Done Right!

Done Right!

‭‭Matthew 6:3-4 AMP‬‬

[3] But when you give to the poor and do acts of kindness, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing [give in complete secrecy], [4] so that your charitable acts will be done in secret; and your Father who sees [what is done] in secret will reward you.

Life can get pretty hard sometimes. God Himself told the people of Israel as they settled in the land He had promised them that the poor would always be with them. There are times when needs will arise, not because one is lazy, but by God's divine arrangement, that need has to be met by someone else. It could also be that God wants to teach all psrties how to depend on Him alone for everything. There would be needs that I am given the resources and responsibility to meet, and there will be needs of mine that God would raise other people around me to meet. Whatever is the reason for the need or the basis for it, God is teaching me here how to meet the need He has given me grace to meet. The heart with which I give that which I have been blessed with is critical; do I give out of a heart filled with pride in possessions, position, power or privilege, conveniently forgetting that no man ever has anything that has not been given to Him by God.

I give because I understand quite clearly that all I have or hold is given in trust to me, so I can glorify God with it. He owns them all, and He dispenses them as He sees fit. He sets a man up, and He can also bring down another. He gives to one, and He can decide to withhold from another, just for a season. When He commands me to give what He has already given me, He is teaching all parties to depend on Him alone. There is no room to seek self-recognition or self-praise for something that you cannot manufacture or control. It is a privilege to own or hold it for a season, and if I use it in line with God's will, He will give me even more to own or hold. All I do, in secret or in the open, is laid bare before God. He sees what is done right, and His promise is that He will reward. From personal experience, it will be of utmost importance to do exactly as God commands, so you can get the blessing that has been promised. God does not lie. God's time of favour is here. 

The Only One!

The Only One!

‭‭John 14:6 AMP‬‬

[6] Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

In all the versions available, it is difficult to find a worthy replacement for the description of Jesus as the 'Way', the 'Truth' and the 'Life'. Jesus was speaking of his coming death and resurrection, and the new homes He was going to prepare for all who put their trust in Him. As we have read over the past few days, this current earthly phase is not built to last forever. At some point soon, the mortal will give way to immortality, and this earthly body will have to be surrendered so that the eternal can take its place in its eternal home. As I get to fully understand this truth, there has to also be an understanding of what is expected of me if I am to enjoy what has been provided. As Jesus said to His disciples, so does He say to us today: "Only in and by me can you lay hold of true life". The devil knows his time is short, so he keeps trying all sorts of false notions and deceptions, to distract people from the truth. Only in Jesus is there hope for today, as well as the future that lies ahead. 

The descriptions above are apt for our season today. 

In a world where many claim to know the way, yet have no idea where the destination is, Jesus says He is the WAY. In a world full of lies and deception, Jesus says He is the TRUTH. In a world where death and destruction now seems to be commonplace, Jesus offers the hope of real LIFE, the kind that does not end in physical death. He does not also give room for alternatives, where you could try different options to get to the right destination. You have to come through Him. No other option will work, and nothing else will make sense. The Father has laid down the rule, and access to the Father can only be in and through the Son. As you see above, there can only be ONE version of truth, and if you are looking for consistency, you find out that this statement of Jesus has been true since it was first said, even till today. Men have tried it and found out that Jesus truly saves. Would you also put your total trust in Jesus? He waits to give you all that you need for life and Godliness. Surrender to Him and enjoy the full package of Life that has been offered free of charge. God's time of favour is here.

The Gospel!

The Gospel!

‭‭Romans 1:16 NIV‬‬

[16] For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

How do you define the 'gospel? There is a consensus on the internet that it is "the teaching or revelation of Christ". This means that you cannot speak of the gospel without the mention of Christ, and the message about Him cannot be complete without the mention of His person, mission, teachings and instructions. Part of the mystery of Christ that has been revealed is the fact that as God, He came to earth in human form, lived among us, paid the debt of sin that we should have paid but could not pay, by dying a shameful death on the cross. If the story ended there, so would every expectations of our redemption and salvation also have ended. Christ died as the only acceptable and permanent sacrifice for sin, and He was raised from the dead as proof that just as we die to sin, we are also raised to life to live the life that we have now been empowered to live. We could not do so by our own labour or efforts, but we now have divine power and enablement, so we can thrive in the life of God that has now become ours. 

As great and amazing as the above looks, the key to access is also laid out in the verse above, and that is total surrender of my life to Jesus, and accepting Him as Lord and Saviour. Paul could speak of His confidence in the power of the gospel of Christ, because he had personally experienced it. Here was a man who was complicit in the murder of Stephen, and was on his way to commit even more sins, but the power of God arrested him on that journey, and he had a change of heart. He became a fervent evangelist for the cause and he would not be silenced. What else could have given Paul such confidence, if he was not sure of the power at his disposal? For all who will also surrender their lives to Jesus and accept His gift of salvation, the same power is still available. There is no life so far gone that it is beyond the grace of God that brings salvation to ALL men. That is the power available for all who believe. Do you? God's time of favour is here.

Go!

Go!

‭‭Mark 16:15 AMP‬‬

[15] And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.

The verse above was specifically directed at disciples: men who had walked with Jesus while he was on earth, seen his miracles, heard his sermons and had witnessed the mighty deliverance that was sealed by his death and resurrection. The disciples were witnesses whose word could be trusted, as it is only witnesses who can give irrefutable testimony about the truth of any matter. This is why we call witnesses to any incident, and lives can be made or marred by false testimony. In this instance, the 11 disciples had seen, heard, touched and tasted the mighty acts of God, so that when they spoke about these things, they did so with utmost conviction and confidence. The verse above is one of the last commands Jesus gave his disciples before he left, and it is a call to be a witness for Him. If I have indeed touched and seen Him, I must testify about Him to other people. 

The instruction is to GO. I am to step out and let my words, actions and reactions speak to my personal encounter with Jesus. How would I speak so confidently about the gospel I know nothing about, or which I have not even personally experienced? The One who secured life is the One who is giving the assignment. The target is the entire world, because His life was given as a gift to secure life for everyone. Everywhere I find myself becomes a platform for the message of Jesus to be laid out, and the message is clear: Jesus gave his life so that He could secure eternal life for everyone. It is by total surrender, submission and acceptance of Jesus as Lord and Saviour that one can have access to this eternal life. It is not at a financial cost, as there is nothing I could pay to secure this life. All I can do is trust this finished work, and enjoy all that He has done for me. GO. God's time of favour is here.

God's Workmanship!

God's Workmanship!

‭‭Ephesians 2:10 KJV‬‬

[10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

From the verse above, there is a truth that is laid out quite clearly and a decision that is to be taken at the right time, if it is to be of earthly and eternal value. The context of the verse above is the work of salvation, redemption and sanctification that has been fully concluded through the death and resurrection of Jesus. By His work on the cross, He has secured eternal life for all who will come to believe in Him, and the past is done away with completely. Interestingly, Jesus did not wait for me to earn or deserve the life He is offering now; the work was done and completed long before even before I was born. You would not accuse God of trying to bribe me into loving and surrendering to Him. He simply gave His life willingly, in the hope and expectation that I will choose to love Him and surrender my life to Him. How do I respond the right way to what He has done? This is where the personal must align with the divine. The work is done; the offer is made. 

Life is given, so that life can be secured. God through Christ Jesus offers me new direction; He has made me for His glory, and I am to show off His grace, mercy and power. As His workmanship, I am never done. I am always a work in progress, the proof of His grace, mercy and power. Long before I came in the flesh, God had a plan for my life. I am owned by Him, because His life has paid the ransom for me. I should have died for my sin, but by faith in that finished work on the cross, I live to righteousness now. Everything I do now is done in the consciousness of eternity; my past is sorted out; my present is aligned with God's purpose; my future is eternally secure. There are no accidents with God; my life will only make real sense when it has found God's purpose for its creation, gifting and placement. I owe it to God and to the generation I am to serve to find out why God has called me. That is the best use of my life, and the only way my life will be one well spent. God's time of favour is here. 

Call!

Call!

‭‭Psalms 145:18 AMP‬‬

[18] The Lord is near to all who call on Him, To all who call on Him in truth (without guile).

Experience counts for something. You cannot speak so confidently about a matter you have not personally experienced. There is a lot of power in personal conviction. You have seen, touched, tasted, heard and felt it, so that when you speak about it, it comes from a place of undeniable certainty. This is where David was at the time this psalm was penned. As you know, David was called a man after God's heart and as you read his songs, you see very clearly that he took his relationship with God very dear. He was not perfect by many people's standards, but then, the One who calls men to Himself accepted him and called him a man after His heart. What were some of the things David that did well that we can also emulate? At the top should be His daily search for God. He would call on God evening, morning and at noon. Even when he did what was really wrong, as soon as the prophet of God confronted him, he was quick to repent. How would God turn His back on such a child?

That is the lesson in the verse above. It is still the same God, even with the passing of many generations and dispensations. God has not changed; He is still near to all who will seek Him sincerely. This is key; many call on Him, but very few sincerely seek Him as Lord and Saviour. We want many things, and we know He can do them, so we cry to Him. Most times, when we have received what we want, we move on, until the next big need arises. The verse above makes it clear that God is near to all who call on Him in truth, without guile. You are dealing with a God of total and absolute knowledge, who cannot be deceived by outward pretence or hypocrisy. He knows the motives of everyone's hearts, and he judges based on His truth, not on man's convenient and often-changing 'truths'. Do not deceive yourself; lay your heart before God and let Him do His work in you, so that His power can flow in and out of you. The world awaits the manifestation of the sons of God. God's time of favour is here. 

The Presence and the Present!

The Presence and the Present!

‭‭Joshua 1:9 NIV‬‬

[9] Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

The Authortiy who goes with you and backs you up on your endeavours defines the gifts that you will get. Whether I admit it or not, the journey is set for all of us. There is a project; an assignment to be accomplished by all of us. No two people's assignments will be exactly the same, but the destination will always he the same: the glory of God. No matter the path God has placed me on, He wants me to know that He will not abandon me to my own devices. After all, the work is defined by Him, the enablement required can only be provided by Him, and He alone knows the end from the beginning. He is therefore in the best position to make pronouncements such as the one in the verse above. He gives a command and even the devil obeys. Job would have been destroyed completely, but for the limits God placed on the devil's actions. 

This is the God who calls me to His side, and who wants to show Himself strong in my behalf. For all who will succeed in the labour that has been assigned, you need a sure word from God like the one above. Do not dare face the world with just your wits or your brawn; there comes a time when the wisdom and strength of man will fail miserably and lead to sorrow, pain and regret. There comes a time when depending on man will be seen as fruitless and pointless venture. This is the point sought to be made by God in the verse above. Fear will definitely come, because if I can achieve all of God's instructions by my own power and wisdom, I would not really ask for His help. Ahead of the challenges that will definitely come his way, God provides Joshua with the most important possession he would need on this assignment: His Presence. Let it be clear: You will not succeed without Him.

Joshua was tasked with leading the children of Israel into the promised land, after the death of a man of Moses' stature. He had witnessed the rebellion of Israel as they journeyed: he saw the punishment of Korah and his gang, Marian and Aaron, as well as the other 10 people who went with him to spy the land of Canaan. He saw the death of all who were 20 years old and more who left Egypt, except for Caleb. Even Moses his boss did not see the promised land. That would have been enough to scare anyone. As it was then, so is it now. The dispensation or generation may have changed, but God has not changed. He is still looking for lives in which He can display His splendor and power. What I need is to trust Him completely, sure that if He ordained it, He will sustain it. His Presence will guarantee that ALL I need is made available at the time I need it. Do not leave home without Him. He is all you need. God's time of favour is here.