood so much as to be believed and acted upon.

There is so much more to your salvation than a one-time experience which guarantees heaven. Living the Christian life is experienced via using the same faith by which you got saved. It is experiencing a moment-by-moment, intimate, personal relationship with Christ who indwells you.
In addition to trusting Christ as Savior and Lord, God wishes that you would trust Christ as life through you to face each day for you.
So where are you: still in the old body or now found in Christ, the true life? Life doesn't truly begin until you have the Life living in you. Find him; find life and begin to live with eternity in view. His time of favour is here.

This One thing.....

Philippians 3:13-14 NIV:
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Life is indeed a journey. It is a long journey of discoveries, achievements, challenges and victories. All of us have milestones we remember of God's dealings with us and the incidences of his grace upon our lives too. There's just one point of emphasis: until the purpose of our life's journey is discovered, we really have not begun to live the life God intends for us. The fact that you have made money or are comfortable is not an assurance in any way that you are on God's timetable or plans.
Paul's testimony here reveals a few priorities for us too: as long as I'm alive, it is never to late to discover purpose. The devil longs to trick us into believing that age is a barrier to what God can do in our lives. If God could speak to Samuel, or to Zechariah the father of John the Baptist, then you know that God is timeless, seeking men across the ages whose hearts are fully committed to him. You can never arrrive at the end of your journey until heaven is attained; you cannot seek a sense of fulfilment while here on earth. This place is not our destination, it is a phase we must pass through to arrive at God's pre-determined end for us.
Secondly, there is a need for focus. While it is not bad to attempt great things for God, better be sure that what you are busy at is rewardable by God. We believe so much in activity, thinking that God rewards us based on how many things we take on. The parable of the talents just shows that the master's rewards are multiples of the talents he had given earlier. We must find that 1 thing or just those 2 or 3 or more things God wants us to do, and get busy, under his direction, at those things. Whatever the past holds is gone, today is called the present: a gift from God. Unwrap his mysteries and gifts and manifest his grace.
Lastly, God is the author, salvation is the vehicle, good works are the fruits, and heaven is the destination for our lives. There's no other way to get there. Riches cat get you there; position, power and possessions will only frustrate you more if they are pursued outside of God. Get the priorities right, let God do the leading, guiding, upholding and the tutoring. His plans are good, and He will take you to the place he has prepared for you.  Rejoice, for his time of favour is here.

Fighting.....and Eternity

2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

If there's been any doubt as to the nature of the call we have received as Christians, today's passage simply dispels it. We come to Christ, like was emphasized in our last post, thinking that his presence will dispel all inconveniences and pain. When reality bites, we get confused, trying to balance the realities of God's Word with the physical evidence of the things that surround us. We almost begin to think that God may have been unfair to us if things had to be this bad for his children.
But interestingly, there's no where in his Word that God promised a stressless and problem-free life. What you find in the Bible in various ages and seasons, is the grace of God being revealed in bitter and difficult experiences encountered by his children. Things get difficult but the grace of God becomes more real. That is what God promises.
Today's passage is like a summary of all that we should expect as we live as God's true children. Life is a race, a battle, a fight. It is not a walk in the park, or just a dance. We were not called out to blend in and be ordinary. God did not invest so much in us so we could sit down and be comfortable, passing throughife without so much of an impact. Our lives are meant for so much more than that.
Paul could say, without any fear of contradiction, that he had done hs best. On the evidence of his life,I think there was no doubt about that. Beaten several times, shipwrecked also, betrayed by friends, imprisoned severally, praying for relief but God only promising his ever-sufficient grace. I look at myself honestly and I ask if I really can stay focused like Paul through these experiences. It takes a man who's completely sold out to God to stay focused on the grand prize at the end of the journey.
And this is the clincher: nothing you face on earth is permanent; everything you will experience has a time-frame for manifestation and an expiry date. Everything will cease one day and only those who, like Paul, have learnt to live on the grace of God, will earn the rewards for faithfulness. Can I say like Paul, that I'm fighting the good fight of faith presently? Can I honestly say that I'm running the race before me faithfully? Can I really look forward to a reward if I keep living my life the way I'm presently living it?
I alone have the honest answers to these questions. There's no place for ego or self-deceit, just a honest assesment if my life with the help of the only One who can truly reveal the real me to me.
Work, walk, run and fight like one who knows there's an end in view and a reward to be earned. His time of favour is here

Fixing your gaze

Matthew 14:29-30 NIV:
“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Storms are a part of the journey called 'life'. They are necessary for our growth, development and depth. God weaves them through the threads of our lives in the form of family, friends, work, business and marriage. What then are we to do with them? How do we handle them? What do we do when they arise?
Peter's life is a lesson to us in this regard. The fact that Jesus lives in you does not preclude you from storms. Some of us came to Christ under the assumption that salvation would bring an end to all storms. However, evidence around us sugggests that this is far from reality. Storms do not end simply because Christ is in the boat; fear of the unknown is only replaced by a quiet confidence in the ability of God to bring us through the storms.
Peter was caught in  a storm too. He was the chief disciple, close to Christ himself, yet he was caught in a storm. Christ showed up, as he always does, just when we need him most. Why didn't he come before the storm started? Or why didn't he keep Peter from the storm? God is the One who determines the when, the what and the how. All we need to do is to keep our eyes fixed on the only One who can take you safely to the end of your journey.
I think this is where Peter and many of us miss it. We are so fixed on the problem that we forget the solution. The problem seems so big that we forget that there's even a bigger God who can help. We think we can do our best first before we call God in, forgetting that even before the problem ever became one, God has always been the refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. God is always there, showing himself strong as we trust his power, wisdom and strength. The storm will come, but it will pass, but the presence of the Lord of the storm is ever-abiding and ever-strong.
He won't leave us or abandon us to our fate. His grace is ever-sure. Rejoice, for his time of favour is here.

Just as He has said....

Acts 27:23-25 NIV:
Last night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood beside me and said, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul. You must stand trial before Caesar; and God has graciously given you the lives of all who sail with you.’ So keep up your courage, men, for I have faith in God that it will happen just as he told me.

There is a need for us to examine our stand in God again. Over the years, familiarity and ' the usual' seem to have dulled our awareness of God and His Word, and the great things his Word can accomplish in our lives. So many salient issues are raised in the passage under consideration.
First of all, we must settle the issue of our identity in God before we can hope to make an impact. Paul's statement shows confidence, assurance and a testimony that God was on his side. 'God, to whom I belong, and who I serve' is a fundamental pointer to the fact that until you are sure of where you stand and whose you are, you cannot claim anything from God. Until you stand is sure, you have no standard or entitlement.
Secondly, God is always speaking to us, and our lives would be much better if we learnt to listen to him. Most of us were brought up in the faith to believe that as Christians, we were immune from trials. However, with God, tests are the surest ways of knowing the contents of our character and the basis of our faith. If you are following God because you have been promised earthly comforts, please re-examine your stand.
Paul's presence was a catalyst for a miracle. Wherever a child of God finds him/herself, you must stand out. The God we serve may have a still small voice but the evidence of his Word shouts loud through our lives as we seek to glorify him with our words, conduct and company. When we talk, do people see God's grace dripping or do they feel venom? When we act out our beliefs and thoughts, are lives saved or condemned? Can our lives bring healing, comfort and relief to those around us who are hurting, in need of a Saviour? Or are we self-centred and selfish, concerned only about ourselves, seeking our own good only?
One last point to emphasie here is this: God's Word can be trusted, no matter what the external circumstances dictate. Here was Paul, in danger of a shipwreck, holding on to what God had told him. What are you holding on to: man's quality insurance policies or God's unwavering grace and Word? Man's policies have expiration dates and renewal clauses which cost money; God's unwavering grace and mercy are renewed every morning free of charge. Get a Word from God today as an anchor for your soul in the face of the daunting challenges that will come. Your foundation will determine how well you stand when the storms of life kick in.
Rejoice, for his time of favour is here.

Timing...and God's Purpose

Hosea 13:13 NIV
Pains as of a woman in childbirth come to him, but he is a child without wisdom; when the time arrives, he doesn’t have the sense to come out of the womb.

Indeed, there's a time for every activity under heaven. We set deadlines for tasks, we give timetables for assignments, we have seasons for measuring the passage of time and the calculation of time, we set times for planting and different times for harvest. These are all for human endeavours. How much more, then, should we be aware of the Spiritual dimensions of Time?
God may not be limited by time the way we view it but he also works with time on his own terms. When you read such expressions like: 'And it came to pass, that.....' or ' When the fulness of time had come...' ,all these represent God' amazing sense of timing and underline the fact that God will always be there when it is best and not when we think or feel is the best time for us.
Today's passage however throws up a fundamental question: what then is expected of me? What do i need to do to align with God's purpose and timing? Do I do something or anything just to show commitment or do I just fold my arms and wait for God to do all? This same passage answers it in part: there's a role for God to play and a part we must play. Pregnancy is the case in point here. I'm no woman but I know that if the time for delivery comes and the child has not assumed the birth position or is not ready to come out of the womb, it portends danger for both mother and child. God nourishes and nurtures the foetus for about 40 weeks and then expects that the nourishing continues outside the womb. But if the child refuses to come out, what then are the options? God will play his part but we must know when it is time for us to emerge.
There's a time for God to hide us away, nourishing, feeding and building us up for the world he's preparing us to bless. As soon as this work is complete, we must emerge. If however, we refuse to emerge, who then is to blame? Or, as is the case with most of us, we feel we are ready and we emerge on our own terms. We then emerge as premature babies, not fullly developed for what God has in store and unable to fully maximise the potential of God in us.
We have allowed the world's standards tell us how and when things are appropriate; we feel we are ready for some things but we forget that the Creator of our lives knows us far more than we know ourselves and he alone knows just how best and when best to announce us to the world.
This morning, we must go to God for new insights and direction. I'm a firm believer in hearing from God before moving out but I also know that this is only ideal when a man has built a relationship with God to the point that when God speaks, he knows the voice and is ready and equiped to move. Most times, God is speaking but because of our prejudices, preconceived ideas and personal preferences, we ignore his call and miss our time of visitation.
We must retrace our steps back to God. We must find that first, undistracted and undiluted love for God that we had at the beginning. We must rely on him totally, ready for his lessons and also ready for his commission. His preparations are important; they cannot be skipped. They prepare you for the challenges ahead. Appreciate the lessons while they are on, learn the lessons,  apply the lessons at the right time and place and let the God of the lessons take all the glory in our lives.
Rejoice, for God's time of favour is here.

Pray.....as God desires

Matthew 6:9-13 NKJV:
In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

A very popular scripture teaching a very popular topic of prayer, but a very unpopular practice among many Christians. Books have been written on this, sermons have been preached and songs have been recorded on this, yet it remains a hot talking-point but a low-practice point among believers.
If there's a source of power, nourishment and preservation that is open to us, it is prayer. The Word of God is replete with stories of men and women who dared to hold God at his word through prayer and they shook their entire world through prayer. Daniel, Nehemiah, Elijah, Esther and Jabez represent a few people who knew and exploited the power of prayer and got the results they wanted.
It has to be the same for us. In our days now, we have been taught that prayer gives you whatever we want and then, we come to God crying,pleading and begging for all sorts, forgetting that prayer is not an arm-twisting tactic to get God to rubber-stamp our desires, neither is it a guarantee that all we ask will be granted. Prayer is supposed to key us into God's perfect will so that when we pray, we are keying our hearts into God's perfect will and seeking to do his will. Afterall, a key component of the model prayer quoted above is: 'thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven'.
We have too examine our motives, inspiration and desires again in the light of the truths of God's Word. When we come before God, whose agenda are we pursuing: ours or God's?. When we come to God, can we dare to wait for his season or we want it done in our own time or on our own schedule? Do we even know and appreciate his presence, power and position or we are in a hurry to secure our own position and possessions and get on with the business of the day?.
God is God, no matter what we say or do. As we relate with him, let us keep in mind his awesome nature and worship Him for who he is. He desires our praise and worship and he is moved to act on our behalf when we have offered him that which he desires. We must also trust His wisdom that, whatever his answers are, they are the best for us at that moment and he is working out an ultimate good for us.
Rejoice, for his time of favour is here.

Sitting where Others Sit

Ezekiel 3:15 NKJV:
Then I came to the captives at Tel Abib, who dwelt by the River Chebar; and I sat where they sat, and remained there astonished among them seven days.

You really cannot understand where a person has been or fully comprehend his position until you have sat in his seat or seen with his eyes. We make snap judgments about people without really taking time out to understand their peculiar circumstances and challenges. We assume we know much about them through their actions, words, conduct and company but we either forget or choose to ignore the largely unseen factors that motivate or inspire the things people do.
No man can truly reach out and minister effectively to people until you have met their need by identifying with their situation. How does a hungry man come to appreciate and accept a Saviour who can meet all his needs? How does a poor, homeless man listen to a gospel of hope that preaches a God who is a refuge and shelter? Who can bind up those who are broken-hearted? Who can console a mother who has just lost a child? These all need to the Saviour's comfort and help but these can only be achieved when we do out bit to alleviate their suffering and improve their conditions. Our mouth-confession really makes no impact until we have matched it with our heart-compassion. Nobody cares how much you know or can quote from the Scriptures until they know how much you care and how much of the scriptures you truly live out.
Practice true Christianity by pouring out God's investment in you into the lives of other people. His time of favour is here.

The Blame Game

Genesis 3:12 NKJV:
Then the man said, “The woman whom You gave to  be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I ate.”

This blame game has been on since the days of creation. God made man as a responsible, responsive creature but man traded his independence and creativity for moral bankruptcy and decadence. Since the fall in Eden, man has been avoiding responsibility and accountability, shifting the blame for all his woes to the next person, never willing to accept he's at fault or to seek help from the Creator himself.
Sin changes everything. God usdd to come down daily in the cool of the day to converse with Adam and Eve. He was a friend, confidant and companion, until the early man listened to the devil and sold out to him. From that time on, it has been a cycle of irresponsibility and rebellion. We constantly avoid the truth God tries to bring our way; we constantly seek out approval for our actions and words from the wrong authority; we are at war with ourselves and every one else around us; we interprete other peoples' intentions and actions with our fallen, depraved minds, and we wonder why we have no relationships, no true friendships, no true love. Our foundations have been built on the wrong premise: seeking personal happiness at the expense of every other person and avoiding any true,honest or accountable commitment to anything or anybody.
We now have live-in lovers and partners instead of married couples, we have trial marriages instead of exemplary marriages; we have same-sex marriages taking up media space and attention; while graduates roam the streets with no jobs and a lot of bitterness in their hearts, while the devil keeps smiling to hell with a harvest of precious souls of people who have pushed God away to their destruction.
How do we get back to Eden in our walk with God? How do we restore fellowship as it was before? We must seek God out and hear his voice as he calls us today. He's standing at the door of our hearts and knocking and, like the gentleman that he is, he's not forcing his way in until you open the door to him yourself. He's waiting to change you first, because once your heart is right with God, the situations around you willl also change to align with God's purpose.
You owe it to God to regain your Eden. Stop blaming others for where you are right now and start working for and walking towards what God has in store for you. Don't push the responsibility for your destiny to others; they can't help you; they will only hinder you.
Seek God out today and be free of the pressure to live up to other peoples' expectation. Rejoice, for his time of favour is here.

The Word....and God's Nature

I Kings 8:56 NKJV:
“Blessed be the Lord , who has given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He promised. There has not failed one word of all His good promise, which He promised through His servant Moses.

There is something peculiar about most of God's promises: all generations will testify to its longetivity, its endurance and its never-failing consistency. God doesn't waste words, so whatever he says, there is a power that backs it up and ensures that his words come to pass.
Solomon here was recounting the dealings of God with his people and as he looked at his life and the people God had put under him to guide, he could see that all that God had promised to his own fathers were coming true. Not a single one had failed. Truly, our nature, failures and humanity can never change who God is. Nothing I do or refuse to do can make a difference to who God is. He doesn't need me to prove he's God; he's God, no matter what I do or say. The making of His promises aren't dependent on my faithfulness; it is their fulfilment that depends on my faithfulness. As long as I'm faithful and
obedient, God's promises are sure over my life.
I must therefore live for today with God's help, and put tomorrow in His hands. When the devil brings the fear of the future to me, I remind him of God's nature: the Alpha and the Omega, the one who's able to finish everything he's started. When the devil brings the fear of the unknown to me, I remind him of the God who supplied 3 meals per day unfailingly to the Israelites for 40 years without a cooker or burner.
His Word is sure, alive and active because the Word is his nature. His Word can be trusted because he also can be trusted. Rest in him and be free from worry, because his time of favour is here.

The Word...and your words

Psalms 107:19-20 NKJV:
Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, And He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions.

Proverbs 18:21 NKJV:
Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.

Jeremiah 15:16 NKJV:
Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.

There are multitudes of words, and there is the Word. There are multitudes of languages and tongues but there is only one source. People have learnt how go speak so many languages and distance is no longer a barrier to studying and speaking foreign languages and words but many of us have not learnt how to speak the Word. We spend so much money acquiring foreign degrees while the Word of God remains a foreign language to us. We spend so much energy and resources seeking to conquer the barriers of distance, time and culture, while in our private lives, the storms of disquiet, discomfort and ignorance rage on, because even though we are full of head- knowledge, our hearts are empty of that which matters most.
Haven't you noticed that there is no end to seeking knowledge? Every generation discovers new ways of doing things to make their lives better while the next generation seeks to improve on it. Yet, the more of earthly knowledge we acquire, the more empty we feel without the true knowledge. No wonder the world is in disarray and in discomfort, constantly seeking ways to improve its conditions, forgetting that there is no true relief or grace outside the Word of God.
All the passages quoted above point to one indisputable fact: in all generations, what you know in your head/heart is the end-product of your mouth and the undeniable fruit of your life. No matte how hard you try, the words of your mouth will always reflect the condition of your heart. No matter how long you pretend, the fruit of your life will always show the investment of your time, energy and reources.
So, what are you investing in now? What are your priorities now? What are you storing up for the day the issues of life will make a demandd on those deposits? May God's word find pride of place in our lives so that when situations arise, his word will work everything out.
Watch your surroundings, the culture around you and the people who surround you. If the climate or conditions are not right, the Word will never germinate or bear fruit.
Watch your life and your investments; get the priorities right. His time of favour is here.

Sit....or Run

II Kings 7:3-4 NKJV:
Now there were four leprous men at the entrance of the gate; and they said to one another, “Why are we sitting here until we die? If we say, ‘We will enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die.”

There was famine in Samaria due to the siege laid by the Syrians. People were eating their children for food due to hunger. These were the people of God, called and chosen by him, yet they had made a choice to rebel. Their kings led them into idolatry and disobedience and it was a cycle of war, victories, defeats and rebellion. No wonder there was no peace. There can never be peace in a life where the Prince of Peace has no control.
If there was ever a doubt that God could use anybody to fulfil his purpose, today's story underlines that. Here were outcasts, lepers who were not counted as part of society, who lived on the outskirts of the city and bore the scars of their status visibly, being used by God to kick-start the miracle of abundance God had promised. It doesn't matter where you have been or where you are coming from; God is interested in the NOW and how he can take you from the NOW to the glorious future he has prepared for you. It doesn't matter what people call you; it matters indeed what God says about you. If the world calls you connected, privileged and prosperous, and God calls you wretched and poor, tell me, whose opinion counts? These leprous men had an understanding that many of us, able-bodied and agile, are yet to fully understand: you must walk the talk. Many times, we speak about having faith in God's ability to help our situation but we do nothing to kick-start the process. We pray and pray and then sit on our hands, somehow expecting that by the natural order of things, they would work out. We do nothing, take no step of faith, go nowhere, say nothing else, make no consultations. Faith is not an inactive term; it is a verb- an active verb, asking us to take just 1 step in the direction of the fulfilment of our dreams.
The step may come in 'insignificant' ways but it is a step in the right direction. All God needs to bless is the little effort. He will bless the rest.
Just like these lepers said,and just like Esther said, how our lives end is just about as important as the contents of our lives. These people had weighed the possibility of death and still, they went on. Death wil come one day, should the Lord tarry but while we wait,we work and walk. Where we need to speak in faith, we do; where we need to act in faith, we do; even when going out is seen as 'foolishness' to the world, as long as we have a settled witness in our hearts that we are on the right path, we press on. God will bless the rest and make it the best.
Rejoice as you live by faith, working, walking, talking and living out that which God has inspired in you. His season of favour is here.

Good....Always

Galatians 6:9-10 NKJV:
And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

I wonder if there's an appropriate time for doing good or just repaying evil for evil done to us. I have heard people justify paying others back for the evil they had done and justifying it with the expression: 'they got what they deserved'. Or in the corporate world, we have found a corporate name for scheming to get ahead; it is called 'strategic alignment'. The world has found novel ways to ensure that its adherents stay ahead of other people by any means necessary, not minding the cost to relationships, family life, social cohesion and Spiritual growth. We have lost sight of the basic values. Now, we have fancier cars and more ugly traffic tempers, bigger houses and less homes, exotic holidays and less rest, bigger fences and less security, we wake up early, work harder than usual, sleep later than usual, yet our lives have no more quality than before because we are backing the wrong priorities.
We must get back to our people-focus. God, the awesome Creator, works through people to bring his purposes to pass. He could do it alone but he has made us the focus of his work. As human beings, we can only fulfil our own purpose too when we focus on the good we can do in the lives of the people around us. Instead of using things to impact and bless people, we are using people to acquire and amass things. No wonder our lives are uninspiring.
We must get our right focus back. We must do good to ALL men, not just those who do good to us, but even to those who do evil to us. It ain't easy, but the greatest example we have did it, even at the point of death. If his own looks hard because we know him as the Son of God, what of Stephen, who saw beyond the physical, and knew that God was at work, no matter what the external circumstances were showing.
Good may not always get you good in return here on earth, but the harvest that God has promised for those who keep on doing good is worth waiting for. Rejoice and hold on to God, his time of favour is here.

God....and Salvation

II Chronicles 20:9 NKJV

‘If disaster comes upon us—sword, judgment, pestilence, or famine—we will stand before this temple and in Your presence (for Your name is in this temple), and cry out to You in our affliction, and You will hear and save.’

If there's anything I have become assured of, it is that God answers prayers. The problem however, is what we term 'answered prayers'. There are issues we take to God everyday and after some time, it appears as if God isn't interested in hearing those things. It looks as if we are hitting our heads on a brick wall, hoping it will break anytime soon. I have heard of people laying an issue before God for 35 years, trusting God for a resolution of that issue.

How then do we call on God and how are we sure he has even heard us? What gives us the assurance that he has answered even when the external circumstances around us have not even changed at all?
I believe that the answers to all these lie in our daily walk with God. Let me first of all establish a fact: God is not a talisman or charm that you tie around your waist for protection or an ingredient you wash into water and drink for miracles. You must nurture a daily walk with God. Only then can you know what is in his mind on a daily basis for your life.

The story of the good Shepherd is so fundamental to our walk of faith. The sheep know the voice of the shepherd and thd shepherd calls his sheep by name. It is a two-way street. You can bear Jesus and still go to hell because God doesn't know you. Atimes, people call his name when there's an emergency and he saves because he honours his name, but don't be deceived. Knowing how to call the name isn't the same as knowing the Name. Being able to read Psalm 23 by heart isn't the same as knowing the Shepherd of the Psalm.

The king here knew the God of Israel personally and so, he could call on his name for help. He also knew where to call for help also. He stood in the Presence of God and cried. Atimes, we are so carried away by worry that we do everything else except telling God. We call pity-parties and hold human conferences and carnal allegiances and pour out our hearts to people, half of who are happy that we have those problems and others who are grateful that their own situations are better than yours. No solutions, no advice, no answers.

There is no avoiding issues. They are a part of the ingredients God cooks to make us stronger. We must therefore go back to him for the solution and the breakthrough. His answers may not be what you expect but a relationship with God isn't based n convenience; it is based on trust: that he knows what he is doing, how best and at what time he will resolve those issues. He waited for the 3 Hebrew men to get into  fire before acting, Daniel got into the lions' den first. His timing is never off, we just need to trust his wisdom and his power more. By the way, answers came for the 35-year old request.

God saves. He hears and he acts so that ALL the glory goes back to him. Develop a relationship with God today and watch him act in your favour. Answers may not be what you expect, but it definitely will be the best for you. Rejoice, for his time of favour is here.

Believe......and Do

John 13:17 NKJV:
If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

There is a mad rush for the acquisition of book-knowledge these days. A lot of money is spent on formal education and systematic learning. We spent months poring over books, doing research, writing term papers, burning the midnight oil and really pressing ourselves hard to get degrees. Unfortunately, formal education only makes our knowledge official, it does nothing to deal with the fundamental human condition of sin and does nothing to explain faith and grace.
Today's Word emphasizes the place of faith and works, believing and doing. It is easy to read and study the Word of God; it is even easier to memorise it and be able to reproduce it at a moment's notice. The brain can do that. The issue has to do with your heart. When I read the word, what does my heart do with it? Do I subject it to reason and logic, trying to process the Word with my limited understanding, or do I take the Word as it is, knowing that the One who said it has the power to do it? Do I study the Word with the mind of knowing more about the author and his plans for my life or do I just conveniently skim over the paper pages, looking for comfort for my issues and seeking to justify my prejudices?
There's nothing wrong with seeking knowledge, it must however be backed up by action that justifies the acquisition of that knowledge. You are only assured of happiness and joy if you can act on what you already know. That is faith in action. You know, then you act. Many of us claim we are acting in faith, but we base our actions on the wrong premise. If you don't know the author of the Word, how then can your actions be based on thd truths of his Word? If it is the letter of the word you are holding on to, remember, the letter kills. Only the Spirit can give life.
Seek out the Truth himself today and know his plans for you. Then, act on his word. Your breakthrough is assured and your joy is certain. Rejoice, for his time of favour is here.

Evicting Worry

Hebrews 13:5-6 NIV:
Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”    So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

The world today has got issues to contend with. There are wars to be negotiated and fought, there are tensions to resolve, quarrels to settle and problems to solve. The human race, since the fall of Adam, seems to have grown sophisticated, both in science and sin, constantly discovering ways to perpetuate evil. How do we then get past these issues and live the life God intends for us? How do we live above the pressures the world pushes back at us?
I believe that your internal condition determines the external. The person who controls your thoughts, mind and decisions will determine what your life will actually produce. If you are constantly filled with worry and anxiety, then check your inner contents. If you have Christ living in you, nothing negative can co-exist with him. You either have him or you don't. There's no middle ground, no sitting on the fence. Worry goes around, looking for free space.
Check your constitution also: is the Word of God your pursuit or the knowledge of the world? Both are good but the right priority is important. His Word holds answers to all of life's questions so we must give it its rightful place in our hearts. Only then can we be sustained even when there's a war going on around us.  Jeremiah 23:29 NKJV says:  “ Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord , “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
What more needs be said? Be at peace and be worry-free, for his time of favour has come.

Run.... with a Goal

1 Corinthians 9:24 NIV

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Life on earth, by the world's standard, is a competition. You either eat or be eaten. The world places an invisible race track in front of us, with no visible track markings, no clear length for the race, and no clearly defined gift to be won. We just keep running. No wonder the world is filled with directionless, visionless, purposeless people on a race to nowhere, content with constant motion but no actual movement. I believe God has better plans for every life he has created.
For the race that God has set before us, there's a definite goal, target, pace and prize. God has not called any man to run aimlessly, live planlessly or fight like one beating the air. God is a God of purpose and direction and everything he does is peculiar, personal and particular for every one he has created. Nothing is in vain and no experience is lost. All we go through in life are the ingredients that will lead to the glory that God wants to reveal in us.
The prize is for all who will run according to God's purpose and direction. We have been asked to run so we can win the prize. Therefore, God wants us to run with his help and grace. He alone can help and He alone can bring us to the place where he has prepared for us to occupy.
Rejoice as you run the race ahead of you, for his time of favour is here.

God's Omniscience

Proverbs 24:12 AMP

If you [profess ignorance and] say, Behold, we did not know this, does not He Who weighs and ponders the heart perceive and consider it? And He Who guards your life, does not He know it? And shall not He render to [you and] every man according to his works?

One of the facts that we have come to establish over time is the fact that human beings are complex creatures. We are unpredictable and insatiable; we do not acknowedge our boundaries and limitations. We act on our own devices and we find justifications for all we do. We try to set aside the truth by convincing ourselves that we have acted with the best of intentions.
Today' passage reflects a dire warning: it does not matter what you tell yourself is the justification for your actions; it is the standard of God that is the measuring guage. God is the One who searches men's hearts and he is the One who has the final judgement. We must therefore seek his truth and judge our lives by the standard of his Word if we really want to do right.
No matter what I tell myself, God is the One who searches out the heart and knows the true motives behind our actions and words. Man has the power to deceive another undiscerning man, but no creature can decieve his Creator. He is the One we all will stand before to give account of our lives and we had better sit up now and do right, speak right, live right, think right and relate right.
God is ready to bless us even as we also are ready to do his bidding. Rejoice, for His time of favour is here.

Praise Gets God

Psalm 50:14-15, 23 AMP:
Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High, And call on Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall honor and glorify Me.
He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me; and he who orders his way aright [who prepares the way that I may show him], to him I will demonstrate the salvation of God.

There are a lot of things demanding for our attention today. The fear of God seems to have been replaced with a pursuit of power, possessions and position. We seem to have discovered new ways of doing evil and pursuing our own agenda. Nobody talks about the agape kind of love anymore; the false variants of what we erroneously call love is what is celebrated everywhere we turn.
In the midst of all these, God is still seeking for people who understand His place in the affairs of men, and who worship Him, not because of what they get from him, but because of their understanding of who He is. From the verses quoted above, there's really no 'specific' reason given why we should praise God but a man with a full ujderstanding of his place and purpose and the nature and power of God will understand the demand of these verses. There does not have to be a reason to praise God. God himself did not say it would be easy to do, that's why it is called a sacrifice of praise. Have you ever seen any animal laughing to the slaughter-house to be killed? If it could talk or express itself, I'm sure it would make a choice to live and not die. God is also asking us today to offer him a sacrifie of praise. It must cost us something or we would take God for granted. If we only praise Go when all was well, we would be pampered, spoilt and unpredictable Christians who couldn't be trusted in times of stress.
As I read the verses above again, I see a strong link between praising God and deliverance from trouble. Troubles seem to be an integral part of our growth and development as Christians. But God assures us that as we praise Him, he sets out to deliver us. It seems as if praise enables him to act on our behalf. It seems as if our praise gives him legal grounds to counter everything the devil brings our way. So why is praise so difficult for us?
As I read the last verse also, I sense a warning. Praise without principles will not get you anywhere. If you don't live right, your words, no matter how inspired they are, will never give you the breakthrough you seek. As you order your conversation aright, as you seek to live right, and as you deny yourself and make sacrifices by opening your mouth to declare the praises of God no matter the circumstances, all these enable God to act on our behalf.
I must end on this note: we cannot ignore God. What you tell yourself is not as important as the reality of God's presence. You can choose to live as if God does not exist but then, God isn't God simply because we agree he's God; he remains God, no matter our opinions, impressions or feelings. He didn't need me to feel good about himself; i am the one that needs him so I can find out my purpose in Him.  Psalm 50:22 AMP:
Now consider this, you who forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.
What more needs be said? Praise God now, his time of favour is here.

Organisation

Proverbs 6:6-8 NIV:
Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!   It has no commander, no overseer or ruler,   yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.

If ants, small and tiny as they are, can be so organised and industrous, I wonder just what our own excuses will be. We are planless and clueless most times, and need people to push us to do what we are paid to do. It is amazing the things we see these days: people expect something to be given to them before they perform their statutory functions; it has become the norm to 'facilitate' projects; governments, ministries and corporations devote time and energy to the study of 'gifts'; men want to be recognised and rewarded instantly for whatever good they do. And we wonder why the world has gone to pieces and is inhabited by inherently selfish, lazy and self-centred people.
For as many that know the Lord, there's a call to be different. Ants show an example: they know what to do and are busy at it. They do not wait for reward because the reward is in the task itself: storing up blessing and nourishment for the future. What better motivation is there than to know that you are being a blessing to someone now and in the future and that all you do now, no matter how small, is a seed that will germinate to something great in future.
Work at it and keep working, the rewards are coming. For ants, they do not live long, but it does not reduce their zeal. We have a God who's watching out for us and who will bring us to the place he's prepared for us. His time of favour is here

The Wonder of God's Creation

Psalm 139:14, 16 NIV:
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

When I look at myself atimes, I honestly wonder just what the big deal about man is. I see great inventions, mighty institutions and awesome structures and I compare with feeble, weak man and I still wonder: what's the big deal with man? Why is he so important? Why does God count him so important that he can move heaven and earth because of him?
I believe that the way man was made is so central to his importance and place in creation. God called a conference where the decision to make man and the way he was to be made was decided. Man's power, dominion and authority was decided and concluded; his sphere of influence and control was established over the whole earth, and the power to create like God  and reproduce his own kind was also given. No wonder then that, even in his fallen state, man has found a way to tame the wildest of animals, create means of transportation and communication not thought possible even a hundred years ago. Man has gone to the ends of the world and even beyond land as seen in space travel and exploration and the proof of other planets celebrated by science the world over. All these are made possible by just one thing: the breath of God breathed into man at creation.
Sounds ordinary but that is the control point. Everything a man will become in life, or anything he will seek to achieve will only be possible because thee breath of God allows it. The Psalmist here was careful to observe and record the mighty hand of God seen in man. I see here that man was and still is the integral and main focus of God's creation here. God had established the number of days for each man and had even written the days and their events down long before man was born. That is ultimate knowledge. That is careful planning. That is God at work. Nothing about us catches him by suprise and everything happening now is just what God intends to use to take me to the next level. I must cooperate with him and allow him have his way. I must seek his will and purpose so that I can be all that he has created me to be. I must work as he directs so that all the days he has promised me can be lived in total joy, irrespective of the circumstances around, knowing that I'm busy doing what he had ordained for me.
His purpose is the ideal for me; I must find it and pursue it, because that is the way to true victory. His time of favour is here.

Believing the Impossible

Mark 9:23 NIV:
“ ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”

Possibly one of the shortest principles Jesus ever founded but one that is a fundamental thread that runs through the entire frame of human endeavour.  This fundamental truth isn't only real for Christians, but for as many as believe in the dreams they hold. The main difference for us is that we have God on our side, helping to ensure that the dreams and hopes don't die prematurely.
The major breakthroughs in science, medicine, technology and other areas of human achievements show that indeed, anything is humanly possible when man puts his mind to it. The only thing not possible are the things not yet achieved and the things not allowed by God. As long as man remains on earth, God has promised that knowledge will increase. We see that everywhere we turn to.
For us as Christians, it goes deeper than that. We have a God who is helping us to fulfil our dreams and bring those seemingly impossible things to reality. He's constantly working in our favour, seeking to improve our lives as we grow, giving life to the seemingly dead hopes we hold on to. God wants us to hold on to him while we pursue our dreams because it is only in Him that the impossible becomes possible. Hold on to God; he will bring to pass all he has promised. His time of favour is here.

Generational Blessings

Psalm 78:5-8 AMP:
For He established a testimony (an express precept) in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, commanding our fathers that they should make [the great facts of God’s dealings with Israel] known to their children, That the generation to come might know them, that the children still to be born might arise and recount them to their children, That they might set their hope in God and not forget the works of God, but might keep His commandments And might not be as their fathers--a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that set not their hearts aright nor prepared their hearts to know God, and whose spirits were not steadfast and faithful to God.

Another fairly long one, but one with an instruction and a warning that we will do well to heed and not ignore. If there's anything that has become the norm these days, it is the culture of silence around us. We have come to accept everything that comes our way, saying nothing, accepting everything, resisting nothing and challenging nothing. Evil thrives and 'good' people shrug and move on, evil feeds and the 'good' go hungry and silent, accepting the fact that maybe it was meant to be. We have insured our hearts against being affected by the ills of society, throwing our hands up in despair at the challenges facing us, overwhelmed by the weight attached to fighting for what we believe is right.
But as I read this, I perceive that God is pushing for a change of attitude. Silence is no longer golden when it comes to passing down the legacies and dealings of God from one generation to another. God demanded from the people of Israel to keep on talking about God's dealings to their children and to the generations coming so that there would never be a generation which did not know God or have time for him.
The realities of our present times attest to how far we have wandered, how deep we have sunk into a rut and how unsure we have become in our relationship with God. We do not talk anymore about the great exploits of God; politics, fashion, trends and society, even religious views have taken up space both in our consciousness and in our subconscious mind, as both the print and electronic media celebrate both the bad and the bizzare. Just raise an issue about Jesus and you could probably 'watch' the silence that ensues. It is  a sensitive issue now and we claim we don't want to offend people's sensibilities. We forget that Jesus himself said he did not come to bring peace to the world but a sword. Any wonder then, why our world is the way it is: armed robbery, murder, corruption and evil seem to be the norm these days. We just accept it; we don't fight it. We don't say anything because we don't want to offend others. What we forget is that a generation may soon arise that may not know God or his commands.
We must keep speaking, keep spreading the Word, keep telling others about God too. Failure to do so will be the failed generation: without hope, without life, without God. The end-result of silence is seen in Judges 2:10 AMP:
And also all that generation were gathered to their fathers, and there arose another generation after them who did not know (recognize, understand) the Lord, or even the work which He had done for Israel.
May God help us.

Words and Destiny

Proverbs 18:20-21 AMP

A man’s [moral] self shall be filled with the fruit of his mouth; and with the consequence of his words he must be satisfied [whether good or evil]. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].

The tongue is a small, yet fundamental part of the human body. It is usually not noticed till we speak. Its size is minute but its effect is eternal.
It has been said that words are powerful but I'm not sure that we fully appreciate the import of that saying. We open our mouths and pronounce blessings insincerely and utter curses flippantly. We often tell people what they want to hear so we can be left alone, or we lie shamefacedly, trying to avoid confrontations and embarassment. But for a man who understands his place in God and the power of words, there is a different standard.
Let me explain: God, the source of all life and existence, began this earthly experience with words. He spoke and everything as we see it came to pass. He spoke and the heavens and the earth came to be and through all the ages, God's Word still sustains the entire creation. If we were created by this same God and endowed with the same power, then our words must be tempered and monitored. God created us in his own image and his breath in us carries the same creative force that created and still sustains the universe. If we are indeed made in his likeness, I can open my mouth like him and declare things that will be. If I am truly his child, I can speak into my future and create whatever I desire under his leading.
Why then do we talk like we don't understand the import of our words? Why do we need to be constantly reminded of the power of the tongue? Why are we always in a hurry to speak and slow to heart instead of the other way around? God is saying to us today: if I'm your father, talk like me, if I am your Lord and master, say whatever I give you to say and do whatever I ask you to do. By your words, you are either justified or condemned. If you still doubt, compare the experiences and eventual destination of Joshua and Caleb on the one hand, and the people of Israel on the other.
God is still searching for people who will faithfully censor their tongues and spread his life through their words. He's the One whose Word gives life and the One who sustains life.  You are either justified or condemned by the words that you speak. Rejoice for his season of favour is here.

Man's Expectations and God's Expectations

Luke 6:7-11 AMP:
And the scribes and the Pharisees kept watching Jesus to see whether He would [actually] heal on the Sabbath, in order that they might get [some ground for] accusation against Him. But He was aware all along of their thoughts, and He said to the man with the withered hand, Come and stand here in the midst. And he arose and stood there. Then Jesus said to them, I ask you, is it lawful and right on the Sabbath to do good [so that someone derives advantage from it] or to do evil, to save a life [and make a soul safe] or to destroy it? Then He glanced around at them all and said to the man, Stretch out your hand! And he did so, and his hand was fully restored like the other one.  But they were filled with lack of understanding and senseless rage and discussed (consulted) with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Fairly long passage but one with a load of lessons on why man can never be God or understand what is the inspiration and motivation behind whatever God does. Here was a man with a shrivelled hand, coming in to the synagogue for worship. He didn't have complete parts but he had complete understanding of who God was and could do. He came to hear and see the Word himself. Most times, our problems seem to push us away from God instead of towards him. We seek other palliatives and temporary measures, forgetting that, like these Pharisees, no man can love you more than your creator himself.
Laws had been made to prevent any good being done on the Sabbath and these men were ready to enforce it, no matter the cost or the benefit to anyone. See the futility of putting your trust in man? Because he cannot help himself, there's pretty much nothing he can do to help you. Seek help from the Lord of the sabbath himself, who daily loads us with blessings and miracles, irrespective of time, season or circumstances.
Even though a man was healed, there was anger among the Pharisees. Who was this man breaking all their sabbath laws, doing good and healing people? They began to look for a way to harm him or kill him. When people oppose you, do you seek retaliation or seek God out? Do you seek to settle scores or do you allow God to have his way? Does God determine your steps and decisions and does he control your reactions to hurts, slights and insults? Can you move on beyond opposing ideas and beliefs, allowing God to have his way and his say over you and his creation? Remember, he's the God of all the earth and he alone is the one who can sustain his creation. I can only work with him, I don't inspire anything. I must not quit or give up, my miracle may just be the next in line. As I keep being faithful, obeying God in all ramifications, he will bring his purpose to bear on my life.
I rejoice, because his season of favour is here and my time of breakthrough has come.

The True Reward

Ruth 2:11-12 AMP:
And Boaz said to her, I have been made fully aware of all you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and mother and the land of your birth and have come to a people unknown to you before. The Lord recompense you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under Whose wings you have come to take refuge!

If there's any passage of Scripture that convinces me that God is a God of utmost, ultimate and complete knowledge, this one is. If I ever wondered if God truly looks beyond the past and can bless someone beyond his background and his past, Ruth is a classical example. She was a Moabitess, one of the races that God had labelled as enemies of his people. They were not to be married to anyone in Israel; they were the products of the incestual relationship between Lot and his older daughter. God had cursed these nation because of Israel.
A few centuries down the line, here we see a Moabite woman, a widow of an Israelite, living in Israel, being blessed by an Israelite and obtaining favour from the same God of Israel. She had no entitlement to anything related to Abraham's blessings, but till Jesus comes, as long as the Bible is read, she gets to be mentioned. Even better still is the account of the genealogy of Jesus, with the likes of a Moabite woman and a certain harlot mentioned as part of the lineage of Jesus.
Who then is the one who condemns? Who holds the measuring guage for the one that God must bless? Who can predict or presume on the favour of God? He does what he pleases by blessing whoever he chooses; afteralll, no matter where we are or what we do, we were all created by the same loving father. He alone is qualified to bless and no man can reverse. He alone sees beyond the baggage of the past and sees the glory ahead. He alone sees the big picture and he is the only One that matters in our journey of destiny.
Forget the past; if you are in Christ, it is forgotten. It could even be the springboard God will use to bring you into a new standing with him. Fix your eyes on the One who knows and holds tomorrow. He can bring you into your own land of abundance. Rejoice, for his time of favour is here.

Word-dependent

Numbers 23:19 AMP

God is not a man, that He should tell or act a lie, neither the son of man, that He should feel repentance or compunction [for what He has promised]. Has He said and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken and shall He not make it good?

In the brief years of my human existence, there's a lesson and a fact that I have come to accept and rely on: God does not lie. This statement is simple, yet weighty, considering the ease with which man strives to gain advantage over others through lies, deceit and deception. It is refreshing to knoe that there's a God who is fully truthful and dependent and whose words can be trusted, no matter the age or the circumstances.
As we run the race set before us, challenges will come. There will be days of inconvenience and discomfort; there will be days of joys and victories; life on earth here is s package of the good and the not-so-good, but in the midst of all these, you must settle in your that which God has said. If there's no word to sustain you in your life's race, you are likely to burn out, but if God is the sustainer, inspiration and the reality behind your life's journey, then you are bound to succeed.
Get a Word from God today as an anchor for your soul. It is your rest, refuge and comfort no matter what the external circumstances dictate.
Hold on to God, his time of favour is here.