Light!

Light!

Isaiah 60:3 AMPC

[3] And nations shall come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.

Isaiah was a prophet who saw visions of Judah and Jerusalem in the days of the kings of Judah, such as Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Some of these kings started well, trying to lead national change, but they ended terribly. Some were just bad from the time that they began to reign, and remained so till death. A few also had a good end, and the accounts of the book of 2 Kings will give us a few insights into the lives of these men. I note that men may applaud or celebrate your life; it only matters what God's view of your life is. Let men gather and build a monument to your name; the records of men do not always align with the records of God. Who am I focused on? What are my priorities right now? Do they reflect a heart that God is in charge of? God will always raise up men and women who will speak His mind in all generations. Am I one of them? Are you? 

I must always remember that I am put here on earth for a reason and a season. A day comes when the books will be opened, and judgment applied on the basis of what God has laid out as truth, not the opinions of men. Judah had sinned against God, and their leaders did not help the situation. The Lord sent many prophets to His people to warn them about the coming judgment, but maybe due to the dullness of their hearts, or familiarity with the man who was speaking, they did not heed. Of course, you know that God has no favourites when it comes to sin, and He will punish sin, no matter in whom it is found. Judgment came and it was terrible. Nations that could not even stand up to Judah came in, looted the land and destroyed it. It was a time of darkness and pain, but then, that is what sin does. But thank God that this is not where the story ends. 

In all of these, the merciful God would not let go. Even though He had punished, and rightly so, He still promised restoration. He would bring light to the deepest darkness, and draw the hearts of the people back to Him. That is mercy of a kind that the world cannot produce or duplicate. Of course, when God does these things, particularly when we know we did not earn or deserve it, it makes it all the more special. Nations that had once ignored will no longer be able to ignore. Men and women who had once sneered or made fun of the land would come back to sing the praises of the God of Judah, who stepped in and changed the story. When God steps in, years of pain and neglect are forgotten. When God steps in, men stand to applaud the hand of God upon your life. If you want it, you have to let Him. He will not force Himself on anyone. He can change your life; would you let Him? God's time of favour is here. 

The Message!

The Message!

1 Timothy 2:6 TPT

[6] He gave himself as ransom-payment for everyone. Now is the proper time for God to give the world this witness.

As we have been inforned recently through the daily bible reading, we are now constantly reminded of who we are, what we are, what we have and where we are headed. At the time we were born, we did not fully understand what was at stake or what we had been given, but as we became exposed to the word of God by reading, studying, meditating and listening, we became aware of what God has done for us, and the provisions He has made for us. We became conscious of who we were, but also what we could become, if we only came to a personal knowledge of Jesus, and we walked with Him daily. That is the secret to accessing all that God has made available for us: it is not done by forceful acquisition; this is not one where you simply apply money, influence or connections to get. 

Thank God for who He is and what He gave. Paul was a recipient of this grace. We know his past, and we know how he came to the saving knowledge of Jesus. If someone with a past like Paul could receive grace and be saved, then used mightily as God did with this man, then there is no one so far gone that s/he is beyond the mercy of God. We speak of the timing of the cross, but God had already laid down the plan for the salvation of mankind since the fall of man. The scene of the fall of man also became the scene of the redemption of man. The price of sin is huge; let no man belittle the eternal impact of sin, and wave it away like something not important. God knew what was at stake, and even though it cost Him a lot, He knew the value that would come from the price He paid. 

He was not compelled to. He did it of His own freewill. He became the ransom for the sin of the whole world. He became the whipping dog for those He had created; the Creator was at the mercy of those He had made. The demand of sin was a huge price that I could not pay, but Jesus came in and settled the bill in full, once and for all. It is critical to note that it was at the time of God's own choosing that Jesus was made manifest, but reflect on the love of a God who was willing to pay such a huge price for people that He could not fully guarantee would accept the gift He was giving. For those of us who have accepted Him, our lives must show Him off. For those of us whose hearts have been given to Him, we must let the world know the value of who He is, and what He has done in our lives. God has given a witness; am I also proud to be the living, breathing expression of that witness? God's time of favour is here. 

Newness!

Newness!

Ezekiel 36:26 KJV

[26] A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

The background to the verse above helps us know the mind of God at the time. Israel was the chosen people of God, had been given a land flowing with milk and honey, and they had settled in the land for generations. However, like all things human, familiarity, a sense of entitlement and short memories had made Israel forget all that God had done for them. They forsook God and went after idols and strange gods. They abandoned the One who had brought them this far, and went after the desires and distractions of the nations around them. Of course, God was angry, and in line with His express commands, He applied the just punishment for their rebellion and disobedience. Let it be known today that God has no favourites when it comes to sin, and He will punish sin no matter in whom it is found. He does not condone it; He will not overlook it. The price He paid for it shows his heart. 

Israel had been punished; many of the people found themselves in strange lands. In fact, some of the people found themselves in lands that had been previously defeated by Israel. Picture the shame and disgrace of being at the mercy of a nation that you had previously conquered. That is what sin looks like: it robs you of your place in God, allows the devil oppress you, and the weight of your past becomes a burden that prevents you from accessing all that God has made available. This is why sin must be avoided at all cost. God also wants to provide the means and the resources required to live above the dictates and power of sin. As you read the verses just before the one above, you get a picture into the mind of God for all who are His own. His love is amazing; his heart seeks to supply all that I need to be victorious over sin. 

That is the message of the verse above: He is the only One who can do a work in me that will speak for all of eternity. There is a nature of sin that is acquired at birth that will never be changed. It has to be taken out. It cannot be reformed or transformed; it has to be put to death. This is the only way that the new heart can be put in place. As long as the old nature is in charge, the new heart that God wants to install cannot be put in place. God is willing to do the work of the inner change, and He wants to replicate Himself in me. He is the One who can surgically remove that which leads to death, and also surgically insert that which leads to eternal life. The stony heart is one that cannot respond to that which God wants to do, which is why it must go. The heart of flesh is one that can be written on. God wants to do a work in me, but ny heart must be ready for that which is ahead. Which heart do you have: stony or fleshy? God's time of favour is here. 

Be Still!

Be Still!

Psalms 46:10 KJV

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

People say 'Heaven helps those who help themselves' and 'It is good to wait on the Lord but be sure that you are hustling while you are waiting'. While I do not have an issue with these words, these questions remain in my heart: How do you help yourself if heaven is shut up against you? What is the value of hustle when heaven is not backing you up? How can you wait on God and also strive in your own strength at the same time? I just pray that we do not miss the season of God's visitation in our lives and therefore miss His purpose for us. How do I remain still before God, when it appears as if all my friends and colleagues, and even juniors have all gone ahead of me? What do I do when I can see very clearly that what they do is fetching them money and recognition, while it appears as if I am standing still, not moving an inch towards the fulfilment of my own goals? What do I do, where do I go, how do I pursue my dreams while ensuring that I do not move outside God's will for my life?

One fundamental lesson I have learnt is that I cannot afford to be idle while waiting. Most times, we do not play to our strengths; we are busy trying to be like other people, copying what they do, and how they do them. We are quick to forget that no two people's dreams and visions are the same; you have got to forge your own path towards the fulfilment of your own purpose, under God's definite leading. As you plays to your strengths, getting involved in things that you have interests in, you will find your niche. It does not have to be popular; it just has to be your own. One thing you must not forget is an absolute and total dependence on God. That is the focus of the verse above. 

As I pursue excellence in the areas of my strength, I must keep God as the focal point of enablement. It is not education, physical strength, connections or wealth. No amount of hard labour can get you what grace has not given you. If a man wants to run with you, it will become a race because no natural man wants someone else to be better than he/she is, but if you run with God, grace is available and you will be enabled to go above and beyond your limitations. Afterall, it is my race, not our race. I am not in your own lane, so I am not in competition with you. I just have to finish that race that God has set personally for me. Indeed, you have to be still before God in your heart. Settle it in your heart that no matter what I face, I am going to fix my gaze on God totally. No matter what the world tells me, I will keep my eyes on God as I run, so that He can prove that He is God in my life and all His plans can come to pass in my life. God's time of favour is here.  

Glory Ahead!

Glory Ahead!

Daniel 12:3 AMP

[3] Those who are [spiritually] wise will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead many to righteousness, [will shine] like the stars forever and ever..

Matthew 13:43 AMP

[43] Then the righteous [those who seek the will of God] will shine forth [radiating the new life]like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears [to hear],let him hear and heed My words.

Two verses of the bible, with one in the old testament and the other in the new testament. Both speak of the same matter, with no difference in the messaging and the importance and urgency of the matter being addressed. First, the return of Jesus to take His own with Him as being addressed all over the Bible. Daniel belonged to the old prophets long before Jesus was born, but the visions he saw clearly showed that God was not lying when He said that an accounting will be demanded from all who have been made by God and placed on earth to work for Him. That is another testament to the Truth that is Jesus; across generations and dispensations, the message has remained the same: "I am coming back'. When Jesus came to the earth in human form, the message was still the same: "God's kingdom is here'. What other proof do I need to be sure that Jesus means business? 

How do I align with Jesus' expectations? The first matter mentioned above is 'wisdom'. Now, there is an earthly version and a heavenly version. The one from God must be the pursuit, and is founded on a healthy and reverential fear of God. You can never be said to be truly wise if you have no fear of God. It is wisdom to know and respect my boundaries, and to do the things that please God at all times. Men are fickle; they do not hold on to any position for long. As long as interests or desires change, be sure that the priorities would also change. Would you want to stake your eternity on such temporal and fickle measures? Being truly wise means I am connected to Jesus, who is the Wosdom and the Power of God. Of course, I cannot have God and still live a care-free life. I will be noticed, because I carry in me the light and the life of God. That light and life must touch other people. 

That is the other part of the verses above. When I carry light, it cannot be ignored. The world we live in is full of darkness, and the difference-makers will be those who have the Light of God in them. Men will see and testify to the glory of God in me. When I know the value of who I am, what I am, what I have, and where I am headed, I will strive to draw as many people as possible to enjoy what I have. I note that my job as the light is to show men the way to repentance and righteousness; the Light, who is Jesus, does the change in a man's heart. Jesus does make the end worth it. Those who obey His command will shine like the stars forever. Reflect on this for a moment: no matter how well you live down here, it is on borrowed time. A day comes when it will all end down here, and we all must stand before the Lord to give an account for our lives. What value am I adding to His kingdom? God's time of favour is here. 

Identity!

Identity!

John 14:6 AMP

[6] Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

Available records show that nobody in all of history has ever made the claims laid out in the verse above. Many had come in the past and made claims to immortality, but evidence to the contrary abounds. Many have also styled themselves in various versions of the name Jesus, but as we know, if it is not the original, it can never be the original, no matter how hard you try to force it. We also know that anyone can make any kind of claim; it is the available evidence to back up that claim that becomes critical. Who is this Jesus, and what gives Him the right or power to say the things He said in the verse above. A few of the available pieces of evidence will suffice. First, we have a God who made all things as He pleases, and also made man in His own image. Science may point to different theories around creation, but there are still no unified explanations for the wonders of creation. 

That is why you have to admit that there is a power at work in creation that cannot be explained by the created. How can that which is created fully explan the mind, purpose and timing behind itself, without the help and guidance of the One who made it? How can I take from that which has been made, to fully explain the mysteries behind that which has been made, without consulting the One who made it? That is why a manual is provided for anything that is made, and the reason why a television cannot be cooked on a stove, as this is contrary to the purpose and intention of the company which has put the TV together into one piece. The will of the Creator is very fundamental to the discovery, pursuit and fulfillment of purpose. The words of the Creator provide clarity on what is important and eternal. That is why the verse of today must be considered thoughtfully, and the right action taken in response to the understanding of what Jesus has said here. 

When Jesus says He is the Way, He means that there is a destination in view, and He is the path to that destination. This also means that as long as the desire is to get to that right destination, you must come through Him. In fact, the version above adds 'the ONLY way'. He also says He is the 'real' Truth, and this means that all other people who have spoken before and after Him, and have held views contrary to His express word, are liars. He also says He is the 'real' life, which means that I actually do not start to live right until I have received the version of life that He offers. When you consider the inconsistent messages the world sends out, yoi need the stability, confidence and assurance that an eternal God can give you. The Son is the best representative to grant you access to the Father. No other authority has been able to make such a claim. If you have tried all other alternatives and they do not satisfy, come to God with a hunger to know Him. He will never disappoint. God's time of favour is here. 

Proof!

Proof!

James 3:13 AMP

[13] Who among you is wise and intelligent? Let him by his good conduct show his [good] deeds with the gentleness and humility of true wisdom.

James, the writer of this letter, considered himself as a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. That is not a popular way to present yourself, particularly when it is the fashionable thing to give yourself room to be seen, noticed and celebrated. The way of the world lies in recognition and appluase. It is the language that is universal to all who are under the control and influence of the human nature. Who are you? What are you? What are your priorities? What do you consider to be important and strategic to your long-term impact and relevance? The answers to these questions will go a long way to determine if you know where you are headed. James knew who he was and what he had been called to do. He did not start off like that, but by being in God, seeking Him out and knowing as much as he could about God, he gained the  wisdom he needed to navigate the life he had been given. 

The audience for this letter were the twelve Hebrew tribes that were now scattered abroad among the Gentiles in the dispersion. At this time, it did not matter if you were a Jew or not; persecution had led to the church being scattered, and people found themselves in uncomfortable places and positions. Picture someone who is used to a particular lifestyle who now has to deal with unusual and sometimes uncomfortable changes. For as many as have had to change countries or continents for any reason, I am sure it was not an easy decision to make, and settling down was equally not a walk in the park. It would have been easy to retreat into a shell and focus only on that which suits you, but the verse above makes clear what the priority should be: publicly mpacting lives with the private investment made. How can I change the world around me if there has not first been a change inside of me? 

It is inner change that drives public impact. It is one of the messages of the verse above: if you are wise, as defined by God, it means that you have what the world needs at this time. The bible says that the world earnestly awaits the manifestation of the sons of God. If there is no difference between my actions as a child of God, and the world around me, there is a problem. If I am able to blend in with the world, maybe I was not different from it in the first place. There is a way a wise man behaves. There is a way a wise man speaks. There is a way a wise man interacts with the world around him. You do not have to make any claim to wisdom; as soon as you speak, or as the world around you watches what you do, it will be clear who you are and what you have. It is like a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden. Wisdom from God has no room for pride or self-glory. It is proven by a humble life and true service. Can you define who you are on the terms of the above? God's time of favour is here. 

Access!

Access!

Ephesians 2:18 AMP

[18] For it is through Him that we both have a [direct] way of approach in one Spirit to the Father.

The letter of Paul to the church in Ephesus was addressed to people noted as the saints (God’s people), who are faithful and loyal and steadfast in Christ Jesus. Reflect on the intro to the letter and you would not see any direct reference to race, colour or tribe. Paul knew his mission and target audience, and he also knew the challenges of his day, with Jews having the sense of superiority over all other people at the time. They knew they were God's chosen people due to the faith and life of Abraham, but forgot that the same God had already laid it out that through the faith of this one man, all the nations of the earth will be blessed. It took time but when Jesus came to the earth in human form, He already laid out the template by which all who were human could have the opportunity to be reconciled to God. By His humanity, He has paved the way for us to share in His divinity. 

That common platform is the reason why someone who was naturally exempt from the blessing of Abraham could now make a valid claim on such blessings. Those who had been far away from God have now been brought near, and not just that, they have also been given the grace to enjoy all that the natural-born are entitled to. Reflect on the amazing and numerous channels God gave the people of Israel to touch base with Him: by daily sacrifices, weekly congregation, by periodic assemblies and festivals, and even an annual appointment in the Holy of Holies for the high priest. That became the template for all who now find identity and purpose in and through Christ. The opportunities for access are still there, but now, we come in, not from a sense of duty or for show, but from the standpoint of a deep appreciation of what we have received from God. 

We were once cut off; now, we have full and unhindered access to the grace of God that is available in Christ. We may not have known what we had, but now, through the death and resurrection of Jesus, we have now come into a new season of revelation. All men born of women, no matter the physical advantage or the disadvantage the natural birth may have raised, now have the unique opportunity to access the grace of God that is available in Christ. This is the greatest blessing that a mortal man can have: access to the throne of grace, no matter where you are from, or the colour of your skin. To get to the destination that God has prepared for you, you have to go through the right channel. That channel is who the word of God called the Way, the Truth and the Life. God wants me to come near, and He has done all He needs to do to help me. I do not have any excuse; I must come in, so I can take hold of that which has been prepared for me. God's time of favour is here. 

Faith!

Faith!

Mark 9:23 AMP

[23] Jesus said to him, “[You say to Me,] ‘If You can?’ All things are possible for the one who believes and trusts [in Me]!”

Do your problems push you more toward God or toward human options? When things go wrong, as they will definitely do, what/who is your first port of call? Do you go loud, or do you go private? A few of these questions must have agitated the mind of this father as he considered his options. He had a son who was possessed with a spirit that made the son unable to speak. Think of the wickedness of the devil who would stop there, but at any time the devil seized the boy, intending to do him harm, it will throw him down, foaming at the mouth, grinding his teeth, often throwing him both into fire and into water, intending to kill him. Reflect on the power of the devil to steal, kill and destroy. As long as he is given the room to operate, there is no end to the havoc he can wreak. Fortunately, there is a God who is more powerful, whose mission is to give life in all its abundance. 

That is the God this father came to meet. The disciples were the first to encounter father and son, but they could not help the man. When the father met Jesus, he listed all the damage the devil had caused, and asked for help. His statement led to the comments of Jesus in the verse above; he asked: "But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!”. The father spoke from a place of total helplessness and frustration. This boy had been in this condition since childhood and no solution was in sight. When an movable object comes in contact with an immovable rock, guess which one will change position. It had to be the problem. Jesus' response too is instructive. The father asked Jesus to help if He could, and apart from stating categorically that He could, He also laid down a fundamental policy for all who believe in Him: they too can do all He can. 

Jesus is able to move all mountains, no matter how long they have been in place. He is able to change any circumstance, no matter how stubborn or generational. The joy is that He gives the same power to all who have put their total trust in Him. It is not the mouth profession alone that is empty of power, but the heart conviction that makes a man stay the course even when the wind and the waves are against him. As long as the basis of my faith lines up with the will and word of God, He assures me that nothing will be impossible for me. Jesus says that for Him, as well as all who are IN Him, there is no impossibility; there is nothing so far gone that cannot be changed. The encouragement here is that God does not discriminate. He is not looking for the rich, the powerful or the connected; just the yielded. He will sort out the rest. Have faith in God; the world waits for the earnest manifestation of the sons of God. Are you one? Am I indeed one? God's time of favour is here. 

Riches!

Riches!

Luke 12:15-21 NIV

Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.

The story that backs up the verse above is one that reflects a wasted life. Here was a man whose ground was blessed by God to get a bountiful harvest. For someone who fully understands the input of God into a life, there will be no issue with giving credit to whom it is due. But not this man. Somehow, this man thought that the output he got was a function of the input he had made. Unfortunately, with God, there is no room for pride or a feeling of self-sufficiency. What a life! What a waste! What a loss of focus and a lack of priorities. The world has its standards- it measures success on numerical or quantifiable basis: how much money you have in your bank account; how many cars or houses you own; how much you pay for rent or school fees for the children. Life has become a comparative race, where everyone wants to be like the other person, not caring too much about how that other person came to be how he/she is. 

We measure ourselves mentally and physically, trying to outdo each other in displays of wealth, wisdom and power. We forget that, as someone once said, in paraphrase: the things that count cannot always be counted in terms of numbers, while what can be counted does not always count.

The story behind the verse above is a lesson in the right priorities: a man who planted crops got a rich harvest. He had no power over the seeds or their capacity to bear fruits. He could not determine beforehand which ones carried the potential of increase. He just planted all and waited. At the appointed time, the seeds bore fruits: fruits he had no control over, fruits he could not determine how they came about. Yet, he assumed total dominance over everything he could see. If you read the rest of the verses that followed, you find the word 'I' was used up to 5 times in those few verses. 

Where was the place of God or the place of the grace of God and his provision and provenance? Was there anything he had control over: the planting, the waiting period, the harvest? Could he determine the start or end of anything? One big lesson: we don't owe or hold anything, except that which God gives us grace to hold. We are nothing outside the grace and mercy of God, and we will do well to remember that constantly and regularly. All He gives us is in trust and there is nothing we have or hold that we can retain by our own power. All the glory for all we see or have must be returned to God, the owner of all things and the determiner of the destinies of men. May we never be so full of our own importance that we forget the important: God is the ultimate; not what we own or hold but who we know. God's time of favour is here.

The Right Attitude!

The Right Attitude!

Philippians 2:5 AMP

[5] Have this same attitude in yourselves which was in Christ Jesus [look to Him as your example in selfless humility],

Paul, writing to the church in Philippi, started this chapter with a reminder of the blessing and joy of shared faith. This was a church with people described as saints, God's people in Christ Jesus. That location is critical: it is not first about race or gender, but about the faith that we share. It is not about colour of skin, but the common denominator of total  confidence in the ability of Jesus to save, and the follow-up commitment to put our trust in Him. It is not enough to just believe; you also have to act on that belief and commit your life and heart into His keeping. That trust is the key to access all that Jesus represents, and all that His death and resurrection have secured for us. He has shown us the perfect template of the value of sacrifice and humility can achieve. 

His example then has become our inspiration today. Recall several times when Jesus put aside His glory and power, and acted like a servant. Recall the time He set aside His robe and washed the disciples' feet. Recall the time He challenged His disciples not to see themselves as great only by virtue of position or privilege, but by personal and humble service to other people. Too many times, we want to be recognised and celebrated; we seek relevance by publicity, not because we are invested in people, but because we think that our value is driven by applause or human approval. The life of Jesus makes it clear that the standard is not what people say, but what reflects the heart of Jesus. Do not be distracted by the comments or attitude of men like yourself; men are liable to change their minds whenever they want. 

The standard is Jesus. Look to Him and the many examples of humility and service that He has laid out. Study His life and the many interactions He had with the disciples, as well as sworn enemies like the Pharisees, Sadducees and teachers of the law. Even when He disagreed with their ways, means and methods, He had some of them as His friends, seeking to help them into the kingdom of God. As long as salvation was at stake, Jesus was invested. That must be the same with us: if I know Jesus, it has to show in my life's pursuits and priorities. I must decrease so He can increase. In fact, the more of Him that is evident in me, the more men will be drawn to Him. I ask God for grace to reflect Christ in all that I do, so that in and by me, His power can be made manifest. God's time of favour is here. 

The Assignment!

The Assignment!

Matthew 28:19 AMP

[19] Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations [help the people to learn of Me, believe in Me, and obey My words], baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Jesus had come to the end of the earthly phase of His ministry. He had spent time developing character in the lives of chosen men, and it was time for them to pass on the lessons to other people. Jesus had laid down a different way of doing things. Recall His first Sermon on the Mount, where He laid out higher standards than the people had seen or heard before, ranging from anger and revenge, to even love for other people. This is the first lesson for me: life is in phases. I must seek God's help to understand the seasons and times He brings me through, so that I can know what is required of me per time. There is nothing as dangerous as doing the right time at the wrong time. From the perspective of God, it has to be His time, not mine. The second lesson for me is this: I do not have forever on this side of eternity to do what God requires of me. 

As Jesus stood there with the men who had walked with Him for three and a half years, He gave them the assignment that is laid out in the verse above. Judas Iscariot was not there, even though he had seen the mighty miracles of Jesus, and had even been sent out by Jesus to preach the good news of the kingdom of God. Being in the company of those who know God is not enough; knowing the words alone is not enough. There is a very fundamental need for me to go deeper in my walk with God, in order to understand His demand, and also trust His supply to enable me discharge my responsibilities under His demand. The verse above is directed at just disciples, not church goers or bible readers. How can a man make disciples of other people if he is not one already? How can a man show another the way to a place or an experience that he has not even undergone? 

The assignment is simple: go and replicate the standard in the lives of other people. You have now known me; go and introduce me to other people too. I note that making disciples is a task that takes time, effort and resources, but I am comforted with the fact that the One who calls and sends out does not leave us without the requisite help for the task ahead. He does not commission without making the requisite provision that is appropriate for the need. There is also no limit to the scope of the assignment. The earth is the platform for the assignment; souls are the focus, and eternal life with God the reward. The message is about Christ, not me. I point men in the direction of the Christ who is able to save and deliver, just as He did me. The baptism is the public declaration of the private confirmation of the change that only Christ can bring. Now we know what He expects; am I a disciple who can be trusted with this assignment? Are you? God's time of favour is here.

Now!

Now!

Galatians 3:28 AMP

[28] There is [now no distinction in regard to salvation] neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you [who believe] are all one in Christ Jesus [no one can claim a spiritual superiority]

When you read the NOW, you have to ask what was the situation before the NOW? As the chapter from where the verse above is taken clearly spells out, faith is the critical currency that gives a man access into the riches of God's grace available in Christ. Men in the past had made serious arguments in support of things like status, qualifications, education, enlightenment, elocution, earnings or even elegance, but none of these arguments could stand the test of time. Anything that is not of faith in Christ is of the law, and nothing of the law can help you achieve that which only faith can give you. That was the dilemma this church in Galatia was faced with, and which Paul had to urgently address. As Paul made clear then, so does it have to be clear today: the law and its demands can never help you achieve that which faith in Christ alone can. 

Thank God that men could not earn salvation by works alone, otherwise, many of us would be excluded. Men have also found other novel ways to claim superiority or supremacy, such as things like race, ethnicity or gender. Now, God had chosen a man like Abraham to showcase the power of His grace; however, recall that this was a man who walked with God by faith, even before the dispensation of the law ever began. All who have faith in God, like Abraham, also have access to the same grace Abraham had. The Jews relied on their natural descendency from Abraham to claim superiority, but today, we can see that the natural man can never walk in the fullness of the grace that is available in and through faith in Christ. Until the natural man is put to death, and the spiritual man is birthed, man cannot walk in the reality of all that is possible in Christ.

Whatever human standard gave any race or gender any superiority has been dissolved by the provision of God for all mankind. In Christ, there is now no Jew or Greek, slave or free, or male or female. All of us have been given access into the new spiritual man, created in and by Christ Jesus, and continually renewed in true knowledge of God. That is now the standard that God has laid down for all who will access the riches of His grace. It is also amazing to note that none of the things the world chases or thinks is important, matters here. God is not looking for men to impress Him; there is nothing a man can bring that has not been given to him by God. All He asks me to do is come. I come as I am, bringing  nothing other than a surrendered and willing heart. I come by faith, and with billions of other people from all races, look forward to the amazing things that lie ahead. What of you? God's time of favour is here. 

The Word 2!

The Word 2!

Deuteronomy 11:18 AMPC

[18] Therefore you shall lay up these My words in your [minds and] hearts and in your [entire] being, and bind them for a sign upon your hands and as forehead bands between your eyes.

Moses spent quite some time recounting all the amazing things God had done in the lives of the people of Israel, as they journeyed to the land of promise. There had been many incidents, both pleasant and terrible, such as the giving of the tablets of stone on which were written the ten commandments, and the gruesome experiences of Korah, Dathan and Abiram, where the earth opened up and swallowed them up, together with their family members and all their possessions. Even the great man Moses, due to a fit of anger, had disobeyed a clear instruction from God, and had been told that he would not be allowed to go into the promised land. The one thread that ran through all these experiences for the people of Israel, as well as their leaders, was the clear instructions that God gave to Moses and other leaders. God ledt them in no doubt what the standards were. 

You will read in several places, as the people journeyed, the words: "And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying:". That was God making clear to both the leaders and the led what His desires and expectations were. God does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. That has been clear since the beginning of time, when Adam and Eve went against God’s clear instruction, eating that which they had been expressly forbidden not to eat. There will always be consequences for disobedience; there will always be consequences for going against God's express commands. There is always an eternal view when God speaks. He is the Eternal One, who knows the end from the beginning. He is therefore in the best position to prepare me for all that life will throw at me. He is the only One who has all that I need for life and Godliness. Only the eternal can make adequate preparation and provision for the earthly. 

It is not a wonder, then, as laid out in the verse above, that Moses commands the people to take steps to remind themselves constantly of the words of God. This is to ensure that they do not expose themselves to danger and destruction. The prescription was to make the instructions of God quite public and easy to access, so that everyone would be exposed to them. By consistent exposure and frequent use, a person gets used to even the hardest material. The power behind the worst Indoctrination comes from repetition and emphasis. The human mind is capable of so much; advancements in science, medicine and technology show the capacity of the human mind. Whatever you focus your mind on stays with you. Whatever you feel your mind stays with you. The Word of God is forever; therefore, I must give it due attention, if I want to enjoy the benefits of the Word. Pay attention to His word, and watch Him change lives. God's time of favour is here. 

Transformed!

Transformed!

Romans 12:2 AMPC

[2] Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you].

There has to be a remarkable change from the old to the new. If I claim to be new, and there is no noticeable difference between the old life and the new life, that would be a problem. Paul was writing to the church in Rome at this time, reminding them about the power and impact of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. It is NOT possible for the Holy Spirit to move into a life and that life will remain the same. It is by the mercy of God that man even has access to the resources of heaven, because sin had created that distance. Jesus came in the flesh like those He wanted to save, and by His death and resurrection, He has secured life that is eternal for us. He knew we could not save or help ourselves, but He did all that God demanded as the full payment for sin, and now we have no excuse not to live right. He has not asked me to strive to please Him by my own strength or wisdom. 

All that God asks me to do is to trust in the finished work on the cross of Calvary. That is the warning and counsel in the verse above. When you consider all that Jesus has done to bring us into this new reality, you can be sure that a demand will be made for an accounting for the resources and benefits that have been made available. This world will not just let go, as it can actually make a legitimate demand for all who are under its control and influence. All who live in sin are subject to the world's system, but be sure that the end of that life is eternal separation from God. The world seeks to conform all of us to its image, so we can reflect the dead works of unrighteousness. To conform is to align, to look like, and to take the shape of something. In this instance, it is the world that seeks to set the standard. God cannot work with a heart that He does not control or cannot influence.

It is that inner work of transformation that God seeks to do in our hearts that will make the difference. As He releases His Word to me, He is changing me from the inside. The work of salvation is first internal, before it makes an impression on the external. The verse above speaks about the transformation by the renewing of my mind. That is where true change starts: the mind. That is the seat of emotions, decisions and legacies. When God takes over, He births new desires and dreams. You now have pursuits and priorities different from when you were in the world. The more of God I seek, the more of His will I know and can adhere to, and the more pleased God will be with me. God does not force Himself on anyone, but be sure that He will do a mighty work in the lives of all who submit to Him. Would you do so? God's time of favour is here. 

This God 6!

This God 6!

Philippians 4:19 TPT

[19] I am convinced that my God will fully satisfy every need you have, for I have seen the abundant riches of glory revealed to me through Jesus Christ!

Paul had learnt the secret of being content, no matter what the physical reality around him looked like. Here was a man who was a political zealot at a time, pushing for the supremacy of Jewish norms, and ready to kill for these norms. An encounter with Jesus turned his life around and gave him purpose and direction, and several churches were planted in the course of his missionary work. Who says your past cannot be changed? Who says that you cannot change the course of your life? Paul's past and present were radically different, and it really does matter in whose hands that life is in. If it is God's, rest assured that God can take care of it and make it worthwhile. If it is not, it is not too late to get it right. That was the secret of the impact that Paul made. What are you going to do about your life today? What decision do you have to make today to get you on the right path? 

Paul's relationship with God made it possible for him to speak quite confidently about the workings of God. It did not matter if there had been seasons of lack; he also had seasons of abundance. In his words, he had been trained in the secret of overcoming all things, whether he was full or hungry. He was not coming to lose eternal rewards because of temporary earthly gains. He was not going to sacrifice the eternal for the temporal, like Esau, who, because of hunger, despised his birthright, and he could not get the blessing due to the firstborn. It did not happen overnight; Paul did not just get it right suddenly. He had to learn; he had to go through a process of depending on God for suppy and sustenance. The lessons he learnt from these experiences helped shape his confidence in God's ability to meet every need. What lessons are you passing on the next generation coming after you? What legacies are you building presently?

This relationship that Paul had with God gave him confidence to say the things he said in the verse above. The church in Philippi had been a blessing to Paul and his companions, and now Paul was grateful for their help. It was not the fact that this church was rich by human standards, but chose to be a blessing to other people. This is where God steps in; this is where God's grace is what is at stake. He is Omnipotent; He can do all things. He is the All-sufficient God, and He seeks to show Himself strong in the lives of all whose hearts are fully committed to Him. Paul's personal experience was strong enough to provide comfort and encouragement to the church; he could boast about the ability and capability of God to meet every need. Have you met this God? Does He know you as His own? Remember: He does not force Himself on anyone, but He will surely display His power and splendor in yielded vessels. Are you one? God's time of favour is here. 

Praise!

Praise!

Psalms 113:3 AMP

[3] From the rising of the sun to its setting The name of the Lord is to be praised [with awe-inspired reverence].

The writer of this psalm is not known, but the message in the psalm is unmistakable. At the time the earth was made, every single thing we see today was made by God, with the power of His Word being the creative force that brought everything into existence. He only spoke, and because He is Omnipotent, the earth has no choice but to respond to His command. Reflect on the story of creation, and you will see how each part of creation fits into the other parts. One day's account fits quite nicely into the next day's account, until man, the crown jewel of God's creative power, was formed and placed in the Garden of Eden, to then impact the earth that had all its parts in place before he was made. Through the years and centuries that have followed, some laws have not changed. Seasons come and go, and you can basically now predict when summer ends or winter begins. 

You will never see wisdom that is greater than this. Man has tried over the years, committing billions of funds and substantial resources into trying to tamper with God's creation. At some times, man has improved what he met, as we see with air transport, and sometimes, the intelligence that man has acquired has led to the development of destructive elements like nuclear or biological weapons. We seem to be masters at funding and finding new ways to cause, inflict or promote pain. Well, it is not a surprise, considering the impact of the fall of man in the Garden of Eden, and the consequences that have followed man ever since then. As much as man has done to impact the earth, he still cannot change that which God has purposed; in fact, all of man's efforts only serve to promote that which God has planned. That is Omnipotence. That is raw and undiluted power. That is wisdom beyond the ages or limits of men. 

It is therefore not a surprise that the writer of this psalm notifies us of who this God is. Now, the psalmist does not ask permission from anyone to praise this God. He makes a bold declaration that from the rising of the sun, as the day breaks, to the setting of the same, the name of the Lord will be praised. It is not a negotiation or a point of contention; it is a statement of absolute confidence in who God is, that God deserves to be praised, and a settled position that he, as the psalmist, will praise this God. In that statement above, the psalmist also emphasizes the certainty of day and night, which will never cease, as long as this earth remains. Praise has to be default setting for all who have come to know this God. He is the One who was, who is, and who is to come: timeless, ageless, limitless and the LORD over all; mighty to save, deliver, heal and change lives. How would you respond? God's time of favour is here. 

Hold On!

Hold On!

Hebrews 10:23 NIV

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

In these very difficult days of economic and social upheavals, when it appears as If things are going haywire, it is difficult to have any measure of certainty about life itself. It seems to me that there is so much unpredictability.  You put in so much effort into something, but the end-product saddens you; you spend so much money on a project which fails woefully; you invest time and resources in preparing for an exam which is failed comprehensively. You may wonder whether there is something quite wrong with you or If you really know God, or even if you are on the right track. Life will throw you curve-balls that will question the faith you profess and the hope you possess.

When these things happen, where do you go? What do you do? Who do you hold on to? What is your anchor when the storms of life hit and it appears as If you are sinking? 

Today's extract seeks to change our focus from what is happening around us to who is living in us. Faith does not deny the present, but it sees beyond the present. It does not ignore the realities that are present; it just sees God at work, irrespective of what is going on. It then means that it should not be the external that determines the state of things for me; it should be the internal. The Lord does not promise calm seas for me as I travel, what He promises me is a calm heart, which has an assurance of the presence of the Lord of all storms. He does not tell me that there will always be clear skies; all He promises is that there will be a clear assurance of His leading and direction as I journey on. The verse above then Word then makes sense as I trust God for a life of purpose, direction and impact. I have to trust in the wisdom of a God who sees beyond the present into the future. 

I have to trust that He knows what He is doing and where He is taking me to, no matter how rough the road looks or feels. He could take me through the fiery furnace or the lions' den, or my route could pass through prison on the way to the palace. What is important is that I know who has promised to be with me and I hold on to Him, no matter what comes. He has promised not to allow anything beyond my ability to bear to come to me, so If He allows it, it is because He knows I can bear it. I have seen God at work in the strangest of ways. The end-product is the miracle but the process God works through is the mystery beyond my understanding. I am now learning to trust in His wisdom and timing as He brings me to the place of perfection. His Word of promise is the anchor you must hold on to when the storms come, because it is only His Word that lives forever. Every other situation, circumstance or issue would come to pass, never to stay. Trust his Word today, and see His faithfulness at work. His time of favour is here

Wait!

Wait!

Psalms 27:14 AMP

[14] Wait for and confidently expect the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for and confidently expect the Lord.

The world defines 'wait' as to 'stay where one is or delay action until a particular time or event'. There is also a bible-related definition, which is 'to hope, to anticipate, and to trust'. It goes further to add that to hope and trust in the Lord requires faith, patience, humility, meekness, long-suffering, keeping the commandments, and enduring to the end. Is there really anything else to add? The world knows what it means to wait. There are many examples of people who got involved in these get-rich-quick schemes, and they paid a high price for it. There are many other people who endured hardships, but learnt from their experiences, and were able to build lasting legacies after themselves. If the world has these examples for us, how much more should we as Christians be quick to lay down personal inspired stories of the value in waiting? 

Why is waiting so critical ? It is a good test of character. Picture this: if my job is to wait on tables, I am not the one to drive timing for the customer. Even if there is a fixed time for the customer to eat and then leave, it is not in my place to remind the customer that he is wasting his time. My job is to be attentive to the need of the customer, and make sure that the order is understood, prepared the right way and then delivered according to specification. What is happening on other tables with other customers will not be the most important factor now; it will be to meet the need of the customer that I am presently attending to. Waiting will test your patience, particularly if the customer seems to be taking his time, but because my wages and tips are linked to the satisfaction of the customer, I have to make sure that I give my best, all the way from the customer gets in till when he leaves. 

In the same way, I am asked to wait on God. As we also know, there is training for the role, as I need to learn and internalise what is expected of me. The clear understanding is that God is the One who has all that I need for life and Godliness, and He is able, willing and ready to give them to me. Man may still not be happy when a waiter has done his best, but God is not man. God does not need me to kill myself before He gives me the just reward for my service. The verse above enjoims me to confidently expect the Lord; He does not fail or disappoint. Even when it looks like He is silent, it is because He is coming in with an order that will change your life. I believe the best way to encourage someone is from your own personal experience, and who else but David could teach and show us the value of waiting on God, and seeing Him come through in amazing ways? Still the same God, and He is still in the business of changing lives. Would you trust Him with yours? God's time of favour is here. 

Deal With It!

Deal With It!

Numbers 20:8, 10-12 AMP:

Take the rod, and assemble the congregation, you and Aaron your brother, and tell the rock before their eyes to give forth its water, and you shall bring forth to them water out of the rock; so you shall give the congregation and their livestock drink. And Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation before the rock and Moses said to them, Hear now, you rebels; must we bring you water out of this rock? And Moses lifted up his hand and with his rod he smote the rock twice. And the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. And the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, Because you did not believe in (rely on, cling to) Me to sanctify Me in the eyes of the Israelites, you therefore shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.

How did the 'meekest man on earth' get to lose his temper so badly that he disobeyed God at this critical juncture of the journey to the promised land? Israel was close to its destination, but the hearts of the people were far away from their leader and the inspiration behind their journey. They had long been murmuring before they set out from Egypt and the murmuring continued long into their journey in the wilderness. Moses had been patient, always going back to God for comfort and assurance whenever the people murmured, and he interceded many times for the people when God was on the verge of destroying them. How did a man get from depending on God so much to taking a rash step so quickly? Before we condemn, we had better humbly examine ourselves. 

Are we not like Moses sometimes, starting with God and then getting so familiar with him that we think we can 'safely predict' His next move? Do we see ourselves as keeping some areas of our lives from God, thinking that He may not be interested in those little details of our lives? Do we see ourselves thinking that we can handle some issues by ourselves? Then we can see from Moses' perspective. He had gone to God for advice, just as he had always done. He had heard God speak constantly so he didn't need any further assurance to know that God was the One leading. He had been told what to do precisely, but in a short fit of anger, he arrogated to himself the power he did not have and could not wield: 'Shall we bring you water out of this rock? With these words, Moses set Israel back 40 years, and this made him not to enter the Promised land.

As we run the race before us, let us be careful of our words and actions. Let us be mindful of our limitations and constantly go to God for His directives and instructions. The road ahead is full of obstacles and pitfalls, and human beings are not exactly what they claim to be; the friends you depend on may fail and disappoint you, and your human nature will try and claim superior knowlege, but God is the ultimate. He alone knows us through and through, and He alone can bring us into our Promised land. Self, human wisdom, human strength and intellect have no place in our lives when God is at work. We must work with Him and walk with Him as he leads us into our promised land. God's time of favour is at hand.

This God 5!

This God 5!

Micah 6:8 KJV

[8] He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

As we have always pointed out, the fact that Israel was chosen by God as his beloved, did not stop God from punishing His people when they sinned. Being God's favourite, if we can call it that, does not insure anyone from the pain of punishment if you go against His clear instructions. That is what Israel found out, in quite painful and terrible ways. As at the time of the prophet Micah, God had sent several warnings to His people, asking them to repent of their evil ways and return to Him. You will find some half-hearted responses, and then, after a while, they would return to their usual ways. To make matters even worse, the people understood the value of sacrifices and burnt offerings, and they kept offering them. I am not sure what the offerings were meant to accomplish: were they bribes to get God to look the other way and ignore their sin? Was it just the burden of repetitive routine, where the exercise had lost its value, and no longer carried the same effect and impact as God originally intended? 

We must take careful thought to our current ways and make sure that we are not fixated on activities, at the expense of a relationship with God. When it is right, God can speak and be heard. When things are not done the right way, you get a lot of the things that happened to Israel, and led to captivity and ruin for so many years. The verse above makes it clear that God is interested and invested in making  known His will and counsel, but as always, I do have a choice of response. He will show me, but I get to choose how and when I obey. 

To make God fair, and a God who does justice, it would be unfair for Him to punish if He has not made His will clear. Now, He has shown, and He has even gone further to give practical examples of what His will is. He leaves me in no doubt as to what the standard is, and how to attain it. I will not be able to stand before God and claim ignorance of His word and will.

What is the standard? Among many other things, the verse above refers to 'doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with God. I note that the connector AND is used for all the dimensions referred to in the verse above, not OR. This tells me that it is not really a matter of options, choices or alternatives, but of compulsion. I do not get to pick one or two and then reject the other(s); all of them are required under the code of conduct and the rules of engagement for me as a Christian. I reflect on the blend between the inner and the outer; the visible and the invisible. Who or what I love will be made manifest in my life's pursuits and priorities. Of course, when I love right, it is an outflow of the work of Christ done in my heart. This love will definitely rub off on the way I relate with other people. It is the divine that determines the impact on the mortal. God has spoken and He is still speaking; can you hear Him? God's time of favour is here. 

Power!

Power!

Acts 1:8 KJV

[8] But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Jesus had resurrected from the dead, and in the event that the authorities of His day wanted to lie about this, He had appeared to several people as proof that death had np hold on Him, and the power of sin and death was not permanently broken. The disciples had seen Him several times over the next 40 days after His resurrection and now, it was time for Him to return to the Father, and send the gift of the Holy Spirit, as He had promised. You can trust God to keep His Word. All He had told the disciples were now coming to pass. My fears and doubts only limit the scope of the operation of God's grace in my life; it does not, in any way, limit who God is or what He can do. One of His promises, before He left the earth at the time, was the promise of His presence that would not depart from His followers. The gift is the Holy Spirit, and one of His features is power. 

One definition of 'power' is: 'the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behaviour of others or the course of events'. Reflect on this and see what is at stake here: God is saying that men will receive power, which is the ability to direct or influence the behaviour of men around them. Reflect on the awesome responsibility this is: God is able to entrust the lives of men into my hands, sure that they can then in turn change the course of history. This is what the early disciples did. As Jesus had promised, He sent the Holy Spirit, and men who forsook Jesus and ran away just a few days before, could stand in front of a crowd and declare the mind of God. These men, through the help of the same Holy Spirit, began a movement that, till today, continues to impact all of life. That is what power, from God's perspective, means: the ordinary, in the hands of the extraordinary God, can lead to extraordinary things. 

Of course, it is men who have already been impacted by power that can show it off. How do you expect a man who has not personally experienced it be able to bear witness to it? How can a man who does not know what power looks like be able to describe it when he is asked about it? That is the power of personal experience: nobody else can explain it on your behalf; nobody can experience it on your behalf. I start from where I am, and I am careful to be a blessing beyond where I am at the moment. The world must be impacted one life at a time, starting at my Jerusalem, and to the uttermost parts of the earth. It is divine empowerment that drives earthly impact and accomplishment. The earth is ripe for harvest and only those with the right tools are able to reap and bring in the harvest. That which the earth supplies cannot change the earth; only that which is of God, and His Spirit, can change men, who will then change the earth. Do you have Him? God's time of favour is here. 

This God 4!

This God 4!

This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:15‭-‬16 NLT

We have a High Priest. I love the start of the verses above, which makes this High Priest a personal one. Unlike the Old Testament priest, who had to first offer a sacrifice for his own sin before he could dare offer for the people, Jesus took his own blood, offered his own life as the perfect sacrifice for sin once and for all. The end had come to repetitive offering; that one sacrifice is good for all time and for all of eternity. Jesus also came in human form in order to identify with us in our weaknesses. In His deity, death could not come near Him. Man could not have arrested Him in His God-form. He knew we could not make it on our own, so He came in our form, but without sin, so He could be the perfect replacement for the due punishment under sin. Someone had to die, as sin demanded, but sin did not envisage that someone like Jesus would be the One to offer to die in the place of man. 

The coming of Jesus as man shows that we do not have to keep going on in our own strength. We now have the perfect example of humanity and divinity rolled up into One person who has walked in our shoes and knows where they hurt. His life shows us that it is possible to have victory over sin, and that it is only by living in Him that we can enjoy the same victory over sin that He has won for us. This once-and-for-all sacrifice has granted us permanent access to the Presence of God, where we get to meet with the God who is and has everything we need. The temple veil has now been torn, the deep secrets of the Holy of Holies have been revealed, and man can walk in just as he is, and receive necessary help at the time it is most needed. Whatever it was that the High Priest at the time knew has now become available knowledge to all who come to Christ, and we have become His priests. 

All needs are met in the presence of this God, not in the company of men. Men will call a committee to debate the how, when and the why they have to help you, but God invites us to approach him anytime. Men place a barrier to access, and it is not their fault, as they cannot help you beyond their own capacities. God says I am all you need, and I have all you need. In me, you find the fullness of life itself. At the time when the need is greatest, and the help is required, God steps in. He says He has given us all that we need for life and Godliness. He may not come at the time you think it is best for you, but he will definitely come at the right time that suits His purpose and plan for us. When we are down and out, God does not count us out. He is watching, waiting, working; He wants to help. What are you waiting for? Make the approach today. God's time of favour is here..

This God 3!

This God 3!

Exodus 33:14-15 AMP

[14] And the Lord said, “My presence shall go with you, and I will give you rest [by bringing you and the people into the promised land].” [15] And Moses said to Him, “If Your presence does not go [with me], do not lead us up from here.

We have alll been here before, where utter  confusion reigns and you are unsure what to do or how to move forward. Life would have thrown curve balls at you, and there will not be too many good choices available to make, but it is at these times that the verses above provide clarity and guidance on what is quite appropriate for the season or dispensation you may be in. Moses had been leading a group of disobedient and rebellious people to the land of promise. These people had tested both God's and Moses' patience, and it is still a wonder that they had not been completely destroyed. God is a study in patience, and even the whole of this earthly lifetime is not enough to know all there is to know about God, but the bits He reveals to us helps us know who He is, and how best to relate with Him, so we can enjoy the best of Him. 

Moses had learnt, and it will do us good to also learn, that outside of God, we are done for. Life will be a mess, and also end badly, if God were to leave us to our own devices and decisions. Even when Israel kept on sinning, God would not totally abandon them. Even when Moses would, in a fit of anger, publicly disobey God and end his journey into Canaan before he could get in, God would still not abandon His own. There is a blessing that is attached to the right identity that is difficult to explain. Reflect on the words above, and you would think that they were said to people who were perfect and blameless. By the grace of God, I have now learnt that God does not first call the qualifed; He knows our frame, that we are weak, so He will do all He can to get us to the place where we should be, and where His glory can be made manifest in and through us. 

God is saying here: my presence is critical for your survival. My presence is fundamental to your earthly impact. Moses understood this when he responded to God's promise by declaring that he would not be setting out at all, if God was not coming with them. Like Israel, do not trust in man-made schemes and devices; trust only in God. Do not put your faith in the created, which always have life spans and expiry dates. Put your complete trust in the One with no beginning or end, and who does not sleep, slumber, get tired or forget any of His promises. Like Moses, be determined to wait on God for all of life's questions. Remember:  God does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill, but be sure that He will display His power in the life of anyone who dares to give Him control. As always, the decision is mine to make. What would you do? God's time of favour is here.

God Speaks!

God Speaks!

Ezekiel 37:5 AMP

[5] Thus says the Lord God to these bones, ‘Behold, I will make breath enter you so that you may come to life.

Let's put the verse above in context. God took the prophet Ezekiel to a valley of dry bones. In fact, the chapter from where the verse above is taken from notes the depth and scope of the situation in front of Ezekiel. Ezekiel was taken around the valley so he could see very clearly what was at stake: the bones were VERY many and they were VERY dry. After the prophet had seen it all, God now asked Ezekiel this interesting question: 'Can these bones live?' That is desperation and death all rolled up into one, as well as the scope and depth of the challenges that Ezekiel was asked to address. God made sure that the prophet had a good idea of the finality of the state of these bones, and from the response of Ezekiel to God, you know that Ezekiel knew how 'difficult and impossible' any form of restoration for these bones would be without any divine intervention. To that question by God, Ezekiel's answer was 'Lord, you alone know'. 

When you have taken stock of your current situation, and it looks as if nothing works, remember that things can really go bad, but what you must always keep at the back of your mind is the ability of God to change whatever it is that is in front of you. These bones, by human estimation, were beyond redemption. These bones were very dry, and as we now know, they had been scattered across the valley, so it would have been impossible to know which bone fitted into which one. You would need the work of the Creator Himself to know where each dry bone fitted. And that is exactly what God did. He told the prophet to prophesy to these dry bones, and command them to hear the Word of the Lord. Reflect on this: dry, dead bones, without any form of life, could hear and respond to the Word of the Lord. This is just one of the many ways by which the power of God is made manifest. How does that which has no life respond to life? How does that which is long dead and forgotten spring back to life? 

It is only by the command of the Lord, and the authority of His Word that the impossible becomes possible, and that which has been dead turns back to life. The owner of life can take it and give it as He pleases; men may have an opinion on what they want and how they want it to appear, but once God has spoken, men's views or opinions do not really matter. On any issue that I may face, I must seek out and obtain God's word on that matter. It becomes the anchor for my soul, and the comfort for me when things get tough. If God could give life to dry bones, and raise them up as an exceedingly great army, then He can turn my life into an instrument for inspiration and impact. As long as I have life and breath in me, I must seek the mind of God on every situation, asking Him for help and ready to move at His command. His Word is His person, and His immutable nature that can be trusted to be true, no matter the passage of time, or the changing economy. He can be trusted; would you trust Him? God's time of favour is here. 

Relationships!

Relationships!

James 5:16 AMP

[16] Therefore, confess your sins to one another [your false steps, your offenses], and pray for one another, that you may be healed and restored. The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) is able to accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].

Human relationships are complex. You may approach a relationship with the best of noble intentions; it is not a guarantee that the other person will do the same. You may get out of one and go into another, but carry on with you the baggage, bitterness and hurt of the previous relationship into another one, and the new one also becomes toxic. It may not have been the plan for things to go wrong, but due to many factors, things do actually go very wrong. How do you initiate a relationship the right way? How do you ensure that things remain on the right course, even when the desires are not always aligned? The verse above gives some insights into some ways we can stay connected the right way, dealing with offence and misunderstandings, without losing sight of what is critical and important. 

As we are all human beings, it will be close to impossible not to offend each other. Even parts of the body that should work together may sometimes clash, but the greater good keeps all the parts working together to achieve a common goal, which is the health and well-being of the body. If this applies to the physical, picture the great impact this makes to the spiritual. No part has been made as all-sufficient. No part has been made to stand on its own, without needing any help or support from another. The ears need inner parts to function properly, and it is also pertinent to maintaining stability. Just Imagine the disaster when one part decides to stop depending on that which another part is expected to supply, and wants to stay on its own. As unique as each part is, the beauty of impact is seen in co-dependence and cooperation. That is the image that is laid out clearly in the verse above. 

It takes maturity to be open and vulnerable to someone else, but check out the benefits that lie at the end of that openness. The verse above refers to healing and restoration as some of the benefits that come from being open. The verse above then takes a view of the power behind prayer. In fact, it appears to me that God is saying that in order to pray the right way, there must not be any weight or obstruction to the effect and impact of the prayer. Why bother praying when I have not even done the basic minumim? Why bother asking God for His help in big things, when I have not asked men to hold me liable and accountable for even minor things? In the hands of God, there are amazing things that can happen when His will is allowed to run unhindered. God wants to move, but He will only do so when the hearts of men are open to His leading. Give up pride; let offences go. There are more things to gain with peace, than with war. May God help us. God's time of favour is here..

This God 2!

This God 2!

Matthew 7:7 KJV

[7] Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

Today's extract is taken from the Sermon on the Mount, the first record of public preaching and teaching by Jesus according to the account of Matthew. One quick thing to note was that though a crowd followed Him at the time, He gathered His disciples to Him, led them up a high mountain, and as soon as they were all settled, He began to teach them. Yes, the crowd was there listening, but the target audience at this time were His disciples. It matters who you are, and where you stand. Access defines endowment. Identity drives benefits. Who you are determines what you get. Before I begin to claim benefits of being a disciple, am I truly one? Can I dare stand out from the crowd, and take the step of going up the mountain to where Jesus waits? To follow Jesus will demand something from me; it is a call to something higher and greater than my human mind can fathom, but God promises to make the sacrifice worth it. 

Some of the promises of God are as laid out in the verse above. He wants me to ask, and as long as the right foundation has been laid, as stated above, there is a guarantee that I will receive what I have asked for. It is also instructive to note that this guarantee that I will receive what I ask for comes from the place of the ability, capacity and capability of God. Who else can say that I should ask, and I will receive, unless He has the power to do all I ask, when I ask and no matter how many of us are asking at the same time. Indeed, there is no demand on earth that can exhaust the resources of heaven. My role is to ask and receive; God's role is to give as He has promised. If anyone will fail, it can never be God. If anything will fall apart, it will not be because God did not show up. He is faithful, loyal and honest. He does not make empty promises, or lie in order to gain an advantage.

His Word is His bond. He also tells me to seek and I will find. It is also instructive to note that God does not place a limit on what I can ask or seek for; whatever the need, whatever the ask, whatever the question, God is able to do it. Is the need wisdom? Is it wealth? Whatever it is, God has it in abundance, and it is to His delight that His children show off His glory. I also note that another dimension to the blessings is open doors. He says I should knock, and it shall be opened to me. The door to be knocked is not specified here, which also means that God places no limit on where I can go, or what I can access. Reflect on this: it is only an unlimited or limitless God that can give mortal man a blank cheque to fill in with whatever the need is. Generations and dispensations have come and gone, making demands on this God, and have not been disappointed. Make the right decision today to submit to God, and watch Him do wonders. God's time of favour is here. 

Alert!

Alert!

1 Peter 5:8 AMP

[8] Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.

We live in a fallen world: this is clear from all that is happening around us today. As a result of man's first sin in the Garden of Eden, man has inherited a nature of sin that is passed on from generation to generation. It does not now matter what your networth, network and circle of influence look like; as long as you are born of woman, the nature of sin is inherent. It had to take the death of Jesus on the cross to fully pay the price for sin, and His resurrection from the dead to seal our hope of eternal life. It is this sacrifice that underpins everything else that we seek to claim from Jesus today. It is His death that gives us life; it is His pain that brings us hope; it is His stripes that seals our healing and it is His life that we have now inherited and walk under. These are the things I need to check are in place before I can make a claim on the blessings and promises that have been laid out in God's Word.

The verse above makes a few things clear. The first is that it is directed at a particular audience, which are the elect living as exiles and scattered all over the world at the time. What this tells me is that before I can claim, I have to belong. It is those who know who they are and whose they are that can make a claim on the provisions of God for their lives. If I am not a citizen of the country I reside in, there are things that I can go to jail for if I claim. Do you know who you are? Do you belong to Him, and does He know you as His own? Closely tied to this foundation is the understanding that we have just one enemy, who is the devil. It is quite possible that this one enemy can use anything or anyone close to us, and he surely has several agents at his disposal, but we have to be careful to identify the problem the right way, so that the right solution can be applied. I cannot afford to exert energy in the wrong direction. 

A combination of the two positions above will help me keep sober and watchful, as the verse above counsels me to do. Being sober means being alert at all times to the schemes of the enemy. The devil has been waging a war since before creation, so he is pretty skilled at deception. His mission, as laid out by Jesus, is to steal, kill and destroy. How can someone with no eternal life in Him give you anything that is of eternal value? How can that which is destined for destruction make a guarantee of eternal salvation to you? By being sober, I keep my eyes, ears and heart alert to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I do not become careless or complacent; I keep my heart and hope fixed on the One who calls and equips His own for whatever challenges may come. I have all the help I need in order to succeed in life and Godliness. Can you also make the same claim? God's time of favour is here. 

P.U.S.H!

P.U.S.H!

2 Chronicles 7:14 KJV

[14] if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

The Lord was speaking to Solomon, after he had built an amazing edifice as a temple. He had invested a great amount of gold in building the temple, and in fact, it was said that in the kingdom of Solomon, silver was as common as stones. That was the depth and s scope of the wealth of the kingdom, and by human terms, one would assume Solomon could do no wrong. Fortunately for us, God is not the kind that you can bribe with silver or gold, or with amazing sacrifices. From all the records in the Bible, you cannot find a single entry or record where a mortal man was able to manipulate God into lowering His standard simply because of the size of the gift s/he gave to God. This is what gives us hope: that God is faithful to His Word, and if we can only align with His instruction, there is no limit to what He can do in and through us. This is just one of the many lessons that the life of this king Solomon teaches us.

If you just read the verse above, you may not be able to quickly link it to a beautiful edifice. However, the lessons in this verse are many, and the first is that God places great premium on those who have submitted their lives to Him. We are all made in His likeness, but He has a special affection for people who have given Him control over their lives. This means that He can command their allegiance and obedience at any time, and they can approach His throne and ask for anything within His will, and He will do it for them. Israel was not always aligned with God's will, but His love and affection for them would just not let Him abandon them. They would rebel; He would punish; they will repent and return, and He would restore, and after a season of comfort, they would revert to their old ways, and the cycle will repeat itself. In all, God never let go. In the same way, God places premium on those who are His own, called by His name. That identity defines the rest of the verse. 

It will be correct to say that other people may pray and seek God's face, but there is no guarantee that they wil be heard, unless they are also His people. Submission to God is an admission of helplessness and surrender. If I think that I can make it on my own, or I can solve my own problems, I would not need God. If I can only turn away from sin and turn to God, He promises to hear my prayer. It is also worth mentioning that though I start on a personal note, God's intervention will impact my community and nation too. One man can indeed change the course of a nation. Esther the queen did it. Joseph the prime minister did it. Gender does not mater; what is critical is that I know who I am, whose I am, and what God demands of me per time. God wants to do mighty things in my life and land, but He cannot force Himself on me, or go against the exercise of my freewill. Nations are waiting for my surrender, because it is by my life of surrender to God that He can use me to change the course of history. Can He count on you? God's time of favour is here.