Month: March 2016

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In The Beginning God….

10th March

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Genesis 1:1

Genesis chapter 1 verse 1 is probably one of the most contested verses in scripture by atheists and Christians alike. Yet if we look back even just 500 years, it was more than probable that this verse was taken as literal as when the writer of Genesis wrote it. Sadly, many have deviated from the truth that it is God who created the world and all that is in it and not some cosmic improbable collision of atoms that just happened by chance. Doubting the truth that God indeed made all creation, puts into doubt our purpose on this earth and our value as created beings by an amazing Creator God.

If we are to assume that we are all one big accident, then how can we possibly live with any morals at all? What defines our decisions? What about feelings, emotions and personalities? Yes, evolutionists, agnostics and atheists all have fantastical and eloquent textbook answers to those questions, yet why do we need to look further than Bible for our answers. The truth written thousands of years ago, far precedes that of modern ideology and ‘THEORY’. The simple yet incredibly deep truth is clear for all to see, read and live in; GOD created everything.

We are individually designed with a plan and a purpose to be world changers, life givers and beacons of Jesus’ love for humanity on this earth. We are made in the very image of our God. We have His attributes. We carry His anointing. We bear His Name as sons and daughters of His family. We don’t have to settle for the world’s cheap image of chance and evolutionary progress. We have been designed and exist to be in relationship with God Himself.

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A Rich And Satisfying Life

9th March

“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

John 10:10

Jesus came to the earth to destroy the works of the enemy and replace them with life: life in all its fullness. The enemy, as the Apostle Peter describes, is a roaring lion, prowling around seeking someone to devour. His tactics are aggressive with only one purpose. To stop us entering Jesus’ green pastures and trying to deceive us with lies of promises that he can offer things better than God can offer. Yet there is good news. We can stand firm in truth against his schemes and lies because Jesus has defeated the enemy. Instead of surrendering to the enemy’s schemes and lies, we can resist and choose the path Jesus has set out for us. We can walk in the truth and in God’s purposes for us and enjoy a ‘rich and satisfying life’.

Richness and satisfaction are not simply materialistic pleasures but rather a lifestyle of living in God’s blessings, in God’s great joy and in His acceptance of us. Today we can have a ‘rich and satisfying life’ without necessarily being physically wealthy but by being Spiritually rich. We can access the best of all God has for us, because we are His children and His beloved. May you enjoy the benefits of a rich and satisfying life, bringing glory and honour to Jesus with in all you do.

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The Lord Empowers

8th March

“Use whatever gift you’ve received for the good of one another so that you can show yourselves to be good stewards of God’s grace in all its varieties. If you’re called upon to talk, speak as though God put the words in your mouth; if you’re called upon to serve others, serve as though you had the strength of God behind you. In these ways, God may be glorified in all you do through Jesus the Anointed, to whom belongs glory and power, now and forever. Amen.”

1 Peter 4:10-11

(The Voice Translation)

We can only love because we have been loved first. We can only forgive because we have been greatly forgiven. Likewise, we can only serve because God has equipped us with the tools to serve Him. In today’s verse we discover that God is the One who gives us good gifts so that we can serve Him fully with our lives and so that He can be glorified. Peter encourages His readers, that if we are given gifts, we shouldn’t hide them or bury them until Jesus comes back (much like the parable of the Talents in Matthew 25). Rather we should invest them into His kingdom so that His Kingdom can grow and so that God may be glorified.

Today let us be encouraged that if God has given us gifts, then as Peter says, do it as if God is right there with you. If you are to give an encouraging word to someone as a friend, as a stranger or as part of a message from a pulpit, do it as if God is whispering in your ear the words to say. If you are to serve, do it as if your hands are intertwined with God’s. It is only when God is at the center and is the purpose of you using your gifts, that He can be glorified and that your gifts will be most useful for His Kingdom. Go with Kingdom power and serve the One who has given you life!

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Above All, Love

7th March

“Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay.”

1 Peter 4:8-9

We are radically and unconditionally loved by our amazing Heavenly Father. His love for us truly does cover a multitude of our sins. Likewise, we too are commanded to love others in the same way. We are commanded to love each other with a deep love. This deep love does not just love with words or emotion, it doesn’t just turn the other cheek when faced with in-justice, it doesn’t keep quiet nor does it remain ambiguous. This deep love is an action.

Jesus didn’t just love us with words to make us feel good. He loved by laying down His life for us, by healing the sick and the poor, and spending time with those society rejected. Even on the cross, in His dying breath, Jesus exuded love when He asked the Father to forgive His murderers.

Friends may we too remember that love is not just in ‘knowing’, or in ‘saying’ but is shown through our actions. It is love, as Peter says, that is most important of all. As we are filled more and more each day with the knowledge of how much God loves us, may that knowledge challenge and inspire us to love others with that same love we have been loved with.

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Persevering Through Persecution

5th & 6th March

Weekend Edition

“Of course, your former friends are surprised when you longer plunge into the flood of wild and destructive things as they do. So they slander you.”

1 Peter 4:4

Have you noticed that since you accepted Christ in your heart’s, the things that used to give you satisfaction are no longer appealing, or that even your ‘so called friends’ have abandoned you? It is not that you have become ‘boring’, it’s just that you no longer find pleasure in the things they do such as, as Peter lists, feasting and drunkenness, immorality and lust, wild parties and even the worship of idols (whatever form that may take). When Christ enters our lives, He transforms our hearts to love the things He loves and hate the things He hates (SIN).

Yet sometimes hating sin, comes at a cost. Standing up for truth has a price. As we discussed yesterday and as Peter talks about in chapter 4, it may come at a physical price. But sometimes persecution also comes from people whom you once called ‘friends’; When you start taking a stand and saying you don’t want to get drunk anymore, sleep around, take this or that drug, or even go to places that you may have used to go to. Yet standing up for truth, standing up for righteousness and honouring God has so many blessings.

Peter encourages the persecuted churches in his time but also today’s readers, that when we are faced with all kinds of persecution, we must not be defeated but know that we will be blessed! “If you are insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.” (verse 14). Peter finally finishes chapter 4 with these wonderful words “..and trust your lives to the God who created you, for He will never fail you!” We may not know why God allows the suffering of His people, but what we do know is, that God will never fail us. May we joyful in our hearts in times of peace and persecution, knowing that through our suffering, we share in the glory of Christ. May we know that even thorough our suffering, He is still with us.

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Obedience When It Costs Your Life

4th March

“He went on a little farther and bowed with His face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine.””

Matthew 26:39

Recently a video was released of the Christian persecution in Nigeria amidst the political unrest there. Sadly it showed some Christians that were beaten to unconsciousness and burnt in front of an extremely hateful crowd. The cost of following Christ regrettably ended their earthly lives in an in-human and barbaric fashion but gave them eternal life in Heaven. Sadly, our brothers and sisters in Nigeria are not only ones facing persecution for following and being obedient to Christ. Across the world, many face being beaten to death for following Jesus. Yet this is not some recent fad, it has been happening throughout history; no more so than in Jesus’ time.

Jesus Himself, knew the cost of what it meant to be obedient to His Father. He knew it would cost Him His life. He knew that by being obedient to what the Father commanded Him to do, not only would He have to carry the weight of all of humanities sins on His shoulders, but His own life would become the sacrificial Lamb, taking the punishment for our sins upon Himself. So great was the weight of His task that Jesus actually sweat blood. However, Jesus’ next words were remarkable and one which stand as a precedent throughout history…. “Yet not by will by Yours!”.

Jesus’ unwavering obedience to the Father and His insatiable love for us, took Him to the cross, where sacrificially He gave up His life for us, so that we may be forgiven and restored. Remarkably, although the cost was great to bear, Jesus counted it His joy to lay down His life. Let us remember that being obedient, although sometimes hard and the cost great, is our joy. It is our joy to say YES to Jesus. It is our joy to live obedient lives. May we all find joy today and forevermore, as we gladly live our lives in obedience to our Master.

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Obedience When The Consequences Are Unknown

3rd March

““But Lord,” exclaimed Ananias, “I’ve heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorised by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon Your name!””

Acts 9:13-14

Paul, formerly known as Saul, was notorious for his zealous hatred of ‘the way’ and for ‘Christians’ before his conversion. In fact Saul, was there at Stephen’s murder giving his approval. It was by Saul’s hand that many Christians were persecuted and more would have been if Jesus had not revealed Himself to Saul on the road to Damascus. Putting it lightly, Saul had a bad reputation..! He was a scary figure and a man most feared. Yet straight after his conversion, Jesus had other plans for him.

Recuperating from his life changing encounter with Jesus at Judas’ house, Saul had a vision from God about a man named Ananias who was commissioned to lay hands on him and heal his temporary blindness. Little did Saul know of the conversation between Ananias and God prior to his vision.

Ananias must have thought he was being asked to go into a lion’s den. To go to Saul, a man with a ferocious reputation, who most probably had, or at least gave his blessing to, many of Ananias’ brothers, sisters and friends murders, was probably in Ananias’ eyes, madness. Yet Ananias in obedience, put his own feelings to one side, laid down his worries and completely trusted in God and did what was asked of him.

Sometimes, the things God asks of us may seem like great mountains to climb and great burdens to bear, but we can rest assure that God will never ask something of us, that He will not help us do. Being obedient to God is part of our Spiritual walk with Jesus, and helps us grow in our relationship with Him. Just think, if Ananias didn’t obey God, would Saul have ever made such a big impact for Christ on this earth…?

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Obedience When It Hurts..

2nd March

“But Elisha sent a messenger out to him with this message: “Go and wash yourself seven times in the Jordan River. Then your skin will be restored, and you will be healed of your leprosy.” But Naaman became angry and stalked away. “I thought he would certainly come out to me!” he said. “I expected him to wave his hand over the leprosy and call on the name of the Lord his God and heal me!””

1 Kings 5:10-11

Naaman was a great commander, an Aramean General. Through him, God had given Aram many great victories. However, he had a disease, leprosy. Desperate for a cure, he traveled to the King of Israel to heal him from his leprosy. From there, he travelled to Elisha the prophet. Interestingly, Naaman had with him 750 pounds of silver, 150 pounds of gold, and ten sets of fine clothing. He wanted to show the wealth of his King and his expectation was that money could buy his healing.

Instead, God through Elisha commanded Naaman to go and wash 7 times in the Jordan River. Yet this was not what Naaman wanted to hear. He wanted Elisha to wave his hands and heal his sickness. Perhaps Naaman had heard of Elisha’s previous miracles..? After much discussion with his officers, who advised him to listen to Elisha, Naaman was finally obedient and went to the Jordan and dipped himself in the river 7 times. Surely enough he was healed and went back to Elisha declaring that Elisha’s God was the one true God and that he would never again worship or offer burnt sacrifices to another god again.

‘Suppose Naaman had dipped himself in the Jordan only six times. He would have remained a leper. God gave specific instructions, and the healing came by obeying down to the exact number.’1 We too are faced with the same challenge, to obey God even when we don’t understand, even when it’s hard and even when it’s not what we expect we should do! We must remember that God’s actions are ‘not bound by out expectations, and His manner of working always remains His choice’2. Our job is to obey! God always knows best.

1David Jeremiah: Daily Devotions, 9th January 2016

2Everyday Men’s Bible, PG 505 NLT version