Owned!

Owned!

Galatians 5:24 AMP

[24] And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.

The issue of identity has been central to our discussions over the past few days. Who I am underlines what I do. Who I am defines daily pursuits and priorities. The reason why there is so much confusion in the world today is because the people of the world listen to divergent and sometimes opposing views on what is acceptable. The world has its own standards, but the biggest challenge with the world is that you can never fully decode the standards, as they are constantly changing to fit whatever narrative is popular at the time. Men will do 'anything' to make money, and when they get hold of some riches, they never seem to have enough and will keep moving the goal posts on limits, until sometimes, the ultimate price is paid. It is clear that the world is not the right place to look for inspiration or direction on what God accepts, but its huge attraction is also a distraction. 

How do I know what is right and acceptable before God, if I do not have a relationship with Him? How does He guide a heart that its reins are not in His possession or under His control? How does He lead and direct a life that has not been submitted to Him? As we have said several times, God does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. He gives me all opportunities to approach Him; He makes very clear what I stand to gain by surrender, but He also tells me what I stand to lose if I do not. That is complete information. His love is not partial to truth; His desire for me is to come to Him, and take on all that His life has made available, but on His own terms, not my own. After all, the One who asked me to come to Him secured this access by means of total surrender to God's will, which was death like a criminal on a cross. 

If I will then take hold of that which He has promised, I have to come through the cross. I am NOT going to be crucified; He has done that for me, but going forward, I must live in the daily consciousness of what I have received, and ensure that my life is a reflection of the sacrifice that has given me this new life. One key word in the verse above is BELONG. It shows ownership, not rental. Does God fully own me? If I am truly His, there is an acceptable code of behaviour. Whatever belonged to the old nature must now give way to the dictates of the new nature. Whatever  belongs to the old nature stays on the cross, because Jesus dealt a final blow on that nature. If it is still threatening, then I need to ask God for help to really live the life that His death and resurrection have secured for me. There is no middle ground for a little bit of compromise; it is an absolute truth that the old must give way to the new. Has that happened to you? God's time of favour is here.

Life!

Life!

Romans 8:11 AMP

[11] And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, who lives in you.

The introduction to the verse above is tied to the identity of the audience. Paul starts off the chapter by penning these immortal words as inspired by the Holy Spirit: Therefore there is now no condemnation [no guilty verdict, no punishment] for those who are in Christ Jesus [who believe in Him as personal Lord and Savior. This is deep: those who have accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour stand in a different light from all others. It is a life of submission and surrender. It is a new life different from whatever is popular with the system of the world and headed in a different direction and with eternal ramifications different from that which the world teaches. There is also a fact that is laid out in the introduction to the verse above, and it is that the law of the Spirit of life [which is] in Christ Jesus [the law of our new being] has set us free from the law of sin and of death. This is our new reality. 

Who is this Spirit of Life? This is the Spirit of Him who is God. He is the One who gave up His Son to die for our sin, and by His death and resurrection, has opened up access to the fullness of life available in Christ. All who are born under the law of conception are also under the law of sin and death. That is why the birth of Jesus had to break that mold. One who is subject to the law of sin and death could not offer any sacrifice that could save from death. It had to be One who was free of such limitations that could offer up anything acceptable to God. Jesus went into the grave bearing our sin, and by His blood, paid the full price that sin demanded. Thank God that this is not where the story ended: if the grave was the final destination, we would not be here. The One who went into the grave was raised to life by the power of the One who is Life Himself. The One who gave up His life to save us was saved from death, so He could offer us that which He is: Life.

Death that was to be the final word became a part of the story, which has now guaranteed us eternal life with God. Anyone who would access what is available has to do so in and by the help of the One who has tasted both sides. Who else can testify to the futility of death than the One who has gone through it and come out on the other side? Who else can help you through the pain and pressure of this earthly phase than the One who has walked in your shoe and knows where and how it pinches. Who else can offer the full package of life and all its benefits than the One who is the firstborn from the dead. Please note the condition for access: the Spirit of Life lives IN you. It is not about head knowledge alone; it has to be a residential matter. Don't be content with just hearing about Him; make sure He is IN you. That is the guarantee of eternal life. No one can give you what His life has secured. God's time of favour is here. 

By Him!

By Him!

Psalms 4:8 AMP

[8] In peace [and with a tranquil heart] I will both lie down and sleep, For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety and confident trust.

David is credited with the words of this psalm, and as we now know, David was a man who knew how to articulate his challenges as well as his struggles and victories. He would sing about the times he was in trouble and God delivered him, and he would also sing about the times he was not at his best, but God came through for him. He also had songs about asking for God's mercy after he had done wrong to one of his fighting officers. In all of these, the heart of David was drawn to God at all times. It is not a wonder, then, that God could say that David was a man after His own heart. Can God say this about me, in this current clime? Does God hold my heart so much that all my life produces makes men see Him in and through me? Can I say, of a truth, and without any hypocrisy, pretence or eye-service, that God is all I have or look up to? 

Like David, God is still in the business of  blessing lives that are fully committed to Him. He is not looking for people who are perfect from the outset, but for those who can trust Him to perfect them, as they trust Him. His blessings, like rain, come on both the wicked and the good, but there is a deeper layer for those who have given their lives to Him for safe-keeping. Many wicked people will sleep at night and still wake up hale and hearty the next day, because God is not invested in the death of a sinner, but that they come to full repentance from sin, and restoration of all that had been lost. David's life shows this truth, and if God could show mercy to a man who killed a soldier and then took over his wife, you know that there is no one so far gone that s/he is beyond God's grace. David got his punishment, but God's mercy was not taken away from him.

The blood of Jesus cannot fail to deal with the stain of sin, no matter how deep it goes, how far it has spread or to how many people it has impacted. The blood of Jesus brings peace and reconciliation, and the effect of these is the inner calm that follows. There was a raging storm outside, but Jesus was asleep on the boat. Confident, calm and absolute assurance in the ability of God to keep and preserve from evil. Many will lie down and struggle to find sleep, but for the one God has helped, s/he will both lie down and sleep in peace. It is God who has the power and capacity to do both; He is the only One who can make such promises of safety and protection, and also keep them. You cannot give to another that which you are not, or that which you do not have. God is all I need. I trust Him with my life. Would you do the same? God's time of favour is here. 

Keep at it!

Keep at it!

Matthew 7:8 AMPC

[8] For everyone who keeps on asking receives; and he who keeps on seeking finds; and to him who keeps on knocking, [the door] will be opened.

Jesus' first Sermon recorded by Matthew had different areas of focus, ranging from murder, anger and malice, to fundamental issues such as trusting in God and in the verse above, the joy of seeking God in prayer. It has to first be established that Jesus was speaking to His disciples. Now, the crowd was there, listening to His every word, but the standards He was laying down was not for the uncommitted majority but the few decided ones who knew what they were after. It is quite comfortable to blend in with the crowd; you can hide behind the many to not be known for anything. It is easier to blend in than to stand out. However, for disciples, there is no option to blend in. You get no points for being lackadaisical about the things that matter to God, or being lukewarm about commitment to Him. The crowd is permitted to come in and go out as it pleases; not so for disciples. 

Which one am I: part of the many in the crowd, or brave enough to commit to a walk with God, no matter the personal price demanded? One message for disciples in the verse above is consistency and persistence. You do not get to give up at the first sign of resistance or refusal; you do not get to give up when the going gets tough. Another lesson for disciples in the verse above is that silence or inaction on the matters that concern me is criminal. I can decide to moan or complain about the issues I have, or I can decide to take them to the Master and Lord of my life.  There is no middle ground here; there is no room for inaction. How can I have the Master of the Universe as my Father, and not take advantage of the access I have been given? How can I complain that I lack anything, if I have not even taken the first step to approach my Father and ask Him for help? 

No matter how complex the need, the help of God is meet for every problem. There is an appropriate provision for every vision that God births and gives to His own. Doors can have been in place for centuries, but when the King of glory wants to come in, those doors must be lifted up. Mountains may have stood for generations, but when Jesus speaks, they give way. Valleys may have existed for years, but when Jesus gives the command, they are levelled. There is no situation so far gone that it is beyond the grace of God to address. What is that thing that you are confused about? What is that problem that defies answers? What is that long-standing issue that has proven stubborn? Take them all to God in prayer, trust in His power to deal with them, and keep reminding Him. That is a sign that you trust His ability, capacity and capability. God is not like man who gets tired of repetition; He wants me to come as often as possible. Would you? God's time of favour is here. 

We Know!

We know!

1 John 3:16 AMPC

[16] By this we come to know (progressively to recognize, to perceive, to understand) the [essential] love: that He laid down His [own] life for us; and we ought to lay [our] lives down for [those who are our] brothers [in Him].

Read the loaded introduction of the letter from where the verse above is taken: WE ARE writing about the Word of Life [in] Him Who existed from the beginning, Whom we have heard, Whom we have seen with our [own] eyes, Whom we have gazed upon [for ourselves] and have touched with our [own] hands. Please note the highlighted words. John was not speaking from a place of hearsay or rumours; he had come to a place of personal experience and encounter with the One called the Word of Life, and he could speak boldly about the One who had changed his life. This is where we start: the place of personal conviction is the launching pad for exploits. Men and women in the Bible faced certain death and loss, but did not mind what they lost, because they knew that they had something better waiting for them at the end of those experiences. 

What could make three Hebrew boys, in a strange land, stand up for their convictions, if they did not know who they believed? How could the apostles, and the early church, of which John was one, dare stand up to rulers and authorities of their days, if they did not know someone or something that was bigger and more powerful than the men they could see? For us today, we are encouraged to seek to know God intimately, the way John and his contemporaries knew Him. From the example of the life of Jesus, we find the template for how to live life to the fullest. We find amazing examples of love that the world cannot fully understand or explain. We read these stories, and can only ask God for grace to internalise the lessons, so that we can really know how to show it other people. This is where my personal conviction must match up with my public profession. 

What is the value of a precious gift given to me to also pass on to other people, if I then sit on it, and refuse to share or extend it to other people? What is the use of knowledge, if it does not lead to good for other people? That is also the message in the verse above: if I know the value of what I have and who I know, I will be quick to share with others. Love is not so much in the words, but in the a actions that prove it. Words are cheap; it is by my actions and interactions that I prove that the love of God is in me. Constant exposure gives me a deeper knowledge of who Christ is and what He has done. It will not happen overnight, but God makes the journey worth it. My prayer is that the love of God for me will help me see other people through His eyes. As I live the life He has given me, may His love draw others to Him. He has done His bit; how do you respond? God's time of favour is here. 

The Right Way!

The Right Way

1 Chronicles 16:34 AMPC

[34] O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!

Context is important here. It is convenient to consider the wording of the verse above, and not consider the path that brought David and his people to this point. Not to go too far, but here was a nation that appeared to forget who it was, and whose it was. This nation had been chosen by God as His treasured possession, and He had given them a good land flowing with milk and honey. Of course, like all things human, you forget. You become a bit complacent and entitled, and then things go wrong. At a time, the ark of covenant, which was a representation of the presence of God, had rightly left the nation. It stayed in a foreign land for a long while, and then it had to be brought home. I must be careful about a sense of satisfaction that makes me careless about the things that matter to God. Time does not in any way dull or reduce the laid out standards of God for His people, as they would later find out. 

The people could argue that it was just a box, but God had laid down clear instructions on how it was to be handled. No other tribe in Israel was allowed to touch or handle the holy things, and there was a mode and manner of carriage and handling. Maybe it was sheer excitement, or maybe it was just a forgetful memory; the ark was placed on a cart, and then a man, trying to prevent the ark from falling off the stumbling cart, put out his hand to steady it, and he was struck dead. So many questions, one of them would be: 'what did he do wrong'? This is the thing about God too: He does not tie His standards to the failings or weaknesses of man. He will give grace, but He will not condone disobedience. He will supply that which I need to align with His instructions, but He will not suspend His laws to accommodate my rebellion. Not even David was allowed to get away with sin, even though he was called a man after God's own heart. 

David then did the right thing, as laid out in God's law. Levites were sanctified and then appointed to handle the ark, and they were also appointed to lead the praise of God, as the ark was placed where David had prepared for it. The words of the verse above now make sense: God deserves praise for consistency.  Imagine if He had allowed this error to go unnoticed. Imagine if men made reference to this incident to lose sight of the standards of God when it came to worship. Giving thanks to God is my duty, but it must come from a heart that is prepared the right way to see God for who He is. The verse says it: His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever. He does not change like shifting shadows; He does not lower His standards for anyone, and you can count on His faithfulness in the face of all that is going on in the world today. God is good, no matter what the world tells me. I give thanks. May the Lord accept me and all that I offer. God's time of favour is here. 

Nurtured!

Nurtured!

Isaiah 40:11 AMPC

[11] He will feed His flock like a shepherd: He will gather the lambs in His arm, He will carry them in His bosom and will gently lead those that have their young.

As we considered yesterday, sin brings shame and reproach. We see this in the lives of the people of Judah, and the years of punishment that followed their rebellion against God. It has to be continually emphasized that God has no favourites when it comes to sin, and He will punish sin, no matter in whom it is found. His standards are high; his expectation from those who claim to know Him are high. The fact that He is using you does not mean that He does not have alternatives, if you think that you are indispensable, and can do whatever it is you want. However, you also get a clear picture of the mercy and love of God for His creation. If God were to mark iniquity, and punish to the full extent of His law, none of us would be alive today. We all stand here today because of God's mercy, but it is also a reminder that we must strive not to take the mercy we have received for granted. 

As the verse above makes clear, God wants to step in and do His part, but we must work with Him to bring His plan to pass. What does God want to do? The verse above lists a few things: he wants to feed us with that which we need. He made and formed us, and knows where the shoe pinches. His knowledge of us makes Him uniquely qualified to supply what is required for life and Godliness. He is also the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our afflictions. I note that nowhere in the Bible does He promise us a life free from pressure, but He does promise His presence and power, which are more important than all the supply that the world can promise you. When all has failed, and it appears all strength is gone, you realise that He has been carrying you all along and it has not been about ability, capacity or capability. Which would you rather have in a crisis: the world on your side, or the Word of God on your side? 

Even when life happens, and I am at my weakest, needy or dependent due to issues of life, God promises to lead gently. I note that this means that there is no room for stagnation. I am not allowed to engage in any pity party; God's presence as my Shepherd fills me with the desire to push through the hurt, the pain, the disappointment and the disasters, to the place God has prepared for me. There is no challenge that God does not have an answer for. There is no situation so far gone that the grace of God cannot change or correct. It is important to note that one of the key words in the verse above is: shepherd. That gives the picture of the conditions for accessing all that God provides. God does not force Himself on anyone, or go against the exercise of my freewill, but He will do mighty things and absolute wonders in any life that has been given to Him. Have you given Him your life? God's time of favour is here.