Pursue!

He who earnestly seeks after and craves righteousness, mercy, and loving-kindness will find life in addition to righteousness (uprightness and right standing with God) and honor. Proverbs 21:21 AMPC

Motivational speakers tell listeners that you cannot attract what you are not. The same principle almost always applies to those who claim to know God. What you pursue and consider as important in life will  determine what you get out of life itself. Today's extract says I should earnestly seek after and crave righteousness, mercy and loving kindness. First, let it be settled in me that of my own, I could never get these things. These are not items you go to a store to purchase or things that come to you by right; note that these are God's direct attributes and only those who have found their identity and ownership in God can possess or exhibit these qualities. This must be settled from the beginning.

Righteousness is imputed by God when I come to believe. Mercy and loving kindness is the summary of what I get from God all my life. This is the clincher: with all that has been made available, I still get to choose if I want to surrender to God. All men must choose. That is why it starts with 'He who'. I have got to seek after it with all my heart. I cannot deceive God and do it half heartedly. God cannot be mocked, and what I get may be determined by how much I can trust him.

Of course, with every sowing comes a season of reaping. It doesn't matter how long it takes or how deep the roots have to go; whatever you spend time investing in will be the resources you will call on in the day of trouble. When you seek God's kind of righteousness, you get his righteousness, in addition to honour and then the crown of it all is life: the type that never ends.

In the light of this, what then would be my response? In responding, consider this: everything you see with the physical eyes today will all be destroyed, and only what God is will remain. I had better be sure that I am in God, so I can enjoy that life.  His time of favour is here. 

Daily and Regular!

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.Psalms 68:19 KJV

When you consider your daily experiences, does this verse make sense to you? Do you see God's hand through the pain of daily grind? As you commute to work or business, as you do school runs, as you pursue success in education or business and life in general, do you even see God at all? I believe he is called Lord here for a reason, and it is that He rules over all of life, no matter what my personal experience may be. He is Lord of all I see, know and imagine and he deserves all the praise.

Look at what he has done: daily loads us with benefits. Is that what you see? Do you see God work in all that goes on around you? Can you laugh your way through the tears, confident that God has got your back, no matter how the day has been? Can you count your blessings and see the numerous, amazing things God has done?

In this same verse, I see God's greatest benefit: salvation -given full and free. There is nothing God asks me for, except to believe and accept him as Lord, so I can enjoy all the benefits. What am I waiting for?

At the end is 'Selah': pause and consider: take a moment and think deep about your life and present experiences. You will find God's hand woven into the fabric of everything you have received, whether it is good or not so good according to your own definition. His time of favour is here. 

Lifelong Effects!

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; For His lovingkindness endures forever. 1 CHRONICLES 16:34 AMP

When you consider God's dealings with a man, you have got to be amazed at God's capacity for both judgment and mercy. Yesterday's extract was a plea by David for mercy, after he had committed adultery and murder. God forgave him but there were consequences, some of which were permanent. What he did to someone else's wife was done to his own concubines in the full view of all Israel. That is God: merciful yet One who detests and punishes sin.

The same David calls us again today to give thanks to God. His reason for this is given here: 'For He is Good'. You wonder if with all the things going on in and around you, whether this statement could be true. Sometimes, it is difficult to align a good God with all the evil going on around. Yet, the call still stands: God is good. It is never about what goes on around you; it is first about who lives inside of you. It is not about what you can get; it is about who you already have living inside of you. If you have not settled the issue of your identity and ownership, then you may not understand today's admonition.

Even when I don't agree with what is going on, I trust God's wisdom and power. When everything around me is falling to pieces, I trust that God's love will not let me go. His hand has been holding this present creation, with its propensity and attraction for everything evil. Yet his love just won't let go. His love was declared at creation, further pronounced in Eden when man sinned and fully expressed at Calvary. What more can God do? May his love not be in vain. His time of favour is here.

New Life!

Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a right and steadfast spirit within me.PSALM 51:10 AMP

Oh yes, David knew he had sinned, but at the time of pleasure, he didn't remember the consequences. Whilst kings were going to war, David sent his generals and took a walk along the roof of his palace. You could argue and ask why a full grown woman was having a bath outside, but when you weigh the consequences of David's actions, you would understand why God detests sin, no matter in whom it is found.

So he took the woman, slept with her and killed the husband. Nobody was there then, but we read about it today. When you are dealing with the Creator of the heart, you must know that nothing is hidden from him. He created us and knows the deepest desires of our hearts. Why then would need a new heart? Could it be that the human heart needs a divine touch if it is to function as God desires? In that human, carnal form, God cannot trust the heart,  which is why at salvation and sanctification, he promises a heart of flesh in replacement of the heart of stone inherited from our mortality.

For all of us, his breath at creation is a portion of his Spirit and essence. As long as we breathe, we have that bit of him in us. Sin cannot kill it; it may only make us ignore its warnings and nudging. We really can't function at our best unless we have God's best in us. We cannot fully display his power until we have dealt with the power of sin and death, and we can only do it by his power. Forget power, position, privilege and possessions; these are only for a while. Settle the eternal with God, and the rest will fall in place. Ask God to bring today's extract to reality in you and see the wonders he will do with your life. Solomon, the product of the union of Bathsheba and David became king after David. Who says it is over unless you refuse to return to God? His time of favour is here.

God-defined People

....and my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I’ll be there ready for you: I’ll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health. 2 Chronicles 7:14 MSG

The fact that God chose Israel as his own prized possession did not automatically lead to Israel being faithful to God. First lesson: you can do all you can; what would not work will not work. You can only play your part; leave the results and responses to God.

It is also possible that God's own chosen people would rebel, even though they had enjoyed unparalleled favour and grace. They inherited a land they didn't work for, and enjoyed abundance they largely took for granted. Before I criticize Israel, I had better look at my own life too. Am I living to please the One who gave his all for me?

God is not like man. It does not matter how far I have fallen; God is able to restore me as long as I return to him. Check out the steps: humble themselves, pray, seek God's face and turn their backs on their wicked ways, God promises to listen, forgive sins and restore. All I need to do is come. His own response is guaranteed; mine must be determined.

Something assures me that the conclusion of today's extract is actually God's ideal for me. Sin is what disrupts the ideal. It is only repentance and return that will restore the ideal. Where do I stand? His time of favour is here.

What Do you Say?

What then shall we say to all these things? If God is for us, who can be [successful] against us?ROMANS 8:31 AMP

When you consider the circumstances and truths that have been put forward before today's extract, you really must wonder how best to respond. Nowhere does God guarantee a life free of trials and tribulations, so where is the hope? Nowhere does God promise us that all will be fine and dandy all the days of our lives, so you must wonder how things will end up. As I read today's extract, one truth that states me in the face is this: 'What matters isn't what goes on all around me, but who lives inside of me'.

This truth is the summary of the Christian experience. We are not defined by what we have, but by whose we are. We are not defined by just what we do; but what we do is a function of who we are. Once I have settled the question of my identity and ownership, the rest will be sorted out. Once I settle my allegiance and loyalty, the question of what to do is already answered.

Indeed, if God is for us, who can be against us? If God says he is on my side, does it matter the number of the host against me? If God says he has won the battle, what more can I do? No matter where or how life goes, I am only comfortable in the knowledge that God owns my life and it is guaranteed that I will end well. Not sure anything else can beat that. His time of favour is here.

One!

And may God, the source of patience and encouragement, enable you to have the same point of view among yourselves by following the example of Christ Jesus, so that all of you together may praise with one voice the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5‭-‬6 GNB

I just have to copy today's extract in another version : May our dependably steady and warmly personal God develop maturity in you so that you get along with each other as well as Jesus gets along with us all. Then we’ll be a choir—not our voices only, but our very lives singing in harmony in a stunning anthem to the God and Father of our Master Jesus! Romans 15:5‭-‬6 MSG

I cannot emphasize enough that we are not called to a life of earthly comfort and convenience. God's Word gives teaches patience and provides encouragement as we run the race set before us. God's Word is the tonic to life, and an insurance against discouragement in the face of life's battles. Of course, the entire Word is about Christ, and his life teaches eternal lessons for our good. As I follow his examples of endurance and patience, maturity is build in me, and will definitely affect how I relate with other people. I cannot be in and of Christ and not have his heart. I cannot be called by his name and not have my life reflect his identity.

Being of one mind is seeking God's purpose. It is not a denial of our individuality, but a call to see the big picture: how can God be glorified in and through me. And as we all do this, in one voice and one heart, God is glorified. Our lives become a choir, very clear individual parts, singing different tunes, but with a harmony in voice and purpose. After all, the life, call, gifts and platform all belong to God and must give glory back to him. Is that true of my life? His time of favour is here.

Thanks Access

Enter with the password: “Thank you!” Make yourselves at home, talking praise. Thank him. Worship him.Psalm 100:4 MSG

Let me give you the popular version of the extract above: Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Psalms 100:4 KJV

As the month and year draw to an end, so many questions will arise. You may ask if there is anything to be grateful for, and if indeed there is a basis for thanksgiving. One of the first things that appear as odd to me is that today's entire chapter says nothing about problems, trials and tribulations. It opens by asking me, as a part of God's creation, to make a joyful noise.

I go back to the lessons of a few seasons ago: if you have not surrendered to the right Lord, joy and obedience will be a big task. The command to give thanks is not conditioned on what I get, but on the understanding of who God is and who I am in and through him. Nowhere does he even give me regular reasons for thanksgiving; He just introduces himself to me as Lord, the Creator and the Owner of my life, and commands me to approach him with the right attitude.

The password is 'Thank you'. No matter what the NOW looks like, access is given on the basis of thanksgiving. No matter how weighed down I am, God asks me to approach him and make myself at home in him. I can never be truly at home outside of the One who made me, and I would never be abandoned or alone as long as I have defined my life by his own life.

So, my reaction isn't based first on what I can get, but on who God is. I thank God that I can approach him, no matter how dirty or battered I am, and he can be trusted to take me in, clean me up and then launch me into the world as a loving example of his power and might. His time of favour is here.

Heartful Thanks

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

First of all, life is a personal walk, and personal experience. No matter how hard you try, you can only learn from the experiences of other people or learn lessons from their mistakes. Even if I pattern my life exactly like someone else, we will not end up the same way because that is not how God works. Today's extract opens with a personal touch: it is first about what I do; not what WE should do.

The Psalmist made a decision to give thanks and praise God. Note that it wasn't because all was perfect, but because of his knowledge and experience of God. The praise didn't come from an unwilling or reluctant heart; his whole heart was commited to the praise. When you are dealing with a God who knows all, you can't be a hypocrite. When you are dealing with a God who created the heart, then you should be aware you cannot deceive him.

And as I praise him, the world knows the person I have come to accept as Lord. My mouth confession lines up with my life profession. I daily ask God to help me on this point: you can give the impression that all is well whilst your heart is far away, weighing all the problems before you and wondering just how they will be settled.  Todays extract just tells me to let go and praise God. Even when nothing works, I should just praise.

God may not guarantee instant relief, but I can be sure that He will work out what is perfect. Can I trust his wisdom and power? Can I trust his silence also? His time of favour is here.

Nature Not Suprising!

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

First, who do you recognise as Lord? There is a difference between what you say and what you do. Many men will claim submission to God but their daily lives reflect the opposite. Surrendering to Lordship is an acknowledgement of your own weakness and helplessness and an admission that God alone is the One who can help. If you do not have that, then maybe today's extract will not make sense to you.

You can only praise, thank and worship a God who you recognize and have surrendered to. It doesn't matter what you do on the outward, pretending to know God. You are dealing with a God of absolute knowledge. How would it be possible for a man of hide the true nature and motives of his heart from the One who created him? When I have surrendered all, even when I do not fully understand what he's doing,  I trust him. Even when the present is bleak, I trust he is working something out.

I see at the end for today's extract a fundamental lesson: this God cannot be surprised, because everything that happens to me is a product of his careful and eternal planning. Check out the stories of creation and men of old: God's hand is evident all through. I can relax and trust God that he knows what he is doing. I can trust his silence and know he is working out that which is best for me. In the face of trials, tribulations and even loss, I can praise God for who he is. His power, might and purpose are all bigger and better than anything the world can throw at me. His time of favour is here.

All Because of You!

Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You. So will I bless You as long as I live; I will lift up my hands in Your name.PSALM 63:3‭-‬4 AMP

Too many times, we allow external circumstances dictate how we feel, react or respond to situations. All of us will go through the wilderness experience and have moments of dryness and silence. There will be times when it would appear God is ignoring you or simply not interested. Today's extract is in the same context. Read the verses before and see the Psalmist's experience.

In the face of such dryness, how do you hold on to God? What gives you comfort that all is well when the opposite is the obvious? The Psalmist remembered all of God's faithfulness and knew He could be trusted. Like the Psalmist, do you keep a record of God's dealings with you or you only remember him when you need something? Is God the focus of your life or one of many options?

Praise is not the natural response to difficulties but a product of a life that understands who God is and what he can do. Anyone who can bless God while crying through the tears of pain has understood the power of God and the wisdom behind his actions and silence. As long as I live, I will praise God. It's not about what I get; it's about who God is. It's not about what I am or have but about God's constant faithfulness.

For you- what would it be? Would you hold on to the pain and ignore who God is or would you hold on to God whilst dealing with the pain? Whatever you do, remember that God is sovereign and all his plans and purposes are good, no matter what they look like now. His time of favour is here. 

Down, then Up

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

When I read a BUT,  I go and check the words before it. Today's context is about enemies, countless ones, troubling the Psalmist. Fundamental to this story is their claim that he had no right to God's help. They must have so perfected their strategy that they were sure he could not escape or get help. I do not know what the Psalmist could have done for enemies to say this, but as I check my own life too, I must take stock and be sure I am not giving the enemy a foothold in my life.

Even till today, we see people who have made it their life's assignment to bring down others. Once you seem to prosper, you become the target of attacks and gossip. Everyone wants to bring you down to their own level. Today's extract however lays down an important truth: you are only as strong as the one holding you down. It does not matter how high you rise, if you are not grounded and founded in God, your fall is inevitable. It is the man who has made God his foundation who has been grounded right. It is the man whose feet are planted firmly on the Rock of Ages who will stand the tests that are coming. 

Can I like the Psalmist say without any fear that God is indeed my shield all around? Is he all that counts or am I counting on some other side helps? Have I surrendered ALL or just part of my life to him, or have I given him a part, holding on to a part and giving the impression that all is well?

God must first ground me before he can lift me up. If I'm not properly rooted, like the seed among thorns or on the stony ground, I may spring up bright, early and quickly, but I may not last the distance. When God grounds me, there is no limit to my growing and impact. I will never become full of myself because I will carry in me the daily consciousness of the One helping me up. His time of favour is here.

God's Best!

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

Thank God for this gift, his gift. No language can praise it enough!
2 Corinthians 9:15 MSG

I read today's extract in context and the question would be: 'what could this gift be?'. The whole chapter talks about not just giving, but first about the attitude, motives and desires attached to giving. We quote the verse about sowing sparingly and bountifully, but beyond the quotes, have we discovered the reason(s) why so much is said about giving?

Paul was grateful for the gift promised by the Corinthians to the Macedonians, and was also grateful to God that they had the right attitude towards giving. You can never do it right if your heart is not right. You can never learn the secrets of the blessings attached to giving to meet needs if you do not understand why you need to give right. When you know what you have been given, nothing will be too much to give up. When you know what was given up so you could have all you do now, nothing will be too much to surrender.

We hold on to possessions and position and power, because the world defines success and impact by those things. We want to keep amassing and hoarding, afraid of what tomorrow might bring. God didn't even have our allegiance when he gave his best gift; he didn't wait until we were worth it before he gave his best. Now we have his best, he expects our best also. He gave his all, and all we are now belongs to him. Do I live in that consciousness? Am I living a life of daily gratitude for all I have and enjoy today? I cannot outgive God; I can only live in the consciousness that all i am or have flows from him. His time of favour is here.

Living Right!

Death gets its power to hurt from sin, and sin gets its power from the Law. But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!1 Corinthians 15:56‭-‬57 GNB

Two contrasting verses, with two contrasting eternal views. One talks about our helpless, hopeless state; the other emphasizes the hope sealed for us in Jesus. Right from creation when man sinned by disobedience, it has been endless and eternal doom. If there were no laws, then there would be no offence and no sin. But as soon as the law was given, it became clear just what God wanted and what would constitute sin. Unfortunately, the law could not provide the power to live free from sin, but only drew us away from God. The more we struggled to comply, the harder it became to live right.

In stepped Jesus, who offered a sacrifice once and for all to deal with the power of sin. He didn't deal with us on the basis of the old law, but gave us power to live within the bounds of God's law. The instructions were the same, in some instances improved and fulfilled in Christ, but the major difference is that we now have the greatest power in the world backing us up. We are not left alone to struggle through; help has come from God and the help is available for all who would trust him and put their faith in Him.

The price has been paid and the prize offered fully and freely. Would I let this go? Would I sacrifice the eternal for temporal and earthly pleasures?  Remember, all choices have eternal consequences.  His time of favour is here.

God at Work!

Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all. In Your hand is power and might; and it is in Your hands to make great and to give strength to everyone. Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name. 1 CHRONICLES 29:12‭-‬13 AMP

In context, David had made grand and great plans to build a fitting temple for God. I wouldn't know the full story but what God stated as the reason why David couldn't build it was because David was a man who had shed blood. The rest of the story is the background for today's extract and the foundation of my own status today.

With God, you just can't place him in a box. Sometimes, the past is totally ignored, and a today and a future beyond your wildest dreams is given by God. Even when the past is very terrible, God can just work beyond that and settle a solid future. David had experienced this and could testify, as recorded above. No one can give or guarantee lasting riches; no one can sustain wealth during his own lifetime. Some dream they can buy honour with money, whilst others oppress others simply because they have the power to do so. Man seems to stop bothering with what God desires and now seeks his own pleasure. We live like there is no accounting to be done.

Today's extract is a reminder that God is fundamental to all that we are now or ever hope to be. His hand runs through the entire fabric of our lives and he always wants what's good for us, according to his own plan and purpose. Like David, we could have made the best plans but God may have made alternative and better plans. In all, my response to God is important: do I complain that nothing works or do I praise God for his works?  Do i murmur and rebel because nothing is working as I have planned or do I just trust God that he knows best and will ensure that all ends well?

David praised God here and all through his life. No wonder God called him a man after his heart. He didn't have all he wanted, but he gave God all he had. What am I doing today? His time of favour is here.

Saying 'No'!

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age... Titus 2:11‭-‬12 NIV

Today's extract lays down one simple truth: God's grace is available to all men. It has nothing to do with the colour of your skin, your family heritage or the quality of your past choices. It is first about God's nature, not my own goodness. The basis of grace is that God created all men for good, and his plans are always good. We are the ones who would have to decide if we would align with his good plans or go down our own path.

This grace isn't passive; something you just know it's there but doesn't work. The grace is active, it is at work, and one fundamental assignment of this grace is to teach us how to live, what to pursue and what to avoid. I really cannot claim ignorance of what God wants for my life, because that grace will keep speaking, guiding and leading. I have a choice to follow or to reject this leading.

Oh, you cannot sit on the fence on this one. You will make a choice one way or another. Today's extract makes that clear. Everyday, you are either saying NO to ungodliness and YES to God, or the other way around. This present age is dubious and uncertain; it does not seem to know where it is going. Only in and through God do you find strength to live in line with God's purpose for your life. His time of favour is here. 

Real Growth

Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life. Galatians 6:7‭-‬8 MSG

I wonder why today's extract starts with an advice: 'don't be misled'. Could it be that the world teaches a different message and encourages a different allegiance? Could it be that what is being promoted is a care-free life, without accountability or responsibility? As we have always established, it doesn't matter what the world says or teaches; it only matters what God says, and what he has said is clearly stated above: what a person plants, he will harvest.

It does not matter how long it takes or how much I try; God's natural law of sowing and reaping has been established since the days of Noah. Till today, even with the world's  advancement in technology and the discovery of grafting, that law is yet to be broken. It does not matter how long you argue for or how hard you try: God's Word is unbreakable.

I have a choice: I have been given seeds and I must plant them in the ground. I must choose what I do with the seeds and how I plant. The same grace in different forms has been given to all men, and man must put the grace to work everyday. The ground in which the seeds are sown will determine the quality and quantity of the harvest. I must therefore make the effort to plant right and planting well.

As always, all choices have eternal consequences. You should know by now that God is not a joker; he takes his Word seriously; he has been watching over the performance of His Word long before and after Jeremiah and he will continue to guard his Word jealously. Do I heed his Word? Do I allow his Word work in and through me? His time of favour is here. 

New and Old!

For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower falls off, But the word of the Lord endures forever.” 1 PETER 1:24‭-‬25a AMP

By God's original design, life was made to be beautiful. Everything God made was confirmed as being good. Whether it was vegetation, animals or even elements of the firmament, all were formed good. We know sin came to distort the original, but it takes nothing away from what God intended from the beginning.

Now, no matter what my eyes see, I must learn that nothing lasts unless it is sustained by God himself. If all of life finds its source in God, how then do you imagine that anything will survive outside of that God himself? All the beauty and finesse we see today is a reflection of God's nature and power and all will remain at his command and authority. When he gives the Word, everything aligns with what he has said. If he says 'Remain', everything remains. If he says -Remove', I don't know any power that can keep that thing in place. No matter how beautiful, important or fundamental anything is, remember - God is the ultimate.

Nothing will last forever, except his Word.  Whatever he has spoken is backed up by the greatest force in the world - his name, character and power. Whatever he has said will definitely come to pass. I must get a Word from God for my daily life. There are too many uncertainties and inconsistencies, and only God's sure Word will help me through life and keep my feet secure. Do you have that Word? His time of favour is here.

All Around Flow!

“But [the time is coming when] the earth shall be filled With the knowledge of the glory of the Lord , As the waters cover the sea. HABAKKUK 2:14 AMP

I read the verses before the one above and it appears to me that most of us haven't really bothered to internalize the contents. One of the things that do not surprise me is God's constant nature and judgment. He punishes sin wherever and in whomever it is found. It does not matter whether you are his favourite or his chosen one; you must steer clear of sin if you must enjoy his never ending grace.

Everyone who builds a house with violence or through shedding of innocent blood will pay the price. Everyone who gets rich by oppression and repression of other people will pay the price. It does not matter what you tell yourself or how you explain it away; the God who claim himself the Righteous Judge knows through deepest motives of a man's heart and will judge accordingly. He does not work with popular opinon, or need my consent and approval; every knee will bow to his authority and Lordship.

This is the comfort: the time is coming when the whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of God. It does not appear yet how this will be, but considering the pedigree and power of the One speaking, you are sure of its certainty. God is at work in the lives of men, and as men respond to his call, he is changing lives and planting eternity in their hearts. With God, nothing is impossible and no life is beyond his grace.

What I am doing presently: am I advancing the knowledge of God through my activities or am I doing the opposite? Remember, an accounting will be done and appropriate judgment applied for all I do. It had better be done right and done well. His time of favour is here. 

Matching Grace!

Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health [physically], just as [I know] your soul prospers [spiritually]. 3 JOHN 1:2 AMP

God is interested in our whole being and the entirety of our life's journey, not just the destination. If the world places great importance on the issue of physical health, and would demand so much resources for maintaining the semblance of sound health, what matching price do you think God would place on spiritual health and wellbeing? Personally, i believe that today's extract indicates God's ultimate desire for all who claim to know and follow him, and underscores the importance of physical, mental, psychological and spiritual well being.

Success here is not defined in monetary terms, but on the source of your life's decisions. The physical is tied to the spiritual, and the spiritual gives an insight into the state of the physical. Prosperity here is not as defined by what you have, but by who you know. Health here isn't a function of the name of your hospital or personal physician, but on your knowledge of the One called the great physician. Check your life status once again, and confirm where you stand. If you are not properly connected, it does not matter how much you have now, or how much you know. If you do not have the right inner content, it does not matter what your outer situation reads. You could have the best of the world; if God does not have the best and the rest of your life, then you may come to the end of your physical life in perfect health, yet have nothing to draw on for your eternal life.

Don't forget: John's prayer for the physical was tied to the spiritual. In all of my life's pursuits, I must remember this. Don't pursue the physical at the expense of the spiritual and don't keep your eye so much on the eternal that you forget to be relevant on earth where you have been planted to thrive. His time of favour is here.

Grace! Grace!

So we’re not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. 2 Corinthians 4:16‭ MSG

Nowhere does God promise us an easy life. Even the world's processes can never guarantee that you will have everything you want, even if you are rich. Life seems to be a daily grind, from one issue to the other, seemingly unending and unrelenting. How then do you see right in the midst of all the wrong? How do you keep inner peace in the midst of all the turmoil all around?

I see here an acknowledgement of the realities of this age. It's easier to give up than press on. It's easier to give in and blend in than to stand out and persevere in the good.  The world's system wears you out,  seeking to conform you to its processes, and because the world's system is older and universal, it will appeal to the unprepared.

However, one theme that runs its thread through today's extract is the word 'Grace'. Until you experience it, you can't explain it. If you have not found it, you will continue to labour, with little or no results to show for it. With grace, it is never about your effort,  but God's ever abiding strength and presence. With grace, it is not about what I am or have, but about who God is and what he has done and settled.

Even when my outside looks grim, his grace is all I need. When I don't understand what is happening, his grace is available to help me through. The answers may not come, and when they come, they may not be what I want to hear,  but his grace holds, helps and sustains me. Every day, his mercies are new; every day, I see his power and might displayed in the weakest of vessels; everyday, he unfolds this grace, so I understand my limitations and appreciate his limitless power. May I never come to a point where I think I can make it on my own. His time of favour is here. 

Proof of Love!

“Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other.” John 13:34‭-‬35 MSG

Love is a command. No matter what people tell you or how much you seek to convince yourself, love is a command. This is not a function of other people's reactions to you, but of your own settled, irrevocable decision to love, no matter how hard. I wonder why is termed a new command; could it be because love as defined by God is not what the world knows or sees it as. This is Jesus speaking, stating it as he wants it, not the way we want it as. Love is an old command, as seen in the story of Cain and Abel. Unfortunately, under the old covenant, men rose and fell on the strength of sheer willpower alone; you did all you could, yet could not meet up to God's standards. God had to find another way to help man meet up with his standards.

He is not sending me out on my own; he is asking me to go in his strength and power and show him off through the way i live my life. He has shown me the way,  with his life as the perfect example. His life is the greatest support for my own life, and when discouragement comes, I remember that i have the backing of the  strongest force in the world. Of course,  example is better than precept. I would rather follow a man who has walked the paths i am walking now and who overcame. That is the greatest motivation to live and love - as defined by God.

What is the extra motivation for love? It is because the world would only recognize the unusual and the extraordinary. How do you explain love to people who are not deserving of the love? Love is also a proof of discipleship; that i answer to a different master, guide and Lord. It shows that i am learning everyday how to be like the One i clam to follow. The proof is in the interaction. I could speak all i want or claim all I want; what i do is the ultimate proof of my ownership, allegiance and destiny. His time of favour is here.

Inside Dealings

Conduct yourself with wisdom in your interactions with outsiders (non-believers), make the most of each opportunity [treating it as something precious]. Let your speech at all times be gracious and pleasant, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how to answer each one [who questions you]. COLOSSIANS 4:5‭-‬6 AMP

Paul understood the power of positive impact on people.  He knew what it meant to make a good impression on people so they could look forward to meeting you again. For those who claim to know, follow and love God, life is an opportunity to impact other lives. A key factor in this is wisdom. The only constant definition of wisdom is Jesus Christ. He is referred to as the wisdom and power of God. What today's extract  tells me is that all my life must be about showing off Jesus, in my interactions, conduct, conversations and the company I keep.

Oh yes, my speech/words act as the window to the state of my heart. My mouth output is a function of my heart input. How do I speak with grace? How do I season my speech with salt? When I am conscious that I am also a product of grace, I will be quick to extend the same grace to other people. When I am conscious that I am the salt of the earth, placed to make impact and change lives and bring flavour to a wounded world, I must be careful what I do and say.

Men will watch out for me; the devil will seek to trip me up and make me fall; men will put words in my mouth by seeking to upset me. In all, what drives me should be the assurance of God's presence in me, not the distractions all around me. Men will question my actions and motives, but then I remember: I answer first to God. What would be God's opinon about me today? His time of favour is here.

Watching the Gate!

The one who guards his mouth [thinking before he speaks] protects his life; The one who opens his lips wide [and chatters without thinking] comes to ruin. PROVERBS 13:3 AMP

The mouth is the gate to life. What I say is a product of my heart. What is in my heart is a function of the investment of time and resources in building the right contents.

First, I must understand warfare. I must stand guard against the wily darts of the devil. He's always looking for a life to destroy, and the easiest prey is the one whose words are not guided and guarded. I must stand guard and watch; my eternity may depend on it.

For all who have surrendered all, who have learnt how to speak as God directs, true life is the reward. Of course, the same is true for the opposite. If we claim knowledge of God but have no control over our lips, the day of destruction isn't so far away.

As is always the case, there is a choice to be made. Both choices have eternal consequences.  Nothing is in vain, and nothing exists in a vacuum. What is your choice? His time of favour is here.

Why the Word?

Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. 2 Timothy 3:16‭-‬17 MSG

Too many times, people hold on to the petty argument on the inconsistencies in the written Word, ignoring the fact that what is written was done by mortal men inspired by an immortal God, showing man's weaknesses and God's amazing grace. The stories in the Bible aren't about perfect people, but about God's grace in an imperfect world. No matter what I read, I ask God to show me what he wants me to learn about Him, and how that lesson will impact the world around me.

Reading today's extract answers those fundamental questions of the Who, Why and How. Who wrote the words we read today: mortal men inspired by an immortal God. Why were these words written: so we could know the eternal purpose and plan of God for our lives. How would we know: by reading and applying the lessons to our daily lives. There is no area of our lives that the Word does not address, either showing God's truth,  exposing the rebellion in our own hearts, correcting our mistakes or training us to know and live God's way.

Ultimately, we belong to God and he determines the direction of our lives. He is looking for our absolute surrender and trust in Him. He is the owner of the assignments and the place of impact, and he knows precisely who will fit into a particular part of that assignment. The Word is the model and the furnace, constantly working on and in us, shaping and molding and filling us to be all that God wants us to be. I cannot be complete if I do not surrender to this process. I will always be lacking if I shortchange this phase.

Lord, I can only ask you to work in and on me, making me exactly what you want me to be. Help me surrender totally to you, so I can make impact for you the way you formed me to. His time of favour is here.

Who Lives?

Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not “mine,” but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20MSG

Statement of truth/fact: I have been crucified with Christ. It is the same fact all who confess Christ as their Saviour must also profess with their lives. It is a picture of absolute surrender and total dependence on the Life of Christ, when you know that all you are and have flow from the grace of God made available through the sacrifice on the cross. Everything about ego, possessions, position and privilege have no part in this new life; it is all about who Christ is and what he has done.

I cannot also boast in this new relationship as if it is of my own making. I cannot also impress God by what I do; afterall, he is the One who called me when i wasn't even looking for him. He now lives in me, making all the difference and helping me live right. The life is not mine; it is God's and I will give account of how I live that life. He has paid the price so I can enjoy the prize of his life. This price wasn't paid so I could live as I please, but to live as the owner of the life pleases. Am I living right? His time of favour is here. 

Help!

Keep your eyes on Jesus , who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!
Hebrews 12:2‭-‬3 MSG

When all seems bleak and you wonder whether or how you will make it, keep today's extract as your daily tonic. Whichever way you look at it, there will be distractions and detractors as you journey on your way. Your daily and regular focus will therefore determine where and how you end up. First and most important is Jesus. The accounts of his past, present and future all point to the fact that he is best suited to help us. There is nothing he faced then that we do not face now, and his grace is available to help us through. 

Secondly, we are encouraged to study how Jesus did it then, so we can take encouragement from his experiences and victories. Everything we read from the Word holds a lesson for us. These men were not perfect by any means, but the one constant thing was the grace of God in all its fullness expressed in the lives of these men.

Thirdly, when my destination is clear, the journey itself is worth it. No matter what I face, I ask God for Grace never to leave him alone. Jesus went through the cross, the stripes, the grave and the shame, so I could walk away from the repercussions of my actions. The best i can do is live gratefully. 

When life starts to happen to you and discouragement is easier to accept, remember that you will only make headway when you have the One called the Life.  His help is available at all times and to all who seek him out. He's been there before and has overcome, and he calls me to stand and maintain that victory. It is all I can do. His time of favour is here.

Mercy Speaks!

Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my wickedness and guilt And cleanse me from my sin. PSALM 51:1‭-‬2 AMP

Let's put today's extract in context: when you read stories of men and women in the Bible, you would think that God was too holy to be patient with men like David, who commited great sins. Here was a married man, expected at the war front but so careless that he was not where he was expected to be. First lesson: some of the problems we face and cry to God about are self-inflicted. We are in the wrong place at the wrong time, and then cry to God when the repercussions of our actions catch up with us.

Second lesson: None of the men of old were perfect in any way. Men stumbled through life, sometimes doing right, sometimes doing wrong, but one theme runs through the accounts of men of old: God's mercy. That is the central theme of today's extract and the central theme of our lives too.

David had taken another man's wife,  slept with her and killed the husband to cover up. He failed to account for the One who sees all done in secret. Third lesson: when dealing with God, let's avoid pretence. You are dealing with the Creator of the heart, who knows the deepest motives of a man's heart, no matter what the man tells himself.

Like David, our help is only in God. The power to live right is in God. The strength to live above sin is only in God. None of us has that power, none of us can make it on our own. Sin is an eternal stain, capable of dragging anyone to the fire of hell, but God's mercy that forgives, cleanses and restores is available for all who will surrender to him. Have you made that decision today? His time of favour is here. 

Limited Man, Unlimited God!

I’m speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it’s important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him. Romans 12:3 MSG

I do not know any better way our limitation and weaknesses could be best described, outside today's extract. The man speaking here had every reason to hold on to laurels: he was learned, studied under the best, was a Pharisee, a Jew of Jews, in his own words. He was zealous and motivated, even if for the wrong reasons. At a point in time in his life, he realised that all he was and had flowed from God's grace. There is nothing a man can be, have or do outside this grace.

When a man has received and is conscious of grace, he is careful how he lives. When I have received grace, it will reflect in my relationships with other people. I do not beat my chest and think I have arrived; my life must announce the arrival of God's grace anytime I come in contact with any life. My life is first defined by who I know, not what I have or what I can give. When ownership is defined and established, impact will not be a problem.

I love the conclusion of today's extract: my life is defined by God's input, and my life's output is a reflection of God's grace. All I 'do' for God must be defined from his own perspective, not mine. I don't have a life of my own; I'm living the life  owned and sustained by Life himself. I'm defined by who God is, not my family lineage, background or inheritance. Do I really see myself this way? His time of favour is here.