The Message!

The Message!

Romans 1:16 AMPC

[16] For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,

Paul was writing to the church in Rome, and he was referring to people who are loved by God, and called to be His Holy people. That distinction is very important, because it lays the groundwork for the rest of the letter that Paul wrote to the church in Rome. The focus of the letter started from the fundamental foundation of our faith, which is the death and resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Without that being a reality, our faith is in vain and our walk and work with and for God will be a waste of time. Paul refers to the Gospel of God, which is the good news about Jesus, the son of God. Think of the love of God that could make Him freely offer up Himself as an offering for sin, not because the people now deserved it, but because of the many that would come to accept the offering and put their total trust in Him. God considered the pain and hurt as worth it, even if it was one person who came to believe. That is the good news of Jesus. 

This Gospel is all about Christ. There will be many channels and vessels that God will use to pass on the good news of Jesus to other people, but I must never forget the focus and message behind the good news, who is Jesus Himself. By Him, I have life eternal to look forward to. By Him, my past is forgiven and forgotten, and a new path to life has been laid out and secured for me. By Him, I walk in His steps and I am in line to also inherit after Him. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that is at work in all who have come to accept the sacrifice of the cross. Anyone who has tasted of the power of resurrection will not settle for anything else or anything less than the original. It is also very dangerous, after having partaken of the power and grace, to then turn back from following Jesus. This is apostasy, and we know from the bible that God will not be pleased with anyone involved with that. 

If you lose the essence of salvation, what else of eternal value have you got? This is the clear message in the verse above. Having tasted it, Paul knew the value of what he had now received. If someone has impacted your life and changed the trajectory of your journey to eternity, you will want to tell the world about it. The same Paul, writing to Titus, his son in the faith, that the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. God has made an offer to the world, so that His judgment can be right and fair. The power of resurrection has not lost its effect, impact or range. As it was then, so is it now. There is an end to all that we see or have now. A day will soon come that will mark the end of the earthly journey of salvation and the start of the heavenly reward of eternal redemption. It is a personal encounter with Jesus, and it does not matter what your origins are, or your tribal leanings; just make sure that your path leads you to Christ so that you are eternally secure. God's time of favour is here.

The Right Fear!

The Right Fear!

Proverbs 1:7 AMPC

[7] The reverent and worshipful fear of the Lord is the beginning and the principal and choice part of knowledge [its starting point and its essence]; but fools despise skillful and godly Wisdom, instruction, and discipline.

There are two definitions of fear that relate to the verse under review today. The first one is: "an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm". This one is the usual and the normal that the world is familiar with. There are a lot of situations and experiences that man will go through that will raise the emotion of fear, and these could range from sickness, job losses, economic situations, and even the reality of death could trigger fear in anyone. This is the natural reaction for all men born of women, and there is no medicine or process that will rid the natural man of this fear, unless he has the right kind of help. It is also a waste of time to encourage the natural man not to fear, because you have to replace the contents of a man's heart with another viable alternative. Nature abhors a vacuum; a man's heart cannot be free of influence and control at any time. I am either being guided by my human nature, or being led by the Spirit of God. It cannot be neither. 

The story of the man Jesus spoke about in Matt. 12: 43-45 also applies here: [43] When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. [44] Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. [45] Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. What these verses make clear is that one's house can never be empty. As I spend time taking care of the contents of my heart, I am building up the right defence for the day of attack. And the day that a demand will be placed on the contents of my heart will definitely come. When the squeeze comes, what else would my heart produce, except that which I have spent time storing up. I have to pay attention to anyting that seeks to leave an impression, because it will have earthly and eternal consequences.

This is where the second definition of fear is very relevant here, which is: "a mixed feeling of dread and reverence". This is the definition that we all need to pay attention to, because it is a good version of fear. It reminds me of the One to whom the feeling is directed, and only One person deserves it. You cannot fear God and man the same way. The fear of man will  always lead to dread, but the fear of God will birth both dread and reverence. You get a good balance of the knowledge of God, the One called the Lion of Judah, but also the Lamb of God. He is called the Man of War, as well as the Good Shepherd. To fear this God is the right kind of fear, because it helps me to know the right way to relate with Him. He wants me make an approach, but in His terms and not mine. He also supplies all that i need for my walk with Him; He does not leave me to fend for myself. Anyone who will thrive in life must have the right kind of fear. To have any other kind is foolishness. Which one do you have? God's time of favour is here.

Only One!

Only One!

Matthew 18:12 KJV

[12] How think ye? if a man have an hundred sheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

As we saw yesterday, Jesus used parables to teach His disciples about the principles and practices of His Kingdom. These parables give us insights into the heart of God, and His dealings with man, His creation. The first thing that comes to mind as I read the verse above is that God is described as a shepherd in charge of a specific number of sheep. He knows all the sheep by name, temperament, size or whatever classification you want to lay down, because that is the only way He would know when even one is missing. In another lesson for the disciples, He called Himself the Good Shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep. Just picture the attention to detail, the careful consideration of each sheep, the personal touch for each sheep that God has. It is this careful thought that makes it clear that nothing can happen to me without His permission. 

One sheep may walk away by choice or by distraction, but we see here that even when that happens, the love of the shepherd does not wane or expire. He would not let go; he will not give up. He will not let the sheep end up in the ditch somewhere or get eaten up by lions or other predators. He knows me by my name, and He knows where I am at all times. Even when I pursue my own selfish interests, and want to have my own way, He will not give up on me. He will not hand me over to the devil to be punished: that is not how His love works. Sometimes, the consequence of my action may be hard to swallow, but I must not mistake consequence for abandonment. Pain does not always mean the absence of God; it could just be God's dealings with me, as He prepares me for even greater exploits, or just to be able to provide support and succour to another person who may also walk the path I have walked. 

With God, no experience is wasted. He cannot and does not and will not abandon His own, unless the person decides to reject God's love to the end. There is no past so dirty that the love of God cannot redeem. There is no present so terrible that the love of God cannot resolve. In and by Him, the future is secure, because only IN Him is there a guarantee of eternal security. He makes sure the other sheep, all ninety nine of them, are safe, and goes in search of the one that is lost. He does not mind the effort, time and labour that are expended; searching through the mountains is itself dangerous, yet this good shepherd would not give up easily. I cannot be easily forgotten; I am engraved on the palm of His hand, and nothing can snatch me out of His hand. I must ensure I remain in place, IN Him, and not seek any excitement outside of Him. The world will devour, and the devil's mission is to steal, kill and destroy. He is looking for you; surrender your life to Him and watch Him do mighty things with your life. God's time of favour is here.

Hear! Hear!

Hear! Hear!

Mark 4:9 AMPC

[9] And He said, He who has ears to hear, let him be hearing [and let him consider, and comprehend].

The verse above comes up in the early part of the earthly ministry of Jesus. He had chosen His disciples, and by this time, a few miracles were already done. Jesis was both popular and hated by so many people, depending on who you were speaking to at that moment. He had a crowd following Him everywhere He went. However, one thing stood out in all His teachings and engagements: He would speak about the standards of the kingdom of which he was Lord, and which He had come to make known to the people. The message about the kingdom was quite central, and we see it in the chapter from which the verse above is taken. Jesus used pictoral representations in parables to teach both His disciples and the crowd that followed Him everywhere about what was required from all who would be a part of the kingdom. As it was then, so is it now. The expectations have not changed, and the standards have not been lowered. 

Same God, same kingdom, same message. The parable of the power and the mustard seed laid out in this same chapter teaches us about the right response to the infallible and indefatigable Word of God. There is no doubt about the impact and capacity of the Word of God to cause change, but there is a power given to man to define what he wants, how he wants it, and when he wants it. Man cannot control God's timing, but he has been given the power to choose how to respond to God's dealings. In every generation or dispensation, God has consistently sent reminders and pointers to His power and might, but He does not force Himself on anyone, and He will not go against the exercise of your freewill. He wants man to come to Him of his freewill, because man has seen love like no other. If I am compelled, it is likely that when the choice comes to walk away when things get tough, I will definitely walk away. It has to come from my heart if it will last. 

This is the power of the message of the verse above. Just after the verse above, Jesus goes further to charge His disciples to be careful of what they hear. He made it clear that the measure of thought and study that you give to the truth you hear will also be the measure of virtue and knowledge that comes back to you. This means that I have a duty to be careful of what I allow to make an impression upon my heart. My ears are one of the channels by which an impact can be made. Is it not quite interesting that Jesus also says: He who has an ear should hear, and also be subject to constant hearing so that he can understand what God's demands are. This is important for all who seek God's style of impact: God is always speaking. He makes His will clear, and one day soon, all of us will give an account of what we have done with His instructions. May I not end up in judgement. God's time of favour is here.

Consecrated!

Consecrated!!

1 Chronicles 29:5B NIV

[5] Now, who is willing to consecrate themselves to the Lord today?”

As you read the chapter from where the verse above is taken, we see David laying a legacy of praise for Solomon. We also see the power of generational impact and legacies. David knew his time as king would soon be up, and he needed to preserve the truths he had learned and applied to his own life, and pass them on to the next generation. It is important to also apply this to myself. What am I storing up for the ones coming after you? I must be very deliberate about making an impact in the world I have been placed in, and ensure that I do this in the light of eternity. This point is very relevant as we consider that this chapter ended the book of 1 Chronicles as well as the reign of king David. The very next chapter starts with the settled reign of king Solomon. I have to keep this truth right in front of me: no matter who I am today or what I have put together or acquired, one day, there will be a changing of the guard. 

Solomon was young and inexperienced, but it did not stop God from making him king. We read of Josiah, who was 8 years old when he became king. Let no one think that s/he has time to still serve God in the future. The best time to find and serve God is today. We count in days, months and years, but God deals in encounters. He is not limited by time, space or circumstances, yet He will use the familiar to give awesome encounters of His power, grace and mercy. As many as will seek Him will get diverse experiences and encounters that will entrench their faith in Him. That is why the verse above is critical to the message for us today: God is waiting to do amazing things in our lives, but He will not force Himself on anyone, or go against the exercise of my freewill. This is why the verse above asks a question; not laying it down as a law. Surrender cannot be forced on this side of eternity. It has to come from the heart. 

Consecration is the 'act or process of officially making something holy and able to be used for religious ceremonies'. Just as David made a call to the people in the verse above, using his own personal life as an example of accountability, sacrifice and total submission to God, so does the call again go out today. What would you do for God, but even more importantly, how would you do it for God. To offer what is holy is to holy. I cannot offer what is holy from an altar that is defiled. Am I willing to consecrate yourself to God and His work? It is my relationship with God first, and then all I do for Him and His house. Would I seek to beautify His house with my endowments and gifts? Is there anything I consider so precious that I think I cannot give up? May nothing on this earth be so precious to me that it will deny me eternity with God. I am not given forever on this side of eternity. We have a time limit to do our best for God, and then we depart for our eternal home. Before that call comes, pour yourself into the place where you have been planted. God's time of favour is here. 

On Guard!

 On Guard!

Mark 13:33 AMPC

[33] Be on your guard [constantly alert], and watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come.

The disciples of Jesus had seen the amazing structures of the temple, and they were impressed. As it was then, so is it now. It is a teatament to man's intellect and ingenuity that we see the beautiful structures and discoveries that man has made through the years. We have moved from walking on foot to travelling by air. We have transited from the times of medieval darkness to almost uninterrupted power and Internet supply. Journeys that would have taken months are now completed in hours, and I can speak with anyone on the face of the earth at any time. These are amazing testimonials to the power of God revealed through the intellect and application of man, yet I am also reminded that no matter how good things are now, it would still change if the Lord tarries long enough. It is this understanding that underpins our reflection today, as we consider the verse above  and the answers that Jesus gave to the concerns raised by His disciples. 

The chapter from where the verse above is taken addressed the concerns of the disciples around the beauty and splendor of the temple and its surroundings. However, the response of Jesus, as laid out in the verse above teaches us a few lessons, and the first one is that whatever I see now is temporary. It does not matter how long it has been in place, or how effective it is. As long as it belongs to the earth, it will go the way of the earth, which, as Jesus said quite clearly, will be destroyed by fire. This tells me that I cannot hold on to anything down here without keeping an eye on what is permanent. I enjoy what the earth has to offer, but I also remind myself that I am on a journey to a permanent home. I buy things to use down here, but I take care not to become enslaved or defined by them. The things I own are tools for the furtherance of God's work, and not for the promotion of my own selfish interests. 

The verse above enjoins me to watch and pray because I cannot be too careful. I watch so that I can observe what is going on around me, and I also pray so that I can get the right understanding of what I have observed, and to know the right thing to do at every stage in life. The men of Issachar were few, but it was said of them that they understood the times and knew what Israel ought to do. The usual way of doing things will not work anymore, because the challenges of these times call for a different approach. One day soon, there will be an irreversible shaking, and the things you thought you knew and were familiar with, will change. I must be prepared for all that is coming, but I can be sure that the coming of the Son of God will happen. The only way to be ready the right way is to be with the Way, the Truth and the Life. In and by Him will I have all that I need for this life, as well as the one coming. God's time of favour is here.

Treasure!

Treasure!

Matthew 13:44 NIV

[44] “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

The entire chapter from which the verse above is taken is full of parables of Jesus about the kingdom of God. These parables are pictoral representations of the principles and practices of the kingdom, and what the ruler of that kingdom demands from all its loyal subjects. Please note that this is a kingdom in which you cannot do as you please. You are free to come in and leave as many times as you want to, but the problem is that there is no standing guarantee that you will be able to make it back in at anytime you desire. It is an open door, yet with a clearly indeterminate closing time, which will happen either by physical death or at rapture. You want to be a part of that kingdom before either of these events occurs. Therefore, I have to learn and personalise what the desire and demand of this kingdom are, so that I can pattern my life accordingly. 

I also note that the kingdom has value. It is because it is governed by the One who owns the heavens and the earth, and all the riches therein. I note from the verse above that the treasure in the field had to be found, either by digging or searching for it. The verse above says the treasure was hidden in a field. The field would not have been small, which means the man who found it had to do some work. This is why he would appreciate the value of what he found, and would sell all he had in order to secure the field. Have I made an attempt to search out the treasures that are in God? Do I even know the value of what Christ has delivered into my hand? Am I just content to fold my arms and just coast on, safe in the assumption that I am fine, even if everyone one around me isn't? Or have I even come to surrender my life to Him, so that i can enjoy the riches that are IN Him? 

There is a reason why work is critical to the kingdom of God. God could have made us robots, incapable of emotions or feelings, and we would be subject to Him, whether we wanted to or not. He gave us the power to choose to love Him of our own accord. We would come to see Him for who He is, and then put our complete trust in Him. This is the summary of the treasure available in Christ, and I must do all I can to secure it. There is nothing else this world can give me that will be adequate compensation for the loss of this treasure. There is nothing down here that even comes close to reward for not getting the treasure of the kingdom of God. That is why there is a digging or searching, then a finding, a hiding, then a selling, and finally, a buying or a securing. All these steps are very important. Seek the treasure in God, and if you give up all you have now that are of no eternal value, in order to secure that which you can never lose, it would be great value indeed. God's time of favour is here.