Never Forgotten!

Never Forgotten!

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭18:12‬ ‭AMP‬‬

[12] “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them gets lost, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountain and go in search of the one that is lost?

This is one of the parables of Jesus, by which he taught both the crowd and his disciples about the principles, practices and processes of God's kingdom. It is not a kingdom where things are done carelessly, but rather, it is a kingdom that is strategic and deliberate in its short, medium and long-term planning. As part of its strategy, the kingdom invites people into its fold, asking them to come in, find pasture and nourishment in the fold. All that the sheep needs is provided under that fold. There is an identity by which the sheep of a fold is known and recognised, and there is no confusion about ownership or direction. The owner knows the number of sheep under his care, and can make adequate and sufficient provision for the needs of all the sheep. The first lesson for me then is to clearly identify where I am. Am I part of the sheepfold of God? Can God say, of a truth, that I belong to Him, and I am a part of His fold? Remember, provisions are guaranteed for the sheep in the fold. If you do not belong to a particular fold, you cannot access that which has been assigned to that particular fold. 

It is this careful thought and planning that makes it easy for the owner to know when even one is missing. This is the second lesson for me: I am not just a number to God; I am engraved on his palm, so he can never forget me. When he stretches his arm to do good, to bless, to strengthen, I am right before him. I am not a casualty of numbers or multitudes; I cannot get lost in the crowd. The woman with the issue of blood is a good example of how much God notices me, even when there is a press. However, from the story above, it would appear that God will not go against the exercise of a man's freewill. If a sheep decides not to listen to the direction and instruction of the owner, it will definitely get lost. God is powerful and capable to keep, but I have to stay within His provision. The grace of God is not able to preserve a man who is unrepentant in sin. As I take stock today, I need to determine if I am still in the sheepfold or if I have wandered off. The danger out there is real; the devil only knows how to steal, kill and destroy. I must not place my life in the hands of the devil. 

God is more than able to keep and preserve, but I have to hand over my life to Him. Does He own you? When even just one is lost, the number of those who are not lost is not enough to make the owner forget to go look for the one that is lost. God will never give up on me until I reject Him to the end. This is why the worst of sinners find grace and help when they call upon the Lord. The owner will keep the other 99 who are fine, and go in search of the 1 that is lost. The parable goes on to tell us that the lost sheep was found, but have you considered: "What if He did not find the lost sheep"? Does that change the heart of the owner of the sheep? Just as the love of the owner is not in doubt, so also is the need for the sheep to make a commitment to surrender and obey the instructions of the owner. I cannot insist on my own way as the sheep, and expect the owner to just go along with it. How does the owner protect the sheep from danger if it is the sheep dictating terms? 1 lost sheep is enough to make God go all out in search of the lost. His arms are open wide to receive me, but I must not resist to the point of death. Then, it will be too late. God's time of favour is here. 

Forgive!

Forgive!

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3:13‬ ‭AMP‬‬

[13] bearing graciously with one another, and willingly forgiving each other if one has a cause for complaint against another; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so should you forgive.

Human relationships are complex. It is quite impossible to find relationships without some room for understanding and growth. You will not hit it off immediately, and there will be times when conflicts may arise. What you do at those critical moments will be defined by your identity, focus and inner content. This is why a look at the target audience of this message is important. The first few verses from where today's extract is taken from speaks to people who have been raised with Christ, and as a result, should have their hearts set on things above, where Christ, the one who was raised from the dead, is seated at the right hand of God. Men who know where they are located do not get bogged down by affections such as jealousy, hatred, bitterness or envy. They do not have the seed of evil in them anymore, because Christ has taken them with Him into the presence of His Father. 

My life is now hid with Christ in God. That is the foundation of today's verse and the place to build anything of value. I believe the fundamental question then is to define and recognize my identity. Then and only then can I practice what the verse above demamds. The natural man seeks to promote self; the man subject to the Spirit seeks to promote whatever promotes God. The natural man seeks self-interest and self-preservation; the man subject to the Spirit seeks to live out the principles and practices of the kingdom to which he belongs. God has so done it that it is by my human relationships that the life of God can be appreciated. As I live on a daily basis, my walk and talk must show who I am, what I am and where I am headed. Forbearing and forgiving one another are signs that what binds us is greater and deeper than whatever may seek to divide us. 

After all, the blood of Jesus did not make a distinction between races or gender, but the offer of life is made to all and sundry. The blood was offered full and free to all men, and the offer still stands till today for as many as will come to Jesus. His life is the perfect example of what love is, and how to see the best in people. He gave his life for the whole world, with no guarantee that His sacrifice will be appreciated or accepted. He did not do it to be applauded, but to give us all the opportunity to enjoy the benefits and blessings of forgiveness, and be able to extend the same grace to others. If I have received it, I have a duty to extend it to others. Let it not be that I end up selfish and bitter, not living out the full potential of the new life made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus. He has done His part; what is my response? God's time of favour is here.

Relationships that Work!

Relationships that Work!

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:10‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Be devoted to one another with [authentic] brotherly affection [as members of one family], give preference to one another in honor;

The Lord reminds us again of the benefits and blessings that come from an understanding of who I am, who I belong to, who I serve and where I am headed. All of these lessons help me decide what is really important to focus on. Not all will be urgent at the same time, but as I depend on God for my daily work, He will make clear what is really important and He will also suppy the grace I need to meet the demand He places on me. In the face of competing interests and divergent views, this message is not a popular one, but then, when has following God or submitting to God been popular and widely accepted? The measure of submission to God's will is not in public acceptance or applause, but on God's approval. As long as God is pleased with my life and its offerings, it will not matter what the general populace thinks. If God is not pleased, it will also not matter what the general opinions of people are. What is critical is that I know who I am, which is a member of the family of God. 

As members of the same family connected by the blood of Jesus, what binds us together is stronger and greater than the details of what makes us different. It is in the diversity of views and opinions that the beauty of unity is appreciated. Affection must not be faked but it must be real and authentic, because it flows from a heart that is totally surrendered to God and His Word. It is that heart that can see others in the same way God does, and can place the interests of other people over and above yours. It will not come naturally to the natural man; the natural man fights just for himself first and foremost. The spiritual man knows that every life created by God is important, and will deal as such. Can I give preference to other people, even when my own interests are also at stake? Can God entrust the lives of other people into my hands, because He can trust my heart?  Can the verse above apply to my current pursuits and priorities? God's time of favour is here. 

Parts as Whole!

Parts as Whole!

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭12:25‭-‬26‬ ‭NIV‬‬

[25] so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. [26] If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.

The human body is a study in the miraculous and the amazing. There are regular and new discoveries on the human body, and how it is set up to provide maximum benefits and gain to the person as well as the community it is connected to. There is no loose part, or a part that is just there to make up the numbers. Each part fuses into the whole body, with a specific function assigned to a specific part. I can only imagine what it would mean for the body is the ear suddenly says it does not want to be a part of the body anymore, either because it is not given the recognition it thinks it deserves, or simply because it now wants to act as the foot. I can also imagine if a hardworking liver just resigns and refuses to work anymore. Think of the natural and long-term consequences of such decisions and actions. God has so designed the human body and its  parts in a way that every single part has a role to play for the proper function of the body. As it is in the physical, so is it in the spiritual. There is a spiritual body set up by God, and it will only thrive and impact if it functions the way God has set it up to do.

From God's perspective, the perfect picture is where each part is comfortable in its role, and can watch out for the other parts. There is no jealousy or envy, because each part knows that it is important for the achievement of the purpose of God for setting up that body. There is no finger-pointing or apportionment of blame to other parts; each part watches out for the interests and well-being of other parts and will do all other can to ensure that there is full restoration for the part that has suffered loss or pain, as quickly as possible. As nice as this position sounds, it would not happen by accident. It will be the result of a deliberate and conscious decision to live up to God's expectations and standards. God is a God of love and unity; therefore, it will be quite impossible for me to claim to be a follower of God and still be the promoter of discord or disunity. Whether one part suffers or is honoured now, my part is there for the whole journey, until there is full restoration. That is God's expectations. How do I respond? God's time of favour is here.

Pray!

Pray!

Jeremiah 29 : 12 AMP 

Then you will call upon Me, and you will come and pray to Me, and I will hear and heed you.

Reading this verse in the right context will help me appreciate the value and timing of prayer. At the time Jeremiah was delivering this message, the elders, priests, prophets and the people had been taken as captives to Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon. Many of these people never returned to Jerusalem. Where did it go wrong for Judah here? These were the people God had chosen for Himself and gave specific instructions on how to live. He gave them laws and statutes, and terms of engagement so they could approach Him. Maybe out of comfort or convenience, or simply just carelessness, they forgot or ignored the rules and did what they liked. God sent several people to warn his people, but they would not listen. They had all the opportunities to pray to God for mercy and forgiveness in their own land, but they would not do it until trouble displaced them. 

For all of God's offers, there is a right time and season. If I miss the time and the season, it would be hard work to get it right again. Of course, God answers prayers, but He does not condone or excuse sin. He may not punish immediately, and this can sometimes give people a sense of comfort around sin. God wants me to come to Him often, seeking His face. He wants me to avoid sin like the plague it is, so He can move and do mighty things in my life. He wants to show Himself strong and mighty in my life, and one way to do that is to invite Him into my life to do what He alone can do. That is what prayer is: an admission that I cannot do anything by myself and the clear admission that God alone is the One who can do all things. Prayer is the clear invitation to God that He should step in and do whatever is His will in, through and around us. 

Have I made prayer a habit or is it this occasional exercise I engage in only when I need something urgent from God? I need to do it the right way and the right time so I can get the right results. I must not wait, like the exiles did, to get desperate and in trouble, before I pray. Well, God will always listen if I pray sincerely, but I would rather pray in familiar surroundings than in exile and under terrible conditions. God's promise is that when His people come and pray to Him, He will hear and heed their prayers. That is a promise you can depend on, because it is from the mouth of a God whose word is Yea and Amen. He hates sin but He deeply loves the sinner. I must call to Him on a daily and regular basis, so I can know His mind about anything He wants me to do. It will save me from a lot of heartache and trouble later on in life. God's time of favour is here.

God is Just!

God is Just!

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭6:10‬ ‭AMP‬‬

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown for His name in ministering to [the needs of] the saints (God’s people), as you do.

Most people would ascribe the words of the book of Hebrews to Paul, even though it was not so stated in the book. Even the audience is not clearly defined, but there is no doubt that the book is written to believers. Just as the messages in the book of Hebrews applied to the people of those times, so do they apply to us in our times today. God calls us to a relationship with Him first and foremost, and then to work for Him wherever He chooses to plant us. We must get that order right; walk with Him and then work for and with Him. This is the message of the verse above. God will not forget my WORK and LOVE for him. Both are critical and important. I work out of the love I have for God, and I love Him because I know the earthly and eternal blessings and benefits that follow those who so do. As I seek to work for Him, I must sort out my heart. The human heart is capable of deception and deceit, and can be caught in just keeping up appearances. It is only by a daily surrender that I can keep my heart clean of pollution, and all that I offer Him can remain acceptable to Him. 

The love for God is proven by the work done in the lives of people. I may know or say the right words but what would matter would be how my life is a blessing to others as God wants it to be. I must not forget that it is God who is watching and who blesses the work done in line with His will, not mine or anyone else's. Trying to seek man's applause or approval is a waste of time. Man's views are never always God's views. If God directs an action, be sure that He will bless it if I do it the way He has directed. God is a just God, as you would expect a God of justice to be. His Word is dependable and reliable, and He will not change His mind on sin because of anyone.  He is called the Ancient of Days, and His memory does not fail. As I help others, He takes note. As I identify needs around me, I ask God for both grace and provision that are appropriate for the need at the time. I ask God for help to love as He does, so that I can see as He sees. If He does not forget, I know I can rest assured that He has got my back. God's time of favour is here. 

No other God!

No other God!

‭‭Micah‬ ‭7:18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

[18] Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance? You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.

As you read Micah 7, you would think you were speaking about our current situation in the world. Evil seems to thrive, and men seem to have lost their fear of God. Men shed the blood of the innocent, without considering the repercussions. Bribes have become the norm and not the exception. Everywhere you turn, it seems man is seeking new, novel and terrible ways to push the boundaries of what God hates. However, it is clear from God's Word that this was also foretold, and with God, nothing catches Him by surprise. He has prescribed the punishment for sin since the days of Adam and Eve, and no explanation or excuse has been able to change the prescription. God noticed the evil of Micah's days, and He was now ready to apply the due punishment. God's mercy cannot be taken for granted. As He does not immediately punish, men think they can get away with anything. For all of us who know the standard of God, we are careful and deliberate about our actions and decisions. 

Micah could say the words of today's verse above because he had experienced mercy and grace offered by God. If God were to mark iniquity, none of us would be alive on this side of eternity. God defined and prescribed the punishment for sin, but He also prescribed the solution to sin. He offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin, so that man could make the approach to His throne of grace and ask for anything. He hates sin but loves the sinner unconditionally. He is the God who pardons us when we come to Him, contrite for our sin and willing to turn a new leaf and daily dependent on Him for help to live right. God does not stay angry forever; otherwise, the world would have known the depth of his anger at sin. As it is, His mercy remains in place as long as this version of earth remains in place. Whilst there is life in me, I must make sure that God's mercy leads me to salvation and the guarantee of eternal life. May my life be the visible expression of the mercy of God. God's time of favour is here.