The Right Values

Hebrews 12:14 KJV

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

Let's get some things right from the very start: no matter how sweet, interesting, bitter, terrible or beautiful your life may be now, it is a phase that will end soon. It does not matter how long you have been in that phase, it will definitely come to an end. There is a purpose to all that we are going through and it is God's will that we end well. All that we do, say or think now are the building blocks towards that which God has prepared for us.

One important conclusion: nothing is as important as where you end up. It is always good to start well but it is better to end well. The world tells us that possessions, power and position are good, and so, because we have allowed the world to dictate our own lives, we spend so much time and energy pursuing these ephemeral things. Atimes, people kill others to get these things, forgetting that at the end, these things have no eternal value.

God has shown us what is important and necessary. He has told us in clear terms what we need to do and how we need to live if we are to end well. Note that there is an AND that joins the following peace together with holiness. Can a man claim to be holy, yet he's keeping malice with another? Can a man live in peace with another, while he's busy at adultery or fornication? Holiness and peace are attributes of God himself and all who claim to know him must live by his standards. You cannot claim to know God and fail to live according to his dictates. You can't give your life to Him and still choose who to love, who to talk to, who to relate with. You can't be in God and live by standards that are outside of him.

The warning that ends the extract is clear enough- without both, NO MAN shall SEE the Lord. I'm not sure you fully comprehend what this means so let me break it down again: Heaven is for those who live according to God's standards, not the world's. If you want to see and live with him in eternity, then live by these standards. Nothing else will matter when this life ends; you can't take anything with you. Live right now, live according to standard. Heaven is real, it has conditions for entry.  His time of favour is here. 

The Right Value 2

Psalms 55:22 KJV

Cast thy burden upon the Lord , and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

It has already been established that what you do not have or know, you cannot make a demand on it when the need arises. If  a man has not learnt how to rely on God on the small issues, how do you trust God or hear his voice on the big issues? A lady has not learnt how to ask God for directions on the choice of dressing or friendships or career, how does she hear God in the issue of life partner? Even when God speaks, how does she recognise his voice when she has never really listened out for it? How do you really trust and cast your cares on a God you have not cultivated a listening relationship with?  How does God help a man who has limited his sphere of control and has asked God to stay within his boundaries?

If you really need God to help you, you must learn to trust him for the 'small' things. It is as you trust him for those small things that it becomes easy to trust him for the big things. He who is faithful in the little things is the one who will be given the big things. God is the sustainer of all things that he ordained, so don't start something he didnt ask you to. Otherwise, you may have to finish that thing yourself. His time of favour is here.

The Right Value 2

Psalms 55:22 KJV

Cast thy burden upon the Lord , and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

If you don't know God, or you don't allow him have total control over your life, how do you succeed? If you have tried every other thing and it has failed you, have you given all to God? I'm not talking about singing: 'all to Jesus I surrender' while holding on tightly to the remote control of your own life; I'm talking about the sacrificial giving of your complete existence to the One who died so you could have life. I'm talking about true surrender, which tells God: here am I, anywhere you want to send me, anything you want to use me for, I am ready.

As you cast all your cares on him, he alone has the power, ability, strength and wisdom to hold you up and sustain you. Man is limited; he cannot lift you above the length and strength of his arms. Its not his fault; nobody can give you more than what he owns and holds. But lean on God's everlasting arms. They can give you much more than what your limited strength and ability can give you.

The Right Value

1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

Until you settle the question of identity, there will always be wrong motives, intentions and reactions. Until you settle who you belong to and who you work for, everything is permissible. Until a man knows where he fits into God's universal plan, he will always be out of place and out of sync with God.

A lot of what we see today is a result of an identity crisis. We come to church on Sundays, looking, talking and behaving 'holy', and then we dump the holy stuff on Sunday nights and pick up our usual stuff for the week. We compartmentalize our lives, giving God control over some areas, while holding on to the remote control of some channels of our lives. We claim that some things don't matter, it doesn't affect the heart. I wonder what 'living sacrifices' really mean. Can a sacrifice properly offered have a mind of its own? Can it dictate where it wants to die, or where it wants to be used? What control does a sacrificial lamb have over its destiny? It is an abuse of process for a person who claims to have offered his life completely to God to still live as if he's still in charge of his own life.

If you have accepted him, God lives in you. This simple fact is the control point for all actions, thoughts, and relationships. I wonder if God was physically living with us, if we would still do or say the things we do and say today. If you see God punish sin, would you still do the things you are doing now? Are we to continue in sin, thinking that we can take the grace of God for granted.

You carry the personality of greatness within you- the Holy Spirit. You can't live anyhow, talk anyhow or relate anyhow. He must guide your thoughts, words and deeds. My life must bring him glory so that through me, his power is revealed.

Am I living right? Am I a worthy example whose life can be emulated? Can people come in contact with the life of God through me? His time of favour is here.

The Right Pursuits 2

Isaiah 26:3 KJV

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.

Very Key lessons in the extract before us today. Firstly, there's peace that is perfect and it is from God. A lot of adverts, promos and TV jingles celebrate possessions and properties as the sources of peace. They make it look like the more you have and hold, the happier you will be. The world pursues these things and obtains them, yet we are not happier or better. We have only shifted our focus away from the Creator to the created things. No wonder our generation is referred to as the disconnected generation. We have relegated God to the secondary position in our lives and we keep wondering why things have become so bad. The answers lie in this verse.

Secondly, this peace is for those whose minds are stayed on God, the giver of the peace, not on the gifts that come from God. Many of us are seeking God for what we can get, and as soon as we get those things, we move on. We forget that it is only by staying with God that we can get the permanent blessings that come from being in his presence. You can't float in and out of God as you please or as circumstances dictate; God will not entrust his blessings into the hands of a man he cannot predict. If you are double-minded, unsure of where you stand or on whose side you are on, then it will be difficult to obtain anything from God.

Furthermore, the blessings come when you trust in God. The sights around us are dazzling; the craze for more things is fighting for attention; the desire to be better than others is strong, but the grace of God that can supply all your needs and even more than you can imagine is available. Remember, no demand on earth, no matter how large, can exhaust the resources of heaven. Total dependence and fixed trust in God are the keys. His time of favour is here.

The Right Pursuits

PSA 34:10 NIV

The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

If it was all about strength and speed, then this verse would have been a lie. If all it had to do was just to run fast and be quick, then lions wouldn't lack anything. Lions have been used to symbolise strength, vigour, speed and agility. But God knows how to shame strength and disappoint ability. He knows how to shift man's focus from what he can do himself to what he can achieve with the help of God himself.

We must come to the point where we lay down certificates, degrees, titles and achievements at the feet of Jesus. They are not as important as the grace he can release for accomplishments. Check out all the men God has used in the past and is still using today: it is never about being qualified for service; it is about God empowering you for service. Its not my ability that counts; it is God's grace that counts. While men are busy striving for positions, struggling for the few positions available, God reserves a seat for those who have learnt to wait patiently for him. That is why he can prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies. If i have learnt how to wait for his guidance and leading, not trusting in my wisdom or learning, then he will lead me to green pastures where i will be refreshed. Wait for the Lord; there is no record of anyone who has been disappointed. His time of favour is here. 

The Right Seeds 4

PRO 18:12 NIV

Before a downfall the heart is haughty, but humility comes before honor.

When dealing with God, mortal man has to be careful so that he does not assume or presume on issues with God. Today's extract seeks to remind us again of the dangers of pride. Pride isn't visible or tangible; it isn't something you can define or hold, but its effect is devastating and destructive. Great men and empires have fallen because of pride, while some men who began well ended badly because of this same attitude.

Where, then, is its danger? I believe it is in the attitude: it tells itself that God does not matter, and that self is sufficient. Pride pushes God to the background, seeks to do things in its own wisdom and power, telling God that his grace, favour, strength and blessings do not matter. It tells God to keep his power to himself while it seeks to prove a point by striving to achieve all by its own power. The effect of this stupidity is best seen in what happened to Lucifer: strong, Beautiful arch-angel; decided he could be God since he was already close to God. He didn't act it out, he just Thought about it, and that sealed his fate. Therein lies the danger of pride: long before it manifests physically, God already sees it in our hearts and he will deal thoroughly with pride wherever he sees it. It doesnt matter how close you are to God; God hates pride and he will fight it wherever he sees it.

It is only in God's dictionary that humility comes before honour. In man's dictionary, and by the standards of the world, you have got fight for respect, position, power and influence. The world says: if you don't fight for it yourself, nobody will give it to you. God says: depend on me, I will give you everything you need, at my own time, and in my own way.

You want to go up? The quickest way there is the way of humility. You want to go down quickly? The quickest way is the way of pride. The choice is yours; the effect of each choice has been spelt out clearly and precisely. Choose right, for his time of favour is here.

The Right Seeds 3

PRO 11:2 NIV

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

Is there anything else to be added to this? There's a choice to be made, a decision to be taken. What would it be? Is it pride or humility? Both are choices, and like all choices, both have consequences. With pride comes disgrace. It doesn't matter how long things work well for, once the foundation is on pride, it can only fall apart. Pride says I can do it by myself and don't need God. Of course, If God isn't on any project team, that project is doomed to fail.

The other choice is humility. With it comes honour. Isn't it amazing that the way up is down, and vice versa. If you keep trying to push yourself up, you will only go down. But if you allow God push you up, there's no limit to the honour God will bring you.

It is a choice. Make the right one, so you can end up on the right side and win the right prize. His time of favour is here.

The Right Seeds 2

PRO 3:34 NIV

He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.

Just as we established a few days ago, it never pays to be proud. There's a disconnect that happens when you think of yourself more highly than you ought and you think that you have a hand in the great things that God has done in and Through you. When a man begins to think he has arrived, indeed he's ready to depart. When a man begins to think he's very important and indispensable to God, that man is ready to end his ministry. Elijah had just done mighty things for God, yet, when trouble came, he ran for his life. He Thought that he had Worked so hard, since he was the only one that seemed to be serving God. God reminded him that it is a privilege to be called to serve God, and not a reason to think that if you are not there, God will not do his work. God once used the mouth of a donkey to speak to Balaam, prophet. God once used prison to bring about praise in Joseph. God used 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes to prove to us that it is his grace that matters, not our qualifications or achievements.

God can use anything and anyone who's surrendered to him to do mighty things. All we can do is to be available, ready and open to whatever it is he wants to do. God can use the most annoying, most 'useless' thing to achieve the most mighty things. It is the world that calls a thing useless, God calls it a vessel. If it is surrendered to God, then if is used to do glorious things. His time of favour is here.

The Right Time

ISA 7:14 NIV

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.

So many things didn't look right in this passage. First of all, it was in Isaiah that God was speaking here about events that would take place more than 400 years after these words were spoken. Secondly, logically, reasonably and sensibly, how would you expect a virgin to conceive and bear a child, without any sexual relationship between a man and a woman? Furthermore, if the issue of a virgin becoming pregnant is incredible, how then do you give a child a name that nobody has ever given to any child alive, and the same name was not given to anyone until the child was born, centuries later?

So many questions but let me just quickly establish this: the day you start to reduce God to the level of your intellect is the day you start dying. There's something amazing about God and that is the fact that he keeps finding new ways to prove his power and wisdom. When you think you have settled into a pattern with God, he comes up with a new way of doing things, so that if you are not sensitive to his leading, you may miss his timing. Moses, close as he was to God, forgot that God had moved beyond hitting the Rock and was now speaking to the Rock. Elijan had just called down fire from heaven and killed 850 prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth, yet he forgot to rely on that same strength when Jezebel threatened his life. We know that these incidents ended their earthly ministries.

Never put God in a box. Never assume that you are used to his ways and he can't suprise you. Open your heart to God and allow him to be God and to do his works in your life. The end is always amazing when a man has learnt to depend solely and totally on God. Allow him do his part, the end will always be glorious. It may not start the way you please, but I can assure you: it will end in a way you never imagined. God is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all you can ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within you. His time of favour is here.

The Right Attitude

1PE 5:5b-6 NIV

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”    Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

The picture that Peter paints for us here is apt for this season of favour that God has opened for us. For as many as would desire to see God work in their lives, there are certain attitudes and traits we just must have and develop. One of the most important is humility. The word looks simple and commonplace, but it is amazing to know just how hard it is to identity and attain. Man, by human nature, defines his worth by the value of what he possesses, rather than by whose he is. We see man stylishly measuring himself by worldly standards, striving to match and possibly attain and surpass another man in display of status and wealth. We see men steal billions, yet are not satisfied with what they hold. We see men strive to acquire degrees and titles, so that the world would reckon with them and call them great. While these things are not bad in themselves, the foundation of our motives for seeking them matters to God. Today's extract seeks to redirect our focus and pursuits to the things that truly matter.

God opposes the proud. If nothing else frightens you, please let this caution you. If a million people gather to help you, and God is against you, then you are in trouble. It doesn't matter what you do, as long as the basis is pride, God will fight you. If God is for you, and a billion people gather to oppose you, go and sleep. When you wake up, the battle would have been over. The danger of pride is that it shifts focus away from the potter and moves it to the clay. The question is: which one is more important? Does the clay tell the potter what it is to be used for, or can it tell the potter exactly how it must be molded or where it is to be used? Is it not the potter that determines the how, the where and the why of the clay- how it is to be used, where it is to be used and why it is to be molded in the first place? At no time does God consult us before determining our purpose and equiping us for the assignment he has given us, so how can we dare to be proud about his gifts? How can we ever think that we are better than anyone else? Are we not all clay in his hands?

If you want God to exalt you, your life must show forth his power. He is seeking men whose lives will reflect his glory and praise; men who have emptied themselves of all achievements and are seeking how God alone can be glorified in their lives. If you want God to lift you up on his own terms and in his own way, then you must empty yourself of anything and everything that will lead to pride. He is all that matters, because it is his gifts in you that make you unique. The vessel is a privilege; the contents is the message of God to the world. Live his message; the world will seek him through you. His time of favour is here.

The Right Seeds

COL 1:17-18 NIV

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.

As we run the race that God has assigned to us, there are a few lessons that are worth repeating here, which I believe will help us arrive home safely. First of all, God must be the centrepiece and foundation of our lives and pursuits. There is nothing that can work well or end well if God is not involved. He's before all things, and it is only in him that your life finds fulfilment. No matter how hard you work, or how fast you run, God has not given his best rewards to the man with the highest investments of energy or strength or human wisdom; he's simply a God of grace who shares his blessings the way he sees fit. How would a Jabez have qualified for mention in the Bible if not for God? How would you have heard of men like Paul, formerly Saul, if not for grace? What of men like Midst, even with his violent past, or Abraham himself, who had to learn patience and trust the hard way?

Secondly, Jesus is coming back for a church that is ready for him. I believe this is where we mostly miss it. We have suddenly elevated our denominational differences above the most important qualification: salvation. We assume that you must belong to the right place for you to make heaven. The only condition on record, for a man to be saved, is to confess his sins and accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour. Where he belongs to is a question of growth and fellowship, as long as God alone is truly worshipped. I wonder which church the thief on the cross belonged to, which qualified him for admission into paradise. I admit that it is important to belong where growth in Christ is paramount, but I believe that we must draw men to God first, as that is the only way they can meet with the God who can bring them into the rest that he has promised.

Are you ready for his coming? He's coming for a glorious church, without spot, wrinkle, blemish, stain or dirt. Are you ready? Do you belong to him? His time of favour is here.

The Right Seeds 3

COL 3:23-24 NIV

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

As we have established over the past two days, nothing you do is ever in vain. There's nothing that you do that does not have a just and adequate reward or response from God. Even when you think that God has not Noticed, and it appears as if you have laboured in vain, know this: the omniscience of God makes no sense if there are things that are outside his scope of influence and control. God would not be God if he could not ensure that ALL things truly work for good for those who love him. The reason why he's God is seen with incontrovertible evidence all around us. The reason why he's to be worshipped and praised is seen in his dealings with us.

There's therefore a need for us to watch our words, actions and motives. We must settle the issue of what is important or not in our walk with God. Are we setting out to please man, or are we striving to please God? Are we seeking the praise and commendation of man or the approval of God? The danger of trust in man is seen by the experience of Christ himself: Hossana, Hossana one weekend, Crucify him, Crucify Him the Next weekend. The same crowd, not sure it was the same motive. Man is feeble, weak, inconsistent, unpredictable and can never be satisfied. God alone is the awesome God who sees all, knows all and will adequately satisfy all that we do or need.

Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your heart, as unto the Lord alone,  not to man. His rewards are more than adequate compensation for your troubles. His time of favour is here.

The Right Seeds 2

DEU 6:6-7 NIV

These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Repitition strengthens memory. The more you hear a thing, the easier it is to remember and recall it. Yesterday, we established the importance of sowing the right seeds for your children. Today's extract teaches us how to sow: it is a daily, conscious walk, not a sudden realisation; you don't just get there by accident; it is a product of conscious, careful planning and execution. No child learns by accident; we learn from everything that happens around us. Our minds are like sponges, absorbing everything we see and hear and read daily. How do you imagine that a child can repeat 3-4 songs/tracks of an album, yet cannot recite 2 consecutive verses of the Scripture? It is the power of attention, focus and priorities. Whatever you feed is what will grow, whether good or bad.

The lessons in these verses bear repeating again: every oppourtunity must be utilized to teach the next generation about God and his works. Every where you go, you must be quick to speak out, teach and show the next generation the great things God has done. May we not get to the point where Israel got to in Egypt when there arose a generation that did not remember Joseph and the great things he had done for both nations. You think it happened suddenly? It was a systematic forgetting; the people got so comfortable in Egypt that they stopped talking about God and his mighty works. The result was 400 years of slavery.

Let me not even assume. Do you know the truth yourself? Can you identify truth from falsehood when you see it? What you do not have,you cannot give, so take time to know, understand and assimilate the truth yourself.  Speak out today everywhere you go and use every oppourtunity to be a champion and raise champions that God can count on in these end times. His time of favour is here.

The Right Seeds

PSA 103:17-18 NIV

But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord ’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.

Have you ever looked at someone else's life and wondered just why it seemed as if God loves that person more than you? Have you ever Thought that maybe God shows a bit of favouritism towards some people while he treats others with a bit of a hard hand? I'm sure that there have been a few times you would have Thought to ask God why he does not treat you as brother A or sister B who seems to be having a great time with blessings and favour and all. Let me clear one issue: with God, all his children have the same rights and can claim his blessings, but just like it happens in the Bible, a man or woman can sow seeds of grace that the children and offspring will harvest. You would wonder why these ones seem to be prosperous and successful, but you may be suprised that someone somewhere had earlier laid the foundations of these blessings. Of course, the obvious question is: how are you sowing and what seeds are you sowing? If God were to reward you TODAY for your deeds and thoughts, what would the reward be? Can your offspring live with the repercussions of your actions today?

There's a generational effect for everything that you do. Generations of those who love God still enjoy the blessings of their fathers; just ask Abraham, Jacob and David. Though dead, we still claim the blessings of their lives and deeds, and we can physically see the results of their walk with and work for God.

What are you doing today and what rewards are you striving for? Remember that it is not only about you; your children after you may have to live with the effects of what you are doing now. Sow right, love right, talk right, live right and leave right so that your children can also live right. His time of favour is here.

The Right Response

1PE 3:12 NIV

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

It doesn't matter how long evil seems to thrive and travel; one day, it will be discovered and exposed. It does not matter what you tell yourself is the justification and reason behind the evil you committed; the God who sees all things and rewards or punishes accordingly is a righteous God who cannot be deceived. He is the One who sees ALL things, including the deepest motives behind our actions, even our deepest secrets. Is there any product that behaves contrary to the programming done by its creator? Have you ever seen where a product dictates to its creator How it wants to function?

As we go out this week, let us get something clear: God is not man that can be cajoled, manipulated or deceived by our show of sincerity. His eyes are always open, and he sees all that we do and how we do them. He's the rewarder of all who seek him and he is the judge who will also give to each man appropriately. As I open my mouth to speak to God and ask him for blessings, I must examine my life and be sure that there are no unconfessed sins in my life. Sin is a reproach and it does not matter what the world tells you. The world calls some sins small and labels some lies black and others white; no matter the colour or type or size, it was enough to take Jesus to the cross. You dare Not belittle his sacrifice by living carelessly. You dare not take his blessings for granted by indulging in sin. No matter how hard you pray or how loud you shout, his ears are shut to your words.

Want to be heard and blessed? Be far from sin. Live according to his dictates and see God work on your behalf when you pray by settling all the issues that life may throw at you. His time of favour is here.

The Right Response

EPH 4:31-32 NIV

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Does anything else need be said on this? What more can be added to the clear, concise commands of God in the verses quoted above? Our walk with God is rubbished when we don't do away with the things that belong to the old nature. A Christian properly so called doesn't display any of the characteristics mentioned here: bitterness,rage, anger, malice are things that go into the dustbin of the history of your past, not your present or future. If you are still struggling with these, then you need to re-evaluate your stand in and your walk with God.

When a person truly comes to Christ, he is made a new creature inside and outside. The past is forgiven, forgotten and wiped clean. The consequences of your past actions may still follow up,but the slate has been wiped clean and a fresh start guaranteed. You then have a duty to maintain that clean slate. When others offend you, think of what you have been forgiven of and let go. When others seek your hurt, think of what love has brought you through and to and let go. When people hold grudges against you, remember that love reached out to you even when you were resistant to him and loved you Anyway. That is the Christian walk- a walk of love, a walk of kindness and a walk of forgiveness, no matter how unlovable the person or how grave the offence.

As I go out today, I keep at the back of my mind that I'm forgiven. I'm blessed beyond measure. God has given me life so I must give back to the world around me. His time of favour is here.

The Right Response

2TI 1:9 NIV

He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,

There's an ORIGIN, a DESTINATION, a PURPOSE and a TIMING for everything God does. When God did the calling mentioned in the passage above, we had not yet even been born. It wasn't as if God didn't know what he was doing, but it is man's work to dismiss whatever he doesn't understand. God placed a call on our lives before we ever came to know him; our acceptance of him as Lord and Saviour is the activation clause for the phase of usage and blessings. When a man has not known and embraced God's purpose for his life, his life lacks direction and meaning. Until the purpose of a thing or life is defined, abuse and misuse are inevitable.

His call is not primarily to prosperity or outward success,but to HOLINESS. If there's any topic we seem to want to avoid, it is this issue of holiness and purity. I have heard people describe virginity before marriage as old-fashioned. I have heard people say that adultery isn't so bad as long as the other partner doesn't know about it. Really? Are you living for the other persons looking at you, or for the One person who has called you? Joseph understood one very fundamental point in life: everything I do is a service or disservice to God first. He told Potiphar's wife in  Genesis 39:9b NIV: My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”. He understood one foundational truth: it is the one who calls that you are to fear and follow, not a fellow- traveller like you. We live for the applause and approval of other people, forgetting that judgement is one appointment ALL mortal men will keep.

A warning though: God has called us from the foundation of the world to be his own children; people he can use to reach out with his message of hope to a hopeless world. His call is without fear or favour, and he doesn't call only those who appear to be qualified. For every person alive, there's a call on your life that has sustained you till now. It is your responsibility to go to God who has called and unearth the purpose behind the call. It is then you can truly start to live. You owe God and your generation not to leave earth without depositing God's investments in you back into your generation. Heaven is the destination, not the approval of any man, no matter how connected or prosperous. His time of favour is here.

The Right Words

1PE 3:15 NIV

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect,

It all starts with the heart. It is the seat of emotions, rational and irrational thinking, logic, reasoning and deduction. It is such a powerful tool that so many verses have been written on it. One of the strongest warnings on the heart is seen in Proverbs 4:23 KJV:  "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

If indeed, the heart is so fundamental to my walk, then I must guard its contents and watch what goes in. I control the inflow, because it is the inflow that determines the outflow, not the other way around. Have you ever wondered why a child spends so much time on the internet, watching pornography and violence, and the society is appalled when the same child becomes a rapist or a violent criminal? What else would a child produce when all he/she spends time doing is reading and assimilating romance novels and movies which are cut away from reality completely. These false ideas are carried into marriage and when things fall apart, the book or the ideas in the books and films are blamed, instead of the right thing: the contents of the heart.

I have learnt something in these past few years: the Bible has got answers to all of life's questions and it is only as we read, understand, assimilate and apply its lessons that we can have answers when the world throws its questions at us. When a human mind does not know the mind of God, what does he say? How does he help? How would he speak and give comfort when he's not connected to the right source of comfort, inspiration and teaching?

Brethren, in understanding, the bible admonishes us to be men. We must move away from milk and start eating strong meat. It is as we spend time 'eating' the Word that we can reproduce it when demand is made on it. What the bible says on all issues is much more important that what the multitude of books written on the issues have to say. How do I talk about a hope I have not experienced? How do I give out what I don't have?  How does my life produce an output from no input?

May I not spend my life pursuing totally unnecessary things. May God give my heart peace as I pursue his purpose, plan and principles for my life. His time of favour is here.

The Right Start

1PE 2:9 NIV

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.

I do not see the word 'I' feature at all in the verses quoted above. It simply means that the benefits, blessings and beauty on offer here have nothing to do with merit, qualifications, personal achievement or labour. You can do nothing in your power to earn these blessings, and you can do absolutely nothing to stop his favour.

Check out the blessings: he's made us his choice. We didn't apply; we couldn't apply because we were so far gone in sin that we didn't even know about the offer. He chose us by and for himself when we were not even worthy.

He's made us his royal priesthood: we are kings and priests. We are royal and we have access to him anyday, anytime and from anywhere.

We are a Holy nation: there's no other criteria that qualifies you for eternity more than holiness. It is a compulsory subject to be learnt, assimilated and imbibed. We are also his special people. All these have ONE major purpose: that we may show forth the praise of him who called us out of darkness into his marvellous light. It is not for us to determine where we think our lives will make more impact; it is God that decides where best we fit in, and he will fix us there, so that there will be glory for him through our lives. Remember, no demand on earth can exhaust the resources of heaven.

Does my life glorify God? Can people look at me and see God's glory reflecting? Is my present lifestyle one that can be rewarded with eternity? His time of favour is here.

The Right Place

COL 3:1-2 NIV

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

An understanding of your location determines your allocation. An understanding of who you are and whose you are determine the resources and the benefits that accrue to you. If a man is double-minded, unstable in his ways and untrustworthy with earthly things, how does God trust him with heaven's resources? If a man has not settled the issue of his identity and ownership, then priorities don't exist, principles are blurred, convictions are uncertain and faith is vain and empty.

If I'm raised with Christ, then my life must bear fruits that look like that kind of life. If I died with Christ, then my life ceases to be under my control. I must set my eyes and heart and mind on heavenly things, not on things on the earth. Earth's beauty is always vain, empty and temporary. The things above are the important and necessary things. Get your priorities right; his time of favour is here.

The Right Response 8

EPH 5:1-2 NIV

Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

We were created to be in the image of him who created us. We were made to think, talk, walk, work and love like him. We were his workmanship, the outward proof of his inner wisdom, power and might, and we were created to show off his glory and grace. However, sin came and corrupted that nature. Now, we seek to imitate the attributes of the new master that sin gives- the devil. We now live like people with no hope, no love and no God. Should things be this bad? I don't think so.

For as many that know that they are children of God, there's only one example worth emulating, and that has been established by Christ himself. He has laid down the standard and we who claim sonship must live as the Son lives. His was a life of love in its purest form. Even when we didn't deserve it, he showed us all the same. Even though we were not interested in his offers at that time, his arms remained stretched out, and are still stretched out today, asking all to come and enjoy the benefits of his love. His was a life of love and sacrifice; no wonder God was pleased with him. We cannot afford to be less or do less. If we are God's children, then the standard has been set- live as children of love and children of God. His time of favour is here.

The Right Response 7

1JN 4:11-12 NIV

Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

If you want to understand the meaning of true love, look no farther than the Bible. If you have been disappointed with the fake, adulterated affection mistaken for love in the world today, take time out and examine the depths, heights and width of the one called Love himself. He has given us examples that we can follow, and he has shown us what to do and how to do it, so that our lives can preach the kind of message that it was saved to preach.

If, then, we have received this love in all its glorious dimensions, it is necessary that the world understands this love through us. We are the beacon the world sees and emulates, and we set the pace for others to follow. When you don't act the part, people comment: 'And you call yourself a Christian', which means that they know the standards, but they choose not to follow it. You who claim to know and follow the standard must live up to the standard in every way. God went all the way for us, leaving nothing behind. We cannot afford not to do the same.

My life is a city set on a hill and cannot be hid. All I do is a seed that will bear fruit. Can I bear to eat the fruit of the life I'm living now? Can my life testify to the touch, power and efficacy of God's Love? If I'm a product of love, is my life producing similar fruits? His time of favour is here.

The Right Attitude

1PE 5:10 NIV

And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Who says suffering isn't part of Christianity? Where is it promised that a walk with God is a walk away from trials, tribulations and persecutions? Where did God ever promise anyone of his disciples that if they could only follow him, then all their problems would be gone?

What his Word promises is GRACE for the journey ahead. What is promised is his presence and power, which is really all that you need to succeed on this journey of life. His grace is all-encompassing, and is available to all, without fear or favour. His grace will restore, renew, reinvigorate, reshape and repair whatever life breaks, while ensuring that you remain whole in Christ.

He loved me enough to die for me, so he loves me enough to ensure that my walk with him remains strong, cordial and fresh. He loved me enough to guarantee me an eternity with him, so I know that all that I go through here is preparation for that eternity.  May I never wander away to the place where the all-encompassing grace of God cannot keep me. His time of favour is here

The Right Spirit

2CO 3:17-18 NIV

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

If there has been anything that has generated so much controversy through the ages, it is the Word of God. So many books have been written criticising its contents, many speakers have, in various fora, tried to water down the truths expressed in the Bible, arguments have ensure over the accounts of stories in the Bible, yet it keeps going strong. Its contents are timeless, its stories have a historical basis and foundation, and its pieces fit into the larger picture of what God has been doing in the past and is still doing now, and what is yet to come.

Why then do the contents of the Bible generate so much heat and controversy? Why has it been difficult for people to accept its truths? Why does it appear as if it is difficult to understand what God is saying atimes? I believe that the response to this questions are found in the extract before us. To understand a product, the best reference point is the maker of the product. The fact that you can use the same product for other un-related functions does not mean that the product was made for those un-related functions. The maker had a desire to achieve and set out to fulfil that desire by making the product. He alone prescribes the use, functions, limitation and features of the product. The consumer has to buy and apply the product as advised, in order to derive maximum satisfaction from that product. Any other thing is a waste of time and resources.

I believe that this is the root of our problems with the Bible. We have spent money acquiring Western education,  we have a functional brain and we can logically process issues. Because this works well with some secular issues, we think that we can apply the same principles to the Bible. We read the words and want to reduce its mysteries to the level of our sin-polluted carnal minds, trying to put God in a God and predicting how he would move or do things. We look at the Bible through eyes that are blinded and shielded from knowing the truth, and we think that by ourselves, we can know the truth. We assume that God is like man, with a rational and logical output, and can be understood by clear, precise and