Fight!

Fight!

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Ephesians 6:12 KJV

Paul wrote to the church in Ephesus on so many topics, but it is quite instructive that he ends his letter on a note of warning or caution. He makes it clear that this Christian journey is like a war, where all who will come into the faith must be ready to fight in line with the terms of engagement. I do not see anywhere in the bible where God promised us just earthly comforts with no accountability or responsibility. Along with all that God gives those who are his own, he also warns that there is a stand, a contending and a battle that I must undertake so that I can enforce God's mandate on the earth. The devil will not let go without a fight; I cannot also live as if there is no battle to be fought. What then would God have me know and do? 

Wrestling is like close combat; face to face. You cannot wrestle and turn your back on your opponent at the same time, otherwise, the opponent can hit you with something that could cause damage and loss. You can't stand afar off and still wrestle; you have to come close to your opponent so you can study his weakness and be able to capitalise on those weaknesses. This is the principle here: the fight with the enemy will not happen in abstract; it is an actual fight, where the devil will use all he has. He knows he cannot defeat God, but he also understands the power of sin, so he will always appeal to the fallen human nature of man. It is that nature that cannot resist him, which is why God's recipe for success in this fight has to do with the spiritual plane.

The battle is not against flesh and blood; the fight is not with another human being like myself, even though the devil knows how to use anyone for his evil purposes. The devil wants to blind us to the reality of his evil work, and that is why people fight against each other, harm each other, and even sometimes pray against each other. Oh, there will be times when a stand has to be taken against the antics of men, but I cannot look at man as the ultimate enemy, but a tool in the hands of the ultimate enemy. As long as Christ died for that person, s/he cannot be the ultimate enemy. As far as God is concerned, the fight is not on the physical plane, based on physical weapons and against physical enemies, but the battle is in the spirit. If I will battle in the spiritual realm, I have to be sure that I am aligned with the spiritual realm.

The fight is defined, and the targets are clear: principalities, powers, the rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. As there are stages in wickedness, so are there depths too. From principalities that rule over areas and domains, to the powers that rule over the world's system, to the rulers who control the darkness of the world and to the highest level of wickedness, God makes it clear who the enemy is and where and how the enemy operates. Pray, how can I fight spiritual wickedness in high places if I am only conscious of what goes on in the physical? How can I focus on the spiritual if I am distracted by the physical? How can I counter the wiles of the devil in the spiritual plane if I am not adequately equipped and tooled for the fight that is due? 

God provides the tools and guidance required for this fight. He has done his bit, and also assured me of victory. I just have to stand in the place of his victory and uphold that victory on a daily basis. The devil will keep at it, hoping to break or distract me, but as long as I stay focused on God, I have the assurance of daily victory. I must not take my eyes off God and place them on men like myself. I must not take my eyes off that which God has done, and be distracted by that which men are doing. As long as God is the Victor, all who are in him also enjoy the blessings of victory. I must not settle for anything less; God is on the throne and all powers answer to him. Who do I answer to? The answer here will define the focus of my life and whether I will live in the reality of the victory that is already accomplished in Christ. God's time of favour is here. 

Word!

Word!

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isaiah 55:11 KJV

There is a confidence that comes from knowing the source and power behind the Word of God. For some people, the word of God is just like the word of any other man, because they have not yet experienced the power, grace and effect that God's Word has. For other people who have once had a personal experience of the power of the Word, they would not settle for any other confidence or assurance. It then means that God's Word is powerful and effective, not because I believe it is, or because I want it to, but no matter what it is I do or say. That power is there, available for all who put their faith in God and hold on to what He says. Today's extract again reminds us of the power behind the Word of God, and why I can be confident in that power. 

First, it has to do with the person whose Word is the focus here. This is God who puts his Word on the scale here, asking me to trust that he can do all he has promised. He speaks here, reminding me that this is He, His Word and his person. It's God saying that whatever you hear me say is backed up by who I am. If a man will make a promise of millions of money to me, I would usually want to see the mark of those millions on that person. The one who is the Omnipotent God is the One who speaks here, and from evidence and proof, he can do all he has promised.

Secondly, he makes it clear that it is impossible for his Word not to be able to accomplish what he has sent it on errand for. It's like God's Word is his messenger, carrying out his mission exactly on God's terms, not to please man, but to please the one who sent it out. As soon as he has said it, that Word has inherent power to bring itself to pass in whatever situation it has been sent to solve. It then means that the first thing to do here is to make sure that what I am pursuing is backed up by a Word from God. I cannot be living contrary to God's Word and still be expecting the Word to support the wrong I am doing. 

Thirdly, it has power to change anything and anyone, as long as that situation or person is lined up with the Word of God. Not only will the Word of God not return empty, but it has power to effect change. The Word of God always returns to the One who sent it. The Word of God answers to the One who sent it. The word of God cannot be limited, except by the exercise of my freewill to limit its operation in my own life. It will accomplish that which pleases the one who sent it, and prosper in that thing that the sender sent it to address. That is confidence. 

What then is my role? First and foremost, I have to check my life's alignment with the Word of God. Can the Word of God impact my heart? Can it convict me of sin, righteousness and judgment? Can God speak, make me heed, listen and obey, or does he need to keep pricking my heart to make me respond? The answer here defines the next step. Then, I must get a Word from God for that situation I am in. God is always speaking, so I must go to him and listen for what he has to say on that matter. It is His Word that will define my daily pursuits and priorities. I can face storms when I know his Word is the anchor for my soul. I can look ahead to all things when I know that all things answer to the Word of God. So Lord, I ask for grace to make my heart and ears ready to listen for your voice, and to obey whatever you command, so that my life can be a visible and audible expression of the power of your Word. God's time of favour is here. 

Study!

Study!

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

2 Timothy 2:15 KJV

We are in a generation where truth no longer holds true. We are settling for variants and versions of the truth; we no longer have the time or the patience to devote time to the study and understanding of God's version of truth. We now listen to men like ourselves, who have agendas that are not clear. We listen to men who themselves do not listen to God, and we wonder why the world is the way it is. You cannot follow a lie and expect peace. You cannot submit to the devil and expect God to fight for you. What would God have me do? I believe the answer is a 4-fold plan:

1. Expected Action: I am asked to study. It is as simple as that. Study will take time and effort, and it has to be focused and directed. It is the dedication of time to discover information that will lead me to the discovery of who I am, what I have been called to do, where I am to do it, and how I am to do it. Information is power, and the one who will seek it will always make impact. 

2. Discover Purpose: the reason why I study to gain information and knowledge about God is so that I know what he wants from me, and I can pursue after it. I study to show myself approved unto God, not to man. I study to know God's mind because I want to please him in every way. If all my studying does not lead me to deeper knowledge and experience of who God is, then whatever it is that I seek is not in line with God's truth. 

3. Defined Target: the reason why I need to know, understand and follow the truth closely is because the test of that truth is coming. A workman must know his tools if he will be able to achieve the task that he has been given. It does not appear that God can effectively use a vessel he has not first tested, tried and can trust. How can I be trusted with God's riches and grace if my heart is not right? How can I make the best use of resources, whose value I do not know? A workman who does not need to be ashamed is one who is content with the work he has been given. He does not envy another man's tools or assignment. He knows that he is getting the just reward for the particular work he has been given, and for which he has been gifted. 

4. Targets and Results: of course, the end of all the giftings by God is so that I can effectively represent him here on earth. Being able to rightly divide the word of truth means I know the appropriate word for every life, issue, situation or event around me. I do not respond to everything that happens around me, but I wait for guidance from the Truth Himself, so that whatever I say or do speaks of who God is. I know what is proper per time, like the men of Issachar, knowing what Israel ought to do.

And though the Bible has many words, it is the Word of God and the Word of Truth. It has harmony and synergy, and it never fails to make a change wherever it is applied. If my life will speak, the word of truth has to first speak to me. Before I dare to stand before men, have I stood before the Word of God to allow it do a complete work in me? May I not dare speak, when God has not spoken, and may I have the courage and grace to declare boldly the Word of God in this sinful and adulterous generation. God's time of favour is here. 

Victory!

Victory!

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 KJV

It is very important to lay down the context and the foundation for today's extract. A few important points are made clear in today's extract and these points have eternal relevance to us as we seek to walk with God in this present life, as well as the life to come. Paul had been speaking about the coming resurrection and eternal life. Death came in by sin through the first man Adam, and life has now come in through the last man, Jesus Christ. It is this contrast that makes all that God has done even more poignant. I now have this lifetime to decide which one I will hold on to. Am I content holding on to the status of Adam, or would I try out the offer of Christ? How do I know which one is proper? 

In the verse above, there is the word 'VICTORY'. It connotes a fight, a war, a battle, and that the one who fights on the side of God always wins. Today's extract makes it clear that it does not matter how life ends physically; what is important is that I fight on the side of God, using the tools and weapons God has provided and fighting under his leadership and banner. The reason why this victory through Christ is important is because of the alternative, already mentioned earlier. If I did not know the power, depth and danger of death, I won't appreciate the power, depth and scope of the love of God that brought life to man. 

The victory we talk about here cost God something: the life of his Son. His son died like a common criminal, suffering the worst kind of death that was available in Jewish times - being hung on a tree, which was a curse. He did not do anything deserving of such treatment, as he knew no sin, yet those who did sin and should have died walked away from the expected consequences of their sin. The price for sin, which is death, had to be paid, in line with the law of God, and it had to involve blood. The other problem was that the blood here could not be the contaminated version, but one that was pure and could serve as the proper sacrifice for sin once and for all. That is what Jesus came to do for all of us. He paid the price for sin with his life, fully satisfying God's requirements, so that all who come to him in faith may receive the life that is in him. 

That is the reason for the confidence in today's extract. Sin has done its worst; God has given his best. We have been given the victory, but like all gifts, I have to stretch out my hands and take hold of the free gift. It remains a gift if I simply admire the beauty and do not unwrap and appropriate it. Many know about the gift of life, but are not ready to submit their lives to him. How do I turn around and blame God for the exercise of my freewill? God does not compel obedience, even though he demands it, but I would have to do it with joy, because I have come to know God and the price he paid for me to stand where I am. That is the best gift I can give God: a life and its offerings based on a full knowledge and appreciation of all that I have received. I know I did not earn it by works or by influence, but simply by grace. The gift is still available, and all who accept it receive eternal life: the kind that Jesus has. What are you waiting for? Take hold of it and enjoy all that Jesus is forever and ever. God's time of favour is here. 

Pray!

Pray!

For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Matthew 7:8 KJV

Again, it is important to sort out the audience to which these words are addressed, so you do not demand a reaction from the wrong crowd. Today's extract is taken from the sermon on the mount, and it is instructive to note that Jesus was speaking to his disciples, who he had taken up the mountain, while the crowd stood at the foot of the mountain. Yes, the crowd could hear him speak, but the words were for his disciples. The same principle still applies today; men come to hear the Word, but they do not desire obedience. It has become the routine and the usual, and that is the danger. 

As many that will dare to reach out and touch God, there is a deep wealth of riches and grace available to them. Today's extract makes a demand on such people. Apart from the requirement of being a disciple, I do not see any other requirement placed on those who seek to access the benefits laid out here. I don't have to look a certain way, or come from a certain place or speak a certain way before I can access the benefits; all I need is faith in the One who made the promise. 

For the desired end, there is a required action. If I want to be given something, I must know what exactly it is and I must ask for it exactly. If I seek something specific, I must know what it is precisely, and be able to articulate to God what it is exactly that I seek. If I want a door to be opened to me, I must know clearly what door it is and where it leads to, and then knock on the door. For every destination, there is an expected journey and course. If I do not take the journey or go on the course, how do I expect to arrive at the defined destination? God is not a magician; there is grace, forgiveness and mercy, but you cannot use them as excuses not to do what has clearly marked out as his expectations from me. 

The nature of my need defines the nature of my action. God knows all things, yet he tells me to ask, seek and knock. He knows what is best for me, yet he wants to work on my heart so that my requests line up with his perfect will at all times. This is where prayer is such a fundamental part of the Christian journey. There is no one who can access God's riches without the effort of prayer. Even Jesus spent time at night praying to his Father, laying down that perfect example for all who desire to follow him. 

Prayer is the key to unlocking all of the benefits that the death and life of Jesus have secured for us. In prayer, I submit to God's authority and accept his leadership over my life. I then take advantage of the abundant grace that prayer unlocks so I can get all that God promised. I have that assurance that he answers; that assurance has always been in place since the beginning of time. Men of old took God at his word and received amazing miracles, and till today, God is still very much in the business of answering prayers. If I don't ask, I don't get anything. If I don't seek, I don't find. If I don't knock, doors don't get opened. I can't turn around and blame God if I don't get anything, as long as I am the one who chooses to keep quiet. God is limitless, and my greatest blessings come from making a demand on those limitless resources. God's time of favour is here. 

Empowered!

Empowered!

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 2 Peter 1:3 KJV

When I want to claim a promise by God, I have to know and understand the context and conditions attached to the promises. God is not a magician, but he is invested in the Iives of all who trust and surrender to Him. Yes, he sends rain to everyone, good or bad, but there is a higher level of relationship that God is fully invested in. The verses before today's extract gives an insight into that higher level: 'to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ'. Those are the ones who can claim the promises of today's extract. 

We did not obtain it by the balance in our bank account, or as a result of the circle of influence in which we operated. We did not earn it by sweat or perspiration or labour, but by the righteousness of God. His love was given freely to all men, and all who respond to the love earn all that Jesus is. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that is now at work in the lives of all who believe in Jesus. That power has not lost its efficacy since creation, and it continues to impact the world till today. 

Why do I need that power today? All that I need for life and Godliness are secured by that power. Interestingly, that combo is important: God wants me to enjoy the benefits and blessings of earthly life, and at the same time, benefits and blessings of Godliness also. God did not create me to just live and exist, and then waste away in eternity. His gifts and investments in me are too valuable to just be for this earth alone. All that he does and gives is that I keep an eye on eternity while making impact on earth. His gifts are to bless the earth, while the service is just but a taste of eternity. 

If I need resources then to enjoy life, the source is God. If I need resources to walk with and work for God, the source is still God. If I want my life to count for something, and I want to draw the hearts of men to God, the secret is still God. God lies at the heart of all that I am and all I can ever hope to become. He has to be the inspiration behind my perspiration, otherwise, I would labour in vain. Nothing catches God by surprise, so no demand of mine can catch him by surprise. He formed me, so he is fully aware of all my thoughts and desires, even before I express them. All that I need to be all that He desires, so that I can achieve all that he desires are to be found in him. The world cannot equip me for an assignment it did not inspire, and it can't also stop an assignment whose target and purpose it cannot define. 

That is the focus of the last part of today's extract: him that has called us to glory and virtue. There is a call of God on every human life but the blessings described here are for those of us who have answered the call. The one who calls is the one with the power to do all that he has promised. There is a glory that is both present now and also expected. There is a virtue that flows out from God into the life of all who know him, and then out from them to touch the lives of men on earth where they have been planted. That is why the light of Jesus in a man's life can't be ignored; men must respond to it one way or another. For me, the question then is: do I even know what I have been called out of and into? Have I had a very personal encounter with that power or is all I have just old stories? Nothing can take the place of that personal encounter; it is the basis of earthly impact and eternal life. God's time of favour is here. 

Priorities!

Priorities!

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16 KJV

It has to be emphasised again what the power of personal experience is. There are men who hold on to the words of men, who plan their lives based on the promises of other men like themselves. There is no personal experience of God; no testimony about God or his imprint on a man's life. How can I testify and be able to stand by my beliefs if I do not know on what they are based? How can I defend and define my beliefs if I do not know how they are inspired? What is going on in the world today has made it very clear that the absence of an anchor for my soul is dangerous. I cannot afford to drift through life, unsure of who God is, what he has made me to accomplish and how he wants me to work it out. 

Paul had a personal encounter with this God. That experience stayed with him all through his earthly ministry. He knew and understood the power behind the good news of Jesus Christ. All that he did, the words he wrote and the lives he touched were all made possible by the touch of Christ upon his life. In the same way, there is no way a life that has been touched by God can hide. There is no way that a life that God has touched will not in turn, touch other people. That is the power of Christ: the one who is eternal, whose life gives eternal life to those who trust him, and who continues to impact and touch lives even today. 

That is why Paul would not be ashamed, but was willing and bold to speak up about the power of Christ. If Paul could be saved, there is no life so far gone that s/he is beyond the grace of God. Think of men like Ahab, who repented and God forgave him. Think of Peter, who in denying Jesus, called down curses on himself, yet he received grace to be restored. There are accounts of men who the world had given up in, but God would not let go. That is the power of God that leads to salvation, and the reason why none of us can draw conclusions on any life. As long as I do not have the power of creation over a life, I do not have the power of eternity over that life. 

Why is salvation the focus here where the power of Christ is being discussed? It is because salvation is the one thing that opens the door for all of what Christ did for me to make sense. There is nothing down here that can replace the need for Christ in a man's life. Why would I focus on what I can hold in my hands, if those things cannot seal eternal life for me? I believe that is why Paul emphasised this: the greatest work of God is that done in the heart of a man, hidden from sight, but the evidence of which cannot be denied. 

From Paul's perspective, the message of salvation first came for the Jews and then for the Gentiles. In the final analysis, what is important is that all men irrespective of origin, tribe, language or creed have been given access to this gift of salvation. God wanted his own people, the Jews, to enjoy the gift, but he also would not want the rest of the world to perish, so he extended the grace to the Gentiles. Now we all have access to the gift, and there is no excuse. We have all been given the grace to accept Jesus as Lord and Saviour, no matter what our past or present looks like. What are you waiting for? Remember, salvation is a reflection of eternity. The power of God can save but it is subject to the exercise of my freewill. You only get this chance on earth to seal it. Make it count; be sure it is secure, before it is too late. God's time of favour is here. 

Renewed!

Renewed!

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

2 Corinthians 4:16 KJV

There is a part of the fallen human nature that is irreversible, and that is growing up, growing old and if the Lord tarries long enough, dying. There is nothing that science can do to prevent the inevitable; it may seem to delay, but it will surely come. There is also the part of the renewed spiritual man, the one birthed and sustained by the giver of Life, who was himself raised to life so he can offer life to all who come to him. That is a life that has no end, and can't end. It is the Life of God himself, so it is not the life that any man can touch or tamper with. All of us, born of woman, came into being with the first, but there is an experience that must take me within the scope of the second. One comes of natural birth; the other comes from the work of the Holy Spirit. 

The work of the Holy Spirit is such that the natural man can't fathom or understand. The things that shake the natural man and push him away from God, inspires the spiritual man to seek God more. The things that would rock the faulty foundations of the natural man are the things that the spiritual man learns from and becomes even stronger. The One who sustains the spiritual man is God himself, and he is the One who helps a man hold on even when everything around him is going to pieces. The spiritual man does not faint because he is held up by the Holy Spirit. Who is holding you up? Who is providing inspiration for your present pursuits and priorities? The answers to those questions form the basis of the latter part of today's extract. 

While the natural process of time happens to the natural man, there is a work that is not seen by the natural man, but which is done in the inner man, and which leads to eternal life. Man is born and grows old, but as he lives, there is an appointment with the Holy Spirit that he must have if he is to be renewed. The natural man cannot be renewed, as its foundation and substance are based on sin. No amount of make up or touch up can prevent the effect of time on the natural man. The natural man cannot submit to God, as it is not in its nature to. The natural man is hostile to God, and cannot be used by God for eternal purposes. That is why I must let God work on my inner man, which is where the Holy Spirit can do his work of refreshing and renewal. To be controlled by the sinful, natural man is death; to be controlled by the Spirit is life and peace. 

The work of renewal is a daily thing. I cannot rely on yesterday's experience for today's challenge. I cannot trust yesterday's inspiration for today's perspiration. Yesterday's testimonies were good for yesterday, but God has to do a work in me that is fit for the challenges of today. The work of the Holy Spirit in a man's life cannot be based on the feelings of the natural man but on the desires of God for that life. There will be difficult and tough times; pressure will come from those under the control of the natural man and even the devil will fight, but ultimately, being under the control of the Holy Spirit guarantees victory. 

This is the basis of the confidence I have in God and the work the Holy Spirit does in me. That is why I can look ahead with joy even when things are tough. I have to learn to submit daily. I cannot trust God today and seek to do things my own way tomorrow. I cannot rely on God today and rely on the arm of flesh tomorrow. I cannot trust God today, and trust in man's promises tomorrow. That inconsistency comes with a price, as God cannot trust that kind of heart. Is my life the kind that God can work in and on? Can men look at me and see that work of God in and on me? Is my life being renewed daily, or is there a stagnancy that I need to address urgently? May the Lord show me who I am and what I need to do, so I can be all that He has created, planned and planted me to be and achieve. His time of favour is here.

The Right Start!

The Right Start!

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

It is important to know the start of something, so you can determine how and where it will end. For everything that God lays out, he tells us where and how it starts, as well as where and how it will end. God never leaves any of us in doubt as to the effect and consequences of our actions. I will not get to the end of life and find a valid excuse for whatever decision or action I took. God has made his mind on all things clear in his Word, and it is as I read, study and obey that God's perfect will is made clear. We see this again spelt out clearly in today's extract. 

There is the fear of the Lord, and there is also the fear of man. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, and it would also mean that the fear of man is the beginning of foolishness. Why is fear the key word here? It is because whoever you fear will dictate your every move. That person will hold your heart so much that you would not want to do anything to offend him. It works this way both for God and man. If God holds your heart, you do not want to offend him, because his anger can be destructive. If it is man also, you do not want to lose favour and goodwill, especially if you have always enjoyed the benefits. 

So, fear is actually a good thing, depending on the perspective you take. If I see God as a loving father whose grace, mercy and favour are my daily desires, I will not do anything to disrupt that flow. It takes personal experience to know the value of the benefits that the fear of God brings. It also takes personal experience to also know the destructive power of the fear of man. It is called a snare, because with man, you never know what would set him off. With man, you need the skill of hypocrisy to be able to keep currying man's favour. With God, hypocrisy does not sell, because he knows the movies and the heart behind every action. It is the fear of man that is called foolishness, also in today's extract. 

What today's extract calls for is a personal and honest check of myself. What kind of fear holds my heart? A particular kind will ALWAYS be in place. Nature abhors a vacuum, so also my heart can never be empty. What priority I feed becomes the dominant fear in my heart. If I allow man take charge, and I seek to only please men, the fear of man is going to rule and the end will not be nice. If I feed the fear of God with the Word of God, seeking to know him and his will and being quick to obey, I am giving God priority, and setting up his fear as the dominant force in my heart. 

I note the word 'beginning' and the message for me is that it does not end with a mere fear, but with a growing fear. It grows by nurture and knowledge. The more of God I know, the more of him I fear. The more of him I feed myself, the more of him I know. If I find myself not desiring opportunities for personal devotion, fellowship, prayer and bible study, maybe it is time to check again before it is too late. What or Who is your fear? Eternity hangs on the answer to that question. God's time of favour is here. 

Forbear, Forgive!

Forbear, Forgive!

Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.

Colossians 3:13 KJV

There is the standard, and then there are schemes and machinations of men. There are the principles of God's Word, and then there are the excuses we give ourselves to justify whatever position we seek to take. Since the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, man has always sought to take the path of least resistance to God's Word, because God's Word is not built to make me comfortable, but conformed to the image of the Son of God. The process of conforming will take time, effort and self-denial, but the eternal reward that is attached to the process make it all worth it. 

Therefore, the first and most important part of this discussion is to address the foundation. Who is in charge of my heart? Who defines its pursuits and priorities? Who is the inspiration behind its perspiration? It is this foundation that will define all that follow; God's instructions are for those who have willingly submitted their hearts to God. In the event that you are not sure, read the verse that comes before today's extract. It mentions the 'elect of God'. Those are the people today's extract is addressed to. These words are not for those who are yet to decide on who they will submit to. Submission demands for self - denial, and a man who still wants to control his life is yet to sort out what is really important. 

What is demanded: a look at the last part of the verse defines what the context is. The way Jesus helped me is the way I have to live with others. If I consider what Jesus did for me, and all I have been forgiven, can anything be too much for me to let go? Is there an offence so great that I cannot forbear and forgive? Forbearance is to politely or patiently restrain an impulse to do something. I could be within my rights to react, but when I consider where I have been, what I have gotten away with from God, and where I am headed, I am able to let go. It won't always be easy, but the grace to do so was never supposed to come from my muscles but from the grace of God. 

Forgiveness is like a drug, which relieves you first of all. Refusing to forgive others is like taking poison, hoping the other person will die. I am not asked to bother about the other person's reaction, but to sort out my own. God may have called all of us to himself, but he deals with us on an individual basis. It is an individual response; when I get it right, and you also get it right, we are on the path to establishing God's version of authority.

Did you note that the passage did not ask who started the quarrel, or how it happened? It only asks that those who know what they have received be quick to offer forgiveness to anyone who needs it. It is pride for the older to wait for the younger to apologise. It is unwise for one person to claim s/he is right and delay forgiveness. If God cannot convict my heart to seek to forgive other people, then it could mean that my heart is not under his control. God forbid that such a person dies without making amends.

Now that I know the standard, I have no excuse. Now that I know what God demands of me, I cannot turn around and blame God for the consequences of the exercise of my freewill. I have read it now, and the demand of God is for me to forbear and forgive, just as he did for me. His example is the reason why I am here now, and his life in me calls me to follow a different pattern of life. I cannot blend in with the world; I cannot make compromises with the world. God will not lower the standard for anyone. His time of favour is here. 

Peace, in Trouble!

Peace, in Trouble!

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. John 16:33 KJV

A few quick lessons: 

1. What I do now is a function of my understanding of who God is and what he is doing at the moment. 

2. There is a fixed time to every purpose under heaven; I am yet to find a single thing that belongs to the earth and has existed in the same form as when it was created and will continue into eternity. 

3. Time is such a leveller that there is nothing on earth that it cannot either solve or resolve one way or another. 

4. Nowhere does God say that because I know him, there won't be bumps on the way. 

5. My demand on God is also a function of my understanding of who God is, and what I know he can do. 

It is the same God who gave Solomon wisdom because he asked, along with riches and honour, and it is the same God who kept Jabez from pain. Both knew who God was then and what he could do, and they both made demands on this God, but we see the very different ends for both men. They both accessed the person and resources of God, but their ends were different, based on what they did with the resources they got from their knowledge of God. These premises above form the basis on which today's extract is based. 

In the light of the above, what would God have me know and do? Firstly, my knowledge of God can't be based solely on another person's encounters. Is all I know of God what someone once said? Do I seek out on a daily basis that which God would have me know? Read again the words of today: these things have I spoken unto you. What have I heard God say? What has he told me about his purpsie and plan for the now and the future? It is the knowledge of that which must drive my own pursuits and priorities, otherwise, what I get is a life that is quite busy but now at peace, because its focus is not on the things God is blessing in the moment. 

Secondly, when I have and follow God's Word, I have peace. Note: it is not just the hearing, but the doing also. Men are content to just hear or read, but have no desire to obey. We want the blessings but we do not care about the demands of God for access to the blessings. God is not a magician, or someone who can be bribed by physical acts of devotion. He knows the heart, and understands the motives. He cannot be deceived by mere tokens. 

Thirdly, the world cannot give you or secure for you that which it does not have. Pray, how can I look to the world for peace when everywhere you turn, there is war, famine, peril, hunger and rage all around? All who have, hear and heed God's Word are the ones who are guaranteed the pesce that God offers. The only thing the world understands is conflict, and that is why no amount of peace talks can sort out the arms race, or reduce conflicts around the world. Men speak of nuclear disarmament, yet keep building more weapons as a defence in the event that peace talks fail. The world rejected the Prince of Peace, and then wants to have peace. It cannot have God's version of peace as long as it rejects the peace from God.

Fourthly, each gives what it has. The world only has trouble and tribulation; the Word has peace and victory. I am asked to be of good cheer, because the one who is on my side is the one who already conquered the world and all it offers. If God already has victory over the world, how can the world then offer me victory of any sort? That victory by the Word of God is not a temporary thing, where God and the devil remain at war over the state of affairs, but it is a done deal. It is only in doubt if I do not believe what I have received of God. I am not asked to fight new battles, but to stand firm in the one already won for me by Christ. 

Note: in Christ alone is the hope of eternal life sealed. He is the One who through his death on the cross conquered death for all who will come to put their trust in Him. He speaks into the lives of men, seeking to control and influence their hearts to seek him, so he can do what he alone can do: give peace, no matter what is happening all around. All the human experiences of sorrow, pain and discomfort are all based on time, and they have expiry dates. One day soon, the victory of Jesus will be permanent and undeniable, and all men will bow the knee, either by freewill or compulsion, to the Lordship of Jesus. It is best I do it now while the offer of life is available. It is best I do it now while I still have time. It is best I take hold of God now, so I can walk in his victory over the world. The best of the world is but a breath, and a fire is coming that will not spare anything that the world has. Seek for and lay hold of that which cannot be destroyed: eternal life with God. God's time of favour is here. 

Trustworthy!

Trustworthy!

Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength: Isaiah 26:4 KJV

In order to fully understand the text for today, it is important to look at and consider the verse just before it: Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. There is a peace on offer for all who dare trust in God. Trust is not easy, especially when the basis or object of the trust is not seen or visible. That is why trust is hard, but also easy for those who have tasted of the benefits of trusting in God. You see, trusting in God does not deny the fact that there may be a storm brewing, winds blowing or trials pressing on you, but there is a focus on the right person, who is able to calm your heart in the midst of the most depressing circumstances. That is where trust takes its power from: that in spite of the facts in front of me, there is a presence in me that is even surer than the things that I face. 

Trust is also built over time, and would not happen overnight. That is why I have a lifetime to build confidence in God's ability to keep his promises and to secure my life to the end. He does not ask me to trust him just because, but he gives me valid reasons why I am better off with him. One of such reasons is because of his name and identity, which are the foundations of all that he does and gives. One of the names that God is called in the Old testament is Jehovah. Without being too academic, there are so many names of Jehovah that speak to who he is and what he gives. You find Jehovah Rapha as the healer, and Jehovah Jireh as the provider, and several others like that. For the men who came up with these names, the experiences they had stayed with them for the rest of their lives. Do you think that for Abraham who saw God provide in strange ways, there was ever a need he could not trust God for? That is the beauty of a personal encounter: you don't have to force people to believe you, but the personal story will speak. 

I cannot claim to trust God for a season and then trust my instincts and senses the other seasons. God is not a seasonal wonder who does tricks for some time and then runs out of steam. This is the same God who proved he could be trusted to Abraham, as well as to Daniel, and then to Paul, all men who lived centuries apart. They lived in different dispensations, but the accounts of their lives all have one common theme: they trusted in God to the end and they were not disappointed. I cannot do any less, trusting God when things are fine, and then holding on to false tokens the other times. Trust cannot be seasonal; it has to be forever, as long as the object of the trust is also the Ever-living God. 

The other reason, as we have laid out, is what God gives to those who trust him, and one of such things is strength. Strength is also who God is, as He is referred to as the Strength of Israel, as God made very clear to king Saul when he disobeyed God's direct order on Amalek. He is Strength, and he gives of that which he is, which is also strength. And because the everlasting God is the one doing the supply, what you get is the everlasting version, not the weak, earthly and impotent version the world supplies. Pray, how can the world secure you from what it does not understand? How can the world provide you with safety and security from death, using something it has been able to kill? How can I look to the world for strength, when the world itself is helpless from the results of its own idiocy and recklessness? That which is the cause of trouble can never provide the solution to that trouble; you need to look outside the cause to find the solution, and that solution is the Eternal God, the One who will surely outlive the world and all that it can offer.

So, which God have you met? Which Lord is your daily strength? Who is the inspiration behind your perspiration? It is when God is your strength that you really can achieve anything. I look at the verse again, and I realise that before I can do or achieve anything of note, I have to first sort out the empowerment part. Who supplies the enabling environment and the staying strength to stand to the end is the One who really should be trusted. He is the One who makes forever worth it. He is the One called the Author and Finisher of our faith, as well as the One who works in us, both to will and to do, according to his good pleasure. He has the whole process sorted out; the one and only thing he asks me to do is trust him. He is trustworthy; evidence and experience support that position. Have you met this God? Have I? Does he know me as His own? God's time of favour is here. 

Loaded!

Loaded!

Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.

Psalm 68:19 KJV

If the source or purpose of a thing is not known or clearly defined, abuse is inevitable. When I look at my life and consider the things that have come my way or happened to me, have I ever considered the reason why these things happened, how they happened, and who or what made them happen? I consider that I am not an accident of science, but the product of a thoughtful and meticulous God, so there can be no accidents in the things he has made or the things he allows. It is therefore important that I sit down again and reflect on my life, ask the right questions about my creation, purpose and direction and take action where necessary. 

There is a Lord who rules and reigns over the affairs of men. Being a Lord means that there is submitted to the authority of the Lord. Actually, the slight distinction between an earthly lord and the heavenly Lord is that there is no contesting his authority. You can rebel against the authority of an earthly lord but you can't do that to the heavenly Lord. He is the One who defines life for all men, and whether I accept his authority or not, it does not change who he is or what he can do. 

There can be no challenge to his power and authority, no matter how much man fools himself into thinking he is in charge of anything. How can a man control something of which he does not know how it started or influence the direction of something he cannot form? That is the sole prerogative of the Creator called the Lord, who is in charge of all life. He is Lord, no matter what I say, and not because I agree with him or not. 

He wants to be Lord over my life too if I let him, but he will not go against the exercise of my free will. He wants my life to be an offering; given with my whole heart and totally submitted to his control. That is the key to unlocking all that the Lord has for me. How do I lay claim to the benefits and blessings of a kingdom to which I am not a subject or whose authority I do not accept? Being a subject of this Lord and his kingdom unlocks benefits and blessings too numerous to count. 

It is often said that you cannot give what you don't have. It is true also of God. If God makes a promise, the best way to weigh his ability to fulfil is to check his Word to see his track record. Has he always been trustworthy and faithful to his Word? And these benefits are given daily, which means that this Lord is so much in control that he does not have to repeat yesterday's benefits today. Yes, the grace may look the same but he can give new, fresh benefits every day. The challenge of each day is different, and the grace for each challenge is also different but God is the source of all grace, and all that I need for life and Godliness is available in him. 

I take a look again at the word 'benefits' and two definitions are available: "an advantage or profit gained from something" . And to "enjoy the benefits of being a member". It means that you need to be in the right place, time or channel to be able to enjoy what accrues. It would always be something good, otherwise it would not be called benefit. Loading means you get a lot of them, not just a miserly few. God does not do stinginess, and he is the owner of all the earth's resources, so he can never run out of supplies. If he could create over seven billion people on earth, each with distinct fingerprints, he sure has more than seven billion ways to solve a single problem or to satisfy a need. 

I must note here that salvation is the key to all that God wants to load me with. That is why the emphasis is on the God of our salvation. God is kind to both the godly and the wicked, but you can bet that there is an eternal result for all the decisions I take on earth. God will definitely play his part, and he has, because his Son has been offered for all men, including you and I, along with everything available in God through his Son, Jesus. I have a decision to make, and it is about my response or reaction to the offer of salvation. May I not just enjoy the earthly benefits that God offers and miss the eternal benefits. My life would have been a waste if all I get is what the world offers, and nothing that speaks to eternity. And of course, the end is the word Selah, which means different things but the one that applies here is: mark this, and take encouragement from it. What more can be said? Note this, and decide before it is too late. God's time of favour is here. 

God at Work!

God at Work!

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. Zephaniah 3:17 KJV

As I read the first sentence in today's extract, I wonder what could make God have to remind Zion that its God is mighty. Is there ever a doubt about the power and might of the God of Israel? Is there ever a doubt that God is able to heal, deliver, set free and save? If the question has to be asked, then it is important to consider why it would be asked. The one thing that is sure to cast doubt on the power of God to save and deliver is SIN; I do not know of any other thing that can limit the power of God in a person's life. God is very powerful; a lot of evidence exists to fully support that statement. As you listen to the testimonies and accounts of people all over the world, you will admit that indeed, there is nothing this God cannot do. You then have to wonder: why is God not celebrated all over the world? 

He is mighty; no doubt, but does he hold total control over my life? Is He God over all that I am and have, or does he have to make a case for or prove a point to me before I allow him access? It is when he is in the midst of me that his might and power are best seen. If I do not give him access, it does not reduce his might or power in any way, shape or form, but I am the one who cannot experience the fullness of God's power. What I feel cannot change who God is, but when I allow him work and fully embrace and acknowledge him in my life, I allow him be all he can be. He can work on the outside of me, as my feelings are not what make him God, and if I reject him, others will accept him and allow him work. That is when the other parts of today's extract applies. 

He will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing. Check out how many WILLs are there in that single verse. God wants to show himself strong and mighty in any life that is totally given to him. He can, and he wants to, but my free will must also come into play here. He can and will save to the uttermost all who come to him. His heart is full of love because that is what defines him and his character. He rejoices when he sees me, his creation. His love is such that will not let go, even when everything falls to pieces. His heart is quite full of love, even when he has to punish sin. His heart seeks after eternal impact, and that is why he can rest in the love he has for us. He knows that the love he has shown is sufficient to draw man to himself, and he knows that the sacrifice he made is enough to guarantee eternal life. His heart sings with joy, and as we know, the kingdom of God is not one of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. This is the picture of the package that is available in God. 

Once again, it must be emphasised: all that God is is who he is. There is nothing I can do to reduce who he is; I can only limit him in what he can do in and through me. I get to live by the consequences of the choices I make. That is in me, not on God. All he is and offers have been laid out very clearly, and what I stand to gain, become and end up have also been made clear. The nature of God is such that even in a million years to come, his nature of love will not change, as it has been consistent since the earth was formed. That is the basis of confidence in that which God has made clear and what he has said to me. I also can rest in his love, because I have embraced his love and accepted him as my Lord and Saviour. Can you also say the same thing too? As long as there is life, it is not too late but as soon as death comes, all that is left is the decision I took about the son of God. Eternity is too long a time not to be sure of where you will spend it. Embrace God's love today, and you would have secured eternity. His time of favour is here. 

Just Pray!

Just Pray!

But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him. Matthew 6:7‭-‬8 KJV

Depending on who you ask, prayer is work. God knows the benefits and blessings that flow out of a life of prayer, and that is why in his earthly ministry, he taught a lot about it, but that was not all he did. He also lived it out in his own personal and public life too. That is the start point of today's consideration: is my life all about making the right impression on other people, or simply living in line with God's will? The reason why prayer is important is that it is God's way of speaking to us at the same time that we also are speaking to him. It is not one-way communication, where one just speaks and does not wait for a response or confirmation, but where as I speak to God about my cares, worries and joy, he also speaks back to me in return, confirming his word, warning me about my actions and providing guidance where required. I really cannot survive this uncertain world without divine guidance. 

This is why it has to be done the right way, if I am to get the right results. If what I want to do is truly pray, I must do it the way the one I pray to wants it. After all, I cannot get something from someone if I do not approach and ask the right way. One thing he has asked me not to do is to engage in 'vain repetitions'. It is very important to check how I pray, so that I do not end up repeating words simply because they sound 'holy' but because they proceed out of a heart of concern. I am not repeating words simply to pass the time to make it seem like I have prayed for an hour, but because there is a burden that needs to be released to God in prayer. I may use many words, but it has to be words inspired by the God to whom I pray, and must be lined up with his perfect will, so that at the end of my prayers, I can go on with the assurance that God had heard me, he has moved me to ask in line with his will, and no matter what happens, he is on my side. That is answered prayer, not because he says yes to me every time, but because I am always in his will. 

The confidence comes from the fact that I am asked to pray to a God of absolute knowledge. He is not an ignorant friend, who needs to be clued up to what i need, or needs visual cues to know what I want. Long before I was even created, or my parents came together in marriage, God already knew all about me: my person, my personality, my gifting, my placement and my purpose. Nothing on earth can disrupt his plan for me, unless I totally refuse to cooperate with him. His wisdom and knowledge are not based on this world's principles, but on his own divine and immutable plan, which no man, save myself, can break. He knows then what I will be asking for at all stages of my life, even the part I have not yet reached. The need of a 10-year old girl is not the same as a 40-year old woman, and will definitely not be the same as a 90-year old great grandmother. No matter the age or the dispensation, God is the same, even when the standards of the world keep changing. His love just does not let go, and his mercy is such that even when I am in error, he will keep loving and speaking, in the hope that I will heed and make amends. 

Prayer is God's solution to man's sense of pride and self-sufficiency. Prayer is God's prescription for man's unhealthy self-esteem issues. Prayer is God's laid down path for man's approach to God, and God's way of sharing his heart with man. I do not know of any other way God can reach out to man than by prayer. Even when I read God's Word, I ask him for clarity and guidance by prayer. When the storms of life come and winds blow, I get succour and protection when I come into the refuge that God provides. I must take advantage of all that God has provided for me to approach him, so that I can enjoy all that he has promised and also made available through Christ. No other way is made available. His time of favour is here. 

Owned!

Owned!

And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Galatians 5:24 KJV

As I read today's extract, I am reminded of the fruit of the Spirit mentioned just in the verses before. I am made aware that if my life is to bear the right kind of fruit, it must have the right kind of soil that will provide the right ground and nutrients that will make the right kind of tree grow. The fruit of the Spirit in a man's life means that the man has given the Spirit the free rein over his life. The Spirit is in total control and he can direct the life into relevance and impact. That is what the Spirit can do. Is that true of my own life at the moment or am I still struggling for clarity as to my ownership and identity?

The issue of ownership and identity is fundamental to the entirety of a man's life. If I know who I am and whose I am, it will save me from unhealthy competition, rivalry or envy. That is why today's extract starts with the words: 'they that are Christ's'. Have I defined my ownership so clearly that all who come in contact with me know who I am? You see, these requirements are not for everyone on earth; they are only for those who know very clearly that they are only on earth for a short time, and the day of reckoning is coming. That clarity helps define my daily pursuits and priorities. That clarity makes clear what I must do and what I cannot do. I do not have license to eat or live or speak or relate or conduct myself as I please, but as the One who I belong to commands.

So, what does this new master that I have now want from me? One of the chief requirements is to 'crucify the flesh, with the affections and lusts.' The issue of crucifixion is key to this whole discussion. When Christ died on the cross, it was a final and fatal blow to the sin and its consequences, which is death. The cross was the place where weak, mortal and helpless man receives help from the powerful, immortal and amazing Father. It is the cross that seals man's redemption and makes it possible for him to approach the glorious God. It is in the cross that God's mind is made clear: the cross is the bridge into eternity, either with or away from God. Whenever the owner of life returns for an account, what I get is a result of what I did with the cross. 

Being a morally upright person is not enough. Being good to people on its own is not enough. Cornelius prayed regularly and even gave alms to the poor, yet God had to send Peter to show him the way of salvation. You can't get by just on what is popular with man. Man's applause and approval are not the most important considerations right now; the cross is. Have sin and self being crucified, just as Jesus crucified sin to the cross? Am I still struggling with self-control, wanting to have my way every time, lashing out at people and losing my temper frequently, or am I really under the control and influence of the Holy Spirit? 

Putting to death the works of the flesh is a mix of both God and man. There is a role that God must play but there is a role I must also play. I cannot continue in sin and expect grace to abound. I must ensure that whatever is put to death in me by Christ's death and resurrection has no room to thrive anymore. This is important: you don't go raising that which was crucified by your own power. Just as Jesus was raised back to life by the power of God, so also is the life that relies on God sustained by the life of God. 

That which made God allow Jesus to go to the cross must make me very careful about sin. If God could pay such a high price for sin, I must not take it lightly too. Jesus would not go to the cross ever again, and I must not go back ever again into sin. All who remain in and die in sin are at risk of God's judgment for sin. All who remain in and die in Christ, who paid the price for their sin, are the ones who inherit eternal life. As always, life is a mix of choices at different times. God lays the options open before me, charging me to pick that which is life indeed. I cannot turn around and blame him for whatever choice I made. Eternity will happen but if it will be with God, the cross is the place I must start from, and keep as a constant reminder of all I have been saved from and all that is ahead for me. His time of favour is here. 

First Love!

First Love!

We love him, because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 KJV

The law of reciprocity is the natural law of the natural man. No natural human being does anything for nothing; the natural man was born selfish, self-centred and looking out only for himself. He does something for someone else, expecting that at least the person will do something also in return. We do favours, expecting that at some point in the future, these people will reciprocate. This is why the natural man is stuck, because he knows no other way. That is all he can produce, because that is what is natural to his nature. If that life will produce something different, God has to deal with the foundation of that life. 

That change in foundation is only possible when I know and understand what I have been given. If I do not have an idea what I was saved from and what I was brought into, how do I respond in the right way to what God has done? How can my life produce fruit from a seed that has not been planted in me? I have to first create a conducive environment for the seed of God's grace to be planted, and then for it to receive the nourishment and supply it needs to grow. When the seed has all it needs, then growth is inevitable.

That seed is the love of God, manifest in so many ways, but the chief of them all is his death on the cross and his resurrection from the dead. That singular episode made it possible for my life to also produce something that looks like what I got from God. I could never have produced love if God did not first birth it in me. I cannot give what I don't have and I cannot also hide that which has been born in me. God's love is the reason why I stand where I am now, and he is the reason why I am who I am now. His love has made it possible for me to love the unlovable, even people who despitefully use and persecute me. I don't deal with them in like manner because I have now experienced a love that also did not deal with me in like manner, when I was sinning and rejecting God. 

I love now because I have had a personal encounter with the God of love. I now know what the original version looks like, so that I can evaluate what I hold and be sure it is the original version. If I am still easily angered and irritated by other people, maybe I need to check again what I hold. If sin is still very attractive to me, maybe I need to check if I have truly embraced the love that has conquered sin and makes it possible for man to live above sin. God's love now makes it possible for me to love other people created in the image of the God who first loved me when I was so far away from him. That is love: true and real even when the target did not know he needed help. We love, because we received love from The One called love. I have no excuse now. The day of reckoning is coming, when all of us will render an account of what we did with the love that was offered for free. There are eternal consequences attached to whatever my response will be. His time of favour is here. 

Gifted!

Gifted!

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

The disciples had seen the evidence of the practice, pressure and pleasures of prayer in the life of Jesus. They had seen him spend whole nights in prayer, and seen the proof of his relationship with God over the time they had been with him, and so they came, asking Jesus to also teach them how to pray. John the Baptist had done the same, and I am sure results were evident. That is the first important lesson of today: a relationship with God must be based on a daily life of speaking with God. It cannot thrive on a weekly or biweekly or bimonthly appointment; it has to be regular, focused and faithful. How's my relationship with God at the moment? 

Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, but he also added some other life lessons that would do us good. God is a Father who is interested in hearing his children speak with him every day. He is not like earthy fathers who are easily distracted with other 'legal' cares, but we have a Father who can take on requests by all of us down here and still be able to provide a personal answer to every request. He is never too busy to care, and he is not too distant not to know where the shoe pinches. That is the God we are called to serve and follow on a daily basis. 

I am yet to meet a proper earthly father who does not want good for their children. Unless there is demonic oppression, every father wants his child to be the best version of themselves and even be better than them. So when a child asks for something that a father believes is appropriate for the time, he is quick to provide it. There may be a delay if the need is not urgent, but the father will definitely seek to provide it when the time is right. If this is the standard operating procedure for earthly and flawed men, imagine what the standard is for an amazing, perfect and flawless father, whose love transcends generations and faults. He does not hold on to grudges, and his mercy is available to all, even the wicked. If He were to mark iniquity, there is no one that would be standing and alive today. 

The natural man is flawed, but the heavenly father is perfect. The natural man knows how to gift his children what he thinks they need, even  sometimes stealing in order to provide. Our heavenly Father owns all things and definitely wants to make his children the spectacle of the whole world. His greatest gift is his presence and power represented by his Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the indwelling presence of God in a man, and the seal of God for eternal life. It is God's good gift to men, and he is available to all who ask. That is the key to unlocking all that God wants to give me: I simply ask in faith. I don't have to bribe, pretend to like or be hypocritical, as I would to the natural man; all I have to do is ask. I don't have to complain, moan or grumble about my lot in life; I simply ask, and God promises he will give me that which is himself, who is the Holy Spirit. I need him, if my life will be all that God has created me to be. His time of favour is here.

Impact!

Impact!

By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.

Proverbs 22:4 KJV

Once again, welcome to the book of one-line messages. The writer of most of the words of Proverbs was Solomon, who God testified of as the wisest man on earth at his time, and that there would be none like him before or after him. Till date, I am not sure that there is anyone who can compare with the details of the expenses of the king's court, his palaces, his house utensils, and the commonality of gold in his time. He testified by himself that he spared nothing his eyes desired, and of course, to keep at least 1,000 women occupied and distracted was not a mean feat. He saw and experienced both sides of God- mercy and judgement - so I believe he really was in a good position to write the words of today's extract. In that light, what would God have me know from these words? 

1. God's standard for the measure of success has nothing to do with what the world celebrates. The world itself cannot define success or riches, yet it gives an image and then as men pursue the image, the goalposts shift again. The idea of success by the world is a myth; an idea that cannot really be attained because it is not based on truth. Yet man runs, unsure of where he is headed, how to get there or even if he ever gets there. That is the reason for the insatiable hunger of man for meaning in his life, and the reason why bank account balances, high fences and deep pockets cannot replace the presence of God in a man's life. 

2. The secret to success by the Word of God is humility. It is a bit strange but then, everything that God commands does not flow according to man's expectations. How would humility push me toward the top? How would putting others first make me first? As long as my desire is to be first, and I am the one pushing myself, I am bound to fail. There is a God who reigns and rules in the affairs of men, who can create a position simply because he wants his child to be recognised. The role Joseph played in Egypt lived and died with him, because God wanted to prove a point: in and by me can your life really make an impact. Don't push yourself forward; let me do it for you. When I do it, you will last longer and make impact. If you do it by yourself, you can only rise as high as mortal men can carry you and you know that is low indeed. 

3. The fear of the Lord keeps a man healthy and sane. He does not have to dance to the ever - changing standards of men. All of life is a circle; what goes around comes around. The standards that stood firm at a time will fall away, to be replaced by something else. But when the standard you see guided by is the Word of God, you do not have to dance to man's tune. I do not have to remember what the standard was a few days ago. All I have to do is remember what God's word says and follow it. What God called sin in the Garden of Eden is still sin today; nothing has changed. That is consistency, and when a man fears this God, his life is also a study in consistency. Mistakes may be made, but it won't be God changing his mind or lowering the standard, but man striving to live up to God's standard. 

4. And when you combine humility with the fear of God, you get riches, honor and life: three things the whole world is looking for, yet can't get the right version outside of the God who owns them. Look at the three benefits: riches - the true version that is free of pain and trouble. The riches that will not stress the holder, because his heart is not distracted by them. Honour - the type that only a dependence on God can give you. Men seek to use riches to buy honour, but how can you use physical tender to buy that which cannot really be bought with money? By the world's standard, you only get honour when you are rich, so what happens when the money you have is all gone? Does that not make it clear that honour here is not the type that money can get for you, but the type that only God can give you. Life - the real kind that really never ends. If the life of Jesus is such that can never end, all who are in him also enjoy that same life. What is the use of riches if there is no life to enjoy them? 

A man's life does not consist of the abundance of the things he possesses. My life must not be defined only by what I have and hold now, but also by where I am headed. God expects me to have make impact for him both down here and also as I prepare for eternity. I am not to wait until I am in heaven before I enjoy all that God has made available for those who are his own. The life starts down here and only continues when I get to heaven. Can I say of a truth that I have all of these? It is a package deal; all are available in and through the one who loves me enough to die so I could claim them. If I do not take hold of them, it won't be his fault, but mine. His time of favour is here. 

Action!

Action!

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. 1 Thessalonians 5:15 NIV

The world celebrates its attraction for keeping and settling scores. The system of the world is built on a pattern of give and take; whatever it is I want to get, I must give first or in return. The world is satisfied with its pursuit of selfish interests as it is the only language it speaks and can understand. It is therefore a bit unfair to demand that the world stop being self-centred. How can you demand from the world something it does not understand, have or can give? A very careful audit of my life is required here: when pressure comes and applies the squeeze, what does my life produce? 

There is an opposite reaction to the world's position, and it has to come from people who are subject to the Word, not the world. Very clearly, Paul mentions his audience, and it is the people called Brethren. It does not matter what your language, race or colour is; as long as we share common submission to the Lordship of Jesus, we are all headed in the same direction and must pull in the same direction. How can Jesus reign in a man's heart and that man will not shine out with the life of Jesus? It is impossible. The presence of Jesus in a man's life defines that man's pursuits and priorities. Even without speaking, I cannot hide the foundations of my life. It must shine out at some point. 

I must strive to do good to all men, no matter what they do to me. I am not asked to do good simply because someone else does it to me first, but because it is all I have and can give, based on who lives inside of me. And it is a life of action, not a passive one. I cannot do good by words alone, but my life must produce something visible and tangible, which is defined as good. I note that what is good is not what I say it is, but what God who lives in me, says it is. I do not live for the applause or approval of men and I do not live also by the condemnation of men. What men say does not move me one way or another, because it is not man that will judge me, but God himself. Once God approves of my life and its offering, it does not really matter what men say. Once God does not approve, it also does not really matter what men say. So, at no time must I live for the applause of men; I don't need it to be all that God wants me to be. 

Finally, as all of us who have God in us live out our lives, we make God known to the world. As I do good to other believers like me, we create a strong bond that is an attraction to those who are outside the faith. They see the love, the life and they are attracted. The family of God grows as more people come in and the circle of love and impact also grows. And that is the message: make God known. Let men see God clearly in me. Let his grace, mercy and love be all that men will see and be drawn to. That is life at its fullest. No one can give you any more. His time of favour is here.

Status!

Status!

For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. Mark 8:35 KJV

Most times, Jesus spoke to his disciples alone, but here, he speaks to both the crowd and his disciples. The words here are for all men; all of us born of women will come to the valley of decision. We must decide what our life's pursuits and priorities will be. We must all decide what we will focus on and what will hold our hearts as we journey into eternity. A critical look at the verse just before today's extract emphasise how important this is: Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. It is an offer to all men everywhere, and all men must follow God's laid down process if we are to arrive at God's defined destination. 

What is God's expectation here? First, I must deny myself and all that my flesh and natural man desire. Until the natural man is broken and dealt with, it will always be a hindrance to what God wants to do. Then there is a cross, which the natural man cannot understand and will not willingly submit to. It is a cross of sacrifice and self-denial; a symbol of surrender to Jesus and his ways. I am telling Jesus that I identify with his death on the cross so I can also enjoy the benefits linked to his life. When I have taken up my cross, I must daily submit to his leading and direction. I have no opinions or desires of my own, as I now have submitted control to God.

When the above is settled, then the verse for today applies. There is an advice as well as warning in today's extract: it really does not matter what my intentions or movies for what I did are, or if I convince myself that what I did was right. If I try to save my own life, relying on ephemeral things such as circle of influence, bank account balances, friends or connections, I will definitely end up being disappointed; God assures me of that. God is saying to me: only if I keep you safe are you truly safe. Only if I preserve you myself are you truly secure. The world has options and will seek to distract you with its many offers; I only have one offer, valid for the time you are on earth: come to me, receive of me the life I offer and enjoy all that I am and have. 

The world really has no life to offer, as it cannot give what it does not own or have. Jesus is called the Way, the Truth and the Life, which means that he is the only one who can secure life for me. The world does not have life because its systems, rules and principles are only valid for a season. God is the God of all times and seasons, who called disobedience sin back in the Garden of Eden, and still calls it sin today, centuries later. He does not change like shifting shadows, and he does not promote or push inconsistent principles. He is the Lord of all the earth, and to whom the whole earth must answer to when the time comes. 

The only way my life can make sense is for me to spend it for the One who created it and will outlive it. I must live for the pleasure of the one who formed, gifted and placed me for impact. Wherever it is I am at the moment is part of God's purpose for my life. I cannot secure my life by myself; I need the help of Life Himself to do so. A life lived for the pleasure and purpose of the One who formed it is well lived. A life lived for the pleasure of self is indeed a wasted one. What am I living for? Who is the inspiration behind my perspiration? What am I spending my life on or what is my life being spent on? Is that thing of this life alone, or am I focused on eternity? Am I really working towards saving my life or am I in the process of losing it? Eternity is too long a time not to be sure of your response. His time of favour is here. 

When Fear Comes!

When Fear Comes!

What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. Psalm 56:3 KJV

Here was David, a young man, anointed to be king in the place of the current king; a young man who had received help from God to defeat the lion and the bear when they came against the sheep he had responsibility for, and in that same strength, had been able to help Israel, a nation he was going to have responsibility for, defeat Goliath, the war champion of the Philistines. He was celebrated by all, even more than the reigning king at the time. You would imagine that a man who has so much favour from God would not have enemies, or even if he did, they could do nothing to make him uncomfortable. This is where expectation meets reality. 

Anointing itself is a magnet for tribulation. The fact that I am on a certain assignment for God does not mean that there will be no opposition. It will be a lie of the devil for me to hold on to the fact that the devil cannot oppose that which God has ordained. It is the devil's prerogative to try and fight God's plan; the main difference is that he cannot prevent the plan from materialising, but he will surely try. It is that trying that may sometimes lead to fear, when you are not sure of what is going on or what is ahead or why things are happening the way they are. In those times, the anchor for the soul must be the assurance of God's presence that you must have secured long before the tough times come. I cannot wait until the storm comes before I seek help and guidance. I have to first secure my relationship with God so that when the storms rise, they meet me in God. 

Those times of fear are coming. At no time did God ever promise a smooth sail. It is said that ship captains earn their stars when they have overcome storms at sea and are able to navigate home. The more you conquer, the better you get and the higher the recognition. It does not mean that the storms will stop once you are recognised, but you would have built capacity to address the storms, and now know what to do. That is the power of experience. God allows these things to happen so that I can build capacity. He allows me to experience pain so that I can appreciate the pleasures of his presence. Whatever he allows to come my way is prescribed to bring out the best in me. He is like a doctor and pharmacist; fully aware of both the diagnosis and the treatment. He designs the course, plans the journey, knows what is fit for each stage and then supplies mercy that is appropriate for every stage, so that through the entire journey, he is fully aware of what is appropriate for the times and seasons I am in. That is precious.

My reaction in those tough times matters too. David here made up his mind to trust in God. I cannot assume here; not everyone will come to the same conclusion that David came to. Problems have a way of either pushing you to run to God or away from him. You never know until you have first sorted out your heart's pursuits and priorities. Whatever your heart feeds on defines what it will produce when a demand is made on it. You cannot give what you don't have. You can't fake it until you are able to flaunt it. 

Fear does not respect anointing. It will still threaten, but at least, when it comes, it must meet faith and trust in God in your heart, and since it cannot find a resting place in your heart, it will have to leave. But it will not rest or retire; it will keep coming back, hoping it will find space in your heart one day. I must keep up the daily feeding of faith, so that there is never any room for fear. For David, we know how his life's story went. God did mighty things in and through him, and we read of them today. God can do the same for me, if I am able to hold on to him in faith and never let go, no matter what he brings or allows. That is trust and that is what God rewards. His time of favour is here. 

Fatherhood and Followership!

Fatherhood and Followership!

Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

Ephesians 5:1 KJV

Paul writes to the church in Ephesus, and so many topics are covered in that letter. This letter is like a manual for life, as it speaks to areas such as holiness, speaking the truth, anger, stealing, the power of association, giving, helping, character development, kindness and forgiveness. All of these are covered just in the chapter before today's extract. What this letter proves is that I can't claim to be a child of God and proof of my birth will not be evident in my life. Even in the natural realm, we know the parents of a child by physical resemblance, evidence of birth certificate or documented family history. What proof exists that I am a child of God? Can men see any sign in my life that I know God? Better still, does God know me as his own, and is he quick to show off his imprint on my life to the world around me? 

It goes beyond what I say or do, but to the evidence of the divine upon my life. There are examples to follow and emulate. God has not left me without instruction or precept; his life and love are examples that have been laid down as standards for all who claim connection to him by spiritual birth. I cannot be a child of God and the nature of God - his life and love - will not shine out of me. It is a nature that cannot be hid or faked; I either have it or I don't. 

Being a follower means that the one who leads is in front, showing the way and I as the follower am content to follow. I can't claim leadership and still be called a follower. I can't claim authority over my own life and still be called a follower. Being a follower has nothing to do with the name, but with the attitude of total submission to a higher authority and wisdom, resting in that authority and simply content to follow wherever he may lead. If I cannot totally rest on that authority, maybe I am yet to fully submit. If I still have an alternative to God, then maybe I am not a follower. 

The reason why following God should be easy is because I am his child. A child never loses the daily dependence on parents. As long as s/he is a child, there will be the need for the parents to protect, guide, support and help the child until s/he can be independent. That is the standard for earthly parents. It is very different for our heavenly Father: he does not take a break from fatherhood. Our earthly fathers are limited by age, time, resources and circumstances. God is not limited by such things. Our earthly fathers could only support us to a point and then leave us to figure out the rest by ourselves, but God never leaves us alone to our devises. He is called the ever - present help, because he is always there for us his children. 

I note here that children is used. God is God over all he has created, but there is a special place in his heart for those who have submitted their lives to him and allow Him to guide them. He does not force himself on anyone, but he will definitely defend anyone who comes to him. God as father is a privilege not to be taken for granted. He calls, but he also warns. His arms are wide open, but he also disciplines and disciples, so that I can come out as the refined article. It is a charge to all who desire to come: learn what it takes to follow, and be ready to do it. The blessings are both earthly and eternal. His time of favour is here. 

Generational Impact!

Generational Impact!

The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

Proverbs 23:24 KJV

The power in generational blessing is best seen in the life of Abraham. All of us who have come into faith in Christ take our example from Abraham. We see his faith, and we see how he made sure to teach his children the way of the Lord. Even God testified of Abraham in these words: For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the Lord, to do justice and judgment; that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. Genesis 18:19 KJV. Can God say the same about me today? Can he trust the lives of men into my hands? God knows and understands the power of generational impact, and that is the message in today's extract also.

The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice. It won't happen by accident; it will be the result of careful and deliberate nurturing and upbringing. The father of the righteous would have also been righteous, so he can teach the children the way of the Lord. It will be a joy for a father to walk with God and then to pass on the lessons of that walk to his children. Do I know this God, and am I walking in his ways? Can my children see the light of God in me and are they drawn to that light? And it is not just my biological children, but every life that God allows to come in contact with me. What legacies am I leaving for the children living with me now, or the ones that will still come my way? 

The joy that comes to the father of the righteous does not always mean that the end will always be palatable. Following God does not always mean that the road will be smooth but there is an assurance of joy at the end of it all. There will be the pain of discipline and correction on the road to joy. There will be the discomfort of rebuke on the road to joy. When joy comes, you do not remember the pains of the past. When joy comes, the past is wiped clean. 

He that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. Again, the child does not earn or inherit wisdom by virtue of birth or by account balance; it is learned. It takes time and effort. The father would have also acquired wisdom, not by brute force but by a careful search for it from the true source, who is God. It is quite important that I learn the power behind legacies. There is nothing done in vain when it comes to God. All that man does is a seed that is put in the ground of life and will germinate and bring forth fruit in the process of time. That fruit will be eaten by men, whether good or bad. That fruit will impact men, whether they are ready or not. That fruit has an eternal end in view. I have a duty to make sure it is the right kind of fruit. I have a duty to ensure that Jesus' life is evident to those in and around my life. His time of favour is here. 

Inner Work!

Inner Work!

Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: Romans 15:5 KJV

There is room for humility in my walk with God; in fact, it is the one ingredient I cannot do without if my life will please God. There is no room for pride, as there is nothing I could have brought to the table that could have given me the right to stand where I am now. It is that admission that is the starting point of all that God can do in and through me. It is submission and surrender that open the door to the fullness of all that is Christ. 

Paul writes to the church in Rome, charging them to live and love as Christ would. The loudest message about Christ is the one that is evident in my life. I cannot be bad-tempered or quick to anger; I cannot be easily provoked, but I must be patient with everyone who comes my way, as I may be the only message that the person gets to read, see or hear. Can Christ really say that I am his own, and that he is in charge of my life? Does he have my total surrender, and is his work in me evident upon my life? Can that which he has done in me be my consolation that no matter what anyone does to me, what I produce lines up with who Jesus is?

It was his patience that gave me grace to stand where I am now, and the best I can do is extend that same grace to other people. Even while I was in sin, his love just will not let me go, and while I was running away from him, he held out his hands to me and would not stop until I came to him. If I now claim to be a child of God, I cannot give any less than what I got. I find my consolation in God that no matter how happens this side of heaven, my life is secured in him. I am set free from unhealthy comparisons or competition, as there are enough crowns and rewards to give to all who make it to heaven. 

The work is first inward, reflecting in patience and consolation, and then it manifests outward, in being like Christ in behaviour and attitude. I cannot give what I don't have and I can't fake what is not of God. Christ is the perfect example of all that is good, and all who follow him must make his known. I will not be a true child of God if men could not see him in me. I will not reflect Jesus if he has not first shone in me. Has he done the work of salvation in you? Does my life reflect his grace, favour and mercy? His time of favour is here.

The Presence!

The Presence!

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Isaiah 43:2 KJV

I am yet to find any verse in the Bible that assures me that life in Christ keeps me away from tough times. We are now trying to feed new converts with the false message that Christ is a good God who does not do bad things or allow bad things happen to those who are his children. When the 'not so good' things then happen, it is hard to accept or submit to, because it goes against all that had been taught. What is the truth that God would have me know, going forward? 

First of all, sin is the one thing that will definitely truncate whatever good plan God has for me. It does not matter what my now looks like; if there is sin in my life, there is no real future to look forward to, because sin will destroy a life. The people of Israel saw this firsthand, as God punished them for their rebellion. God did not care that they were his own chosen people; if God could deal with Israel this way, there is no one that is beyond punishment for sin. That should make me both fearful and expectant. 

It was sin that also prescribed the solution. For me to enjoy all that God promises, he had to provide a way for me to return to him. Sin was a barrier that could not let a holy God look on a mortal and sinful man. Sin's price was the life of his son, Jesus. Once the price was paid, the prize was earned. All other things linked to Jesus became accessible. The life of Jesus became my life, and all that he is and has have become mine.

All good, but while I wait for the full manifestation, I must learn to depend on God for the daily fights that will come my way. I say again: nowhere does God promise that being in him keeps me from trials and tough times. The key ingredients in all of the drama that will definitely come are the words: "I will be with you." There is nothing that can beat that. It is the message I need for the challenges that must come. Those challenges are represented by the waters and the fire. There is nothing in nature that can be left untouched by both water and fire. Both leave indelible marks on anything or anyone they touch. 

Fire will clean the dross and the dirt and leave the material pure and clean. Water will cleanse dirt, no matter how long it has been there for. Yet, in all, God says he will be with me, even when water and fire are in operation. It means that it is only God can suspend the natural operation of fire and water so he can do that which he alone can do. He is the supernatural God who can suspend the natural, so that natural man can experience the supernatural God. The testimony of God's might and power is seen when that which should consume me makes me strong, and that which should naturally end my life gives me a new life. That is what God can do, and that is why God's promise is the one thing my life needs. I must make sure that I am on God's side, so that all of him is all I have. When I have that promise of his presence, it does not matter what else comes. If he is not on my side, it does not matter who else is on my side. Am I on God's side? Does he know me as his own? Is his presence all that matters or do I have any other confidence? His time of favour is here.