Stable!

Stable!

Righteousness guards the person of integrity, but wickedness overthrows the sinner. Proverbs 13:6 NIV

Context and Charge:

Defining righteousness under the old testament was a bit different from how it is described under the new covenant initiated by Jesus. I mainly had to follow all the rules laid out under that old covenant. It wasn't immediately obvious if my heart wasn't in it, as what was measured were the offerings and sacrifices made to atone for sin. A man could therefore boast about the righteousness of his hands, especially if there was no other witness to the state of his heart. With God, it worked for a while, but it could not be sustained. Effort and labour are great, if the foundation is an understanding of who God is and what He desires from me. 

The opposite would mean that what I get is just activity and recognition for the physical; no spiritual connection. The new testament definition ties righteousness to the finished work of Christ on the cross. It does not place effort first; it is about Christ from first to last. It is by the work of the cross that a man can have integrity that God regards. God blesses all men, but there is a special connection with the man who has based his life's work on that finished work of Christ. Where the man cannot speak, the finished work of Christ goes ahead to speak for him. 

Conviction and Conclusion:

Of course, if you will not hold on to the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus, there is only one other alternative: eternal death, with sin as its causative factor. Sin manifests in every man born of woman, and is the default setting for all of us. This is why the cross had to happen. As we read from this verse, there are only 2 possible choices and 2 available outcomes. There is no middle ground mentioned here; no fence of indecision to straddle. I don't get to stand afar off and let others decide for me; I have to define my eternal reality by the decision I have to take. 

Would I rely on the finished work of the cross, or would I rely on my ability, capacity and capability? If I seek stability and longetivity, the secret is in the hidden walk with God. It is not in the applause or approval of men, or even the silent appreciation. Man is limited by time, knowledge and information, and so makes decisions based on earthly realities. God makes decisions based on total knowledge, and if He approves my life, it really does not matter what anyone else thinks. If He says he hates sin, nothing I do will change his mind unless and until I repent. Which one am I holding on to then: the righteousness from God, or the deceit of sin? Remember, both have eternal consequences. God's time of favour is here. 

Trust!

Trust!

Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.

Psalms 20:7 NIV

Context and Charge:

We live in strange times. The fear of the uncertain present and the unforeseen future has made the hearts of men to melt. This fear has also led men down the path of sin and compromise, making it even more difficult for them to find the right kind of help and at the right time. Fear makes you do odd things, which you may not normally do. It is in these times that the quality and depth of your convictions will be made plain. When I consider all that is going on around me, what are the first thoughts that cross my mind? Do I consider the greatness of the God who calls me His own, or am I swayed by the weight of the problems in front of me? 

It matters who or what sits on the throne of my heart, because that will drive my actions and reactions. Man has devised 'viable alternatives', seeking to replace God with other created things. We ignore the Creator and focus on the created, forgetting that the created can never give you what only the Creator can give you. Think of it this way: the Creator can make for you that which you need, and you do not have to steal that which belongs to another, or envy and seek to copy another man's experiences. He can create a solution that will fit your peculiar need, so that you do not ever have to look at anything else for help. 

Conviction and Conclusion:

In what or who is your confidence and trust? The created or the Creator? Is there anything someone has promised you that it works, but you are sure it is not the Lord? Is there something someone claims to have tried and worked for him/her, yet you are sure it did not come from the Creator? In all these instances, be careful of the false tokens of men. Be wary of the false hopes given by things that cannot guarantee tomorrow. My trust must be in God; the one and only God who seeks to reveal himself personally to the one who truly seeks Him. 

Chariots and horses are symbols of strength and power, yet are limited in their power to save. Men have constantly sought after these things, and seen them fail, but sin will not allow us learn that the world cannot secure for me that which only the Word of God offers. Trust is key here; I am telling God that even when I do not understand what is going on, I know the One who holds everything together. I am telling God that I see what others are doing, where they go and the compromises that come easy to them, but for me, my mind is made up. Even if it kills me, I will trust God. Does that describe me in any way? God's time of favour is here. 

Own It!

Own It!

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 NIV

Context and Charge:

Jesus speaks to his disciples seated before him, while the crowd stayed at the foot of the mountain. As always, all that God speaks is for all of us to listen to and respond. God does not compel anyone to listen, but He promises great blessings for all who listen and obey. The question then for all of us will be: what is my response to the words of Jesus? He promises blessings to particular people in particular situations. I can moan or cry but God is not obligated to do anything for me unless and until I align with the conditions for his blessings. 

The blessing here is the kingdom of heaven. Trust this: there is no earthly reward that can be bigger or better than this kingdom. What can the earth give you that it will not later take away from you or exchange with another thing? What eternal value can anything from the temporary earth guarantee? Unfortunately, we have listened to the lies of the devil, who has kept our focus on the earth and its deceptive wealth. If only I can look away for a moment, and see what God wants me to see, I will have access to the deep riches of God's grace available in Jesus. 

Conviction and Conclusion:

What is the key to access this kingdom? It is an admission of helplessness and total dependence on God. It leaves no room for alternatives; it is either I am all in or all out. There is no fence to sit on, because with God, you don't get to be indecisive. It is to see myself as poor; in need of God's help. It must also be the right kind of poverty, the type that is of the spirit. This flesh cannot be saved and is beyond redemption. It is the spirit that profits, as the flesh has nothing to offer. Know that God cannot use the flesh; it is the spirit that God can relate with, and that is where the hunger for God must be birthed. 

Nothing else will work. My spirit must connect to God's spirit, so that I can hear all that God wants me to hear and know. No matter how deep the experience and encounter with God goes, I can't grow out of the need for more of God. No man on this side of eternity knows all there is to know about God. We keep growing and learning, until we cross over to the other side of eternity, where we get the promised reward, which is the kingdom of heaven. I must be and do all I can to get the reward. The end makes the journey worth it. God's time of favour is here.

Peace!

Peace!

Jesus repeated his greeting: “Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I send you.” John 20:20‭-‬21 MSG

Context and Charge:

Think about the events that surrounded the words of today's extract. Someone the disciples had called Teacher and Master, someone they had seen perform several miracles, had now been killed like a common criminal. He had mentioned all these things to them in the past, but they still did not remember. Now, they heard that he had risen from the dead. Fear had gripped them and they were all locked up in a room. Are there things that cause fear in my own heart today? Are there events that I do not fully understand, and which make my heart tremble? The One who spoke here is still speaking today, and His message is PEACE. 

The passage mentions the fact that He repeated his greeting of peace. We say repetition helps memory. What I hear over and over again holds my heart in place. I also note that the One who speaks here is qualified to dispense that which he pronounced. How can anyone promise you peace when s/he does not have it? You can't give what you don't have. You then have to ask: "Of all the things on the minds of the disciples, why was it peace that He mentioned first, and left with them?" I believe that if I have peace, I have the greatest treasure in the world. 

Conviction and Conclusion:

The people of this world will pay anything to secure peace, but it is not a commodity that can be purchased or secured by physical measures. When there is peace, storms can't bother me. When peace reigns in a man's heart, he might not be able to explain the calm, but he can't deny it either. Check out the world we live in now, and you will see clearly that there is no peace for anyone under the control and influence of this world's system. However, if you are able to secure God's kind of peace, you are set free from the world's expectations or limitations, and you can serve as best as you can, with the wisdom, strength and grace supplied by the One who gives peace.

Jesus pronounced peace before he gave out the commission or assignment. I dare not launch out to work without being sure of who is backing me up. Before I claim I am at work for the Lord who speaks here, have I settled the question of my content, composition and character? Have I received the place that God alone gives? I have to be sure; the world also has its own close alternatives. He is the perfect example of what works; if you don't have Him, you can't fake it. His life, words and actions aligned, provide the only template for how to obtain, keep and sustain God's approval. God is looking for people He can use; but they have to give room for his nature and nurture to take hold of their hearts. This are the times when God's heralds and messengers of peace are needed. Am I One? Has His peace done His work in and on me? God's time of favour is here. 

Like a Child!

Like a Child!

and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 18:3‭-‬4 KJV

Context and Charge:

This is not reported speech; these are the words of Jesus himself, spoken to people called his disciples. It did not matter how long the men had walked with Jesus, if they did not get it right, they would not end right. As it was then, so is it now. I must not be so concerned about what people say or do, but about my walk with God. There are too many things fighting for attention around me, seeking to hold my heart and mind. I note that what holds my heart controls my life. If it is not God, it will not end like God. What is use of a life that does not obtain eternal life? 

There is a conversion, context and condition that must happen if I will have access to where Jesus is. He speaks about a conversion experience that must happen. Whatever it was I thought was right, I must be converted to the things that Jesus considers important. The state to be in is that of a little child; believes all s/he is told, does not argue, and looks forward to all that is ahead, no matter how uncertain. Have I been converted, or do I see myself as indispensable and irreplaceable? What God says I need must align with what I seek.

Conviction and Conclusion:

So, whatever it is that I may have achieved, or the mighty things I may have amassed, or the value others have placed on me, I must humble myself before God. I must not wait for Him to do the humbling, because it is usually massive. That is why it is first my responsibility before I can claim the benefits. For those who have dealt with little children, you see very clearly that they don't see colour, race, creed or religion. They just want to be and have friends. It is age and experience that give us our inconsistencies. Does this describe me in any way?

Remember, the prize is life eternal with God, and the price to pay is humility and a child-like heart and mind. Humility is telling God that you do not matter anywhere outside of Him, and that all you are, have and do are because of Him. How would God not honour a faith and life like that? I must do away with pretence and hypocrisy, as well as a life of pride. God cannot be deceived by the external; He knows me even more than I know myself. He will take care of me, if I align with his demands. God's time of favour is here. 

Portion!

Portion!

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Psalms 73:26 NIV

The world is indeed a strange place. We live in a world where men scheme to take advantage of all that the world has to offer yet think that they can enjoy its provisions without consequences. You want to take off the world, and yet do not want to pay the price the world will demand for its provisions. There is a system and style to the world, and anyone who seeks to enjoy it must play by its rules. That is the focus of the passage from which today's extract is taken. Asaph took stock, looking at the seeming prosperity of the wicked and the arrogant, and wondered why it seemed that they prospered. It was as if God just turned a blind eye to their wickedness and allowed them to get away with anything. That same feeling is still relevant today, as we consider the spate and scope of evil around us. You may wonder: 'where is God in all these'? 

Asaph got the answer, and part of the answer lies in the words around today's extract: 'Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you'. When evil seems to be popular, I am reminded of the eternal presence of God, and the fact that He alone is eternal. When men scheme and plot their way to get what they do not deserve, or even what they deserve, but in an evil way, I am reminded of the ever-present help of God for all who dare wait for Him. This is where it gets hard: it is not always convenient to wait for God; he sometimes appears slow, or hard to please, but evidence and available accounts all point to the wisdom and sovereignty of God, and the fact that nothing actually happens without His permission. 

When I have that clear understanding, it will keep me from fretting unnecessarily. People may do evil and seemingly get away with it, but if I know who this God is, and who I am in Him, I do not have to fret over things I do not understand. No matter what I own or hold on to now, it is temporary. All physical possessions belong to this earth and will perish with this earth. The body I have been given grows old every day, and one day, it will return to the dust from which it was taken. The human heart is a machine, pumping the lifeblood all through the body and keeping things ticking, but like all machines, if it works long enough, one day, it will simply stop working. in light of these, I have to focus on that which will outlast this physical earth and all that it has, and only God fits that description. He has to be the one and only consideration that matters.

Today's extract calls him my portion forever. What is a portion: as a noun, it means part of a whole, and as a verb, it means to divide something into parts. Either way, God is awesome. He has given me a part of himself to carry around, so that everywhere I step into, I represent Him. I am His eyes, ears, feet, hands and heart, and as long as I am in this physical body, God has to be apparent in me. I am a part of His whole, a reflection of his complete nature. If I know this, why should the schemes of men bother me? If I know that God is my portion, I have all that I need for life and Godliness. Even when all that God places in me: heart and flesh fail, due to the passage of time, the timeless God in me is sufficient, and He will bring me to the place He has prepared for me. This is my confidence in this new year: God is enough for me. Is He for you? God's time of favour is here.   

No Fear!

No Fear!

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity or cowardice or fear, but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of sound judgment and personal discipline [abilities that result in a calm, well-balanced mind and self-control]. 2 Timothy 1:7 AMP

Context and Charge:

It is a settled matter that when I came to the personal knowledge of Jesus as Lord and Saviour, I received something from God. God does not save a man and leave him the same way He met the man; there is an impact on the life of that man. That impact is personalised by the presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of that man. God also does not give man that which he is not or what He does not have; He can only give of Himself and His nature. My first assignment then from today's extract is to define with certainty that which I hold or have come to know. Is it that which God ordains and is able to sustain? 

Why is it important for me to confirm what I hold is the real deal? It is because the days of testing and proving are coming; all that I claim to have will be tested. If I claim to be a child of God, the devil will test that truth in my life. He will bring situations that will make me doubt if God is indeed in charge of my life and the things that happen to me. God does not give a spirit of fear, because He does not have fear. He is the Fear of Israel, that the entire creation must fear. You also look at the capacity, ability and capability of God to do all that he has said, and you know of a truth that this is a God of absolute power. 

Conviction and Conclusion:

God does not joke with his nature or gifts and does not leave me high and dry. He does not meet me and leave me empty; He fills me up with what I need for the work He needs to get done in and through me. Check out what He gives: power, love and sound judgement and personal discipline. Check out the jword AND connecting them all together. He will not give me one and deny me the others; His Spirit in me gives me all of these attributes. I also note that what I need for personal, emotional, spiritual, financial and all other kinds of impact are supplied by the Spirit. Nothing is missing for all of life and Godliness. 

Of course, the end goal is both earthly impact and eternal life. God does not do wastage; He gives me all of Himself to profit by, both down here on earth and in eternity. His giving of His Spirit is the expression of His love, care and concern for me. He knows that I will not survive on my own, and that nothing of me can help me succeed at the work. Depending on my circle of influence or bank account balance amounts to foolishness; they cannot save on the day of God's wrath. The work is God's, and only that which is God's can help me make a success of the work. God's time of favour is here.