Wise? Build Right!

Wise? Build Right!

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: Matthew 7:24 KJV

At some critical points in my life, I would have to decide how to respond to the Word of God that comes to me. There will be several opportunities to hear God, either by personal or corporate fellowship with God. I would have to search the scriptures for myself and see what God has for me. I would have to listen in during fellowship to hear what God has for me. He has promised that he will not leave me without guidance and direction. His Word is the compass for daily living, the light for daily decisions and the guard against a lifestyle of sin. I do not know of any other thing that can preserve a man, or keep him from evil, except the Word of God. That is why my reaction and response to the Word of God is the greatest decision I have to make. The consequences of that decision are eternal. 

As always, it is a personal decision that nobody can take on your behalf. That is why today's extract starts with that offer: 'whosoever heareth'. It is an offer open to all; yet it is an offer that not all will take. That is the truth about life. In Jesus' day, there were some who felt that they knew his family quite well, and he could not be the Messiah, even though they saw the mighty works he did. It is still the same today: we see God's mighty hand, yet we do not believe. We think we have God figured out and there can be no surprises. We ascribe glory to created things, rather than the creator. We apply logic and common sense to the things of the Spirit, and then lose our minds when things don't make sense the way we want. We forget that it is not best for things to make sense, but for them to align with the purpose of God. Have I sought to reduce God to the level of my common sense? Have I sought to bring God down to my level, thinking I can fit him into a particular narrative or fit him into a mold? I must repent and place God in His rightful place. It does not matter who I am now, or what I had done before; it all comes down to this one decision: what would I do with the words of Jesus spoken to me? 

And I note that it is not just enough to seek it out and hear a lot of it; the balance is in doing it. So many people hear; the function of the physical ear is to hear. However, as we know, even though the ear hears, it does not always listen to understand what is spoken. The bible refers to some people as forgetful hearers, which means they indeed heard, but it did not leave any impression and they soon forgot all they heard. What kind of hearer or listener am I? How I hear and listen go to show what kind of builder I am. All of us alive are building towards the future. Our decisions, responses and reactions to things today are the building blocks for the future. As I hear God's Word, how I take, process and react to it are all parts to the house I am building. As we all know, building a house takes time, effort and the right materials and skills. You don't start from the roof; you start from the foundation. If the foundation is right, a fitting structure can be placed on it. If the foundation is not right, it does not matter what kind of structure you want to place on it; it is an accident waiting to happen. 

The wise don't have all the answers; they are wise only because they have made the right decision on the response to God's Word. The wise don't boast in what they know, but on whom they know and have submitted to. They are wise because they have made up their minds that Jesus and his Word will be the focus, even if he leads where they do not understand at first. If I will be wise, I have to walk the same path. If I will be wise, I have to set my heart on the Word of God, even if it wounds me. The Word of God is described as a double-edged sword, which can cut in any direction, even addressing both the speaker and the hearer. It is profitable for doctrine, reproof, instruction and training in righteousness. There is no life that the Word of God cannot change, and if the Word of God cannot change you, then nothing and no one else can. 

I am building for eternity. Oh, I cannot be inactive. Doing nothing has consequences; building right has consequences; building the wrong way has consequences. It does not matter what you do or don't do; every action, inaction or decision has a consequence. If my present actions/inactions were to be presented to me as a house to live in, can I stay in it? Would I be able to? Work towards the end in view; build according to the pattern that God can bless; build in line with the Word of God. My eternity will be glad I did. His time of favour is here. 

On Guard!

On Guard!

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Psalm 119:11 KJV

The longest chapter of the Bible, this psalm 119, is not attributed to anyone, but its message is appropriate for our time now. We live in an age where we mistake head knowledge for God's wisdom. We assume that because a man can speak and quote it from memory, he must have the inspiration and backing of God's Word. We forget that there is a worldly kind of wisdom, which works well for those who are under its control, but has no value for those who are subject to God's kind of wisdom. In the same way, there is a kind of wisdom that the Word of God gives, and it is also only available and accessible to those who are subject to its control and influence. You can't fake the process; in the process of time, that which you are subject to will be revealed in your daily and regular life offering. Which one am I subject to: the Word or the world? 

Every day that God gives me, I have a choice of submission to make. I can't sit on the fence as there is none; not making a decision is itself a decision. I have to decide what I will do with the Word of God: discard or obey. The choices are as simple as these. Everytime God's word goes out, it is a seed seeking fertile ground in which it can be planted, germinate and bear fruit. And as you know with a seed, the process from planting to fruiting takes time and effort. Most of the work done between planting and fruiting is not visible and cannot be tracked by human eyes. We put the seed in the ground, and make sure the ground is nurtured and kept free of weeds. The work that leads to fruit then happens, and one day, we come to the seed that was put in the ground, and we are able to take of its fruits. Nobody can point to the hidden process, but the evidence of the work done cannot be ignored. That is how it is with the seed of the Word of God. 

The seed of the Word of God is planted in the hearts of men. Until it touches ground in the heart, it does not have the capacity to bear fruit. That is why men can be excited and elated about the word they hear, yet as they stand up to leave, all is forgotten. It was all about the emotions; it was not allowed to touch the heart. Excitement can never replace the need for the seed of God's Word to touch our hearts; men have been moved only by what they heard, but their lives did not experience any change because there was no touch on their hearts. No wonder the bible also says that though all heard, it came down to those who had prepared their hearts to receive and process the seed of the Word: For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. Hebrews 4:2 KJV. God will keep providing the Word; I have the duty to ensure that when it comes, it finds suitable ground. 

This then means that the work to be done is mine and mine alone. I cannot demand that my pastor do it for me; it is a personal responsibility. I cannot go to heaven on your behalf, and by the mighty grace of God, I will not go to hell on your behalf. It is first and last a personal walk; there is a place for corporate anointing, where we all share in the common grace of fellowship, but as soon as we part, it all comes down to my walk with God. Can God trust my heart to receive his word and to profit by it? This is why the heart is the battlefield; it's the place where the value of the seed is either expelled or enhanced. It is also the processing centre of emotions, but it has to come to a decision: what do I do with what I have just heard? That is the question with both earthly and eternal consequences. The heart is that secret safe from which all things are kept for the day of revelation. No wonder today's extract uses the word 'hid' because the heart is that place, away from public eye, but which its contents are made known by my daily action. 

I can pretend for a while but it will eventually be revealed. The writer here made a decision to hide God's word in his heart, so that that word will be the constant reminder of God's standard. If I do not have anything to provide guidance, I will definitely make mistakes. If I do not have standards, anything becomes acceptable. The reason why this writer would place importance on God's Word was because he did not want to sin against God. It takes a heart that God's word is working in to hate sin the way God does. You cannot give room to the Word of God and still have room for sin at the same time. 

If God's word is my daily guide, it will gaurd my path from sin. If God's word has no room in my heart, there will always be another guide in place, as nature abhors a vacuum. I need to take stock of my life right now, and sort out my allegiance without delay. Eternity hangs on my decision. His time of favour is here. 

Knowing God!

Knowing God!

For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100:5 KJV

There is no account of the person who wrote this psalm, but you will agree that the words of today's extract are appropriate for the times we are in. There is hunger in the land; men have become lovers of themselves and not God; we seem to seek pleasure rather than seek after God, and we have become skilled in evil. As technological advances are made, so also does it appear that man's propensity for evil has also increased. Yet, today's extract seeks to place God in the right frame, right at the centre of all that matters, and it starts by that evergreen statement: for the Lord is good. Now, it does not matter whether you believe it or not, but God is indeed good. It does not matter if I am under pressure, and it is easier to give up than press on, yet God is good. This statement is the starting point of all the lessons that today's extract holds.

As I take stock of my life, I ask myself: what could I have changed by anxiety, worry or fear? In fact, worry will lead to negative consequences. I cannot change the colour of my hair by worry, neither can I increase my height simply by focused anxiety. All that I am and have flow from who God is, not what I have been able to gather by myself by abour or strength. If God does not allow it, it will not happen. That must be my guiding principle all through life: I stand where I am, simply because God is good. 

Now, bad things happen. The consequences of man's fall in the garden of Eden means that the default setting for life is sin. With sin comes death, and with sin comes all other kinds of evil. Yet, I read again that eternal statement, and I know that even in spite of sin, God's goodness continues to operate. If not for his mercy, I would have paid the price for sin, which is death. Let no one deceive you into thinking that due to the advancement in modern science, death no longer follows sin. As long as the earth remains, in line with God's eternal word, there will always be a price to pay for sin that is not confessed and repented of. I cannot take God's mercy for granted, even though it is described here as everlasting. It is so because it is God's nature, and as long as I have breath, I will continue to have access to it, but once physical death or rapture happens, mercy ceases for man. God will still continue to have all his attributes, but at that time, man cannot access it. While I still have time and opportunity, I must make the best use of the everlasting mercy of God. 

It is God's truth that binds all of them together in one piece. Truth is also God's nature, so we have all three descriptions speaking about God: good, merciful and true. At the heart of who God is is a father who will not lie to you, who tells you what he expects from those who seek him, and what we stand to gain when we align with his instructions. He is not given to emotional outbursts and blackmail but he seeks men who will seek him for who he is. His truth also endures to all generations, because just as he dealt with Adam's sin, so does he still deal with man's sin today. The same standard of holiness he held Abraham to is the same standard he holds us to today. He does not have differing scales for different people; if he calls a thing sin, no level of education, intellect or intelligence can make it anything different. If he is in support of you, it does not matter what the quality and quantity of opposition against you is. If he is not in support of you, it also does not matter how many people come together to help you.

And everything that God is in today's extract are all referred to in the present tense, which means that God is not a one-trick pony or a one-season wonder. He is always good, he is always merciful and he is always true. This is a God who wants me to know him. He wants to show his power in me, and if I will only surrender to him, my life will become the place where his nature will be fully manifested. Am I surrendered to God? Is he all that matters to me? His time of favour is here. 

Serve!

Serve!

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. Galatians 5:13 KJV

Today's extract is addressed to people called 'brethren', which are people linked by a common factor. They are not all the same in race, tribe or language, but there is something that has now bound them together under the same roof. They did not start off as brethren; each person came with his or her baggage, but when there was an encounter with Jesus, all the baggage was taken off and replaced by the yoke of Christ, which binds all who submit to it to the same work tools. When two oxen are yoked together, the only way they will get anything done is if they pull in the same direction. As long as any one ox feels it wants to go in a different direction, the whole purpose of the yoke is defeated. God does not place any assignment on the shoulders of any one ox, without providing another ox that will supply that which the first ox lacks. That is the essence of being called brethren - people who have found a common ground and are pulling in the same direction. 

Brethren are able to see beyond narrow, parochial interests and see what God is doing. Because they are fully submitted to Christ, he is able to direct their efforts for maximum impact. The big question then is: does Christ know who I am? Can he truly call me a part of his flock, one of his own, part of his sheepfold, one who listens and takes instruction from him, the shepherd? Forget the views of men; the applause of men who do not know their left from their right, who cannot know God's mind unless the Spirit of God directs. Why would I listen to men who will also stand for judgment, when I can seek the help of the one who judges righteously, and does not care for the views of men? That naming - being called brethren, is actually what it is - a call. Not everyone listens or heeds that call. Not everyone takes the time to listen for the call and respond the right way. Sometimes, the call comes, and you know it is from God, but the cares of this world do not allow you to focus on what is right. 

That call, as stated in today's extract, is a call to freedom as offered by God. It is not a freedom from responsibility, where I get to live as I please, or to please the natural man. God calls me out of the bondage of sin into the freedom of the Spirit. There has to be a definite past which is different from the current priorities. I cannot hold on to the same old things, and claim I am free. I cannot keep doing that which satisfies the human nature and claim that I am enjoying the liberty of the Spirit. If the Spirit of God cannot confirm to you that your current course of action pleases him, then it means that you need to check yourself before you wreck yourself. Can I say definitely that there is a change first inside of me which then impacts the outer me? It is the height of hypocrisy to be so focused on outer impressions and not on inner convictions. I have to get this right if my life will be one that can be used by God. If he cannot trust my heart, then he cannot trust me with his gifts and his Spirit. 

That is the essence of the last part of today's extract. Brethren are not concerned first about themselves, but about other people. Brethren do not push themselves forward as the best version of anything, but allow love be the guiding principle of all they do. Love says that the other person is better, but if I am called to do it, I will do it to the best of my ability, depending on the grace and strength of the God who gives strength and provides the help required for success. After all, the work I seek to do is not of my own inspiration, but is of the inspiration of God. If he inspired it, he will provide the resources required to accomplish it. If he did not inspire it, it does not matter how many people come together to push that thing; it will always end up in failure. Who is inspiring my present pursuits? Who is the life blood behind that which I am currently doing? It is important to be sure, because God's reward is not tied to just activity for activity sake, but for service done with love, which is God's nature. 

Are you serving out of love or out of a sense of duty? Are you doing what you do now because someone told you it would fit you? Do you get easily irritated when people get on your nerves even while you are 'working for God?' Maybe it is time to do a honest review of your walk with God and be sure that he is the one providing the guidance on the path that you are on. Remember - the work is His. The field of ministry is His. The audience is His. The message is His. The hearts and ears that will receive are His. What then do I get to bring - just a heart that is surrendered to God totally, willing to learn, ready to hear and ready to obey. That is the group of people referred to as brethren. Are you one? Am I? His time of favour is here.  

Seek!

Seek!

Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. 1 Chronicles 16:11 KJV

Here was David, seeking to do what was right about the ark of the Lord. There had been a breach in the past, when the ark of the Lord was returned by the Philistines, and those who were not qualified to carry the ark did so. The ark was put on a new cart, driven by oxen, contrary to God's express instructions on how the ark was to be carried. God did not consider that the ark was being returned by the Philistines; Uzzah who put out his hand to help the oxen which stumbled was struck dead by God. The rules of engagement by God are such that they brook no opposition or breach. If God lays down the standard, it is not a defence that I had no choice, or that it was the only option available to me. A breach of God's rules always leads to consequences. 

Do I know this God? Have I met him? Is he my Lord, Master, Guide and Saviour, and do his rules direct my affairs? Do I seek to know him and his ways, so I can be careful to obey all that he commands? I cannot claim to know a God whose words I do not know or whose voice I do not recognise. It is by a daily search and regular engagement that God becomes personally known by me, and his instructions become my guiding principles for life.

David, from personal experience, knew the value of knowing and following this God. He was called a man after God's heart because he knew who God is, what he desires from men, and how man can be a friend of God. The secret, from David's lifestyle, is a heart that seeks after God. Note this: it is not a search for the tokens or symbols, but the actual presence of God himself. 

Men seek the symbols and the tokens. We love the dramatic and the visible. We clap at the miracles, signs and wonders, but we forget that these are the extra toppings, not the whole essence of the search for God. We want men to see the glory of God upon our lives, so we live for man's applause, recognition and respect, forgetting that none of these things can be a valid replacement for the presence of God. If God is not there, it does not matter what anyone says. If God is there, it also does not matter what anyone says. 

Seek the Lord. Seek his strength. Don't settle for the loud and the dramatic. Don't let the view of men push you into compromise or settling for anything less than God's best. When I seek God, I am saying that I recognise he is the One who matters. He is all that matters. At the end of the day, all other things like human applause and approval never last; only God does.

I don't get to do it for some time and then stop. I don't get to do it for a season and then tire out and seek other options. It must be a continuous search, one that only rapture or physical death will end. As long as I breath, it must be the only thing that counts as a priority. And it is his face I seek, and when you are trying to get someone to look at you, you focus on catching his attention so he can notice you. You cannot afford to be distracted, and to be busy with other things. 

That is the attitude: working for God is not the same as walking with God. I must set my priorities right, so I can be all that God intends for me to be. His face must be my utmost concern and focus, so I can get all that he intends for me. I cannot pretend, because he can see through hypocrisy or pretence. I must be sincere in my search, because the benefits of seeking and finding God have eternal implications. May I find the Lord and may my life reflect his grace. His time of favour is here. 

Stand!

Stand! 

Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:39 KJV

In order to fully understand the basis of today's extract, it is important to consider one of the verses just before this one. It asks the question: who shall separate us from the love of Christ? The answer to that question can only be best viewed from my understanding of the love of God which I have received in and through Christ. It was love that drew up the plan of salvation, and even in the centuries before Jesus came physically came to the earth, it was love that kept the earth ticking and not destroyed due to sin. Left to the devil, man's sin in the Garden of Eden would have been the end of man, but it pleased God to hold off the destruction of man until the full measure of his love had been revealed. 

It was love that brought the king of glory down in human form to the earth, and not only that, but for the king of glory, the creator of the earth, to submit to the ignoble death on the cross of Calvary. It was love that made the creator submit to the mockery and beating by the ignorant created, who thought they were exercising their power over Jesus at the cross. Little did they know that it was love that kept him at the cross, even when it was possible for him to walk away. The hope of our eternal devotion to him and appreciation for all he had done kept him on the cross, into the grave and into the hope sealed by his resurrection. 

It is love that still reaches out to all men, irrespective of age, gender, race, creed or tongue. It is love that keeps calling out to all men, offering them the life that is possible in Jesus who died and rose again. Love is the message that the world today needs, because it needs to know that there is no sin that this love cannot forgive, if it is truly repents and returns to God for cleansing and a new start. If God could give up his own son for the sins of the world, what is that thing then he will withhold from those for whom his son died? If he freely gave us his son, what price will he demand from us so we could lay our hands on the things that the son offers? 

That love still calls out today, asking us to respond to him with all our hearts. Nothing must stand in the way of my response to and embrace of all that Jesus is and offers. Life has been bought for me, and sealed by the life of Jesus. I must know that one day, I will give an account of what I did with the gift I was given. One day, my bank account balance, circle of influence, power, position and privilege will not matter but the only thing that will count will be my response to and acceptance of all that Jesus did for me. What will my account read today if today is that day? Have I embraced and accepted that love? It's free but my eternity hangs on my paying the price to get it which is a total surrender and embrace of that love. While there is still time, I had better do it. His time of favour is here. 

Come!

Come!

Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Hebrews 4:16 KJV

Context:

Even though there is no name ascribed to the words of the book of Hebrews, the lessons in the book impact our walk with and work for God. Today's extract takes a look at the old testament role of the high priest, who stood in the gap on behalf of the people to minister before God. The high priest came from a specific tribe, chosen by a specific process and lasted a lifetime, taken away only by death or by God's express pronouncement. The high priest had to first be clean, before he could make atonement for the sins of the people. He could only enter into the Most Holy Place once a year, and even then, he had to get the service right or he could be struck dead. That was the solemn and careful service expected of the high priest of the Old testament.

It is not a wonder then that this process was quite limited in its reach and impact; it only provided a temporary cover for sin, and could not really take it away. The yearly, weekly or daily offerings reminded everyone of the limitations of blood sacrifices. The frailties of the high priest reminded the people of the inability of a man to provide the perfect sacrifice or offering for sin that could deal with it once and for all. The need for the regular offerings was a reminder of the power and danger of sin, and why it required a permanent solution. That is where Jesus comes in and is the essence of today's extract. 

Message and Response:

Why is the coming of Jesus so important to our walk with and work for God now? The following count: 

1. Universal access: the extract for today invites US ALL to come. It does not make a distinction between race, creed, tribe or language. It is an invite to all human beings. That is such a contrast to the old testament, where only one person, the high priest, could dare come to the presence of God in the temple at that time. 

2. Universal appeal: the high priest was the only one allowed to come in, and he had to first purify himself and be worthy, before he could dare to stand and minister, and even offer sacrifices for other people. Now, I do not need to be worthy or clean to make that first approach; in fact, the invitation is for the unclean, the unworthy, the sinful, the adulterer, the murderer. All who realise their sin and their need for a saviour are invited to come in. No questions are asked about your qualification; you will be welcomed as you are, but you will definitely not be left the same way that you came in. Let nobody raise questions about your being worthy; the view of the one who invites you is all that counts. If you come, you get what he offers. If you don't, you still have that which you always had. 

3. Universal love: it is love that underpins the access we have been given. The high priest functioned under the law, and there was no room for a second chance most times. Today, because of the love of God and the operation of his grace, it appears that we have been given several chances to get it right. We rise and fall several times, yet God does not give up on us. We make mistakes, yet God does not reject us. That is love, mercy and grace at work, and we all stand where we see today because of these. It is not a function of ability, capacity, intelligence or influence; it is love from start to finish. 

4. Unending gift: as I come to this new priest, which Jesus is, I get all that the old priest tried to give but couldn't. The priest himself needed help; Jesus the new priest is the Help himself. The old priest had a date with physical death; this new one conquered death once and for all. The old priest sinned and needed forgiveness also; the new priest is sinless, and continues to provide grace and strength for all who seek to live a life free of sin. In every way, this new priest provides all that the old priest wasn't equipped to do. All that the new priest offers is a lifelong offer; it is not withdrawnams it does not expire until rapture or physical death happens. At that time, it is then too late to ask for mercy. It is free now; it is available now for all men. I will not be able to claim ignorance when I stand before the new priest for judgment. 

So, make the approach. The new priest will not offer if he did not have the capacity to make good on his promise. I confess this is my time of need, when the world seems to be going to pieces. I need the help of the new priest more than ever before. He is the Help of Israel, an ever -present help in trouble so he is what he says, and he is all I need. No one has ever come to the end of his or her life and regretted taking the help of this new priest. He won't start with me. His time of favour is here.