One Time Offer!

so also Christ was offered once for all time as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. He will come again, not to deal with our sins, but to bring salvation to all who are eagerly waiting for him. Hebrews 9:28 NLT

The cross and all it represents seems to be getting lost in the daily pursuit of what the world calls success, prosperity and progress. It appears that the cross has become an outdated tool, something that appealed in the past to old generations but needs to be modified or aligned to this present generation. Unfortunately, the cross has to be the start point of any meaningful relationship with God and an understanding of his purpose and plan. What does the cross represent:

1. It is God's divine expression of love. By it, God showed that if he could give his best, his one and only Son, there is nothing else too big for him to release to all who come to him;

2. It is the mark of reconciliation between God and man. Sin broke the cord, the cross sealed it for all time. God came down and identified with man, took that sinful nature and nailed it to the cross, offering life and peace and joy and health to all who come to God through the cross. God and man now relate, because the offering made on the cross cleaned out the dirt.

3. The One who died on the cross lives again and he is returning again one day. It has already been established that God works in eternity so all we see now were settled in eternity. If God sought to restore fellowship with man, it is because that was his original plan, and his purpose for all of eternity to come. If you do not know God or God does not know you, you have not yet found your path in God. Eternity is at stake.

4. When he comes back again, sin will not be the focus but the hindering factor. When he returns, all that will matter is your relationship with God sealed through the cross. He is coming back again. When he comes, Possessions, power, prosperity, success and wealth will not matter in that day; all that will count is your path to God through the cross. Have you found your way to God through the cross? His time of favour is here.

Pleasure of Pressure

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. James 1:2‭-‬4 MSG

Trials and tribulations are hard messages to sell in this season of difficulties. Things seem hard enough, without having to emphasize the inevitability of trials. Yet, today's extract seeks to underline a fresh perspective to trials. Check out the following:

1. Trials will come at you from all sides. You do not have control over your experiences, but you do have control over how you will respond. How you respond will determine the quality and depth of the lessons you will learn and the impact your life will make.

2. Trials are built to build you up and develop your character. There are things you could never imagine you could bear until the test came. There were situations you thought you could not handle until you had to endure them. When you have endured and stood your ground in God, the lessons learnt would be worth the experiences.

3. Trials have a expiry date. One very common expression in the Bible is: "And it came to pass". One comfort from God's word is that nothing lasts forever, except God himself. All trials, tribulations, physical signs of success all have cycles and expiry dates, therefore we do not fret and worry over situations; we simply trust in the wisdom of the One who can work out all things to his glory.

4. Trials lead to Maturity and Growth. It is a bit difficult to explain how this works, but it is only God who takes a 'negative' thing and works out something positive with it. The owner of my life determines what is required to bring out the best in me, and he administers those things in the right measure and the appropriate dosage, so I can be all that he wants me to be. His wisdom is amazing, his timing perfect and his plan eternal. His time of favour is here.

Give Thanks

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done. 1 Chronicles 16:8 NLT

In a season of recession, messages like these do not sell. No one needs to tell you what's important; the realities around you will dictate what you should focus on. The get-rich-quick schemes have picked up momentum, the ponzi schemes of years gone by have resurfaced and everyone is in a race to 'make it', whatever it means and however it takes. Yet in the season of recession is God's progression and power best seen and appreciated. It is in seasons like these that the priorities of our hearts become crystal clear.

We are told that there was famine in the land, yet Isaac sowed in that same land and reaped a hundredfold of what he sowed. We are also told of a season of famine, and God promised that in just 24 hours, price of food will crash. It was so 'unbelievable' that someone in authority actually went ahead to declare that even if God would open the windows of heaven, it would not be possible. Well, as you know, in both instances, what was at stake wasn't man's qualifications but God's name. When God declares a thing, he stakes his name and reputation on that thing. No wonder Jeremiah knew God as the One who 'watches over his Word to perform it'.

No wonder the call to praise God has been consistent in recent days. It is not normal to do so, but when I realise the kind of God I have, then I will not be cajoled to praise him. When I consider my life and the great impact he has made on my life, I do not need anyone to compel me to praise God. My life is the template and the motion picture that the world is watching. Everything I do and say will speak of my relationship with God and my understanding of his person, power and purpose.

Is my life a testimony to the greatness of God or the capacity of man? Am I exalting my abilities, earning power and qualifications over and above the God who is bigger than time, space or circumstances? For me, the choice is clear and unmistakable: God, I declare you are great, there is no one like you. Your time of favour is here.

The Mysterious God

Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. Ecclesiastes 11:5 NLT

There are several things that are beyond our comprehension. There are mysteries all around us that we cannot fully understand. When you take stock of your life, and all that you have experienced, you will realise that you could not really explain how so many things turned out. There are natural laws, one of which is that your input would always determine your output, and what you sow, you will reap. That is the natural law of God and nature and it has been proven true in many respects.

But then in steps God, and you just realise that some natural laws would not stand when God is at work. How do you scientifically explain how 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish will feed 5,000 men, beside the women and children, and you still have 12 baskets of leftovers? How do you logically explain how a cup of water changes to the best wine between its source (the jar) and the master of ceremonies? Today's extract also explains another mystery- the path of the wind and how a baby grows in its mother's womb.

It is a foolhardy exercise to attempt to logically and rationally process God. It is not a profitable exercise to ever imagine that you can tick the boxes by predicting how he will handle a situation. If God can create over 7 billion people and counting with unique fingerprints, then he has over 7 billion ways he can solve a particular problem. His ways are beyond searching out, and his understanding, no one can fathom. "Have you never heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of his understanding. Isaiah 40:28 NLT.

That is the God I have and serve. Do you know this God, and does he know you as his own? His time of favour is here.

God's Mysterious Ways

Delight thyself also in the Lord ; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Psalms 37:4 KJV

In this journey of faith, I have seen God do strange, mysterious things. I have seen God do what man concluded was impossible and also seen God settle the unbelievable. I have also seen 'delays'; where men had sought God's face for something and it appeared that God was not listening. I have seen men give up after several years of waiting, and I have also seen men hold on tightly to God for several decades, waiting for the fulfilment of a promise made by God to them.

It then appears to me that I cannot claim length of relationship with God or the length of time of praying or seeking God's face as a guarantee that I will get what I have asked for in prayer. I cannot bribe God with long prayers or fastings or quoting a lot of Scriptures and conclude that because I have fasted and prayed for years and memorized several verses, God is bound to give me what I want. Today's extract lays a deep foundation: "delight yourself in the Lord." This is a deep statement. I must eat, drink and live God in my daily living. I must constantly seek his perfect will in my life daily, and follow him closely. I must seek to know his mind on every issue that I face, because he always knows what is best at every point in time. I must take delight in the things that please God. That is the only assurance that guarantees that the desires of my heart shall be granted. When my own desires are already aligned with his will, why will I not get what I want? When all I desire is to please God and bring him glory through my life, why would God not work on my behalf?

Another year has just rolled by, and another one has begun. The old year may have been a tough year for some, and a smooth lovely year for others, but whatever your own experiences may have been, one thing is clear: your walk with God is personal. Your experiences this year are also personal, and your breakthroughs, even if they encourage  others, are also personal. It then means that I cannot concern myself so much with how God is blessing others, but my priority should be discovering and fulfilling God's divine purpose and plan for me.

I take stock of my priorities today. Are they aligned with the things God is doing presently? Am I pursuing my own agenda or God's divine mandate? Have i busied myself with how well others around me are doing, without minding so much how  and where God wants me to be? His time of favour is here.

Right Company

Become wise by walking with the wise; hang out with fools and watch your life fall to pieces. Proverbs 13:20 MSG

The importance of walking with the right people is emphasized by both the world's system and the Word lifestyle. Both agree that the company you are comfortable with shows the kind of person that you are. We can pretend for a while to be something else, but a review of our lives, particularly those who pride guidance and mentorship to us will reveal just what kind of persons we are.

The world has a saying: "Show me your friends, and I will tell you who you are". It is a clear testament to the importance of living right, moving right and walking right. You cannot divorce who you really are from who you move it, because the quality of your life's decisions will influenced by those around you. The Word of God also has its sayings, one of which is today's extract:" become wise by walking with the wise". Watch these: "You cannot attract who you are not"; "You cannot give what you do not have"; "You cannot also make a withdrawal from an account into which you have not made a single deposit". These are but a few of the conclusions that God would have us know about life.

God's purpose is first eternal, then personal. He gives a personal vision, then he assigns the right company with the complimentary gifts to help fulfil joint or linked visions/purposes. When God assigns visions, he will always provide the resources- human and material- that will aid the fulfilment of that vision. We must therefore edit our company and review our pursuits; are we in and with the right company? With the present friends and companions that I have, will I fulfil God's purpose?

The extract above ends with this warning: if you hang out with fools, your life will literally fall to pieces. With your own hands, you would have derailed God's purpose for your life. It is therefore important to know the place, timing and purpose of people that God brings your way. If they are there for a reason, discover and pursue that reason. If they are there for a season, maximise the season and when the reason or the season has expired, and they walk away, don't hold tight. Your vision and assignment is much more important than the people who move with you.

Take stock today. His time of favour is here.

Balance

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8‭-‬9 NLT

God has always been at work before the beginning of creation, and he is still at work today. Man is his special creation, the one created in his image and the one he longs to have fellowship with. Even when man fell in the garden of Eden, God was still planning how to save man and restore him back to fellowship.

However, the following is key to our understanding of our role and God's responsibility. First, salvation is by grace, after we believe. Sin hinders a man from ever acknowledging his need for God, but God would always reach out to man. Why then would man ever think that what he has is his right/entitlement?

Secondly, my faith and belief in God is fundamental to the process of salvation. The gift has been given; what remains is for me to take hold of the gift and enjoy the benefits.

Thirdly, there is nothing I could do to improve what God has already given. The sacrifice was complete, total and absolute, and is valid for all time, until Jesus returns. For as many as would accept this gift, salvation is freely given to them.

I cannot also boast in something I did not develop or discover. I simply walk into it by faith, so there is no room for pride or self-satisfaction. I stand in the abundance of the grace given me by God, which called me out of darkness into his marvellous light, so I can be a living testimony to the greatness and power of God to save. I have accepted Jesus as Saviour and Lord; what about you? His time of favour is here.