Life's Journey

Genesis 13:1 NIV:
So Abram went up from Egypt to the Negev, with his wife and everything he had, and Lot went with him.

God had told Abram to get out of his father's house, with all he had, and set out for a place he would show him. God knew where he was taking Abram to and he had to get him out of his background and familiar sphere of influence. This is where our life's lessons begin: trusting God is not always convenient. God may have to take you out of familiar environments so he can bless you abundantly and in a way that it will be obvious that self had nothing to do with it.

Be careful, however, who you set out on the journey with. God called Abraham to himself; Abraham called Lot to himself. It is the One who calls that can sustain the journey and it is He who commissions an assignment that will provide the resources required. Lot's end is a classic reminder that even man's best intentions don't always end well for man. We cannot start and conclude God's assignment by our strength, neither can we take on additional responsibilities outside his guidance.

Let this be a lesson to us all: we were not sent to save the entire world. That's Jesus' assignment and he's doing it well. Ours is to key into that part he needs us to do and rely on his strength to finish well. Don't take with you anybody or anything that God had not approved. It will weigh you down. Don't forget: it is only the man who received the vision that will set out in directions that others do not understand. Every other person is just along for the ride. His time of favour is here.

Exponential Increase

Deuteronomy 10:22 NIV:
Your ancestors who went down into Egypt were seventy in all, and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars in the sky.

God made simple arithmetic, where 1 + 1 will be equal to 2. But then, God wanted to prove that where he is concerned, there are times he will set aside natural laws of arithmetic and establish further mathematics or complex maths, where 1+1 could equal 1.  Or how do you explain the mystery of marraige where 2 very distinct people are seen as 1 person? Or how do you explain the logic behind 1 chasing a thousand, and 2 chasing ten thousand?

That same God is still in the business of showing himself strong in the lives of the people who are committed to serving him. His promises cannot fail, and he can move heaven and earth, just to bring his word to fulfilment. When the sun stopped going down for a whole day while Joshua was fighting, God was sending a strong message that there is no law I won't set aside where my children are concerned.

70 people came into Egypt. They went through tough times; things weren't so good, yet when they were leaving, there were 600,000 men, beside women and children, and so many possessions. That same God is still in charge of our lives, and he will perfect all that concerns us. His time of favour is here.

God is in Charge

Daniel 4:17 NIV:
“ ‘The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.’

There's a God that rules over the affairs of men. The same God who set up humble Daniel as an administrator in Babylon was the same God who brought down Nebuchadnezzar when his heart was exalted. The same God chose prostitute Rahab as part of the lineage of Jesus. He does as he chooses and no one can question him, because he's the one in charge of the affairs of men.

Whatever God does, the ultimate goal is so that men may acknowledge his power and praise Him. If we recognise and acknowledge the fact that God is fully in charge of our lives, then we will not fret when things don't go according to plan or when God interrupts our schedule because he wants to bless us. God has a unique sense of timing and harmony that only someone with total and absolute knowledge of all constants and variables can combine to achieve his ultimate purpose. Nothing catches him by suprise and everything will work out to his own end-purpose- even our carelessness, mistakes and errors.

When next trials arise and you think you can't go on, or you think that God is helpless or late, think again: if he holds the universe in place and ensures that the seasons keep ticking, he surely has your life under control. His time of favour is here.

Never Late

John 11:21-22 NKJV:
Now Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.”

God's presence is the assurance of breakthrough. Pity the man with a lot of issues and nobody to help him bear them. Pity the man struggling under a burden too heavy for him, yet with no one to lend a helping hand. But most of all, pity the man who has no God, no help, no comforter, no guarantee that his life will enjoy any good.

Lazarus had died and had been buried, the final seal of the 'irreversible' nature of death. Mary and Martha had been mourning. Then the good news: Jesus had come. Martha went out to meet him and in a few words, taught us the importance of faith and the power of God. In her own words, if Jesus had been there, Lazarus would not have died. The presence of God gives and sustains life; he does not destroy, he builds and sustains life. God's presence is key to all that a man desires. His presence speaks life and his absence will leave room for a host of other influences.

She also confessed the immutable power of God to do whatever he has promised. God isn't like man, prone to rash words and actions; God watches and weighs his words before he speaks them so that once they go out, his power of accomplishment accompanies them. They cannot fail so his words can never be spoken in vain.

Like Martha, let our own lives speak of faith and action. Let our life be an agreement of what we profess and what we practice. Let God's Word be the only anchor we hold on to when life gets rough. Because his Word is eternal, that is the only thing that matters. Everything, even this present life, has an expiry date. Only God lasts forever and if we are live with him forever, he's got to live inside of us.

Get God, get life. His time of favour is here.

Sowing and Reaping

Galatians 6:7-9 NKJV

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

As long as this earth remains, God's natural laws will not be broken. As long as this earth remains, there will always be a reaping of like-seed with what was sown and a harvest of what was put in the ground. No man will sow maize and expect to harvest yam. In fact, what always makes sowing amazing is the exponential increase that harvest brings. You put in a few seeds of corn, you harvest cobs of maize in quantities that have no direct relationship with what was planted. This should set me thinking: there's nothing I do that is in vain. There's nothing I do that does not have its corresponding result, whether good or bad. Everything will be rewarded or punished at the appointed time, no matter how far you run or how hard you try and conceal your actions. Time has a funny way of revealing even the deepest motives for man's behaviour.

When you do good and men repay you with good, continue to do good. When men keep pressing you to compromise, remember that God's rewards isn't determined by other people's reactions to you but by your own actions and reactions. What you do with what others give you is proof of your maturity and readiness for God's blessings.

Remain focused. Don't give in or give up. His reward is here because his time of favour is here.

Real freedom

John 8:31-32 NIV:
To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

True freedom is not the absence of chains but the knowledge of and obedience to the commands of God. Freedom is not really an expression of liberty to live as one pleases, but as God pleases.

Discipleship starts by believing in Jesus. You become his disciple by willingly accepting his mastery over you. You commit yourself to follow him as he leads. But the difference between Judas Iscariot and Simon Peter is seen in their moving from just being a disciple to knowing the truth. It is not enough to bear the names or talk the talk. My life must embrace the person of the truth that makes the walk and the talk match. Christ is the connection that brings reality into my walk so that all I do, say and think show the quality of my convictions and depth of my knowledge of the truth.

I must move from a mouth-confession of Christ to a life-confession of Him. It is applied knowledge that sets free, not the fact of knowledge itself. If I know Christ can save, but I say nothing, do nothing and believe nothing, then there can never be true freedom. I must seek true life and freedom even as I seek out the person of Christ himself.

Get a life; get the true life and enjoy true freedom. His time of favour is here.

Freedom and Responsibility

Galatians 5:13 GNBDC:
As for you, my brothers and sisters, you were called to be free. But do not let this freedom become an excuse for letting your physical desires control you. Instead, let love make you serve one another.

There is always a major difference between the world's view and the Word's view on the meaning of freedom. The world sees it from a selfish point of view as an absence of personal responsibility or accountability- where you are free to do as you please. The Word sees it from a broad view- a point where you acknowledge that another paid the terms of your freedom from one level of bondage and gave you fresh terms of engagement. You were not set free to live as you pleased but you were set free from a hopeless end and given a responsibility that guarantees you endless hope.

That is the defining moment for the world. The world does not understand accountability and responsibility the way the Word understands it. The natural man cannot understand either because it goes against everything that nature enjoys. But as we come to God and understand his ways, we begin to understand what he demands from us. We are not our own masters; we have a new master.  We have renewed ideas, renewed hope, renewed vision, new responsibilities and renewed strength to follow our new master.

Check your fruits and your focus. The produce of your life depends on your investment. Are you investing in the world or in the Word? Are you serving others in love or demanding service from others? Serve with God as your focus and watch your life impact others. His time of favour is here.

Finding True Rest

Psalm 62:1-2 NIV:
Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

Today's text is a statement that is borne out of experience and cold facts. No man pens these words if he has not proven them to be true and factual. There is no other way to prove these words to be true than from the testimonies that arise from personal experiences.

The world cannot give you peace because it does not understand it. The world only knows selfishness and self-centeredness. The world is never at rest because the prince of this world is always roaming to and fro, seeking lives to destroy. No wonder then, that all who depend on the standards, principles and policies of the world will never know peace. You cannot give what you do not have, so do not expect that you will run to the devil and he will give you peace. He does not understand it, he cannot comprehend it, his nature abhors it, he cannot give it. Why not seek out the other prince- the Prince of Peace, the one who can sleep in the midst of the storms of life because he knows that as long as he's in the boat of your life, no storm can swallow that boat. Why not seek after that inner peace that his presence can bring, no matter the temperature of the external surroundings.

You see, peace is not the measurement of the calm situations around your life, it is the presence of the Prince of Peace, no matter what else is going on around you. His presence assures you of safety in the face of the greatest dangers; wealth in the face of the most stringent economy and abundance in the face of poverty all around. That is what peace can do and it is only God that gives it. Look around you, you will be depressed because there seems to be nothing of inspiration around you. But look inwards, give God your heart and let him work out the fine details of your inner state. His time of favour is here.

Training in Godliness

1 Timothy 4:8 NIV:
For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

I'm wondering why the Bible equates physical training with Godliness. Can we find a point of convergence for both? How does being Godly help my life and what gain comes with physical training?

I believe that Godliness is a daily practice. No man wakes up one morning and suddenly becomes Godly. Godliness is the sum of all the little daily decisions you make for God daily. When you are tempted to lie and take the easy way out, but you stand for the truth no matter what, then you are training for Godliness. When compromise and mediocrity is the easier option for others, but you have Godly principles you live by and uphold, then you are training yourself for Godliness.

The world's standards are always changing. What was sacred a few decades ago has become despised a few years after. God's standards are not like that at all. The same standards of faith that God held Abraham to is the same he is demanding of us today. God doesn't change like shifting shadows and his children who would lay claim to their relationship with Him must prove their allegiance through the quality of their lives.

You can only train for a while or for a few years. The body cannot withstand the same pressure for sixty years. You just must give yourself a break sometimes. Not so with Godliness. It is a life-long regimen, a constant life-demand. Physical training only does your body good to an extent; Godliness has eternal consequences.

Focus on the right priorities today. God's nature is our ultimate aspiration and as we walk in his nature, we seal our eternal redemption. Live right; live holy; live Godly; his time of favour is here.

Victory through Christ

1 Corinthians 15:56-57 NIV:
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ever wonder why sin has got so much power? Ever wonder why it appears as if no matter how hard you try, what you really do not want to do is what you find convenient and easy to do? That is the power of the sinful nature. It is as old as man because it is the cause of man's rebellion towards God since Adam.

Today's text shows something. The law was given to regulate man's behaviour and restore man's broken relationship with God. It was given so that man may know what code of conduct was expected of him and how he could reclaim his lost place with God. But no matter how hard the law tried, it could not really deal with the problem of sin because in the first place, it could not understand it. How does a law that came into existence centuries after the fall of man deal with the cause of man's fall itself?

A solution had to be proferred. There had to be something or someone who outlived man's sinful nature and who could understand the root cause of sin and deal with its effects and consequences. God had to come, as he alone had dealt with rebellion, even in his own realms of heaven and had successfully expelled the leader of the rebellion. He had the power, knowledge and wisdom to deal with the problem of sin in man.

Victory has come through Christ. He alone existed long before sin ever became a world issue and he alone can help man deal with the power, effects and consequences of sin. In him alone is victory, every other arrangement is only a temporary one that will not last and will not deal with the root cause of sin. Jesus alone is the solution; he alone has the power over sin, death and the grave. Seek him today and receiv life. Reject him reject life. His time of favour is here.

Perfect Peace

Isaiah 26:3 NIV
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

It has often been said that there is no perfection on this side of eternity. Because we have become imperfect beings as a result  of the fall of man in the garden of Eden, nothing our lives produce can be perfect. We can only strive towards perfection as we live our lives from day to day. While that is true, let me introduce you to the One who is able to bring perfect harmony out of broken chords.

There's a God who can do what seems impossible for man. There's a God who is able to bring peace in the midst of war, light in the midst of the thickest darkness and hope in the midst of the most hopeless of situations. He alone can fulfil the promises made in the text above.

How do you get peace in a world going to pieces? How do you maintain equilibrum in a world gone haywire and imbalanced? How do you keep your head when all others are losing theirs? The answer is simple: let your heart and mind stay on God, the only true source of peace. Sounds odd, but the evidence abounds to this testimony. Ask Isaac who sowed in a land of  famine and in the same year of sowing reaped a hundredfold harvest. Ask the man who saw an iron axe-head float on water or Peter who actually walked on water. As many as can keep their minds stayed on God will have their lives produce such extraordinary breakthroughs.

If you desire peace, then stay connected. If you desire change, work with the God who can change the entire course of your life by just one intervention. His time of favour is here.

Being Truly Wise

Proverbs 3:7-8 NIV:
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil.   This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.

For everything God creates, the devil always offers a cheap, inferior and deadly alternative. For every good plan of God, the devil is always plotting to install his own evil plan in the mind of man. The battlefield is always the mind of the man, as that is the seat of all decisions, actions, thoughts and motives.

It all began in the Garden of Eden. God's plan was man's eternal dominion; the devil wanted the dominion to himself. A cheap alternative to God's perfect plan was suggested: truly be like God, knowing good and evil, as if man was not already like God. And so man fell to the lure of being like God by foul means and the battle continues daily for the souls of man and total control of his destiny.

But then, God's plan has always been undefeatable. It doesn't matter the quality or quantity of the opposition against God; he always wins his battles. Today's text highlights another area of our lives where we have always struggled as natural men: the area of wisdom and pride. No man rejects wisdom. We seek it by all means, fair or foul. We spend a fortune in acquiring it through books and higher learning. We go to the ends of the earth in search of it but today's text highlights the greatest source of true wisdom: God. Sounds ordinary but check out the statistics: he created the world as we see it now in just six days, just by speaking everything into existence. Man was formed by his hands and at birth, is endowed with the most important attribute he needs: the nature of God through the breath of God in him. That breath is the impartation of all that God is into man. All that God does becomes possible because of the nature, breath and power of God deposited in us.

Why, then, do we not fully maximise these potentials? Why are our lives seemingly empty of meaning and direction, if indeed, we carry God's nature in us? Why does it appear that man prefers the cheap, deady alternative to the one God offers? Simply put, you can only get the original when you have the original personality living in you. You can't get God's best for your life by living a life outside his control. If you truly desire what God offers, you must come to him on his own terms and do his bidding.

We claim God's promises and blessings most times without wanting to do what he wants. We seek his good without doing the good he wants us to do. We seek wisdom from every other source except from the true source and we wonder why we are tense, unhealthy and full of evil desires. No man truly begins to live until he has begun a new life in God. No man truly has wisdom until he has received the new life that the personality of true wisdom brings.

Get a life, get the true life. Get God, get true wisdom. He gives the real deal, all other options are cheap alternatives. His time of favour is here.

Unity....

1 Corinthians 1:10 NIV:
I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

I know that many things have been said about the possibility of unity among diverse human beings and the seeming impossibility of getting two people to perfectly agree on anything. People coin expressions like "there's unity in diversity" to back up this thought. While not disagreeing with this position, I believe there's a direction God wants us to move in and that is expressed in the words of the text quoted above.

How can people of different ethnic and geographical backgrounds all speak with the same mind and have the same thoughts? How possible is it for people who have different experiences and exposures  be perfectly united in mind? I believe the answer is in the foundation of every life and the contents of each vessel. When God created man, the focus of that creation was the ability and nature that man was given. God breathed into the man and man became a living soul. The breath of God was the defining nature, not colour, race or tribe. The breath of God in man is the connecting influence that seeks to reach out to other people. It is only as we allow the breath of God to work in us that God's nature, attributes and power can be made manifest in us.

Pefect unity in mind and thought is more of an inner quality than an outward character trait. There's nothing outside of us that makes us similar to other people: fingerprints, DNA, hair and eye samples are personal traits that cannot be shared or transfered. There is however that nature and power of God, given to us when he breathed into us, that connects us to other people and makes us united in mind and thought.

As we allow God work in us, he can bring about the unity of mind and thought that he desires. His presence in any life guarantees unity of mind and thought with as many as will give him room in their hearts too. His time of favour is here.

Tit for Tat

Luke 6:37-38 NKJV:
“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.  Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

As I read these verses, I'm reminded of the rules that govern human relationships which these verses inspire. We desire that people do good to us, we want to be treated fairly and honestly. We desire that whatever good we ask for, all concerned will do so for us. The issue with such thinking is the order of arrangement. Which one comes first: the good we desire from others or the good we must first do before we can demand any good from anyone else? If we then do good to others first, is it compulsory that they do the same good to us? Are we doing good for others for the sole purpose of getting the same reward from others?

The Christian race is one that is full of unpredictable twists and turns. A lot of things happen as we run this race: the good and the not-so-good; but through it all, we are reminded again that there's a God who sees all that goes on and he it is who will reward every man accordingly. For everything we do, whether good or bad, there is a just reward, which God alone can determine.

If God then determines the just rewards for my actions, then why then do I get evil atimes for the good that I do? Why do the people I have helped in the past the same people who will repay me wigh evil? Why do people easily forget the good done to them by others as soon as they are comfortable? Questions that God may not answer but all he demands from us is this constant reminder: the same measure you use will be measured back to you. That is a warning we will do good to heed as we run this race. Ours is not to do good, expecting that good will come back to us from the same people we have done good for, but we are to do good, irrespective of what people do or give us in return. We are not judges; we are products of God's grace and that grace can only be effective in the lives of others when we live it out by doing good, no matter the cost.

God is a true judge and his rewards will be just. I need only worry about the true motives for my actions; God will take care of the results if I take heed to the seeds I sow. As I recently heard: "Christians are not perfect; we are only forgiven". That same grace must move from us to other people, so that the life of God in us can be replicated in the lives of others. His time of favour is here.

Your Soul's Worth

Mark 8:36-37 NKJV:
For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?  Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Really, how much is a soul worth? What value can you place on a soul? If an exchange was to be arranged for just one soul, what could be given in exchange? As I examine my life in the light of the verses quoted above, some truths come to mind:

° There is a need to draw a scale of preference or priorities. We need to sit down and critically examine our lives, conduct, conversation and company so that a stand can be taken. There are always competing interests fighting for recognition and priority in our hearts. We are the ones who would determine the place of these interests in our hearts.

° It is possible to spend our lives in pursuit of a standard and at the end discover that we had run in vain. There is a race set for all of us, but how we run it is a matter of personal conviction. Life is not a race with anyone; it is a race of faith, a fight for eternity. No two people can run on behalf of each other, so we need to stop trying to measure our lives in the light of other people's expectations and standards. Standards differ from person to person and from generation to generation; therefore it would amount to suicide to try and live up to undefined standards set by other people. Why not make your own standard that of God, so people can know God through you?

°  A day of reckoning will come. Let no man deceive you. There's no logic that supports an unaccountable life. By human standards, we demand an account by stewards, employees and trustees. We hold them accountable for their actions and inactions. How then can we reject the idea of God holding us accountable for our actions too?. One day, no matter how long it takes or how far we go, we will give account for every word and action our lives produced. Ensure it is the right quality that can stand the test of God's fire.

°  Nothing can be of more value to God than a soul that he owns and holds. There's nothing a man can give that can be of the same value as a soul. If God could take his time creating man, and then giving man his own breath, then his soul is worth more to him than anything else. God is interested in the eternal value of every life he owns.

Indeed, God loves us and wants the best for us. We owe it to God to discover his purpose for us and pursue it. Life lived with purpose makes God's investment in our lives worth it. Rejoice, for his time of favour is here.

Walk the Talk

James 3:13 NIV:
Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

Indeed, there's wisdom and there's wisdom. There's 'wisdom' the world gives and true wisdom that come from God. The fruits both of them produce always show their origin. It does not matter how long the fruits hide or how long it takes for the seeds to bear fruit; one day, the reality of the quality, origin and substance of the fruits will be revealed.
How then do you ensure that what you have and are nurturing is the real thing? When you then have the right thing, how do you confirm that you have the right attitude to what God has given you?

True wisdom comes from God. The world has fake substitutes for whatever God gives and it almost always looks like the real thing. This is why you need God to know the real thing. God has asked us to ask him for wisdom and if he could give us his own Son, then nothing else will be too big for him to give us. It is therefore important for us to know and have the wisdom that God gives. A fundamental attribute of that wisdom is that it leaves no room for pride. How can you boast about something you hold that you know was given to you in the first place? How can you be selfish with something that grace delivered to you?

When a man realises the grace of God upon his life, his life shows off the fruits of that grace. No wonder our text here says that if a man is truly wise and full of understanding, his life will show it by good deeds done in humility that comes from true wisdom. Let us truthfully examine our hearts this day and ask ourselves: is my life bearing the fruits of grace? Am I living in humble realisation of my total weakness and complete dependence on the grace of God? Have I learnt to make my walk match my talk, so that lives can be blessed by my life? Remember, it is only a consistently Godly life that can lead others to God. My life has the potential of being such if I surrender it in humility to God and allow him do his work in me. His time of favour is here.

God is Great

2 Samuel 7:22 KJV:
Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

A background to today's text will do us good. David was a man who enjoyed the limitless grace of God in all ramifications. He was a man who, despite all his shortcomings, knew how to get back into God's good books. His C.V included murder, adultery and conspiracy, grave sins for which he deserved death. But unlike many of us today, when he was confronted with his sin, rather than rationalising, he repented wholeheartedly. He gave no excuses; he just gave himself to God wholeheartedly. No wonder then, that God called him a man after his own heart.

This context shows David planning to build a magnificent temple for God. Plans had been made and the materials had been provided. God said No. God even went as far as reminding David of some of the things he had done wrong and the innocent blood he had shed, which disqualified him from building that temple. Rather than complain and murmur, David accepted and still coined the words of the focal text quoted above. Are there not many of us who seek to do great things for God, yet it appears there's no help from God in that regard? When God disrupts our best-laid plans, do we accept it or do we grumble? Can God take our attention away from what we think is proper and fix us on the things that matter?  Can we still praise God when everything has gone south, our best plans have been battered and our hopes seem shattered? Will God still remain God in our lives when things don't look too good?

As I ponder on the words above, I see a man who has made up his mind to praise God, no matter what circumstances around him dictate. Praising God isn't a matter of emotions or circumstances; it happens in spite of circumstances. It is easy to praise God when everything is easy and calm and all our plans are being backed up by God's action. Our reactions when things are not going well is the true test of the quality of our faith.

A fundamental lesson: God forgives and forgets our confessed sin; the problem is with the consequences of that sin. David was forgiven but the results of his sin led to a break in his own, adultery in his own house and a constant battle for succession to the throne after David's death. Yet, the mercy of God was evident. The product of the 'marriage' of David and Bathsheba became the next king after David. All of God's promises came to pass in the life of Solomon, so much so that Solomon was the only king of Israel who never had to fight a single war, except for the war to control his own raging emotions and his household.

God is a God of mercy and love. His power is awesome yet humane. His judgements are true yet tinged with mercy and love. His grace is available for all who will take advantage. Indeed, there's none like him. Praise God today, for his time of favour has come.

Rest....from fruitless labour

Matthew 11:28-30 KJV:
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

It is a world of stress and high tension. We rush to sleep at night, setting alarm clocks and priorities for the next day, unsure of what the day holds and even more unsure of what our purpose and pursuits should be. We rush through the day, meeting and keeping appointments and deadlines, with hardly a thought of what our life should be like. We then rush home at night, seeking a balance to our lives by ensuring we are available to our family members. It has become a juggling art: balancing work, family, life and fun. We mostly tilt towards work, while our families suffer in the process, only to discover later than our pursuits were the wrong priorities.

We labour so much while our lives show a disproportionate return on our labour. We run after a lot of things and at the end of our pursuits, we hold less than what we started the journey with. There has to be a purpose to every pursuit and a reason for every race. There must be a God-inspired pattern for every priority that we set before us and it is only as we run, walk and work with God that we can find the rest that we desire.

There's an invitation to only those who have realised the folly of labour without God. There's stress and trouble for any man seeking to find peace outside the true source of that peace. For any man seeking true rest, Christ simply says: 'Come unto me'. That is all you need to do. When you come, there's an exchange of burden, a transfer of spirits and a help that is divine and eternal. When you come with your burden, God just does not take the burden and send you out into a responsibility-free life; he takes your own burden and gives you his own burden: a gift, a talent or a responsibility you have been specially endowed to perform. He just doesn't give you this, he empowers you daily so you can fulfil these responsibilities. He gives you his own yoke and because it is his, he's carrying it with you. You are not left alone at any time to bear these things by yourself. He's the example that bears following and his life is a living testimony that with God, you are never without help.

His help is available through his Spirit and he gives you just what you need to fulfil his own purpose for your life. He isn't going to leave you alone to navigate this wild world alone without help. His presence will help sustain you whatever the yoke you may have been given to carry. His presence has been promised and by the nature of God, every promise of God will be fulfilled. His time of favour is here.

The Unsearchable God.....

Isaiah 40:28-29 KJV:
Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord , the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.

God is really unsearchable. There's no limit to his power, wisdom and strength. There are not enough human adjectives that can fully qualify and quantify the the nature of God and the works of his hands. From the words above, God is described as an everlasting Father. I just see a God who's constantly holding out his hands to his creation. It does not matter how long he is ignored; he will keep knocking and waiting until you either open up or the waiting time expires by his coming. His patience is impeccable, as I'm not sure any man who continue to sustain and uphold something you have created but which exists in rebellion towards you, its creator.
We constantly live our lives like we own them; thinking that our wisdom, power and abilities can sustain us through the journey. But what I have learnt is that God alone is the one who never grows weary. He has been the same consistent God through the ages. His work, methods and results may not be predictable, but his nature is. He doesn't always do things the way we expect but he sure makes certain that we end well.
There's just one lesson though: As long as I feel self-sufficient and capable, I may not enjoy the fullness of God's grace and mercy. If I do not confess my faintness, how do I acknowledge my need for the power of God? If I feel capable and strong enough, how does God's power make any impact in my life? If I desire God's strength, I must plead my weakness and my need for him. No man can come to God and argue from a position of strength. Outside of God, there's nothing in me now that can sustain me through the journey ahead. I need God's power, strength and ability.
God's greatness is seen in the conclusion of the verses above. How does God increase strength for a man with NO might? I though that 0 multiplied by even a million would always result in a 0. But with God, your 0 meeting with God's 'minimum' will result in amazing breakthroughs. The lesson for me here is: all I need is to be available; God will work out the results and the effect, afterall, it is his life, his gifts, his calling and his assignment. I'm just a privileged vessel.
I rejoice in his strength today, because his time of favour is here.

The Substance of the Gospel

Romans 1:16 KJV:
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

I have been severally taught that 'gospel'  has its root word in Greek and means 'good news'. I could then substitute 'gospel' with 'good news' and see whether it sheds more light on our focal passage above: ' I am not ashamed of the good news of Christ.......'. It then means that there's good to be found in Christ or there's a good to be enjoyed in having Christ. For as many that have received him, Christ then must be at work in them, working in the power of God to bring out his good purposes. If then there's good news in Christ, why are Christians then the most persecuted people? Why does it look as if the more of Christ you profess, the more 'bitter' the trials and tribulations? Does it not atimes look like there's nothing good about our profession of Christ?
I just believe that there's something very personal about the good news that Christ brings which cannot be shared like every other gift. What today's passage talks about the good news of Christ as the 'power of God unto salvation'. God's greatest expression of power is the grace of salvation: where a man can willingly come to God through Christ and he's set free from his past and given a new and fresh start. The workings of God's salvation through Christ isn't according to reason, logic or common sense; its not what your human mind can fathom. It is a gift from God to ALL mankind, but which will only work for 'anyone who believes'.
This is the issue. We complain a lot about the issues we face in life but we do nothing concrete about it. We want to enjoy a life free from fear but we seek help in the wrong places. We desire God's will and purpose for our lives but we desire to find this will through the wrong person or means. We have raised man to the level of God and made him our source of help. We just cannot get used to the simple idea that Christ, in God, is all we need.
This morning, let us seek help from the right source and person. Try the channel God has provided and approved as the only way to salvation. Many options seem available, but if God has laid down one and only available channel, then our lives will only start when we come to that channel.
God is waiting for us. His free gift of salvation through Chrisst is available for 'anyone who believes'.  Better to risk all on God and lose all, than to risk nothing at all and then really lose all. His time of favour is here.

Beautiful feet!

Isaiah 52:7 KJV:
How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

Check out the kind of mouth that goes along with the kind of feet that you have. Do the words they speak match the paths they walk? Do you walk the talk or is there a strong disconnect between what you practice and what you preach?
Check this out again: how beautiful are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings; that publishes peace. It goes further to expand the scope of the good tidings: that publisheth salvation. That is the whole plan of God: man's reconciliation with God. That is our focus, our pursuit, our major assignment. There's nothing else that brings more reward, grace and blessing than to replicate God in the lives of the people he brings our way.
This week, spread good tidings. Let your feet, mouth and life speak about the good tidings of salvation. Let your life point to the greatness, majesty and glory of God. He will make your life beautiful. His time of favour is here.

It's Free for All.....

Titus 2:11 KJV:
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men...

These are sobering times and sobering words that must provoke sobering thoughts. We are in a season of strange events and even stranger behaviours. We live in uncertain times, without any idea of what the next moment, minute, hour, day or week will bring. The ONE thing, however, that will certainly and assuredly happen is that this world, as we know it,  will cease to exist one day. This is as certain as night follows day and vice versa. God has promised us that what we see now will be destroyed by fire, to be replaced by what he has promised- new heavens and a new earth. If you can point to just ONE of the promises of God that has failed, you can doubt this one too, but if there's no evidence of a failed promise by God, then you can bet your eternity on this- Jesus will one day return.
Today's passage buttresses this truth- God's grace has been revealed and is available to all men, irrespective of location, past, history or background. All these things do not bother God; what you do with the knowledge of his grace is the key factor to your eternity. If after the grace is revealed, and there is no response or acceptance, then the punishment is inevitable.
God always gives a choice, and that is itself the power to choose. His gift of grace is a blank cheque and has been drawn to all men, but it is only those who fill in their names and accept the unconditional grace that will benefit. I know that excuses will not hold water on that day, because daily, God reveals his grace of salvation for as many as are alive now. Choose to receive that grace today, tomorrow is out of your hands. Now is the acceptable day, today is the day of salvation. His time of favour is here.