Looking Up!

Looking Up!

For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.

Romans 15:4 NIV

The Bible is probably the most published book these days. It has come out in various versions and reading modes. Its words confront us daily, and it charges us to look at ourselves and line up our lives with what it says. And here is the clincher: EVERYTHING it says speaks. That is the verdict of the One who inspired its contents, and His view is important here. 

Even the love songs of Songs of Solomon speak. The accounts of wars fought by the kings of Judah and Israel also speak. The work of the Holy Spirit also speaks. Creation: trees, hills, mountains, rivers, oceans and the firmament all speak. The question then is: am I listening? Do I pause long enough to hear what the writer of these words has to say? Am I always in a hurry to make ends meet, that I ignore the One who knows the beginning and the end of all life? 

And the purpose of these words is to teach me God's mind. God wants to build endurance and encourage my heart to hold on to God through all my experiences. Nowhere does God ever promise that life will be all rosy and easy; His promise is that He will be with me. His presence does not stop storms, but He stops the storms from sinking my boat. The wind will blow and beat against my house, but He promises that as long as I have Him, I am safe. 

What is the use of endurance and encouragement if there was no pain? What is the use of endurance and encouragement if there was also no end to the pain? The reason why both endurance and encouragement are important here is because the lessons learnt here keep me grounded, knowing that God is faithful, He will not leave me, and He will bring me into the fulfillment of His purpose. That is the basis of hope: I keep my eye on the eternal. Things may be rough now but it will not end there. I know from God's Word that there is a future, a hope and an expected end. No matter what then happens in the present, that future keeps my heart joyful. 

The Word of God is the key to all of these things. Without God, there is no hope. Outside of God, there is no hope. Does the Word of God have pride of place in your life? Is He my all, or just one of my many options? Remember, God's Word cannot be broken: whatever He promises is bankable and trustworthy. His time of favour is here. 

Prepare!

Prepare!

As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Mark 1:2‭-‬3 KJV

God has always had a plan for the full redemption of man from sin. The plan of redemption was laid out at the very place of rebellion in the Garden of Eden. It took quite a few centuries for the plan to be put into physical manifestation, but God always kept reminding his people what the plan was, and how it would be made manifest. Today's extract is one of those reminders through the ages that God is a covenant-keeping God. If He says a thing, His nature prevents Him from lying about it, or changing His mind. 

And we see that today: God spoke about the seed of the woman in Genesis, and from Abraham to David, God sent a number of prophecies through the ages to remind us that He was working out that plan. Then Isaiah becomes one of the prophets to also lay out the process for the manifestation of the Redeemer. First, when the season comes, there will be a messenger from God Himself, to prepare the way for the Lord. Why would God need anyone to prepare the way for Him? As far as God reveals, it could be so that men's hearts could be prepared for the coming of the Messiah. It could be that so many other 'false' options had arisen and had deceived many, and this was God's way of making known who the genuine thing was. 

When you consider the physical manifestation of this messenger in John the Baptist, you know that he was indeed sent to prepare the hearts of men for the coming of Jesus. By the time Jesus was made manifest by John, men had heard a lot about Him because John would not keep quiet about Him. Is my message about Me or about the Messiah? Am I just celebrating the physical symbols and tokens of his presence or have I truly experienced the real presence and power of the Messiah? Is my life an altar of preparation for the manifestation of the son of God or a platform for my own views? 

It was John the Baptist then; what part am I playing today to prepare the way of the Lord? Am I a help or an hindrance? Am I a channel or a closure for the flow of the Presence and power of God? John the Baptist had only one message: REPENT, for the Kingdom of God is at hand. It is that message that this generation needs again. The enemy has filled men's hearts with other 'worthy' pursuits, trying to water down the message about the return of the Messiah. 

Let it be known today that no other message is fit for this time except this: the Lord Jesus returns soon. He is coming back, and my greatest assignment will be to be a herald of His coming, directing the hearts of men to what is truly important. Can God count on me in these end times? Let me just spell it out again so that there is no confusion: the plan for the salvation of ALL men was laid out by God, and He is faithful to his promise. However, He will not go against the exercise of my freewill. If I accept His offer, I get all He has promised. If I reject His offer, I also get what He has laid out as the consequences of my choice. Life is as simple as my choices and their eternal consequences. He wants a path into the hearts of men; would I join Him at work? Would my life be a loud testament to all that God can do: making crooked paths straight, laying out the divine purpose and promoting His perfect will in and through my life? Can God count on me? Can He count on you? His time of favour is here. 

Received and Believed!

Received and Believed! 

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: John 1:12 KJV

A review of some of the words of today's extract will help us understand what God is doing, what He wants from us and where He is taking us to. 

When you see the word BUT, it is a good to go back and check the words that came before: He came unto his own, and his own received him not.  John 1:11 KJV. That was God's testimony about His Son Jesus. He was sent as a gift to all men, sent through the tribe of Judah of the land of Israel for the benefit of all mankind. However, those who were familiar with his story and origin cared nothing about Him. Those who were His family didn't care who He was; after all, He was the son of a carpenter. That is the assumption and the familiarity that bares us from seeing God as He is, or appreciating all that He has done. 

His gift was given to all men, and it is a gift that will remain until the end of all men as we know it. And that is the foundation of AS MANY. His own city rejected Him, but many more of that city and outside the city accepted Him. While he was on earth, so many lives were touched by what He did, just as there were many who scoffed at Him, mocked Him and plotted to kill Him. It is the same today: we think that education and enlightenment have given us other options: we think that we can process the divine by common sense. We want to reduce God to the level of our fallen human nature, forgetting that a man given to sin can't fully understand the love and nature of God from afar; you have to be in it to understand your limits and the need for total dependence on God. 

You can try to find other verbs, but you will not find any that can really replace these words: RECEIVED AND BELIEVED HIM. These are the words that underpin the only reactions that God recognises and Rewards. There is an AND there to show that both are important. You can't do one without the other. You can't receive someone you don't believe in, and you can't trust someone with your life who you have not known well and welcomed into the inner secrets of your life. And it matters who/what the HIM here is: is it possessions, power, position or am I content with the presence of God? Is He enough or do I still need to add a few bits and pieces more? Is He all I need, or am I still searching for false tokens of liars? 

And what are the benefits and the rewards that follow: Gave He Power: this offer only applies to those who have first complied with the words: receive and believe. Men want power without the responsibility and accountability. We want to exercise dominion over all that God has created, yet we do not want to submit to the One who owns and controls what we see and desire. God will not give you that which you are not prepared and purposed for. And for God to GIVE, it is because He owns it in the first place. That same power is at work in all who believe, and it is the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and seated Him in the heavenly realms, far above all principalities, powers, rulers of this dark world and spiritual wickedness in high places. That is what He offers, and I am not sure that there can be anything bigger, stronger or better than this. 

And what is that ultimate reward and desire of God: that we BECOME SONS OF GOD. I cannot become what I was not formed or fashioned out to be from time. If God says the entire purpose of the gift of His Son is to make me His also, it is because He has power to adopt me as His own and assign me all the perks of that relationship. I dare say again that the process of me becoming God's son requires me to do something, which is what we have already mentioned: receive and believe Him. I am to be called a son of God, just like His Son. He promises me an inheritance, making me a joint heir with Christ. Ah, this world has no idea what is ahead for all the sons of God; no wonder the Bible says:... creation eagerly waits for the revelation of the sons of God.  Romans 8:19 NET.

A promise has been made, which is valid until eternity starts. Invitations have been sent to ALL men, and a response is required from all of us. Indecision is itself a choice, and all choices have consequences. It is a binary choice, with only two options available: receive or reject. What I stand to gain or lose with both options have been laid out;  I cannot blame God for the consequences of my decision. While I have time, I must decide for Jesus, so I can become what He fashioned me for, and can get all that He has purposed. The opposite is better imagined than experienced. His time of favour is here. 

Loved!

Loved! 

The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Jeremiah 31:3 KJV

In context, this also reflects yesterday's focus. Sin has always been a great barrier between God and man. It doesn't matter how gifted, talented and outspoken that man is; as long as sin was in the camp, that man was destined for punishment. If God could pay such a huge price for sin, whereby He gave up his One and Only Son, and then turned His eyes away as he bore the sins of the whole world on himself, how then do we think that we will fare better if we sin? This is the warning: just as God dealt with His own people Israel, so will He deal with all men: God will punish sin no matter in whom it is found. Now that you know, there is no excuse for sin.

And in context also, God had punished His people for their sins. They had been scattered all over the face of the earth, and nations that could not even stand up to them in the past had now become their masters and oppressors. That is what sin does: reduces you to a piece of bread, to be consumed by all who come across you or who are simply hungry. Yet in the midst of all these troubles, we see God again reaching out in love to His people. 

And that is the mystery about God: He HATES sin but LOVES the sinner. He can do anything to save the soul of the sinner, but He cannot excuse the sin. It is this love that is a mystery to man, where a man like Saul, with murder in His heart, can have an encounter and his life is changed forever. It is still the same God; different dispensations, but the same heart of love. He still extends that heart to all men, and all who dare to come receive all that He offers.

God has always been a God of love. It was love that led to man's creation, and it we love that laid out the plan of redemption right at the very scene of rebellion by man. God's love has been from old, and there is NOTHING a man can do to reduce or render it invalid until the end of that man's physical stay on earth. As long as I have breath in me, God's love cannot be denied. As long as I breathe, I am never too far away from God's love. When I consider all that He does for all of man, including those who claim to be agnostics or atheists, you have to wonder at the heart of a God who still loves all who reject or deny Him. That is what love means. 

And that is His message again today: I am still that same God from old, from ancient times. I am the One who appeared to Abraham in love, and called Him to follow me. I am the One who called mortal broken men like Samson, David, Cyrus and even revealed myself to Nebuchadnezzar and Ahab. Who would have given these types of kings any chance at all, but this is a God of love. His love isn't transactional, where I have to do something first to earn it; in fact, at the time I received it, I didn't even know what it was, who it was from and what it meant. I was in sin when His love was fully manifested at the cross. 

His love is presented here at everlasting, because He is also eternal and everlasting. It is that same nature that He offers us all, so that as He draws us to Himself, we come into that love and enjoy all that He offers. In that is this warning: you only get the eternal when you have accepted his love. He offers it for free and for all of eternity, but it will only be true for those who accept the person of His love, who is Jesus Christ. 

It doesn't matter what else you have or who else you know; if the love of God does not live in you, you don't get what He has offered. It is this warning that must rest with you at all times: I am not promised forever down here, at least not this present physical earth as we know it. A new heaven and earth are promised, and only those who have accepted the free call of love from God will experience them. Are you one of them? Does God know you as His own? Have you responded to His love and does He live inside you? These questions have eternal consequences; you need to be sure where you will spend the rest of your life. His time of favour is here. 

When, Not If!

When, Not If!

When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Isaiah 43:2 KJV

It has to be emphasised again that God will punish sin, no matter in whom it is found. Some people can lay claim to having God's exclusive hotline, where they can call him anytime, yet will live in and love sin. Israel was God's divine choice, yet it suffered greatly due to its sin. God rejected Israel and handed it over to enemies who pillaged and plundered it, and if God could deal with his own chosen people like that, please note that God has no favourites when it comes to sin.

There is yet another side of God that we must mention, and that is His mercy. He punished Israel, yet He was the One who restored them. He rejected them, yet He called them back to Himself. It is that mercy that cannot be explained, which we enjoy by virtue of God's nature, not of our own labour. We couldn't deserve or earn it, but God freely bestowed it anyway. And it is that mercy that should make us fear God. If He can show mercy, so can He show judgment.

And today's extract underscores that mercy. These words are addressed to people He had rejected, but was now calling back to Himself. I note that the word 'When' is used here, not if. There is a certainty about storms, wind and fire. They are a part of the structure called 'life'. The days of trouble are coming, and victory will be determined by the person going with you on that journey. You can't go through the storms alone; in fact, no man will go alone. You are either with or without God. There is a choice of companion that I have to make. God tells me all that I stand to gain if He goes with me.

The end of the experiences are laid out. I will go through them, but they will not define my life. This is where it gets hard. I read the promises, and I wonder about men like Stephen, James and Paul, who were killed by a mob, a morbid king Herod and the mighty power of Rome respectively. Can you say that their end was good? Actually, pause for a moment and ask where they ended?  These men are heroes of faith today, and their lives challenge us to hold on to God, no matter what the physical realities around us are.

In the midst of the distress, I hold on to the promises of safety and protection from God. I rest assured in the confidence that no matter what the now looks like, tomorrow will be better. That tomorrow may not end up the way you wanted or planned it, but you can be sure that it will end up in the way God has planned, and if I walk with Him, my eternity is assured. I note this is a personal walk: different people, but one God; different physical realities, but one eternal life. May God give me grace to walk with Him daily. May I receive grace to hold on to the end. May His peace rest on all I do, so that no matter how the storms, wind and fire rage, my heart is at rest in the One who presence can calm any storm, and take me into eternal rest. His time of favour is here. 

Faith and Works!

Faith and Works!

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. Ephesians 2:8‭-‬9 KJV

Again, two words - Faith and Works-which speak to my walk with God and underpin the entire relationship with God from start to finish. Why are faith and works important, and how do they affect my earthly existence? We look at today's extract for answers:

1. Salvation is by grace, through faith. Let it be known that no man came to know God on his own. No man could come near to God of his own accord unless the Son drew him to God. Sin was and has always been our weakness, and the separation between us and God. By it, a wall of separation has been built up, and man has been running away from God since the Garden of Eden. But by the dispensation of God's grace, a way has been opened for us to return to God. That way is through the body of the Son, Jesus, who died and rose again so that we all could now have access back to God. It was grace that fashioned out the way of return, not my tears or my fervent labour. It was grace that made salvation possible, not my sincere and fervent devotion. 

2. It was grace that made it possible for me to believe the message about God and seek to draw near to God. How does a rational and logical being accept the words of God are true without help? God gave us brains to process whatever information we receive, yet also birthed faith in our hearts so that we could accept even that which our brains could not process. All of the things that faith demands from me cannot be tied to any physical assurances. 

You can't prove heaven exists to anyone without divine help; you can't convince anyone about the reality of hell, especially if you have not been there before, yet there is a strong conviction in your heart that God doesn't lie and if He says something is true, then faith in my heart accepts it as true and I act as such. All of God's dealings have to be accepted by faith; my five senses are only good for so much, and that is why it is such a waste of time to seek to know God only through these limited senses. 

3. Knowing God is a gift. Let me not think that I knew God only because my parents introduced him to me. This was good, but is not enough. They did their bit, but it did not start there. Let me not think I knew God because I diligently searched the Bible to learn more. This was a good step, but it also didn't start there. Let me not think that I knew God by virtue of being a committed member of a fellowship; this is also good, but all the steps above were only necessary and fundamental steps flowing out of the grace of God that made it possible for me to know God. 

It is first the gift of God that I could even find the opportunities to know more about Him. So many people have heard the same thing I did, but they have not come to the same conclusion I did. I don't hold them up to a different standard; I can only sincerely appreciate God for the grace given me to discover God and walk with Him.

4. Works on their own, don't cut it. And this is why all the steps mentioned above don't, on their own, seal salvation for me. I don't quality for heaven only because I am a good worker in church, or because I support God's work, but when the foundation of salvation by grace is laid, and I keep that as the foundation of my own labour and work, then I am on the right path. I don't ever raise my works on their as the basis for the argument that God should bless me. If God wants, He can raise stones to praise Him, so I consider it a solemn privilege to be called a child of God; someone who is called to serve God and show him off. 

Please note: service in God's house is good; in fact, it is commanded. But I must not raise works over and above the right foundation: grace as a gift. That is the reason why my faith in God is made possible, and how my labour for God has the right eternal results. So, there is a strong connection among grace, faith and works, and understanding the place of each one is critical to service that God accepts. There is no room for pride in the quality of my work, when there is no humility of knowing that none of it would matter if not for grace. There is no room for man's applause if I know clearly that this is not the reason why I work; I am only working out of a heart of gratitude for all that God has done, and seeking His own applause. No room for all that the world celebrates; just all that God desires. What do you consider important? His time of favour is here. 

Stored Value!

Stored Value!

For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21 KJV

Just a quick definition of a few key terms: treasure and heart. I note that these two terms are in the singular, not the plural, which means that however you view the definitions will be personal to you. This is not one of those 'our' views or our common approach; this is about how God would have me see what He wants me to see in today's extract. This is a ME message, not a OUR message. 

Treasure: according to Google, it is a quantity of precious metals, gems, or other valuable objects. It then means that treasure isn't about one thing, but a quantity of many things. It is not something you stumble on by accident, but it is the product of careful and long-term planning. It is the combination of years of amassing, storing, keeping and saving. If this applies to the physical, just imagine its impact in the spiritual. 

Heart: there is a regular definition for the heart as an organ of the body, but for this purpose, let's look at it from God's perspective: the ruling center of the whole person, the spring of all desires; the seat of the will, intellect and feelings; the center not only of spiritual activity, but of all the operations of human life. I am not sure there can be any other way to fully lay out just how important the heart is to all that both God and the devil want to do with the human life. 

These two words are central to today's extract. At the HEART of man's pursuit for TREASURE is the understanding of his purpose. If I know very clearly why I am placed on earth at this point in time, won't it affect the way my HEART seeks after TREASURE? If I know my place in God's scheme of things, won't it affect the kind of TREASURE my HEART seeks after? If I know very clearly what God's VISION for my life is, won't it define very clearly what His PROVISION (for-vision) for that vision is, and won't that very clearly also define what kind of TREASURE my HEART should seek to fulfill that vision?

Do you see the inescapable link between the heart and treasure? We think we can deceive God by giving off 'good' vibes, claiming that we are on His side, while our hearts are busy secretly seeking after the world's gain. We give off the air that we are spiritual, but our hearts seek after the world's goods. Unfortunately, today's extract makes the link between TREASURES and the HEART unbreakable. Whatever it is that your heart is focused on becomes your pursuit. That pursuit defines your new purpose and will become your eternal reality. 

Guess the only question that remains is: what am I spending my life focused on and storing up? Let it be very clear: whether you know it or not, you are actually laying aside treasure for your eternal future. At every point where you have to take a decision, you are actually adding up to the store of treasure you already have. When you decide to submit to temptation and take what doesn't belong to you, you are laying up treasure into eternal damnation. When you resist evil and stand on the side of God, even if it costs you a life, you are laying up treasure into eternal life. 

You see, as hard as it may sound, there is nobody who will live forever down here. At some point in time, if the Lord tarries, all of us will die and face judgment. At that time, it won't matter what the world told you or thought of you; the only thing that would matter will be what your heart was fixed on, and where it was keeping its treasure. I have to make sure that I am making the right type and keeping the right kind of treasure and in the right place. So, it is a complete package: know WHO is important, WHY it is important, and then WHERE I am headed at the end of it all. When I have all these in view, I won't be bothered with the need to be 'better' than you, or compete with you for anything. It is my eternal future I am working for, just as you also have to work for yours. I can't run yours for you and you can't for me. I ask God to help me recognise what is truly important and eternal, AND to keep my eyes fixed on those things. Eternity with God is the price and the prize for that right focus. His time of favour is here.