Fear God!

Fear God!

Ecclesiastes 12:13 KJV

[13] Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

The man who wrote the words of the verse above said he did not deny himself anything his eyes desired. Whatever he wanted, he got. He was that wealthy, because God had blessed him beyond the limits any man could place on him. Kings and queens from all over the world came to hear him speak, and to observe the quality of his kingly court. The bible records that there was no king like him before him, and there would also be no king like him after him. That is the testimony of a man who God had blessed. However, as we now know, even the man that God has blessed has to be careful of personal actions and decisions. God does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. He will give sufficient grace for the journey of life, but He expects me to use the grace the right way, so that I can get the results that give glory to Him. The misuse of grace has both earthly and eternal consequences. 

The bible records about this man that he had 700 wives and 300 concubines, and of course, these women turned his heart away from God. A man who had visions of and visits from God had allowed the distractions and cares of the world become the focus. The fear of God in his heart was now being replaced with the temporary calm that false and fake alliances can deceitfully lay down. In the early part of his reign, he was the only king who did not have to fight an external war with the enemies of Israel. Towards the end of his reign, he was beset by many foes, including Edom, Zobah, his own official named Jeroboam, and internal conflict from the tribe of Ephraim. It has to be said that a man who will go far in and with God must be careful of the seemingly attractive things the world has to offer. It must be noted that the world will not and cannot give you what it does not own or have. 

The Word and the world are on opposite sides of the divide of eternity. Both have differing priorities, and both have different eternal ends. If what I seek is eternal life with God, then I have to fear the One who can secure this life for me. If I have tasted the world and seen that it bears me no good, it will just cost me total submission to the authority and power of the Word of God, who is Jesus Himself. As Solomon realised it centuries ago when the words of the verse above were written, so is it a truth that must be published and proclaimed publicly. Jesus returns one day soon, and He is coming back for those who are eagerly expecting Him by living right. You live right by fearing God and keeping His commandments. The combination of fear of and obedience to God secures the blessing of earth and the eternal riches of heaven. What else can a mortal man give you that can be better than these? Fear God, and you have no one and nothing else to fear. God's time of favour is here. 

Do Good!

Do Good!

Galatians 6:10 KJV

[10] As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

The emphasis over the past few days seems to be on those who claim to be disciples of Jesus. Paul refers to them as brethren in the chapter from where the verse above is taken. Those who share the same affinity due to the connection of the blood of Jesus have become united by common faith, common purpose and a common eternal destination. No matter what the realities of my current earthly experiences may be, I know that there is an eternity with God to look forward to. However, life will happen to the best of us at different times in our lives. There will be seasons of abundance, as well as seasons where lack may seek to define us. This is why we have been placed in the community of believers. This community is expected to be there to help when things get tough. God has placed resources in His body that can provide physical, mental, material, emotional, spiritual and physiological help to those in need of it. 

This same inspired writer of the verse above knew fully well the benefits of this support system, because he acknowledged the help and support he got from various churches and people during his missionary journeys. It must also be emphasized where the verse starts from, which is the need to do good to ALL men. That is the duty of all who know and follow Christ, as this is one sure way to make the gospel and message of Christ attractive to all men. God will always give grace, because He wants men to be drawn to the light of Christ in us. We are called the light of the world, and a city that has been set on a hill cannot be hidden, and it also cannot be ignored. It is by my light that those in utter darkness can seek help and hope. It is from my life of grace that men can draw hope and inspiration that God is able to help them too. That is how light draws men in, where they can find timely help.

I have something that the world needs. The life of God in me makes it impossible for me not to have something to give, or a life to impact. There will be many opportunities to be a blessing to people, as it has been commanded, and it is also equally important to start from home. The first place to be a blessing is at home, and that would be among people with which we share common affinity by the blood of Jesus. We may begin from home, but we also make sure that visitors are treated well too. We are conscious of the fact that it is by our public service that men are drawn to the light. Those who first called the apostles Christians in Antioch were not moved by their grammar, diction or wealth, but by their personal lives of humility and service. Am I a blessing to the body of Christ? Are God's resources in my custody fully accessible by all men? God's time of favour is here.

The Cost!

The Cost!

Matthew 16:24 KJV

[24] Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Economists teach about opportunity cost, which is the next highest-valued alternative use of the resources you have presently. When the time comes to decide on what to do, a lot of options will be available, and all of them may present themselves as valid. However, due to competing interests and the value and impact of time, you may not be able to do all of them at once. Whatever you give up becomes the cost of whatever you decide to do. This view applies across board to all of life; at all times, there are decisions to be made in different areas of our lives. We will not be given all the resources we need in life all the same time, which means that we will always have to review and prioritise what is key and critical at that point in time. This is the message in the verse above; it is quite relevant to note that Jesus was speaking to His disciples here. Who you are directly impacts your value system and priorities. 

Just as Jesus did then, I believe this message is for specific people. It is indeed an open invitation to all men, but to understand the cost of following Jesus, and be willing to pay that price, takes commitment from men who have been broken. To even make up your mind to follow Christ means that you have sat down to count the cost of following Him, you fully understand what it would demand from you and what you may likely lose, and you are ready and willing to give up everything else for the sole purpose of following after Him and doing His will. That is where ANY MAN comes in; the gift of salvation is offered to all men, irrespective of race, creed, culture or background, and the standing promise of God is that ANYONE who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. You cannot claim to desire the gift of salvation, and still want to hold dearly to your past. Your past is the reason why Christ had to die on the cross. 

His death and resurrection now makes it possible for me to deny myself and take up my cross daily. The strength and focus I need are only available in my total submission and dependence on the Holy Spirit. No man can do this by sheer human power or force of will. The devil is skilled in long-term warfare, and as his time is limited, he is desperate to take as many as he can down with him. Denying yourself means that the old man must die completely; you cannot fall back to the old man when things get tough, or when it is convenient. It is also a personal walk, first and foremost. There is a place for corporate fellowship but it is the nourishment that you have received from your private walk with God that will be of great help in the public walk and work of faith. God wants me to walk with Him. That is the most important part of this conversation. It is the path that leads to life eternal; the gift is given to all men. Please take full advantage of it. God's time of favour is here.

An Example!

An Example!

1 Timothy 4:12 KJV

[12] Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.

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Paul was writing here to his son in the faith, Timothy. At the time, this relationship would have been frowned at by the Jewish elders. Here was a young man whose mother was a Jew but his father was Greek; that would have excluded Timothy from the benefits naturally accruing to Jews by birth. Even the Jews of that time would have made their opinions known, which was why Paul had to circumcise him, just to make him acceptable to the Jews. That was the start of the life of Timothy, and that could have shaken the faith of anyone else. Thank God for the influence of Paul and Silas who stood by Timothy, encouraging him in the new faith and life he had come to believe in. The past could be anything at all: uncomfortable, irritating or outrightly bad. We may have had nasty experiences in the past, but God uses anything and anyone to mold and fashion us into what He can use. 

He is the only One who is able to turn the biggest mess into the loudest message of grace. Paul, the inspired writer of the words above, is a great example of the outward manifestation of the inward work of God in the life of a man. The message in the verse above is directed at all of us who have come from different backgrounds into common faith in Christ. Do not let anyone's view about your past keep you in bondage; the opinions of men do not count when grace has spoken. Men may think that because of position, privilege, power or possessions, they have the right to speak into your life, but thank God because men do not have the final word on a life that God has created. Consider the areas that Paul referred to in the verse above: word, conversation, charity, spirit, faith, and purity. Some are the obvious outward manifestations of the inner presence of God. 

You cannot set the right tone in word or conversation, unless you have submitted the tongue to the control and influence of the Holy Spirit. Charity, or love, as other versions put it, is a manifestation of the fruit of the Holy Spirit. You cannot have/show it without having its origin or source living in you. When God has done a work inside me, the outward evidence cannot be ignored. Men of the world need to be challenged, in order to make them see the difference in their own lifestyles, and that which pleases God and is acceptable to Him. Even to fellow believers, I must be an example, so that they can be encouraged to hold on and press on. Who could have pictured the impact of Paul and Silas on the life of Timothy, who is now on permanent record as being involved in the letters to the churches in Philippi, Colosse, Thessalonica and the personal letter to Philemon. Do not despise the days of small beginnings. When God is involved, there is no limit to how far He can carry you. God's time of favour is here. 

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Sent!

Sent!

John 3:17 KJV

[17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved 

Two days ago, we considered the impact of sin and what it has caused in the life of man. It is clear that due to the fall of man into sin in the Garden of Eden, it has been one calamity after another. Even when man claims not to know about the power of the sinful nature, sin continues to rule and ruin the lives of all who are under its control. As sin is also a matter of genes, all who trace their origins to the first man all inherit the nature of sin. There is no exception, except the One who was brought into the world without the operation of natural human conception. The devil, as the chief proponent and promoter of sin, has no good solutions to offer man. He has also sinned by rebelling against God's authority, and he is the only one whose eternal judgment has already been sealed. This is why he is seeking as many people as possible to go with him into eternal domination. 

Christ has been strategically and eternally positioned, by virtue of His birth, death and resurrection, to offer deliverance from the power of sin, and new birth into a hope that never dies. His death on the cross, even though he knew no sin, was God's eternal solution to an eternal problem. As we read in the devotion 2 days ago, ALL sinned. The solution had to cover ALL who had sinned for it to be fair. As God is not an unjust God, or one who shows partiality, the death of Jesus on the cross was done for ALL men. What makes this even more poignant is the fact that it solved past, present and future sins. It did not matter in which generation or dispensation the sin was committed; even children yet to be born now already have the fountain of blood at their disposal. God did not send His son just to point out sin, but to save the world from sin. 

No other person or solution is available to save from sin. No other sacrifice of blood is able to save from the power and effect of sin. There is no other name under heaven, given among men, by which man can be saved. We have been given new birth into a new life, one with hope for an eternity with God signed, sealed and delivered by blood. There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ, whose past life of sin has been dealt with. It is the position that God wants ALL of us to be in. This is why such a huge price was paid. It is fair for God to make the offer available to ALL so that His judgement can be fair to ALL. Please do not ignore the gift that has been given freely to ALL men. No excuse will be valid if one rejects this gift to the end. There is an eternity at stake, and I get to choose where to spend it: with God, or away from God. The choice of response is mine to sort out. God's time of favour is here.

Seen!

Seen!

Psalm 139:9-10 KJV

[9] If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; [10] Even there shall thy hand lead me, And thy right hand shall hold me.

The context in which David wrote the words of this psalm is not provided, but as you read the words, you find situations that ignited joy and sometimes words that indicated stress or depression. He may have been going through some tough situations, and began to really question a lot of things in His life. In one instance, he acknowledges God's power over all creation, confident in God's ability to know and sort out all the issues he would face. You find words like: "You know my sitting down and my rising up; you understand all my thoughts from afar. You are fully acquainted with all my ways. There is not a word in ny tongue that you do not know altogether." This is a testament to the knowledge, power, and wisdom of God, as well as the grace that has been given to man to have a taste or sight of this power at work on a personal level. Have I experienced this God this way? 

Like David then, so would we have similar situations today. There is a lot of pressure and distractions around us to keep us focused on the wrong things, and occupied with the cares of the world. Daily bread can become a focus that takes our eyes away from the One who provides to the schemes that will guarantee weekly, monthly or annual supply. These are the times that, if not well managed, can lead to anxiety, depression and other health challenges. We can so focus on what we need and when we need them, that we forget that God has so graciously given us an assurance that He is able to meet all our needs, according to His glorious riches in Christ. Actually, there are times when we know these things, but our minds will just conveniently play tricks on us. We need to constantly remind ourselves of the provisions that have been made available. 

That is where the verses above make sense. I  have a God who is Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent. He is able to do all things, and for all who trust in Him, He is able to keep safe to the end. If I am in Him, nothing is able to touch me without first touching Him. That is the assurance I need to keep front and centre of my heart. He will not place on me more than what I can bear, and He will also not leave me to my devices. As the verses above also make clear, when I feel a bit overwhelmed, and I just want to be alone, even then, His hand is there to lead and guide me to the place of  refreshing and quietness, where He can speak to, reassure and re-equip me with all I need for life and Godliness. There is nowhere safer than in God's hands. No one can lead me better than God can. No one is as committed and interested in my progress, health, prosperity and advancement as God is. I encourage you to seek Him. Your earthly and eternal lives will be glad you did. God's time of favour is here.

ALL!

ALL!

Romans 3:23-24 NIV

[23] for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, [24] and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 

One way to appreciate the value of the work Jesus has done in our lives is to consider the word "ALL" in the verses above. There is a start point for all of us, and that is ALL have sinned. It does not matter what you are now, what you look like now, or where you are headed now; the start point for all of us is that ALL have sinned. By the process of natural birth, we inherited the nature of sin from Adam and Eve, who disobeyed God. Till today, all men who are born by the natural order of  conception would naturally walk out with the nature of sin. It does not matter what your level of education, depth of experience, scope of expertise, or depth of earnings are; ALL have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God. We could not earn God's approval by anything we could bring to the table; we had to pay the price for sin, in line with the standards that God had laid out in His Word. 

It took God breaking that cycle of natural conception for Him to provide a solution to sin. Again, the word ALL matters here. You cannot accuse God of being partial or unfair; as we all had sinned, we all needed help to be able to break away from the power and effect of sin. We could not do it by our own wisdom or strength, and so, God stepped in. The gift of life that was given was the solution to sin, and it is a solution that is good for ALL time. It is able to address ALL forms, sizes, depths or heights of sin. It is the lie of the devil that there are some sins that the blood of Jesus cannot cleanse. If true, it would mean that the blood of Jesus is not all that God says it is. We know that God is not a man that He should lie, and whatever He has said in His Word can be trusted for all of eternity. The gift is for ALL men and for ALL seasons, which is the basis of the power of choice given to ALL men.

The power to choose is also given to ALL men so that God would be fair and just in His dealings. The gift has to be for ALL men, so that all can take advantage of the gift of life that is offered. ALL who come to Jesus are justified freely by His grace through the work of redemption that came by Christ. This is the basis of our confidence and assurance that the past is taken care of, the present is sorted out, and the future is secure. We all can make an approach to the throne of God's grace and  receive the mercy that we need for our walk of faith. There is no room for self-confidence or pride; how can a man take pride in the supply or manifestation of something s/he does not know its origin? Whether rich, poor, tall, short, big or small, ALL men have been given the same opportunity of access. The gift is given, and it is in place for as long as this version of earth remains. Please take full advantage of this gift; ALL who do enter into eternal life. Have you? God's time of favour is here.

Ready!

Ready!

Luke 12:40 AMPC

[40]  You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour and a moment when you do not anticipate it.

The message in the verse above is for disciples only. It is apparent that only those who know and understand what is at stake are the ones who can get ready the right way, as laid out in the verse above. We live in a world where people have become so used to sin that its nature, scope, depth and reach have stopped to shock. We have now become so used to sin that we shrug and sometimes excuse the wrong behavior. However, as we see from the many messages that Christ has laid down for his children, the wages of sin remain death, and no amount of education, enlightenment, experience, empowerment, exposure or earnings can change these wages. I can either learn and amend my ways or simply press on with what I am used to, and then pay the eternal price for my decision whenever the end comes. Please give careful thought to your current path; would your present course lead you to eternal life with God? 

Earthly servants understand the requirement for being in guard, and waitiing on the Master of the house. When the Master gives an instruction, and then leaves, it is the wise servants to sets out immediately to work on the Master's instructions. If there was no certain date fixed for the return of the Master, would it not be wise for the servant to get to work immediately? It is the same expectation for us who are earthly servants of the heavenly Lord. He has given us a mandate, and laid out quite clearly what His demands and expectations are. He has left us with time to carry out the mandate, but He has not specified when He will return. He is a faithful and true God, who does not lie, and if He says He is coming back one day, please be sure that it is not given to Him to lie. No word from Him fails, and if other promises of God are being fulfilled all around us, then be sure that this one too shall surely come to pass. 

No one is given the day and time of the return of the Master. We all have been given our personal assignments, and we will do well to remember that stewards or servants will give accounts of what they have been tasked to do. The world's system at the moment is designed to keep its adherents focused on the issues and problems it has created, so that they would not be able to look to God for anything. If I do not expect anything or anyone, I will not give careful thought to my current situation. This is also why the verse above is directed at disciples, not the crowd. If Jesus could admonish those who had been following Him for some time to get ready, it means that anyone can, by carelessness, miss out on God's visitation. This message is even more poignant today, when you consider that the Master has clearly said that this current versions of heaven and the earth will be destroyed by fire. There has to be nothing on this earth that can provide succour to one whose heart is focused on eternity with God. Are you? God's time of favour is here.

Helped

Helped!

Isaiah 41:13 KJV

[13] For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.

There is a fundamental truth to the saying that it matters who is backing you up. In a world of uncertainty and pain, it is really important that I know who I am, whose I am, who I serve and where I am headed. The clear understanding of the above will shape and mold my experiences into learning points, and keep me in line. Things may go wrong, as they would likely do in this world of sin, but when God backs you up, you are sure that nothing happens to you without His permission, and without first touching Him. The people the verse above was addressed to are God's servant Jacob/Israel, whom He had chosen, the seed of Abraham His friend. God spoke to the past, present and future of His servant and friend, reminding me that God knows all about me. The One who wrote down all the days appointed for me in His book, even before one of them came to pass, cannot be caught by surprise. 

For those who have surrendered their lives to Jesus, you have a special relationship to be nurtured and preserved. The Lord Himself is the One speaking here, reminding His servant and friend about His Omnipresence as well as His Omnipotence. When the Almighty God is on my side, it does not matter what the depth, quantity or quality of the opposition against me looks like. This is a God who promises me that because He fights for me, one of us shall chase a thousand, and two can put ten thousand to flight. He introduces Himself as "I, the Lord thy God" to show that it has to be personal and private first, before it holds any public value. Is there a point to claiming that I am a child of God in public, when God does not even know me as His own? He is Lord, and all who will claim Him as such must submit to and recognise His authority on a daily and regular basis. 

It cannot be a seasonal affair, where I only submit when it is convenient, and then push for my own way when it suits me. This God, who owns and holds the whole world, promises to hold my right hand. That is support, comfort and assurance of His close presence. It also reminds me to be very careful about where I go and what I do, as it will amount to utter foolishness to take God's Presence with me into deliberate and consistent sin, and still expect God to keep holding my hand. He hates and punishes unconfessed sin, no matter in whom it is found. His presence comforts me, and fear is distilled and quenched. God's presence does not give room for fear. God's presence assures me that I will be helped. A man who knows that he has been helped has no room for fear or pride. Is God your Helper, or do you have your alternative options? God's time of favour is here.

Give 2!

Give 2!

‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭9:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.

Yesterday's devotion was taken from the old testament, and for those who may wonder if the new dispensation has a similar message, the verse above is the answer. Irrespective of the generation or the dispensation, giving has always been at the center of God's heart. He would not ask me to do something He has not first done; there is no way a mortal man can outgive an immortal God. He gave his one and only begotten Son as a gift to pay the full price of sin for the whole world. If He could do what He did, He has laid down the perfect example of the attitude and ability that are needed from those who claim to know and follow Christ, when it comes to giving. The first expectation, therefore, is to sort out my identity. Does God know me as His own? It is critical that this be sorted out, as the commands of God are for his disciples and citizens. 

Paul was indeed writing to the church in Corinth, and as he would always do, he defined his audience: to the assembly of God, and to all the people of God throughout Achaia. The audience will always drive the expectations. The people of the world also know the value of giving, and there are several schemes that support those who do acts of charity. Even governments know the value of  giving, and would provide tax breaks to people who are known to give regularly. If the world knows the value of giving, how much more should those who know God be even more willing to give. One other quick lesson from the verse above is that the value of the return is defined by the value of the giving. Just like Christ who gave his life for the world, look at the billions who have now been saved, and are still being saved, through the act of giving that happened many centuries ago. 

You cannot give what you do not have, but let it be that whatever you have is a tool that God cam use to bless the world around you. God will not demand from me that which He has not first supplied grace for. The heart with which I give will also define the scope and depth of what I get in return. If I do not create space in my room to receive more, I cannot get more. If I do not move things out first, I cannot move things in. Only in God do you find the command to first give in order to receive. The world will lay emphasis on how much it can keep from what it gets. The Word of God lays emphasis on the heart with which I give as the basis of what I get. Forget the monetary value; the widow who gave two copper mites gave more than those who threw in large sums of money. Sow the right way; watch God return the favour with abundance. God's time of favour is here.

Give 1!

Give 1!

Proverbs 19:17 AMPC

[17] He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and that which he has given He will repay to him.

In a world of inequalities and poverty, the verse above speaks to those whose hearts have been taken over by God, and who have an understanding of who they are, what they are and have, and why they have been gifted and placed wherever they are. God does not make mistakes; the fact that one is wealthy and the other is poor does not always mean that the poor is lazy. You can work hard and still struggle, and for another, just one very bright idea brought to reality can change the story. This is why God's Word is critical to this discussion. Whatever my present situation, as long as I am alive and well, there is no limit to what God can do with me. He can decide on the timing of what He wants.me to have; He can decide the quantity and size of what I get as well as the channel by which He provides it. This is what makes God who He is; He has total control over all He has made. 

Whatever my current situation, there is something I have that is a blessing and an answer to prayer for another person. It is deeper that just monetary terms. I am careful to note that food is important and could be the most important need to be met before other things can be heard, but being poor is wider than just not having food. As you read one of the parables of Jesus in Matthew 25, you see other things that matter: I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in; naked, and ye clothed me: sick, and ye visited me: in prison, and ye came unto me. These were the actions that distinguished the sheep from the goats. God, in His wisdom and sovereignity, has so designd it that therre is no one who has everything in this life; I will have something that is of value to someone else, and there is someone who has something that will be of immense value to me. 

What is critical is to seek to apply what I have received the way God would want me to. For those under new management, they know quite clearly that their lives, as well as all they have and hold, are God's, and He has the power to command and direct them as He pleases. When I do as He pleases, the verse above says I am lending to the Lord. It is a bit odd to say you are lending to the One who owns it all in the first place, but it shows that I recognise the power and purpose behind such an investment. God does not owe a man; whatsoever you lend Him is returned to you in multiple folds. He will place people on my path that He wants to bless through me, and He will not demand from me that which He has not first supplied sufficient grace for. Nothing I do is wasted, good or bad. The results will definitely follow. If I do not like the current results, maybe it is time to change the direction of my investments. God's time of favour is here. 

Help!

Help!

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭121:1‭-‬2‬ ‭AMP‬‬

[1] I will lift up my eyes to the hills [of Jerusalem]— From where shall my help come? [2] My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth.

A search on the internet reveals that some of the mountaintops that are in or around the Old City of Jerusalem are Mount Zion, Mount of Olives, the Temple Mount, Mount Scopus, Mount Herzl, Mount of Rest, Mount Hotzvim, and Har Nof. Whoever the psalmist was, he must have lived in or around Jerusalem and seen the peaks and mountains, and was able to appreciate the protection and safety they seem to provide. That is both the challenge and the reality of physical measures. I am required to lock my door at night, yet I also understand that locked doors do not always keep out trouble. I can take the best of safety precautions, yet they may not be able to keep me truly safe in the day of trouble. 

What, then, is the solution? Do I completely dispense with the need for safely, trusting God to keep me safe, even if my decisions place me in harm's way? Or do I strike the right balance between physical measures, and the clear and simple  understanding that only in God am I truly safe and secure? This is the message of the verses above. As I cast my eye over the physical measures in place, I set my heart on the One who can make all these measures work as they should, whilst also keeping me safe. I am sure the psalmist here must have tried all the other options at some point, and realised they were limited in impact, scope and effect. 

If I lift up my eyes to the hills, and I know that they cannot really keep me safe, it helps me know that there is someone else more powerful than the mountains and hills. The verses above lay it out: the Lord, who made heaven and earth, including the mountains. God will not keep a man outside the scope of that man's heart. If my heart is fixed on that which is visible, I must trust the visible to work at all times. I cannot turn around and blame God for the consequences of my own decision. If God is the sole focus, His promise is that He is able to keep safe that which has been entrusted to Him. Which one is my heart fixed on: the mountains or the Lord? Both have earthly and eternal consequences. God's time of favour is here. 

Right Measure!

Right Measure!

Luke 16:10 AMPC

[10] He who is faithful in a very little [thing] is faithful also in much, and he who is dishonest and unjust in a very little [thing] is dishonest and unjust also in much.

It is amazing how the bible, written centuries ago, continue to provide relevant guidance and information for current affairs. Principles by which the world lives by are laid out quite clearly in the bible, and one of such examples is the focus for today.  This is the area of stewardship and accountability. It does not matter how hardworking a person is; once the issue of faithfulness at work is in doubt, there will be a problem with trust. You can trust a man to put in his best on an assignment, but what can you do once greed or covetousness comes into the mix? It is also instructive that Jesus was speaking to His disciples here, and not the crowds that followed him everywhere He went. The expectation for disciples has to be higher, deeper and greater than that for the crowd. The disciple lives by a higher and nobler standard; the crowd goes with whatever is popular at the time. 

The disciple knows who s/he is working for, and will strive to please the Master; the crowd has no permanent allegiance to anyone but itself. Do I know which one I am? Do my actions and reactions show that I know who I am called to follow and serve? It is this clear understanding that will drive my pursuits and priorities. The size of the assignment does not matter to the disciple; the publicity that is linked to the assignment does not determine the quality of the dedication and commitment applied to the assignment. Whether man sees or acknowledges efforts does not matter to the disciple; after all, man's recognition and applause are not the reasons why the disciple works. All s/he is after is to please the commanding officer. The disciple also does not envy another disciple's assignment because it appears more popular; he simply focuses on his/her calling and seeks to excel in it, to the glory of the commanding officer.

It always starts with the little. Nothing great today ever started great, but is the culmination of several little things that led to the big thing that people recognize and celebrate today. Never despise the days of small beginnings, or think that the little you are doing is not appreciated, or is not contributing to the big thing that you foresee. If I am seen to be faithful and devoted in the seemingly inconsequential, God is able to then entrust the mighty and the amazing into my hands. His work cannot suffer loss, and all who work for Him have to be trusted with the riches and treasures of His grace. Think of the impact of a life that is backed up by God, and also reflect on a life that starts with God, and then wants to finish the work on its own terms. I have to sit down and consider quite clearly what is at stake here: I have made it public that I am under new management. My life's choices must reflect that truth. God's time of favour is here.

Just Pray!

Just Pray!

Philippians 4:6 NIV

[6] Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 

Anxiety is defined as 'a feeling of fear, dread, or uneasiness that can be a normal reaction to stress or pressure. It can be mild or severe, and can manifest physically, mentally, and in how someone behaves'. Think of all that is laid out above, and reflect on the danger that anxiety, if uncontrolled, can cause to human life. We are also told that anxiety can be a 'helpful response to stress, providing a boost of energy or helping someone focus. However, it can become a problem if it is overwhelming or interferes with daily life or relationships'. God, who made us and knows who we are and how we are constituted, knows the danger of anxiety to our human frame. As per his initial plan for man, anxiety about anything was not part of the plan. Sin came and messed up the plan, but the coming of Jesus to die for our sin has dealt with the power and reach of sin once and for all. 

Now, I have access to help from God who tells me categorically not to be anxious about anything and also prescribes the solution to whatever weighs on my heart. He tells me not to be anxious about anything at all, but to pray about everything. Anxiety does no temporary good, because it just robs you of the peace that God wants to establish and entrench in the heart. That is deep. Consider the One who gave such a command, and ask if He is capable of providing the solutions you need for all that you face. Life will happen to all of us at different times in our lives. As we are in this mortal body, there will be seasons of joy as well as threats to the peace of God in our hearts, but we must keep our hearts on the prize that Jesus has secured for us, which is access to the riches of God's grace and the resources of heaven. No demand of earth can exhaust the resources of heaven. 

It is not enough to just encourage me not to be anxious, but the alternative is provided, and that is to approach God in prayer. The attitude in and content of prayer also matter: would I just come to God and reel off all my problems, without really asking Him to take care of them? Would I just lay all my cares on Him without even remembering to thank Him for being there and supporting me all through the journey of life? Would I focus just on my own problems, and simply ignore all the cares around me which I could help with? Prayer is God's way of reminding me that He is there, and I can come to Him anytime. I must also remember that He is sovereign, and He knows how to meet my needs. All I can do is open my mouth and ask the right way, and also thank Him at all times that He is available and approachable. Lay ALL your requests before Him and leave them there with Him. That is all He asks me to do. In His hands, my life will only turn out great. God's time of favour is here.

Rejoice!

Rejoice!

James 1:2-3 AMPC

[2] Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. [3] Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.

The audience defines the expectation and the experience. James was addressing brethren, who through persecution and tough times, had been scattered all over the world at the time. The message can be tough to deal with, but at no time does submission to God keep you from tough times. In fact, it appears that this is when things get even tougher. The devil has just lost a subject, and he will fight tooth and nail to get the subject back. He will raise issues from the past, or create situations in the present, just to cause distractions, and if possible, get the subject to return to old ways. That has been his modus operandi for all the centuries he has been at work, but there is an even older grace that is available to help all who are totally surrendered to endure these tough times and to be victorious at the end of the pursuit. This is why I have to sort out my identity. I cannot afford to be non-committal about who I am and what is expected of me. 

Speaking from experience, James would have seen firsthand the consequences of his decision to follow Christ. He would have gone through trials too, but there was an inner peace that was greater and bigger than the sum of all the tough experiences. It is the inner presence that defines the outer reality. When a man has God, the world around him cannot explain why he is not weighed down by anxiety, stress and anger. The world cannot understand why he is always joyful, even when his life does not appear to have reasons for joy. In the hands of God, no experience is a waste. In the hands of God, every experience is a testimony waiting to be confirmed. Nothing touches me without first passing through Him and getting His express permission. The dosage and the frequency are tuned and timed by Him to ensure that I can learn His lessons the right way. 

The trials are tests to help me know where I still need help, and the areas where God has enabled me to have victory. I am told to have joy because of all that I am going through, simply because that test has a higher value, and it is to teach and entrench endurance, steadfastness and patience in me. How else can God teach me these virtues, unless the experiences are real. Again, you may ask why tough times are necessary in the first place. How can God trust the quality and depth of my convictions if they have never been tested for high-pressure situations? As long as God allows it, it will end in praise if I allow God work out that which aligns with His purpose. Even when the vision tarries, I will wait for it, because I know whom I have believed. Even when the storms rise, the winds blow and the rains come down hard, I am set upon the rock that cannot fail. Do you know this God? God's time of favour is here. 

This God 2!

This God 2!

Nahum 1:7 AMPC

[7] The Lord is good, a Strength and Stronghold in the day of trouble; He knows (recognizes, has knowledge of, and understands) those who take refuge and trust in Him.

The prophet Nahum is the one credited with the prophecy written as part of the verse above. At the time, Nineveh was a nation that was steeped in idolatry. Like all nations on earth at the time, including Israel, they all had an encounter with the God who hates and punishes unconfessed sin, no matter in whom it is found. It does not matter how close you have been to God, or how much He has used you in the past. Sin will make a mess of you and leave you at the risk of God's wrath. It is good to recall that the wages of sin has been death since the verse in Romans was first pronounced, and the wages remain death to this day. No amount of education, enlightenment, experience, empowerment or earnings can change the wages into anything less than death, unless the sinner repents. Do not joke with sin; its end is not good. Is there any audit I need to carry out on my life today?

It is interesting that it was Nineveh that was being warned here, not Israel. God is interested in every life He has created. Men may write you off, like Jonah did to this same nation, and would have preferred that God destroyed it. God would not let go. He would not hand over the nation to be destroyed without first giving it an opportunity to repent and return to Him. With God, you get limitless mercy but it cannot be taken for granted. With God, you get warnings before He punishes, but you do not know what the consequences of your actions may be. It is also interesting to note that the verse above is placed in the middle of the pronouncements of judgment upon the nation of Nineveh. God is speaking here of mercy, protection, strength and power for all who trust in Him. God is saying here that for as many as would put their hope in Him, not on the false tokens of men, they will experience all that God is and gives. 

What do you think you can get that can beat what God offers here? The verse above lays it out clearly that God is good. Indeed, He is, and that determines what I get. Days of trouble will come, as a result of man's nature, but because I have Him, I have strength and a stronghold that is sufficient. Nothing gets to me without first touching Him. No harm can befall me without His permission, and the dosage and frequency will work for my good. That is what He offers, and it is for those who take refuge and trust in Him. Please do not make a claim on benefits you are not entitled to by birthright. Those who come to Christ come into a new relationship with God, and are now co-heirs with Christ. The Lord knows those who are His; He cannot be deceived by outward piety that is not matched with inner witness of the presence of God. He is stll very much at work; would you put your life in His hand and watch Him work? God's time of favour is here. 

This God!

This God!

Psalm 18:2 AMPC

[2] The Lord is my Rock, my Fortress, and my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength in Whom I will trust and take refuge, my Shield, and the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower.

The words of the verse above were spoken by David, when the Lord delivered him from all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul, who wanted to kill him. Here was a man who God Himself said was a man after His own heart. David was a man who found joy in silence, and could praise God in any situation. He found God's hand at work even when facing a lion and a bear, as well as when facing the gaint Goliath. In the seasons of despair and pain, he found a way to praise God. In the seasons of joy and ecstasy too, he found ways to praise God. It is not a wonder that God dealt with him the way the bible records show. Having God on your side does not in any way shield you from tough times, but you have the assurance that He will help you in and through any situation that may come up. Like David, God us still looking for people who will hold on to Him for all of life. 

Check out the many ways David describes God in the verse above. One thing you will quickly note is the personal nature of the many descriptions of God: my Rock, my Fortress, my Deliverer; my God, my keen and firm Strength; my Shield; the Horn of my salvation, my High Tower. There are 9 references to MY or I in the verse above. God is many things to many people, and all of us on earth can call God by different names, but you can never deny the power of a personal encounter with Him. Men can testify of their own experiences, and you can be really encouraged, but you need to ask God for your own. Again, the fact that God touches you does not mean that trouble will not also try and reach you. Calling God my Rock, my refuge and my fortress means that troubles indeed came calling, but God provided a place of confidence and rest. 

It may take time, but God does not rush into things. He wants me to learn to depend on Him, and that is why I have my lifetime to learn about God, what he can do, and how to approach Him. Without troubles, I may never know the depth and scope of my need for God. If things were always great and smooth, I may never acknowledge that I need God for every step of the journey of life. He is also a place of salvation and my High Tower, which also means that by trusting in Him, I am telling other people where my allegiances now lie. As soon as I make God my own, I tell the world that I am now under new ownership and management. I have now become a spectacle for the world to see, and indeed, I become an attraction that draws men to the God I claim to know and follow. I had better represent Him well, so that men can come to the saving knowledge of Him, as I have. Do you have or know this God? God's time of favour is here.

Wait!

Wait!

Psalm 27:14 AMPC

[14] Wait and hope for and expect the Lord; be brave and of good courage and let your heart be stout and enduring. Yes, wait for and hope for and expect the Lord.

In a world that is increasingly finding it very difficult to stay still, today's verse is a timely reminder of God's expectations for those who claim to know and follow Him. The world seems to recognize and reward those who know how to get ahead. The world also has these adages that support being in a hurry or to be quick in decision making, and of course, there are good reasons to do so. However, when it comes to the things of the Spirit, one has to be very careful that you are not running a race straight out of the perfect will of God for your life. This is a God who has been at the control centre of all creation since it had been formed, and continues to sustain all these things by His Word. He knows what He is doing, and He will not be rushed into any action through pressure from me or anyone else. How do you put pressure on a God who you cannot control? How do you get to hurry Him up when you do not have his timetable?

When it is time to act, He sets out and no one can question or limit Him. One verse that speaks to his unique sense of timing is the first part of Galatians 4:4, which says that "But when the set time had fully come...".  When His time is right, the whole of creation will align to carry out His plan. You read of verses such as Lamentations 3:37, which says: "Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, if the Lord has not authorized and commanded it"? That is absolute power and authority. Another one is Psalms 115:3 which says that "Our God is in heaven; he does whatever pleases him". That is also proof of unquestionable power. Do any of the verses above show a weak, clueless, thoughtless or easily manipulated God? Do any of these verses show that God can be hurried into making mistakes, unless I am the one who walks or works myself out of His will? 

This is why the verse above is actually a good recommendation or counsel. You are not compelled to align, and a man is free to do whatever he wants to do. God does not force His will on anyone, neither does He go against the exercise of my freewill. I can run as fast as I can in the opposite direction of His will, like Jonah did initially, or I can simply say, like Isaiah after his vision of God's glory, "Lord, here I am". As always, the choice is mine to make, but the consequences of whatever decision I make is determined by God. He has made quite clear what the earthly and eternal consequences are, and I will have to make a choice one way or another. There is no fence to sit on here. Let your heart be stout and enduring; soak it in the Word of God; walk and speak with Him daily Listen for his regular  instructions, and obey. You will see Him work. God's time of favour is here.

Cause and Effect 2!

Cause and Effect 2!

James 5:13 AMPC

[13] Is anyone among you afflicted (ill-treated, suffering evil)? He should pray. Is anyone glad at heart? He should sing praise [to God].

As was laid out in the devotion for yesterday, the human phase of life can be unpredictable and messy. There will be times when things will go according to plan, and there will also be many times that things will go horribly bad. There will be opportunities to see God at work and times when it may seem that we have been abandoned by God. Again, it is quite important to emphasize the power and effect of sin on our world today. Due to sin, we are now exposed to the power and actions of the prince of this world, whose work is to steal, kill and destroy. That is all he can do, because it is all he has. We also have a God who rules and reigns over the affairs of men, and whose plan and purpose for man cannot be thwarted unless and until that man simply works at cross-purposes with God. God wants to show Himself strong in my life, but i must let Him do what He is qualified to do.

God does not force Himself on anyone, or go against the exercise of my freewill. He makes all of us a simple offer, and that is He can solve our problems the way He sees fit, only if we can trust His wisdom, timing and leading at all times. His solutions may not always make sense at the time, and may sometimes seem slow, but God is never late. When a man is afflicted, whether ill-treated or suffering evil, God's recommended solution is to pray. It does not ordinarily sound sensible or rational, but in the hand of God, obedience is critical to accessing all that God has promised. He does not say I should accept all that has happened and do nothing about it, but I have to be careful not to defend myself to the point where it becomes self-help. Prayer helps to keep me grounded and dependent on God as the One who can help me through whatever it is that the devil may seek to throw at me. 

It could also be that things have aligned, and I have what I have asked for. I do not become conceited, thinking my effort or labour had something to do with what I now have. God's prescription for this season of gladness of heart is to sing praise to God. Praise takes away the focus from myself and my burdens or cares to the One who loves me enough to send His Son to die in my place. If He could do that willingly, I know that there is nothing else that He cannot give me. Praise keeps the focus on the person and power of God, so that God is moved to do even greater things for me. This is the connection between both situations: whether good or bad, I fix my gaze on the One whose power and might cannot be compared to anything or anyone else. My response to my situations is defined by my understanding of who God is, and what He can do. Do you know this God, or have we found alternatives that are taking our eyes and hearts away from God? Input will define output. Make sure you have God. God's time of favour is here.

Cause and Effect!

Cause and Effect!

Matthew 5:4 AMPC

[4] Blessed and enviably happy [with a happiness produced by the experience of God's favor and especially conditioned by the revelation of His matchless grace] are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted!

Life will happen to the best of us. As a result of man's first sin in the Garden of Eden, sin has now become natural to us. We do not have to do much to sin, as the natural order for man is to choose wrong over right. It is therefore not of much benefit to worry too much about sin, but about its earthly and eternal consequences. There is no value to just crying over sin; it is more important to seek God's solution to sin and take advantage of what He offers as the permanent solution to sin. As you read the bible, you find good examples of the destructive power of sin, the mercy that true repentance and sorrow for sin can attract, and the reconstructive work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of all who truly are sorry for their past sins. Where do you fit in all the above? 

As laid out above, there are many things that could cause a man to mourn, because this side of eternity permits it. This mourning is a meaningful, persistent grief over wrong; over something that is not right or good. There is a right context to this mourning which leads to blessedness, and that has to be my focus. The pain, suffering and death in the world today could cause a child of God to mourn, as there is an understanding of the cause and effect of sin on the world, but the child of God also knows that God has made adequate provision for the solution to sin. As the child of God mourns over the pain and destruction the world experiences today, there is a counter balance in the joy that comes from knowing that anyone who calls on the name of the Lord is saved from the power and effect of sin. 

It takes personal knowledge and experience to fully grasp both sides. It is not a wonder, then, that Jesus was speaking to his disciples here. If you are not a disciple of Jesus, it means that you do not have access to the remedies available. It means that you may have to sorrow all alone, with no one to help. It is not a wonder that the bible makes a big difference between worldly sorrow and Godly sorrow. Those who have God will also have life happen to them, but they have the big advantage of having God on their side to walk with them. My prayer is that none of us end up like Judas Iscariot, who, by worldly sorrow, ended up hanging himself and losing out in eternity. As the verse above says, God's favor and matchless grace are available for all who seek Him. The world gives enough pain;  I have nothing to lose if I seek God. God's time of favour is here. 

The Right Value!

The Right Value!

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 KJV

[12] And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; [13] and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

Paul, Silas and Timothy are recorded as the writers of this letter to the church in Thessalonica, and the letter covers a range of topics that remain relevant to this day. Of course, the Word of God is valid for all times, and will remain so until this version of earth and heaven will pass away, in line with the express directive of the Word of God. The verses above lay emphasis on areas of church life that sometimes lead to some controversy, and these are leadership and selfless service. It takes a broken life to offer selfless service to other people; it takes an understanding of what is at stake, who it is you work for, why you work and what you are working for, for a person to go all out in service for a God you have not yet physically seen, but you know, without a shadow of doubt, that He is alive, and a rewarder of all who diligently seek Him. It is the start point for anything of value. 

All three of the writers - Paul, Silas and Timothy knew what this call by God required of them. All of them were leaders of the church at the time, in various places and fields. No man can take on the task of leadership by himself, arrogate to himself the power of leadership. The One who owns the church is the One who calls men to all levels of leadership and service, and it will do me a great deal of good to know who I am, and where I have been called to stand and serve. The title should not define me; irrespective of what men call me, I know who I am working for. This understanding will help me, whether I am a 'leader' or a 'follower' or wherever it is that I am asked to occupy. I have a duty to help, pray for and support all who have been placed over me. I do not envy a man based on title, but I respect the grace and call of God on their lives, and keep asking God to uphold and help them. 

One good way to keep me grounded is to act as I would if the positions were reversed. How would you want other people to support you when you need it? God uses situations and people to prepare us for what He wants us to achieve for Him. There will be times when my best preparation is supporting another person and being willing to act in the shadow, maybe unknown. It is not easy being a leader of men, especially when not all of them have the clear understanding of what spiritual leadership is about. I must not push myself forward as if I am the best available. I am content doing what God has asked me to so, and supporting all who lead and direct. This is the path to peace that God commands, and as the word of God has said, He is not an author of confusion. If indeed I have God, I will seek and pursue peace. Do you have God in you? Your contents will define your pursuit. God's time of favour is here. 

Owned!

Owned!

1 Corinthians 3:16 NIV

[16] Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?

As always, it is important to define and clearly establish who the audience of the message in the verse above is for. This helps to define the demands and the expectations from those in the audience. Paul was speaking to the church in Corinth, so these were people who were expected to have an understanding of who God is, what His will is, and how they were expected to walk. Unfortunately, they had allowed the pressure from the world get to them, and they were now seeking approval from men as the standard. Cliques led by the efforts of men were now becoming more important than the demands of the walk of faith. This is grave danger in starting in God and seeking to continue the journey by personal effort or self-help. At no time must a follower of Christ become distracted to the point where you think that you can now do the work on your own, or rely on human help only.

This work now needs to be done under new management, and that is why the same writer, speaking to the same audience, said quite clearly that when a man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old has to give way to the new. Whatever inspiration you got from the world to carry out any assignment has to now be subjected to the dictates of the Spirit of God, who is the new boss now. Whatever was the motivation for the perspiration to carry out the work for the world, now has to bend to the empowerment and direction of the Holy Spirit. Something has to be possess someone to drive him or her to work tirelessly in pursuit of a goal. For all of humans, there is a vacuum in all of us, and someone must fill it in order to drive that which we need to get done. God and the devil are the only two masters relevant to this conversation, and with opposite eternities on offer. 

Be sure that the one who drives you knows the right destination. It will be quite unfortunate if the one who possesses you to pursue a course of action does not have life in himself and is therefore unable to guarantee you eternal life. The picture of the temple in the old testament was one set up exactly as God wanted, with worship and sacrifices made exactly as God prescribed. No one could offer strange or unholy sacrifices, as death was the result of such practices. The standard of God has not changed, and has not been lowered for anyone; those who carry the vessels of God cannot afford to live as they please or do as they please. The one who owns is the one who inspires those he owns to do the work He needs to get done. Labour by itself does not count; perspiration without God's inspiration and help does not lead to anything of value. If you are under God's ownership, your life's pursuits must reflect that reality. God's time of favour is here. 

Give!

Give!

Luke 6:38 AMP

[38] Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over [with no space left for more]. For with the standard of measurement you use [when you do good to others], it will be measured to you in return.”

There are principles by which the kingdom of God operates, and one of them is giving. This principle is quite important because there is a right way, as well as a wrong way to do it. As it is a kingdom principle, be sure that all who do it the right way get the right results from it, and the devil is also smart enough to provide sufficient alternatives to the right way of giving, to serve as distractions. For everything God commands, there are both earthly and eternal blessings and consequences, so be sure that for everything that the devil also promotes, there are both earthly and eternal consequences too. Our focus is on giving the right way; the way God prescribes and accepts. Please note: self-promotion will not replace divine instruction. If God has said it has to be done in a particular way, seeking the blessing requires seeking to obey. 

Obedience comes easy to those who have submitted their wills to God. Does this describe you at the moment? Are there things you think are too big to give up? A definition of 'giving' available online is 'to freely transfer the possession of something to someone'. Do you note the words 'freely transfer'? It has to come from a place of freewill, not compulsion or forceful takeover. God does not accept anything less than what my whole heart is willing to give. Remember the story of Ananias and wife Sapphira, who both conspired to lie to the Holy Spirit about what they gave. The gift was theirs to do with as they pleased, and the value of what to give was theirs to decide, but the motives behind the gift was bad, and this cost both of them their lives. No amount of grammar can help you explain the wrong motives, because God sees the heart.

For all who understand the mind of God, we know that whatever comes from the heart comes from a place of submission. If the heart is able to give it all up, it is because the heart knows the origin and purpose of all that it holds. If you are willing to give it all up, it means you are making room for more of God's blessings. If you do not make room by giving, how does God's new provisions find room to manifest? If I give with small measures, it means that there can only be a refill with small measures. In the same way, if I give with big measures, I will also get refill in big measure. There is the additional grace that leads to an overflow, simply because of the divine principle that you will always get back geometric proportions whatever it is that you sow. God will raise men that will bless you beyond even your available space, so that giving becomes a lifestyle. Picture the life of blessing a man can have, when God knows that there is nothing the man cannot give up. Does that describe you? God's time of favour is here 

The Right Model!

The Right Model!

1 Timothy 5:1-2 AMPC

[1] DO NOT sharply censure or rebuke an older man, but entreat and plead with him as [you would with] a father. Treat younger men like brothers; [2] [Treat] older women like mothers [and] younger women like sisters, in all purity.

Human relationships are complex. They become even more important when they are considered under the umbrella of a church or fellowship setting. The young man to whom this letter was written by Paul would know a thing or two about understanding the complex nature of the relationships he had to manage, and how he had to strive to maintain peace and order in an environment where competing needs and interests would occur. This is the peculiar thing about the church: we come to Christ at different times in our lives, and we are given different gifts to be made manifest at different times in our walk of faith. Due to the fact that the earthly church is not always filled with people who have a good understanding of what God demands or expects from His children per time, it is very likely you will find conflicts, and sometimes, irreconcilable differences. 

The full exercise of some of these gifts will place some people in the public eye, while some gifts are more suited for support and encouragement, and may not always be visible. However, it is critical to note that the exercise and usage of the gifts by a child of God must not be to promote discord, or to cause disregard to other people. The gifts of the Holy Spirit were given to be blessings to the body of Christ, so that every part may receive that which it needs for growth as well as further impact. Actions will be required; words will be spoken; hands will be extended and feet will have to move. As I am called to be a blessing to other people, I must depend on the One who owns and assigns the gifts to make sure they are used the right way. The person next to me is precious to God; I must be careful not to place my desire to always be right over and above the need to watch out for the eternal welfare of the other person. 

One way to do this is to ensure that I deal with every one with respect. No matter the knowledge or experience I may have acquired, it has to touch lives the right way for it to be appreciated. The body of Christ is just like the human family, with older fathers and mothers, as well as older or younger brothers and sisters. The same way I would treat those related to me by human genealogy and blood must be the same way I will treat those who have now become related to me by the blood of Jesus. Being rude is not an option; feeling superior is of no value; positions are platforms for the proper administration of the church, but must not become the basis of am argument for superiority. Purity is key, as this is the nature of God. All who claim to know and follow God must live by God's standards laid out in the verse above. No excuses will be accepted for failure to adhere; remember, without holiness, no man shall see the Lord. God's time of favour is here.

The Word 6!

The Word 6!

John 5:24 KJV

[24] Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

God indeed works in mysterious ways. There was a man at the pool of Bethesda for 38 years, unable to help himself into the water to get healing. He had an encounter with the Great Physician, and everything that had gone wrong for 38 years was corrected at the word of Jesus. Of course, like all things the Word of God does, there will be opposition from all walks of life. The crowd would have wondered who this man was that could heal such bad cases; the Pharisees, scribes and Jews of Jesus' day were angry that a man was carrying his bed, which was deemed to be work on a Sabbath day. The man himself who was healed was warned to stop sinning, or a worse ailment would happen to him. Jesus had a message for all the classes of people who were present at the time, just as He also has a message for all of us in the times that we are now. Am I listening? Are you? 

All of us will be given the opportunity to have access to the Word of God. As laid out in the Bible, the end will not happen until the gospel of Christ is preached to all the world. Every person would have the opportunity to decide on a response to the word of God, so that there will be no excuse for whatever decision is made. Even the earth, as it is presently sustained, makes a clear case for the power and wisdom of God to be made known to all men. That is what is laid out so clearly in Romans 1:20: 'For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse'. The Word of God is the dynamo that births and sustains the life of God in me, and it is not a wonder that the verse above reiterates this truth. A man cannot truly receive the word of God and remain the same. 

I note that both hearing the Word and believing in God are tied together. Just hearing is not enough; even the devil quoted the bible to Jesus during his temptation in the wilderness. Believing that there is one God is great, but also not enough, as demons also believe and tremble. I must take the Word of God as the ultimate truth and compass for my life, and believe in the person and power of God. The substance of the Word of God, the conviction in my heart about His person and the daily nurturing of my relationship with God through prayer, study, fellowship and others, become irresistible forces that can stand against the wiles of the devil. Only the One who has overcome the devil can provide help for man to also overcome. Do not rely on anything this world provides. The earthly can never be greater than the eternal. By the right response to the Word, eternal life is sealed and earthly impact is sorted. God's time of favour is here.

The Word 5!

The Word 5!

Matthew 4:4 AMPC

[4] But He replied, It has been written, Man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God. [Deut. 8:3.]

The first time these words were said was as the children of Israel were about to enter into the promised land, as recorded in Deuteronomy. Moses took some time to lay down the law for the people, and he would know something about God's high standards, as he had disobeyed God and was told he would not be allowed to enter into the land of promise. With God, the standards do not bend for anyone. There is a covenant relationship that underpins the words above, as they are for people who understand the demands of God for the times that they are in. There are a lot of distractions and alternative options around us; there are many ways to get to a particular destination, but from God's own perspective, there is a right way to arrive. It does not matter how popular or widely-accepted am option is; as long as it is not the way God has approved, be sure it will end up in shame and disgrace. 

The second time the verse above was quoted was when Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness. Just like the first time, there was a promised land that Jesus was trying to secure for us. The devil knew the value of the gift that had been promised and provided, and he would do anything to distract Jesus from the assignment. Thank God that Jesus knew what was at stake, as well as the dangers of the distractions that had been provided. The devil wrapped a true statement around the deception of pride, and wanted to take the eyes of Jesus away from that which is eternal, even for a moment. If the devil had succeeded, we would have no hope to look forward to. The response of Jesus shows that there is a time for everything and a season for every activity. It is critical that I know what is appropriate for every season that God brings me to. 

There is a time to eat bread to get energy for the tasks that are assigned, but there is a level that physical bread will do no good. In the sample of prayer that Jesus taught His disciples, we ask God for daily bread, because the physical body needs it to keep all the organs working properly, but the same prayer also lays emphasis on the need to do the will of God on earth, just as it is done in heaven. Bread sustains physical life, but there is a bread that I must seek that will sustain both the physical and spiritual lives. That bread is the Word of God. As the world was made by the Word of God, there is no situation on earth that the word of God cannot address. Do not settle for the lies of the devil; make sure you receive a word from God for every situation or experience that may come your way. What is holding you up? What is holding your focus? The world or the Word? Whatever it is has eternal implications. God's time of favour is here.

The Word 4!

The Word 4!

Psalm 94:19 AMPC

[19] In the multitude of my [anxious] thoughts within me, Your comforts cheer and delight my soul!

As I read the entire chapter from where the verse above is taken, you sense the writer as someone who disliked wickedness. He had seen the effect and impact of wickedness in the land, and he wanted God to step in. It seemed that the wicked were thriving and doing well, while the righteous were being hounded to death. However, it takes a man who has had a personal experience of God to know who He is, what He stands for and what He is capable of. Let the entire world burn; it does not change who God is, neither will He lower the standard for anyone. Let the entire world turn its back on God; it still would not diminish His power, authority and reach in any way. It is just a human thing for us to fret over the things that we cannot control. When things do not go according to plan, or even when it seems that people are deliberately frustrating you, there is a place for me to approach the God to whom all of creation answers. 

In the multitude of my anxious thoughts, I need to know that I have a God who is very interested in my good, whether present or future. Even Jesus's first Sermon on the Mount featured a portion on anxiety, and why it does no good. I cannot change one hair of my head, or accurately predict what will happen in the next 60 seconds, so it is totally pointless to have anxiety over things you cannot control. The prescription for anxiety, as Jesus laid it out clearly, is to let God have it all. If I know I cannot change anything, it is utter foolishness to keep holding on to anything. Why not let the One who made, formed, placed and equipped me for His own purpose work it out in the best way He can? The anxious thoughts may be many, and indeed there could be many issues that weigh upon the heart, but do not let them linger; they will deprive you of joy, and keep you focused on the size of the problem, rather than the size, scope, power and personality of the solution, who is Jesus Himself. 

The comfort of the Lord is offered to all who will take advantage of it. There is a comfort that God gives that can deal with any kind of burden. The world's comfort is usually tied to possessions, position, power or privilege, but God's comfort is a reflection of His person, power and personality. He does not give the way the world does, which is that you have to give something precious in order to get what the world offers, and unfortunately, what you get from the world is nothing compared with what you get from God. God is interested in the welfare of both my body and my soul, and that is why His own comforts will cheer and delight my soul. The world can never make or meet such an offer, even though it will make false claims that it can. The one place by which God declares and sustains His offer of comfort is by His Word. Familiarise yourself with the Word; the mind and counsel of God is made plain in His Word. Nobody and nothing else can give you or sustain rhat which the Word can give you. God's time of favour is here.

The Word 3!

The Word 3!

Hebrews 4:12 AMPC

[12] For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power [making it active, operative, energizing, and effective]; it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and [the immortal] spirit, and of joints and marrow [of the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.

It is important to again note the place of the right word from the right source. There is power in the spoken word, as seen from the reality of creation, put in place by the power and person of the word of God, who is Jesus Himself. By Him, all things were made, for Him, all things exist, and all things were made to give Him glory. If indeed, all things were made by and for Him, it means that at His command, creation must respond to whatever He says. Until God speaks, it is fine for men to pretend to have authority to say whatever they want. As soon as God has spoken it does not matter what else any other person has to say.  This is why my most important possession must be a word from God for every situation or challenge I may be going through. The ultimate power to change lives, situations and circumstances is not given directly to the created, but to the Creator. 

As the created, I take my cue from the Creator. I am made in His image, and therefore, able to take on His nature, and also exercise the same power as the Creator. When I speak, I have to be careful, because if indeed I am made in the image and likeness of God, my words have effect. Check out the verse above: the word of God is alive and full of power. How can you describe the word as alive, unless you are referring to a person, or anything with the characteristics of a person? The Word of God is sharp enough to cut through the pretence and the hypocrisy of the human heart; it is even to cut deep enough into the soul of man, helping him connect with the Spirit of God, and able to receive all that God has prepared for him. The Word of God is precise enough to cut like a surgeon, taking out the parts that do not line up with His will, taking out the heart of stone, and then also transplanting a heart of flesh, on which He is able to write His law. 

This is the God before whom the deepest secrets of our hearts are laid bare. There is nothing hidden or can be hidden from His eyes. Can the One who made the eyes not be able to see farther and deeper than human eyes can? Can the One who made all the chambers of the heart then be deceived by eye-service and deceit? Let it be clear to us all that we deal with a God of total and absolute knowledge and power, whose wisdom is beyond searching out. What makes this special as well as remarkable is that this awesome God wants to deal with a mortal, limited creature like me. I must seek His purpose for my life as revealed in His Word, and make that a fundamental part of my life. If I will become all that God intends, the guide and compass is His revealed truth, laid out in the written word and expressed in the person and gift of Jesus. I have all I need. Would you also take advantage of what has been given? God's time of favour is here.

The Word 2!

The Word 2!

Luke 1:37 AMPC

[37] For with God nothing is ever impossible and no word from God shall be without power or impossible of fulfillment.

From yesterday's devotion, we had a view from the foundation of the world, and how it was formed, established and presently sustained and preserved. The same power that formed it is also the power that continues to sustain it. It was also pointed out that the Word of God is His person too, and it is by the Word that the world was created, and that Word is God the Son too. It is not a wonder, then, that we have to contend with the verse above. Now, there have been several pretenders to the throne, and people who lay claim to authority and power that are not really theirs, but over time, they have been proven to be liars and thieves. You cannot give what you do not have, and you cannot lay claim to anything whose origin you cannot define or control. That is the exclusive preserve of the Most High God, and He will not give his glory to anyone else, or share His praise with idols. 

The context from which today's extract is taken even makes the point more important. The human cycle of reproduction was about to be broken one time only, and would never be repeated again. The cycle of sin had to be dealt with so that the price for sin could be fully repaid. The normal would not do; the usual would not work. God had to suspend the natural law of conception so that He could bring forth the seed that could deal an eternal blow to sin and its power. Mary, being human, did not know how it would work, but she believed in the power, ability and capacity for God to do what He had promised. As it was then, so is it now. God has not changed His nature, address or destination, but I have a duty to hold on to Him, no matter how rough or tough the road gets. He knows what is ahead, and He alone can bring me safely into His eternal harbour. 

God's Word can never lack the power to fulfil the purpose for which God sends it out. Think of it this way: God is staking His reputation on His Word; He is saying to me that I should bank on His Word. He cannot fail, because what He has created has to answer to Him. If the devil, as 'powerful' as he claims to be, could not keep His place in heaven after rebellion, how can any of us think we can do the same? If I reject God and His Word, how else can my life make sense? If the whole world gathers to help me, and God is not involved, it will end up like the project of the Tower of Babel. Let the entire world also gang up against me, as long as God is on my side, that project will also end up like the walls of Jericho, falling down flat even without a single arrow being shot. Make sure you have and hold on to a Word from God; it will sustain you through the rough times. God's time of favour is here. 

The Word 1!

The Word 1!

John 1:1 AMPC

[1] IN THE beginning [before all time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.

The verse above presents a specific point in time when all that we see today came into existence. Whatever we know today and accept as a reality ties to the beginning of all creation. However, there is one important reality that the verse above lays out, and that is the authority and power of the One who made the beginning possible. This is the reality that underpins all other realities. If I am not able to prove the reality of the One who brought the beginning into existence, then I can as well doubt the reality of all that my eyes can see or my hands can touch. Thank God for the grace to apply both faith and logic to the realities of the things that surround me. One place to start is to trace my human roots as far back as I can. All of us came from the union of a man and a woman, and they too came from the union of another man and woman before them, and the chain goes as far back as you can draw it. Reflect on the power and wisdom behind such consistency.

It also means that the very first man and woman who started this chain had to be produced one way or the other. God has his own version of creation, and science has tried to provide its own, but the more you consider the Steady State theory, Eternal Inflation theory, and the Big Bang theory of evolution or the origin of the universe, the more you want to know the power or force behind the theory. Even if a big bang occurred, there had to be a power that ensured that the big bang led to the order, placement, direction and discoveries that we see today. God's version of creation lays it out, with each part given its role and place, and man sitting as the crown of God's creation, made in His likeness, and having His breath. The wisdom behind such thinking cannot be defined in human terms, where only one human being has a version of fingerprints that cannot be reproduced or replicated in anyone else, not even a twin. 

Think of the above, and ask yourself if there is still any doubt about the existence of God. How can anyone see the evidence around him and stll think that a faceless, careless and planless force put all of these together? There is a power in place, long before the earth came into being, whose identity has been laid out as God Himself, by whose word, in person, power, personality and effect, made the world as we see it today. Whatever time He said is the beginning is indeed the beginning, and I would wonder why the version of a limited, mortal creation like me should carry more weight than the version of a limitless, awesome and powerful God. He spoke then, and the universe came to be. He continues to speak, and the universe continues to deliver in line with His mandate. He speaks into the future too, sealing my hope and eternity. What else is left that He has not taken care? Who else can take care of me the way God can? I am better off with and in Him. What of you? God's time of favour is here.