Let Go!

Let Go!

Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established. Proverbs 16:3 KJV

In order to understand the weight and timing of today's extract, let's look at another version: Before you do anything, put your trust totally in God and not in yourself. Then every plan you make will succeed. When God asks me to commit my works to Him, He is not asking me to consider Him an afterthought, but as the one and only attraction. I shouldn't come to Him after I have tried all available options and had my fingers burnt. I should not come to Him simply out of a sense of duty or to fulfil all righteousness, but because I have come to know God on a personal level and know that He wants to be involved in every area of my life. So, what is God to you: a spare wheel or the steering wheel? A passenger or the driver and conductor of your life? 

And of course, it is important you make plans and it also matters in whose hands you leave the plans. Not planning at all is like waking up and going out of your house, unsure of where you are going but just expecting that you will end up in the right place. How would you know if you are in the right place if you never knew where you were going in the first place? Make plans, but keep them fluid enough until God has vetted and approved them. No amount of human wisdom could have prepared the world for recent events, and this makes it clear that God can upset any plans that does not lie within His will and purpose. 

And I am asked not to fret over the plans, but to commit them to God's hands. You cannot commit something to God, and still retain the worrying rights to those things. If I am still worried about something I gave up to God, I never trusted God with them in the first place. Trust means letting go completely, not holding on to a part of it. Trust means I admit I cannot help myself or solve the problem on my own, but I have left them to someone who has the capacity and strength to take them and solve whatever problems or uncertainties they pose. 

When God is in charge of my planning, the thoughts that lead to the plans lead to the establishment and promotion of God's will. Let it be known today that God will never promote or establish anything that does not align with His will. You can push the plans forward and use men to promote them for a season, but when God is really ready, He will rubbish the plans. You don't want to spend time in the wilderness away from God's favour. You don't want to spend time fretting over plans that will not succeed. Go to God, and let Him guide and lead you down the right path. There are no regrets for a man whose ways, works and plans are subject to the control of His creator. His time of favour is here. 

Come, Buy, Eat!

Come, Buy, Eat!

Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Isaiah 55:1‭-‬2 KJV

The first step in getting help is to admit that there is a problem. A man who does not know that he needs help will always spurn that help. So, today's extract starts with a call and a universal offer to all men: Ho, every one who thirsts. It does not discriminate between colour, creed, race and gender. It is an offer to all born of women, and open to all who will come. 

And you must know and admit what the problem is. You cannot take medicine for pain relief if the problem is a viral infection. The solution must match the problem. For all who admit their thirst and know that they need help, today's extract goes on to prescribe exactly what is needed to address the identified problem. 

And the solution is always fit and sufficient for the problem. God offers the waters, abundant waters, enough for all who thirst and come. No demand on earth can exhaust the resources of heaven, so if all the earth's inhabitants come to God, there is enough to go round and more. 

Even with no money, I am asked to come, buy and eat. There must be something other than actual money that pays the cost of my coming to God. This is not something that my fat bank account can pay for, or the wealth of my connections or circle of influence. This is not what all the world's goods can pay for, so I can't claim the waters by virtue of anything the world has or offers. All I am asked to do is COME. 

The currency of getting all that God offers will be faith and works coming together as a single concept. It is faith in God's ability to solve a problem that leads to me taking the step of coming to Him. Men of the world have tried so many other options, including stealth, outright deceit and manipulation, yet there is a void in the heart that nothing else can occupy except God. Until God comes in and fills it, the heart will keep wandering, lost and alone. 

And that is emphasised in today's extract. Men have laboured yet have nothing to show for it. Men have killed and maimed, yet do not have anything close to the peace only God can give. Men have spent their lives thinking that being educated is enough. It is good, but it is nowhere near enough. The secret is in listening to what God offers here, and taking Him up on His promises. 

When I respond, I get all that is promised. When I reject, I cannot turn around and blame God for the consequences of my action. God does not leave me ignorant of what I stand to gain by coming to Him: I get to eat that which is good; my soul will delight in fatness. What could be more important than being settled both inside and outside? My flesh on the outside reflects a life that is taken care of by God and my soul enjoys inner peace and joy, which flow on to eternal life. 

It was never meant to be good only for this present life, but for all of life. I was not created to exist for a short time, but to reign with God in eternity. No matter what God gives me down here, they are not replacements for all that God wants me to have. So, I ask God again to show me what I really need for this life He has given me; nothing more, nothing less. I come to God and take all He gives, because only by these things will i llI survive all that the world will throw at me. Forget all the world's measures and tricks; only that which God gives truly satisfies to the end and guarantees eternal life. Don't settle for anything less than that which secures true life. His time of favour is here. 

Done Right!

Done Right!

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Psalms 139:13‭-‬14 NIV

Today's extract makes it clear that there is a secret part of me, formed away from prying eyes, as well as a physical part which everyone sees. There is an inner being: a soul, mind and heart, capable of taking both good or bad decisions. That is the real essence of man himself; the part that defines the focus of the physical man, and the part that will stand before God for judgment. Neither part is to be toyed with, and I must pay close attention to the essence, message and impact of both parts. 

There is also a physical part of me, the part that all men see and can relate to. The physical part started as the result of a fertilised egg, and grew in the womb until brought to full term and brought out alive. In that womb, the fullness of all that men will see, in terms of physical features, were all formed in the womb. Only at birth do they start to grow and be made manifest. In essence, all of me, both physical and spiritual, were formed by a God of absolute knowledge, away from the eyes of any other man like myself. 

It then means that the opinion of any other person like myself is not really important towards the fulfilment of God's purpose for my life. Mortal men who cannot see beyond the second that has just passed are not qualified to make eternal decisions on my behalf. And this truth is further established in the verses under consideration. You do not see a single reference to anyone or anything else. It is just God and I talking about what He has done, what He needs me to do in the now and the amazing things that are yet to be made manifest. 

And my reaction has to be spot on: how can I know a God like this and not be motivated to praise Him often. What other reaction or response do I think is appropriate for a God whose work cannot even be understood or reversed by mortal man? A God who does not need the consent of anyone to bless me as He sees fit. A God who can move heaven and earth for the sake of His children. And as I grow in my knowledge and experience of God, I learn more about His discipline and His will.

And my understanding of who I am and whose I am help put things in the right perspective. If I know who I belong to, I will not kill myself to win other people's approval. If I am confident in my relationship with God, I don't need human applause to validate me. God's imprint upon my life is enough to make me both humble and grateful. I stand where I am today, not because of strength but because of God's grace. Lord, I am grateful. His time of favour is here. 

Lift Up!

Lift Up!

Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.  Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah. Psalms 24:9‭-‬10 KJV

As we have always said, there is always a high price to pay for sin. The earth is the Lord's, but when sin came, we kind of handed temporary power and control to the devil to manipulate events to his favour. It must be emphasized that this did not hand over ownership to the devil. The world's systems may be under his influence but a day comes when full control and authority will be publicly declared and all men will be subject to judgement by the One who onws it all.

This owner is the one who seeks a relationship with me. He wants me to come to Him on His own terms, not mine. He wants to have a daily walk with me, which will impact every area of my life. The verses before today's extract make it clear that the only way I get to enjoy all that God has decreed for life and to exercise the authority I have been given is to surrender totally to Him: clean hands and a pure heart; no deceit and no vanity. No room for anything the devil sells as attractive options. When that is settled, then the words of today's extract can make sense. 

What are those gates or everlasting doors that may have existed long before I was born? What could be the long-standing traditions of men that may have held me back in the past? What are those limitations that the devil would have put in my way, reminding me of my terrible past? All of them need to be reminded about today's extract. It doesn't matter how long the doors and gates have been in place. It matters at whose command and authority they are being asked to open up. And because the owner of the earth is the One seeking to come in, they must hear and heed. 

These doors are presented as objects with human attributes of seeing and hearing. They are told to observe the king of glory that wants to come in. Of course, because they are subject to His command, they have no choice but to obey. What are those doors or gates that have either shut you out of or in from that which God has promised you? It is time to remind the doors and gates that they answer to the King of kings and the Lord of glory. When He speaks, every other voice is silent. 

When He commands, all of creation must heed. What is that thing that needs to shift for God's purpose to be established concerning you? What are those opportunities that need to be revealed for you to take position to fulfil God’s purpose for your life? Go to God today and get a Word from Him about those situations. Speak that Word to all that is in front of you, and whether it is for doors to open or close in line with that Word, you will see the fulfilment of all that God has purposed. His time of favour is here. 

Mercy!

Mercy!

Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Matthew 5:7 NIV

What is mercy: Google defines it this way: "compassion or forgiveness shown towards someone whom it is within one's power to punish or harm." On first reading, it is clear that there must have been a contravention of the instructions of One who is superior to the one being shown mercy. The breach of instruction also would carry the penalty, made clear from the very start, otherwise, what is shown will not be called mercy. And it will be within the power of the superior to apply the due punishment for the breach of instruction. This is what is called justice and fairness: do the crime; pay the price. It is the total and complete break with the norm that makes what Jesus did for us so unique and special. We were the ones who received his instructions, yet we broke them over and over again. 

God had made very clear what the penalty for sin is: death, but we just couldn't help ourselves. In stepped the same Jesus, whose instructions we had ignored or disobeyed, and knowing we couldn't save ourselves, came in mercy, showed us compassion and forgiveness, paying the legal price for the sin that we committed but couldn't settle. It is that mercy that gives us legal ground on which to stand and approach God's throne of grace, where we can ask for anything we need. If the God who sits on that throne could give up His One and Only Son for us, we have received the greatest gift ever; every other thing we ask for is additional blessing on top of the greatest one we have received. 

How do you get it: This is where it gets quite interesting. There is nothing a man could do to deserve the mercy of God, except to just bd born. All men, born of women, are born into sin, and as long as you can trace your origin to Adam, you are also eligible for the grace that was pronounced by God in the garden of Eden, but made alive when Jesus died. It does not matter what the past looks like, what the challenges of the present are, or how bleak the future looks; as long as I am still breathing God's air, I am a recipient of the mercy of God. 

What it is not: I must note that this grace is not my exclusive preserve, or something I have been mandated to dispense as I see fit. It was not mine to dispense in the first place; I am only a recipient of the mercy. If I am therefore a recipient, I cannot become proud about something I did not create and cannot sustain or limit. Just as I have received it, I must be quick to show it to other people. If I know the value of what I have received, I will not have to be compelled to show it to other people. A heart of gratitude knows what it has received, and is quick to invite others to enjoy the same thing. It is what I show out to others that I will receive in return. 

In light of eternity: and in light of who and what is coming, I must make haste to show this mercy to all who are yet to know this God of mercy. This God shows mercy, but I must never forget the reason why His mercy was required in the first place. It was sin that caused the first separation between man and God and it is also sin that will cause the final separation between man and God. Just as mercy intervened to reconcile man to God, that mercy is still quite active today, still seeking men to return to God. However, please note that mercy has an expiry date: when physical death or the final judgment happens, mercy expires. All that is left is the full expression of the wrath of God. You do not want to know what that looks like. While there is life, seek and obtain Life. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. His mercy is free, available and open to all. Accept Him today, receive mercy and show it to others too. His time of favour is here. 

Fixed!

Fixed!

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV

The eyes are the windows into the soul. Jesus Himself said that if thy eye be single, your whole body will be full of light. There is a power in not just seeing, but seeing right. So many people have eyes, but cannot perceive what God is doing at the moment. So many people see the strange things going on around them, but they are unable to process it in line with God's predetermined counsel and purpose. God wants me not just to see and observe, but to fully understand what He is doing in and around me, and be able to respond appropriately. 

What I fix my eyes on will be a function of what I understand to be truly important. Men like myself have built up funds, with fat bank accounts to last them generations. It is possible that for another three generations, they may not lack. It is also possible that what has been built up may not last, but there is a confidence that comfort gives. Unfortunately, whatever it is that belongs to the earth will go with the earth. If all I have is what the world can give and take away, then I am poor indeed. If all I can leave for generations after me are just fat bank accounts and nothing more, then I have not really left anything of true value. 

So, it matters what I understand to be of true value. If I know what true value is, I will spend my life pursuing that. With God, this world is just a passing phase, and we all would do well to understand this. There is nothing down here that I can take with me when death or rapture comes; the only thing that will translate is the soul, the real me, the one that will stand before God for judgement. Fire is the ultimate end of all I see down here. It is that understanding that Paul had that led to the words of today's extract, and it is that understanding all who will end up with God must have. 

Cast but a glance at possessions, power, position and privilege. They can be seen or felt, which means they belong to this earthly phase. As long as they can be perceived by mortal men, they do not satisfy the requirements and purposes of an immortal God. God can use them to fulfil His will, but do not be distracted by them. God may not need them to bring His purpose to bear in my life, which is why I must be careful of the things my eyes are fixed on. My focus defines my pursuit.

In these strange times, we need to check our priorities. What am I focused on? Can they lead me into eternal life? Are the things of this world so precious to me that they keep my eyes away from eternity? I must keep at the back of my mind this eternal truth: if it is not inspired by God, it cannot produce that which glorifies God. Nothing of the world can help secure that which is of heaven. I must settle in my heart that which is eternally relevant to me, and focus on that, to the exclusion of every other thing. Can you do that? His time of favour is here. 

Produce!

Produce!

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45 KJV

It has to be established how a man becomes good. Sin had attacked our foundations and given us a nature that was not God's perfect plan from the start, but God had his plans of restoration and hope lined up through the 'seed' of the woman. It then means that for a man to become good, the seed of the woman has to be planted in him. It is that seed that is nurtured that makes a man good. 

As the seed of the woman, who is Jesus, lives in a man, his life produces fruit that aligns with the quality of the seed inside him. Sin becomes less attractive and a desire to please God becomes the main attraction. To call a man good is to understand the quality of the seed his life has received, is being watered and is growing inside him. You can never produce fruit that goes against the nature of the seed implanted in you and which you have nurtured.

The opposite is equally true. To call a man evil is to understand the quality of the seed he has also received and has nourished to maturity. You then ask: who plants the seed? Both God and the devil are long-term investors, who have an eye on eternity. Both are interested in souls who will receive what they have on offer. You are the one with the power to determine what kind of seed is sown into your life. As you read books, go on the internet, relate with friends and live your daily life, seeds are being offered and if you open up the ground of your heart, then the seed will be planted. The power to resist any kind of seed that you know will not bear good fruit is in your hand. 

That is the essence of the last part of today's extract: the mouth speaks of the things that the heart has received and nourished over time. It doesn't just happen overnight; it is the product of time spent investing, watering and looking after the seed. What comes out is a function of what had gone in before. If you want the end to look right, now is the time to invest in the right seed. You cannot blame God for the quality of your fruit, if you never did take time to watch the quality of the seed planted in your heart. 

And the heart is the home of your treasures. In there lies the most precious thoughts and motives, as well as the most devious and devilish motives. Whatever you feed grows and whatever you starve wanes and eventually dies. The power to feed is in your hand; use it wisely. God wants to come in and take over, plant His Word in you and lead you down the path that leads to His life, but He cannot go against the exercise of your own freewill. Let God have his way; there are no regrets for a life that God has led and blessed. His time of favour is here.

Insured!

Insured!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

The events of our recent lives may give the impression that God has lost control of His creation, but today's extract is another reminder of God's awesome power and grace. To fully understand today's extract, we must remember the words that have become consistent over the past few devotions: God will punish sin, no matter in whom it is found. You can be the best of people, used of God mightily but sin will reduce you to nothing if you do not repent of and forsake it. Israel was God's chosen people, but now in exile, cast into Babylon as a result of their sin. Once again, let it be known: God has no favourites when it comes to sin. He does not lower His standard for anyone. 

So, Israel went into captivity but the people still held on to false hope that it was just a temporary thing that would soon change. False prophets took advantage and gave false hope, claiming that Israel would soon return. God made it clear, and then gave these words through Jeremiah, which are in the verse before today's extract: This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.  Jeremiah 29:10 NIV. For Israel, God knew where they were: Babylon. He knew how long they would be there for: 70 years. He knew the process for their return and He had given them His Word, which has never failed, that He would return and restore them back to their own land. 

When you have a sure word from God like this, does it not set your heart at rest that no matter what happens, God has your back? No matter the physical or mental realities around me, I keep the words of today as a spiritual bulwark against the enemy's suggestions. God's Word has never been known to fail, no matter how many generations pass. The promise of redemption by God in the Garden of Eden took maybe almost 4,000 years, yet it surely came to pass. That is consistency and faithfulness.

And the details of the plan align with the nature of the God who makes the promise. How can a fig tree bear pears? Science has not been able to change the output of a seed that has germinated in the ground and is already growing. You can graft in something else to the branch, but you cannot affect the quality of the seed unless you uproot the entire plant. God cannot produce evil; it is sin that leads us down dark paths, and produces evil consequences. God is a good God, and all who submit to Him get only good. God is NEVER interested in the death of a sinner but that all come to repentance, but He also does not go against the exercise of our freewill. If I reject God, how can I claim His salvation? If I reject the One meant to save my soul from death, how do I claim the eternal life that lies at the end of my present earthly life? 

So, let it be known today that God is interested both in my present and the future. That is why His promise here is not just about today, but also about the future. God is not like the devil, trying to manipulate the present into his own kind of determined end, but God knows and holds the future, and He is able to work out the present to align with His plan. So I rest assured that I am in God's hands, the best place to be. He is in control of all that goes on around me and He alone has power over life and death. Nothing happens outside His permission, and when He speaks, His Word becomes the standard that He is bound by. Get a Word from Him about your situation today and rest assured that heaven and earth will have to pass away first before His Word can ever be broken. His time of favour is here. 

Let It Go!

Let It Go!

Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.

Psalms 55:22 KJV

In his earlier psalms, David was the all-conquering prayer warrior, asking God to destroy all those who came against him for the wrong reasons. He made claims to being right, and sought God to deal with his enemies based on his own goodness. You would see words such as 'according to the cleanness of my hands' and 'according to my righteousness'. In later years however, David came to learn that man does not come to be accepted by God first with his own righteousness, but with the mercy, grace and righteousness that only God can supply. We stand by grace alone, and by that grace, our actions are guided and accepted in light of that same grace. 

David had learnt a lesson here, and the fundamental basis is this: I can't help myself become all that God wants for me. I can only depend on God and trust Him to work out His perfect will in me. If I am wise in my own eyes, I won't need God or ask Him for help. However, it is clear that on my own, I will struggle and fail miserably. I need the help of the true burden-bearer to draw near to God, and take hold of the grace He has made available. So, how do I do it? 

First, the instruction is to 'cast'. An interesting definition is 'to throw something forcefully'. The only way I can explain this is to look at the alternative. I am not asked to negotiate with the devil about the burden, or to come to God with bribes and palliatives to get Him to see your point of view. I am asked to throw all my burdens forcefully on Him. It is a weight off my back and on to Him. 

Second, it is not a casting on to another man like myself, who probably has his own burdens to sort out. We lay our burdens on others, and get angry and depressed when they can't help. We forget that no man was created to bear the burdens that only God can carry. We all have ours, and by the law of Christ, I am to help bear your burdens. It will be wrong for me to take up what I was not gifted or empowered to do. Give the burdens to the One who has asked to take them up. I am asked to cast my burdens upon the Lord, whose arms are referred to as the everlasting arms. He is the One called our refuge, strength, and an ever-present help in times of trouble. 

Third, it is not meant to be a temporary arrangement, where you throw the burdens on God, then after a season, you go back and pick them up again. Whatever it is that I have handed over to God, I must learn to leave it with Him. I kneel down and pray, and as soon as I get up, I pick up all the anxiety and worry. Why did I bother bringing the burdens in the first place, if I was not going to trust God with them? Why devote time to prayer if I can't trust the One I have just spent time praying to? 

Fourth, and this is the hard part: you get to exchange the burden you cannot carry for the one that God can and will help you bear. When you read the words: 'and He will sustain you', what does it mean to you? I look up the definition of 'sustain' and I see: 'to strengthen or support physically or mentally' and for this purpose, I add 'spiritually'. You don't get to walk away with no measure of responsibility or accountability. You take on an assignment that only the grace of God can help you fulfil. You are given a burden by God for a walk with God and a work for God that are eternal in scope and effect and only the One who births that burden can sustain both you and the burden. This is a good burden, where you come to experience God in a personal way, and the souls of men are impacted and preserved for eternity.

Lastly, if I am to stand, it cannot be by the righteousness of my own hands alone. It has been proved already that on my own, and by myself, I cannot make it. David tried it, and by the time the devil had manipulated just one event on the rooftop of his palace, David had committed adultery, murder and lied all in the space of a few days. When I stand in God's righteousness, I stand in and I'm sustained by God's grace. Of course, the one God sustains cannot be shaken. Storms will come and winds will blow, but when it is God holding you up, just a word from Him is enough to calm all storms. So, who is holding you up? Whose burden are you bearing? I ask myself the same questions too. If it is not that which God has birthed and handed over to you, please let it go. You gain nothing by taking on what does not belong to you, or what God has already asked you to hand over to Him. Let it all go, and take on that which will speak into eternity. Give up that which you should not bear, and take on that which you cannot do without. His time of favour is here. 

In Plain Sight!

In Plain Sight!

Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

Matthew 5:14 KJV

As I read today's extract, it is very clear that it has a personal touch. These words were part of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus gathered his disciples to Him, sat down and taught them. The crowd listened, but the message was and is still for disciples. If I am to really live out the words of today's extract, I must first sort out my allegiance. Who do I follow? Am I all about the popular movement, public acceptance and audible and visible applause? Or am I first about what my master wants, the One to whom I have totally surrendered to? It matters where you fit, because the rest of the verse rests on my ownership structure. 

That statement: 'You are the light of the world' does not leave room for doubt, discussion or dissipation of energy. You are either the light or not at all. There is no halfway house, where you can toy with a little bit of both. This is not a joke: the issue of your identity is a matter of life and death. Being light means I carry in myself something that gives light; in this case, it is someone who is Light Himself. His presence in me reflects in and out of me. It is not a reality that can be hidden or ignored. Men may not say anything but the light is something that cannot be ignored. 

Why is this so? It is because that light is a threat to the darkness that the world has and offers. If the light was not a threat, the devil will not be so focused on extinguishing this light in us. The devil knows that as long as that light in us, Jesus, is shining, there is nothing he can do. All the storms, winds and rains that he orchestrates are all tailored to take our eyes off the light and focus them on the situations around us. From the life of Peter, we know how dangerous that can be. 

And that light was not meant to be hidden or kept private. Light by its nature is difficult to keep bottled or prevented from shining. No matter how dark a place is, the smallest sliver of light will make a big difference. We all know how powerful and life - changing the smallest reflection of light from the screen of a mobile device can be in the midst of a storm. It can be a little light, or it can be a thousand lights; all that matters to God is that I shine out with His glory. The world is really in need of light and guidance; by itself, it has nothing it can change itself with. This is where I, as light, needs to step in. 

The world may not know how to live up to the expectations of the light, but it sure can identify the real deal. A statement like: 'And you call yourself a Christian' makes it clear that the world has a semblance of an idea of what light looks like, even though it does not follow it. It is my responsibility to make sure that God is seen in and through me every day. I will be a false ambassador for Christ if I am promoting an interest or way of life that is against the kingdom I represent. That is grounds for dismissal or recall. So, am I really shining as I should? Is Jesus evident in me? Is His life and light visible and audible in me? Eternity rests on my answers. His time of favour is here. 

Love, God's Type!

Love, God's Type!

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:18 KJV

John addresses the people he writes to as little children. It is not a mistake or an oversight; it is simply a reminder of the heart with which God's instructions are to be received, processed and obeyed. Too many times, we approach God from a false position of strength, where we think that we can deal with Him on the basis of head - knowledge or sheer force of action. God's instructions are not burdensome, but you need the right kind of heart to accept them as law and obey them. Do I have the heart of a little child: simple, trusting and ever - dependent on my Father? Or do I have other allegiances that divide my heart and make it hard to focus on God? 

And the focus of God in today's extract is love. If you watch most contemporary movies, you will get a false image of what true love is. Anyway, there are so many types of love the world has also defined: the filial and the erotic, but today's focus is on that which God is and promotes first of all. What is it not: it is not in the abundance of words spoken, but in the largeness of the heart from which the love proceeds. It is not in sweet words by which man tries to take advantage of the other person. The world has so many variants of what is love but this is the issue: the world can only give you that which it has. If what you are looking for is the type only God can give, the world cannot and will not give it to you, no matter how much you squeeze it. 

It is the world's standard to deceive by words; it is God's standard to inspire by His Word. His standard has always been about matching His Word with His acts. He claims to love us and then proved it by giving us the best gift ever: the life of His Son Jesus. That one life is the answer to all of the world's baggage. If I feel burdened by what I am asked to do, I need to check my present pursuit: is it what the Word of God has inspired or what the world has pushed me into? If I am looking to be more than just a footnote in history, I need to be sure on whose side I am on: the side only reacting to what is going on around me, or the one led by the history-making God into making impact on the earth I have been placed. 

And the world knows the difference between what it offers and what God offers. That is why it tries to give you various versions of the real thing. Why does man keep pursuing God's type of love and never seems to find it in another person? It is because this love is first birthed in God, and anyone who will find it must first find God. You can't get outside of God that which God offers; if you want to know real love, go look for it in God. When you find God, you will experience the kind of love that you cannot hide or fake, because it will pour out of you. When men come at you with hatred, you flow out with that which you have, which is love. My actions will speak of the One who lives in me. My life will reflect the truth that only a life in God can have. 

Guess the most important question of all, in these strange times, and as we wait for the manifestation of the promise of transformation that God promises is this: Do I know this God and the Love only He has and can give? As long as I have life, it is not too late to know this God. Know God; know His love. No God; no true love, at least the type that guarantees eternal life with God. His time of favour is here. 

Pray!

Pray!

praying at all seasons, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching unto this very thing with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints; Ephesians 6:18 DARBY

Today's extract flows from the account of the armour of God, where Paul lists all the parts to the armour. It has always been said that there is no cover for the back, so there is no option for retreating. However, for all the parts, there is a function and a role to play for the wearer. The parts of the armour protects you the wearer from all that the devil brings. Where then is the place of other believers like you in the fight? 

In addition to the parts of the armour, I am asked to pray. I can be all dressed up, ready for battle, yet courage fail in the face of the pressure of war. I can be all dressed and ready like all ten virgins, yet due to some measure of comfort, I doze off and I am not watchful. Today's extract gives some words of comfort and challenge that whilst I am still in this human body, I cannot become careless. 

And there is no safe season until I exchange this mortal body for immortality. There is no demilitarised zone where the devil will keep off, unless the Lord limits his operation. So, as I take up each part, I am arming myself for battle, but I do it with prayer, asking God for the grace, wisdom and strength to rely on Him daily and to never think I have it a figured out on my own. 

The type, manner and length of prayer are all mentioned; it is all manner of prayer and supplication, in all seasons, and in the Spirit. After all, it is spiritual warfare, and the physical weapons have no place here. And as I pray, I also watch out for daily guidance on what to do. There will be times, like Joseph, where to run away is the wisest course of action. There will be other times that to stand and declare allegiance to God, like the three Hebrew boys, no matter what it may cost me, will be the best course of action. No matter what the situation requires, it is important to be guided by God. Only by a daily life of listening and obedience can God guide my steps and keep me from evil. 

So, this is not a stand on bank account balance, circle of influence or position and possession, but on the consciousness of the presence of God and the availability of His help. He does not promise comfort the type the world understands, but that when I have stood the test of time, and stood for Him, there is an eternal reward that will make all the sacrifices worth it. Have I met this God? Does He know me as His own? His time of favour is here. 

Stay!

Stay!

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. Galatians 6:9 KJV

The context of today's extract is the immutable law of sowing and reaping. God laid down this law after the flood of Noah, and that law has remained unchanging since then. It is what I put into the ground that the ground will process and give back to me. There is no development of science that can change the seed into a different fruit. You can take steps to graft, but that can only be done when the seed has already taken form and has already manifested. It is therefore settled that whatever outcome I want to see is determined by the quality and quantity of the seed I put down into the ground. Men see the fruit and crave it; nobody ever remembers the work that went in behind the scenes to guarantee the quality of the fruit. 

And that same process applies to the spiritual. If I will get the kind of fruit that God wants my life to produce, I cannot afford to be careless or carefree about the process. I will make effort to get quality seeds, and then get the right environment for the seed: soil conditions, availability of water, fertiliser and other nutrients, and then weeding to give optimum protection to the seed. I do not do all these, and then go to sleep; I stay awake and alert for anything that will affect the seed. From sourcing the seed and final harvest to the return cycle of sowing, it is one long journey of care and perseverance. God's investments in me must not be allowed to waste. 

The devil knows the impact of good seed is, and from the parable of the sower, he will do all he can to tamper with the ground receiving the seed. He can't do anything about the quality of the seed, but he can impact the ground so that it does not yield maximum fruit. He brings despair and discouragement; makes men think that they are not appreciated, or that nobody cares about what they do. The devil is a liar and a master manipulator, and I must be mindful of his suggestions and tricks if I must make it to the end of God's planned purpose for my life. 

There is a reward God has made public, and He offers it to all who endure to the end. There is a time for sowing and a time for reaping; you can't mix up the two. If you miss the time of sowing, you may not get the type of harvest that the right sowing will give you. So, while I live, I keep striving with all my heart to be all that God created and gifted me to be. I do not settle for anything less than all of God's purpose. I know that in God, nothing is ever lost, as long as He is involved. I receive grace to endure to the end, so that I get the full measure of the harvest God has promised me. His time of favour is here. 

Peace, God's Type 2!

Peace, God's Type 2!

Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. Matthew 5:9 KJV

Quick question: what is peace? This is defined by Google as 'freedom from disturbance; tranquillity; a state or period when there is no war or war has ended'. It seems to me that it will be quite obvious when there is no peace, and also quite obvious when there is peace. It is also clear from the definitions above that there is first an inner element, and also an outer element to peace. Men can experience both, as there are certain conditions that must exist for both to exist. 

Gues the next question is: what has God got to do with these definitions? According to the account of Luke, the word peace is first mentioned at Zechariah's prophecy about the birth of the Saviour, and also by the host of heaven at the birth of Jesus, when heaven declared: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace towards men'. Heaven testified about the peace earth was receiving, so it appears that it is only in and by God that true peace can be found. How do I know this: the same account of the birth of Jesus in Matthew. The wise men came with joy to see the king that had been born, while Herod and his whole court and Jerusalem also were in turmoil. The news that brought joy to some brought pain and trouble to others. 

It then means that you can't get all that God promises outside of Him. If He promises something, I have to be IN Him to get ALL of Him. What is peace, if it is not secured by the One who can cause wars to cease? What do you have if it is not backed up by the One called the Prince of Peace? And it has to be said, that you cannot give or promote what you don't have. If what you have is not birthed and sustained by the Prince of Peace, what you produce cannot be the peace that God offers. Men have tried to enforce peace, using the threat of nuclear and biological weapons, yet wars and rumours of wars have not stopped. You can't enforce God's kind of peace by man's earthly weapons; you can only institute and maintain in when you remain in God. 

And that is how today's extract will work. Peace making flows from a heart that already has peace. The fruit of a child of God cannot be hid. Peace is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. As I live daily, interacting with men like myself, the truth about my inner content will be revealed. Let it be known today that if I claim allegiance to God and I am busy promoting division, I am NOT a child of God. Let it not be that it will be at the judgment seat of God that the truth of my inner content will be revealed. Are you a child of God? Does His kind of life flow in and through you? Can men testify to the truth and fact of the fruit of peace in my life? His time of favour is here. 

Grace and Pain!

Grace and Pain!

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. 1 Peter 5:10 KJV

In the verse before us today, the past, present, and the future and eternal are all represented. 

Past: all of us who stand now in God were not always in God. We had rejected God and turned our backs on Him, but His love just won't let go. Even when man sinned in the Garden of Eden, it was there in the Garden that the seed of redemption and restoration was sown. We all have a sinful past; the clincher is this: we do not have to be defined or limited by that past. The death and resurrection of Jesus sealed our deliverance from our sinful past, and gives us grace to enter into the Presence of God to receive all that He offers. We all have a past, but only those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus can look to the rest of today's extract with hope. 

Present: Now that I am saved, I would expect that God will take me away from the world and take me home to Him. How does the world see God at work if there is nobody to show Him off? He leaves me here, and along with His Presence, he promises me pressure. If God had not provided comfort in the face of this pressure, not many people will survive. He promises me some pain and suffering, as I wait for the fullness of all He has promised. God does not lie; His intention is not to make me comfortable but to make me conformable to His will. He will do all He can to achieve this, and as I walk with Him, He will achieve this purpose. 

Future and Eternal: if it is only for this life we have hope, we are of all men most miserable. God did not bring us this far to leave us without a final destination. If we are to just live down here, die and end it all there, then all the sacrifices and pain are a waste. But we know, from the assurance of the Word of God, that physical death or rapture is just a phase that translates us into the final part of the divine plan, which is eternal life with God. If I am not headed in that direction, it is not too late to find Jesus and get on the path. As long as I am alive, I have hope. It is too late only for those who are the late. 

So, as I wait for the final piece of the puzzle to fall into place, I depend on God for all I need for this journey. Peter asks God to perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle. These show finality; nothing more to add. What else can you add on top of perfection, strength, establishment or settlement? I am called by grace into the life that God offers. I get in, not by labour, but by God's grace and favour. Nothing down here can be compared with the glory that is ahead. Don't let the temporary pain keep us from the eternal joy that is ahead. His time of favour is here. 

Seek; Find!

Seek; Find!

Then you will seek Me, inquire for, and require Me [as a vital necessity] and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13 AMPC

A little context: today's words were written by the prophet Jeremiah to the people who had been taken as exiles into Babylon. Why were God's chosen people in exile in Babylon? The simple answer is: sin. And if you think it was only the dregs of society that were taken captive, check out the first two verses of today's extract: there were elders, priests, prophets, the queen mother, eunuchs, princes of Judah and Jerusalem, craftsmen and the smiths. Talk about the high and mighty, the low and the forgotten. Sin makes no distinction between your bank account balance or your circle of influence; it will cut you down and render you a mess. It will take you away from a land of plenty, milk and honey into a land of exile. Can I toy with sin and expect that the grace of God will abound? The Bible answers that question with two words of finality: God forbid. 

But you see, that is not where the story ends, thank God. God still sent words of encouragement to the people in exile, that He had not forgotten them. Even in sin, God never forgets you. If He did, ALL of us would be dead. No matter how bad the past or present is, God's arms are open wide, urging us to return to Him. His promises of redemption and restoration have been in place since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, and as He does not lie, you can count on Him to keep His promises. 

Even in exile, false prophets were still sending out messages of hope, which God had not authored. It seems to me that it does not matter where you are; you have to be sensitive to what God is saying to you per time, so you don't hold on to false hopes or convenient lies. God is always speaking; the issue is if we are always listening. There was a set time for the exile to last, and there was nothing, not even prayer, that would change the time. Check out what God said: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you and keep My good promise to you, causing you to return to this place. So, God was showing up for deliverance at the end of the set period, and he will cause His people to return to Jerusalem. 

And that is the foundation for today's extract. If God does not leave room, how can anybody call on Him and He hears? If God did not first create the conducive environment for me to approach Him, how can mortal, sinful man approach a Holy God, who punishes sin with death? So, He has created the environment, and laid out the path; all I need to do is to walk the path and make the approach. That is the path that God would not do for me, as He will not force Himself on me, or compel me to do His bidding. My obedience to God has to flow out of a heart that fully appreciates what it has received. My heart becomes the ground zero, from where all that God can do in and through me starts from. God has done His bit; He waits for me to come. It has to be the whole heart, not a part of it. Hypocrisy is the same as outright rejection; it is better to stay away than to come to God with a heart that is not absolutely focused on Him. When I come to Him with my whole heart, I will find Him. That is His promise; have you tried Him out? His time of favour is here. 

Plan; Execute!

Plan; Execute!

Within your heart you can make plans for your future, but the Lord chooses the steps you take to get there. Proverbs 16:9 TPT

There is a secret part to my earthly life that nobody can run for me. Men can make suggestions and provide advice or counsel, but the final decision as to the direction I want to take is a personal one. The world's system also requires and demands planning, but there are too many inconsistencies or unpredictabilities around me for me to approach life without any kind of plan. However, it is not enough to know I need to plan; it is even more important to know how to plan the right way, so that I can get all that God has purposed for me.

So, I sit down and make all the plans: short, medium and long term. I write down as much as I can, putting timelines and suggested resources that will help in getting those plans into actual fulfilment. The world has its methods: it says my plans must be Specific, Measurable, Assignable, Realistic and Time-based. That's SMART plans. Each of these have its own meaning, and I will do well to know what they mean and how I can use them to lay out my plan, from planning to execution.

Now, there is a part that gets lost in most planning, and that is the God-factor. God Himself is a God of order, direction and planning. Fishes were not made before water was put in its rightful place; the habitat and resources for every Iiving creature was in place before the creature itself was formed. That is the output of a God of amazing planning, and if I am made in His likeness, I also think as He does. It will then mean that no matter how well laid my plan is, if I do not get the view of the One I look like, the plan may not end up the way the One wants it to. 

How do I take of the world's resources, which I did not create, to achieve a plan that the Creator Himself has not approved? So, as I plan, I must seek the view of the One who owns and controls the earth on which I live. I must seek His view on what He desires of me, and get guidance on what He wants me to do and how He wants it done. What is the point of elaborate plans if God is not backing them up? 

And I have a choice, and this is the frightening part: you can make the plans and they succeed, not because you were smart, but because God permitted them to. Don't go on about who you are and what you have done, as that would amount to pride and you know that God opposes the proud. I must make sure that I seek God's face as I plan, so that even as He directs my steps, He is free to take my plans in any direction He wants, as long as His will is fulfilled and my life is blessed. 

After all, why do we plan: is it not to get personal fulfilment in the life God has given us? If God offers me that in Him, why would I refuse it? If my submission to and acceptance of His will gives me fulfilment, why would I complain even if He tears up my plan to establish His own? And what if He simply uses my plan to achieve His own purpose? At the end of it all, His will is done, my life is fulfilled and happy, and eternal life is secured. There can be NOTHING better than this. His time of favour is here. 

Peace, God's Type!

Peace, God's Type 

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 KJV

To fully understand the context of the verse above, it is important to look at the one before it. It says: Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. It is easy to claim to the promise of the peace of God, and ignore the condition under which it has been promised. It would appear from the verse highlighted above that the peace of God has an environment in which it thrives:

1. Careful for nothing: it is impossible for the peace of God to exist and thrive in a heart that is prone to anxiety. Being careful for nothing means not allowing anything to weigh upon your heart to the point where it becomes a burden. It is NOT ignoring the facts before you; it is a choice of seeing the divine in the mundane, and God's hand in the daily grind of experiences that make up life. 

2. Prayer and Supplication: it will be an extremely impossible thing to be able to deal with anxiety, and not replace it with something else. Nature abhors a vacuum; if you get rid of anxiety, something else must come in. The choice of what to occupy your heart with lies within your power. Prayer and supplication cannot be forced; you have got to be willing to do them. My praying is not an attempt to force God to do my bidding, but to seek for, recognise, embrace, promote and celebrate His perfect will. It is not an attempt to push my own agenda, but to seek how God may be made known to all men. Why do you pray? Do you get discouraged when it appears that your prayers aren't been answered? 

3. Thanksgiving: is it really possible to pray and yet pray amiss? Of course, the Bible makes it clear it is very possible. As long as I do not sort out the purpose, motive and condition for prayer to line up with the will of God, I will only labour. The attitude and condition of prayer has to be thanksgiving. It tells God that I appreciate all He has done, is doing presently and all He will do. 

When all of the above are in place, tell me, how can the peace of God not overwhelm that heart? You are in a place where you are not in a race with anyone; you are not seeking to be better than anyone in anything. It is not a competition about who is closer to God, but a personal encounter with God, which will stay with you for the rest of your life. 

The peace of God in a man's life cannot be hidden; the things that shake and upset others meets and leaves you in peace; the storms that shake up and uproot others only make you more secure. When the peace of God is the anchor for your soul, there is nothing the earth can produce that can shake that anchor. 

So, which one do you have: the peace that a good bank account balance can give or that which the Presence of God alone can birth and sustain? When God is in, He comes with all that I need for life and Godliness, including all the resources required to promote the will of God. Know God, know peace. No God, no peace, at least, the type that God alone can give. His time of favour is here. 

Seasoned!

Seasoned!

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:10 KJV

We refer again to the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus took out time away from the crowd to teach those who chose to follow and submit to Him as disciples. It means that today's message is not for the crowd, as it was not addressed to them, even if they heard the words. It does not matter if you spend your entire life on the church altar; living in line with God's will takes more than just location or outward devotion. He calls for a deep consciousness of what is at stake: what the present reality will be and what is ahead.

He warns ahead of time that all who decide to follow Him WILL, not MAY be persecuted. It is only a matter of time; all true disciples will be proven. Unless I am good at blending in and not rocking the boat, following Jesus is not popular. The principles of Jesus don't follow popular opinion, and the world will always fight those who go against its own rules. The question then is: does the world see me as its own? Is there anything in me that makes the world embrace me? 

This is important because I have to know who I am serving and why I am going through these experiences. Just having morals isn't enough; Cornelius was known by all men as a 'good' man, yet something was missing. Even Jesus loved the rich young ruler, who claimed to have kept all the law since his youth, yet could not understand what the daily denial of self really meant. NOTE: this is not a call to deliberate poverty, but a total surrender to and acceptance that God holds and owns all that I have, and when He calls, I must answer. If it means going through the valley of the shadow of death, so be it. If it means the loss of all that I thought I could not do without, so be it. As hard as this may sound, it is God's standard of the terms of engagement. If there is anything more important to me than my walk with God, I cannot really be God's disciple. 

If I am willing to submit, God says I am blessed. It is not just blessing that is good for this present earthly life, but also for the life that is ahead. At the end of the experiences that He has promised down here lie heaven. There is nothing down here that can be compared to what is ahead. If I take God at His Word for my daily sustenance down here on earth, how can He fail when it comes to His own dwelling place? If He says He is preparing me for eternity with Him, it means He is preparing a place like that. All I can do is get guidance for my life from Him, and trust that no matter what He allows to come to me, He is taking me to heaven. Nothing can beat that. His time of favour is here. 

Ask!

Ask!

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. James 1:5 KJV

It takes a person who recognises a need to take steps to remedy it. If I do not know or recognise my limits, how would I know what is expected of me, what I am to do in specific situations or when I am overstepping my boundaries? It then appears that the first step towards getting to the place where God can reach me is to realise just how much of God I need. The world celebrates and presents knowledge, degrees and possession and connections as the height of achievement; God seems to be saying here that life has to mean more than just what the physical eyes can see. 

Google defines 'wisdom' this way: "the quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgement". Today's extract seems not to emphasize knowledge, ability or experience as individual achievements that a man must have, but that wisdom is a combination of all of them, and maybe just a little more. When all I have is experience, what leaaons can I teach others without the temperance of the Holy Spirit of God? If all I have is head knowledge of who God is, how does my life help another who needs guidance and help outside the limits of my professional or theological certifications? It has to mean more than just buzz words or optics; it has to be about who God is and what He can do with a life that seeks Him and wants to do His will. 

And because the devil knows the value of the real deal, he will do all he can to keep me away. He knows that God is the source of true wisdom, and he will do anything to keep me focused on anything else except God. Is it a wonder that the world is at a critical juncture; we have devised so many ways of making life better on the outside, but the world has no solution for the inner turmoil. Only in God can I find all that I need for life and Godliness. Only in God do I find answers to all of life's questions. The world cannot provide respite from the problems it has brought to man. 

And there is a promise from God that when I ask for His help, He will provide it in abundance. I note that there is a kind of wisdom that only God can provide. The person who knows his limits will do well to seek God out. God gives of Himself to all men, no matter what their past looks like. In fact, if God could give His one and only Son Jesus as the perfect solution to our sin, what else can't He freely give? Men give and remind you to be grateful for the rest of your life. God gives and only asks you for your whole life in return. I can't buy His gift with money; the currency of faith is not one that any nation's Central Bank can print out or control. 

Do I see myself the way God sees me? Do I recognise my need for a Saviour or am I filled with a sense of self-sufficiency? Remember, God will not force Himself on any man. He offers His grace free; I have to show up and ask for it. What are you waiting for? His time of favour is here. 

Love, God's Version!

Love, God's Version

If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples. John 13:35 GNT

Let it be quickly established that the birth of Jesus gave birth to a new world order. Most of the rules, laws and ordinances that were established by God through Moses for the children of Israel found life, expression and fulfilment in Christ. It then means that if my life still reflects the old ways of doing things, then maybe I have not yet experienced the life that Jesus promises and gives. If I am still holding on tightly to all that the old nature upholds, I need to know that it will not end well, and it will not give me that which God promises for all who come to Him. 

It is not a wonder then that Jesus takes time here to lay down a new command. He had accepted the will of His Father to die for the sins of the whole world. The rules of engagement under the law, whereby the blood of bulls and goats made atonement for sin, could no longer hold. It was time for the new to be established. His surrender of His life already sealed my hope, but then, what is expected of me, if truly I know the value of what I have received? How do I make proof of the life that lives in me?

The response is LOVE, not the type that moves celebrate, but the type God Himself laid down through His Son Jesus. This is a love that did not seek reciprocity, looking for what to gain first before offering itself. He simply gave Himself, in the hope that when I consider what I have received, I can surrender my all to Him. It is a love that went beyond the ordinary and the usual, doing what mortal man could not understand, but has now become the key to all that man could ever become in God.

It is the visible proof of the invisible life in me. It is the outflow of the inner presence of God in me. It is that tangible evidence that there is a power in me that helps me live right, and gives me grace to be all that God wants me to be. He gave his life so that I could live His kind of life. If I am still promoting self and my own selfish interests, how can I claim that I have the life of God in me? The proof of discipleship is in the fruit that is evident. If men can't see, feel, hear or smell it, then maybe it was never there in the first place. It is a love without boundaries, one without respect to race, colour, creed or language. As I take stock today, can I say that this is the version of love I have? If it is not, I must go to the One who has it, accept Him as my Lord and Saviour, so I can get all He is, and then be able to live out all He is. His time of favour is here. 

Doing Right!

Doing Right!

Discover creative ways to encourage others and to motivate them toward acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love. This is not the time to pull away and neglect meeting together, as some have formed the habit of doing. In fact, we should come together even more frequently, eager to encourage and urge each other onward as we anticipate that day dawning.

Hebrews 10:24‭-‬25 TPT

This is a message for the times we are living in now. These times call for something different from the usual, the normal and the expected. We have done the usual for some time now, and nothing has really changed. We have spent time cutting each other down, not caring about the interests of other people. We have looked to our own interests alone, but we have found ourselves even worse off. There must be something about what God prescribes that makes it impossible to disobey Him without consequences. 

In this season of fear, I am to find new and creative ways to encourage people. I note that the foundation is love. That must be at the root of all I do; otherwise, it will be about show off, hypocrisy and deceit. Whatever it is I am led to do, I must ask myself the question: WHY do I do it? When I know the WHY, the WHO and the WHAT will sort themselves out. And I also note that it does not tell me what the other person's reaction or response to me should be; in fact, it does not seem to care whether the person appreciates what I do or not. I must clear my heart of the need to be noticed or appreciated. I don't do the good because it is popular, but because it is the natural outflow of a heart that the good God has done His work IN and ON. 

And another reason why I must watch the WHY is because this season of fear makes it easy to stay away from people. Suspicion and animosity towards people brings distance. We tend to want to stay away from people who don't look or talk or dress like us; unfortunately, the world has become more complex and it is now more difficult to find people who are exactly like us. Is the solution to this difference staying away? Would I stop going to work simply because I have a disagreement with a colleague? If I won't do this in the office, why is it so easy to do with church fellowship? At the slightest hurt, we stay away, not knowing that fire does not catch on when the catalysts are away from each other. 

When we come together, the fire of God's presence is able to impact all of us. This is even more important now as we wait for the return of the bridegroom. That day is surely coming, and there is nothing I can do to stop its coming. I can only make sure that I am ready when Jesus returns. He is coming back for a church without spot, wrinkle, blemish or stain. As I take stock today, I must really ask myself: am I ready for His return? Am I doing all the good I can do with all the grace that God has made abundantly available? I know now that whatever God commands has consequences for disobedience, so I ask God for grace to obey, and to do so to the end. That grace is free and available. His time of favour is here. 

Help!

Help!

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalms 46:1 KJV

God, you’re such a safe and powerful place to find refuge! You’re a proven help in time of trouble— more than enough and always available whenever I need you. Psalms 46:1 TPT

What is clear again from today's extract is that the season of fear is unavoidable. Life itself is full of unpredictability; there is very little a man can plan for, as is now evident from the pandemic season. It is easy to give in to fear, but the Word of God is the place to go when you need guidance on how to move forward. When you read the verse that follows today's extract, you see the following: Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea;  Psalms 46:2 KJV. So fear is an integral part of the complex structure called the human experience, but that is not the full story. 

Before we are introduced to the fear, we are first introduced to the God who has fear under His control. Before I am told about WHAT is ahead, I am first told about WHO is in control. Before I read about what I will go through on earth, I am told about who is able to keep me safe through all that life can throw at me. It then means that if I am to survive what is ahead, I must sort out my location in God as well as my faith system before the experiences come. Of what value is a faith that is not grounded on the unbreakable promises of God's presence, protection and provision? Of what use is a faith that is based on what protections are promised by the world, and against the storms that the world itself promises? No kingdom that will last fights against itself; if it is of the world, nothing of the world can defeat it. 

So, it is important to look at what is promised: does it stand the test of time? Does it match and outrank the coming storm? I read that God is our refuge and strength: symobls of protection, safety, power and victory. What is the use of a refuge if there is no immediate or eminent danger? Of what use is the promise of strength if there is no uncertainty, weakness or insecurity ahead? What is then clear is that whatever God offers is the perfect response or solution to whatever the world is planning ahead. What God offers isn't a reaction to what is ahead; He is the standard bearer of safety, security and protection against whatever it is that is ahead, even what is uncertain. It is not as if God is reacting to all that the world is planning; it is the world that is fighting to break down the defence that God already has in place, even before the world can think up its own storms. 

That is the essence of that last bit: a very present help in trouble. Oh, trouble is coming. God never promised the absence of trials but also He never said He will let us go through them alone. At the very time I need Him, He promises to be available. Well, that is the essence of a proper refuge: it is not one only on good, bright days but on all days. It is not a refuge for a season, but is valid for all times. It is not a place for emergencies only, but a place where I must dwell in consistently. God may not always do emergencies at the time we need Him; He may come through for us, but it may be after some losses. But for all who trust God completely, no matter how it ends, the confidence that God knows what He is doing is the anchor for my soul. 

That was the anchor for the three Hebrew boys when faced with fire; just as it was for Daniel, Paul, Stephen and John. You note that not all of them had 'happy' endings the way the world will define it, but from the accounts of the Bible, their lives still speak as a testament to who God was and did in their lives. They came to the end of their lives, sure and certain of who God was to them. They stand as part of that great cloud of witnesses who are encouraging us to stand fast and trust God to bring us home. Is God that kind of refuge or strength to you as described above? Remember, if it is not the real deal, it is not the same as the real deal. Do I have God as my refuge or is He just one of my many options? His time of favour is here. 

Worship!

Worship!

Wherefore thou art great, O Lord God: for there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 2 Samuel 7:22 KJV

If you wonder still why David is called a man after God's heart, read the entire chapter where today's extract is taken from. David had fought wars and now had peace all around, and for other men, it would have been a time to sit back, relax and enjoy life. Hezekiah got an extension of life for 15 years, and we see how he lived his final years, even having a child that probably was the worst king in Judah. David had peace all around him, had a beautiful palace for himself, and his first thought was to build a house for the ark of God. 

Let us bring this home to ourselves: how do I handle convenience and comfort? Do they make me careless or push me even more towards God? Could it be that God withholds true riches from men because He has seen their hearts and knows that riches will destroy them? Look at king Saul that God was always comparing king David too. Here was a man who was called by God to be a king, now fighting tooth and nail to install his son as the next king after him, going to the extent of trying to kill the son Jonathan because he was a friend to David. Does wealth make me insane? How do I handle money? The answer gives a window into the state of my heart, and could determine the experiences that God has brought my way over the past few years.

David had good plans, but God had even better ones. David wanted to build a house for the ark of God, maybe thinking God needed a physical house to live in. God appreciated the thought, but He made it clear: "I really do not need a physical house to live in". But for you, David, I am the one that will build you a house. This was the establishment of an eternal dynasty for the house of David. Saul fought tooth and nail for it; God offered it to David, simply because he had the right heart. 

As I go through life and experience all the things God will bring my way, I have to be careful how I respond, and the things that build up in my heart. Do I see God at work in all areas of my life, or have I limited Him to a few rooms? Does He have total control or limited access? It takes a totally surrendered heart to speak the words of today's extract; they flow out of a heart that has experienced God in a special way. I may not have seen God physically, but there is no doubt as to the evidence of His Presence in my life. I may not be able to point out His physical form, but my life is a loud expression of His touch.

Like David here, I come with a heart that appreciates all that God has done. I may not have everything I want, but I know the God who is all that I need. David may have spoken about what he heard about God, but I have the additional privilege of also seeing God at work in and around me. The only expected response should be worship and appreciation. When I think of all He has brought me through, and all I have recieved from Him, what needs could be so great that they would lead to ingratitude? I just worship and praise God for who He is. That is enough for me. His time of favour is here. 

Done Right!

Done Right! 

There are those who generously scatter abroad, and yet increase more; there are those who withhold more than is fitting or what is justly due, but it results only in want.

Proverbs 11:24 AMPC

It is only from God's perspective that the words of today's extract makes sense. God has laid down the perfect example of what giving looks like: you read a verse that says: his divine power has given us all that we need for life and Godliness. It means that all that I need to succeed both in the physical and the spiritual planes have been made available and in very abundant measures too. If God could give up this valuable a gift, is there anything else that will be too difficult for Him to give up? If He then commands me to do as He has done, it means that He has supplied the grace and strength for me to obey.

This is where the power of choice comes in. God does not force Himself on anyone, or compel me to do as He commands. My obedience will flow out of a heart of knowledge: that I know who God is, and I am glad to obey. And there are always two choices to make, never three. Indecision itself is a decision. If I refuse to obey, that is a decision; if I sit on the fence, if there is one, not committing to anything, that, in itself, is also a decision. 

So, the call comes for me to flow out to other people what I have also received by grace. I get to make a decision: give or withhold. With God again, some natural laws are suspended because of my obedience to God. How does my giving up things lead to more increase for me, if God is not involved? How does my scattering abroad lead to more increase if not that God honours and rewards obedience? If I seek this kind of increase, I must be eager and willing for the kind of obedience that commands increase. I cannot withold unnecessarily, yet expect God to reward stinginess. 

I note: it is the heart behind the giving that seems to be in focus here. One man scatters generously, not out of a heart of show off, or one that seeks popularity, but one that knows the value of generosity. It is a heart that knows what it has received and is not afraid to extend that same grace to others. There is the other person too who withholds more than is fitting or just. It is not a crime to save for the rainy day, but it is also important to be available for God to direct your heart as He pleases. After all, I am a steward of whatever it is that I hold in my hand. I really do not own anything: all the 'my' house, bank account and property portfolio only applies as long as I am still breathing. When the One who actually owns my breath makes a demand for it, there is no monetary policy that can change or stop it.

So, while I breathe, I strive to leave my heart free of the deceitfulness of riches. I ask God to clean my heart from all the false sense of security possessions give men. I ask God to help me know the place and limits of all that I hold, so that whenever He asks me to give it out, I can do it without any iota of regret. After all, with God, I have to give up that which is in my hands now, if I will receive anything further from God. If I am preoccupied with what I hold now, I cannot recieve anything else of value. So, is there anything now that I am sure God wants me to give up? Obedience is the key to the fullness of all that God is, and is able to give me. His time of favour is here. 

Becoming!

Becoming!

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:14 KJV

The gift of God is in human form. We seem to focus so much on what we can hold on to in physical and often tangible terms, forgetting that there is nothing of value that can be gotten from possessions; it is the Presence of God that is invaluable. As I read the chapter where today's extract is taken from, I learn a few things: 

1. God knew that we will struggle to accept a gift that we could not relate to. If Jesus had come down with all His glory, we would have a difficult time accepting Him as one of us or like us. He came in human form, so that we all would know and accept Him as one of us. He came in one of the most lowly of estates: born to a carpenter, with a manger as his first feel of a cot and room. If God could 'stoop' so low for our sake, imagine what else He would give up for our sake so we can know Him and accept Him as Lord and Saviour. Now, the flip side: if after all He has done and gifted us, and we then reject His gift, what hope do we have to be saved? If I reject the author of life, how else do I lay hold of the true life? 

2. This Life didn't just come down and then leave; He dwelt among us. He was hungry, thirsty and tired. There were times He wept, when His friend Lazarus died. There were times He was angry, when men turned the place of prayer into a den of thieves. He agonised in the Garden of Gethsemane when the reality of his coming death hit him. He was God, yet here he was human. If God could simplify salvation like this, make it relatable to me and simplify it this way, can I really have an excuse if I reject this gift? If I reject a God who brought salvation down this way, then where else can the hope of eternal life with this God come from? 

3. His glory is made manifest, and is there for all to see. It only takes total submission to this God for this glory to become a personal experience. What makes a man unable to see or experience this glory? Could it be a sense of familiarity with the person of Jesus? Could it be the kind of life you see from those who claim to follow Him? It took John, the writer of this book, a personal experience of this God for him to attest to and confirm this glory. It wasn't just any kind; it was the type that aligned with the glory of the only begotten Son of God. How would John have known if he did not have a personal touch of this glory? 

Don't be content with what people say; seek a personal experience. Don't only trust people's stories; seek your own touch. God's grace is available to lead me to salvation, and as I seek the Truth, I am actually seeking the person of Jesus Himself. And I am yet to meet a person who sincerely sought Jesus and did not meet Him. His promise is that ALL who seek me shall find me. He says: 

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 KJV. Whatever it is I seek to know or become, it is all tied to a personal knowledge and experience of this God and His Son Jesus. He is waiting; this odd season demands I go to a God who knows the end from the beginning and can keep me safe to the end. His time of favour is here. 

Fed 2!

Fed 2!

Give us this day our daily bread.

Matthew 6:11 KJV

As I read today's extract, I look at the context of which the words were spoken, and two lessons quickly come to mind:

1. A life of prayer can never be replaced with a public life of service. I can be known and celebrated as a man of God by the crowd around me, but it is my private life of prayer that will define me to God. When God knows you, it doesn't really matter who else doesn't. If God doesn't know you, it doesn't also matter how many other people know you.

2. Prayer is a fundamental part of my life as a Christian. I do not pray because I want to change God's mind, butI pray because He commands it, I have seen the benefits of it in my personal life, and I have come to know God personally from speaking to Him daily. That is why the context of today's extract is WHEN, not IF you pray. It is not really a choice, but something that is expected of me.

So, what do the words of today's extract mean? The lessons continue:

3. There is a model of prayer laid out by the One I am required to pray to. If He tells me how to speak to Him, is it not foolishness to think I can still speak to Him if I use another method? No matter how attractive or popular the methods are, if they are not laid down by God, He will not heed or listen.

4. The One who answers the prayers is referred to as 'Our Father'. This is a sign of blood relationship, and the blood of Jesus is that connection that makes it possible for me to refer to God as my father. No matter how much I call Him so, without the blood, it is just a call.

5. The manner of approach matters. I come to God by worship, and an acceptance of who He is. That is the first step to all that God is and gives. The Lord's Prayer nails down the fact that God is the Lord of all, and He is all I need. How do I make a demand on a God that I do not accept His Lordship over my life? There is no room for hypocrisy here, as God can't be deceived by external piety that is empty of sincere devotion.

6. Yesterday's provision isn't going to last till today. There is a fresh supply for every day. Yesterday's miracles belong to yesterday, and I need to ask God to give me all that I need for today. I also cannot be asking God for provision for tomorrow that I have not yet seen, so it means that I must be content with the provision of God for the day He has given me grace to see. Why worry or fret about what is past, or what has not yet happened? 

Of fundamental importance is this question here: do you know the Father of this prayer? He seeks a personal relationship with you? Does He know you as His own? Is He God in your life? Remember, this life will not always continue like this. An end has been promised to all that we see and know today. Whilst there is time, make sure God knows you are His own. Your eternity will be glad you did. His time of favour is here.