Right Focus!

Why are you in despair, O my soul? Why have you become restless and disquieted within me? Hope in God and wait expectantly for Him, for I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God. PSALM 42:11 AMP

It is obvious that we have been focused on the wrong things over the years. We have measured success by the wrong standards and striven to achieve 'right' things through the wrong means. We have devised sayings like 'the end justifies the means' and we are content with whatever we have amassed even if we had to kill or step on someone else to get it. In the midst of plenty, our hearts are heavy. In the midst of so many physical possessions, we are painfully aware of the distress that rages in our hearts.

We have convinced ourselves that it is the way of the world to get whatever we want, but we also conveniently forget that only in God is there permanent satisfaction. The Psalmist here had firsthand experience of depression and despair. He must have tried several things, but has come to the conclusion that only in God could he have true help. Like him, we must also come to that realisation that nothing else will work, except a focus on God and God alone.

We must also provide answers to the question raised here: 'my soul, why are you restless and disquieted'? The answer must be as the Psalmist's: my heart, hope in God. The world will not get any better, but my heart can change its focus. The world does not have all the answers, God does. The world does not offer help to 'slow' people, but God is the one who does not judge on the basis of speed, but on the basis of his mercy and grace. Men may seem to have gone so far ahead, but the question is: who is measuring the progress and what is the basis of the measurement? Why not hold on to God in absolute trust, confident that he is the one who can bring you to and sustain you in the place he has prepared for you. One day of favour can completely erase ten years of labour. His time of favour has indeed come.

Living Clean!

How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word. Psalm 119:9‭ MSG

Indeed, there are pressures all around us. The world and its standards keep shifting and changing, putting its inhabitants on a never ending rat race. There is a mirage of success that the world has established; a picture of prosperity that the world would want all of us to aspire to. However, for all who would aspire to God's desire and purpose for their lives, the question in today's extract is fundamental to that aspiration. The world has its standards; God also has His standard. Both will never agree, because both do not have the same foundations.

God's Word is a map for life, with answers to all of life's questions. There is practically nothing you want to know about life itself that the Word of God does not proffer a solution. However, just like a map, it is there as a guide. You cannot be forced to follow its directions; you can only choose willingly to be guided by it. It gives directions and guidance for as many as would heed and obey. If I would live a pure life, if I would have a clean life, if I will be properly guided, the Word of God is my one and only sure bet.

Therefore, if the question above is my pursuit; if living clean is my utmost desire, the answer is also provided: careful reading and obeying the Word of God. It sounds simple enough, until God's Word attacks the very foundations of the wrong beliefs I have held on to for long. I must be willing to test my beliefs and convictions on the strength of God's Word and be sure I am living right and living clean. The world cannot answer that question for me; only the Truth can. The world cannot provide guidance for my life; only the true map of God can. His time of favour is here.

Handover!

casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. 1 PETER 5:7 AMP

As I live daily, there are pressures I am bound to face, trials I must endure and difficulties that I must pass through. At no time did God promise that it will be smooth all the way. What do I need to do?

First of all, I must cast all cares. I must consciously and deliberately pass all the worries, cares and pressures. I was not created to hold on to them, I was not built to process and handle them.

Secondly, I must process them correctly, by handing them over to God, not other people. I do not have the strength or wisdom to properly handle these cares and worries, so I do as instructed: handover everything to God. It is also a complete and daily process, not something to be done at my own spare time or at my convenience. It is complete and total, not partial or halfhearted.

There is a reason why the command to handover is given, and that is because God cares about me. When I was created in the image of God, the breath of God that makes a man truly alive was also given to me. That breath empowers me to live above all that surrounds me. When I give my life to Christ, I take on the nature of Christ, living in dominion and authority. Stress loses its hold, pressures lose their focus, tribulations make sense and cares/worries are properly dealt with. God is watching over me as his prized possession, so I know that whatever he allows is for my utmost good.

Check out the MSG version of the extract above: Live carefree before God; he is most careful with you. God is doing the caring and the planning, I am to live my life in that consciousness, showing off God's power, ability, favour and blessings. His time of favour is here.

Thankfully Deep

Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. Colossians 2:7 NLT

I cannot bear fruits until I have been appropriately planted and properly rooted. It is the start point of growth. There is a right kind of place for planting and that is in Christ alone. You cannot bear fruit if you are planted anywhere else- on position, possessions, privilege, wealth or connections. These things do not last, and cannot be trusted. God alone is the one who can guarantee deep roots and fruits.

When I have been properly rooted, then the building itself will be done properly. When I am founded on Christ himself, then my life makes impact. When his Word guides my thoughts and actions, I am set up to be a blessing. No other way can work- other grounds, no matter how solid they appear, will be sinking sand compared to the surpassing grace of knowing Christ.

When I have gotten the rooting and building right, fruitfulness is the natural consequence. Whatever kind of seed was sown would determine the kind of fruit that will be produced. Is my life founded on the Truth of God's Word or on convenient falsehood? Do men determine what I believe or am I guided by Truth himself?

Of course, Thanksgiving is an integral part of my life. I was made for praise, I was created to give God praise and I was made for his pleasure. Am I fulfilling that purpose? Is my life headed in that direction? Am I full of thanks or bitterness? Am I full of praise or complaints? That is the choice before me; it is the same for you. His time of favour is here.

He is Coming!

Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts. Malachi 3:1 KJV

As another year rolls by, it is important to take stock of what is important, so that our hearts are not swayed by the comfortable and the usual around us. The message of the second coming of Christ has been preached all over the world, but it would appear to logical minds that this coming back is pretty delayed and may not happen. However, we deal with a God who does not deal with us on our terms or according to our own timetable. How do we deal with his Word here:
1. He has sent messengers- apart from the assignment of John the Baptist, there have been several other messengers who have declared the mind of God as it relates to the Second coming. Are we prepared or are we being deceived by the deceit of possessions, position, power or privilege?
2. His way is being prepared. Men are hearing the Truth, and are willing to accept and live by the Truth. Hearts of men are being prepared to receive the seed, and fruits are produced from those hearts.
3. The Lord will come again. If we can trust all other promises made by God in His Word, and can wait patiently for their manifestations, why would we think that he will not return, just as he has also promised?
4. He is coming back to and for his temple, that place that bears his glory and reflects his person, that place that has been kept clean and holy, that place that gives glory to Him. In case you were wondering, it is not a building, no matter how fanciful, but a person, who has accepted Christ as Lord and Saviour, and has Christ residing in Him. Are you that temple, or are you still focused on raising physical structures?
5. All words are weighed on the character, power, pedigree and quality of the One making the pronouncements. The Lord of Hosts is speaking here, the one who leads out the armies of heaven, who has never lost a battle, and who cannot be dethroned or confronted. He is from age to age, timeless and boundless. That's the God speaking. I think that is enough to help me know whom I am dealing with. What say you? His time of favour is here.

The Conclusion

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. Ecclesiastes 12:13 NIV

When you read the account of Ecclesiastics, you may be tempted to think it was written by someone like Paul, one with a deeply spiritual encounter with God, one who walked with God very closely all his life. The words are deep and fundamental to our purpose on earth, and the book establishes just what is important. The lessons put the person who wrote it in perspective.

Solomon lived a good life. In fact, he once claimed that there was nothing his eye or heart desired that he did not give it. He lived the physical life to the full, but at a point, he concluded on the vanity of possessions, position, power and influence. Solomon was the richest man on record anywhere in the world, yet we remember him more for the wrong reasons. He taught us the importance of time, he showed us the value of hard work, he emphasized the quality of diligence, silence and wisdom, but unfortunately, he was more of a preacher than a doer. He showed us what was necessary, but his life followed a different path. How am I living my life today? Can the world around me match the values of God's Word to the values that are apparent in my life?

At the end of all his pursuits, Solomon must have realized what was truly important- the fear of God. You can have all that the world can give, it is useless in the day of God's wrath. You can have the best the world can give, it will not save you from the lake of fire. What will matter at the end of my stay on earth won't be what people said about me, but what God says about me. I must live daily in his fear, I must be guided by his Word and Spirit, I must live in the consciousness of accountability. One day, I must render account of my stewardship to God, and nobody will stand with me on that day.

Would I live like the Preacher or live like Jesus? Am I paying lip service to God, while my heart is far away from him? Am I conscious of eternity, doing all I can to obey God, fully aware that one day, he is coming back? The decision is mine alone, the consequences of my decision are eternal. His time of favour is here.

Praise Again!

Enter His gates with a song of thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, bless and praise His name. PSALM 100:4 AMP

It appears that the popular call these days is an encouragement to praise God. Times are tough, and has made people rather self-conscious and selfish most times. We now look for our own interests first of all, satisfy our own whims first of all, and consider our own needs first of all. That is the normal human reaction expected. However, today's extract wants us to do things differently, to see God from another perspective. It is a call to see life from God's point of view; to praise God irrespective of what is going on around you. If it was that easy, the command to praise God won't come with such force and power. If praise came easy for man, today's call would be the easiest command to obey.

Check out another version of the same passage: "Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him". Praise is the key to unlocking the vast treasures that God is. Don't confuse God with who He is and what he gives. It is easy to express gratitude or praise to God when He has done great things in your life, but how do you do when things are not so easy? When the horizon looks bleak and it appears God is silent, can you still praise him through the pain? When hope seems pointless, can you still praise God?

Praise is the password to God's treasures. Gratitude makes your heart free from worry or pain, allowing you see God for who he is. Focus on God and who he is opens the door for God to express what he can do in your life. When things don't go according to plan, praise God. When the pain is real, thank God. When the road is rough and uncertain, worship God. Life will not always be smooth or fair, but God will always be God and good. His time of favour is here.

Basis of Praise!

Wealth and honor come from you alone, for you rule over everything. Power and might are in your hand, and at your discretion people are made great and given strength. “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name!
1 Chronicles 29:12‭-‬13 NLT

Today's extract examines the foundations of our lives and seeks to set us on the right path. We are in a possession, position, power and privilege-conscious generation, where worth is measured in physical terms. We judge men by what they have or don't have, by the clout they command, by the position they occupy or by our own weak and unstable standards. Consequently, man has mastered the act of pursuing the earthly temporal things because he wants to be recognised and noticed.

However, some eternal truths stick out in the extract above:

1. Wealth and honour come from GOD alone, and power and might are in His hands. The world cannot give what it does not have, and it cannot explain what it does not give. Wealth is not what the world defines it to be, but what God determines it to be. He is the only source; all other sources will only end up in shame and disgrace. Man wields power as if he would have it forever. We have leaders who have been in 'power' for more than 30 years, afraid to relinquish position to another. They forget that nobody can last forever, all positions are just transient and only God remains forever. Power and might is God's exclusive preserve. Power and might is within God's exclusive control. No man can exercise power and might; you are only there for a while and for as long as the Power himself permits.

2. God rules over everything, and at his discretion, people are made great and given strength. That is authority, unquestionable authority. His determines who gets what, when and how. He raises up one and brings down another; he enters into eternal covenant of blessings with whoever he pleases, and he brings down men from their lofty positions, when they think they have it all locked down.

When I then consider the above, how would I not be moved to praise this God? When I realise that all that I have comes from him, and I do not amount to much outside of him, how would I not praise Him? God, I praise you, there is no one like you, you do great and marvellous things. Your time of favour has indeed come.

Real Victory

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin [by which it brings death] is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory [as conquerors] through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:57- 58 AMP

The fall of man in the Garden of Eden paved the way for sin to operate in and rule over the world. God had given man so much room in the garden, and had spelt out the terms of engagement. Man was to work, live well and relate with God, while keeping away from the things that could destroy that relationship. You would think it was that easy. Since the fall, man has consistently shown that obeying laws is difficult. Man has always shown a propensity for rebellion and disobedience. Through that act of disobedience by Adam, sin has been given power to rule the world as well as its inhabitants. Only in Christ is there freedom from the power of sin and the strength of the law.

God, who had foreseen that man could not help himself had devised a means for man's restoration. He gave his one and only son as the propitiation for our sins. Jesus shed his blood as the perfect antidote for the poison of sin and through him, we come into a new standing with God.

However, like everything God does, we must make a conscious decision to accept the gift. It has been given to the whole world, but only those who take up the offer, and accept the life offered by Christ, will fully enjoy the benefits on offer. The gift is available, life is available, hope is available, and death and eternal damnation are also available choices. It is your choice; how would you play it? His time of favour is here.

That One Gift!

Now thanks be to God for His indescribable gift [which is precious beyond words]! 2 CORINTHIANS 9:15 AMP

God is a giver. He is a God who delights in blessing his people, as evident in the story of the Garden of Eden. Everything that man would ever need was provided and in place long before man was created and placed in the garden to nurture and sustain it. The same principle applies till now, in spite of the fact that man has fallen away due to sin. God's divine arrangement and provision has still not changed and he is still very much in the business of doing great things.

However, in the midst of this great testimonies lie one important truth that today's extract reveals. We are aware of God's numerous blessings and provisions, yet today's extract only talks about one indescribable gift. In the face of God's promises of different things, both for the present life and the life that is to come, we are confronted by one indescribable gift. What or who do you think it is?

Could it be things or a person? When you consider all that God is, you realise that his  greatest blessing is his presence. In the garden, God would come down and talk with man. When man fell, that fellowship was the first thing that suffered, as man his himself from God. It has taken God giving his Son for that fellowship to be restored. I realise that with the Son, every other thing is assured. If God did not spare his son, what else won't he give us? If he has given us the best that he has, what else won't he give?

Today, I take stock of my life, and I appreciate God for the gift of his Son, Jesus. Through him, I have received forgiveness, redemption and eternal life. By him, I walk in a covenant of life and peace, certain of where I will end. Precious to me are his promises, but much more valuable is his Presence and Power. Indeed, thanks be to God for this great gift. What will it be for you too? His time of favour is here.

All Planned Out!

O Lord , You are my God; I will exalt You, I will praise and give thanks to Your name; For You have done miraculous things, Plans formed long, long ago, [fulfilled] with perfect faithfulness. ISAIAH 25:1 AMP

In these strange times, a decision will have to be made. I have got to sort out my priorities and the things I consider as important. As I take stock, I am convinced that God deserves close attention. What has he done? Who is He?

First of all, he is my personal God. Yes he is God over all, but my life will never show life until it has been taken over by God. Until I surrender all to God and hold him out as Lord of all in me, my life will not make sense.

Secondly, an understanding of who He is will lead me to an appropriate response: praise and thanksgiving. The devil knows that focusing on God brings peace, joy and hope, so he will do his best to keep our eyes on the problems. However, when I have gotten the focus right, I have gotten the impact right.

Thirdly, a review of my life will also reveal why I need to hold God in high esteem. He is a specialist in miracles and lost causes. He is a God who walks in when the world has walked out. He is a consultant on life affairs, with solutions to the most knotty life issue. He had planned my life long before my parents even came together, and throughout my life, he will keep working and sorting my life out, so I can be all he wants me to be.

What more do I need? What more can God do? His time of favour is here.

Protected!

But you, God , shield me on all sides; You ground my feet, you lift my head high. Psalm 3:3‭MSG

Who's Protecting You?
It is a difficult season or an opportunity to see God at work, depending on your perspective and focus. We are in a world of danger and trouble, and everywhere you turn, evil just seems to thrive. It is easy to give up and give in to fear, setting up man made structures that can guarantee protection. It is easy to rely on a fat bank account than it is to trust in a God of provision. It is easy to trust an investment plan than to trust a God of purpose and eternity. It all depends on your perspective. The Psalmist states a  fundamental fact: God protects on all sides. There is no area of life that has not been addressed by God. He is the one who shields, protects, provides and keeps.

Also important is the fact that your foundation is key to your lifting. If you are not grounded in and by God, the days of trials will shake you. If you do not know God, any wind of popular falsehood will sweep you away. When all I have is trust in man made devices and establishments, I am simply telling God that he is my other option or one of my many alternatives, not my only means. I am telling God that I can take care of myself and I do not need much help.

Is my focus on God or goods? Is my heart pursuing after God's protection or my own peculiar devices? The day of testing is bound to come, the value of my faith will be tested, the depths of my convictions will be proven; will I be able to say with all my heart that: 'God, you are the only one for me? His time of favour is here.

Praise Attitude 3

So here I am in the place of worship, eyes open, drinking in your strength and glory. In your generous love I am really living at last! My lips brim praises like fountains. I bless you every time I take a breath; My arms wave like banners of praise to you. Psalm 63:2‭-‬4 MSG

What's Happening in your present location?

As I live daily, I face choices: I decide how I live and what I make of my present location. I work out my vision and my inspiration, deciding what and how I see. For the Psalmist, all he saw was God's strength and glory. He may not have had the best of days, but he had made up his mind to see right. Do I magnify my present situations over and above the God over all situations?  When I consider God's amazing love, am I convinced that all the weight of the world's problems does not change that one single fact: his love for me will not let me go.

It is a daily choice: to see from God's perspective or to view life from our narrow, limited and skewed prisms. We cannot know more than the God who has been holding the universe in its place since its creation. I had better relax in God, and focus more on the things He is, than on what I can get.

Review, Appraisal and Consequences
When I have thought long and hard about who God is, when i have carefully reviewed my life and done an honest appraisal of what I have been through, and  I realise just who God is and what he has done, praise must be the natural consequence. Interestingly enough, when we were made, the testimony was that "we were made for his glory". It is not about when things are 'good'; it is about discovering and fulfilling the purpose of our creation, which is bringing glory to God. He has not promised us fair weather everyday, but he has promised us miracles everyday, in form of brand new mercies and his unending favour. So I lift my hands in praise this morning, and I acknowledge the greatness of this God. God- you are great, you do miracles so great, there is no one else like you. Your time of favour has indeed come.

Praise Attitude 2

I will give thanks and praise the Lord , with all my heart; I will tell aloud all Your wonders and marvelous deeds. PSALM 9:1 AMP

Subject of Praise
It is an individual call; a personal assignment and calling. It is not a joint effort, though it always sounds good when a group of people come together in worship to praise God. It is first a personal thing, before it becomes a group thing. "I" starts today's extract and it is instructive. God's call is NEVER to a multitude or a group of people; it is always to one person. An individual makes up his mind to walk with God, and then the effect of that decision is felt by the multitude. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Enoch all had individual stories of their decisions to follow and serve God, but we read of their generational impact centuries after.

Object of Praise
It just has to be God. Man has raised several altars to unknown gods including knowledge, possessions, power, privilege and position. Man places more stock on the things he can see and feel, forgetting that all of them are temporal. God alone lives forever, and deserves our total and complete devotion.

Attitude of Praise
The product of my entire heart and life is what God accepts. There is grave danger in halfhearted devotion/commitment to God. Man can be deceived by activities; God sees beyond activities and weighs motives. Man can applaud you, but God's approval is key to your life. Am I praising God with all my heart, living my life to please him daily?  Is my life speaking loudly about the power of God or am I just a silent observer, taking it all in and not testifying about the things that God has done?

Basis of Praise
If i carefully consider my life, I would understand the reasons for the excitement in the words of the extract above. The Psalmist had seen God at work, had seen his hand in human affairs, had seen lives changed, destinies restored, enemies defeated and purpose established in the lives of men. He just had to speak out loudly. Do I have reasons like the Psalmist to praise God? Go ahead and review your life. As at today, there are just about 6 weeks to the end of the year 2017. You do have reasons to be grateful and to testify of God's amazing power. His time of favour is here.

All Through Christ!

Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen. EPHESIANS 3:20‭-‬21 AMP

God At Work
It is always God at work, not our talents, abilities or qualifications on display. You don't succeed because you are good; you are only a success because God is at work in you. Purpose, destiny and impact are determined by God; all we can do is to make ourselves available for God to use. It is his power that works miracles, it is his power that is at work in us, it is his power that can move mountains, not our eloquence, connections or abilities.

Do We Ask?
If there is no asking, how do we prove God is real? If we do not travail in prayer, how does God prove his power and might in our lives? If hope is dead, where there are no dreams, God's word and work will not be felt. It does not mean that God is not there, but the ingredients required for his manifestation are absent. We must pray, we must hope, we must dream big. When you have that, you have the minimum requirements for a miracle, because God has said that he will take those prayers, hopes and dreams and work out something that will be incredibly bigger, better and higher than all we could ever think up.

Where the Praises Go
If I have understood my place and the undeniable power of God over my life, there is just one reaction expected: praise. God does not take food, bribes or gifts: all he asks from us is that we praise him. It is a generational call, a permanent responsibility and an eternal assignment, one that we can only prepare for here and continue in eternity. Do I have reasons to praise God? Am I seeing him at work in my life, doing that which he alone can do? Do I understand my place in the body of Christ, content to draw the world's attention to Him through my life? His time of favour is here.

Life at the End of It All!

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in Godʼs love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Jude 1:20‭-‬21 NIV

Expectation of Growth
God expects me to grow in my knowledge of him. Faith is the ingredient that pleases God, and by feeding on His Word, I learn more about God. Book knowledge is important, but God knowledge is your most important asset.

Prayer is Key
There is nothing much a life can achieve without prayer. God is always speaking, because his plans and purposes are not subject to any man's whims. He will do whatever he pleases, when he pleases and how he pleases, but the man who has discovered the secret of communion with God has an advantage- s/he is God's friend and is in line to receive direction and insight long before the world is aware of what's next.

Consistent Focus
I am enjoined to keep myself continuously in God's love. It means that there is a danger that if I am not dependent on God, I could move out of his love. Love is a daily walk and a daily dependence on the one who is Love himself. You cannot understand, live or align with God's love if you are outside his purpose for your life. Do you know God, or better still, does God know you as his own? Is his mark of ownership- the Holy Spirit- living in you?

Eternity in View
It all boils down to this: the end of your life now is true Life itself. Your life was not built to die. God does not create anything without a purpose, and all life will continue somewhere- either in the New Jerusalem or the Lake of fire. The choice is mine and mine alone; I cannot rest on someone else's mistakes as the reason why I missed it. It is directed as me and you individually. There is no joint effort here. Are you born by the Spirit? Have you handed over your life to the One who is Life himself-Jesus Christ? His time of favour is here.

Planning for Good!

‘For I know the plans and thoughts that I have for you,’ says the Lord , ‘plans for peace and well-being and not for disaster to give you a future and a hope. JEREMIAH 29:11 AMP

Origin and Sustenance
God is the one speaking here. What you see around you may not always line up with what you have heard God speak, but when you consider the power, ability and wisdom of the one who has promised, you get the clear message that nothing around you lasts forever,only God's Word does. This passage was against the backdrop of the 70 years in exile promised the Israelites. They could not see hope, but the God of hope was speaking here. What do you hear? Who do you listen to?

Clear Planning and Execution
God does not just speak; there is an order, method and structure to his Word. God says he has a plan, and the one plans are for good, not for evil. We does not create us and abandon us; the fact that each one of us alive has a peculiar set of fingerprints that no one else has, shows that great and careful planning went into my life. I cannot just live, eat, marry and die. I must discover the why and the how of God's plan, so that my life can make the impact it was designed to make and glorify God as it should.

Eternity in View
Nothing about God's plan is just for this present earth only. All that God does and says is stepped in eternity. It is not about the here only, but the hereafter also. God says his plans will lead to a good future and a bright hope. Evidence around you will testify to that truth. Your present pains is a testimony to that truth. The presence of God in you is a pointer to the fact that it will not just end here.

What is it going to be for you? Are you settling for God's plan for you or you want to seek out other options that are faster, quicker and 'better'?. God is sufficient, no matter what you present economy, account balance or portfolio size may say. His time of favour is here.

Growing Through Pain!

Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. James 1:13‭-‬14 KJV

An integral part of our lives, growth and depth is trials. God has designed our lives to be stretched and the quality of our convictions to be established through trials and tribulations. In fact, God already says that "the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 1:7 KJV.

However, care must be taken to distinguish between trials and temptations. One way to know the difference is a clear conviction of its source. If we will be honest with ourselves, we will agree that there have been times when we have placed ourselves in the line of fire: sought out pornography, moved with friends who did not share our own deep convictions, desired to be rich without really consulting God on the mode and medium, and several other things. Joseph ran away rather than stay and fight temptations; Samson slept off on the laps of temptation and we both know how they ended. The other Hebrew boys blended into the culture of Babylon; Daniel dared to avoid luxuries so he could defend the God of Israel. We also know how they ended.  When my desires for the 'good life' become more important to me than the desire to please God, there is a problem. When I prefer to pursue what I want and not what God desires, there is a problem.

It is also key to note that temptation does not seek to make your life better; it seeks to destroy you. Trials seek to develop character, depth and perseverance in you, and will always teach you important spiritual lessons that will help you know God just a little better than before. Temptations seek to distract you from the goal of pleasing God, and wants to make other options attractive, giving you a choice. Truthfully, there is no other choice; God is the only one that matters. Seek out his plans and purposes for your life; his time of favour is here.

This is God!

Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and the earth is Yours; Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and Yours it is to be exalted as Head over all. 1 Chronicles 29:11 AMPC

Identity and Authority
Who are we talking about here? Mortal men, who have a fixed term and tenure on earth, want to play God. Man behaves as if he is immortal, and can do whatever he pleases. Man talks as if he can command tomorrow, but reality and fact has shown that man is temporal and no matter how long he lives, his appointment with physical death will be kept. This is God, the one referred to as Lord here. It is a picture of total supremacy and unquestionable authority. We see physical lords who are still betrayed, but we see a Lord here who cannot be impeached, whose kingdom knows no end, and whose authority is beyond man's control or influence.

Of course, there is just one kingdom that matters, as seen above. No mention is made of kingdoms; just one kingdom, and it is exalted over all others.

Influence and Impact
Greatness, glory, power, victory and majesty are all ascribed to this Lord. Of course, when the Lord has unquestionable authority, who dares confront him? When he works, who can stop him, when he stops, who can force him, when he stands to fight, who can confront him? Please, how do you confront a Lord who calls the entire earth just his footstool? Pray, where then can contain him, or what can limit him?

Ownership and Position
All that is in the heavens and the earth belong to this Lord. Man needs to change his thinking. We focus so much on acquisitions and possessions, forgetting that what we claim is ours is already owned, and we are only holding all in trust. We are stewards of all that we hold; God is the Ultimate Beneficial Owner of all that we could ever have or become.

Take a moment, let it all sink in. Then, rearrange your priorities about possessions, position and power. You cannot displace the Lord who owns all things; you had better learn to worship him sincerely and give him the glory, honour, adoration and praise that is due him. His time of favour is here.

End of Faith!

You love him, although you have not seen him, and you believe in him, although you do not now see him. So you rejoice with a great and glorious joy which words cannot express, because you are receiving the salvation of your souls, which is the purpose of your faith in him. 1 Peter 1:8‭-‬9 GNT

Do I love God because of who he is, what he gives or what I want? These distinctions are important in determining the basis of my faith in God and how far I  will go in my journey of faith. The extract above is laid on the foundations of trials and tribulations as being important in my development and depth as  a child of God. I really cannot claim to know and follow God until my decision and depth have been tried and i have been found faithful. The verses before this extract confirms that the worth of gold is only appreciated when it has passed through fire. If gold, temporal and earthly, can be proved this way, how much more would my faith in God, which is more precious than gold, be tested?

How then do you stand in the day of trouble?:

You simply love God for who he is. Too many times, our needs and wants have become so important that we have laid God aside in our pursuits of needs. What our eyes see usually becomes more pressing than what we hope for, and so we focus on our immediate needs and pick God later, when things have gotten out of hand. However, the lesson is this: God is your one and only worthy pursuit. When you love God, you do so out of a heart that recognises his power, his awesome nature and his eternal strength.

Not everything is about what your physical eyes can see. Our walk is a walk of faith, our fight is a food fight of faith and our race is one of perseverance. I may not see too many things that make me happy down here, but I am also fully aware that my life is not tied to the physical ephemeral things I see now. All will come to pass, and only that which God is and does will last forever.

I do not base my faith on temporal earthly things. My love and faith in God is not tied to my possessions or position, but to the Presence of God in my life. There is an end to my faith, and it is eternal life. I do not just exist; I live by faith in God, knowing fully well that he is all I need. My joy is not tied to what I see, but to who I have known and believed in. That is it for me. What will it be for you? His time of favour is here.

Live Free!

For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. 1 Peter 2:15‭-‬16 KJV

Truths:
1. It is also God's will that my life is a living, breathing testimony to the greatness and glory of God. People are watching daily, seeking worthy examples of virtue and grace, and it is expedient that if I claim to know God, my life must reflect his Life.

2. People are watching daily and will hold you up to your confession. People know the standards, but do not have the inner Presence and Power to live by those standards. It is the Presence of the Holy Spirit that helps a man keep true to what he has confessed, and it is this same Spirit that convicts the hearts of men. I just have to live true to what I have confessed; God knows how to use the conviction of my life to convict the life of someone else. Am I true to what I have confessed? Does my life profession match up with my mouth confession?

3. I have been set free, not to live as I please, but empowered to live as God pleases. My freedom is in God, not in myself. My freedom was secured by God and I must live my whole life seeking his will and seeking to please him. That is the spirit of servant-hood. No servant determines by himself when he wants to work, how he wants to work or where he wants to work. All these are determined by the master himself.

Am I listening to God and watching out for his directives or have I formed a mind of my own? Am I living to please the master, or have I become my own master? Am I truly living free, living right and living as God directs, or am I subjecting myself again to the dictates of Satan, sin and self? His time of favour is here.

Others First!

Don't do anything from selfish ambition or from a cheap desire to boast, but be humble towards one another, always considering others better than yourselves. And look out for one another's interests, not just for your own. Philippians 2:3‭-‬4 GNB

Truths:
1. Man is inherently selfish and inward looking. It is not natural to put others ahead of yourself, so no amount of motivational speaking or inspired talk will make the difference; only a life totally given to, and willing to please God, will be able to repress his/her desires in order to promote others.

2. Unfortunately, you cannot read man's motives and intentions. The best of actions can be based on the worst of intentions. 1 Cor. 13 talks clearly about good actions that are not based on love, and which have no reward. The same applies here: I can show myself to be humble, and make people see me as nice, however, more important is what God says about me. When he reads my intentions and motives, do they line up with his will or do I promote my own interests?

3. Look out for other people's interests. Easier said then done, especially when your own needs are crying out for attention. If God knew it was impossible, he wouldn't ask us to do it. If I acknowledge that I cannot do these things on my own, I realise that I need the help of God to do what he asks of me. I cannot rely on the force of convictions, or on the strength of my beliefs alone; I must constantly rely on God to help me, to strengthen me, to guide me as I seek to do his will.

God does not promise anywhere that it will be an easy road; he does not expect me to run alone, walk alone or fight alone, as he knows i will not make it alone. He promises me his ever-abiding presence and power. That is enough for me; is it enough for you too? His time of favour is here.

Fear God!

The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning (the chief and choice part) of Wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight and understanding. Proverbs 9:10 AMPC

Truths:
1. The fear of the Lord must lead you to reverence and worship God. Fear is both a good thing and a bad thing, depending on the subject and basis of the fear. When you fear God, you have nothing else to fear. When you do not fear God, trust me, you will fear everything else.

2. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. The path to wisdom begins with a knowledge of God, his power, his might, his nature, his likes and dislikes. When you know God intimately and pursue his preferences, you are on the path to true wisdom. The world has a path and it also advocates wisdom; however, the wisdom of the world is founded on the wrong premise: a focus on man, earthly wisdom, connections, possessions, position and power. God's own kind of wisdom is first and only about God and what he desires. When you align with God's desires, you align your life with the richest, highest and noblest blessings available.

3. Do I know God? Better still, does God know me? I could live on the altar in church, I could be very visible in service to God, I could hold down key positions in church, but beyond all these, does God reckon with my service? May I not labour hard and at the end of my service, discover that I had been following the wrong person.

Wisdom, Knowledge and Understanding are key words in our walk with and work for God. It is settled that you cannot find the true versions of these anywhere outside of God. Man will always give you easier options; however, there is no replacement for a living, breathing, healthy relationship with God. You have got to know the difference. What would it be for me? What would it be for you? His time of favour is here.

Proof of Life!

For there is one God, and there is one who brings God and human beings together, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself to redeem everyone. That was the proof at the right time that God wants everyone to be saved, 1 Timothy 2:5‭-‬6 GNB

Truths:
1. There is only one God. There is no doubt, no controversy and no argument that can prove otherwise. If God existed long before creation started, how can we rely on created things to either prove or disprove the fact that he exists?

2. God's grace and favour produced a way for us to be reconciled back to God when we sinned. God made his one and only son the path to redemption. No other person can do it, because no other person laid down his life for us. The price has been given, the price has been paid, the way has been laid and we now stand redeemed.

3. The gift is free to us, but it cost God something. All he is asking us for is to believe in his Son and receive eternal life. A day of reckoning is coming soon, when men will be judged on the basis of who they are, who they knew and what they did, and the one and most important consideration will be your response to the gift that has been given.

God has done his own part. He has laid down a new path for us so we can be saved. He has freely given us his Son, who is all that we need for life down here and eternal life eventually. What will be my response: take hold of the gift or hold on to man's false doctrines of self- sufficiency? His time of favour is here.

Living Well!

Listen to good advice if you want to live well, an honored guest among wise men and women. An undisciplined, self-willed life is puny; an obedient, God-willed life is spacious. Proverbs 15:31‭-‬32 MSG

Truths:
1. God desires that we live well. Of that, there is no doubt. How we live well is however tied to the choices we make today. Am I listening to anyone and everyone or have I set a guard over my heart, sieving out wrong advice and listening only to what God has to say? Remember, God can choose how and when to speak to you, but there will NEVER be a contradiction with His Word.

2. Listening to God places you in the midst of wise men. Wisdom is not a function of age, degrees or experience, but a function of the fear of God. When I learn to fear God, I walk carefully, run circumspectly and fight in His strength only. There is no room for self-glory or self righteousness, when I know that all I could ever be is tied to God.

3. I need to audit my life: am I living an undisciplined life? Am I self-willed and self-led? Have I turned myself into a god, self-sufficient and an authority to myself? I must check well the answers to those questions, as eternity is dependent on my answers. Obedience was the issue at stake when man fell in the garden of Eden, and is still the issue at stake now. An obedient life will enjoy God's favour, and be enlarged. An obedient life conquers territories and lives well.

What are my choices? It really boils down to only one: choose to obey God alone. That is the only decision that will count in eternity. His time of favour is here.

Right Life!

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Romans 12:1‭ MSG

Brief Lessons:
1. God is the only valid source of help, if I am to live a life that pleases Him. How do I please God if I live for self, sin or Satan? How do I please God if I do not know anything about his Word or His Will for my life? The start point is to live in, abide in, reside in and live in God, totally, consistently and regularly.

2. God is interested in your everyday living. I wonder how we ever imagined that there were things that God could not be bothered with. If God could create individuals with peculiar fingerprints, different facial features and peculiar DNA, then God is surely interested in the 'tiny' details of my life. I must give him total and absolute control over my life's decisions and place all in His hands. If, as Paul says, my eating and drinking could cause others to sin, it means that I cannot choose to live as I please, but as God directs.

3. For my life to make impact, it must really be an offering: given totally, completely and in a dead state to God. My opinions and personal preferences are not as important as God's desires, and I offer to him the best I have and all I have. I offer to him a life that is dead to self and willingly embrace his own desire and will for my life. The surrender will not happen overnight, but is a daily and conscious decision that will hand over complete and absolute control of my life to its Creator and Sustainer.

What it is going to be for me? What is it going to be for you? His time of favour is here.

Praise Attitude

O come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord ; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with a song of thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with songs. PSALM 95:1‭-‬2 AMPAMP

Truth Facts:

1. There is a call for all of us to come join the ever increasing number of those who sing joyfully to the Lord. Note the key words: a call to come, to sing with joy and unto the Lord. It is not s pity party, as call to come complaining and whining about what you don't have or to call on a conference of men for help. Your response to the invitation must be right, to the right person and for the right purpose.

2. The attitude of praise here is a major factor. Are we still praising God today? Have I reduced praise to a time slot in church? Have I reduced him to a system of give and take- you give me my own needs first, and then I give you praise? Have I replaced his praise with my talents, showing off the quality and depth of my voice, rather then showing off the praise of him who owns both the vessel and the gift ?

3. The call is still the same- come sing for joy, come into his presence with songs of thanksgiving, let us shout joyfully to him with songs. Notice that nothing here talks about a precondition for praise. It does not say that you won't have trials, it just says PRAISE God. It does not protect you from tribulations or hard times, it just says PRAISE God. There is no guarantee that I will always have what I want when I want it, but the call is PRAISE God. This is no arm twisting or bribing; you don't praise God and conclude that since you have given him what he wants, he should give you what you need.

Just PRAISE God. I was made to give him praise. It's not about my present situation, but about who God is first of all. He gives because He is. All I am and need is tied to the person of God, therefore praise of God is the key factor in unlocking all that God is, so I can be all that God intends for me to be. His time of favour is here.

Praise Attitude

O come, let us sing joyfully to the Lord ; Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with a song of thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with songs. PSALM 95:1‭-‬2 AMPAMP

Truth Facts:

1. There is a call for all of us to come join the ever increasing number of those who sing joyfully to the Lord. Note the key words: a call to come, to sing with joy and unto the Lord. It is not s pity party, as call to come complaining and whining about what you don't have or to call on a conference of men for help. Your response to the invitation must be right, to the right person and for the right purpose.

2. The attitude of praise here is a major factor. Are we still praising God today? Have I reduced praise to a time slot in church? Have I reduced him to a system of give and take- you give me my own needs first, and then I give you praise? Have I replaced his praise with my talents, showing off the quality and depth of my voice, rather then showing off the praise of him who owns both the vessel and the gift ?

3. The call is still the same- come sing for joy, come into his presence with songs of thanksgiving, let us shout joyfully to him with songs. Notice that nothing here talks about a precondition for praise. It does not say that you won't have trials, it just says PRAISE God. It does not protect you from tribulations or hard times, it just says PRAISE God. There is no guarantee that I will always have what I want when I want it, but the call is PRAISE God. This is no arm twisting or bribing; you don't praise God and conclude that since you have given him what he wants, he should give you what you need.

Just PRAISE God. I was made to give him praise. It's not about my present situation, but about who God is first of all. He gives because He is. All I am and need is tied to the person of God, therefore praise of God is the key factor in unlocking all that God is, so I can be all that God intends for me to be. His time of favour is here.

Focus!

My eyes are continually toward the Lord , For He will bring my feet out of the net. PSALM 25:15 AMP

Truth Facts:
1. Your focus determines your placement. You cannot receive anything that your mind cannot conceive, your heart receive and your eyes perceive. What do you see, or better still, how are you seeing?

2. There will be distractions, and what you get will come down to one single choice: what you have determined to focus on. The Psalmist here had settled his focus: it will be on the Lord only, and continually also. Two things: certainty and persistence of your focus. You do not focus on God some of the time and then focus on your account balance the other times. You do not seek out help from other sources and then come running to God when things have gone bad. Well, God is not man; he doesn't treat us the same way we treat him, but you would have missed out on important lessons that waiting on God would have taught you.

3. Like it has been said, there are distractions everywhere. The devil, sin, self and situations will place obstacles on your way. Life will present seemingly insurmountable challenges your way, making it look like there are no other options. The assurance here is this: when my focus is right, my steps are ordered. When I keep my eyes on God, he keeps my feet from the snares. When I keep my eyes on God, he sorts out all other distractions.

Like the popular hymn says: many things about tomorrow, I don't seem to understand; but I know who holds tomorrow, and I know he holds my hands. That is enough for me. Is that sufficient for you too? His time of favour is here.