Go!

Go!

Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: Matthew 28:19 ASV

From start to finish, the story of the birth of Jesus proves to be one of purpose and impact. We have seen the events prior to his birth and the prophecies that preceded his coming into the world. We have seen the events at his birth and the witness of the angels, the shepherds, the wise men and even Herod, among others, to the news and actual sighting of this gift to the world.

One could then assume that since the gift has been given, the best has already come. One could think that since we have the best that God could offer, there was nothing else left to do or give. Today's extract tells a different story. At the end of the physical, earthly life of Christ, there is only one assignment or response he demands from us who have accepted his gift: go and spread the news about him to the whole world. He demands that we share this good news about him to a world in dire need to direction and purpose.

Until we find purpose, we can never fully comprehend the importance of this assignment. If we do not understand that God's love is eternal and absolute, we may not fully comprehend the scope of this assignment. He has given us a clear message to preach, a clear target to reach, and a particular focus we must keep. The message is about making disciples who will follow Christ, and the message is for the whole world and Christ is the focus from start to finish.

For all who have known Christ, what are our priorities: the dying world around us or the state of our own finances? Which one is important for us? Remember, it is what you consider important that your heart will be fixed on. As we go into new days, weeks and years ahead, if the Lord tarries, let us remember that time keeps running out. One day, our labours here on earth will cease and we will be judged and rewarded on the basis of the impact we made in the lives of others around us. What is your input now? What is your impact now? What are you focused on? Is my earthly comfort more important to me that the eternal reality of the lives around me? His time of favour is here.

Heritage!

Heritage! 

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord. Isaiah 54:17 KJV

The verse before today's extract seems to be the best place to start. It reads: Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. NOTE: this is God speaking: every weapon of war, the skilled craftsman who designs and builds them and the skilled person who takes and uses them for war, are all created by me. There is a process for the design and manufacture of these weapons, and as long as the earth remains, that knowledge and skill will not be taken away. The designer has an idea in mind, and he takes the necessary steps required to bring the plan to fruition. 

God who speaks here is also the same: He has a clear idea what He wants to achieve and all that is required to fulfil His plans have been provided by Him. In fact, even the waster, whose job it is to destroy, was created by God. It then means that what is key here is to align yourself with what God wants to achieve. If you fight against God's express purpose, how do you imagine that will end? The God who can send wasters to destroy and give wisdom to create tools that can kill must be feared. If this was where the story ends, maybe there won't be hope but as today's extract makes clear, there is something else that God does that should give our hearts joy and peace.

Let men use their skill and design weapons; let men rise up and speak against you; let men take up arms and come against you; as long as you are my child, nothing can go wrong. Men may fashion weapons of mass destruction, yet God is saying to me: you are only safe when you are my servant, serving at my pleasure, not at your own convenience. This is key: you can't claim control of your own destiny and expect God to fight you over control. You cannot be the lord and master of your own destiny, and still expect that God's promises will be unconditionally fulfilled in you, with no input or effort on your part. Did you see that you are empowered to condemn the tongue by yourself? As long as you have aligned yourself with the God who can fetch water with a basket to disgrace the bucket, you have all the power you need. 

So, let it be clear: fights will come. If the weapons will fail, it is not for lack of trying but because God has decided to give me a heritage of protection. Whether it is the physical machinations of men, or the cutting use of the tongue to wage war against me, God is saying: as long as your total allegiance is to me, I will keep you safe. There is no knowledge of warfare that can truly keep a man safe; there is no scheme of man that can prevent war from happening, but there is one certainty in all of these: those who are the true servants of God enjoy protection that nothing on earth can threaten or replicate.

Guess the question then is: who am I? Am I a servant of God or the master of my own destiny? Do I have a heritage of protection and safety from God, or am I striving to secure myself by myself? Don't fear man whose worst effort can only impact the physical life; fear God who can destroy both the body and soul in hell. All that God does proves that I cannot question Him, but again, the one question I need to answer is this: who am I? The answer to that question is the answer to my earthly impact and eternal reality. His time of favour is here 

Kept!

Kept! 

But I will sing of thy power; yea, I will sing aloud of thy mercy in the morning: for thou hast been my defence and refuge in the day of my trouble.  Psalms 59:16 KJV

Placing today's extract in context, this was when King Saul, a man who was anointed by God to be king over Israel, even prophesied at a point, had wandered so far away from God that an evil spirt was now troubling him. He knew David was anointed as his replacement, and would stop at nothing to kill David and hand over the kingdom to his son Jonathan. Quick lesson: being anointed of God does not take away your responsibility to guard what has been entrusted into your hands. Anointing is not an excuse for laziness or assumptions; I must keep at the work entrusted into my hands, if I will be all that God intends. At the same time, anointing does not keep me from trials and tribulations. Being on assignment for God doesn't guarantee a stress-free life; ask men like Stephen, anointed as a deacon, yet stoned to death. Ask James, Paul, Peter and Jesus, men who had the unmistakable imprint of God upon their lives, yet their stories show that God's path to greatness and impact usually lies through the midst of storms and trials. 

Yet another quick lesson: how you face the certain trials is a reflection of your personal walk with God. There are men like Elijah who simply gave up when things got tough and told God they had had enough. Before I think he gave up too easily, as I look at my own life, haven't there been times when it was easier to compromise and blend in rather than stand up for God? Haven't there been times when joining the crowd was the only sane thing to do at the time? David too had his moments of weakness and doubt but from today's extract, one thing is clear: he knew God on a personal level. 

How does a man sing of God's power if he has not experienced it? How does a man sing aloud of God's mercy and risk embarrassment and ridicule, if he has not personally experienced that mercy? The BUT at the beginning of today's extract makes it clear that the decision by the writer wasn't based on people's opinions or popular choice or whatever had gone before, but from a personal knowledge and experience of the One he was singing about. When I sing or shout about God, am I doing it from a personal experience of Him, or only from what I have heard people say about it? Is all I know about God from other people's stories or from personal accounts? 

Today's extract shows off that relationship. For every personal experience of trouble, God had an answer. It didn't matter that trouble came; it mattered that God showed up when it really mattered. Trouble is certain and is a part of the human experience, but so also is God's power and mercy. These are always available on call, but like David, I need to call upon God to activate them. Maybe this was why David was called a man after God's heart: he just won't keep quiet about his personal experience of God. He made God known as many ways as he could, and it was not a wonder that even with all his baggage, God gave him an eternal dynasty, with the King of kings coming from his lineage. 

Have I really experienced this power and mercy? Do I know God on a personal level? Is He my refuge and defence, or just one of the many options I get to call on when I need to? Is He all I have or just one of my many things in my hands fighting for attention? Like David, who I know will determine how far I am kept and how my story ends. His time of favour is here. 

Peace!

Peace!

I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. John 14:27 NLT

It was a question by the other Judas that led to today's extract. The question was simple: why do you show yourself to us alone, and not to the world in general? Here were men who had been chosen out of a crowd of people to be Jesus' disciples; they had come in and gone out with Him on numerous occasions; been sent out alone to preach the gospel and had come to learn more about God just by watching Jesus teach and work. First lesson: whatever Jesus teaches is first for all who choose to submit to Him. He does not force a man to obey; it has to flow out of a heart that knows and submits to God. It doesn't matter what the past or present looks like; as long as I am willing to submit, God can teach and show me new things.

Jesus was leaving the earth physically, and the disciples were a bit sad. I am sure they would have been wondering who would take the place of Jesus in their lives. Cue in today's extract: there is something I am and have that I will give you, and that is my peace. What's this peace: Jesus was careful to explain what it was and what it was not. Second lesson: It is a gift, which means I have the power to accept or reject it. It is tied to the One who offers it, so I cannot take the gift and reject the giver. It won't work. It is a gift that impacts my inner man first and then flows out to impact the outer. Tell me, of what use is external comfort and inner turmoil? How do I enjoy all that I have when there is no peace? 

And as I live in this present world, the message in today's extract becomes even more important: the world too also has gifts. A study of the world's systems makes it clear that if I submit to the world, there are gifts it can give me. But it is also clear that whatever the world offers isn't like what Jesus offers. The world has nothing to give you free of charge;  there is always a price to pay. Actually, even for the peace Jesus offers, there is a price to pay and it is total surrender. The world will take mostly everything away from you in order to give you its own gifts. God will ask you to surrender all that is in your hands so He can give you something better and more lasting. When you have encountered both, you have no doubt as to which one is better. 

A warning though: being around Jesus must not be taken for granted. Third lesson: Being called his name must make me careful, diligent and watchful. Men like the other Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus, walked with Him; was sent out to preach like others were; saw miracles, maybe even performed some himself, yet, at the end, his greed led him down the path to suicide. God offers peace, but I must take hold of it with both hands, so that the devil cannot entice me with 'attractive' options. When what you hold on to leaves your heart troubled and afraid, maybe you have not yet laid hold of that which is of eternal value. 

If what you have cannot guarantee you peace, then maybe you have not yet found the peace that Jesus refers to here. He wants to give the peace that settles the heart and mind. He wants to take me on a journey of a personal experience of His power and grace. I just have to surrender totally to Him. He won't force it but eternity calls. I don't have forever down here to make up my mind; it has to be done whilst I still have time. What do you have at the moment; what are you holding tightly to: the peace God offers, or the peace the world promises but cannot deliver? His time of favour is here. 

Seek!

Seek!

Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually. 1 Chronicles 16:11 KJV

Today's extract flows from the terrible events that occurred when the ark of the covenant was to be brought back by David. The first time, it was done carelessly, put on a cart, with the animals allowed to walk unaided. A man had tried to help the cart when it stumbled, and God had struck the man dead. Of course, David wa afraid and diverted the ark to the home of Obed-Edom. This man must have learnt the right way to handle the ark, because the Bible records that for three months that the ark was in his house, God blessed the home of Obed-Edom. 

Guess this was the sign David needed to take steps to treat the ark right. Should I wait until God takes drastic steps to punish sin before I learn the right way? Should I allow death ravage my camp before I learn that by God's standard, no sin will go unpunished? Since I have learnt about the mercy and grace of God, what stops me from making the approach and enjoying all that God offers full and free? 

One of the key words in today's extract is SEEK. You don't seek for something that is of no value and can be easily replaced. You don't seek for something that you don't even know is lost. And it matters who or what you seek, because the target of the search reveals the motivation and purpose behind the search. If I am seeking for relevance and importance, it will be revealed by the target of my search. 

If I know I am weak in or by myself, and that I seek God for the right reasons, it will also show by my search. Check out who I am asked to search for: the Lord. It is as simple, yet as complicated as that. It is simple because God is near to all who call, but it must be a diligent and persistent search. It cannot be something done once in a week or once in a couple of days, but a daily and regular search. 

The reason is when I find God, I get all that He is and has. Think about a marriage properly so called. The two parties are seen as one in the sight of God and man, having children who bear the same surname. When you meet the child, and s/he introduces him/herself, you easily know who the father is. It is the same with God: if I claim I have or know God, it will show in my daily life. If I have God, there are things that will happen in my life that will be obvious this had nothing to do with my ability, power or influence. This is the point all who claim to know God must come to: where we know that we are nothing outside or without Him. 

If I ever get to a point in my life where I think that I know enough of God to last me a lifetime, then I am making a grave mistake. I must keep learning, searching, seeking, knocking, asking; leaving room for more of God in my life; never satisfied, never full of myself, just simply hungry for all that God can be. God never disappoints; He always shows up. Seek Him; in Him is all of life, and the blessings that God wants to give. If I don't have Him, I can't get all that He has promised. His time of favour is here. 

Wise; Foolish!

Wise; Foolish!

He who walks [as a companion] with wise men will be wise, But the companions of [conceited, dull-witted] fools [are fools themselves and] will experience harm. Proverbs 13:20 AMP

I believe the biggest challenge that today's extract poses is: How do I identify someone who is wise? This question lies at the root of today's extract and if we are able to answer it, then we can decipher the rest of the extract. As always, it starts with a choice that we all have to make. I have to decide if I really want to be wise, and if I am willing to pay the price to get there. There are people I will meet on the way to the fulfilment of God's purpose for my life. Who they are will impact my life, so I must be careful who I allow to impact my life in any way. 

And when I have made up my mind on what I want to do, I must take the required steps: WALK. I can make noise, or I can walk. I can sit and criticise others, or I can walk. I can fold my arms and do nothing, or I can walk. I can blame others for my lot in life, or I can walk. In all of these options, I am doing something; I am busy at something. Men will see me and applaud my efforts, but the efforts are not directed in line with what God can bless. The question still remains: are you going to walk or do other things? 

And when I have found a wise man, I must walk as a companion, not as a master, Lord or boss. Too many times, we want to be the centre of attraction; the queen bee. We want everybody to recognise the unction on our heads, and so we become controlling and domineering. We want men to take us as the complete article, forgetting that no man becomes all that God wants overnight. That's not God's process for those who would be truly wise. He takes you through a process. You walk as a companion, willing and ready to learn, mostly silent. You drop pretensions and hypocrisy and become immersed in the lessons. You open your heart to receive all that is available, so you can become the very best version of yourself. Eventually, what the wise person is and has will rub off on you. 

That is key: you become whatever it is you attract. If I want to be wise, I must be attracted to wise people and spend time with them. I cannot spend time in a perfume shop and not come out smelling liek like roses. At the same time, I cannot spend time in a junkyard or a sewage tank and come out smelling like roses. My comfort zone speaks a lot about what my life will produce. And that is the essence of the latter part of today's extract. If I choose to associate with the foolish, my life will only produce in line with that association. I cannot turn around and blame God for the consequences of my choice. Whilst I have time, now is the time to watch and edit my companions, pursuits and priorities. Eternity is at stake. His time of favour is here. 

Finding Life!

Finding Life!

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalms 16:11 KJV

The use of 'path' in today's extract shows that we all are on a journey. No matter what your view of this present life is, you realise that every day you are given adds to your age, experience and view of life. We all have different experiences, but it is clear that we all have the same end: eternal life. Now, if I know that this present life is not the end of it all, should I not be careful then how I prepare for that eternal reality? How do I ensure that my present course will take me to the place that God intends for me? 

There are paths, and there is the path of life. It tells me that many options will present itself as I journey towards my eternal reality, but I must be careful about where and how I journey. There are paths, but there is only one true path. Have I found and am I following the essence and source of true life? Of course, you cannot find the path of life outside of the One called the Way, the Truth and the Life. If you are not following Him, how would you end up where He is and where He has promised you He is preparing for you? 

After the path of life in today's extract is a full colon; which means that the words which follow are explanation of the path of life. Two expressions in the words that follow bear emphasis: in thy presence and at thy right hand. Those words show that the path of life runs through these paths also. You can't walk on God's path and be far away from His presence. You cannot claim you are following God and you are not aware and conscious of His presence, his warnings and his counsel. How do I claim to follow a God whose basic minimum requirements I do not know? 

So the check and audit are personal: I need to check my present walk with and work for God. The benefits of his right hand and presence can only be explained by people who have or are enjoying them. You can read about these in the Bible, and see men and women whose lives were turned around by their personal encounter of God. I can pick lessons from their experiences, but I have to find God for myself also. I can't keep looking up to other people's stories; it is time I make my own. That is why the Psalmist here could personalise this message: thou wilt show ME the path of life. It has nothing to do with the crowd or with everyone; it's just first and foremost me. When my life has been impacted, then it can in turn impact the world I have been placed in. You can't shortchange the process. His time of favour is here.