Love is....

Love is....

1 Corinthians 13:4 AMPC

[4] Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.

The verse above looks at love from 2 perspectives, which are the internal process and the external manifestation. The way the verse presents love appears to be personal and human, which then means that the ideal way to explain love will be to find its best expression. You do not need to look any further than God Himself as the person who is best suited to explain love from the perspectives indicated above. He calls Himself love, and by His person and actions, He lays out the standard, and then supplies the grace we need to be able to align with the standard. God will not demand from me that which He has not first supplied grace for, and I will have no excuse for not living up to the standard because I failed to take hold of it, or I simply ignored His hand of fellowship. Have I met and come to know this God of love? 

Check out the internal process for love. It is first and foremost about the person living inside of me, who is able to help with the outward manifestations. Love is said to be patient and kind; it is quite interesting that the fruit of the Spirit also contains love, patience and kindness. I can't be one and not the other; I cannot pick and choose the parts that make me comfortable and then reject the ones that will test the quality, depth and staying power of my convictions. This already makes it clear that I need the presence of the Holy Spirit in order to birth and sustain the fruit of love in my life. Check out the other parts mentioned in the verse above: love is not envious or boils over with jealousy. It does not wish evil for any one and does not seek vain glory for itself because it is not in its nature to do so. Both love and concepts such as envy or jealousy cannot be nurtured in the same vessel at the same time, because they are not from the same source. 

Love is also presented in the verse above as not boastful or vainglorious, and does not display itself haughtily. These are some heavy words. How can anyone who knows the value of what s/he has received then become proud about what s/he could not have produced by intellect, strength, influence or earnings? If indeed I know I could not earn it, it will keep me grounded and humble, and totally dependent on the source. Of course, actions will always follow contents. The mouth will always speak that which is in the heart. If all I have in me is pride, that is what my life will manifest. If God's version of love is what I have in my heart, men will testify to the change in me, and the impact out of me. It cannot be imposed on anyone; it is a matter of freewill. Its display is one that is attractive, you may not like it, and it may annoy you if you do not share the same source, but if you would surrender your life to Him, you will see the eternal message God is able to make out of the mess that was once your life. Allow Him work. God's time of favour is here.

Secured!

Secured!

‭‭2 Corinthians 5:21 TPT‬‬

For God made the only one who did not know sin to become sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God through our union with him.

The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was a unique and once-in-a-lifetime event. Right from the days of Israel in the wilderness, God has instituted a process of atonement for sin, which was by the shedding of blood. An offering from the herd or flock was made to pay for the sin of the people, and though it was not perfect, it was accepted by God until the time when the perfect sacrifice for sin could be offered. The goat or lamb that was offered also had not sinned, and it had to be of a specific age, and without any defect or blemish. As you read about all the measures and steps instituted by God for sin offerings and sacrifices, you get a sense of the hatred and dislike God has for sin. The offering at the time was subject to irreversible death, as what was already dead and burned with fire could not be restored. That is the price God demanded as atonement for sin. 

In the same way, the offering and sacrifice that has now been made by Jesus is irreversible, and has become the new path to the life that God offers. Just as those who were under the covenant of Israel needed to offer these sacrifices, so also do those who seek the benefits and blessings of the covenant of life that is available in Jesus also need to take advantage of the benefits the new sacrifice has laid out. In the old dispensation, the sinner had to come with his own bull; under the new dispensation, God brought the sacrifice himself. He did not offer just any lamb; He offered His own Son as the perfect sacrifice. The verse above says God 'made', which means it was God's plan, not a mistake, to allow His one and only Son become the perfect sacrifice for my sin. The old dispensation would have kept asking for more blood; the new only demanded one sacrifice, and which is now valid for as long as this earthly phase exists. 

The offering had to be made just once, because the sacrifice was accepted by God as perfect, as it was practically Him offering Himself. The One who knew no sin became sin for me, so that, in union with Him, I can become what He is, which is without sin. I can take advantage of the benefits and blessings His death and resurrection have secured for all who will come to believe in and submit to Him. The offer still stands, as long as the breath of God in you remains. Remember, all sacrifices too have an end. That which has been offered is good for all of time, while this earth remains. Grace is great, but physical death or rapture will bring it to an end, and it will expire. Please surrender to Jesus today, before it is too late. God's time of favour is here.

Strengthened 2!

Strengthened 2!

Psalm 31:24 AMPC

[24] Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord!

This is a psalm by David, the one who God referred to as a mam after His heart. That is a very important consideration, and it would come from a place of a personal encounter with God. Too many times, we focus on the outward, the part when men can applaud or approve, and we can get caught up in the bug of performance. We claim to serve God, but the motive could be to seek, obtain and sustain the approval of men. Long before David became the king of Israel, long before men sang his praises because of his defeat of Goliath, long before he would even become known, he had a relationship with God, away from the public eye. Any life that would make impact must start from this premise too; do not be concerned about what men say first of all; let your heart find and rest in the confidence that comes from a personal knowledge of, and encounter with the God who seeks to show Himself strong in the lives of all who come to Him  

When David charges us to be strong and let our hearts take courage, he knows what he is talking about. Long before he stood before Goliath, he had knelt before God in praise and worship. Long before he confronted the lion and the bear, he had received enablement and grace from God for the fight that was coming. All that David experienced prepared him for all that was ahead. God will not demand from me that which He has not first supplied grace for. His Word is the source of all information required to take the right decision. His Word contains both good and bad examples of either complete trust in God, or the dangers of self-sufficiency and pride. God will also not force Himself on anyone, or go against the exercise of my freewill. He wants a living and breathing relationship with me, and His heart of love seeks what is best for me, but I still have to step out and make the approach. 

Of course, the verse above makes it clear who the target audience is, and it is those who wait for and hope for and expect the Lord. There is a right way to wait, as well as a wrong way to wait. A man can wait patiently or impatiently for a promise to be fulfilled, but what you get will be defined by how you wait. There is also the element of faith, because you do not see the full picture of all that God has promised. Some of them will only be fully manifested at the end of this earthly phase, yet we hope for the fulfillment of God's promises, and we wait the right way for them to be fulfilled. Waiting the right way does not mean not doing anything, but it means waiting in the consciousness of who you work for, sure of the reward that awaits, and confident that He will return as He has promised. If I know who I am, whose I am, and who I am working for, I will not be bothered by people's opinions. Do you know who you are, and what is ahead? Ask for and receive strength for all that is ahead. God's time of favour is here. 

Strengthened!

Strengthened!

2 Chronicles 15:7 AMPC

[7] Be strong, therefore, and let not your hands be weak and slack, for your work shall be rewarded.

Two men are presented in the context of the verse above, and these are Azariah, son of Oded the prophet, and Asa, son of Abijah, the king of Judah. One was quite popular, because he belonged to the lineage of the kings of Judah, who were descendants of David, the man after God's heart. The other was a prophet, of which not much was known or recorded in the bible, except the facts about his father, and his calling. We are all called by God into different offices as well as assignments at different times in our lives, but the one thing that must underpin what we do and how we do it, is our total dependence and surrender to the One who calls and equips a man the right way for the right kind of service. Both prophet and king met at some point, and both had to tap into the resources that only God could have made available. Have you met this God?

Asa became king, and having watched his father Abijah depend on God for victory in war, he had examples to emulate. He had also seen the same father marry fourteen wives and have several sons and daughters, so he also knew the dangers of distraction and a loss of focus. Here he was, sure that the worship of God had to be entrenched in the land of Judah, but not sure how he would set about doing it. It was said about the land of Judah at the time that there was much idolatry in the land, with men following idols and other strange gods. Of course, God punished them for their rebellion and gave them over to their enemies. It must be noted that God has no favourites when it comes to sin, but He will surely punish sin, no matter in whom it is found. Let no man toy with sin, as it was in the case of the people of Israel. We know how God dealt with them, and scattered them throughout the nations. 

It was in this context that Azariah the prophet was inspired by the Spirit of God to encourage the king. The message was simple: "The Lord is with you as long as you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you. If you forsake Him, He will also forsake you." It is not a message that men want to hear, but it is the right message for such a time as this. Men are constantly seeking validation from the wrong sources; seeking help from sources that cannot help. However, God does not leave any man in doubt as to his standards, and He would have us seek His will and pursue it wholeheartedly. Whatever I do for God will be rewarded, just as whatever I do against God's revealed desire will also be duly punished. Know God's mind and focus on doing His will, no matter how unpopular the pursuit is. His reward is for those who do His will, not those who just get busy. Are you sure that your current pursuit lines up with the will of God? Be sure. God's time of favour is here.

The Ambition!

The Ambition!

1 Thessalonians 4:11 AMPC

[11] To make it your ambition and definitely endeavor to live quietly and peacefully, to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we charged you.

Ambition is defined as follows: 'a strong desire to do or achieve something' and 'desire and determination to achieve success'. It is clear that there is an end goal in view, and the desire to put in the work required to achieve that goal is also available. When desire meets opportunity and determination, as well as required resources, then whatever the plan is will be achieved. Even when the motive is wrong, like the project of the Tower of Babel, as long as the desire and determination were there, coupled with available resources and unity of purpose, the project would have been a success if God had not confused their language. It is still the same God, who calls men to Himself, seeking lives in which He can shine in and through. Is my life such a medium for His move? Remember, Paul was speaking to people who were in union with Christ. The expectation must line up with my identity. 

One thing that has been consistently laid out under this dispensation of grace is that God would not demand from you that which He has not first supplied grace for. He will also not force Himself on anyone, or go against the exercise of my freewill. If He says He wants it from me, He would first give the grace and enablement, and also His own life will be the perfect template to copy. The most important question then would be whether I am truly His child, with access to the resources that God  has made available for this demand. The demand is that I live quietly and peacefully. This would mean many things but one thing that is key is that people around me will know that I live by different standards. I react differently to situations around me, as I am not under the control or influence of the world's systems. I am not subject to the inordinate desire to be just be rich by the world's standards, and nothing else, but I strive to represent God the right way before men, so that they can be attracted to the grace that is manifest in my life. 

Part of the package is that I also mind my own business and work with my hands. I must be busy at something that adds value to the lives of people around me. It is hard to teach contentment in a world that constantly pursues after a mirage of success, but for those who know God, and who understand His demands and expectations, there has to be a different motivation for what we do and how we do it. Paul, who co-authored this letter, with Silas and Timothy, was someone who worked as a tentmaker, even whilst he was on his missionary journeys. He did not want to be a burden to anyone. If I can focus on that which God calls me to do, there will not be time for worldly pursuits or inordinate desires. If I know what pleases God, I would not be distracted by the expectations or desires of men for compromise, eye-service or hypocrisy. Can we truly say that is our ambition to do that which pleases God? He wants to show Himself strong; would my life be a willing and available vessel? God's time of favour is here. 

True Strength!

True Strength

Philippians 4:12-13 NIV

I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

This is not one of the most popular of messages in the Bible, but for the sake of balanced teaching, it will be good to learn a few lessons from the life of Paul, which will aid our walk with God and our understanding of his purposes. Paul was never a man to settle for the mediocre or the ordinary; whatever he was asked to do, he did it fervently, either initially out of misdirected zeal or ignorance, and later out of directed focus and spiritual energy. He was hardworking, he was diligent, he was a tentmaker. Even while preaching the gospel in faraway lands, he kept on working, supplying his needs through the skills of his hands. You would then wonder why he could talk about going hungry, or being in want. It just did not gel with the picture we have of a fervent, hardworking man.

If there's anything I have learnt in my life, it is that all the circumstances that would come my way must have one end-purpose in view: the glory of God. All that I seek, pursue or labour for must bring glory to God. All that he allows or permits is for his glory, not my own lifting. It therefore means that even in lack or in need or in abundance, God is always at work, seeking to show off his glory in any life totally surrendered to him. He determines the course of the journey and the events along the way, and any lessons learnt is a message to the world that God is at work. Atimes, God speaks loudest in lack, and atimes, you hear him clearly in the midst of plenty. Ultimately, what is important is what God says about what he has allowed, so that the lessons he desires to teach are learnt, and the lives that require to be impacted are impacted. If I understand that my life is not my own, then all that God brings my way is acceptable to me, and I work with him to bring his message of hope, life and live to a sick and dying world. 

It is hard to hear this in the midst of all the 'prosperity' that we hear about in the church these days. God is a God of riches and wealth but he is also a God of accountability. He does not give his resources to people who will waste them, because he has a world he needs to reach. There are times he will take you through lack so you can understand the world he is sending you to, and there are times he will take you through a season of harvest so you can touch the world with his blessings. After all, it is his world, his assignment, his mission field, his missionaries, his resources, his message, and his direction. We are just vessels that will give account of all that has been entrusted into our hands. 

As we go out today, let us remember that God always has a message for someone out there in the world. How he seeks to preach that message is his prerogative, all we can do is to be available. God is looking for lives surrendered to his leading and direction. Can he count on you? God's time of favour is here.

Tongue- Power!

Tongue-Power!

‭Proverbs 18:21 AMPC‬

[21] Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life].

‭Matthew 12:37 AMPC‬

[37] For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced.

There is power in the tongue. There is also the perfect example of this power, as laid out in the story of creation. God spoke, and all that He commanded came to be. The Bible would say: "And it was so". The power of the Word of God cannot be resisted by anyone, not even the devil, and all of us who are created by God are also made in His image and given His nature too. The Bible also says quite clearly that: "God created man in His own image, in the image and likeness of God He created him". That is the nature we have been given, the power we have access to, and the destiny that has been fashioned out for us. God does not create something which has no use, and for me, this reality is made even clearer when He gives me of His Spirit to live in me, and give me hope of eternal life with Him. That is the huge responsibility that has been brought to life in me, and which I have to live up to. Can you also say the same, that you know quite clearly that you are God's child, and His Spirit lives in you? 

This understanding is the reason why I have to be careful and deliberate in how I live. A window into my person and identity is revealed by the words I speak. My words will reveal if I know who I am, whose I an, who I serve and where I am headed. Words are never ordinary, and cannot be used carelessly or without thought of their impact and eternal value. When you consider the first words recorded in the bible, which are: "Let there be light", you know that a standard has been laid for the use of the tongue. Words have to be used to build up, create good and improve what is available. Words cannot be used to tear down, destroy or put down someone.  In fact, when Paul was speaking to Timothy, he also enjoined the proper use of the tongue by saying it would be wrong for both blessings and curses to proceed from the same mouth. This would mean that the person using the tongue this way does not know the power that is available, and the earthly and eternal dangers to the wrong use. 

Let it not be that I will be responsible for the eternal damnation of someone else, simply because I was careless about what I said. The warnings in the verses above show that there is judgment, as well as justification for the use of the tongue. There are actually no useless words; they all have an impact in the lives of those who hear them. If I indulge in careless words, the verses above warn that I will eat the fruits from them. It means that words are like trees with fruits, and if I want to enjoy the fruits, I had better watch out for the seeds I sow today. For all of us, the fruit of our words will be given to us at some point in time in our lives, and judgment or justification wait at the end of our lives, based on the use of the tongue. Whatever has gone before can be forgiven, if handed over to Jesus to deal with. He wants to birth a new life in us, if we will only surrender to Him. Remember, He does not force Himself on anyone, or go against the exercise of our freewill. Would you surrender, so He can live in and through you? God's time of favour is here.