Done Right!

Done Right! 

There are those who generously scatter abroad, and yet increase more; there are those who withhold more than is fitting or what is justly due, but it results only in want.

Proverbs 11:24 AMPC

It is only from God's perspective that the words of today's extract makes sense. God has laid down the perfect example of what giving looks like: you read a verse that says: his divine power has given us all that we need for life and Godliness. It means that all that I need to succeed both in the physical and the spiritual planes have been made available and in very abundant measures too. If God could give up this valuable a gift, is there anything else that will be too difficult for Him to give up? If He then commands me to do as He has done, it means that He has supplied the grace and strength for me to obey.

This is where the power of choice comes in. God does not force Himself on anyone, or compel me to do as He commands. My obedience will flow out of a heart of knowledge: that I know who God is, and I am glad to obey. And there are always two choices to make, never three. Indecision itself is a decision. If I refuse to obey, that is a decision; if I sit on the fence, if there is one, not committing to anything, that, in itself, is also a decision. 

So, the call comes for me to flow out to other people what I have also received by grace. I get to make a decision: give or withhold. With God again, some natural laws are suspended because of my obedience to God. How does my giving up things lead to more increase for me, if God is not involved? How does my scattering abroad lead to more increase if not that God honours and rewards obedience? If I seek this kind of increase, I must be eager and willing for the kind of obedience that commands increase. I cannot withold unnecessarily, yet expect God to reward stinginess. 

I note: it is the heart behind the giving that seems to be in focus here. One man scatters generously, not out of a heart of show off, or one that seeks popularity, but one that knows the value of generosity. It is a heart that knows what it has received and is not afraid to extend that same grace to others. There is the other person too who withholds more than is fitting or just. It is not a crime to save for the rainy day, but it is also important to be available for God to direct your heart as He pleases. After all, I am a steward of whatever it is that I hold in my hand. I really do not own anything: all the 'my' house, bank account and property portfolio only applies as long as I am still breathing. When the One who actually owns my breath makes a demand for it, there is no monetary policy that can change or stop it.

So, while I breathe, I strive to leave my heart free of the deceitfulness of riches. I ask God to clean my heart from all the false sense of security possessions give men. I ask God to help me know the place and limits of all that I hold, so that whenever He asks me to give it out, I can do it without any iota of regret. After all, with God, I have to give up that which is in my hands now, if I will receive anything further from God. If I am preoccupied with what I hold now, I cannot recieve anything else of value. So, is there anything now that I am sure God wants me to give up? Obedience is the key to the fullness of all that God is, and is able to give me. His time of favour is here. 

Becoming!

Becoming!

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:14 KJV

The gift of God is in human form. We seem to focus so much on what we can hold on to in physical and often tangible terms, forgetting that there is nothing of value that can be gotten from possessions; it is the Presence of God that is invaluable. As I read the chapter where today's extract is taken from, I learn a few things: 

1. God knew that we will struggle to accept a gift that we could not relate to. If Jesus had come down with all His glory, we would have a difficult time accepting Him as one of us or like us. He came in human form, so that we all would know and accept Him as one of us. He came in one of the most lowly of estates: born to a carpenter, with a manger as his first feel of a cot and room. If God could 'stoop' so low for our sake, imagine what else He would give up for our sake so we can know Him and accept Him as Lord and Saviour. Now, the flip side: if after all He has done and gifted us, and we then reject His gift, what hope do we have to be saved? If I reject the author of life, how else do I lay hold of the true life? 

2. This Life didn't just come down and then leave; He dwelt among us. He was hungry, thirsty and tired. There were times He wept, when His friend Lazarus died. There were times He was angry, when men turned the place of prayer into a den of thieves. He agonised in the Garden of Gethsemane when the reality of his coming death hit him. He was God, yet here he was human. If God could simplify salvation like this, make it relatable to me and simplify it this way, can I really have an excuse if I reject this gift? If I reject a God who brought salvation down this way, then where else can the hope of eternal life with this God come from? 

3. His glory is made manifest, and is there for all to see. It only takes total submission to this God for this glory to become a personal experience. What makes a man unable to see or experience this glory? Could it be a sense of familiarity with the person of Jesus? Could it be the kind of life you see from those who claim to follow Him? It took John, the writer of this book, a personal experience of this God for him to attest to and confirm this glory. It wasn't just any kind; it was the type that aligned with the glory of the only begotten Son of God. How would John have known if he did not have a personal touch of this glory? 

Don't be content with what people say; seek a personal experience. Don't only trust people's stories; seek your own touch. God's grace is available to lead me to salvation, and as I seek the Truth, I am actually seeking the person of Jesus Himself. And I am yet to meet a person who sincerely sought Jesus and did not meet Him. His promise is that ALL who seek me shall find me. He says: 

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28 KJV. Whatever it is I seek to know or become, it is all tied to a personal knowledge and experience of this God and His Son Jesus. He is waiting; this odd season demands I go to a God who knows the end from the beginning and can keep me safe to the end. His time of favour is here. 

Fed 2!

Fed 2!

Give us this day our daily bread.

Matthew 6:11 KJV

As I read today's extract, I look at the context of which the words were spoken, and two lessons quickly come to mind:

1. A life of prayer can never be replaced with a public life of service. I can be known and celebrated as a man of God by the crowd around me, but it is my private life of prayer that will define me to God. When God knows you, it doesn't really matter who else doesn't. If God doesn't know you, it doesn't also matter how many other people know you.

2. Prayer is a fundamental part of my life as a Christian. I do not pray because I want to change God's mind, butI pray because He commands it, I have seen the benefits of it in my personal life, and I have come to know God personally from speaking to Him daily. That is why the context of today's extract is WHEN, not IF you pray. It is not really a choice, but something that is expected of me.

So, what do the words of today's extract mean? The lessons continue:

3. There is a model of prayer laid out by the One I am required to pray to. If He tells me how to speak to Him, is it not foolishness to think I can still speak to Him if I use another method? No matter how attractive or popular the methods are, if they are not laid down by God, He will not heed or listen.

4. The One who answers the prayers is referred to as 'Our Father'. This is a sign of blood relationship, and the blood of Jesus is that connection that makes it possible for me to refer to God as my father. No matter how much I call Him so, without the blood, it is just a call.

5. The manner of approach matters. I come to God by worship, and an acceptance of who He is. That is the first step to all that God is and gives. The Lord's Prayer nails down the fact that God is the Lord of all, and He is all I need. How do I make a demand on a God that I do not accept His Lordship over my life? There is no room for hypocrisy here, as God can't be deceived by external piety that is empty of sincere devotion.

6. Yesterday's provision isn't going to last till today. There is a fresh supply for every day. Yesterday's miracles belong to yesterday, and I need to ask God to give me all that I need for today. I also cannot be asking God for provision for tomorrow that I have not yet seen, so it means that I must be content with the provision of God for the day He has given me grace to see. Why worry or fret about what is past, or what has not yet happened? 

Of fundamental importance is this question here: do you know the Father of this prayer? He seeks a personal relationship with you? Does He know you as His own? Is He God in your life? Remember, this life will not always continue like this. An end has been promised to all that we see and know today. Whilst there is time, make sure God knows you are His own. Your eternity will be glad you did. His time of favour is here. 

Fed!

Fed!

But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.

Matthew 4:4 KJV

It was fitting, in line with the will of God, that the one who would deal with sin in our lives, to experience firsthand the temptations that we would also have to deal with. He was led of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted; it was intentional, not accidental. How else would the author of salvation prove the value of His ministry and assignment without dealing with the eternal effects of sin, pride and self? That must have been just a few of the reasons why Jesus had to undergo these personal experiences. 

Of course, after fasting for 40 days and nights, He would be hungry. Of course, the most immediate need of a hungry man is that which will satisfy the hunger. The devil knew this, and of course, his first temptation was related to food. But he couched his temptation in very insidious terms: "if you are the Son of God, command these stones to become bread". First of all, Jesus was the Son of God, and could command anything to become anything. But what would be the value of just proving something that was already true; would it be a power trip or show off? Jesus' response here proves a few points: 

1. Having power isn't the same as showing off power. One who is comfortable in his state needs not remind people of what s/he has. The world has taught us showoff, and we have embraced the physical and the audible at the expense of the power of the inner witness. We want the world to know, recognise and celebrate us, forgetting that these are not the true measures of impact. 

2. There is a place for bread that nourishes the physical body, and a place for the bread that nourishes the spiritual body. That is why today's extract uses the words: 'not live by bread ALONE'. Both are different from each other, and one cannot satisfy the cravings of the other. No matter how much of physical bread I eat, it will not take the place of the need for spiritual food. On the other hand, there is a place for fasting, prayer and spiritual exercises, and there is a place for me to take the food that will nourish and keep me alive and healthy. Do I know the place of each one? Am I focused only on that which goes into the belly that I forget that which needs to go into the spiritual man? 

3. The Word of God is central and fundamental to my development and growth as a Christian. It is not just any kind of word, but that which God alone produces. The source has to be the mouth of God, not the product of my own mind or feelings. Too many times, we rely on what makes us comfortable or complacent, but God will always seek to make us like Him. His desire and purpose are to build us up to becoming people He can trust with the deep mysteries of His Word. His Word is Jesus Himself; it is Life and Peace and Joy to all who find Him. Can you really ignore the Word of God and settle only for that which goes into the belly and then out of the body as waste? 

I need both, and must make room for both. When the devil wants me to show off, I must remember that proving a point isn't necessary; what matters is that the light of God's Word shines in and out of me. I must be careful not to indulge my natural life at the expense of the spiritual. Both must be fed with the food that is appropriate for each nature, and to the right degree and time. Imagine if Jesus had not understood the right time for physical food. May the Lord help me today to know the right time, situation and circumstances for all that I need for life and Godliness. His time of favour is here. 

Abide!

Abide!

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5 KJV

Jesus takes time to speak, not to the crowd, but to His disciples. There are instructions for the crowd, and there are instructions for disciples. When you know which one you are, no one will compel you to obey and align with your position. All who are true disciples know who they are connected to, and they know what they are expected to show off. 

Jesus introduces Himself as the vine, and all who follow Him are the branches. These positions can NEVER be reversed; at no time can a branch become the vine, and the vine cannot become the branch. It is the vine that provides the nourishment the branch needs to survive, thrive and fruit. If I am a true disciple, I will seek to know what God wants from me, and seek to show Him off. Does the vine know me as a branch? Is all I am doing now an outflow that reflects my connection to the vine? 

And it is important to ABIDE. That word is fundamental to what God wants for and from me. This is not supposed to be a temporary state of affairs, where I connect to and disconnect from the vine when I please. I am expected to abide in the vine, not in church. I am expected to abide in Him, not in lovely programs. My life cannot find any true expression outside the One who should inspire my daily pursuits and priorities. 

And the vine of course continues to provide all that the branch needs. The vine sees this as a lifelong work, and He promises to keep doing it as long as I am connected. This then means that I am the one who needs to sort out my allegiance. Who am I? Who do I work for? Who determines the things I focus on? The answers to these questions will determine the output of my life. It has already been laid out by the vine: if you are not in me, and I am not inspiring and leading your life's output, it will not end well. 

How will a branch survive outside its source of nourishing? No matter how nice the place is, or how solid its new connection is, a branch will not survive outside the place that is its proper connection; the place that is able to provide exactly what the branch needs. It has to be attached to the vine that is able to provide its specific needs. There are a number of options that the devil will try and suggest, even try to make them attractive, but as long as they are not the vine, they cannot provide what the branch actually needs. It is clear: Connection determines fruitfulness. If I want it, I have to be where it can reach me. Am I connected right? His time of favour is here. 

Present!

Present! 

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Deuteronomy 31:6 KJV

If there was no possibility of fear, today's extract will not make sense. If life was promised without any detour, stress or trial, we won't have the words of today's extract to consider. If there were no wars to fight, territories to conquer or victories to maintain, today's extract will be out of place. God knows our frame as well as the situations that are ahead of us, so before the challenges come, He makes the promises before us.

Here was the nation of Israel at the point of entering into the promised land. The nation had wandered for 40 years in the desert, due to rebellion and disobedience. Moses had sent spies to check out the land, and the people focused more on the reality their eyes could see than on the assurance of victory that God had given them. That is the human part of us: our physical senses are both our greatest assets and our greatest limitations at the same time. 12 spies saw the same thing; 10 came back and reported the same thing, the other 2 reported the opposite. Same sight; different insight. It matters what you see. 

It was the natural thing for the people to fear: there were giants in the land, and Israel hadn't fought a war for quite some time, so it was natural to not look for a fight. However, God was already promising Israel victory, even before they lifted a single weapon to fight. That is God: fully aware of the present and future battles, and with the required information and materials required to have victory. What I need isn't so much about the right weapons, but about knowing the Man of War. It is not about being strategic in battle, but knowing the God of Strategy. 

The reason is given: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee. It does not matter what your years of experience are; you only survive when God goes with you. Who would have imagined what the year past would have turned out, or what the one ahead will also look like, but as I look to whatever it is the year will bring, something has to be settled, and it is this: WHO is going with me on the journey through this year? Oh, storms are coming; the winds will blow and the water will rise, but yet I check: WHO is with me? I cannot negotiate my way out of tough times, but I can prepare well for them when God is in and with me. 

Moses, a man who God spoke with face to face, was dying. He had walked with God in s special way, and now Joshua was to take over. Even that was scary. So, even for Joshua, he needed the assurance of God's presence and power for the task ahead. No matter the size of the work ahead, never leave God behind or out of it. He is a God with full knowledge of all that lies ahead, and I will only get to the end of my journey in peace when I go with Him. I can be tempted to think I got it all figured out due to all the years I have known God; even Moses was not spared when he made that assumption. It is a daily walk, with no system or familiarity to fall back on. The only thing that is consistent is the assurance of God's Presence. 

Self-confidence tells God you don't need Him that much. A man who knows what to do doesn't need this message. The availability of 'good' courage means that there is a bad version of courage. Men, as well as situations, will challenge my faith and seek to push me into doubt. I have the unbreakable promise of the Lord God, the unquestionable authority over life, the One who speaks and every other voice is silent, and if He charges me not to fear, and that He is with me, and will not leave or forsake me, I have all that I really need. When I consider the battles that Joshua fought after this charge, such as Jericho, or other wars by Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah, I learn that it is not really about the number of weapons or the skill of fighting men, but of God who fights for me. His Promise and Presence are all I need. His time of favour is here. 

New!

New!

Now, if anyone is enfolded into Christ, he has become an entirely new person. All that is related to the old order has vanished. Behold, everything is fresh and new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 TPT

There is something about the natural birth and the spiritual birth. Both are important; one cannot happen without the other, but it is important to sort out the one that is eternally relevant. All human beings, born of women, have experienced the natural birth; and all beings, born of women, are also invited to partake of the spiritual birth. The natural birth comes before the other, and has its rules, regulations and code of conduct. The spiritual birth then follows after, with its own regulations, rules and code of conduct also.

The invitation is to ALL men, no matter what the past or the present looks like. We are all invited to partake in the new life that God promises to ALL who come to Him and seek shelter IN Him. Check this out: enfolded INTO Christ. It is NOT about hearing, listening to or knowing about Him. These are all important, but the fundamental principle that must be in place is that I am IN Him. This is about location, essence, inspiration, guidance, and so on. Men are content 'doing' church; holding to a form of godliness, keeping to a particular set of activities and engagements. However, these have been proven not to be enough; Cornelius was a good man; had a good reputation among the people of his time, but something was still missing. Peter was sent by God to inform him of what was missing, and he, along with all his household, was saved. 

You don't get in by accident; it is the result of a conscious decision to submit to and accept the Lordship of Jesus over your life. You don't stumble your way into it, or 'robotic' your way around it; it is the combined result of your faith in Jesus, and your confession of Him as Lord, Saviour and Master. Jesus does not force Himself on any man; we come to Him by the exercise of our freewill, and we live and die by the decisions that will take. God has played His part by giving us His Son as the perfect sacrifice for the defects of the natural birth, so that by accepting the free gift, we can take hold of the benefits and blessings of the spiritual birth.

And there will be evidence of that new birth; it cannot be hidden or denied. That is why the words NEW is used. There has to be a major difference between the old and the new. Men may not see the difference, because sometimes you have been a good person doing good things, but the work is first an inner work before it becomes an outer witness. It is as if God builds a new man, which is actually what it is; God takes all the mess of my past and present, and fashions out something new, not out of the natural man, but from that which is of Him. His own nature is breathed into me, so that even though it is still me that you see, the work that has been done inside me will be made manifest.

So, when you take stock, can you see the evidence of that inner work done by God in and out of you? Note: the old order has to VANISH, not just be suppressed. It is not a negotiation with the old man; it is a total destruction of the connection with the old man. Whatever God commands, He gives grace to do. God's life in me has to birth something new. Nothing of the old man can birth the kind of life that God intends. It is not a negotiation between the old and the new; it is a complete break with the past and a new and fresh start. It is a life that is sustained by God to the end of time, and will lead to eternal life. So, do you have that kind of life that God promises? Is that the kind of life you have now? If it is, you will know; if it is not, you will also know. Don't let today end without being sure of where you are headed. His time of favour is here.