The Master Key

Hebrews 11:6 NIV

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

'Seeing is Believing' is one of the favourite quotes of our generation. It is borne out of our need to trust our senses and play safe. We fear that anything outside of this means we are setting ourselves up for failure and disappointment. We play everything safe, trusting nothing, just relying on the good old senses God has 'given' us.

Let me introduce to you a principle that guarantees you success everytime it is applied. With God, you have always got to believe, even when everything around you is saying otherwise. You look at your situation and it seems hopeless, but God is saying today: if you believe in me, nothing is hopeless. Can you dare count the amazing things that have happened in your life? Can you give a rational explanation for them? If you give to God regularly, can you really explain if it is your regular income that has brought you this far? If only we could look around, we will see the results of faith in God, even when circumstances around us dictate the opposite. 

Dare to believe God today; it is the key to your breakthroughs. You need the incredible? Trust the God who does the miraculous. His time of favour is here.

True Life 3

Acts 2:21 KJV
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

It is an open invitation. Nobody is exempted. Christ came once and for all people, across every generation, and died as the ultimate sacrifice for sin. His death took all our shame, pain and punishment with him to the grave. His life guarantees our own; his life means that only in union with him can we truly live. Any living that is done outside of him is not life. Any comfort or convenience that we enjoy outside of Him is always temporary. It is open to all, no matter the past or present.

One warning though: like all free things, there's the danger of abuse or ignorance. We don't appreciate things we don't 'fight' for, and we don't count as anything what we have not strugglex for. The gift of salvation is a lot different. No man can come to God boasting about ability, capability or qualification; Christ did all that for us. He just wants us to take up his free offer and enjoy the benefits of his life. One day soon, the gift will run its full course and expire. It will too late then. Now is the acceptable time; today is the day of salvation.

Call today, don't wait till tomorrow. Nobody is guaranteed tomorrow except those who have taken the gift. His time of favour is here.

True Life 2

ROM 8:11 NIV
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

There's always a control point and an end-result. The control point determines the end-result. There's always a need for us to check the control point, and check if God is indeed in control. Sin came in to wrest control away from God, but God through Christ has come to take back that control. Accepting the finished work of Christ without modifications or amendments is what guarantees you true life. If indeed Christ is living in you, imagine the power that you possess and the life that you enjoy.

This Easter season, remember that there is a finished work in your life that guarantees you eternal life. There's a finished work that stops you from labouring by your power to please God. There's a finished work that the power of resurrection has sealed- you too can have that same resurrection power at work in your life.

Is there anything dead or dying that needs life? Is there anything that needs God's resurrection power? Get Christ, get life. No other way, no other option. His time of favour is here.

True Life....

1JN 4:9 NIV
This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

Forget what the world has told you: true life does not consist of power, possessions or position, but in the personality that lives inside of you. There's something flawed about a life that has no inner substance, no inner drive or influence that determines its function. Right from creation, it was never God's intention to leave us alone. It was his plan to walk with us, to talk with us, to show his power through our lives so that people will see Him in us. Sin took care of that, but Christ has restored that relationship now.

It is therefore important that we check our inner condition: who's dictating affairs in our lives? Who's truly living in us? Are we still struggling with the remote control, trying to share control with God in some areas, afraid of totally letting go? Am I still afraid that if I let go completely, I may lose my identity? In the first place, outside of God, there's no you. Whatever you are now or whatever you will ever be, is tied up with God. He's the owner of every life and life must be lived on his own terms if it is to be enjoyed.

He has shown us his love by giving himself, and he now counts on us to do the same by giving him our lives. If you want to truly live,give God control. If you wan your life to be meaningful, give it to Him who can give meaning to every creation of his. Whatever he has made, he can sustain. Need  life? Get true Life- Christ himself. His time of favour is here.

He Lives..... Forever

JOHN 11:25-26 NIV
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;  and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

Just as Christ stated to Mary, so is he talking to us today. True life isn't what we have now; what we have now is a preparation for the true life. All we do, say and think now are the seeds we sow for the true life to come. The most important decision that will guarantee you the true life is as stated above: ' the one who believes in me will live, even though they die'. Faith in Christ and in His finished work is the groundwork for eternity. As you believe him, his life becomes your life and his home becomes your hope. Even when this present life ends, and end it will someday, there's a guarantee that true life has just begun.

What will it be for you? Just as Christ asked Mary, so is the question coming out again to us all: 'Do you believe this'? Your answer is the key to your life or the lack of it. Decide well today, believe in Jesus. His time of favour is here

Love...at His best

Romans 5:8 NIV

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We weren't the best of people but his love was just there for us. We hadn't done anything deserving of good, but his good heart spoke for us. When we were at our worst, his love was at his best. What makes it more real is that we measure love by the gifts we receive, God measures love to us by the gift he gave- himself. We weren't at our best when he gave himself, but his overwhelming love spoke for us when we couldn't even speak up for ourselves.

This season, let us remember to appreciate Christ as the greatest gift that was given. His life was taken for people who didn't appreciate it then, but his life has been shown out through us who now know and appreciate the gift that was given.

He's given his all; what are you giving fo him. He gave up his all, what would you give up for him? His love still speaks, is your life showing out that same love? His time of favour is here.

For You and I

Isaiah 53:5 NIV
But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

He had a choice, but he went ahead anyway. He could have said NO but his love for us was so compelling that he just had to die. He could have found an alternative, but he gave himself as the supreme sacrifice for all, so that all could receive life.

Everything he went through was painful but his pain has brought us gain. We deserved punishment for our sins, but he took our place so we could walk away free. His beatings brought us peace, his stripes guaranteed our healing. While God turned away from his son on the cross, heaven was wondering wht kind of love could compel Jesus to leave all he had to come and die for undeserving, unworthy creatures like us.

On this very auspicious day, let us appreciate the sacrifice made on the cross for us. His death brought us hope, his life has secured it. He's coming back again to take those who have chosen to believe and accept his free gift. Have you taken up his free offer? Are you presently enjoying the benefits his death and life guarantees? Are you saved, bound for the promised land? His time of favour is here.

Making a Difference

Matthew 20:26-28 NIV
Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,  and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—  just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Are you content with blending in with the crowd or can you dare to stand alone? Can you pay the true price of greatness or is it that this sacrifice is beneath you? Can you dare to follow the example of Christ, who though he is God, emptied himself of his power, authority and glory and became like us. He came to serve and lay his life down for us so we could be like him eventually. Can I pay the same price? Can I empty myself of my boasts, achievements and attainments,  and just see the sacrifice of Christ on the cross?

Am I serving others or am I craving and demanding service from others? Am I still full of myself or have I emptied myself of ME and put on Christ? His example is there for us to follow, and our lives will only make the desired impact if we are like him. This Easter period is the true reflection of his nature and sacrifice. May my life not be a waste but I pray that my life will be a shining example of a life that Christ has saved and is at work for him, serving others and drawing other people to Him. Make that your prayer too this Easter and always. His time of favour is here.

Need Long Life?

Proverbs 4:20-22 NIV
My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words.   Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;   for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.

In a world of rebellion and teenage self- awareness, it is amazing just how apt these verses are. If you want to be healthy and have a normal, lively existence, the secret is in obeying the Word of God. Sounds odd, doesn't it? Think about it: there's no generation that has passed through this earth that has made it outside the principles of God's Word. God's Word remains relevant and applicable to all of life's issues- you just must read, study and understand it so as to enjoy its benefits.

No matter how complex the circumstances, or how unclear the situation, the light of God's Word comes to show the right way. If you need direction, and do not have a compass or guide, how do you navigate? If you need counsel or advice, how do you determine what is right or wrong if you do not even know the standard of truth? How do you know falsehood if you cannot even identify the truth?

Truth is personified by the person of Christ himself and he's the standard of truth. His words are true, his actions are true, and his judgements are also true. If you want your life to make sense, you just must make him your standard.

One last word: it is the only legacy that will last. Long after possessions are finished or wasted, it is the Word of God that will remain. It is the only legacy that can be passed from generation to generation. Nothing else lasts, nothing else matters. His time of favour is here.

Eternal Joy

Isaiah 25:8 KJV
He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.

Easter once again reminds us of what Christ came to do for us. It reminds us of the exceeding great love that led to the greatest gift ever given: a life sacrificed to save millions. The life didn't do anything deserving of death but love spurred him on, offering up his life so that we all can have life. That is why, the verse above can make sense to all who have come to the saving grace that that life that was freely offered now freely offers us. You can only enjoy this life when you have taken up the offer of life given by the same one who has life to give- Christ himself.

This life comes with added benefits. When you take the life, you earn every other thing that comes with it: death is swallowed up, shame and reproach are taken away and rebuke is forever terminated. A new phase of life starts, a new journey starts. Easter is the celebration of that new beginning.

Have you begun the new journey yet? Have you taken up the offer of new life that God lays down freely for all? Remember, all fred gitts have expiry dates. May God grant us all the grace to fully maximum blessings that this life has given us. May it not be too late for us. His time of favour is here.

To every deed its due

Romans 6:23 KJV
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Everything has its pay day. It doesn't not matter how long an act goes unrewarded or punished; as long as the Righteous, Holy God is on the throne, every deed will get its due, whether good or bad.

The good thing is that God tells us beforehand, what we will get if we are in certain situations. There are only 2 situations: you are either working for the wages of sin, or you are walking in the grace of eternal life. Watch the words: working and walking. The nature of sin was born in us after the fall in the garden of Eden, and since then, an independence from God was born in us. We now strive to do things by our power, in our strength and by our wisdom. We push God away, thinking we don't need him; we strive, working hard to attain what has already been secured, but not getting it because you can't work hard for it; you can only walk in it by faith. The end of this nature,this striving, this human effort is death.

God gives another option: trust in the finished work of Christ on Calvary. The price for our new life was paid for us by Christ. We were to be punished; someone had to be punished, the law had to take its course, but Christ knew that we didn't have what it took to pay fully; we would have to keep paying until our lives dropped. He came and paid the price once and for all, so that we could enjoy the benefits and blessings of his finished work. He had made it free and all we can do is believe. Christ is both the price that was paid and the channel through which life comes, eternal life is the prize and ANYONE who receives him enjoys these blessings.

Have you received him? Does his finished work have a place in your heart? Is his free gift of life at work in you? Easter is here, his free gift of life is here. His time of favour is here.

It is a Progression

Colossians 2:6-7 KJV

As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:  Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

It all starts with the idea of the first sentence. It starts with receiving Christ. All the promises that God made are only activated when we have received the Person of Christ, the one who is able to bring all of God's promises to pass. It also does not end there; you must continue in him and grow in your knowledge of him.

What this extract emphasizes is an understanding of the faith we have received and God's expectations for our lives. You cannot go far with God if your roots do not go down in him. If the slightest wind can shift your focus, if the slightest storm can cause disquiet in your heart, making you doubt the efficacy of God's Word, if the slightest noise around you produces noise in your spirit, then you need to check your heart and its contents. Are you truly rooted in God, and are you growing up on his nourishment alone? Are you sure there are no other options open to you? Can your heart give thanks to God in ALL circumstances? If you cannot answer these in the affirmative, please check your status again. Check where you stand. God is always there, so if he feels far away, check if you have not moved away or shifted your focus away.

Keep your eyes and heart on Him always, your life, impact, purpose, destiny and eternity depend on it. His time of favour is here.

Don't Conform, Transform.....

Romans 12:2 KJV
And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

It is easier to blend in than to stand out. It takes less effort to compromise than to stand on principles. It is little wonder, then, that there are not too many people around who know what they stand for or believe, or who can give full proof of their beliefs and convictions. We are in a world of no convictions, no principles, all compromises and sitting on the fence.

God is looking for men whose hearts have been transformed, who can in turn transform their environment. You cannot give what you don't have, neither can you make a withdrawal from an account you have not made any deposit into. A transformed mind is what God is looking for so he can use, and true  transformation only comes from submitting to the life-giving, life-changing Word of God. As we allow God work in us and through us, we become his message to the world, a breathing example of what God can do with a life totally given to Him.

You want to make changes around you?  You want to know what is God's good, pleasing and perfect will? Let God first change you, then God can change the world around you through you. It all starts with you. His time of favour is here.

No Condemnation

Romans 8:1-2 KJV
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

For all of us, there's always a law at work in us:the law of the Spirit of life or the law of sin and death. There's no escape from the influence of either of them, and the law operating over my life is determined by the choices I make and the One I submit my life to.

Both are laws backed up by the force, power and command of the one that established it. Christ has established the law of the Spirit that gives life; Satan controls the law of sin and death. By our fallen nature, we deserved death as the natural consequence of our actions and decisions,but God has set up another law, operated in Christ, which gives us an escape route out of the law of death. Both are legal and binding,but while the law of death gives no hope, the law of the Spirit gives hope and promises eternal life. The law that Christ operates tells me I could never deserve the blessings under that law; I only come into the blessings of that law by faith. The law of death gives no favours; it is all about action and consequence. Christ keeps holding out hope to all who would come to him willingly.

But there's a finality about both laws: there will come a time when there will be no chance to switch allegiances. A time is coming when there will be no hope left for those under the law of sin. When the books are opened, and the other book is opened, there can be no change of ownership, structure or final resting place. The time to choose your allegiance is now. For those in Christ, the law of sin and death holds no power. Choose Christ today, choose life, enjoy true life forever. His time of favour is here.

Not by Power.....

Psalm 111:5 NIV
He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.

It is amazing just how far we have come in our quest for independence and self-sufficiency. We have suddenly come to the conclusion that we can make our own destiny by our own power, putting structures and strategies in place to achieve this. We are now being taught the power of individual reasoning and thought, holding ourselves personally responsible for the 'success' that we desire.

Today's extract seeks to put in proper perspective everything that concerns our lives. It has become important to examine our motives again and be sure that we have not left God out of the equation of our lives. There's no amount of human effort that can guarantee you success. There's no effort or labour that you can put into your assignment that can guarantee success. If we look around us, we will see friends who were more intelligent, more connected and more proactive, yet it appears as if the best of life has passed them by. If only we would be honest with ourselves, we would realise that there's nothing in us or about us that could guarantee that we would get those things. If we only were honest, we would never boast about what we had, because it is only God that determines how he spreads his gifts.

God gives bread to those who fear him. You may have 'all' you desire by labouring and pursuing them by your strength, but there's a grace that is available for those who fear God. You may seem to get ahead by striving and scheming, but there is a grace available for those who depend on him. God may appear slow, but there's nothing slow about the blessings he gives to those who wait for him. He never forgets his promises and he will come good at the end,no matter how long it takes. All he asks is that we fear him and depend totally on him to work it all out. Wait on him and for him, for his time of favour is here.

In Conclusion.......

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 NIV
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.   For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.

It is only fitting that our thoughts from Psalm 1 be concluded with these immortal words. These words were spoken through the lips of the wisest man on earth in his own generation. He was the richest, the most successful king; in fact, a biblical account gives the total feeding cost of his entire household per day at about 6 million dollars. Who on earth can spend that per day and not go either broke or probed? He could afford to live anyhow, and indeed he did, but here are his words: this is the whole duty of man: to fear God and keep his commandments. There's nothing else that gets God's attention like this and there's nothing else that would attract God's terminal judgement than a refusal to do this. One day soon, when this phase of life is over, and we all stand before the throne of God for judgement, there is just on thing that would matter: what I have done with Jesus. Did I take him as Saviour and Lord or was he just a spare wheel or an afterthought, to be considered when other 'right options' had failed? God is the final point of contact, and we all must go through him to gain eternal life. Nothing else will work, no one else can do it. Fear God, keep his commandments. Judgement is coming, eternal life is yours if only you accept Christ. His time of favour is here.

Watch where you spend Eternity

Psalm 1:6 NIV
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

No matter how good your life is now, one day, it must end. No matter what people, friends, colleagues and all tell you, one day, a final reckoning must be done. An account of our actions must be done and a reward/ punishment must be given. If men, who are made in the image of God can devise an appraisal scheme to judge performance, how much more the God of all creation not hold his creation accountabld for their words, thoughts and actions? Could it be that we could deceive God and get anyway with it, living a thoughtless, non-accountable life? Perish the thought; an accounting will be done.

If there's anyone that understands a product and can determine its shelf life, usefulness and expiry date, why then do we treat God as if he doesn't matter? Why do we push him out of the circle of our lives, calling him only when we are in trouble and ignoring him on other occasions? Why do we treat him as a spare tyre, using him when the any of the other available options fail, but practically burying him in the wheel well of the car, not remembered except in emergency situations?

God knows the way of the Righteous because he's their only hope and focus. He only gives his peace to the man whose mind is stayed on him. He is the maker and manufacturer of every life and any life lived outside his control and influence will end up where the wicked end up.

Taks stock now: who's in charge? Who tells you what to do and when to do it and how to do it? It is a question of eternity. Where do you want to end up: heaven or hell? His time of favour is here.

Watch your Association

Psalm 1:5 NIV
Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

Indeed, what you do now matters, but even more important is the decision of eternity. You cannot afford to take that decision lightly or wave it off with a wave of the hand. It is a question that must be answered and one that must be answered before this present life ends.

Who are my friends? What do I enjoy doing when it seems I'm all alone? What are my priorities and my pursuits? What do I count as important in the sum total of my life's work and worth? All these questions will settle the matter of my eternity.

You can only fool some people most times or fool all people most times, but the privilege of fooling everyone everytime is not given to any of us. We will have to answer this question and settle it before this present life ends. I ask myself again: who are my best friends? Who do I associate with? What are my priorities?

What you do with these questions determine wherd you stand when judgment comes. Would I be lost in the crowd at the judgement, without principles, without a foundation and without Christ, or would I be found in the assembly of the Righteous? It all starts with what I do NOW. His time of favour is here.

Watch What you Do

Psalm 1:4 NIV
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

Today's extract becomes important in the light of the issues raised over the past few days. One of the most important decisions of life that we must take is the decision of WHO to follow, ask for directions and be guided by. If that decision is right, then the blessings of yesterday's thoughts become the normal experience. But if there is a wrong decision, then today's passage becomes an unfortunate truth for whoever refuses or rejects God's guide or instructions.

What God has done is to leave us with a specific set of instructions. He has not left us without hope or without directions. His Word is a compass that directs and leads, but will never coerce anyone into obedience. There must be a willing and ready heart of submission to the principles and policies of the Word so that the blessings promised can become realities in our lives. Anything else is wickedness, and as his Word has established, such a person will not have any gain or profit to hold on to.

Chaff is light, easily blown away and has no strength whstsoever. The slightest wind will blow every strand away and there will be no sign whatsoever that anything was ever there before. This is how it will be fo anyone who rejects God. There will be no root or fruit, so the slightest wind of adversity and tribulations will blow such a person away. Such a person relies solely on his strength and wisdom, forgetting that no man amounts to anything outside of his Creator. If you want to go far in life, go with God. If you want to end prematurely, go alone.

If you seek strength, stability and success, there's just one true source- God. Forget the razzle and dazzld that the world promises: even the devil tried to lure Jesus away with the glories and beauty of the world. What the world gives, the winds in the world wilk takd away after a while. But whatever God gives, he alone can sustain and no power can take it away from you. Rejoice as you seek God, for his time of favour is here.

Watch what you Produce

Psalm 1:3 NIV
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

We have establised the importance of where you stand or are located and what you allow into your life. Both are important because when you have taken care of your location of and the inflow into your life, then the outflow out of your life is pretty much determined. When a man is located where God can bless him, and he's seeking the good of the kingdom of that same God by reading His Word and applying it to his life, then his life will produce an outflow that matches the quality of the input of his life. God himself says: 'do not be deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man sows, that will he also reap'.  'Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks'. These are just a few of the words that underline the importance of the harvest you seek from your life. If you want to reap well, sow well. If you desire no harvest, no fruit, do nothing, be nothing, aspire to be nothing.

However, if there's a burning desire in you to be everything God has created you to be, if yoh want to be like the leaf that is always fresh, or like a tree planted by streams of water, yielding fruit in season and meeting God's expectation, then take care of your input. From these words, man's expectations and demands do not count. We were not created primarily for ourselves or to be the saviour of anyone else; Christ has taken care of that for us. All he asks is that we be the living,breathing, fruitful testimony of his grace, power and favour in the world around us. The world will notice the difference and would ask: we would share and our lives will bear fruit continually, in fulfilment of God's promises.

Watch your input today, so that your life can bear the fruit God can use to bless the world. His time of favour is here.