Sow Right!

Sow Right!

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 2 Corinthians 9:6 NIV

There must have been something about the attitude of the church in Corinth that made Paul so confident about the willingness of the church to give as much as they could. Paul even boasted about this attitude to another church, making them an example of what it means to give in a way that God can recognise and reward. Therein lies my first lesson: is there anything about my life that God can recommend to other people as an example of his purpose and will? Is there anything in my hands that I cannot let go, if God makes a demand for it? 

There is a power in sowing. It is a recognition of the divine power of increase. When I sow into the things of God, I am telling Him that I know he can do mighty things with what is sown. It is also an expectation of a return that is bigger and greater than what has been sown. God is also not unjust, to demand anything from me and when I obey, not to at least return that which I had sown back to me. That is God: one who tests my commitment to him by the things he gives, and then rewards me with yet greater things that he asked me to give. Can God trust my heart and my hands, that nothing will be too big or too hard for me to give up, if He asks for it? 

I note that today's extract does NOT say what the right quantity to sow is; it only emphasizes the right attitude to have when sowing. What I call an abundance of sowing may be a waste of seed from God's perspective, and what I may mock or condemn may be what God holds as very precious. Ask the widow who put in two small brass coins. Men would have recognised those who put in money, but Jesus' view of the woman bears mention here: "Most certainly I tell you, this poor widow gave more than all those who are giving into the treasury, for they all gave out of their abundance, but she, out of her poverty, gave all that she had to live on.” Tell me, who do you think earned God's approval and blessings for what was given?

I need to stop living by the applause or approval of men, and start seeking God's view on all things. When I find it, I won't be bothered about what people say or think. After all, the reward for sowing is not determined by any man. We can do our best, but if God does not bless the seed, there will be no harvest. The heart is key here: do I understand the reason why I should give? Do I know what God accepts and rejects, so that my life and seed are acceptable to him, and He can bless what is given? When God blesses your life, there is no hiding place. The world will know that this is a life that God has blessed. Does that describe my life at the moment? It's not too late to get it right. God's time of favour is here.

Rescued!

Rescued!

For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,

Colossians 1:13 NIV

Every description of an audience is relevant to the expectation of God from that audience. Today's extract is addressed to 'God's Holy people', not just anyone or to the general crowd. Too many times, we want to blend in because we do not want to be noticed or talked about, but if my life will make sense and impact, it has to ruffle feathers, upset some people or challenge compromise. God's holy people are ordinary, but called by an extraordinary God to do extraordinary things. Am I one? Are you? 

For all who know who they are in God and what this God has called them into, go ahead and learn what his expectations are. We all deserved the death that is the natural consequence of our sin, and indeed we died, even if not physically. God's love makes it impossible for him not to provide a way of escape for all of us; therefore by his son Jesus, the power of sin is permanently dealt with, and its sting completely neutralized. God would not be Lord and master of all, if there was anything that his power could not control, uphold or defeat. 

In that light, today's extract stands out. This is an offer I must take very seriously, as it is an offer with eternal consequences. I must also note that both are powerful, reflecting dominion and authority. The devil has his sphere of authority, and he has dominion over all who are under his control. God also has a kingdom, and all who have surrendered their lives to him are under his control. I am not really free in the sense of freedom to do as I please, as I am a slave to the kingdom I surrender to. Which one am I serving? Which one is in control?

Jesus is the only one who can rescue a man from the power of death and the devil. It does not matter how long the bondage has lasted; all it takes for authority to change hands is total surrender. When Jesus saves from death, He does not leave you hanging; he brings you into a new relationship with his Father. Jesus has a kingdom that is being prepared for him by his father; its fullness awaits the rapture of all who have given their lives to Jesus. It is an appointment we must prepare for and look forward to. Am I ready? Are you? God's time of favour is here. 

Lighted!

Lighted!

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2 NIV

This chapter of Isaiah is a prophecy about the coming Messiah, Jesus. If there was no reason for it, this coming would not be celebrated, but there was a darkness around the world at this time. Sin had come into the world, and man, from generation to generation, was struggling to cope with the demands of sin. Right from the Garden of Eden, man lost the power to live right, and was at the mercy of the powers of darkness. That is what sin does: robs you of your life and gives you nothing but pain, sorrow and sickness in return. 

Do not be deceived: you can't by yourself get over sin; you need the help of the Most High God to overcome the power of sin. This is where the light of today's extract comes in. No matter how long or thick the darkness is, the smallest sliver of light will change everything. No matter how long I have walked in darkness and ignorance, Jesus wants to change the story and make things new. It is not his will that a man walks in the darkness of sin, and that is why He paid such a high price for sin. 

He gave his own life willingly as a perfect offering for sin, so that I would know the fullness of all I now stand to gain in union with Jesus. Can I ask and answer truthfully: have I met and experienced this Light? Have I embraced this light and made it mine? In this season we are in now, these questions are quite relevant. We can't celebrate the season of Light without knowing the Light. We can't keep the usual festivities and exchange of gifts while ignoring and rejecting the greatest gift that was ever given. 

The Christ in Christmas is the reality of the light that is shining, and you can't take him out and still have the light. The light does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, colour or creed; all men, irrespective of location, now have access to the Light. For all who are walking in darkness due to ignorace or bondage to sin, or who have found residence and are living in darkness, there is now access to Light. The offer is made; it is free to all men, and there are consequences for whatever decision you make. Choose Light; it will definitely outlast darkness. God's time of favour is here. 

My Reality!

My Reality! 

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24‭-‬26 NIV

Today's extract is mostly pronounced at the end of church services, as people are dispersed. How did it come about? First, it was God's very express command to Moses, to tell Aaron how he was to bless the people. Think about this: Misses of course could pronounce blessings on the Israelites, but God gave that huge responsibility to the priests, led by Aaron. God had already established the office of the High Priest and the lineage of priests to serve in the tabernacle. The priest was to serve as the medium between the people and God, taking in offerings to serve as cover for sin, and then giving out God's instructions for the people. God has principles and processes for engagement, and if I will access all He wants to give me, I have to follow his principles. 

So, Aaron and fellow priests were the ones mandated to bless the people. They were not to speak as they wanted, but to use specific words as given by God Himself. After all, it was not Aaron who had the blessing; God does. Aaron and priests were the keys and instruments to be used, but God is the giver of the blessing. We must keep in front of our hearts this process also: no man is as important as the One who is able to bless. I can't raise a mortal man over and above the One who is God over that mortal man. A man can only take out of that which he has been given. If I don't have it, I can't fake it. If God gives me, his backing is secure, and I can do and say all He commands. So who is backing me up? What of you? 

The exact words to use are given by God. I take authority and instruction from God. He does the blessing, so I take of Him to bless others. I am a priest, serving God, not in the temple made by hands, but one set up by God to bring his praise and glory. God blessing me will affect the physical, mental, social, financial and spiritual dimensions. When God's face shines on you, you are marked for breakthroughs. When God turns his face on you, men will fall over themselves to bless you. When he is on your side, the storms in front of or around you may threaten to overwhelm you but as long as God is on your side, your peace is secured. These are a few of the dimensions to the pronouncements of God here. He has the capacity, ability and willingness to bless all men; the question will be if I will align myself with his will, so that all he wills for me can become my daily reality. God's time of favour is here. 

Constant!

Constant!

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17 NIV

Yesterday's lesson laid it out: God is good and he does good. We do not always see things in this light, but it does not change who God is. Even when he allows evil to occur, it is a reflection of his good grace that we can learn from the experience, see him at work, and also still gain eternity. This is a God of absolute power and might, yet also a God of amazing love and affection, who does not deal with us according to our weaknesses. James, who wrote this book, knew firsthand who this God is. He had seen Jesus at work: raised the dead, healed the sick and deliver the oppressed. There was no one who came to Jesus - slave, free, Jew, Greek, Gentile, Samaritan, man, woman or child - who did not receive that which s/he came for, as long as the heart was genuine. 

We can look at these stories and wonder why men like Judas Iscariot missed it, or while even ex-angels like Lucifer messed up. This is the power and the deception of freewill. We think we are above tough times and trouble, but I have not yet seen anywhere God promises perpetually blue skies. Days of trouble and uncertainty will come; my faith will be tested; my stand for and with God will be tested, but there is this standing assurance that as long as I am in God, it will turn out good. So, when next I am tempted to think I can earn it, I am reminded again that it is all about God. When I think I have arrived, or that what I hold is mine by right, connections, influence or family lines, I am reminded that it is first about who God is. I get good because God is good.

He is the father of the heavenly lights, very bright and quite obvious to all men. He has no dark spots, grey areas or flip-flops. He is not lukewarm, unpredictable like the seas, but his nature is such that his principles are set in stone. He may change the process, and still bring me to his pre- determined end, but he will not compromise his principles. That which he called sin during Adam and Eve's time is still sin today. No amount of enlightenment or high education can stop adultery from being sin. 

Man is the inconsistent one, changing his mind to suit the environment. God is not man, and he does not need my approval to be all He is. He is Light Himself, and has no shadows, because he does not need to turn frequently to stay in the light. He is the Light; whatever shadows he has is his protection from the sun, the moon and the pestilence they may bring, as well as the seal of the life of Jesus that keeps us from the coming judgment. That is who God is, and this is what he offers. Would I take him up on his offer? Would I ignore? As always, the choice is mine to make. God's time of favour is here.

Nature and Nurture!

Nature and Nurture!

O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!

1 Chronicles 16:34 AMPC

As I read today's extract, I am reminded of the nature of the God who calls me to Himself, asking me to seek Him with all my heart. I am also reminded of the nature of the man who wrote the words of this psalm - David. He was not called a man after God's heart for nothing; he must have been totally sold out for God that nothing, not even death or war, could take his attention away from what was going on. Uzzah had died for touching the ark and Obed-Edom had been blessed for taking good care of the ark. With God, you cannot lose. If I take care of God's business, God takes care of my own business. 

One very important lesson: God is good. It does not mean that bad things will not happen; it does not mean He will not permit 'bad' things to happen to me. It only means that whatever He permits must serve his purpose, which is to do me good. It has to pass through him before it gets to me; therefore, whatever gets to me must serve God's purpose. Because God is good, all that he does, gives or allows must be good. I thank Him because he is always on guard, watching out for my interests. As a good pharmacist, he knows the right prescription and dosage for all he brings my way, and he will ensure that I come out fine at the end of it all.

He does not do the occasional good, and then evil the rest of the way. He is all good, and his good is the eternal kind. He is not given to occasional outbursts of anger for no just cause, otherwise, we would all be dead. His mercy and loving-kindness is the reason why we are alive and well. If he were to make a note of sin, not many of us will survive today, but because of his mercy and goodness, we can measure our lives in days, months and years. This is the effect of God's nature making an impact on our nurture. We are, simply because He is. We exist, simply because he allows us to. For all these, the only appropriate responses are praise and thanksgiving. These show I know the value of what I have received. I am not ungrateful, and I am not one who just grabs. Like David, I come with a heart full of thanks, and I say to God: you are all I have. You are all I need. Thank you for all you are, and have given me. That's me; what's your response? God's time of favour is here. 

Supported!

Supported!

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. Psalms 28:7 NIV

As was laid out yesterday, the human heart has its own contradictions. It is weak, yet it makes mighty boasts. It needs help, yet it will not willingly admit so. When you find a man like David, who spoke a lot about God and how he was helped, his life is a study on what works and what does not. It was not that David was perfect and above board at all times, but he had one fact lined up straight: with God, there is no limit to what he could achieve. David knew this fact and his entire life is a celebration of that fact. Do I know this same God that David spoke so frequently and eloquently about? Do I have some viable alternatives, in the event that this God does not come through for me the way I expect? 

If my heart is not right, God can't be my strength and shield. Both images reflect the fact that life is a battle. The devil is fighting to distract and God is fighting for my eternal redemption. My heart is the place of battle, and I must sort out my heart's focus and direction, if I will be helped. That is what David understood: his declaration was: "my heart trusts in Him". That was a bold statement, but one that came out of a deep assurance of his walk with God. The fruits of that walk are there for us all to read about today. It is the same God, and all who walk with him in this way get to have the same experiences. As it was with David, so it can be with me today. The key is my heart. 

Is my heart solely focused on God, to the exclusion of all others? Can anyone or anything find a foothold in my heart? Will God really help me, as he can see very clearly that I have no one else beside him. He is all I need, and he is all I will ever seek. All in this verse shows personal convictions, not corporate anointing. There is a place for group experience but there is no replacement for a personal encounter. It is the personal encounter that will impact the group experience. David walked with God in the backside of the desert, taking care of sheep. When God announced him to Israel, the whole world till today speaks of him. That is what an encounter with God means. Is this what I have, or do I need to go back to God again to sort myself out? My eternity will be glad if I get it right. God's time of favour is here. 

Searchlight!

Searchlight!

“I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve.” Jeremiah 17:10 NIV

When God speaks, it is important to listen attentively. When God speaks, He comes from a position of power, authority, knowledge, wisdom and understanding. He is not like man, full of air and empty boasts, who can't even guarantee the next minute, not to talk of the next day. This is the creator of all that my eyes see, ears hear or the heart conceive or perceive. His wisdom is such that no man can fathom, limit or explain, yet it cannot be ignored. When he speaks, he is not asking for my permission, or trying to impress me with high-sounding words; he just wants me to take him at his word. I do have the choice of response: to embrace or reject him. There is no fence or middle ground here. 

What is the focus here? It is man's heart. The same chapter says the heart of man is corrupt and desperately wicked. It then asks a question: "who can know it"? The response is today's extract. I am yet to find that thing that its creator cannot control. God has not created or formed anything that will rebel against him and get away with it. If God is able to successfully search the heart, why does the heart ever think it can get away with pretence and hypocrisy? We put up a show, milking the praise and applause of men, forgetting that human adulation has never been the measure of divine approval. No heart can deceive the one who formed its compartments. 

There is a reward in view. I am not called by God to seek him in vain. He calls men to himself, equips them for service, stays with them as they work and guarantees them a reward for labour as defined by him, not them. It is not reward just for the sake of work, but reward for work that he commissions and ordains. This is where it gets tricky: I must not be content with just being busy; I must be busy at that which attracts God's reward. He judges by his own truth, not the opinion of men. He judges by what he knows, not what man thinks. My greatest service to him then will be total commitment to the discovery, pursuit and fulfilment of God's purpose for my life. That is His truth, and I will do myself eternal good if I align my life with His truth. Nothing else matters. God's time of favour is here. 

Sorted!

Sorted!

I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Psalm 91:2 KJV

There is no one directly credited with this psalm, though Moses is the one credited with the psalm before. It is a psalm that celebrates the greatness of God, and the futility of human connections. Too many times, the world will prescribe solutions to problems of its own making, and of course, the problems never go away. The world can never solve a problem that is as a result of its own failings. How can the world offer you safety and protection from the dangers that are as a result of fallen man? How can the world keep you safe from the power and effect of sin, when the world itself is not safe from the effects of sin?

For me to say the words of today's extract, I need a personal experience. My words are a direct outflow of the contents of my heart, and the reality of my life. No matter how hard I say or how many times I say it, if there is no inner conviction, it is all a waste of time. And it also matters of whom I speak: the Lord, or other false lords who are pretenders and cannot save themselves, not to talk of other people. God is different things to different people at different times, but He is the same God. He is so amazing that he can meet the needs of seven billion people in the world all at the same time. For this writer, God was his refuge and fortress. You don't use such words if you are not expecting a fight. 

Calling God a refuge and a fortress means knowing who God is from personal experience. If I have never fought a war, how would I appreciate the value of a fortress? If I have never been tired, really stressed out and in need of a quiet place for refreshment, how would I know the value of a refuge? The writer had come to a final conclusion: God was all he needed. It did not matter if God would not give him exactly what he wanted, but he was stuck on God, no matter what God brought. I have to come to the same conclusion: God has to be enough. If he isn't, I will definitely pursue after things that can destroy. If He is, then I am sorted out for life. 

I note the use of the words: MY and I. Both words are used at least 5 times in the verse. Naturally, too much I is at the centre of pride, but in this instance, it is a sign of confidence in the God he had come to know. He has to be enough; He does not play the lottery, or lead people to place bets on what options to pursue. He is the product of certainty; the assurance that He is in control and that no matter what comes, He has it all under control. I trust him only, as vain is the help of man. God's time of favour is here. 

2 Rests

2 Rests!

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. Matthew 11:28‭-‬29 KJV

Today's extract speaks of two rests. There is one that comes from turning to Jesus; it is an open invitation to all men everywhere. By default, all of us were once at this point. We fell into sin and took on burdens that were not ours in the first place. We took on the lies of the devil, exchanging the glory of God for the false tokens of greatness and glory the enemy promised. Sin came; and with it, lifetime burdens. Oh, sin has power. You know it by the burdens and limits it places on all those who are under its power. No matter how hard a man pretends, the fruit of sin can never be hidden. It manifests in different ways and the end of it is eternal death. 

However, in Christ, the solution to sin is presented: having taken on sin and defeated its power, he offers life to all who come to him. He tells all who are burdened by sin and have taken on heavy loads which God did not give them to come to him. He does not ask for any monetary price: just total surrender to and embrace of all that He offers. In total surrender is rest, the first kind. It is a rest from fruitless labour, or a labour that deceives a man into thinking that he can earn rest by human effort or critical and strategic thinking. None of the world's processes can earn for you what only total surrender can. That is the first rest. 

Please note that in the second rest, you don't get to walk away from all responsibilities. The second rest is not sleep and relaxation, but a rest from fruitless labour. Now you are walking with an eternal God and working for an eternal reward. Jesus has a yoke; those who preach that in Jesus there is no more work or labour need to read this extract again. In this second rest, my life is targeted. I don't fight like one beating the air or run aimlessly; all I do now is towards the determined end: life eternal. That walk with God involves learning of him every day; each day is an opportunity for discovery. I can't come to the total knowledge of God on this side of earth, but I can make sure I am becoming more like him on a daily basis, as I surrender my heart to Him. 

Let it be clear: you can't claim the second rest without getting the first rest. The first rest is salvation: the freedom from the power of sin. The first rest guarantees the second rest and the second rest never really ends as it just transits into eternal life, either by physical death or rapture. I have the life of Jesus as the perfect example; his life has to become my life. His gift is free for me; I will not have any excuse if I do not take advantage of what is on offer. His yoke requires that I work for him, but the work is fruitful because it is done with the help of the one who commissioned it. He gives the rests; no man, no matter how powerful, can give you that which he does not have. God has the rests, and he offers them. Would I lay hold of them? God's time of favour is here.

Copy Right!

Copy Right!

Stop imitating the ideals and opinions of the culture around you, but be inwardly transformed by the Holy Spirit through a total reformation of how you think. This will empower you to discern God’s will as you live a beautiful life, satisfying and perfect in his eyes.

Romans 12:2 TPT

God, of his own freewill, extended mercy to me. I, of my own freewill, must embrace this mercy, surrender all to him and live in line with his expectations. His mercy forgives and cleanses from sin, but He demands holiness from all He has shown mercy to. Mercy does not permit sin on a permanent basis, and I must be careful of complacency about mercy. The fact that it came to me free does not mean it did not cost something; God's own Son gave his life so that I can receive this mercy. If this is the price, then I must pay that price, so that I can win the prize. There is a standard laid down by God, and I will only be right when I learn to copy right. Just as Jesus laid down his life to seal my own life, so I must also lay down my life to God in appreciation of what He has done and given. 

That is the reason why I cannot align with the world from which I have been saved. Jesus died to save me from the world, its influences and the death that is its certain end. How can the world, with this certain end, be the guide to my life? How can I allow the world dictate terms and conditions for my life? For Paul to charge his readers to stop, it means that it was a popular practice then. The world can be attractive; for all who surrender to it, it promises comfort and convenience, but at what cost?  The change God brings starts from the inner man, and then radiates and impacts the outer man. The problem is that the world can only impress the outer man man; it canmot bring any positive change to the inner man.

The Holy Spirit can never come into a man's life and leave him the same. The Holy Spirit is a change initiator and a change sustainer. He will  constantly remind us of God's perfect will, and supply the grace and strength required to live right. He totally reforms the way I think; he goes to and corrects the foundation of who I am and how I think, so that all my life produces will align with his will. Instead of imitating the world, I have the help of the Holy Spirit to know what is right and what to do. That is the only way to please God. My life is beautiful because God is the guide and inspiration. After all, it is God's opinion that counts, not what the world says. Is God pleased with my life's offerings? Is he glorified in and through me? God's time of favour is here. 

Freedom!

Freedom!

Now, the “Lord” I’m referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17 TPT

There is a Lord, and there are lords. There is a Lord that commands and holds your attention, almost daring you to look away. There are also lords that seek to compel obedience, not out of love, but from a sense of duty. There is a Lord whose heart seeks to bless, impact and impart that which is of himself into all who come to him. Then, there are other lords who are only known by their inner circle and no more. They cannot see beyond their noses, yet make empty boasts. They cannot even keep themselves from death or sickness, yet make mighty boasts about a tomorrow he cannot secure or predict, as well as things he does not understand. So, which lord have you come to know and submit to? 

The one who wrote this letter had met this Lord. He had seen him at work in his own life, as well as the lives of other people. A man who was steeped in Judaism now followed the way of Christ so fervently. What made him say these things? What would they mean? First, like Paul pointed out, it is for my benefit that God does all He does. Paul turned to the Lord for light and guidance, and he was not disappointed. Intellect, human connections, abilities and influence are limited in their impact, scope and reach, but the one who has God on his side has all he needs for life. Secondly, he does not force himself on me, or bend his will to suit my greed.

Is he Lord of my life's pursuits and priorities. Have I turned to him for all He wants me to have?  It is in turning to him, in total surrender and acknowledgement of his power, that i have access to what he offers. As long as I have alternatives, I will not turn the right way. And the Lord referred to here is the Holy Spirit, not my circle of influence, or my human network. As important as these are for life, there is a role that the Holy Spirit plays that nothing else can fulfil. He is the One who clarifies the perfect will of God, and also supplies the guidance, help and inspiration I need to embrace, pursue and fulfil it. That is freedom: the kind that comes from God through the Holy Spirit. 

The world claims to be free, but it forgets that addiction to sin is not freedom. The fact that I do something wrong now and there is no immediate accounting does not mean that I will get away with the consequences of my actions. The world itself is not free from the power of sin and death; how can it offer you freedom, when it does not even know what it means. It is the Son that sets free, and it is His Spirit that seals it. When I surrender my life to His Spirit, my life becomes the living expression of freedom. My life is set free from the shackles of sin and I can impact both the earth and also prepare for eternity. What could be bigger or better than these? Do I know this Lord? God's time of favour is here. 

Love, God's Perspective!

Love, God's Perspective!

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 1 John 4:7 NIV

John is known as the Beloved, the one very close to the heart of the Master. He it was that Jesus handed over his mum too at the cross, so he fully understood responsibility and accountability. This letter too is not written to a particular congregation or church, but to people John calls friends. For you to be my good friend, there must be a few things we share in common, beyond what the eyes can see. Friendship takes time and effort, but its benefits are worth the investment. So, as I read today's extract, I must keep at the back of my mind that I am called to be friends with Jesus. He will not force himself on me, but if I choose to respond to his offer of friendship, I must be sure He will make demands of me.

The common thread that binds us together is stronger than whatever it is that seeks to divide us. That common thread is Jesus; by and in him do I have all that I need for life and Godliness. I am a friend to all who share the same faith in Jesus as I have. As a friend of Jesus and other people like me, I cannot live by different standards. I cannot claim to know and love God and not love the way God does. It is a mismatch and an aberration for a person who loves God to hate any part of the same God's creation, except the devil. I can claim anything I want, but the fruit of my life will show where I stand. Am I a true friend of God, and others made in his likeness, or am I a pretender and a hypocrite? 

This love is God's identity and nature. We call him love because there is really no other way to describe him. It is his love that allows us express ourselves. It is his love in us that makes us capable of even loving other people. If I am not in him, how can my love produce anything that looks like him? Well, the world will always seek to give us alternatives to love, confusing us the more we seek to know ourselves. Only in God can I find my real self; only by God's love can I love myself and other people. It is not the cheap alternatives like lust, obsession or infatuation the devil tries to sell off as love; it is the right version, from God's heart to mine, changing me on the inside and then touching lives on the outside. That is love. Is that what I have? It's not too late to seek the right version. God is love. When I have him, I have all O need. If I don't have him, it really does not matter what else I have. God's time of favour is here. 

The Experience!

The Experience!

“There is no one holy like the Lord; there is no one besides you; there is no Rock like our God. 1 Samuel 2:2 NIV

Ahead of the story, God shows his glory. Today's extract is taken from the song Hannah composed to praise God who had shown himself strong and mighty in her life. Let's get the context: the issue: Hannah was a wife, though a second one, to a man of the tribe of Ephraim in Israel. Her rival wife had children, but she did not. The reality: she knew the God of Israel is powerful and can do all things, so she came in year after year to the temple at Shiloh, where Eli the priest ministered. She would pray, and return home; however, nothing changed, well maybe in the physical, but God, the Almighty, was at work. How it happened, I do not know, but one day, Hannah brought God into her prayer, promising that she would return the son God would give her back to the Lord. It was as if a light shone on her heart to pray what God was looking for. 

That holds a lesson for me: I have to know where God is at work, and join him there. I cannot define the terms of engagement by myself, as I do not own the assignment. I can spend 20 years praying for something, but God will not change his mind if it does not align with his perfect will. His perfect knowledge makes him the best consultant for life's decisions and reactions. Men were still coming to the temple, offering sacrifices, and speaking to the resident prophet, but had moved beyond Eli and was searching for a replacement. The prayer of Hannah was God's current work, and it is not a wonder that by the turn of the year, Hannah already had a son. God's will discovered, man's will aligned and of course, prayer answered. 

What holds my heart? Is it a desire for self-glory or God's glory? The song of Hannah here also speaks to the story of Eli, Hannah and Samuel. There is none holy like the Lord. He does not compromise on his nature, and he can dispense with anyone who does not live up to his standard. I must pursue after God's version of holiness, as he has said that without it, no man shall see him. There is no one besides him. He is both your friend and your master. He tells me what his mind and desire for me are, as a friend, but he also demands total obedience as a master. I must learn that both apply to God: he is the Lion of the Tribe of Judah and at the same time, the Lamb that takes away the sin of the world. Can I take one side and ignore the other? Will God be God if he is not all that he has introduced himself as to us? 

There is no Rock like our God. It will  take personal experience to make such a statement. Yes, there are times that it would appear that God has not heard, but it goes against his nature not to hear the prayer of those who earnestly seek him. As long as my heart is right with him, he will hear; it is his answer, which could sometimes be his silence, that may worry me. Will anything shake the confidence I have in God, even if I don't hear what I want? Will my physical experience in any way change the reality of who God is, and what he can do? Like Hannah, my heart is settled on who God is, no matter what else he brings. What he allows to come to me flow out of his love for me. I praise hiim today, because I know he is at work, and he is perfecting all that concerns me. God's time of favour is here. 

All!

All!

Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart— Psalms 119:2 NIV

When God pronounces blessings, I have to pay close attention to what he says, and the conditions attached to the blessings. As much as God wants to bless people, he has terms and conditions for access to those blessings. Just as it was laid out a few days ago, I can shout from now to tomorrow: "I receive", but if my life is not aligned with the demands of the blessings, it is a waste of time to seek access to the blessings. I want to be blessed; in fact, I need to be blessed. One day of God's favour and gain can erase 40 years of pain. God does not have a problem giving to all men on earth what they ask for; after all, no demand on earth can exhaust the resources of heaven. 

However, today's extract gives an insight into one of the conditions for access: 'keep his statutes'. I note that the word keep is used. This is not about head knowledge of God's statutes. It is not about living on the church's pulpit. It is not about the drama on the outside, empty on the inside. It is not about hypocrisy, which the world has mastered. A man who will keep something would know and appreciate the value of what he holds. And they are called 'statutes' for a reason: they are not subject to the unpredictable weather or the passage of time. Sin does not change form simply because it has been 2,000 years since God first called it sin. 

God is not man who compromises on any matter simply because he does not want to be alone. God needs no such false comfort. His laws are for my good, and my life will be better off when I obey. Closely related to keeping God's statutes is the state of my heart. This is where the daily decision on whether to obey or not is debated and decided. As long as there is room for alternative arguments, I will not have reason to seek God with ALL my heart. That is another key concept in today's extract: seek God with all their heart. People in plural; heart in singular. Focused commitment, so true that all our hearts can read as one. 

Why bother seeking God if you won't do it with all your heart? Why bother seeking God if you won't be true to the search, and you are hypocritical and insincere about it? This God isn't one you can deceive with outward platitudes, or hoodwink him into releasing his blessings for no reason or by deceit. You are introduced to a God of absolute knowledge and power, who can't be deceived, and who has limitless resources for all who will come to him. The keeping and the seeking go together; you really can't do one without the other. You can't seek God, know him and not be excited to keep all his laws. And there is an eternity to consider; when all is said and done, have I made God my all, so I can access his all? God's time of favour is here. 

Aligned!

Aligned!

whoever says he lives in Christ [that is, whoever says he has accepted Him as God and Savior] ought [as a moral obligation] to walk and conduct himself just as He walked and conducted Himself. 1 John 2:6 AMP

What is my present claim? What are the daily realities that flow out of my daily confessions? This is a question I must answer, as I seek to impact the world I have been placed in. So, first, if I say I am in Christ, is there any external proof of that residence status? Can I freely access all that the residential status gives, such as grace, mercy and peace beyond human understanding? Yes, I can say it, and there are parts to my resident status that will require my verbal affirmation, but beyond that is the definite reality of my status, even if I do not have to shout it from the rooftops. 

It is about salvation, not a feel-good factor. It is not whether I feel so, but that I know so, and I am certain that I am saved. It is not about motivation of self, where I rely on abstract concepts to do what is right, but it is about relying on God's grace and strength for the journey ahead. I am called into a walk with God, not a dependence on self. The world is fine with me saying one thing and meaning the very opposite, but with God, there is no room for hypocrisy or deceit. After all, nobody forces a man to walk the path of salvation; we come to God of our own freewill. If I have come to God of my own freewill, why would i then refuse or neglect to align with the demands of that path? 

Why should men have the legal ground to question the truth of my walk with God? Why would words like "and you call yourself a Christian" be said of or to me? It is funny that the people of the world know the right standards, but lack the power and grace to align, but if I dare claim that I know this Lord, my life must align; after all, nobody forced me to walk the path. The demands of salvation are obligations, not choices. If I have truly come to the knowledge of Jesus and accepted him as Lord and Saviour, I have surrendered the power and control to my new Lord. The fruits my life produces must reflect that new stand. 

Jesus is the perfect example of how to love, live, speak and interact with other people. No matter what was thrown at him, he never forgot the reason why he was on earth. He kept the glory ahead right before him, and patterned his life so that the glory would be his at the end of his task on earth. That is the mind I must also have: keep the glory promised by God in front of me. I must walk right; speak right; relate right; love right and be right in line with the perfect will of God. Men will see and give glory to God. God will be glorified and be ready to do even more to point others to my life. I owe it to my generation to be all that God intends. God's time of favour is here. 

Reaction!

Reaction! 

bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. Luke 6:28 NIV

The world has its own standards and practices, and it will support and defend all who align with its standards. The world teaches those who follow it that you get what you give out. The result is usually always tinted with malice and revenge. The world does not understand or promote turning the other cheek; it does not believe in loving the enemy or seeking the good of anyone who does not first seek its own good. The first and natural affection of the people of the world is selfishness or self-centredness. That is the language the world speaks, and anyone who does not speak it will be its enemy.

What language do I speak? Do I follow the standard of the world or the Word? Am I affected in any way by the principles and practices of the world? Before I answer, I must check the audience to which these words were spoken. Jesus was speaking to his disciples: men who had made a decision to leave the familiar and follow him wherever he led. The instructions of Jesus really are not for everyone, but for those who know what they have been called into. This call will demand so many things from you; it will cure you of selfishness and pride, and will seek to instill in you a heart that puts other people first. This is not easy for those who are under the control and influence of the world. 

Who is in charge of my heart? When God is in charge, today's extract is settled. If God is in my heart, he is in control of the fruits of my life. I cannot produce anything that does not look like the seed in me. How can a life under the control and influence of the Holy Spirit produce curses? Even in the face of curses, my life should produce blessings. When I am mistreated, I cannot produce anything else except praying for those who mistreat me. The fruit is not the kind that can be hidden; it must manifest in the presence of people and impact their lives. Can I truly say, with the evidence of the fruit of my life, that God is in total control? Remember, it is not what I say but how I live. God's time of favour is here. 

Access 4!

Access 4!

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8 NIV

If I am to accept the account of creation as true, can I ever have an excuse for the consequences of my decisions? Let's break this down: when God made other parts of creation like the sun, moon, stars and animals, his creative wisdom and power were shown very clearly. When he was to create man, not only did he bring his wisdom and power to bear on man, but he also added something precious: his breath. A part of himself was deposited in us, and therefore a part of his nature is now a part of me. This is why nobody tells me that what I do is right or wrong; the nature of God in me keeps speaking to me, seeking to guide me on the right path. I have the power to choose how I will respond. 

Is this not why men take drugs sometimes, so as to silence the quiet voice that seeks to convict them about their actions and reactions? Is that why we speak over and above the still voice of reason which seeks to keep us on the right path? Now, whether I listen to that voice or not, it does not take anything away from the fact that God still keeps speaking, seeking hearts that he can touch and use for his glory. Think about this: men like Enoch, Noah and Abraham walked with God so closely that their lives have become lessons for us today. They did not have the law at the time, yet it was on record that they pleased God. 

This is why things are quite simple when it comes to God. In every generation, there are men and women who rise above the limits of the law to forge a relationship with Jesus. They do not wait for the law to remind them of their obligations, but seek to please God by seeking His face and following his heart. How did Enoch know enough to walk with God so closely that God took him away? There was no Bible then; no book of the law, yet men like us sought after God, and by their lives, earned generational blessings. This is still that same God, looking for men and women who will seek him in sincerity and truth, like the men of old did. 

God has made it very clear what his will is: act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. Three active verbs. My inner and outer man must align. My acting will flow out of a heart of love. My walk will line up with a life of love. My heart will receive God's love and it will impact every area of my life. When men come in contact with me, they have to see the fruit of a life that has heard God speak, and knows very clearly what God would have me do. It cannot be forced; it has to flow out of a heart totally given to God. How's my heart? Does God have total access to it, or am I my own lord and master? God has done his bit; I am responsible for obedience. God's time of favour is here. 

Access 3!

Access 3!

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalms 23:4 NIV

Before I claim a promise, I must be sure I am aligned with the premise and the preconditions for the promise. God does not do magic; he has principles that define his policies and practices. If I will then lay hold of his promises, I have to find out what his principles are, his prescribed practices and how to align myself with them. I can shout from now till next year "I receive", but when there is no alignment with God's Word, there is really nothing to get. My first and foremost priority then is to find out what God's perfect will is. That is the secret of access. 

David understood this principle, as he made very clear in the first line of the psalm: The Lord is my shepherd. That is a fact that underlines the rest of the psalm. Every other thing David mentioned in this psalm rested on this fact. The fact that God was his shepherd did not insure his life from trials, tribulations and dark times, but in spite of the darkness, the presence of the shepherd was enough comfort for David. As I face life's challenges and all the dark times that will surely come, the only way I will survive is if the Lord is my shepherd. I must not dare face the world, if I have not first faced God and be assured of his power and presence in and with me. 

There are no earthly theories or concepts that can provide the right answers to life's questions. Fear is the natural consequence of all that the world offers. The world has no free gifts, and it cannot guarantee that which it did not create. The world has only trouble, yet it lays claim to having answers to the problems it creates. The world cannot explain the power behind the Presence of God. Those of us who have it sometimes cannot fully explain it to the world, but the world cannot doubt the presence of God in us and what it is able to achieve in our lives. 

God's Presence carries power. God's presence is more important than all the presents the world can give you. The world will give you gifts, yet cannot supply you with the peace you need to enjoy the gifts. God's presence will supply you with peace, comfort, discipline, guidance and protection you need to enjoy all that God gives. This is the extreme: even if death comes, it does not take away the peace of God in you. Peace of God is not affected or limited by what the world does. I must check again, and be sure that what I hold on to is the stuff God provides, not what the world prescribes. I will only survive if God is my shepherd. I can look forward to all the world will give if God is my shepherd. Nothing else will work. God's time of favour is here. 

Access 2!

Access 2!

For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 NIV

How do I handle the Word of God? Do I accept its authority, or are there areas of it that are subject to my own interpretation and idiosyncrasies? Do I know its source, and can I trust that the Word can do all I have been told it can do? I just note from the start that the attributes of the Word are the same you would use for human beings, and that tells me there is a personality to the Word of God; a living being underpinning its relevance and authenticity. If it were an abstract theory, it won't carry much weight, but because it is backed up by the greatest power in existence on any plane, it is the most powerful force available anywhere in the world. 

I also note that there is a huge focus on the work the Word of God does in the inner part of man. Please, how do you best determine the sharpness of a knife, if you do not first test it on a physical surface or a tangible thing? This is where the power of God's Word is really felt, when it first works on the inner man, before it's impact can be seen on the outer man. When the inner man has been worked on, bent into shape and panelbeaten into form, how would the outer man not fall in line? If the inner man has been conformed to the image of God, as laid out in His Word, the outer man will definitely fall in line.

Man rises and falls on the opinions and applause of men. We drive ourselves into the ground so we can please people whose honest views we can never know, except God reveals them to us. We run from pillar to post, seeking the approval of men like ourselves, who cannot even guarantee the next second, not to talk of the next day. There is a God who reigns and rules in the affairs of men, whose Word is Yes and Amen, and who lives forever. He is in total control of all that I see, hear, feel and touch. God's Word knows the deepest secret of my heart, no matter how hard I try to hide them. His Word is that mirror that shows me exactly who I am, exactly what God wants me to do, and what I need to do to get to the place where God intends.

Would I surrender my heart to God, so his Word can do his work in me? Would I lay my heart at his altar, so he can make use of me as He pleases, not as I desire? Would I give God my all, so I can lay hold of his own all, which is the best for me? Can I leave the earthly, so I can lay hold of the eternal? Can I ask God to do a work inside of me, so that men come in contact with me, His work will be so evident in me that His Word will be both visible and audible in and through my life. That is the power of the Word of God, but of course, subject to my cooperation with the Word. He will not force Himself on me, but if I let him, the benefits are eternal. God's time of favour is here. 

Access!

Access!

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,

Ephesians 3:20 NIV

Paul, writing here, was a man of many experiences. He had lived the wild life, doing his best the way he knew to defend the faith of his fathers. A new wave was starting, and he would do all he could to stop it from tampering with the Jewish legacies passed on to him. That was zeal; the problem was that he had not yet encountered the power that gives zeal direction, focus and impact. On his way to Damascus in pursuit of his Jewish legacy, he met with that power and his life changed completely. Oh, the zeal was still there, but now it had the right foundation, the right message, the right audience and the right eternal focus. That power is the focus of the extract for today.

A man can only speak of that which he has personally experienced. Time will tell if my account is from a place of hearsay or as a witness. Paul here was speaking from the perspective of a witness, as his life would testify. He had seen what the power of God could do in a man's life; took him from being a zealot without eternal focus to a zealot bound for heaven and taking as many people with him. Paul could never have imagined what God's ultimate plan for him was, but he got to a point in his life when he knew that it could only have been God all the way. I can dream, but God has the capacity and ability to throw away the known template and mold his own. That is power, real, raw and relevant, no matter the generation.

That is the power Paul describes here. It is power beyond man's imagination or limits, and is the secret to unlocking all that God is and can do. It is his power, not mine, yet my life is the platform for the display of that power. My life will testify to the proof of God's power. How would the world know I have and serve the living God if there is no outer proof of the miraculous and the supernatural? Even in the mundane routine of daily life, God's power must shine through and make the people sit up and take notice. I cannot limit the power, but I can limit its operation in my own life. If it does not shine out of me, I am the one who has not allowed it. It is not subject to the will of man, but I can subject it to my freewill. 

I have the responsibility to give him room in my life. God wants to show off his power in and through me. He is the light of the world, and if He lives in me, I am also that light. The work is first internal, before it is seen on the external. It is that inner work that becomes the force that must be reckoned with. When that power meets a willing heart, the results can never be ignored. Is my life a place where God's power can find full expression, or am I living a lie, laying claim to what I do not have? Remember, God will do his part; I just must play my own part. God's time of favour is here. 

Life!

Life! 

The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” Isaiah 40:8 NIV

When we consider all that life shows us, there must be fundamental truths that life can teach us, if we can only listen and observe attentively. Two of such things that life can use to teach us eternal lessons, based on today's extract, are flowers and grass. By God's own laws of nature, He has laid down the law of sowing and reaping. He has made it clear that a seed put in the ground, and nurtured in the right conditions, will bear fruit in multiple folds that will look like the natural consequence of the seed that was put in the ground. There is yet no scientific breakthrough that is able to go into the ground that can change the output of the seed in the ground, unless there is engrafting or cross-pollination, which occurs when the seed only has some form of output. That is the power of the God that speaks here.

There is yet another law at work, and it is the law of life and death. We do not speak so much about this law because it is not a popular one, but let it be noted that there is nothing that is put in the ground that does not first die before it can bear fruit, and when it has borne fruit, even the fruit, if left on the tree unplucked and uneaten, will also die. The entire stalk or tree, if left long enough, will one day die and give way to another. This truth is eternal, for as long as the earth remains. It is a cycle of birth, death and rebirth that makes holding on to anything of earth worthless and pointless. No matter how much I love a thing, as long as there is a seed involved, it must go through the never-ending cycle of birth, death and rebirth, until the end truly comes.

This reality has to be my daily focus, guiding my principles, pursuits and priorities. There is nothing of the earth that will outlive the earth. All that the earth gives you, it will take back from you when it is time for you to leave the earth. Have you seen anyone who went to eternity with any of the world's goods? Even if buried with treasures, men of the earth will come and loot, because the treasure of the earth can only be spent by the people who live on the earth. There is something, or someone who does live forever, and that is the Word of God. We refer to the Word as both a person and a force; it is the person who made the earth, as well as the power behind, over and around all that we see today. 

The Word of God lives forever, because He cannot die. He is not of the earth, even though he came to the earth to introduce eternal lfe to us. The earth only has power over all who are of it, like the flowers and grass. The Word of God is God, of incorruptible and inexhaustible depth and scope. It has no limits or end, and is inexhaustible. It does not die because it does not have any of the properties that are subject to the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. All who are in him also enjoy the life that He is and has, and he invites you and I to take of him and enjoy all He is. I owe it to my eternity to be sure that what I hold on to can guarantee life. God's time of favour is here. 

Lighted; Guided!

Lighted; Guided!

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalms 119:105 NIV

To begin to even understand what today's extract says, let's look at a simple definition of a lamp: a device for giving light. That is what it is: a device. It is not the light itself, but it is the receptacle, the bearer or the helper of light, giving support to and allowing the light thrive. For those who still remember, we grew up with such things like lanterns, with wicks soaked in kerosene. We still had to light a match to set the wick ablaze, and then the lantern itself will give light to the whole house. As I read the extract for today, I learn that the Word of God is also like this lamp, having the wick in it, with the ability to give light, but also requiring that a match or some kind of spark to be introduced, so that light, which is the purpose of the lamp, might become a reality.

The harder bit is to define light. Let me just put this down: Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation. It has a wavelength which can be seen by the human eye. When light hits an opaque object it makes a shadow but when the light hits a transparent object, it passes through it almost completely without making a shadow. Did you notice that light was not really defined, but its form and properties are mentioned. That is the amazing thing about light: you cannot fail to notice its presence or absence, but you cannot really define it or limit its scope. This is where it gets interesting: by the world's standard, it seems that one cannot serve as the other. The lamp cannot also serve as the light. One bears the other, so that the other can be seen. 

God's Word serves as both the lamp and the light. How would this work? God's Word is the receptacle and the device that bears the light. God's Word is also the light. That is deep. The Word of God is the tool God uses to bring change into a man's heart, shining his light into all the hidden recesses of that heart. The Word of God is also the light that shines on that man's heart so that all that man is is laid bare. Did you notice the impact of light when it hits an opaque as well as a transparent object? When my heart is opaque, full of pretence and hypocrisy, there will always be dark spots or shadows but when my heart is transparent before God, the light will pass through completely without making a shadow. 

How's my heart? Is it a place that the Word of God can reach or are there too many distractions leading to deception? Is my heart the place where all sorts of falsehoods and lies find expression or am I totally sold out to God so much so that there is no room for shadows? God wants to guide and guard, but he will not go against the exercise of my own freewill. I need to walk right, and I can only do that when I have the lamp and light of God providing the guidance and leadership that I need. Without guidance, my feet will go astray, as the flesh in me naturally seek out that which is of the flesh. Light cannot be hid or ignored; with God's light in and with me, I have all I need to make a success of life. God's time of favour is here. 

Continuity!

Continuity!

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.

Matthew 24:35 NIV

It is important to keep at the front of our hearts the context of today's extract. These words were spoken by Jesus himself to his disciples, and at a time when the disciples were also interested in what the signs of the end times were. They were hearing things that were unexpected from Jesus, but there really was nothing in the physical to suggest that these hard times were near. The temple, with all its glory, was still standing, and men were still their regular, hypocritical bunch. However, in the midst of all the relative safety, Jesus warns the disciples: the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. It takes a man whose heart is set on God to seek to understand this message, know what to do and how to respond. 

We are in those end times Jesus spoke out so many times. All that our eyes see belong to this earth, which has an appointment with fire. I must use and exhaust the resources that belong to the earth in a way that I can be assured of eternal dwellings. I must not be so caught up with what my eyes see that I ignore that which my heart must seek, which is the eternal. The disciples saw the lovely temple; Jesus saw the same temple, but with trouble coming. At the end of the day, the temple was looted and destroyed, and we are still expecting the return of the Messiah. If the word of Jesus about the temple came to pass as he said, why would I doubt that his Word about the coming kingdom will also come to pass? 

Heaven and earth have an appointment with fire. A shaking is coming. As mighty and complex as the heaven and the earth are, they will pass away, like one who dies and is beyond redemption. All that is in it will also pass away, and a new earth and heaven are promised. As I read all that Jesus had pronounced to his disciples while he was still with them in the flesh, I realise that His Word has not ever failed. As he promised judgment on nations, we see the impact of those promises all around us today. Nations that were rulers in their time are no more. Some have lost all power and relevance, while others that were inferior at a time are now playing on the world's stage. That is the power behind God's Word.

In that light, I must take heed to myself, asking myself the right questions: what is God expecting from me in these times? What is the code of conduct for such a time like this? What value should I place on power, politics, possessions and position? How do I make the right use of what is in my hands now, and what I will still lay my hands on in the future? I believe the secret lies in today's extract: know who God is. Know His power, and the effect, reach and scope of His Word. There is nothing my eyes see now that will not pass away, but the Word of God, who is Jesus himself, lives forever. That is the major difference: possessions have no life of their own, and depend on us assigning them relevance.

Jesus needs no one to make him feel important; all who have come to truly know him know that he is all that matters. His Word is life to all who have it, and he is the guarantee of eternal life for all who hold on to the truth of God's Word to the end. Nothing the world gives you can outlast the world, because the world does not have the unending life of God. If the world gives you, it can take it away from you, as well as other things. If the Word of God gives you, be sure that the world can only threaten, but it cannot disposses you of that which it did not give you. So, on a daily basis, I evaluate my life, as well as my hands. What am I holding on to that will not lead me into eternity? I must drop it all now, so I can lay hold of that which is truly life and eternal. God's time of favour is here. 

Profit!

Profit!

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 2 Timothy 3:16 KJV

What do I think is God's guide to the world he has placed me in? What has he provided as a navigational tool or compass for this life? I believe the answer is the Bible. We call it by different names, but there is no doubt that it is God's tool for changing lives, which in turn will change the family, community, nation and the world in general. And it is also important to note that no part of it is unimportant or irrelevant; ALL of scripture, whether the old or the new testament, is prescribed by God as the solution to the malaise of the world. I cannot pick and choose the lovely parts like Songs of Solomon, and ignore other parts that speak of judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah. God is a balanced God; he loves and judges in equal measure, and His Word is the guide into his heart. 

The One who inspired its contents is the only one who can explain it. This is one area where human intellect, wisdom, tact and grammar are of no use. The letters are stories, providing information to all who read them, but if I want to move from information to inspiration, I need the help of the One who is the Mind behind the Words. Information is good, but what is the relevant of it if I do not know how it affects me, what it calls me to do, and when it is best to act on it? That is the grace of inspiration, where I get to know what God is saying to me per time. I don't rely on someone else's experience; God wants to give me my own. The same information that makes one man panic is the same information that brings comfort to another. It all rests on the inspiration that information brings. The letter indeed kills, because ordinary words cannot give life. It is the Spirit behind the words that can give life, and it is He who I must go to, daily, to get the life I require to impact my world. 

Interestingly, the word 'profitable' is used for scripture. It seems to mean that if I apply the word to my lfie life in the proper way, I make profit. I am careful to define profit here, because profit always means that there was an investing, a sowing, a commitment to make time for something to grow. It will not happen by accident; but by deliberate action. This generation loves profit without work, and gain without pain. Nowwhre in Scripture does God present himself as a magician, but as a miracle worker. He can cause fruit to blossom where none existed, but he needs my hands and heart to be committed to service. He can command a fish to pay temple tax for himself and his disciples, but someone had to cast the hook to pick the fish. He can feed 5000 men with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fishes, but someone had to give up his lunch. There are times when God will of his own freewill give something that is unusual, but do not ever doubt the power of silent, secret sowing and preparation, away from the eyes and attention of men. 

I must therefore learn what this profit is, so I can fashion my life in line with its requirements. It is not profit from the perspective of currency, but profit that leads to eternal life. Scripture provides the seed I can sow and invest so I can make a profit. How would I make a profit? By applying Scripture the right way to all of my life's challenges and situations. The Scripture is multidimensional; check out all the things it can do: teach doctrine, reproof, correct and instruct in righteousness. It has laid the right foundation for who God is and what he demands from us, and then when we go wrong, it corrects us, without respect to what we have done in the past or what we may be doing now. 

When there is false information, it is the standard of truth, against which no other contrary thing can stand. It is the standard of righteousness laid down by God, by which all men will be judged. The mind of God is made clear by scripture, and the terms of judgment also made clear. I have been told who God is, what he expects from me, and how he intends that I should walk with him. His love is laid down; his law is made clear; his mercy is shown clearly and his judgment also clearly laid out. I have no excuse, and I cannot plead ignorance. There are now many versions of the Bible, in all sorts of languages, which can be downloaded and even read online. As God gives grace of access, I must take advantage and find out God's mind. It will keep me from sin, and make my life presentable and acceptable to God. The end of it all is eternity; I do not want to get to the end of my life and discover that I had pursued the wrong priorities. God's time of favour is here. 

Worthy Impact!

Worthy Impact!

The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. Psalms 19:7 NIV

David was a man whose life presents us with daily lessons. God said of him that he was a man after his heart and knew how to catch God's attention. In the event that you are wondering how David did this, take a look at all his psalms, and you will see the definite imprint of God upon his life. From a young age, he found time to seek God in quiet times and places, and I am sure he always got a word from God. How did he write all the songs he did, even to the point of prophesying about the coming Messiah, if he never heard God speak to him? That is my first lesson from today's extract: God is a Father who is interested in his children. He wants to impact their lives, but they have to let him. He wants to share his mind with us, but we must make out time to listen. 

God's Word is the Law. Let no man deceive you into thinking that God's Word is just a set of negotiated agreements. No, it is called the Law of the Lord for a reason: it lays out the expectations of God for all who come to him. He does not force anyone to listen to him, but if I will get all that God intends, I have to live in line with his Law. He sets out the law and also supplies the grace I need to keep it. He does not lay a burden on me that I cannot bear, but it is a weight of expectation that demands a particular lifestyle from me, so that he can do the work that he needs done in me. I do have a choice, but think of the alternative: a life of pain, loss and eternal death. Would it be worth it to give up the eternal because of the attraction of the earthly?

Think also of the benefit of the Word of God to the simple. As long as my heart is tender, with no pretensions or hypocrisy, God is able to reach me. As long as I am solely dependent on the grace of God, I can be helped. As long as I am not full of myself, with plenty of room for God to do his work in and on me, I am not beyond God's grace. I can trust God's process to bring me to the place of preparation, purpose and perfection. Those who are proud of who they are or what they have achieved do not really need help. If I will access all of God, I must surrender all of me. 

My heart is the place where the battle for control and impact will be fought. Who will win? God, whose Word can change a life and guarantee eternal life, or the world, which can only give you a temporary fix, but cannot guarantee you life beyond this earth. Sin is such a weight; it keeps a man from being able to access all that God offers. By His law, I see life. Refreshing comes from his Word. Victory over sin comes from his Word. Wisdom comes from the Word. If all these come from the Word, how then can I trust anything else to give me that which only the Word of God can give? May my heart receive all that God is, so that His Word can do His work in me, and I can be all that He intends for me. God's time of favour is here. 

Regulate!

Regulate!

Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. Psalms 42:11 NIV

Such a pointed question, and a very relevant one, considering the times we are in now. The sons of Korah, who wrote these words, had their own moments of doubt too. They remembered the 'good, old days' when things were rosy. Going into God's house was a joy, because His presence was a daily reality and comfort to the heart. All of a sudden, maybe due to sin, things had changed, and now enemies has cause to question if God was indeed real. Just as it was then, so is it now. I must be very careful about my daily life, its pursuits and priorities, so that sin does not become a hindrance to what God wants to do in and through me.

Life may have dealt a hard one on me or things could currently be tough. I may have moved around a bit, not sure of what the next step in life would be. I may struggle to fully understand what to do, how to do it or when to do it, but there is a place for me to know who God is and what he has laid out for me. The writer knew he had problems, but one thing was clear: he also knew God. He was facing tough times, but he could turn his face towards God and access all that God had made available to him. I must be like this writer: aware of who God is. These must be my most important thoughts: that God is all I need, he has all I need and he is always ready to help me, no matter how hard things may get. 

That was the confidence of this writer, and I must have the same heart too. I speak to my soul today, in the face of the daunting challenges in front of me, and I ask my soul not to be disturbed. Yes, the reality may seek to push me in another direction, but when I know the power, might and wisdom of the One backing me up, I can rest in that knowledge, sure that it will always work out. My hope has to be rightly rooted for it to bear the right fruit. I cannot rely on my own abilities, and then wonder why God is not helping me. I cannot rely on my connections, contacts and circle of influence, and then wonder why things are not working out well. God is not one to share his glory with anyone or anything. 

I look forward to the amazing things that God has in stock for me. I look forward to the miraculous, even in the face of the regular and the ordinary. He is in the regular, the mundane and the ordinary, as well as in the supernatural and the amazing. I praise Him because I know who He is, and I know what he can do. Even when I do not yet see all I desire, waiting patiently for him to come through, I praise him. Yes, he may not give me what I ask for, but whatever it is He gives me is for my good, and I will turn out alright. I praise him, not as a bribe, but as a measure of gratitude for all He is. My soul, praise God. You are in safe hands. God's time of favour is here. 

Seek!

Seek!

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33 KJV

The greatest danger to the eternal is the false pressure of the immediate. The world has conditioned us to think only of the now, and why it is important to get it all now. We tell ourselves that we follow a timetable for the milestones of our lives; we want to have specific things in place before we get married, before we have children, before we buy or build our first house, and all the other layers of life that we have to encounter. The world also tries to define for us what success means, without really being able to nail it down specifically. It is a definition that is always evolving, because the world cannot define something it cannot refine. There really is no crime in the pursuit and the timeline; what is important is to define the scale of preference and know what is really important. 

Today's extract lays out very clearly the things that are really important. There is a power behind the eternal, as it is the control of the ephemeral. If I know what is really important, my life's pursuits and priorities will line up accordingly. God tells me very clearly what his perfect will is, and it is that I seek first His kingdom. To seek his kingdom is to know that it is my most prized possession. To have it is to know that I hold on to something bigger and better than anything the world can ever offer me. To seek takes time and effort, but the man who seeks knows that the end of the search always brings a good result. And it is a kingdom because God is in control, with a defined territory and loyal subjects. He commands the entire universe and it responds. That is the God who has asked me to seek his kingdom. 

If there was nothing to be gained, God would not emphasize it this much. He knows that I have many legitimate needs, such as food, clothing and shelter. He is the God who simply commands and even ravens can bring food to feed a prophet. He knows I need these things but he has to know that my heart will not cling to created things rather than the Creator. I do not claim right by right, but by grace. It is not of my own strength, but of grace. God will and has always supplied the grace, but I must respond the right way. It won't pay me to seek God on my own terms, but on his own; after all, it is His kingdom, not mine. When I seek him, I will find him. When I find him, I have found all that really matters. Every other thing will follow, as long as I am in the centre of God's will. If I have God's kingdom, every other thing knows its place and limits. If I don't have it, it really does not matter what else I have. God's time of favour is here. 

Daily Sorting!

Daily Sorting!

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling,

Philippians 2:12 NIV

Paul writes to the church in Philippi, calling them friends. He has been led by God into missionary work there, and now there were brothers and sisters who had come to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. That is what Christ does: in and by him, men who would ordinarily not qualify for mercy have become the objects and subjects of mercy. We are brought into a new standing in God, and enjoy the benefits and blessings of this new stand. No matter how different we may look on the outside, the common faith in Jesus has now made us connected to one another. We are bound together by a common bond and headed in the same direction. If that was all there is, life will be good, but there is more to it than just what has been laid out above. 

The new stand comes with a lot of responsibilities. God who calls men to himself has clear ideas on how the call would work and what it would entail. God does not waste resources and if he calls, it is because there is an earthly assignment with eternal consequences that need to be done. The new stand comes with a lot of expectations from those called to stand in it. This church had a part of it figured out, and it has to do with obedience. This church was not one given to hypocrisy and eye-service. It was sincere in its service and obedient to instructions. The church did not only obey when Paul was in, but Paul could testify that even in his absence, the church would remain obedient. There is not much Jesus can do in the life of a disciple who is not committed to obedience. Where do I stand on the matter of total obedience? 

Part of the instruction for a disciple is to keep working out my salvation. This is the continuous tense, which shows that it is never finished, until it is truly finished. It requires careful cultivation and daily pursuit of the goal, until it is fully complete. You do not start well and then stop in the middle of the journey. You do not keep the end in view and then allow yourself to be distracted by the things that have no relevance to the things that are really important. There is also a prescribed attitude as I work this out, and it must be with fear and trembling. Why this seemingly negative words? It is because when it comes to God, I cannot trust these carnal senses. They give you a false sense of security, making you comfortable, even when you are missing the mark. I must always rely on the help of the Holy Spirit to know how to walk and work per time, so that I do not make assumptions. 

I must avoid anything that may offend God and make him withdraw from me, or bring disgrace or reproach to the name of Christ. It is a constant watch, where at all times, I am conscious of who I am, what I have left behind, who I serve now and what I am called into. Fear of God keeps my feet away from evil, and the fear of man is a snare that will lead a man into evil. I depend on the grace of God that has been given in abundant measure for the walk of faith I have been called into. I am saved but I must hold on to it to the end, so that I can enjoy the benefit of salvation, which is eternal life. That is the end; nothing else will matter. God's time of favour is here.