Grace, Grace

Day 30- Grace, Grace

ROM 5:20-21 NIV

The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Oh, what an amazing grace we have received from God. Indeed, sin came in through Adam, and all generations of men since Adam have been born in sin. We could not do much about our birth status, but the gift of Christ has settled our life status.  We did not know too much about Adam's sin, but we know all about the free gift of life that God has given us through Jesus Christ.

Basic foundation- God needed to regulate the affairs of man when man had sinned. He gave us laws and rules to govern our conduct and conversation, but because there was a sin-problem, obedience was difficult. The law itself did not have a problem, but because it was given in a regime of sin and rebellion towards God, it was not possible for sinful man to willingly obey the rules. We established yesterday that a man under the control of the flesh can never please God. No wonder laws have not been able to successfully modify man's behaviour or compel him to obey God of his own free will. The more laws we have, the more lawless our society has become. This is because the law does not and cannot address a problem that it does not understand. Sin was in the world long before the law was given. Only an offering that was before sin could solve the problem of sin, and only the son of God himself fulfilled those conditions.

No wonder, then, that it is only through the grace of God that we can overcome sin.

Walk Worthy

Day 29- Walk Worthy

Ephesians 4:1-2 NIV

As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Romans 8:29-30 NIV

For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

There is indeed something peculiar about the faith that we profess; there is something deep about it that cannot be understood on human terms or with human wisdom. For all who have been born of a woman have received a call to work for and with God. It doesn't matter into which family you were born; as long as you are human, you have received a call from God that nothing in life can take away or dispose of until you have died physically. Its not, really first of all, a matter of salvation; it is a matter of birth and an investment of God in eternity. There is a supreme knowledge of God that is seen in the pages of Scriptures like  Psalm 139:16 NIV:  Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. This verse points to the fact that God's call is not really about our choice of salvation but first of all, our choice of birth.

It is when we have accepted him as Saviour and Lord that the call finds true expression. The call has always been there but whatever God has put in us will only answer to his voice in us. We can't discover the call of God or his purpose for our lives outside of him. We cannot force it out, neither can anyone tell us what it is. We can only discover what it is when we come into the saving and liberating knowledge of Jesus Christ.

Paul's charge here, therefore, will make no sense to the man who is yet to know Christ. The call is there, but he has not yet heeded. But for all of us who claim we have known him and experienced him, are our lives showing proof that we are headed in the direction God wants us to go? Can we claim that we are truly working worthy of the call we have received? It is a call by God, not by man, and it is a call to work for God, not man. The standards we are to follow are therefore, not man's, but God's. It is a call to an unusual life, one that the world does not understand or comprehend. It is a call to service to God on his terms and time, so that the world will see the greatness and the glory of God in and through us. The question is: are you walking worthy of God's call?

As we go out today, let us remember that we are on duty for God, not for ourselves or to please man. Our terms of our calling are determined by God, not man. Fear God, not man. Remember that every man will himself stand before God for judgement. His time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, help me walk worthy of your call upon my life. May I live in your fear, so that my life will be a message to my generation. Amen.

The Battle for Your Soul

Day 28- The Battle for your soul

Romans 8:6-8 NIV

The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

As we have established yesterday, there is no sitting on the fence when it comes to light and darkness. The light and darkness are governed by two different laws and lords, and they were not created to co-exist in the same space at the same time. No wonder at creation then, that the first thing God did was to speak light out of the darkness that covered the earth, separating light from darkness. There were lights created to rule the days, while other lights were created to rule the nights. 

The same picture is applied to the spiritual here. The Flesh and the Spirit are two very exclusive powers and realms, with their own laws and powers, and we all must fall under the control of one of them. Before you make a choice between two opposites, you have the power to choose; you can take your time to choose, but as soon as the choice is made, the end-results or consequences of your choice begin to follow you. That is established in the extract above. The end of flesh's control is death, while that of the Spirit is life and peace. Fortunately, the choices we make are not permanent; we are free to switch allegiances as often as we like, as long as we are alive. Unfortunately, because the effect of our choices are not immediately visible and apparent, we keep thinking we have much time and we can switch allegiances anytime we like. By the time reality dawns, we have crossed into immortality and the consequences of our choices on earth will determine where we spend eternity.

Make no mistake: the flesh can never please God. There is no sacrifice, moral living, alms giving or physical show of piety that can make up for the lack of substance that the Spirit gives. Just ask Cornelius of Acts 10. In the old testament, the people had to offer the blood of bulls and goats so many times, just to cover up their sins. The blood could not wash sins away, so the sacrifices were grossly inadequate for the remission of sins. Christ's sacrifice, however, was a once-for-all offering that took away sins permanently, and is a free gift we are invited to take advantage of. No other offering can please God, because the best and the greatest offering has already been made. If a man would therefore seek to please God, he must take advantage of this free gift on offer. The Spirit gives life and peace to all who accept this free gift, and at the end, eternity is secure. Let nobody deceive you into thinking that we were made to live forever on earth here. Yes, we will live forever, but the choice of residence is determined by the choice of masters we make while on earth here.

People, the choices are laid before you. Men like Joshua, Moses, Samson, Judas Iscariot, Demas and Alexander the metalworker all made their choices at different times. The results of their choices are seen in the stories we read in the bible. The world is reading us today. What are your choices? Who is in charge? His time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, help me decide for you. The world holds no attraction for me, and I know that you have the best plans for me. Give me grace to follow you and depend on the help of the Holy Spirit every day of my life. Amen.

Living in Light

Day 27- Living in Light

JHN 3:20-21 NIV

Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Indeed, the extract above rings true in our generation today. We have mastered the art of walking and working in darkness, while convincing ourselves that we are not too far away from the light. We have learnt to silence or ignore the voice of our conscience, while telling ourselves that 'It doesn't matter'. The more you live in darkness, the more light becomes strange. I have noticed that the standard is not based on what we think but on what God says. As long as you cannot hold your deeds, thoughts and lives before the light, then it means you are comfortable with darkness.

It is not about what you tell yourself is right; the standard has been laid out by God and if anyone will make an impact, he can only do so according to the standard God has already laid out. Sometimes, it is good to ask yourself: If I knew that Jesus was physically standing beside me, and I know that he is God, would I still do what I am about to do? The disciples in Antioch did not call themselves Christians; their neighbours and friends looked at what they did, how thy talked and how they lived, and they knew that something was different about these disciples. If your present life is not bringing glory or pointing to God, then your life may still be in darkness.

What you don't have, you cannot give. A man who is in darkness will keep running away from the light, while the man who is in the light will keep himself from all the works of darkness. The two cannot co-exist; you cannot have a hand in both. You are either in the light or in darkness. You cannot sit on the fence between both, because there is no middle ground.

As you go out today, work out your allegiances and priorities. Where do you stand? What are your interests? What are your pursuits? The answers to these questions will give you an idea of where you stand: either in light with God or with the devil in darkness. A warning though: both have eternal consequences. No earthly life was created to live forever in this human form; we were created for eternity, and our lives here and now are the preparations for our eternal home. Where will you spend yours? Decide today, for his time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, help me decide for you. Keep me in the light of your Word, so that everything I do, say or think will bring glory to your name. Amen.

No Doubt

Day 26- No Doubt

James 1:5-6 NIV

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

Wisdom is a necessary tool for life. A lot of the issues we face today are the results of the application of head-knowledge rather than heart-knowledge. We read a lot, but we read more of the wrong things; we go to school to get educated, but we are not enlightened. We spend a lot of money on the external, forgetting that an investment in the internal will sort out the external. We spend ourselves on the things that do not last, forgetting that the important things are the eternal things, the things that God is and gives. I do not belittle education, but our seeking knowledge must be purposeful, and with eternity in view.

Let us sort one thing out immediately- true wisdom is not found anywhere else but in Christ. Every other knowledge you could have outside of Him is just knowledge;  anyone who reads anything has a knowledge of that thing. It is one thing to know, it is another thing to understand, while it is yet another thing to be able to fully grasp the importance, understanding, function, timing and application of what you have known. It all starts with knowledge. How do you know God outside of his word? How do you understand what he demands of you if you do not study his life-manual? How do you know how to apply what you know if in the first place, you have not even taken time out to find out what he wants you to know. God's Word is life but until it is read, studied and applied with the help of He that inspired it, it will remain a mystery or at best, a story.

This extract is important, as it establishes from the very start, our need for absolute dependence on God. Wisdom cannot exist outside of Christ himself, as the Bible has established in 1 Corinthians 1:24 NIV: but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  True wisdom is found in Christ, because he alone is the way to the Father. God is ready to give to all men, no matter the generation or the age, as long as we ask without doubt. Doubt, in itself, is a sign that you don't believe that what you are asking for is possible, and that God is powerless to keep his promises to you.

God, who owns everything on earth and in the heavens, has told me to ask. I have nothing to lose, I will just ask God for wisdom. Our walk and work on earth require wisdom; our living and breathing require wisdom. Only in Christ do we find all that we need to make a success of our lives. Ask God today, for his time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, I ask for wisdom today, give me in accordance with your promise in your Word. Direct my steps, my words, my conduct and my life so that I can be a blessing to my generation in Jesus' name. Amen.

Stand Firm

Day 25- Standing Firm

1 Peter 5:8-9 NIV

Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

There is a war going on everyday in our lives, whether we are aware of it or not. The war is spiritual but its effects and results are always physical. The war is not fought on physical grounds or with physical weapons, but in our minds, hearts and lives and with weapons that the human mind cannot fathom. No wonder the Bible says in  2 Corinthians 10:4-5 KJV:  For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;  Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.... It is a spiritual war, fought with spiritual weapons and fought daily and regularly while we are on the earth.

The warnings above are therefore apt and relevant to our generation today. Somehow, we have watered down the fighting part of our walk and emphasized more of the comfort part. We have told people that our God is a God of prosperity, without reminding them also that he is a God of war. Have you seen anyone dividing the spoils of war without fighting a single battle? We have told people to come to Christ, and all their problems will be solved, we have forgotten to remind them that there is a yoke that Christ expects me to bear, with His help.  Little wonder we now have 'Christians' who think it is a jolly ride, who are in it for what they can get out of it, and will walk away when the heat becomes unbearable.

Paul warns here that we have to be alert and sober. These remind me of a watchman on duty: he cannot associate with frivolities while on duty; he dare not sleep off while on duty, it could mean death; he must be on patrol, alert to any danger and ready to fight off any evil. There will be fights, there will be attacks, there will be opposition. That is the picture of our walk with God. Whoever says that Christianity is 'easy' has either be lied to or has not fully grasped the expectations of God for the new relationship s/he has with God. The devil is never sleeping or resting, neither are we allowed to do so. He is looking for people to devour, we are to resist him, by standing firm in the faith.  There is an assurance of victory because He who leads us has defeated the devil once and for all, and he alone is capable of granting us continual victory over the devil and his wiles. The devil has been defeated, but we must stand firm and secure that victory every day of our lives. One joy also is that it is not peculiar to us alone; the entire body of Christ is at war but we are led by a captain who has already won.

As you go out this week, remember that the battle is not fought on physical plains but is fought in the spiritual. Victory has been secured but we must fight to secure it in our lives. We are never left alone to fight, His presence is an ever-constant part of our lives. Victory is assured, because his time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, help me depend on you totally as I fight the good fight of faith. All I need has been provided and secure in you; may I constantly trust in your power and grace for constant, daily strength to secure what your death and life have established for us. Amen.

Walking in the Spirit

Day 23- Walking in the Spirit

Galatians 5:17 NIV

For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

If you thought that your Christian race was a walk in the park or a stroll of comfort, you need to read and internalize the words above again.  There is a running battle for your soul, and there will always be a struggle between the flesh and the Spirit as long as you live. No amount of Christian maturity ends that struggle; it is your surrender to and reliance on God that gives you continuous victory over the power of the flesh. Paul was the one writing these words, and for a man who had experienced God and seen him at work, you would think that some struggles were beneath him. Fortunately, God does not save us so we can become superhumans, but so that the supernatural God could show forth his awesome power and grace even in our weaknesses.

When Adam sinned, he died, even though not physically. There was unbroken fellowship with God before the fall, and there was work to do. Adam and wife needed to tend the garden, take care of God's creation, and avoid the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. They had a choice to make: obey and retain the fellowship, or disobey and lose the relationship. We are where we are because of the choices they made, and the world is what it is because of the choices it keeps on making. The devil knows that the man without the Spirit is open to whatever the flesh suggests, and he also knows that the man who is under the control of the Spirit may one day show some weakness, and then he will strike. He can't allow the 'flesh' man to come in contact with the Spirit, and he will ensure that the 'Spirit' man comes in contact with a lot of 'flesh' temptations. Therein lies the battle and the struggle.  No matter how hard you try, it is not in your own power to overcome the flesh, but it is total reliance on the Spirit that will give you victory. You do not fight the 'flesh' with 'flesh' weapons or on its own terms; a higher power, a greater force is required to conquer the flesh. You don't fight the 'flesh' once, conquer it and go to sleep; it is a lifelong battle, a continuous one that only ends when there is a translation into eternal life. There is no retirement, no graduation and no experience in fighting that can help; only a daily, continuous reliance on the Spirit will guarantee you daily continuous victory.

As you go out today, remember that the world has its power and allure, but the Holy Spirit is the Presence that makes all things right. Rely on him today for victory. His time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, help me depend totally and absolutely on you. As I fight the good fight of faith with your help and your weapons, I know that victory is sure and secure only in you. Keep my gaze only on you, so that I may endure to the end. Amen.

Fear of God

Day 22- Fear of God

Ephesians 5:3-4 NIV

But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.

In this season of favour God has called us to, we have established that there are rules guiding operations and persons in that season. God has called us on his own terms and we cannot run our own agenda on his own watch. We must do what he has asked, because in his wisdom and power, he has called us into a new relationship with Him. The world has its standards, and it holds its own people accountable to its standards. Unfortunately, its standards are never firm or certain, and are subject to varying conditions and circumstances. God's standards, however, are stable, firm and consistent, and will not bend to accommodate any person, no matter how gifted or talented. It does not matter what age, grade or generation that you apply it to, God's Word remains true and right because they are older than time and man.

From the extract above, one thing must be established- identity. Until you know whose you are, or who you belong to, this passage will make no sense to you. For you to live according to the demands of this passage, you have to be God's own person. You cannot mix with the world and live for God at the same time. You were called out of one to live in the other, so you cannot be in both at the same time. Because I am a city set on a hill, whether I like it or not, everything I do or say or however I act will be interpreted in the light of what I have confessed to follow. If I claim I follow Christ, believe me, the people of the world know what a Christian looks like or must act. I will definitely be held accountable to that standard. If I am of the world, then the world knows and appreciates its own.

This decision will determine what you pursue and what your priorities are. God says there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, no impurity, no greed, no foolish talking, no coarse joking, among others. I see here a lot of things we explain away on the basis of our humanity. We claim that because we are social beings, we cannot but share in these things. This argument may be the reason why the world cannot see any difference. We don't stand out because we fear the world and its judgement, forgetting that it is the true and righteous judge that has called us and he will demand an accounting of our lives from us one day. The world will not be there that day to defend us, so why do we act as if we cannot live outside the world's standards?

God calls us to dance to a different tune, to speak a different language, to live by different standards. His prayer in John 17:15-16 NIV makes sense:  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. We are on assignment, not for ourselves, but for the God who loves us and gave his life for us. He alone is the One whose word counts, because he alone has given all of Himself to save us. No other person, no other idea, no other god can boast of that. I have made a decision, how will you decide? His time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, help me live for you on your own terms. The world is indeed distracting and alluring, but eternal life is my goal and my pursuit. Keep my eyes focused on you so I can reign with you at the end of my life. Amen.

True Life 2

1 John 4:13-15 NIV

This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God.

In our last discourse on the subject of knowing God, we asked a question: Do I know God? That must be the lifelong pursuit of any man who would make impact in his generation. If you have known God, there would be evidences in your life confirming that. If indeed God is known by you, your life will be a living, breathing testament to the greatness, power and favour of God. One way God places a claim on who he owns is by giving his Spirit to that person. It is amazing to consider the exploits and miracles done by mere mortal men, simply because they surrendered themselves to the control of the Spirit of God. The Spirit does nothing of his own accord, he simply glorifies God by working out the miraculous and the extraordinary through an ordinary life.

Because of the work of the Spirit, we have seen men come to Jesus and obtain eternal life. We have seen the worst of sinners become the best of tools for the spread of the gospel. We have seen men confess Jesus as Lord, and testify to the amazing grace that the knowledge of God brings. What other proof do we need? What else needs to be said? Faith in and acceptance of the finished work of Jesus on the cross is the ticket to eternal life. Confession with the mouth and belief in the heart are all that counts. Every other thing is a waste of time. You can talk about it, you can read about it, you can hear the testimonies of others who have received it; it doesn't make it real for you until you truly experience it.

Jesus is the only way. I have experienced it but you don't have to take my word for it, because my own faith cannot save you. You must find God for yourself and accept him, so you can fully enjoy the benefits and blessings his life has sealed for you. His time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, as I decide to follow you today, cleanse me from sin and make me thine alone. Let me life be an acceptable offering to you, a life that will show forth the glory of God. Amen.

True Love

Day 20- True Love

Luke 6:35-36 NIV

But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.  Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

Anytime i have to I read the verses above, I keep reminding myself that Jesus is asking me to treat my enemies this way, not my friends.  The world has taught us the principles of sowing and reaping, so that we are conscious of what we do to others so we can expect much more from them. God's Word however teaches the same sowing and reaping, but on broader terms than the world's. The world asks that I sow, so I can reap from where I sow, God teaches me to sow, because he alone can cause seed and fruit to spring up from places I never even sowed in the first place. The world asks that I sow seed into grounds that are prepared and favourable to the seed, so that naturally, the seed will bear fruit, God teaches me to sow seed into grounds that does not look favourable or attractive. This is because he is the One who produces bread for the eater and seed for the sower, and he has not run out of ideas on how to make the grounds of our lives bring forth increase beyond our investment.

I have learnt that God's principles and lessons run deeper than the world's expectations. I cannot run my life on the world's terms and expect heaven's blessings; I cannot run with the world's rules and demand heaven's prizes. I must walk, run and live according to heaven's standards and expectations if I'm to really enjoy the fullness of the blessings that heaven has for me. One of heaven's standards is to love regardless of the response and reaction. Love does not act simply because it is appreciated; love acts because it is in its nature to act. Love does not wait for an appropriate or equal response; love acts, no matter who the target is or what s/he has done. God sent his Son to die for us, not because we had done him any favours or we were good people then, but his love looked beyond what it could get to what it could give to make a difference.

That is the love God has called us to. It is the loudest message we can preach to the world through our lives, conduct, conversation and company. It is the kind of love God showed and is still showing, and all who claim to know God must love the way he loved. We cannot do less and we cannot hide. The moment I gave my life to Christ, I simply asked God to make me a city set on a hill, whose light cannot be hid. I must shine His light to the world and make him known, and love for all, no matter what, is the way to go. His time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, teach me to love others the way you have loved me. Help me be an effective witness for you through my life, words and conduct. Amen.

True Life

Day 19- True Life

1 John 2:5-6 NIV

But if anyone obeys his word, love for God is truly made complete in them. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.

There is a grave danger in our world today and it is hypocrisy. We have mastered the art of deception, where we have learnt all the posturings and practices of Christianity without any knowledge of the Christ in it. We can mouth all the confessions and flow with the in-crowd in church; in fact, we can do everything church-goers do we sing, we dance, we jump and generally flow with the mood of the people around us. There's no distinguishing factor, no motivating experience, no peculiar relationship with the God of the church himself. How, then, can I introduce to someone else, a God that I have not met or known, with whom I have no relationship? How do I show forth the life and light of God when I do not have either in me?

Today's extract seeks answers to one fundamental question, one that we must answer if our lives will make sense and make impact in the world we have been put. The question is: Do I know God? It is not about reading about him in the bible alone or listening to sermons about him in church. These are good but they are not sufficient. After you have read and heard, what do you do with the knowledge? Does the word fall on fertile ground in your heart, where it can grow to full maturity, or does it fall on the unprepared and unwillingly heart, where nothing can take root or bear fruit?  Your answer to the question above is a function of what you have done with the knowledge of and about God that you have.

If indeed I know the Lord, love for him and what he demands will not be difficult for me. If he says I should love my enemies, it is because he has released the grace to make that kind of love possible. If he says I should walk in his steps, it is because he has walked my way before and he overcame, therefore he is capable of seeing me through whatever situation that may arise as I walk in obedience to him. I must live as He lived, I must love as he loved, I must walk as he walked and I must speak as he spoke. My life is no longer mine to hold and control; Christ paid the full price for my sins and gave me a fresh start in Him. He has become the guide, the leader and the way I must go. My life must find direction, purpose and fulfilment in Him alone. Can i truly say that this is true in my life? His time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, help me live for you alone. The world has various offerings and distractions, but I choose to follow you alone. Help me to be all you have created me to be, so that my life can make the impact it was created to make. Amen.

Whose Side?

Day 15- Whose Side?

Isaiah 26:9 CEB

At night I long for you with my whole being; my spirit within me watches for you. When your judgments are at work in the earth, those living in the world learn righteousness.

I have seen the great deeds that God has wrought on the earth and in the lives of those who daily seek him. I have also seen the wickedness of man at work, where man lives lives and acts without accountability, living in sin without a thought for eternity. The conclusion I have built over the years is this: God is a Righteous God, even though it does not appear as if he is quick to punish sin or deal with offenders. He is still in charge of world affairs, irrespective of the issues and problems the world is faced with presently.

Today's extract underlines this truth, and I see the verse above in two parts: a personal search and decision, and a worldview and conclusion. If my life must make meaning and have impact in my world and generation, I must settle the issue of my personal relationship with God. God is always looking for someone he can use to advance his purposes on earth and he will not force anyone against his/her will. We must come to Him of our own accord, willingly surrender to his leading and work with and for Him. Whatever you are searching for with your whole bring takes paramount interest in your heart and life. Nothing else matters until your heart's desires have been met. In the same way, we must seek God with all our hearts and being, if we must indeed impact our world for God. Only a man that has been molded by God in the secret place can be used to build up his world for God in the public domain.

Secondly, when we all have been dealt with by God in the secret place, then our lives can become visible testimonies and worthy examples in our world. People who have taken God's corrections, discipline and instructions to heart and are living right on His terms are the people who can impact their work and world and teach the world righteousness according to God's standards. Many times, the world does not care about our lip-confession because our life-confession does not match what we profess. We act as hypocrites, thinking we are deceiving people, forgetting that there is a standing promise from God- Galatians 6:7 CEB : Make no mistake, God is not mocked. A person will harvest what they plant.

As we go out today, remember: you are the loudest message the world can read and learn from. When I live right and you also live right, God's righteousness and judgements are established in the earth and the world will notice the difference. We are the city built by God, set on a hill. We cannot be passive or sit on the fence. God is counting on our decision to live for him and work with and for him. Would you? His time of favour is here.

PRAYER: Lord, help me live for you. Make my life a visible testament to your grace and mercy, so that through me, your righteousness and judgement can be established on the earth. Amen.

Love-Real or Imagined

Day 15 - Love-Real or Imagined

1JN 4:20 ASV

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen. 4:20 ASV

If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, cannot love God whom he hath not seen.

For many who were born into a semblance of a Christian family, we were brought up to commit Bible verses to memory or recite things by heart. We knew many of those passages by heart and we could recite them off the top of our heads without much thought. Unfortunately, this is where it mostly ended- a lot of head knowledge and no heart application. We had people who knew the words of the Bible, but did not know the God behind the words or His expectations for their lives. The sons of Sceva in Acts 19: 13- 16 were like that too. Unfortunately, it took just one demon-possessed man to reveal their emptiness.

Today's extract seeks to take our focus back to the important things in our walk with God. When we claim we know and love God, proof of it must be seen in our lives and in our relationships with other people. After all, people around us are the ones that our lives must minister to, and if there is no difference between what we profess and what the world confesses, then there's a problem with the quality and value of the faith that we claim to have.  Love for God is easy to profess because nobody can hold you accountable for it, but God demands that I show proof of my love for him in my relationships with fellow human beings.

If I claim I love God, while also hating a fellow man, it then means that I live a double-standard life, one where what I say does not match what I do. Unfortunately for us as Christians, people don't care too much about what you say, they are more focused on what you do. Love is an action word, it is never passive or just confessed by mouth alone; our lives must show that we love or we don't. God has placed us in the world as his examples and his disciples, and if we claim to follow him, then obedience to his commands is the primary focus of his disciples.

As we go out today, let us not just be content with lip-confession of love, but a life-profession of love for all people that God has created. After all, it is because of His love for me that I can stand where I am today saved, sanctified and secure for eternity. I must live and love in a way that my life will attract others to the same saving knowledge on Jesus. His time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, help me to love others just as you have loved me. Help me be a living witness to your saving grace and power, so that others may seek to know you through my life, love, conduct and conversation. Amen

Kingdom Priorities

Day 14- Kingdom Priorities

MRK 8:34-36 ASV

And he called unto him the multitude with his disciples, and said unto them, If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever would save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel’s shall save it. For what doth it profit a man, to gain the whole world, and forfeit his life?

Timeless words indeed, and words that we need to reminded of in these days when wealth, position, power and prestige are taking centre stage in our lives today. We have allowed the world's vision to cloud our sight of eternity, and we seem to be settling down for the ephemeral, temporary and earthly, rather than the permanent and eternal. It is instructive to note that these words spoken by Jesus were directed to both his disciples and the multitude following him. In our contemporary world today, who would have a large crowd following him and hanging on his every word, and would not be tempted to say convenient, comfortable words that would suit the crowd? Who likes to walk alone?

Today's extract however shows that following Jesus is not a corporate or joint decision. A married couple cannot take a joint mortgage on eternity, neither can they include eternity in their last will and testament as an inheritance for their children. Each of us must work out his/her salvation with fear and trembling, relying on the grace that God has made available for everyone. His words say: IF ANYONE- it is open to anyone who is willing to come to God on the terms He has laid down, and accept the free gift He has already paid for with His life. He's not asking for money or payment, he's just asking me to forget the world and its temporary allure and follow Him wholeheartedly.

The process involves a decision to follow, then a decision to leave the past behind and move into a new phase with God. You have to deny yourself, and the desires of the sinful self, take up the cross in all your daily living, and follow Jesus in His steps. These call for a deep knowledge of what is expected of you as you follow Jesus and you can only know how to follow when you read the guidebook- the Bible and listen to the leader as he speaks and leads.

In the end, the world as we see it now will be burned with unquenchable fire. Nothing will remain and nothing will be spared. The only things that will endure are the eternal things. Make those your pursuits. Why invest so much in the earthly and temporary, without a single thought for the heavenly and the eternal? May we be relevant on earth while also worthy of heaven. His time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, help me fix my gaze on you. The world has distractions and cannot guarantee eternity. Help me to fix my gaze steadily on you alone so that at the end of my earthly life, I will be worthy of eternal reign with you. Amen.

Seeking God Today

Day 13- Seeking God Today

Jer 29:12-13

And ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.

It is important that we realise and maximise the blessings that this season of favour has brought us. God is the founder of seasons and times and according to his Word, he has set a table before us, right in front of our enemies. We have been called to enjoy the benefits and blessings found in a relationship with God and we can only do so when we live, talk and move according to His instructions.

First of all, God has asked us to call on him. Many times, we do all other things, except calling on God. We talk about our problems to others, we grumble and murmur about our experiences but we don't call or talk to God about them. How does God intervene in a matter you are still in complete control of? How does God step into a situation you have not stepped out of?  Until we learn absolute surrender, we may not enjoy the blessings and benefits of this season that God has called us into.

Secondly, God promises that he will hear and answer. He is a faithful God and he does not lie, so whatever he says he can do, he will definitely do. All we have to do is trust him absolutely by taking the problems to him and leaving them there with him. Let him do the sorting, while we do the trusting; at the end of the day, we will keep doing the praising while God continues to take glory through our testifying.

Please note, you must seek God with all your heart. God does not do halfhearted devotion; you either give God all or nothing at all. The instruction is to seek God with all our heart, the promise is that we will find him as we seek ,and he will hear and answer us. For a person who has learnt absolute dependence on God, he or she knows that God's answers may not always line up with our own desires, but we are assured that his answers are the best for us, and will work towards his praise and our blessings. His time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, may I learn how to trust in you completely, and to talk to you in prayer about all the issues of my life. You have promised to hear and answer and I know that your perfect will for my life shall be done. Amen.

Love's Proof

ROM 13:10 ASV

Love worketh no ill to his neighbor: love therefore is the fulfilment of the law.

In this season of favour, there are rules, practices and procedures that must form part of us if we are to enjoy the fullness of all that God has for us. One of such rules and practices is Love. It sounds ordinary but for a professing Christian, that is the heart of the matter of our lives. It is the life that flows inside us to others; it is the truth that this deceitful world sees and knows that we are different.

In the journey to the promised land, God gave his people sets of rules governing their relationship with many things: God, each other, animals, strangers, aliens, servants and all. In this dispensation of grace, all these laws are summarized into Love for God and love for our fellow man. It is love that makes me see the other man in danger and want to help, not minding his tribal, religious or ethnic affiliations. Watch the wordings of the verse above, it mentioned 'neighbour' , as we know, Christ has defined that as 'anyone' that is beside you, needing your help. All of our mouth-professing as Christians would only make sense when we live out the rules laid down for us.

As we go out today, consider that Love brought you into the privileged place you occupy now. It is because we were shown love that we have the capacity to replicate it in the lives of other people. May the sacrifice of Christ not be in vain in my life. His time of favour is here.

PRAYER- Lord, help me love others the way you have loved me-sacrificially. Help me see others through your eyes of love, so I can be a blessing of life to the dying world around me. Amen.

Standing in God's Strength

EPH 6:13 NIV

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

We are in a season of favour but do not for one second think that the devil will fold his hands and watch you prosper. He will definitely put up a fight. The verse before this one talks about our wrestle, not against flesh and blood, but against a range of levels of spiritual forces arrayed against us. God Did not call us to a quiet existence or to an easy, comfortable existence; everywhere the faith is mentioned, the picture is one that requires effort, struggle, fight and labour. The joy, however, is in the fact that we are not required to fight in our own power or by ourselves; God has given us appropriate weapons and he is backing us up to succeed.

There is an armour that God has made available for the war we are to fight. You can only fight well, end well and remain standing when you put on the full arkour, not just convenient parts. You don't pick and choose what you would wear; you wear all that God has provided for your safety, protection, success and victory.

Therein lies the greatest challenge- our reasoning and intellect,- God's distinguishing attribute in us, can be our greatest hinderance. We logically process things, reducing the battle for our souls and eternity to our level of reasoning, thinking we can defeat the devil with words, logic, reasoning or tact. He has been fighting this war since creation, and we need Someone who has defeated him before to teach us how to keep winning. If he says there are things we need in order to defeat the devil, then we can only win when we obey him and do as he has commanded.

As we go out today, put on the full armour of God. Every moment, whether sleeping or awake, is a battle. Eternity is at stake, the kingdom of God is advancing and the devil is scared. He's fighting hard for his territories and he will do anything to win. Do not rely on your strength or wisdom; rely on the grace that God has made available. He has promised that as we out on the full armour, we fight with his full backing, and we get full victory. Only then can we remain standing at the end of the battle. His time of favour has indeed come.

PRAYER- Lord, help me to fight the battles ahead of me in your strength and power. May I not rely on my own wisdom or resources, but on your all-conquering power. Amen