Empowered!

Empowered!

I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]. Philippians 4:13 AMPC

Quite a popular passage, and it would be nice to place it in context and clarify a few things: 

The I that starts the passage does not exist on its own. There is nothing in me that qualifies me for all that God is and gives me, but then, I don't depend on I but on Christ. I place my whole life in His hands, so that He can make me all He wants me to be. I have learnt that no matter what comes, it is important that it meets me in Christ, otherwise, I will get into trouble. Check out all the men and women in the Bible who really made an impact for God: they learnt quite early that their lives only made sense and had the right direction, when it was based on God, not themselves.

And the work God wants done won't get done by physical exertion or labour, but by the empowerment Christ supplied. The work ahead is such that no mortal man has all it takes; but the One who calls, is the one who will empower, locate, establish and send out. 

The location and environment also matter. I can read up all I can about Christ, but it is not knowledge alone that helps me, but a personal experience of Christ. I can live on the church altar, serve daily at the church altar, and give up my life in regular service to humanity, but God has always made one thing clear: He would rather have disciples who focus on becoming like Him, than on people who focus on just 'working'. Whatever I want to become will only be possible in and through Christ: the strength, direction, guidance and peace that are required for divine impact are only supplied by the One who commissions the assignment He wants done, not what I think I want done. 

Paul understood the right order. He knew Christ personally, so the drama around him didn't move him. No matter what was going on around him, it wasn't going to disrupt the equilibrium inside of him. So, in the event that anyone would think that Paul couldn't survive without his/her help, Paul made it clear: no matter what it is: hungry or fed, in lack or in abundance, Christ is all I need. Since I have Him, I have all I need. Whatever else you want to do, know this: it cannot be bigger or better than what I have already received from Christ. 

And I note it says I can do ALL things, but it will be proper to qualify this by saying that God never calls a man to do whatever He has not ordained. As long as the assignment is given by God, the resources required to succeed are supplied by Him. I cannot force God to back up an assignment He did not commission, and I cannot expect provision for a vision that God did not birth. 

Before I go quoting today's extract, I had better be sure that whatever it is I am pursuing is in line with what God can back up. If He can't supply the strength required for the work, then it is not a work I should be pursuing. So, inner strength first, then outer impact. God works first on my inside, then I can effect change on the outside. Has God done that inner work first in you? His time of favour is here. 

Come!

Come!

Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,  Hebrews 10:19 KJV 

There are a lot of words that speak in today's extract, but let us consider a few:

1. Brethren - today's extract refers to brethren, people with a common denominator. It does not refer to them by their degrees, connection, earthly family lineage, blood group or influence. It does not emphasize cultural or ethnic colourations, as politicians around the world seek for and emphasize the things that divide citizens, so that they can keep a hold of their power and influence, or the denominational leanings that some so called 'men' of God seek to emphasize so that they can keep a hold of the members who are loyal to them.

In all of the letters that Paul or any of the apostles wrote, there was nowhere denomination or pastoral authority was emphasized over and above the fact that all who believe in Christ are brothers and sisters, now members of the same family. It does not matter what my present physical location is. As soon as I turn to the Lord, I become part of the family of God. God has no issue with the colour of my skin, or the language of my tongue, but on the circumcision of my heart, the place where He can meet with me, turn my life around and make me a weapon of offence and defence in the world He has placed me. 

We have always emphasized that Jesus is coming back soon. We do not know the time or the day, but if there is anything He has made very clear, it is this: He is not returning for any denomination, race or ethnic group, but for people described like this: "... the church..... not having a stain or wrinkle, or any such blemish, but holy and blameless". It is not a church, which makes it look like there could be options, but the church, the one and only true version which He died for and is coming back for. 

For all who are true brethren, we are given the same access and privilege as people belonging to the same family. No one is left out. We are called into the family of God, as joint heirs of the firstborn, who is Jesus Himself. So, are you part of THE church or content with just being a member of ANY church? 

2. Boldness- today's extract talks about boldness, by which those who are members of the church of Jesus' version, not the ones laid down by men for their own purposes, come into the place and blessings that this family lineage has provided. Don't forget, what makes me bold to come in has to be about my spiritual family background, not my earthly degrees, influence or connections. The same access that the poor widow who gave her mite had was the same access that the woman with the issue of blood had, as well as the Samaritan woman at the well, or the Syro - Phoenician woman whose son was raised from the dead or the centurion whose servant was also raised from the dead.

If you dug further into the stories of the people mentioned above, you will note that all these people came from different family, ethnic and cultural backgrounds, but Jesus didn't bother with any of these things. They all got what they needed from Jesus, and the same principle applies today. We need to stop looking at Jesus from the narrow prisms of our own prejudices but to see men as He sees them: people in need of a Saviour. If I keep that as my focus, it will help me reach the world with the same love I have received, and be able to bring men to that same love. After all, isn't that not the whole essence of the Great Commission?

This boldness leaves no room for fear or trepidation, but it is courage that Jesus has accepted me as I am. There is no room for trembling out of fear, but there is an awe that inspires me to come to Jesus with a heart that knows the value of what it has received and is grateful for every mercy. This is the balance: God is a God of justice and mercy at the same time. He tells us what He needs from us and will not compromise His standards. He then supplies grace in abundance, so we can come in and live in line with His standard. So I come in, not relying on anything else but the grace already provided. So, what is the foundation of my boldness: my bank balance or God's bank of grace and mercy? 

3. Blood - this is the key to the access God provides. There are deep mysteries that only God can reveal, and the only way to get the revelation is by the blood. The holiest of holiest was for only the high priest and it was only open to Him once a year and subject to very strict conditions. The High priest died if he broke any of the laid down conditions for access. If that was the standard under the dispensation of the law, what then has changed under the dispensation of grace?

Same God, the same rules about blood being the key to covering sin so that God didn't destroy his people. So what's so special about this blood? The blood of bulls and goats only covered sin; could not take them away or forgive them. Animals' blood was offered by an imperfect priest, who could make mistakes and be killed. God kept this arrangement in place until such time as the perfect person could offer the perfect sacrifice under perfect conditions that would bring about the perfection that God intended right from the beginning of time. 

The blood of Jesus was offered by the perfect priest, once and for all time, and it took away the human limitations, time restrictions and restricted impact of the blood of animals. But please note: it did not take away God's righteous requirements. The blood broke down the dividing wall of partition, giving us access into the holiest place, where the Holy God dwells. If the blood gives me access, does this mean the standard has been lowered? God forbid. He asks me to come in to where He is, take of his mercy and learn to live right. He does not force me to come in, but if I dare come in, I had better learn to live in line with the dictates of the blood. 

The blood has been shed once and for all, and will not be shed again. It is by the blood that we enter into this new family relationship. It is by the blood that black, white, red, brown or yellow all have access into the family of God. Now, we all can come in by that cleansing blood, and take of the precious treasures kept in God's presence.

In light of the above, guess the only question now is: Who am I? Do these three things relate to me or am I still trying to sort out my family history and direction? I must note that I have not being promised forever down here, so I don't have forever to sort this out. While I have time, I must make up my mind and come in. I come as I am, join myself to the family of God. I come as part of the brethren, with all the boldness that a family relationship with Jesus has birthed, and I come by the blood, shed for me on the cross. I come. That is all I need to do. His time of favour is here. 

Light Up!

Light Up!

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Psalms 27:1 KJV

As I read this extract, I note that the personal nouns such as I and MY appear five (5) times. It is quite easy to think of this verse as a focus on I and me but the kick off in this verse focuses on the reason why I and me make sense. Until THE LORD is involved, I am me will not amount to anything. Until the Lord empowers, there is no strength. Until the Lord shines His light, I remain in darkness. Until the Lord shows mercy, I am at the mercy of the devil. So, before I am deceived into thinking that I and me matter, the first lesson here is that the Lord is the reason why I am here or even exist. Before I can call Him my light and my salvation, the Lord has to first be my Lord and God. 

And it has to be the One and only Lord, not the machinations of my own heart. It has to be the God of Heaven, not earthly lords who cannot guarantee the next minute. Which God have I come to know, submit to and follow? The One who is Light and salvation, or the earthly lords who oppress and suppress? I must get my allegiance right if my life's output will be right. I cannot submit to the devil and expect the light of God to shine out of me. I cannot sit at the table of idols and expect that the power of God will be revealed in me. 

And it is first personal, before it becomes public. It is first an inner work, before it becomes a public walk. If God is my light, He has to first make an inner impression before I can make outward impact. I can quote the letter of the law, and yet my life will not experience the power that the Presence of the Lord can provide. Knowledge on its own is not enough. The devil knows that God is all-powerful, yet that knowledge will not save Him from doom. The world has enough drama, and it has found a way to keep its own engaged in distractions, but for men who want to make God known, they first have to know this God on a personal level. Have I met this God? Does He know me as His own? Is this a personal experience or only the account of other people? Do I have my own account, or is all I have just what other people have said? 

Fear will come. The way the world is set up makes it easy to oppress those who belong to it. The uncertain tomorrow can fill the human heart with fear, but it is only when the Lord is in charge that this fear has no place. If I know the creator of that unknown tomorrow, and He is my Father, who has promised to be with and to help me, what else is there to fear? If He has taken care of tomorrow, why would I worry ahead of tomorrow? If God is all, where is the room for anything else? If God is the sole and final authority over my life, what else can take hold my heart or cause it to fear? When the fear of God is in place in my heart, what other fear can displace it? The opposite is also true: if the fear of God is not the defining finality of my heart, I have got so many other things I must fear. If God is not the One guarding my heart, then I must prepare for heartbreak and disruptions, all flowing from a heart that is not settled on God.

Please note: this was David, a man who probably had more personal and public battles than most men in his generation. He knew God, but that was not enough to stop battles.

Submission to God is the only guarantee of a life of success and impact, but it does not stop the enemy from trying to conquer the life God has secured for me. I also note that no matter what was going on around and outside, David's heart was at peace. You see, the heart is the place of warfare, where the victory is settled and sustained. As long as my heart is right with God, the quality and quantity of the storms around me do not matter. Hosts can encamp, war can rise, winds can blow; all these would have to take place outside my heart because there is no room in my heart for fear, since God has taken over the entire room. 

And the warning: be careful of a heart of hypocrisy and insincerity. Be careful of a heart that only seeks God for the presents He gives and not the fullness of His Presence. Remember God's verdict about King Amaziah: And he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart. The king kept up appearances before men, but the insincerity of his heart was plain before God. How would God be able to guard a heart that is not sincere with Him, or totally submitted to Him?

It is in this light that his one request makes sense: I have seen what the enemy can do; how fear can destroy and how hypocrisy can expose me to destruction, so God, I won't leave your presence. Don't take me away from your presence; let me forever live in your house, where you dwell. I know that as long as I can keep my eyes on you, there is nothing else around me that can hold my gaze. As long as all my desires are all about Him, I know I will be satisfied with the fullness of His house. I know that when I am in his presence, His will becomes my utmost desire and pursuit, so my enquires will be all about what pleases Him. 

When I recall men of old who had a personal experience of the glory of God, like Isaiah, Solomon, Zechariah and others, the only thing that mattered at the time was what this Glorious God wanted, not what their own desires were. Maybe the reason why we still have so many desires for the things of this world is because we are yet to have a personal experience of His glory. When I am yet to see the glory of the Presence of God, the glory of earthly gold and silver becomes my only pursuit. When I see God's glory, the things of earth must fade away. 

And it is not a one-off; it is lifelong devotion. It cannot be a switch, turned on and off at will or when convenient. There is an eternal reckoning that will be demanded, so I will do well to prepare. What are my present pursuits and priorities? What are the things holding my heart at present? Remember, a day is coming when the glory of God will reveal my heart's contents, and judgment will be based on God's view, not man's applause or approval. His time of favour is here.

Fully In!

Fully In!

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. Luke 6:35 KJV

Jesus was speaking here to the disciples at the 'Sermon on the Mount', people who had made a decision to follow him and submit to His authority. He wasn't addressing the crowd that was always following Him, but those who were his own. And this is quite important: Jesus always speaks, but only those who are willing to listen are the ones who hear and obey. Am I a disciple or part of the crowd? Am I content with following from a distance, content with eating the loaves of bread and fishes He provides, but unwilling to submit to His authority and leadership? 

Wherever you see the word BUT, it is good to go back and look at the words that came before. What comes before this BUT are all the things the crowd is comfortable with: men of the world do good to those they know will do them good in return. The men of the world lend to those from whom they expect returns. For the people of the world, life is a transactional relationship, where I do something for you and you do the same for me in return. If I know there is nothing to be gained from you, I am not obligated to do anything for you. That is the code of conduct for the people under the control and influence of the world.

For those who follow after Christ, we are called to be different and live by different standards. Following Christ means that you have become enemies of the world, and if the world still loves and accepts you after you have surrendered to Jesus, please check again and be sure of your stand. The Word and the world can never mix, and their standards are fundamentally different from each other. Yet, God places me in the world, because He needs the Word to shine out of me to pass a message to the world. How would the world know its limitations if it does not see its own limitations by the way I live? If I am no different from the world, how do I pass the message of the change that Jesus has wrought in me? 

So, I am called to love my enemies, men of the world who do not submit to Jesus. Even for men who decide to fight me, I am asked to love them. It has nothing to do with what I can get back from them, which is the world's modus operandi but what I can pass on to them. I am asked to do the same thing the world does, but the difference is that I do not discriminate as to who I do it for, and I am not looking for returns. I am simply passing on the love I have freely received. I am asked to do good and lend, not because I will get good back in return or that the borrower will do me good later, but because that good is ALL that I have to give. It won't matter if I get nothing back, because returns isn't the reason why I do what I do. I do good because I have received good from God. 

And the example given in today's extract makes it clear: God Himself is kind to the ungrateful and evil. This is God: no discrimination against people who do not even care who He is, but reaching out to all men with His good, because that is ALL He has. His example is laid down as the standard, and all who will come must meet that minimum standard. I am called his child only when the world can see the mark of my family background in and on me. If men can't see any difference between what they do and what I do, there is a problem. If God cannot present me as His child in the world He has placed me in, there is a problem. I check again: am I a child of God or one walking and content with the world? Remember, eternity lies at the end of every decision I make on earth. His time of favour is here. 

Good Fear!

Good Fear!

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7 KJV

First of all, there is a good fear and a bad fear. There is a fear that cripples, preventing you from doing what God requires you to do, and there is another fear that keeps you away from pride, as you make impact on the earth where you have been placed. Both may be termed fear, but each flows out from different sources and have different eternal outcomes. I need to know which one is appropriate if I seek to make impact on God's earth. 

The good fear has God as its centre and motivation. As long as any other person or thing is the inspiration behind what I do or say, I don't have the correct version. This fear keeps me away from all that is impure and untrue; keeps me constantly and daily dependent on God. And I note that this fear is not something that comes and goes, but it is something that must stay with me if my life will remain relevant in God's hands.

It is a journey that never stops as long as I am on this side of earth. I don't get it all at once, but it is a journey I must undertake. The fear of the Lord opens my heart to seek to know more of Him. It is that knowledge of Him that drives my understanding of who He is and what He wants from me. How do I understand a God whose ways I do not even know? How do I walk with a God whose paths I have not even defined or worked out?

And just like everything God does, He gives me the power of choice. If there were no choices, how would I seek God for myself? How would I appreciate the value of what I have received? There is an opposite side to all that is written above and it has to do with the perspective of the fool. A fool has been defined as anyone who says there is no God. To deny the existence of God is to deny his Word and Ways. If you do not know Him, or do not seek Him out, you can never know the value of the Wisdom that only He can give. If I do not seek His Word out, how would I receive instruction on how to live to please God and avoid sin and punishment?

Any knowledge I pursue that does not lead to a healthy fear of and reverence for God is not the right kind of knowledge. If what I know is not founded on God, it can never achieve God's divine purposes or lead where God intends. Fools do not know God or his ways, and will not submit to His direction and control. A fool does not understand the divine and will never appreciate the treasure that a personal experience of God can birth in a man. This is the time to evaluate again what my priorities are. Is God the sole focus or one of many options? Is my heart full of the healthy fear of God or is there room for other dependencies? The eternal is at stake here; nothing of this world will last forever. Get the foundation right; get the eternal right. His time of favour is here. 

 

Chase!

Chase!

So above all, constantly chase after the realm of God’s kingdom and the righteousness that proceeds from him. Then all these less important things will be given to you abundantly. Matthew 6:33 TPT

Life is about pursuits and priorities. All of us have something that we chase after: a better life for ourselves and our children; position, power or possessions. Nothing in life is achieved by just folding the arms and watching things happen, but it is also clear that my life will always reflect my pursuits. If I seek after the right things, my life's story will reflect that fact. If the opposite applies, my life will reflect that also. What today's extract makes clear is that it is not wrong to pursue after the things that make life comfortable, but it is even more important to make sure that while I seek after the earthly, I must not ignore the eternal.

Of all pursuits, there is one that is fundamental and of eternal consequence, and it is God's kingdom. While I pursue daily bread, I must not forget eternal bread. There is a realm I must live in and walk by, and it is the realm of God's kingdom. This is a kingdom whose word is law, and rebellion is not permitted. Ask Lucifer. It is not a place of negotiation, arbitration or compromise. It is a kingdom, with a king and a definite territory. It is also a kingdom with a code of conduct, which is righteousness. It does not condone sin and will punish sin, no matter in whom it is found. It has a mediator, Jesus Himself, but his intervention does not negate the principles of the kingdom He represents. If it is sin, it is sin, and no grammatical construct, language manipulation or worldwide acceptance can change it into anything else. 

Have I submitted to this kingdom? Deos the Lord of this kingdom even know me as a subject of his realm? Do I seek co and equal authority with the King of the kingdom, thinking I can dictate terms and do as I please or am I totally submissive to His authority? I am not the one you need to convince, because I am also a subject of that kingdom. 

Did you note that it is a 'chasing', not a jamboree. It is not what you do when you feel like it, but something that takes time, effort and resources from you. It is not what I do for a while and then stop when it gets inconvenient. It is a constant chase, which never ends until the eternal has been received. If I know the value of the thing I am asked to chase, I will seek it with all that I have. 

Knowing that there is God's kingdom leaves the sober thought that there is yet another kingdom that is not God's. If there was only one kingdom, life won't be this hard, but the devil also seeks to perpetuate his own false kingdom, seeking to bend men to his will and authority. The devil does have some authority, at least on all who submit to his lies, but at least it is clear that the kingdom of God is the ultimate authority and all who submit to God get their freedom from Satan. 

You can't seek God's kingdom and ignore the code of conduct, terms and conditions of that kingdom. It also means that one is permanent and every other one is temporary. It is God's kingdom, not man's strong opinions or preferences. If what pushes me to action is what people say, then I do not yet understand what is at stake. If it is man's applause that drives my pursuits, maybe I do not yet understand what God demands from me. 

When the above is settled, then the lesser needs find basis. One key verse that applies here is: For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?  Mark 8:36 KJV. What gain is there to have all that this life offers and yet have nothing that eternal life offers? By God's scale of preference, the eternal is the most important. When I have God's Kingdom, nothing else is too important to let go to keep hold of the kingdom, unless I never knew the value of what I held in the first place. 

When my heart is right with God, nothing He gives me can take His place. No demand on earth can exhaust the resources of heaven, but heaven has its priorities. If I will lay hold of all that heaven intends, its rules must be of utmost importance to me. God wants me to have all that is required for both life and Godliness, not one of the two. Both are important to God and if one will take the other way, then it is not God. 

Guess the only question remaining is this: do I belong to God's kingdom or do I have my own defined rule? Am I labouring to secure provisions for myself, forgetting that only in God can I have all that I truly need? Seek God first;  there is no man who ever truly found God and lived to regret it. His time of favour is here. 

Refresh!

Refresh!

The generous man [is a source of blessing and] shall be prosperous and enriched, And he who waters will himself be watered [reaping the generosity he has sown]. Proverbs 11:25 AMP

Cause and effect; sowing and reaping; action and reaction. You get the idea. There is nothing I do that is without consequences. In fact, not sowing anything also means not reaping anything. There is really nothing like sitting on the fence, not committed to anything. That in itself is a decision with consequences. 

We see a man called generous, which means that there are other people who are not referred to as generous. Being generous means showing a readiness to give more of something than is strictly necessary or expected. In other words, if I do the usual and the normal, I will be fine, but if I will claim the blessings indicated here, I have to do the extra, go to further lengths than the usual.

And it is always more than money. We give to people so they can revere and celebrate us; we show off our giving so we become the focus, not the One who gave us the resources in the first place. When I understand the right spirit behind giving, I open myself to awesome miracles. It is only in God that a man can be generous yet become prosperous and enriched. 

It is only in God that a man can give all of himself, yet get back more than he can keep to himself. Haven't you seen generous people who just can't stop giving, because they seem to have more than enough? It isn't actually that they do have more than enough, but the heart of generosity places the other person's interests over and above my temporary discomfort. 

Quite important to emphasize here that the heart is the seat of all that the life produces. If a man is seen as generous, check his heart. If a man is the opposite, still check his heart. No matter what you see on the outside, the heart is the place of revelation, revealing a man's pursuits and priorities. How's my heart? How's yours? 

Another version quotes today's extract as follows: The liberal soul shall be made fat; And he that watereth shall be watered also himself. It is not by myself that the increase will come, but the God who sees what is done and understands the motives behind the action is the One who will MAKE fat. I can scheme my way to the top, but it is God who blesses my labour with His favour. 

If He does not Make me fat, nothing any man does will make me fat. If He does not bless, nothing man does will change the story. Being made fat will not make you proud, as long as you never forget the One who brought the fatness. And when you are fat, your old space becomes insufficient; new and expanded territories beckon. 

And watering others has to do with refreshing, washing the feet, doing the things most people don't have the time and the patience to do. The picture that comes to mind is the person who has to stay back, mostly away from the public eye, to water and nourish the seed that has been sown. Watering demands time, effort and patience, and cannot be done with a spirit of pride. 

Can I lay myself down for others to walk over me? Can I be patient with people, nurturing them with care until they bud and blossom and can start bearing fruit for others to benefit? Interestingly, you would think that the person who waters has sufficient resources to keep watering, but God understands how life works. If a man is always giving and is not replenished, he may run out of resources. God then raises other people, who also have water, to nourish and water back the one who has been watering. 

You get a chain of people who are watering each other, with none drying up due to neglect or lack of resources. If I do not spend myself for other people, how can I create room for God to bring increase into my life? If there is no room, how does God further enrich me? If I do not spend what He has given me, how do my hands receive even more to invest in people? 

The message then is: if I will enjoy God's increase, I must first decrease. If I will have room for more of God, there has to be less of what is me. Whatever it is I do, I must be clear about this: there are consequences. With God, nothing is wasted. If He says I should do it, He already has in place a structure for blessing and increase. Whatever God demands from me, heaven has more than enough resources to replace and replenish. But it starts with me: my heart. Am I willing to lay down all I hold, NOT OWN, before the One who actually owns everything? If He controls it, He commands it. If He commands it, He can make it a blessing. His time of favour is here. 

Quick Audit!

Quick Audit!

There are six evils God truly hates and a seventh that is an abomination to him: Putting others down while considering yourself superior, spreading lies and rumors, spilling the blood of the innocent, plotting evil in your heart toward another, gloating over doing what’s plainly wrong, spouting lies in false testimony, and stirring up strife between friends. These are entirely despicable to God! Proverbs 6:16‭-‬19 TPT

Let it be clearly stated from the outset that the above is God's view, not man. This is not an attempt to sell something of value to you, but to state in clear terms what the standards of God are when it comes to walking with and working for Him. Hate is such a strong word, which is why its use here makes the message even more poignant: don't joke with what you are about to hear. 

So, what are the things God hates:

1. Putting others down while considering yourself superior: did you notice that no action is spelt out here, yet God, who sees the heart adn its machinations, knows when pride sets in. Pride does not announce its entrance, but its presence will always force itself out over time. Why would God hate pride: this was the same thing that angel Lucifer had then, and he was cast out of Heaven. God resists the proud;  there is nothing a proud person can get from God, except opposition. If man opposes you, God can plead your case and vindicate you. If it is God who is opposing you, who would you plead to? I check my life again: have I been filled with airs of my own importance, or do I place the interests of other people over and above my own? 

2. Spreading lies and rumours: here again, the outward action is seen, but the foundation of the action is not seen. When I testify about things I never saw or heard; when I am quick to pass on gossip without confirmation, and even if confirmed, passing it on to deliberately hurt another, what I have is not love by God's standard. God gave me two ears and eyes but one mouth, so that I can hear and see things twice as much as I talk about them. A fool is thought to be wise when s/he keeps the mouth shut. So, what do my lips enjoy: spreading truth or falsehood? 

3. Spilling the blood of the innocent: very clearly, as long as I did not create life, I must not take it. Life is in the blood, and just as the blood of Abel spoke in those days, so does the blood of Jesus speaks in these days. And before I think I need a knife, consider that even hatred of another person is murder by God's standard. So, how are my words? Do they support life or seek to take it away?

4. Plotting evil in your heart toward another: once again, the heart. That part of me that nobody, except God, can read. We assume that we are smart, and can keep our motives hidden. We forget that there is nothing God creates that will not answer to Him. Even the devil submits as he cannot fight God. Why then would I think that God cannot read evil intentions? Why would I think up evil against another person made in God's image as I am? I am warned: there are no secrets in my heart. And here we see again: no action has yet taken place, yet God has placed judgment on the plot. At the point where Judas agreed to betray Jesus, he was doomed. Every other step he took was just an addendum. The same applies to all who sit in the dark and plot or plan evil. You are doomed, unless you repent and return to Jesus. 

5. Gloating over doing what is plainly wrong: and here we see the actions tied to No 4 above. Now, you carry out the plot without remorse, and then you gloat. You go out and celebrate over the evil done. You see nothing wrong in what you have done, and even mock or fight those who oppose the evil that has been done. God's verdict remains clear: he hates sin. I could do wrong, but it will be wrong for me to remain in that wrong and not seek God out. If I return, His promise is that He will forgive and restore. Imagine the eternal consequences if I choose to remain in the wrong to the end. 

6. Spouting lies in false testimony: one mouth, yet two ears and two eyes. The mouth is called upon to speak about what is seen, heard or felt. Before the mouth is opened, consider if what is to be said is the truth as defined by God. Remember, God's truth isn't partial to anyone, and one of the features of a man that God brings to His Holy Hill is the man who swears to hid own hurt and does not change. Truth isn't relative to my comfort zone, but it is the same everywhere, no matter whose interests are as stake. Can God depend on me to uphold His own kind of truth? 

7. Stirring up strife between friends: and the last is also about relationships with other people. If there is no envy or jealousy, why would anyone seek to separate friends. If I am not a follower of the devil, why would deep friendship not make my heart glad? Oh, how pleasant it is for brethren to gather together in unity. That is where God commands his blessings. Why would I deprive myself of the mighty things that God wants to do in my life, and in relation to how I work with other people? Is it a suprise that God's greatest blessings are His gifts to the church, where each person supplies what makes the entire body grow the way He wants it to be? If I am the one who promotes strife, I am NOT a child of God, as God does not author or sustain strife. He can use it to advance His will, but He will not promote what He hates. 

When it comes to God and how he wants me to live, I have to take careful stock and carry out necessary actions. It is a mixture of thought and action. I cannot take one and ignore the other. God does not force His will on anyone, but you can be sure that if He hates anything, no bribe or hypocrisy will change His mind. If I am not willing to submit totally to God, I cannot claim any of the blessings of total surrender. He has warned; the reaction/response is left to me to decide. His time of favour is here. 

Love's Law!

Love's Law!

Love makes it impossible to harm another, so love fulfills all that the law requires. Romans 13:10 TPT

Rome had become the melting pot of the Jews and the Gentiles. The persecution that arose in the early church in Acts of the Apostles, with this same Paul at the head, had led to the believers scattering all over Asia Minor. Recall also that the Romans at the time were the dominant force, and were the ones in control of the Jewish structure. There must have been some bad blood all around, and there would have been some Jews hoping and maybe fighting for independence from the Romans. This is the context in which Paul was writing these words to the church in Rome. 

And as you read the book of Romans, you get the distinct impression that Paul was trying to get the people to understand the benefits and blessings of salvation, redemption and grace. When a person knows and appreciates the grace behind what s/he has received, it becomes easier to extend that same grace to other people. And that is the focus of today's extract: how do I see other people? What moves me to relate: selfish interests or selfless service? Oh, it is easy to make claims and give off vibes of affection, but the reality of my inner state will be revealed by my outer and visible activities. 

Talking about love is convenient; it does not take too much to explain. The problem is that love, from God's perspective, isn't explained by words, but by action. If what I have is love from God's perspective, it is not possible to think up evil against anyone, even if it will be well deserved. And when you think of it, by God's righteous law, we all deserved to die because of our sins. The wages of sin is death, as made clear by God all through the Bible, yet by his love, the requirements of the law was paid for by His Son. By law, the price had to be paid, but someone else did. It was paid, in line with the law, and now, we come into a special relationship with God, as there is now nothing standing between us and the full expression of the grace and love we have received from God. 

If that is true, then what will be my excuse for not loving others the way I have been loved by God? If I could be forgiven all the wrong I had done, what wrong could be so great that I would claim I couldn't forgive? If God could pay such a high price for my sin, is my ego too much of a price to pay to establish peace? All of the law's demands, from loving God with all my heart, to not stealing or killing, are all encapsulated in love, and a person who has genuine love for other people has no reason to fear the law. Love is the one thing that no law on earth or heaven can negate. And it truly costs nothing to give, except my self-importance and ego. So, the charge is out, the lines drawn and the standard laid out. A choice of response has to be made. Eternity lies at the end of that choice. His time of favour is here. 

Protected!

Protected!

You are my defender and protector; I put my hope in your promise. Psalms 119:114 GNB

You’re my place of quiet retreat, and your wrap-around presence becomes my shield as I wrap myself in your word! Psalms 119:114 TPT

David is attributed as the writer of this very long psalm. Here was a man who had seen wars; his first experience of trouble was in private, away from roving and prying eyes. He encountered bears and lions while keeping his father's sheep, and he learnt how to trust God in private long before his devotion to God became public. The same applies today: don't seek public approval at the expense of a personal and private relationship with God. What I am in my private moments will always shine through in my public life. No wonder David had no problem publicly facing Goliath with the lessons he had learnt from God in private. 

If there are no wars to fight, battles to engage in or territories to conquer, today's choice of words will not make sense. Look at the words of today's extract: defender, protector, retreat. Anyone who has ever read about or engaged in wars knows what these words mean. You don't go to war without planning for protection for yourself and your troops. You don't plan for war without planning for the times when you have to take a break and quietly recharge. As it is in the physical plane, so is it in the spiritual. 

What do these words mean: a defender is someone who protects another from attack. It means that on this journey of faith, it is foolishness to think I will not encounter opposition or battles; I am comforted and assured by the promise that I have a God who is skilled in war, has been doing this for quite a while, and he hasn't yet lost a war. A protector is similar: a person or thing that protects someone or something. The protector isn't waiting for an attack first. He is on guard at all times, ensuring that if and when the attack comes, he is ready. Think of God in the light of the pictures above and take stock of the experiences God has brought your way. I am sure you will find several instances where the attributes above had come true for you. 

Then the caution: all of God's promises are what they are: promises backed up by the greatest power available anywhere, but they remain promises until a man takes hold of them and fulfils the conditions for them to become true. I can shout all of God's promises every morning, but they will remain only promises if I don't place myself on the path of fulfilment. How can I do that: by wrapping myself in God's Word. God's Word is an abundant treasure; mined by careful, daily and deliberate search. You don't command it into reality; you first submit to it, read it and obey it. That is the only formula for success. Oh, you can seemingly win in life outside of the Word of God. The world has its own principles of success and protection, but let it be known today that nothing the world offers lasts forever. The world itself will not last forever; God promises a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness. Don't be carried away by the deceit of false protection the world offers. If the world could truly secure its own, high and electrified fences would have worked. Having nuclear and biological weapons would have guaranteed world peace, but we know that nothing the world offers can secure the kind of peace God's Word offers.

So the offer by God still stands: he offers all of Himself. I can take or reject Him; the choice, as always, is mine alone. We learn from David's life the danger of moving out of the protection God offers, when he did what he did with Bathsheba, but the same story teaches us the grace that God offers when we return to Him. He does not reject forever unless we reject Him to the end. As long as we breathe, the door of salvation and redemption remains open. I charge us to walk into it. We don't have forever to sort this out;  events around us keep reminding us it won't last very long now. In whom/what is your hope? If it all ends right now as you read this, where do you think you will end up? Questions, with eternal consequences. His time of favour is here. 

Commanded!

Commanded!

Dearest woman, I have a request to make of you. It is not a new commandment but a repetition of the one we have had from the beginning: that we constantly love one another. 2 John 1:5‭ TPT

This love means living in obedience to whatever God commands us. For to walk in love toward one another is the unifying commandment we’ve heard from the beginning.  2 John 1:6 TPT

There is no new command to love but an emphasis on the old. Even with the ever shifting measures and goals of the world, the standard of God has not changed one bit. The same measure He demanded from Elijah and Micah, is the same measure He demanded from Paul and John, and it is the same in my generation. The standard is simple: Love as He commands, not love as I define it. God has not made a compromise on that standard. It was love that established a plan of salvation right at Eden, and it was that love that manifested at Calvary, and it is that same love that keeps us grounded in Him. 

Don't know what the writer saw with the target of today's extract, but he made sure to remind her of what God's standard was and is. Maybe the standard was slipping; maybe she had forgotten what it was, but John made sure to remind her. As I run through the hustle and bustle of everyday life, what are the guardrails on my path to remind me of the things that are truly important? Do I take time to read God's Word to know what He demands of my daily life? Am I so caught in daily pressure that I don't have time for divine pleasure, whereby I seek to please God with all I am and have? 

If it was easy to carry out, God won't take so much time and effort to remind us why love is important. Obedience is the outward proof of inner acceptance of God as my Lord and Master. If I do not have a desire to obey Him, what I have isn't love, no matter how much it looks like it. Now this is where it gets tough: nowhere does it say the other person has to deserve or earn it, but I am required to give it anyway. It does not say the person must be lovable, but that my action and reaction flow from a heart that is totally surrendered to God and is free from man's expectations and judgments. 

I am not looking for validation; God's Spirit in me confirms my sonship. I am not craving human acceptance; God already calls me His own, and promises me eternal life when this present earthly phase ends. I am free from the hypocrisy of pretence; God's love in me makes it easy to love other people, because it is God's command, and it is healthy to do and eternally rewarding. I can only play my part; the rest is left to God. Even if I am not loved in return, let it be said that I obeyed God to the fullest. As I consider all that goes on around me, I must be careful not to let the poison around flow into me, so that it does not pollute the love that God has put in me, and commanded out of me. The world awaits the manifestation of the sons and daughters of God. Am I one? His time of favour is here. 

Pray!

Pray!

and My people, who are called by My Name, humble themselves, and pray and seek (crave, require as a necessity) My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear [them] from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14 AMP

Solomon had just built a befitting house for God, through the provisions Daivd his father had made available before his death. In today's  value, the animals offered to God would amount to millions in any country's currency. God's glory filled the house that was built and the people rejoiced in all that God had done. The Lord honours all those who honour Him, and He will show Himself strong in the lives of all who surrender to Him. 

Then the note of caution: the public ministry and show were over, the people had returned to their homes with joy and provisions. The celebrations took at least 8 days, and it seems that after the glory filled the temple, God just remained silent. He didn't speak much in those days, at least, going by the records. However, when the public show was over, it was time for the private lessons. 

We can be so caught up in our public ministry that we neglect or fail to observe our private devotion. Solomon had spent time celebrating God in public, but God was more interested in Solomon's private life, and how he would make a success out of the assignment God wanted to give him. I cannot bribe God with an outward display of emotion and affection; God needs my heart to focus on the things that are truly important. 

The first thing God reminded Solomon about was the power and consequences of sin. It doesn't matter how beautiful the outward is; it doesn't matter how fervent or consistent my hypocrisy is; God sees beyond the physical. He calls us to consider who He is and what he wants from us. But for every sin, there is mercy. Today's extract is the expression of that mercy. 

God always punishes sin, no matter in whom it is found. He has no favourites when it comes to sin. But he ties his mercy to a particular set of people, the ones He calls my people. God may not bother too much with people who don't know Him or who haven't surrendered to Him, but for all who claim allegiance to God, you are the ones that will deliver the mercy that God offers. When punishment for sin comes, God is counting on His children to be the ones to put in the work and the sacrifices required to effect change. 

What do His people need to do: 1. Humble themselves; 2. Pray and seek my face; 3. Turn from their wicked ways. What does God promise in response: 1. He will hear from heaven; 2. He will forgive their sin; 3. He will heal their land. For every action by God's people, there is an equal and corresponding action. If I do nothing, I cannot expect something. Do I bear God's name and does God know me as His own? Today's extract was addressed to Israel, but as the Israel of God today, can God count on me to address sin in my life and camp, so that His mercy can be revealed? 

Let no one think s/he can make it on his/her own without God's help. If I get to a point where pride and sin set in, and I am not even aware of them in my life, how do I address them? If I do not know I need help, how would I seek it? Sin doesn't ring a bell, but its impact is eternal. God wants to do a great work in me, but I must deal with sin first. God doesn't hear the prayer of a man who lives in and is comfortable with sin. Healing cannot come if the root cause of sickness, which is sin, has not been addressed. God wants to do a great work, but when sin is at the gate as a witness, it is difficult. The cure: the steps above. The result: the benefits above. The choice: personal. The consequence: eternal. His time of favour is here. 

Led!

Led!

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalms 23:3 KJV

Quick foundation: wonder why today's passage starts with a reference to God being my shepherd? It is because as sheep, I cannot take care of myself by myself. I can't protect myself from bears, lions or the adverse elements. I need someone to provide these things for me, and God has already made Himself available. He says He is my shepherd, so no matter the quality, quantity or dimensions of the need, God has everything taken care of. 

WHEN and not IF the storms come, there is a refreshing and restoring that is only possible in connection with the Shepherd. If there was no chance of bruising, the prospect of restoring would not hold any value. You appreciate restoring when you have been battered. God promises that even when I am battered, I will not be bettered. Restoration is really appreciated when there has been bruising. As I take stock of my life, I appreciate the seasons of pain, because without them, I won't have known or understood the value of God's dealings. 

It could even be sin that is threatening to harm my soul. I will only be truly safe and sure when it is the Shepherd that is doing the restoration. That is why the other half of this verse is important: He LEADS me. It is so important who is doing the leading and the directing. And He only leads in line with his nature and purpose, which is righteousness. He knows that all other paths lead to death and destruction. 

And because I belong to his sheepfold, his name is at stake. When men relate with me, whose identity is evident and obvious from my life? If I bear His name, do I live by his leading? Do I pay lip service to devotion, whilst pursuing my own personal agenda, contrary to the terms of the sheepfold? If indeed I belong to God's sheepfold, men must see the proof of my ownership in me. I do not forget this: it is His name that I carry, not the other way around. I am the one who needs to live up to the name. God will always play His part, provide all that I need, but I must then live out the value on a daily basis. Do I belong to Him, or do I have competing ownership? His time of favour is here. 

Which God?

Which God?

Now may the God Who gives the power of patient endurance and Who supplies encouragement, grant you to live in such mutual harmony and such full sympathy with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, Romans 15:5‭ AMPC

In understanding today's extract, it is good to look at the verses that lay the foundation. Those who are strong in faith are asked to bear the burdens of the weak. How do I know I am strong in faith? It is by my actions and reactions. Am I quick to point out other people's faults, so that I look like the saint and they like the sinners? Am I all about whatever promotes my ideas and concepts, while putting down those of other people? 

And Jesus laid down the perfect example of how this works: the mighty God came down in the form of the people He wanted to save, ate, drank and lived like them so He could provide the perfect context to how to help them live right. He didn't come to show off his superior glory, but He took all the insults, even death on a cross, so He could make it possible for us to be acceptable to God. His life pattern teaches us that in and by God, we have all that we need to please God. 

And in that light lies the essence of today's extract: which God was introduced to you that made you seek Him out? Was it a God of just earthly confort, or One that provides encouragement and comfort in the midst of the most distressing of circumstances? Nowhere does God say that if I come to Him, life becomes a sweet tale without accountability or responsibility. He promises me trials, but He also promises me His presence and power. Through the things He brings my way, He teaches me patience and endurance, encouraging me to stay the course and hold on to the end. 

I note it says that He 'gives the power of patient endurance and supplies encouragement.' He gives it but I have to show up and receive it. He supplies encouragement but I have to place myself in direct flow of the supply. How does God reach me if I am not where His grace can reach? I cannot continue in sin and expect that God's grace will abound. God makes it quite clear what His mode of operation and terms of reference are; He provides the strength, wisdom and power to choose, but I have to take the step. 

When I know what is ahead, I am not bogged down with the pressure and distractions of the present. The devil will have me focused on what I do not have now, or what I can become if I pursue it by my own strength, but Jesus here makes it clear that in and by Him, I have all that I need. I am able to live in mutual harmony and in full sympathy with other people, free from a spirit of competition or superiority. The example of Jesus becomes a lifelong drive, and keeps me sane and focused in the midst of a world that thinks it is on a race somewhere. 

Other people's welfare becomes my own pursuit, so that by the way I live, others will be attracted to the God I serve. That is something the world desperately needs at this time: people who know God, are comfortable in their knowledge and love for Him, and are a spring of comfort and joy to all who come in contact with them. You can't flow out with something you have never spent time acquiring and building up. So, which God have you met, or which God is directing the principles and outflow of your life? Are men seeing God in me, or am I all about show off? Which God? His time of favour is here. 

For... Against!

For... Against!

What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side? Romans 8:31 AMPC

Quite a lot of information goes to the foundation of today's extract: 1. In Christ, there is no condemnation that can stick. His death and resurrection sealed redemption for me, and gives me freedom from the consequences of sin and an assurance of eternal life. 2. No matter how much the law tried, the flesh was its biggest problem, as the flesh could not by itself fulfil God's righteous requirements. Jesus came in the form of that flesh so he could show us a way of life that pleases God and gets us all He has promised. The Holy Spirit is the person that supplies the strength to live to please God, and you can't do it without His Help.

3. I have an obligation to live by the help of the Holy Spirit. What God wants to achieve cannot be done by the flesh because of its limitations due to sin. When I come to God, I am telling Him that I am giving up the old life of sin and embracing the life God offers. 4. I can't play both sides anymore, as God does not provide a fence to sit on. I have to make up my mind who I will submit to, and let it be clear that whoever is in charge of my life will define where I end up in eternity. My life was never my own to begin with, and nothing that happens to me is by accident, even the pains and the sufferings.

5. Pain, persecution and perseverance form part of the package I get when I come to Christ. However, there is a glory that is part of the package, but only for those who are IN Christ. I note that the glory is to be revealed TO, IN, FOR and CONFERRED on us. It runs through the entire spectrum of our life from when we give our lives to Him, until He returns for us, either by physical death or rapture. 6. And by the Holy Spirit, I have constant help to pray in line with God's will. I am not praying to show off grammar or construct, but to establish the purpose of God on the space I have been planted. The Holy Spirit knows the mind of God as well as the thoughts of men, and He alone can make sure that man's will aligns with God's purpose so that God's will can be done.

7. I note that the entire package promised by God has nothing to do with the work I do for Him. It is first about my being in Him, looking like Him, not so much about working for Him. Not saying working for God isn't important, but when I am molded into His image, there is no way that his likeness will not flow out of me. When men see me, they cannot ignore the reflection of the One who models and commands all I do.

And then today's extract: in the light of all the above, is there still any doubt as to whose side God is on? When I consider all that has been done to bring me to where I stand now, is there still any doubt that God wants the earthly and eternal best for me? What can be so powerful that it can snatch me out of God's hands, unless I willingly walk out on God? 

As long as God is on my side, it doesn't matter what the quantity and quality of the opposition against me is; nothing is as powerful as the God who owns and holds me. If God cannot be defeated, then I am safe in my position in Him, no matter what comes. It then means that everything else that generates fear should be handed over to God. If nothing can defeat God, so what else is left to fear? Let God speak and every other voice be silent. When God acts, who can stop it or question Him? This knowledge is my greatest blessing, as it frees me to live the life I was created, gifted and placed to live. I shouldn't settle for less; I have the owner of the universe on my side. His time of favour is here. 

Submitted!

Submitted!

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Philippians 2:10‭-‬11 KJV

He wasn't a God who could be arrested, harassed or killed, yet because of me, He emptied Himself of his power and might and surrendered Himself to death. It was not just any kind of death, but one that even the Bible says was a curse: Cursed be any man that hangeth on a tree. Because of my sin, and because my sin needed remission and forgiveness, the price had to be paid. Jesus paid the price on my behalf and now, I can enjoy all that Jesus is.

It was that obedience that leads to today's extract. Because Jesus embraced God's plan for our salvation, He has been given a name that is superior to any other name. I note that it is God who gave Jesus that name. There is nothing I can become outside of God, no matter how hard I labour by my power. I can make money and a name for myself, but in the eternal analysis, what would it profit me to gain the whole world and lose my own soul?

And I note those that today's extract speaks to: every knee and every tongue. I am not really concerned about your view but about God's position: He says EVERY. It confirms that every knee SHOULD bow, and every tongue SHOULD confess. It is not really a matter of consensus, agreement or negotiation; it is a matter of compulsion. It may not happen down here on earth, but I can say, with every sense of certainty, that one day soon, when the same Jesus that died returns in glory, it will no longer be a matter of choice. All of us will bow to the superior name of Jesus, and also every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord.

I may not accept Him as Lord down here, but when I stand before His throne, there will not be an option or a choice. I have the opportunity and grace to accept Him willingly down here, before the power of choice is taken away from me. I am given the power to recognise and respond to the authority of Jesus now, so that I enjoy all that He promises all who come to Him. There is no location that is left out: in heaven, on earth, under the earth. Every authority with a tongue that can speak is also covered here. No matter who it is or what it is that has spoken in the past; no matter how powerful the forces arrayed against me are; no matter how legal or illegal powers may have legitimately or illegitimately exercised power over my life, today, I submit to the authority of the name of Jesus, and I receive all that has been promised.

Guess the only question then is: WHO is my Lord? Who or what is presently exercising authority over my life? Who is speaking and commanding things into my life? What is the foundation of all that my life is producing now? Eternal questions, with responses that will speak into eternity. His time of favour is here. 

Times!

Times!

A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Proverbs 17:17 KJV

Relationships seem to be the focus for the entire chapter under review. 

How do you define a friend: 'a person with whom one has a bond of mutual affection, typically one exclusive of sexual or family relations'. How do you define a brother: a man or boy in relation to other sons or daughters of his parents.

So, 1. As a friend, the first consideration isn't what I can get from the relationship, but what is expected of me as a friend. If I call myself someone else's friend, I won't be looking to him to first prove him/herself to me. I am the one who will, by my actions and reactions show that I am a friend. It is not first about the other person proving s/he is worthy of my friendship. It is a tough one, but when Jesus says: 'you are my friends if you do what I command you', he places the duty of friendship on my doorstep, not subject to the reaction or response of the other person. 

That is the slight difference between the way the world defines it above and the way Jesus defines it. We want to be friends with people whose reaction or response we can predict, but nowhere does Jesus command this. Am I a friend to another first because it is convenient, or because I gain something from the relationship or because it is mutually beneficially? Is that all there is to my friendships? 

2. A friend has no ethnic, familial, racial or language foundation. It is based on the humanity concept, where I make friends because I seek to make Jesus known. I am not first seeking convenience, but that Jesus is made known to all who come in contact with me. If I am blessed with someone who sees friendship the same way I do, glory to God. If I meet someone who keeps repaying good with evil, even if I have to keep my distance, does my heart still flow out with the kind of love Jesus showed me even when I rejected Him? It's deep, and it's not humanly possible, but for all who bear allegiance to Jesus, we have received the grace and accepted the duty to live lives that make the clear difference that we know and have Jesus in us. How else can the world understand true friendship if our lives do not make it plain? 

3. What of a brother? In the natural realm, there is a blood connection, and other lives related to that individual. The underlying message here seems to be that God Himself gives families support systems for the days of trouble. He makes us that none of us is left alone at any time. The virgin birth has and will only happen once, and even Jesus had other brothers and sisters. It means that I was not created to bear burdens alone, or to act macho and go it alone. The wise God has placed individuals on my way, both in my natural family and in the spiritual family who will stand by and support me. As it is in the natural realm, so is it in the spiritual realm. I have brothers bound to me by the blood of Jesus, men and women wfo are washed in the same blood and who can give their lives for me, just as I can for them. This is deep, and is not the stuff you can demand from the natural man, but then Jesus places no demand on people who do not bear allegiance to Him. He's made it clear: you are my friends if you do what I command you.

Now I know, what is expected of me? It can't be the usual, the normal and the expected; it has to line up with the divine standard laid down by God. Am I a friend as only the world defines it, or can God count on me to be the kind of person He wants and commands? Can another person look at me and know that s/he can trust me as a friend and brother or as neither? Personal questions, with personal answers. His time of favour is here. 

 

Given 2!

Given 2!

And when you pray, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard because of their many words.  So do not be like them [praying as they do]; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him. 

Matthew 6:7‭-‬8 AMP

Let it be stated here that prayer is first a private matter before it can ever become a public matter. In fact, public prayer is not any measure of a private prayer life. So many things were said by Jesus when it comes to the matter of prayer and today's extract is just one of them. Jesus seems to emphasize prayer as first a private matter between you and God, not between me and any other person. We use high sounding words and want to come out looking smart and intelligent, forgetting that this isn't a popularity contest, but simply a submission to and acceptance of divine authority.

The word WHEN is used here to signify that prayer isn't a choice. Well, it is, because you can decide not to do it, but if and when you have leant the benefit and what it to become a daily routine, then today's extract is for you. Just as was said above, why would I bring in the world's process into my relationship with God? We use grammatical constructs to get ahead with men; we project manage man-made deadlines, and then we want to apply the same principles to prayer. We come to God and sound off; we drone on and on; maybe because we don't know who we are dealing with, or we simply think the more we speak, the easier it is for God to hear and answer us. It actually doesnt work like that. 

It is not in the multitude of words that God honours, but the sincerity of the heart that seeks him. I can spend an hour 'praying', yet I am only seeking to impose my will on the divine, not to hear what the divine wants to say. I could spend the same hour 'praying' to God and really listening to what he has to say and being quick to obey his leading. Same hour, maybe similar words, but the benefits and impact are different. It is not really the length that counts, though sometimes the length could be a reflection of burdens, but when I seek God for the right reasons, this would underline my public testimony.

Today's extract makes it clear: the God who calls us to Himself knows us intimately. He isn't deceived by words that are empty of substance. Go to God in the sincerity of a heart that seeks to know more of Him. It is a search that can never be completed on this side of eternity. The more I pray sincerely, the more of God I realise I do not really know. I have a Father who is the Omniscient God, who knows me so intimately that there is nothing hidden from me. The least I can do for myself is not to deceive myself but to be plain, open and honest with God. His help is free and available. His time of favour is here. 

Being Real!

Being Real!

Better is an open reprimand [of loving correction] Than love that is hidden. Proverbs 27:5 AMP

One of the biggest dangers of this present generation is hypocrisy. We have mastered the art of deception, whereby we say one thing with our lips but our lives say something completely different. We give out good vibes because we know what men want, but our hearts are full of dead bones. The greatest challenge is that we can succeed at it for a while, where we successfully deceive men about the quality of our convictions and the strength of our principles, but there is something about God that needs to be laid out here: God cannot be deceived.

We assume that God is like man, able to entice with visible activity. We forget that the creator of the heart knows all its schemes. Today's extract is a good case in point. We are sometimes afraid to step on toes; refusing to correct wrong because we do not want to offend. We let things slide, sometimes, we even by our actions validate the wrong actions and present them as right when we do not challenge them. How do I strike the right balance between love and discipline, affection and correction?

If indeed I love someone, I can't open my eyes and see the person going into a ditch. The call of love on my heart moves me to do something, either to cover the ditch, or to shout out a warning. Silence here is neither golden or the best option. What is love, if not the visible, outward expression of inner affection. I can't claim to love anyone who I cannot speak to in love, and anyone who rejects the right correction cannot be said to operate out of love. Is what I have love, or just lips confession?

Open rebuke shows I love you and do not want you to perish. I love enough to warn about the dangers of any action that is not rooted in Christ. The motive for my speaking or acting isn't a feeling of superiority but that if you succeed and do well, I have also done well. Of what use is love that is always silent and inactive, no matter what you do? Jesus loved us enough to die for our sins, and till now, He is still speaking, asking that we accept His love and come to Him. An I going to respond to Him? Remember, you cannot show out what you do not first have in you. If I will show love the way God would have it, I must have the God-kind of love inside of me. Nothing else will work. His time of favour is here. 

Given!

Given!

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luke 11:13 KJV

Looking at today's extract, the context was about the disciples seeing the example of Jesus praying and wanting to learn the secret to the power He expressed. They had seen Him at work and knew that there was something different about Him. When men come in contact with me, what is the lasting impression: am I someone who is seen as surely been with Jesus, or is all about noise, effects and no substance?

Jesus taught his disciples a model of prayer, one we call the Lord's prayer today. Deep lessons there, but Jesus goes on to give a practical example of the power of prayer. A friend comes to another friend in the middle of the night, seeking bread to offer his friend. Even though it is night, and his family is asleep, yet because his friend is persistent, as he has nowhere else to go, he will get up and give him all he needs, so he does not return to trouble him. If this is the human standard, just how high do we think God's standard is?

God's standard is made clear: ASK, SEEK, KNOCK. These are active verbs, taking me out of my comfort zone and demanding I take action in line with what I want. He promises that what I get will line up with what I do. If I don't take action, how can I demand results? If I do nothing, how would I expect anything? His promise is that all who ASK will RECEIVE; all who SEEK will FIND; and all who KNOCK will have the door opened to them. Just like the paragraph above, you don't do it once and go to sleep; you keep at it, not because God is deaf, blind or insensitive, but because He is a Father who honours desire and consistency. If I do something only once and abandon it, how does God trust I won't just give in and give up at the first sign of trouble? If I do not know the treasure that is hidden in the knowledge of God, how would I seek Him out like precious treasure? If I do not know the amazing blessings that a personal knowledge and experience of God can bring me, why would I persist in knocking? 

And the clincher: if I as a mortal man, weak and imperfect, know how to give good gifts to my own children; if I can love them despite their imperfections and limitations, how much more do i think that the heavenly Father, the One called Love, will give his own children all that they need for life and Godliness? The Holy Spirit is the Presence of God in a life, and He is the seal of redemption for all who look forward to the eternal salvation of our souls. Everywhere you turn to in Scripture, it is clear that God wants to have a personal relationship with us, if only we will let Him. He wants to come in and make a change in us. He wants to seal us for eternal life. None of these things will be possible if we do not submit to Him and allow His Spirit live and work in us. He won't force Himself on us, but when you consider the permanence of eternity, and the fact that you cannot change it once it rolls in, you just have to be sure. The Holy Spirit is proof of God's Presence; do I have Him? His time of favour is here. 

Faith, not Sight!

Faith, not Sight!

For we walk by faith [we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by sight or appearance. 2 Corinthians 5:7 AMPC

The abridged version of today's extract is: 'we walk by faith and not by sight'. Why is this verse so key? A look at the context will help clarify. So a few statements start off this context: 1. God promises the certainty that our earthly body will certainly be torn down. This body of dust is just an outer cover for our real self, the soul, the real part of us; the part that will stand before God for judgment to receive the eternal consequences of our earthy stay. 2. God is preparing a home for us in heaven, and it is a home that He is the architect of and will exist forever. Just these two statements are enough to make me pause and wonder what is really ahead. How much of these can I trust to be true? If I know them to be true, how do I really prepare? 

All the experiences down here make me look forward to the new things God has promised. Nothing down here seems to hold any attraction, because there is nothing down here that can replace the body and home God is preparing for us. And there is a groaning, because no matter how hard I try, I cannot shortchange the process or speed it up; I can only wait for the fulfilment of God's promise, and the new body and home He has promised. But how do I know any of these things are really true? What is the guarantee that there is really anything to look forward to? The answer is in one of the verses before today's extract, and it is the Holy Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit is called the 'guarantee' of all that God has promised. He is the assurance that God can and will keep his Word. It then means that if I will get all that is promised, I need the presence of the Holy Spirit to keep me on the right path and doing the right things. He is not just a feeling or a sense of moralistic righteousness but a person; one promised by God to keep me focused on the eternal, even while I am living out the temporal. And it is no wonder that today's extract challenges me to walk by faith, not by sight. There is nothing in the physical realm that can explain the spiritual. There is nothing in the spiritual that a man without the Spirit of God can understand.

It is called faith because I have to take God at His Word that all He has said in it are true. I have not seen up to 1% of what He has promised, yet the Presence of the Holy Spirit keeps my heart focused on God. As I read His Word, I am reminded of where I am coming from, where I am now and where I am headed. God takes care of all that. No other person or power is able to predict, with any amount of certainty, what lies ahead, but God lays it all out with clarity, inviting me to trust Him. What do I stand to lose if I do? If I have tried all other options, and I still do not have peace, what will it cost me to try God out and find out for myself? 

Remember, nothing about God will make sense if you don't have His Spirit to remind you of what is truly important. You can't make it by yourself, and you can't succeed at it on your own terms. I walk by faith, because sight is deceptive. My senses are limited to what it can evidence, but there is a lot that none of my senses can evidence, yet God would have me believe, and He gives me His Spirit to remind me daily of what is truly important. Eternity is at stake here, and eternity is too long a time not to be sure of where you will spend it. His time of favour is here. 

What's Good?

What's Good? 

He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, and to love kindness and mercy, and to humble yourself and walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 AMPC

As it has always been said, let it be said again now: God will punish sin, no matter in whom it is found. God has no favourites when it comes to sin, and the price He paid: the life of His Son, shows the extent of his hatred for sin, and why He does not want anyone to perish. The price has been paid, and the gift remains. How I respond to Him then becomes my personal choice, and my eternal reality. 

God warned Israel about disobeying Him. He told them what the dire consequences will be, but they still went ahead and rebelled. He punished them, but His mercy just would not let go. In that is the warning: why do I not learn until hurt and punishment come? Why do I not learn in quiet surrender? With all the words and lessons in the Bible, why do I think they do not apply to me? 

I cannot plead ignorance, because God's Word clearly spells out what His will and purpose are. I cannot claim not to know what God loves or hates, because His preferences are made quite clear from the Bible. God leaves no one in doubt as to the consequences of actions, and that is the emphasis of today's extract. No matter the generation or the pressure, God does not bend His will to suit our preferences. We are the ones who must live up to His standards or live with the consequences of our rebellion. 

As I read the words here, I realise something very quickly: my first priority is to God, and my walk with Him, before it becomes a public affirmation. I can't do justice if I don't first know what is just. I can't love kindness and mercy, if I have not first experienced the love of God and known what it is like to enjoy His mercy. How do I remain humble if I do not understand the might and power of God, and my own smallness? How do I impact this world if God has not first impacted my heart? 

Priorities matter. If I don't get it right, I can't do right by God. If I am busy with the wrong things, it won't matter the quality of the applause I get. If I am not in the centre of His will, it won't matter how focused I am on my present assignment. Guess the question then remains: have I found out what God wants me to be and do? Is that what I am pursuing at the moment? Have I found out what God wants to show me? My pursuit must reflect my understanding of who God is and what He wants for my life. Anything else is a waste of time. His time of favour is here.