Unity!

Unity!

Now I beseech you, brethren, through the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfected together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 1 Corinthians 1:10 ASV

It is difficult to imagine how possible it is for the body of Christ to be truly united. We have several denominations emphasizing different parts of the Bible, giving the impression that Christ came to establish different versions of Truth. We now see church leaders and members quarrel over the interpretations of the truth revealed in God's word, as if the inspiration behind the words was confused and didn't know what he was saying.

Paul encourages us to be of the same mind. How is that possible? Only when indeed, we have the same person living inside of us. Church membership is not the same as heaven citizenship. Just as a passport on the face discloses the country of issue, so must the identity I profess be evident from my conversation, conduct and company. If I claim I am a citizen of heaven, how will I be quarreling with others who are fellow citizens, unless I do not know where I am from or where I am going. If I claim to know the head of the place I am going, how do I quarrel with his own children, of whom I am also one?

This is not a denial of differences in opinions or approach to issues; but we have matured enough to see that what lies ahead is bigger and better than what is between us. We must understand that the world is watching and waiting; it does not understand God, and we who claim to know God must bring his message to the dying world around us. If we then are already dead on arrival, how much impact can we then make? The world needs to see unity in diversity at its best; the world does not know how, Christ is the one who makes it possible, and only in him do we make our lives count in this present generation. His time of favour is here.

God

Day 127- God

REV 1:8 NIV

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

God introduces himself. He speaks in the present tense, which emphasizes that with Him, it is never too late to start anew. 'I Am' says at every point in time that you seek me, I am here. Even if a billion people call on me at the same point in time all over the earth, I Am. The past is irrelevant, because in me, there is a fresh start. 'Alpha and Omega' says he's the beginning and the end of all things. If he is so, then all things in between are also taken care of. He has taken care of the past, he's qualified to take care of the present and he's powerful enough to secure the future. He is the Almighty.

Do not let problems cloud your heart from seeking out this mighty God. Storms bow, winds obey and the heart is made calm when God speaks. It is not always done for our convenience, or our own comfort, but for his own glory. Trust and keep faith, for his time of favour is here.

Change Residence

Change Residence

Psalm 91:1 AMP

HE WHO dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand].

Watch the words: He who dwells, not he who comes once in a while, or who rents a space, or who only consults when there is a problem. You cannot make God a spare tyre on your life's journey; he's got to be the steering wheel and control pedal of your life, determining direction, speed and impact. We love to claim promises but we hardly remember the conditions that lead to the blessings. Dwelling leads to stability.

You must also get the place of abode right. Some people have chosen to dine with the devil, or with mammon or other cheap alternatives. God does not poke his nose into affairs he has no business with; so if you want God to step in and take control, you have got to change residence. The secret place is not a place you stumble on by accident; you get there by a total dependence on God and a diligent study of his will and purpose.

When you have found the secret place, you have found the source of life. You have found the only truly secure place that exists. When you have found this secret place of God's favour, presence, mercy and grace, you have found stability. Why this is important is because I must understand that dwelling in God does not mean there won't be trials; you will surely get those in abundance. One thing is however sure: you are sustained by your residence status. You are either a citizen of God's residence, naturally entitled to his help and sustenance, or you are an alien, who would have to struggle for help and assistance. God will always help all, because he created all, but it can only be good for you to dwell with God on a permanent basis.

What is your residence status: citizen or alien? His time of favour is here.

Action and Reaction

Action and Reaction

Romans 6:23 KJV

For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Indeed, nothing is done in vain,good or bad. There is a reaping for every sowing, a return on any investment. If people of the world understand how this works, how can the people of the Word expect anything less? There will be an accounting, a reaction to all that we do now. God has already revealed the results for either choice- death for sin and eternal life for those in Christ. One fundamental point- the results are eternal and permanent. As long as we are alive, we can choose. Once physical death comes, it is too late to change. Make sure you are on the right side of eternity. His time of favour is here.

Choices!

Day 84- Choices!

PSA 84:10-11 NIV

Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.

Life is all about choices and results. We all have choices to make as we run the race, fight the fight and walk the walk that has been set before us. Each choice has a consequence so you will do well to weigh and be ready to live with the consequences before you make the choice. God is waiting and willing to bless, and he is seeking those who will walk blameless before him. His resources, though inexhaustible, will not be wasted, so if you are interested, your choice to walk blameless before God is your application for favour and honour. His time for favour is here.

Examples

Examples

Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. Philippians 4:9 KJV

Until my life is Spirit-auditing, it cannot be earthly relevant. I wonder if I could say the things Paul says here with conviction. What he says in effect is this: through the help of the Spirit, I have become an example you can emulate, and as you do so, the peace of God will be your experience. These words are not careless, they are spoken out of a deep conviction of how far God had brought him. See the consistency: the things he taught and the things they saw him do were consistent, not contradictory. Do my words match my actions? Does my mouth confession match my life profession? Does my life preach a consistency that only Christ can birth and sustain? Questions only the Spirit of God can help to answer.  His time of favour is here.

All Good!

All Good!

Romans 8:28 KJV

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Easy to quote, difficult to accept. How do you see good in the evils that seem to prevail around us? How do you see good in a land that celebrates, promotes and rewards those who do evil? Do these things change the fact that God is sovereign? Absolutely not.  The presence of evil does nothing to reduce the power of good, because the all-powerful God is the one who is in charge. None of his plans will fail, no matter how strong evil seems to be. Remember, he created all, and all must answer to him, no matter the noise that is made now. His time of favour is here.