Life and Death!

Now the mind of the flesh is death [both now and forever--because it pursues sin]; but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace [the spiritual well-being that comes from walking with God--both now and forever]; the mind of the flesh [with its sinful pursuits] is actively hostile to God. It does not submit itself to God’s law, since it cannot, and those who are in the flesh [living a life that caters to sinful appetites and impulses] cannot please God.
ROMANS 8:6‭-‬8 AMP

1. It does not matter what you tell yourself; your life's purpose is defined by your life's pursuits and priorities.

2. Who you walk with will rub off on you. As you walk with God, you reflect his nature and life. Same with the devil. The Word and the world have sayings along this line- 'Bad company corrupts good morals ' and 'Show me your friends, and I will tell you who you are'.

3. Faith and sin work at cross purposes, when it comes to pleasing God. Without faith, you cannot please God, and with sin, you definitely cannot please God. So, a choice must be made. Both choices have eternal consequences.

4. Both God and the devil are masters; and all of us are subject to one or the other. Forget negotiation - you either flow with the instructions of the master you choose or you are automatically subject to the control of the other. You don't pick and choose which instructions to obey; you either are all in or all out.

Where do you stand? What are your priorities? Whose side are you on? Be sure, as your eternal destination is tied to the truth in your response. His time of favour is here.

Light!

For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. John 3:20‭-‬21 KJV

1. Actions speak. They reveal the contents of the heart. It does not matter what you tell yourself or how hard you try to convince others to see your point of view; it is usually obvious from what you do. The best intentions do not count; the slightest action most times does, and that is how reputation is built.

2. When your actions cannot stand the test of light, you have a problem. Can I hold my life up to the scrutiny of light? Would my life stand the test? Can I dare bring all my thoughts, intentions, motives, desires and lifestyle into the light? Can I bear the intense scrutiny of the One called  light?

3. Truth is a person and he is also light. You can't take one without the other. You can't claim to love Truth and walk in darkness; neither can you claim to love Light yet practice falsehood. To hold such a position is to be called a 'hypocrite' by God's standard, and you know what that means. If God sees you as something, it really does not matter how everyone else in the world sees you.

When the chips are down, and judgement starts, the applause and approval of the world fades away. Please be sure you are standing for the real deal; not the shifting, unsure foundations of the world. His time of favour is here.

Ask Right!

If any of you lacks wisdom [to guide him through a decision or circumstance], he is to ask of [our benevolent] God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. But he must ask [for wisdom] in faith, without doubting [God’s willingness to help], for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. JAMES 1:5‭-‬6 AMP

1. Admittance of helplessness opens the door to God's help. Self -sufficiency tells God he's not needed. Just when you think you are most qualified, God proves that he is the only one who qualifies a man for use.

2. Ask right. Your solution depends on your support system. If it is not God, it is not worth it. The world teaches us we have options; the Word teaches us that God is the only one whose help cuts several generations.

3. Faith is so central to everything we ask of God. No need to approach him if you won't believe his Word or wait for him. As long as you keep hoping in him, the promise is that he will come through.

His time of favour is here.

Never Alone!

Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour. But resist him, be firm in your faith [against his attack--rooted, established, immovable], knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being experienced by your brothers and sisters throughout the world. [You do not suffer alone.]1 PETER 5:8‭-‬9 AMP

You are always on duty. There is no demilitarized zone, no middle ground, no safe spot. Whether physically awake or asleep, you must be alert. The devil never sleeps; he is always after a life. Eternal death and destruction are his areas of specialization, and all who become careless come under his control.

I have a part to play: resist the devil, standing firm in my faith. I have been told what to do and where and how to withstand the devil, so success is dependent on my obedience. I can't fight the dev on my own terms, or with my own weapons; I just need to do what God has prescribed.

I am not alone; in fact, my experiences are not peculiar to me alone. Just as the devil works on this part of the world, so is he at work elsewhere. All I can do is rely on the only One who has defeated him, and hide in him. I am safe in Him, and victorious only through him. His time of favour is here.

The Standard

My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:  And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1‭-‬2 KJV

Before we celebrate the permitted, know the standard. The whole purpose of the gift of Christ is to give us a new life, a new hope and call us to a higher life, one without sin. This was the picture of the garden of Eden, where God wanted to establish a permanent, unbroken relationship with man. This is the standard.

Unfortunately, Sin is a barrier to whatever God ordains, and is the reason why the standard became compromised. We now defend ourselves by saying "It is not possible to live a life free from sin", whilst at the same time, we confess that nothing is impossible with God. Which one do we really believe? Jesus is the bridge to God; he is the one to restore the standard. No other path is prescribed for us.

He's the propitiation for not just those of us who had known Christ and maybe went out of him to sin, but also for the sins of the whole world. You actually cannot find sin in God, so when a person sins, no matter what you call him, he's got to go out of God to find and commit the sin, then go through Jesus for restoration.  It does not matter what the world calls such a person: pastor, bishop, deacon, archangel; when sin is present, God is not there.

Why not take advantage of the free gift that has been given and return to God? His arms are always open wide to receive all who return. It does not matter how bad it has been; it does not matter how deep you have sunk or how low you have fallen; if God could find and restore Paul, then nobody alive is beyond the reach of the grace of God. His time of favour is here.

Walk Right!

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
Galatians 5:16‭-‬17 KJV

The admonition is to walk in the Spirit, not around or in close proximity to the Spirit. Some of us were born in church and have been around church for a long time. It is easy to assume that you are a Christian, simply because you know all the creeds, ordinances and practices of the Church. Walking with God goes beyond all that. You have got to first know and accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour, then you get a measure of the Spirit and grow in your knowledge and experience of Him. Don't settle for people's opinions about God; find him out for yourself.

The Spirit of God is the identity that matters; not the opinions of 'Godly' men. Even with the best intentions, man will always remain man. 'Godly' men may mean well, but you need to be and stay connected to the Only One without any ulterior motives, has the best plans for you and can help one live a victorious life.

The Spirit and the flesh are eternal parallel lines that will never meet. You can't plant one feet in each path and expect to please God. You must make a choice on the path you will go; once the choice is made, the eternal consequences of that choice begin to dictate your life.

God has laid down the law and the path. I get to choose what to do.  Remember, eternity is resting on the choice you make. His time of favour is here.

Focus!

Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. Ephesians 5:3‭-‬4 NLT

When you think of sexual immortality, impurity or greed, these are not immediately obvious to the eyes, but when you are dealing with a God who created the heart, you must settle your inner account with God if you will ever make outer impact for him. The world may not know you, and therefore it may applaud your actions. When you are dealing with the God of absolute holiness, you have got to watch your life. Joseph the dreamer had just one thing: God's Presence, and that was enough for him. Connections or possessions obtained through sinful means will not last.

God always starts with the inner man. The outer man usually follows the inner, so I must sort out the inner first. Foolish words and coarse jokes proceed out of a polluted heart. When you are on duty for God, picture yourself as a soldier who must remain alert at all times. If you fall asleep on duty, or you joke with your shift, it is likely that death will meet you there. If the world's standard understands that, how much more God.

Thanksgiving is my life's work. My life is to be a constant testimony to God's greatness and power. Anything short of that is living below my purpose and destiny. His time of favour is here.

Process!

Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.  And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.  Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 1 John 4:13‭- 15 KJV

Today's extract goes to the heart of who God is, and who he is reflects what he has done. Knowing who God is, isn't the same as accepting who he is and allowing him reign in you. You must know him, accept him as Lord and owner of your life, if you are to fully experience all he can do. God's Spirit seeks to dwell in a heart, not temporarily inhabit. He wants to come in and change the life completely, but he will not compel anyone; it has to be a matter of choice.

Check your location today: are you dwelling in God or dwelling with the world? Can you testify through the Spirit living in you that indeed, the Son is your Saviour. For a moment, forget all that the world says, and find the Truth for yourself. If your present course hasn't given you the peace that God alone can give, it is time to seek the Son.

It is your inner witness that leads to your outer testimony. No matter how hard you shout, your life will show forth the quality of your convictions. Your confession is a reflection of your possession. If God is not in charge, nothing you say will make a difference. When God is not the one you seek, all you pursue will be in vain. When God is not your all in all, you can never be truly satisfied, even with the world at your feet.

What is your confession today? Better still, first question is: 'Who is in charge of your life?'. His time of favour is here.

Being Different!

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. Luke 6:35‭-‬36 KJV

Love is the central theme of the gospel. You can't spread the good news about God's greatest gift if you don't start on the basis of what God has said and done. His example lays the foundation of all He expects from us and all we can be.

Today's focus is on 'enemies'. When men have sworn to harm you, what is your response? When men only seek you to do harm, how do you react? It may seem impossible, but God never commands something he has not proven or given us grace to obey. If he commands it, he gives grace to enable us obey.

Check out the outer proof of an inner conviction: do good, lend, hope for nothing in return. When your inner man is assured of its eternal destination, the outer man is free from pretence and hypocrisy. When you live in accordance with God's dictates, you have risen above the world and its expectations. If I truly claim Christ as my own, then I must live as he lives, act like he acts, talk as he talks and love as he loves.

A life has been given; instructions have been given; a perfect example has been given. How do I react? His time of favour is here.

Living the Life!

But whoever habitually keeps His word and obeys His precepts [and treasures His message in its entirety], in him the love of God has truly been perfected [it is completed and has reached maturity]. By this we know [for certain] that we are in Him: whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself.
1 JOHN 2:5‭-‬6 AMP

You can hear God's Word as many times as you like, but you won't profit from it until you become someone who keeps and obeys his Word by habit. Am I selective in what I obey? Do I decide what is convenient for me or am I ready to obey God in all things? My life's response, not my mouth's profession, will determine what I get in return from God. I could deceive man with an outward show of piety and morality; God is not moved by such frivolous and shallow living.

Love isn't just a feeling, an emotion or a state mind; it is also a God - thing. God is love, so any definition of love that leaves God out cannot be considered to be love. You don't go asking a TV to define what it does; the manual tells you all you need to know. If you want to know and fully understand what and who love is, seek out the person of love himself.

From his example, God not only declared his love for us; he also acted it out by sending his Son as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. Even when men didn't know what they were doing, crucifying him, he still asked his Father to forgive them. What this tells me is that if I claim to know this same God, and that Christ lives in me, I have been given an example to emulate. I am left without any excuse if I choose not to love others the way I have been loved, or the way I have been instructed to love.

So a life has been given, an example laid down, and an instruction given. What is my response? His time of favour is here.

By and For Him!

For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
Colossians 1:16 KJV

All that my eyes can see, even the things I only hear about, have a foundation and origin in God. When you consider the story of creation, the only account which is Truth, you read of God's mighty wisdom and power on display, speaking all things into existence, and giving each its purpose, assignment and boundaries. The sun has a time of manifestation, the moon has its season, so also the waters, the firmament and every other thing. If creation can answer to its creator, how much more we who are created in God's image.

All of us find our origin, source and sustenance from God alone. Today's extract says for BY HIM and FOR HIM were all things created. Unless you acknowledge and embrace your source, you will not last long. Sim has awoken a consciousness of independence in us, making us think we can make it on our own. Unfortunately, it is all deceit. I was made by and for him, so that as I acknowledge his hold, power and grace over me, I live my life in such a way that praise, adoration and honour is given back to him.

Do you seek clarity about a product from the product itself or other products like it, or do you seek out the manufacturer himself or the manual provided? Nothing, no matter how powerful or mighty, is greater than the one who determines its start and its end. I rejoice because I know that I am  safe in the hands of that God. His time of favour is here.

Living the Life!

So I, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to you to live a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called [that is, to live a life that exhibits godly character, moral courage, personal integrity, and mature behavior--a life that expresses gratitude to God for your salvation]. EPHESIANS 4:1 AMP.

All of us who are alive are 'prisoners' to someone: God or the devil. Sin makes us prisoners of the devil; God's free gift of his Son makes us prisoners of a different kind: people with an eternity mentality, who know that service to God is an eternal assignment. Paul may have been in a physical prison, but the fact remains: all who profess Christ are 'prisoners': you don't decide how you live anymore. All you are, all you do, all you say must be directed by the one who holds the key to your life.

If I have that understanding, then I must live as prisoners do: live the life in line with that state. Guidance is provided in today's extract: first is Godly character. You must look like the one who called you; it can't be any other way. You cannot profess to know Christ and live contrary to his will, purpose and Word. You cannot claim God is your Lord and still make allegiance to the devil with the way you live. Every other thing mentioned: moral courage, personal integrity and mature behaviour all flow from my inner control point. I cannot rely in morals alone, or personal integrity to make eternity; the foundation must be right for the destination to be right. A true view of my life can only be possible with the help of the control point, as my human heart is prone to self-deceit.

Getting it right is a sign of gratitude to God. When you live right, you appreciate his work in and through you. Men will seek your light and want to know the God you serve. His time of favour is here.

Who's this God?

A father of the fatherless and a judge and protector of the widows, Is God in His holy habitation. PSALM 68:5 AMP

Today's extract reveals some basic truths about who God is to us: Father, Judge, Protector and Holy. All of these mean something fundamental to our eternity.

First, any fertile male can  fertilize an egg; it takes commitment and long-range thinking to be a Father. God fits perfectly into the Father mold. He loves us in our weaknesses and imperfections; and even loves us to the point of offering up his Son as the sacrifice for us.

He is also a Judge. We must not be so carried away by his love that we forget he is also Judge. We embrace his gifts, and reject his dealings. We crave his blessings, but ignore the dire warnings about how we can sustain the blessings. He is Judge, and one day soon, he will come to judge the earth. Are you ready?

He is a protector. In this passage, the widows are the focus, but God is the protector of all who put their trust in him. God cannot protect you if you still have other viable options, or you take God as a spare wheel, useful only in emergencies.

Lastly, he is holy. This is fundamental. Man may applaud your actions, but please be sure that God is also approving. In fact, crave for God's approval only, and dispense with man's applause, which is temporary and insincere.

God has been introduced. Do you know him? Does he know you as his own? His time of favour is here.

Getting it Right!

In the night my soul longs for You [O Lord ], Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently; For [only] when Your judgments are experienced on the earth Will the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness. ISAIAH 26:9 AMP

How does if feel when you encounter injustice around you? Does it move you to do better, to improve what you see, to make things better than you find them? Or does it make no impression on you? Is it that you are also contributing to the injustice around you, whilst complaining that life is unfair?

Today's extract speaks to something fundamental: you must be careful of your inner life, while you seek to affect the outer life. This writer was diligently  seeking God to intervene in the affairs around him, with his soul desperate for God. Can I pray the same prayer? Can I ask God to use my life as a launch pad to reach the world with his justice and righteousness?

Indeed, the world seems to have forgotten God and is headed down the paths of destruction. Anyway, the end of this present world as we know it is destruction. But while we wait, God wants to move, he wants to bless lives, he wants to use us to do mighty things in the earth. But if your life is not tested and proven by God, the world will consume you. When God sends his judgment on the earth, on which side would you be? You are the one who gets to decide where you fit; it all boils down to what you are doing now. Better be sure. His time of favour is here.

Marvellous God

Psalm86: 1- 4: Incline Your ear, O Lord , and answer me, For I am distressed and needy [I long for Your help]. Protect my life (soul), for I am godly and faithful; O You my God, save Your servant, who trusts in You [believing in You and relying on You, confidently committing everything to You]. For to You I cry out all the day long. Make Your servant rejoice, For to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul [all that I am--in prayer]. Can this be true of you? When a man has learnt to trust God for the little things, the big things are easy. Your walk with God must be daily, consistent, and fervent. God will always honour his Word and his name, but he is not a magician; I must develop a relationship with Him, if I must enjoy his help.

Psalm 86: 5-9: Be gracious and merciful to me, O Lord, For You, O Lord, are good, and ready to forgive [our sins, sending them away, completely letting them go forever and ever]; And abundant in lovingkindness and overflowing in mercy to all those who call upon You. Hear, O Lord , my prayer; And listen attentively to the voice of my supplications (specific requests)!In the day of my trouble I will call upon You, For You will answer me. There is no one like You among the gods, O Lord, Nor are there any works [of wonder and majesty] like Yours. All nations whom You have made shall come and kneel down in worship before You, O Lord, And they shall glorify Your name. Meet God- the one who cannot be predicted with any kind of certainty. The one who guarantees that when i call, he will answer me. The one who creates over 7 billion people, each with unique fingerprints, and can solve a single problem in over 7 billion ways.

Psalm 86:10:For You are great and do wondrous works! You alone are God.
It is when the vs 1-9 are settled that vs 10 makes sense. How do you talk about a God that you have not experienced? How do you testify of God's mighty works if you have not been a partaker of his move and his dealings? Is all you know about God just what others have said about him, or do you have a personal, experiential knowledge of him? WHO know will sustain you through all the WHAT that is ahead. Do you see God as the only one or one of many options? His time of favour is here.

Inner Stuff!

But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. Matthew 14:30 KJV

It is not about the winds and waves around me; it is about the One living inside of me. Walking on water, doing the 'impossible' is not about clear skies, favourable weather or calm seas, it is the Word of God, which commands you to come, that makes it possible. Talents, gifts, tongues or prophecy won't do it; only God's Word can.

Give!

Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Luke 6:38 KJV

The world focuses on acquisitions; the Word focuses on giving. The world defines you by what you have, who you know and sometimes, by the outward show of piety; the Word defines you on the basis of your inner contents: the One who determines your actions.

Since the days of Noah, the law of God has always been about sowing and reaping. On the physical and the spiritual plane, this is true in all respects. There are many dimensions to giving, but our perfect example gave his life fully and freely to us. He gave us his all, so we could have his all, and also share with other people. If God has freely given, he expects the same from us too.

One clear thing: we can determine God's response to our giving by how we give. If I were to be rewarded on the basis of my own measure to others, would I be satisfied with the reward? Do i do what i do because the  world is watching, or do I do it simply because i know I have received grace? Everything I do is a seed sown; it does not matter how long it takes, what is received will always reflect what is sown.

As you go out today, seek to invest in people. It is not all about money; time, words, presence, are all seeds which if sown right, are resources God's touch can cause to bring overflowing blessings your way. His time of favour is here.

Fight Right!

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:11‭-‬12 KJV

There is a fight going on, and it is in the realm of the spiritual. Nowhere do I read of a call by God to relax once you have know him; His call is to rest in Him, not to cease from striving IN HIS STRENGTH. God provides us with a support system, tried and trusted throughout the ages, and  this is defined as the armour of God. Let no man deceive you into thinking that the call to faith is a call to comfort. Even Israel had to fight to establish God's promise.

The armour has parts that are central to the Life that I have been called into. Since I don't determine the terms of the call, I cannot decide which parts of the armour I choose to have and the ones I can discard. God says I must have the full armour. He is the man of war, so he knows what he is talking about. The devil has been at work since creation, and he's experienced at deception and deceit. I cannot defeat him on my own, or outside the support system provided by God.

The terms of warfare are also defined here. It states categorically that the war is not against flesh and blood. This is instructive. We raise weak, mortal man to the status of chief enemies, and we fight them to the death, forgetting the chief enemy who is really at work. The enemy is smart, complex, and in regions and spheres that my intellect, abilities, qualifications and connections can never understand or fathom.

I need the help of the creator of the universe, the one who fights and never loses, to be the one directing the fight. I will lose if I am outside of Him, the enemy will win if I rest on my abilities alone. I am limited on my own; God is limitless and the only one who knows the terrain, the status of the enemy and of course, the end of all things. I must depend on and walk with him very closely and on a daily basis, so that I am not exposed to the enemy. I must daily rely on his PROvision for the vision he has birthed in me, and fight according to his strategy. The art of war lies in the One who is pulling the strings and making things happen. He has assured me of victory; all I can do is fight as he directs. His time of favour is here.

Shine! 2

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Matthew 5:14 KJV.

Today's extract flows from yesterday's thoughts. I see four concepts highlighted above: Identity, assignment, target audience and eternal purpose. First of all, you must know who YOU are. Do you have any idea of the deposit and investment of God in your life? Do you know just how specially complex you are? God took you from a peculiar mold, fashioned your frame, deposited a part of himself in you, and sent you out to be his reflection. Have I really understood this and am I living out this truth?

For every person that is created, God has a plan, a gifting and an assignment. I am Light. This is the thing about light: it is not forced before it is seen. It does not have to shout to be noticed. It does not go around announcing its arrival; by its inner nature, it is seen and felt. Can that be said of me? Do I have to shout and prove my identity to people?

God then sends me to the world a place, a person, a situation, a problem at a time. He determines the assignment, location and timing. I don't get to decide when and where; I just have to carry my identity (light) with me wherever I go. Whenever and wherever he pleases, he calls on me to shine his light in me to the world he has placed me.

A city on a hill, by its location, is an eternal beacon. It is seen from far distances. It is like a magnet for all sorts of weary, lost or confused travellers. Can people come to me and through the light in me, find direction for their lives? Can I be trusted by God to be a place of refreshment, renewal and restoration, simply by being what I have been called to do?

God has invented and invested in me; all I have to do is live out his purpose in me. His time of favour is here.

Shine!

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Matthew 5:16 KJV

Placing today's extract in context, you must first know who you are, before you can ever understand your assignment. Who you are is a function of the One controlling your thoughts and actions. Who you are is defined by your ownership. If God is the one in charge, your life will produce what looks like God. If the devil too is in charge, of course, your life will produce in line with who the devil is. Please be sure of who you are: eternity depends on the truth of that question.

When ownership is sorted, impact is sure. God would never live in a man and that man will be remain obscure. He will stand and minister before men, and make impact before men. The issue is that we measure impact by visibility and applause; not by how God measures it. We consider those on TV as more important that those  cleaning the floors in mission Fields so that men can come to know God. Purpose isn't about visibility; it is about doing what God is blessing, where he is blessing, before whom he has sent you to and the time of his bidding. If he says "Stay", you stay. If he says " Go", you go. Only then can your light shine as God intends, and all the glory is returned back to God who owns both the vessel and the assignment.

I was created and gifted to bring God  glory. Everything about me must speak to that purpose. His time of favour is here.

Love 2

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, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1 John 4:20 KJV

It is not your mouth confession that shows who you are; it is your life profession. You can make all the right noises, act the right scenes and generally pass for an all round good person; in the final analysis, it is God's standard that will be applied in judgement, in deciding whether you made the mark or not.

There is no middle ground between love and hate. You have got to choose one end; the consequences of your choice will follow you daily. When you choose love, it simply means you know God and choose to obey him. He is love personified, and all who claim his identity, yet deny his life only make themselves out to be hypocrites. You cannot truly love outside of the person of love himself, and he gave the highest example of that love when he gave his life for all of us, fully and freely.

So, go out today and live the love you have received. If you can't do it, check your connection. The life flowing out of you isn't from your abilities or connections, but from the One who supplies the nourishment that keeps it going. Don't be in a hurry to impress; love will speak and men will testify. His time of favour is here.

Right Choice!

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. Mark 8:34‭-‬35 KJV

The call of God still goes out today, just as it went out in those days. The call is to everyone; a choice is to be made. The audience here was a crowd of people, including his disciples. You would expect that those he had chosen to follow him were fully committed, but today's extract seems to be suggest otherwise. Forget what people call you; be sure God recognises you as his own.

The call is to everyone. It is a personal call; a personal walk. I am first asked to decide who I want to follow. That's a fundamental decision. I can't choose to follow Christ & then reject his commands; I can't claim to be a disciple, yet refuse to obey instruction. Only when I have settled the issue of leadership, can the issue of commitment and daily devotion make sense. When God leads, I MUST follow. I must follow the way he commands, not the way I see fit. It is not a call to earthly comfort or convenience; haven't seen any cross that is comfortable to carry. I would have to let go of rights sometimes, even as I follow Him.

One fundamental reason why I must get the leadership right is because I can't see beyond the immediate. I can't with any measure of certainty predict what the next minute holds. What's the guarantee that my next smart move will get me what I want? What is the guarantee that things will end up the way I have meticulously planned them? It is this uncertainty that God's leadership settles. All he asks me to do is trust & follow him. I may not always understand, but then, understanding isn't my assignment; obedience is. God will ensure that as I follow where he leads, that good end planned for me will happen. His time of favour is here.

Seek Right!

Then [with a deep longing] you will seek Me and require Me [as a vital necessity] and [you will] find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. JEREMIAH 29:13 AMP

As long as I stay on the level of the usual and the expected, my experience of God will be limited. As I read the Scriptures, I sense that man's experience of God's visitation was not by the usual way men sought after other men. I am dealing with a God who knows the hidden and deep motives of the heart, which no other man can ever decipher.  When I read words like: 'And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord , but not with a perfect heart. 2 Chronicles 25:2 KJV, I get afraid of a God who can reject what men are applauding, because he knows the truth on a level that no other person can. Samuel, God's prophet, looked at Eliab and saw king material; God looked at him and saw nothing of the sort. Events will later prove God right, as he is always.

I read about Elijah, and all we know is that his first mention was  when he stood before Ahab, and declared no rain until he spoke the word. There, we read nothing about what he did, until  James tells us he sought God earnestly before he could speak with such authority. We want to walk in such authority, but we know nothing of the price required to walk in such. We have visible spiritual gifts, and we equate it to a public ministry, forgetting that the giver of the gift knows just where best that gift is suited, and only a diligent search can deliver the treasures of God's purpose to us.

Read the extract: so many action words: with deep longing, seek me, require me as a vital necessity, search for me. These are God's expectations for me; he has promised that I will find him. Lord, teach me how to seek you with all I have got. His time of favour is here.

Love!

Love does no wrong to a neighbor [it never hurts anyone]. Therefore [unselfish] love is the fulfillment of the Law. ROMANS 13:10 AMP

Too many times, we are concerned about other people's reactions to us. We are bothered when hate is their response to our love, when men reject our attempts to help, misinterpreting our best intentions. Maybe an unkind word is said, maybe bitterness is expressed, maybe the rejection is public and embarrassing. We retreat into a shell, concluding we are better off on our own.

Nowhere in today's extract does it speak about the other person's reaction or response to what I do. What I see here is a definition of God's expectation from me, and a clear directive that it is a command from Him, not really mere counsel. In the face of deliberate rejection, I keep loving, because God commands it. In the face of acute hatred and bitterness, I keep loving. When men turn their backs on me, when it is easier to walk away than face rejection, yet God says I should love.

I believe God's answer to our selfish nature is love. God knows we are human, prone to making decisions that only benefit us. He wants us to take hold of him, understand what he has done and the love he has shown, and take the same attitude to other people.

Laws are good; they are meant to keep society sane, but a careful assessment of crime rate and prison statistics show that the law is never enough. It does not address man's deep need, which is a matter of the heart, and a need for God to take over the heart. When he is in charge, love flows. When he is at the centre of decisions, the welfare of other people becomes the focus of attention. As I seek other people's welfare, God, being faithful, will also take care of my own needs.

Am I fulfilling the law of love, or simply following the way the world has always done it? The usual and normal is common; the unusual and the uncommon, which is the way of love, is the way of God. His time of favour is here.
His  and

God is Watching!

For the ways of man are directly before the eyes of the Lord , And He carefully watches all of his paths [all of his comings and goings]. PROVERBS 5:21 AMP

The creator of the ends of the earth and the author of life knows the beginning and the end of all things. No matter the secrets you think you keep, life is an open book before the eyes of him who is called the Beginning and the End. How then can a man ever think he can hide from God, or confuse God with his intentions and plans? I am always reminded of this verse: 'For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth so that He may support those whose heart is completely His.” 2 CHRONICLES 16:9 AMP. Nothing is  hidden; nothing is obscure or unclear. When you are dealing with the God of all the earth, nothing on earth can hide from his eyes.

His love is evident in the fact that he carefully watches the paths of his creation. He has provided guidance, and he is willing and available to lead aright. What is required by me is to trust his wisdom and leading and allow him do his thing. He sees the end from where I stand, and he alone knows what paths will  lead me to his desired end. I could lay the best plans, make seemingly great decisions and still end up on the losing side. I have got to trust the God watching my steps and allow him lead me to the paths of life. His love guarantees me a good end. His time of favour is here.

Totality!

.........Shall the potter be considered equal with the clay, That the thing that is made would say to its maker, “He did not make me”; Or the thing that is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding”? ISAIAH 29:16 AMP

1. All through the process of melting down, fashioning, beating, molding and design, the clay is silent. Not our own clay. We talk, we argue, we ask questions, we demand answers, we get angry/bothered when answers do not come, or when we don't hear what we want.

2. The Potter and the clay WILL never be equal. There is no amount of knowledge I can acquire that would make me think that I have known all about God. His mercies are new every morning; so is his nature, power, might and favour. You really cannot place him in a box.

3. Can I deny my ownership or be wiser than my creator and designer? Its what we do daily: denying God's hold over our lives, seeking to do as we please, charting our own course for ourselves, in the belief that we know what's best. We clear the way ahead through acquisition of property, degrees, family and fortune, yet we are empty of purpose and direction because physical tokens cannot satisfy spiritual needs.

We want to look better than we do now and want a different set of circumstances than what we have now. Clay must always be silent in the hands of the potter, who knows at what temperature and treatment the clay would best fulfil its purpose. Heat (trials) is a fundamental part of that process, and I must submit to it, if I will be a vessel of honour in the hands of the potter, and fulfil the purpose behind the SHAPE I have been given. His time of favour is here.

Sincerity in Seeking!

Then the Lord said, “Because this nation approaches [Me only] with their words And honors Me [only] with their lip service, But they remove their hearts far from Me, And their reverence for Me is a tradition that is learned by rote [without any regard for its meaning], ISAIAH 29:13 AMP

1. 'This nation approaches me'. It is the usual expected ceremony. The focus is on the external. God focuses on the heart. Paul says for anyone to approach God on his terms, that person 'must believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of all who diligently seek him. This is God speaking. Men may see it as an approach; God sees it as words, no sincerity.

2. 'This nation honours God'. We have Praise/worship sessions, Praise/worship leaders. It only stays on the lips. We have brought God down to our level, thinking he can't read our motives. We climb the altar with secret sins, and descend it feeling like we are the best of people, forgetting that God cannot be mocked.

Both approach and honouring God are his commands. He also has a pattern/mode of approach and honour, and we only get blessed when we act according to his pattern.

3. They remove their hearts far from Me. You have the final decision on your heart. Guard your heart with all diligence. Whatever goes into it is your responsibility, and eternity is tied to your decisions.

4. Their reverence for Me is a tradition. There is a reverence for God that is like practice; like something crammed, not sincere, not from the heart. Tradition is a hindrance. The usual, recognised way of doing things is the greatest hindrance to knowing and experiencing God.

Men see the activity and applaud the obvious and physical. This is the more popular option. Unfortunately, the world's applause is the highest reward. God sees the heart and applauds the sincere search for him. This is very scarce, but the rewards are both physical down here and eternal with God. Which one will it be for you? His time of favour is here.

Witnesses to Christ

But you will receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be My witnesses [to tell people about Me] both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the ends of the earth.” ACTS 1:8 AMP

God calls us to first walk with him before he commissions us to work for him. He takes relationship and communion very seriously, and this is the focus of his messages. Mary and Martha too will testify to this, when Christ viewed listening to him as more important that even legal household chores. That has got to be our attitude also.

Check out today's extract: First, Christ says you shall receive power and ability when the Holy Spirit comes on you. That is ownership and possession being determined by God himself. He needs to first stamp his ownership on you, before you can qualify for whatever assignment he determines. You find people who have been self - commissioned, who are busy 'at work' for God, yet without the empowerment and direction the Holy Spirit alone can give. Don't ever go out without this assurance. Pride will emphasize your gifts and talents; the arm of flesh will teach you self-sufficiency; God says without him, you can do nothing.

After empowerment comes commissioning. It has to be in that order. God never uses a man whose allegiances have not been tested, and whose ownership has not been determined. God determines the What, the Where, and the How of the assignment; we only need to fill in the space of the Who when God calls.

Giving Theory

But when you give to the poor and do acts of kindness, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing [give in complete secrecy],  so that your charitable acts will be done in secret; and your Father who sees [what is done] in secret will reward you. MATTHEW 6:3‭-‬4 AMP

Man, by nature, has no secrets. We love associations, friendships and cooperatives, and a lot of information have been passed from mouth to mouth, sometimes at the expense of a life or someone's hard- earned reputation. It is then a bit strange when God asks that in giving, your left hand should not know what your right hand is doing. What does this really mean?

Most important is the conviction that you are doing what God has commanded. When you subject your actions to logic and common sense, you will not make any headway. Logic works on the basis of reciprocity -for me to give, I must get something in return. God works on the basis of give and let God reward you the way he pleases and by whatever channel he pleases. His rewards are not tied to the activity but to the motive/intention behind the activity. That is why you will see on the last day, when people will come saying: 'In your name, we did these mighty works'. His response is: 'I know you not'. It is not so much about what man is applauding but what God is blessing. I owe it to myself not to follow the world into damnation, but to discover God's purpose behind all he has commanded. After all, what I own and hold never belonged to me in the first place. His time of favour is here.