Grace Expressions!

Grace Expressions!

As each has received a gift, employ it in serving one another, as good managers of the grace of God in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10 WEBBE

First, there is something for everyone who surrenders control to God. It is called a gift because we do not earn or deserve it. We get it by virtue of faith in Christ and is a function of the grace of God. In no way does it give room for pride, as the gift is not tied to my ability but to God's desire to express himself in and through me. All who believe get a gift, and for some, it may be gifts but they all come from the same source.

Secondly, the gifts were not meant for selfish reasons, but to serve other people. I do not get a gift so I can turn the gift into a money-making venture, but if such gain comes, it should be with an understanding that God takes all the glory and praise from it. God didn't give me a gift so I can turn around and make it a special dispensation, where only a deserving few get attention. I am sent to be a blessing, and I have been gifted for such a time like this. How am I using the gift(s) I have been given?

Lastly, how I live reveals my heart. If I will be trusted with more things, it will show in what I do with what I have now. God's grace is expressed in several forms, and it is by service, not by pride, that this grace is best appreciated. As I live my life daily, I get the chance to show God off, and to encourage other people to come to the saving knowledge of Christ. Does my life align with this template? His time of favour is here.

Rightly Engaged!

Rightly Engaged!

I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me. Galatians 2:20 WEBBE

First, a statement borne out of a personal understanding of the writer. You do not state these words unless you are sure of your old ways and the quality of your new life. It has to be so distinct that the difference between the old and the new is so obvious. Paul had an old name- Saul- as well as an old life, but an encounter with Christ changed his direction, perspective and priorities. It has to be the same for us; otherwise what we hold on to is not the real deal.

Identifying with Christ means starting from the cross. Anything I will lay claim to must start from that painful experience. It was the cross that bridged the gap between God and man and made a new life possible. As Christ paid the price for my life, it means that I cannot really lay claim to my life anymore. The One who paid the price owns it now, and he makes a demand that I give him all I am. The best I can do is give him total control and allow His life flow out of mine.

If I know what I have received, it will show in my pursuits and priorities. If I have to be reminded about who i am, then maybe I do not know the value of what I hold. Whilst I am down here, I live for the glory of the One who accepted me even when I was deep in sin. I know that at the end, faith will lead me to eternal life. His time of favour is here.

The Right Stuff!

The Right Stuff!

that if you will confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 WEBBE

The process of salvation is laid out as simply as only the source, author and sustainer can. It is the whole essence of the good news we are asked to share, and it is all about the One who died to guarantee life eternal. It is never about a feel-good doctrine, where I am defined by what I do alone. The right stuff is beyond what I do; it is fundamentally about who I know and belong to.

How do I get the right stuff: my mouth and my heart must align. One of man's greatest abilities is pretence. We say one thing with our lips and mean the very opposite with our hearts. We keep up appearances; we put up a front and people don't know what we are. But for all who will get all that God intends for them, today's extract is just the right message. I must confess the Lordship of Jesus with my lips AND my heart must align with that postion by faith. It is not one of the two; it has to be the two.

Salvation is about my acceptance of His Lordship, by my words, action and heart. At the centre of all I get to gain, which is eternal life, is what I do with Jesus. If I accept Him as Lord and Saviour, I get to be saved and gain eternal life. Imagine what it would mean to reject Him also. Think deep about what lies ahead, and ask God to lead you to making the right decision. His time of favour is here.

Be-Attitudes

Be- Attitudes!

Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer. Romans 12:12 AMPC

Paul exhorts the Roman church on three aspects of relationship with God. The first relates to the fuel that drives service and devotion, which is hope. If I do not have anything to look forward to, if there was nothing at the end of all my labour, why should I strive to live right? If everything ends down here, what is the motivation for righteousness and holiness? So hope keeps me sane, and the expectation of the glory ahead fills my heart with joy.

Secondly, nowhere have I been guaranteed that life will be all smooth; no bumps. I get to choose how I will respond to the things coming my way. I can get touchy and lash out at everything or I can trust God to work out His perfect will in and through all He allows to come my way. As always, every choice has a consequence. Patience in tribulation isn't a degree a seminary course can teach you; it is only learnt at the foot of the One whose life is the perfect example of patience.

Lastly, when everything seems to be falling apart, prayer is the glue that can hold all together. It is not a weekly, monthly or periodic appointment; it is a daily and regular meet, where God is able to meet me and provide guidance for my life. I get to trust Him for all of my life's choices, not just the big ones like career or marriage. He wants to be involved in all of my life's phases, but only if I let Him. What are your own priorities at the moment? Does God hold all of your heart or do you have other 'viable' options? His time of favour is here.

Full Wages!

Full Wages!

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. ROMANS 6:23 AMP

Wages signify lawful payment for services rendered or work done. For all of men born of women, the fundamental start point is an acceptance of our sinful nature. The only thing we deserved for all we were and had done was death. God always tells ahead what is at the end of all human actions, and in this case, death always followed any breach of God's express laws.

Though we deserved death, we didn't get it. Because it was God's established law, the wages still had to be settled. In comes Jesus, taking our place in death. The full wages for sin was settled; man could walk away from the consequences of his actions and claim the life on offer in Jesus. Lest I think it is a small matter, it is not really free. It cost God something precious; and it is a reminder that God takes sin seriously and I must do the same.

The gift is now given, full and free. It is a gift birthed in grace, founded upon faith in the finished work of the cross and with eternal life as the prize. All I need to do is to believe in that finished work and walk daily in that experience. Remember, life is about choices, just as death. I choose life today, made available in Christ Jesus. What's your choice? His time of favour is here.

The Right Way 2

The Right Way 2!

be unceasing and persistent in prayer; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:17 AMP

Just like yesterday's piece, today's extract holds a similar message, and it is all tied to relationship. If I love someone, I want to spend time with the person a lot. A few hours go like a few minutes, and I count the hours until I see the person again. For all who can remember the thrill of courtship and fresh love, you can relate. The same principle applies to the focus of today's extract, which is prayer.

Prayer is communicating with God, where I take my cares, worries, pain and joys to him, and I leave with the assurance and confidence that even if I do not know or understand the WHY behind the WHAT that I am going through, I am comforted by the fact that I know WHO is in charge. Prayer is not a one-way thing, where I just talk and do not wait for a response; but it God getting my attention to give me directions while I trust Him to work out the best in and for me.

It takes courage to give control to another person. It even takes grace to continue in prayer, and to be fervent and persistent. If God commands it, He must have a benefit only He can guarantee. Being faithful in prayer is proof of friendship with God. When a man submits to God in prayer, he is raised up to impact lives. A man who kneels in prayer cannot be ignored, because God will use such a man to change his generation. Do you know God at all? Does He know you as His own? His time of favour is here.

The Right Way!

The Right Way!

Be persistent and devoted to prayer, being alert and focused in your prayer life with an attitude of thanksgiving. COLOSSIANS 4:2 AMP

For all who claim faith in Jesus, there are some attributes that must flow out of that relationship. One of them is prayer. This is where I develop a listening ear, a receptive heart, submissive lips and an obedient life. In prayer, God teaches me to approach Him with confidence, sure that my relationship with Him is more important to Him than what I get or do not get from Him. Prayer is my humbling process, a reminder that I do not have all the facts and cannot deal with life on my own.

Closely linked to that prayer lifestyle is being alert and focused. It would seem that while I pray, I must be conscious of what God is doing and be able to key into his plan and purpose. Even Jesus taught his disciples to 'watch and pray'. If I do not pay attention to what's going on around me, how do I confirm if God is at work or not? If I cannot key into God's plan and purpose by being watchful and alert, I may miss his timing and the blessings that come from being in the right place and at the right time.

And closely linked to the two is the heart of thanksgiving. I pray, I ask God for things, I ask Him to intervene in issues around me, I watch out for what He is doing or will do. But in all, I do not forget that He's sovereign and does whatever He pleases, whenever He pleases. No matter what comes, I am confident that His love for me will trump whatever life throws at me. With a heart of thanksgiving, it doesn't matter how 'bad' things get; there is an assurance that it will end in praise. So, how's my prayer life? What does it look like? His time of favour is here.