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What if I am wrong about it all?

I recently read a very compelling social media post about a dream someone had about the rapture. At the end of the post, the writer added, “I could be wrong about all of this but what if I’m not?” to which someone commented “You are right. You could be wrong about all this. And you probably are.” Ouch! such an anticlimactic ending to a great message of repentance and salvation.

For a few years now I have been saying the exact same thing though. I tell people it is better to have served God and go into eternity only to realize that it was all for naught than to get to the other side of life and find out that the bible and everything in it was the real deal! But as I reflect on the comment to the post and on my own statement, I recognize that it is very defeatist. It most certainly does not inspire confidence in anything and anyone; certainly not in the God who made the whole world and in His word which is the only truth in this world where everybody is encouraged to find and speak their truth.

As I reflect, the scripture that comes to mind is

So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. Hebrews 10:35 NIV

The entire chapter (Hebrews 10) summarizes salvation and the hope we have in Christ. God in his infinite wisdom knew that there would come a day when I would ponder over my life and this message of salvation and will waver in my hope and so He prepared in advance an encouragement not to throw away my confidence.  God admonishes from his Word:

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Hebrews 10:22 NLT

I need to hold on to the hope I profess of an eternity living and loving in the presence of God when my life on earth is over. I am not wrong about it all. I cannot waver. And the reason I am not wrong is that God can be trusted to keep his promise! He has promised me that obeying Him and serving Him and living for Him here on this earth will be rewarded. He has promised me eternal life and He will keep His promise. That is the confidence I have.

My encouragement as we come to the end of a year and a decade is this: hold on to your faith, to the hope you profess. Do not throw away your confidence or downplay it. It will be richly rewarded.

Yours truly.

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For I know the plans I have for you….

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jer 29: 11 NIV

This scripture has brought comfort to many Christians (myself included) during times of uncertainty. Many times I have prayed this scripture when things happen in my life and I cannot explain them or when I am earnestly asking God for a special blessing, I remind Him from this scripture that his plans are to prosper me and give me a future and a hope.

Over the past few weeks, however, I have had the privilege of thinking about this scripture a little more deeply when I heard it quoted at the memorial service of a Christian young man who died very unexpectedly. The question was posed: “Was this God’s plan?” As I pondered the question, a very unusual answer came to me in the form of another question: “What is the future and hope God promises?”

If our hope in Christ is for this life alone, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ, all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ the firstfruits; then at His coming, those who belong to Him. 1 Cor 15: 19-23 BSB

As Christians, our hope and future are not of this world. Our hope, our future, our glory, and crown are in the fact that when our life is over in this world, we will stand victorious before the King of kings, Our God and Saviour Jesus Christ in the next world. If you have made Jesus the  Lord and Saviour of your life then you have a hope and a future and that is God’s plan for you. It is God’s desire that everyone is saved and comes to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2: 4 BSB).

So what about the prosperity promised in the scripture? People have a tendency to think of prosperity only in terms of money, wealth, and possessions but Jesus describes possessions not only as earthly but also heavenly. This is why He encouraged that we store up treasures in Heaven as well. This is not to say that I have prayed amiss all these years or encouraged myself with this scripture in vain. But as God calls me to enjoy a deeper relationship with him, I have come to the realization that this scripture Jer 29: 11 is both relevant for my life here on earth and also has eternal implications. I believe that God’s plan for me here on earth is that I prosper, be in good health, be successful, be happy and be delivered from harm. This is all scriptural. But I have also come to know in these past weeks that my prosperity, my future, and my hope is eternal and it is anchored in Christ the Solid Rock on which I stand while on this earth.

Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and steadfast. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek Hebrews 6: 18-20 BSB

As we slowly come to the end of the year, the end of a decade, the question I have for you and for myself is this: “Is your future anchored on the hope that is Jesus?” For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Yours Truly.

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And lead us not into temptation

For the past month and a half, I have been mauling over this line of the Lord’s Prayer: and lead us not into temptation. How can God lead us into temptation? We know the bible says

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone. James 1:13 NIV

If God cannot tempt us then why do we need to pray that He does not lead us into temptation? The Greek translation of this verse offers some answers (as found in both Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers and Benson Commentary). The word used in the scripture is πειρασμος which includes the two words which are represented in English by “trials,” i.e., sufferings which test or try, and “temptations,” allurements on the side of pleasure which tend to lead us into evil.  This scripture does not refer to temptation (when lust meets opportunity) but rather leans more heavily on trials (the kind that is too difficult for our weakness to endure).

These trials cloaked as persecution, spiritual conflicts,  or the agony of the body or the spirit, may come to us as a test or as a discipline (Ellicott’s). Those who are conscious of their weaknesses are aware of the fact that they might fail in the  face of conflict, and therefore the cry of that conscious weakness is, “Lead us not into such trials,” even as our Lord prayed, “If it be possible, let this cup pass away from me” (Matthew 26:39).

Remember in just a few passages before in Matthew 4, Jesus had been led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted (tried). The temptations/ trials that Jesus faced were directed at those things that easily produce weaknesses in us: physical and emotional cravings, material possessions, and the desire for recognition and power. With the memory those trials in mind and because of his great love for his disciples and by extension for us, Jesus taught us to pray that we are spared those kinds of trials and temptations.

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet he did not sin. Hebrews 4:15 NIV

The answer to the prayer, and lead us not into temptation comes in three forms:  as an actual exemption from the trials, or in “a way to escape” (1Corinthians 10:13), or in strength to bear it.  God does not abandon us to our fate. He is our ever-present Shepherd who seeks our best interest in every situation. Even in the trials, there is a master plan.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,  whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1: 2-4 NIV

So trust in His plan for your life fully. Listen for His leading attentively. Watch for His ever-present hands that are reaching out for you to save you from those trials, to guide you through them,  or to comfort you as you endure them.  Remember the premise of this prayer: He is our Heavenly Father!

Yours truly.

 

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Dream Small….

The first time I heard the song titled “Dream small” by Josh Wilson, I was vexed in my spirit. These words are contrary to everything I heard as a child and to what has socialized my adulthood. You dream big… the sky is the limit.

The more I have listened to the song https://youtu.be/dOBaLrItEyc and as I reflect on the words today, I see the truths in the lyrics. As a type A overachiever, I have very big dreams and on my way to achieving these big dreams, I have experienced many incredible things: things that would be for others, the proverbial dream come true. However, with my eyes set on bigger things, I rarely stop to smell the roses. Sometimes, my gratitu-do-meter falls short as far as these incredible things are concerned.

The ten lepers had their sights set on the big dream: getting to the temple to show themselves to the priest. Only one took the time to appreciate the small steps that were to become that big dream… and because he returned to say thanks, he enjoyed a fuller life.

Life is amazing; each day is a rare gift with none unparalleled! Today, I am grateful for the small and even mundane things. Thank you Lord for the small steps; thanks for the incredible things that have happened in my life so far… and thanks for the big dream.

A glorious birthday to me…

Yours truly.

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Putting in our best

Over the past year, I have found myself in places where Christians I know are the subject of confidential and sensitive discussions in relation to their work ethics. I have often been appalled at how very often these people are described so badly and usually I am ashamed to admit that I know them.  Every time this happens though, I am humbled and I reflect on my own life and wonder “What are people saying about my work ethics behind closed doors?” “Am I putting in my best?” “Do my work ethics bring glory to God?”

We are ambassadors of the Kingdom of God here on earth and everything we do must reflect that. Our diplomatic mission is to enact the Kingdom of God in every aspect of our lives and people must see it and be able to report nothing but your good works back to the King of Heaven. 

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16 NIV

So I have no choice but to put in my very best! A few weeks ago I read something from my devotional which has stayed with me and I’d like to share it with you. It is taken from  3-Minute Devotions for Families:

Doing our best. As children, the point is driven home to us: Do your best on that test! Do your best on that team! As adults, we are still inundated with the “best” message: Give it your all at work! Be the best possible mom, dad, worker, friend, etc. you can be. It is not a bad message. Not at all.

But we have to remember that even our very best is nothing until the Spirit of God breathes life into it. Today instead of just striving, striving, striving, why not concentrate on asking God to be at the center of all you do, so that your work will be supernaturally empowered from on high.

Hope you are blessed by this!

Yours Truly.

 

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This Thing Called Choice

Recently I came across a posting for a job that I considered applying for. So many people encouraged me to apply but I wanted to hear from God and get the final green light. For days I kept praying, looking for a sign and after many days of waiting it hit me. God was not going to give me a sign! Instead, He would bless my choice like He promises in His word:

For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. Psalm 1:6 NIV

God doesn’t make the choices for us. He orders our steps; He points us in the right direction through His word (Psalm 119:105) and through the counsel of trusted men and women (Prov 15:22); He may go as far as to give us the desire of our hearts to pursue certain choices (Psalm 21:2). But God will never make that final choice for us.

Two things intrigue me about Psalm 1:6 quoted above. The first is that my choices are not automatically the right ones because I profess to love and serve God. This scripture and others in the bible emphasize that this privilege is reserved for the godly, for the righteous. I need to be in right standing with God. When I am godly, I attract the presence of the Holy God into my affairs and He comes in, rejoicing over me with singing! How can my choices be horrible when God Himself delights in all the details of my life and is excited to share my successes and joys with me?

If you do what the LORD wants, he will make certain each step you take is sure/The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Psalm 37:23 CEV/NLT

The second thing from Psalm 1:6 was the emphasis on the word way. There is a binary contrasted here: the way of the righteous and the way of the sinner. Let’s read the entire passage that culminates to this ending.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.
Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to destruction. Psalm 1:1-6 NIV

By our choices, the way in which we walk, we are either blessed or condemned. I recently heard an argument by a so-called preacher for a God that loves so much He cannot send people to hell!  Well… to that I say God does not send people to hell. People send themselves there by the choices they make. What God did for man in that regard was that He himself paid the ultimate price of death for atonement of sin for everyone. He continues to love everyone regardless of race, creed,  sexual orientation, and any other socially constructed categorization. He earnestly wills and desires that everyone will be saved (1 Tim 2: 4). What God will not do is make the choice of life everlasting or eternal damnation for anyone.

“Now listen! Today I am giving you a choice between life and death, between prosperity and disaster. Deuteronomy 30:15 NLT

There is a way that leads to life and prosperity; and one that leads to disaster and death.  And the choice is yours to make. Scripture describes the way of life as narrow – a path less trodden; a path that seems contrary to mainstream thinking; a path you might be alone on in the company of your family, your coworkers, your spouse, your friends (Matthew 7:13-14). Finding the narrow way is very easy- Jesus said I am the way to life! That’s the first choice. Now staying on/ in the way of the righteous is a series of choices that we make daily. A line in one of my favourite songs is that “every choice is an act of war”– a war to stay on the path of the righteous or to walk in the way of the wicked. The comforting news here is that God watches over the way/ path of the righteous!

So what do you choose today?

…follow the steps of the good, and stay on the paths of the righteous. Psalm 2:20 NLT

Yours Truly.

 

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Forgiven

I have done some really stupid things in my short existence here on earth… some of them I have chocked to immaturity but no matter how much I excuse others,  they have got a hook in my conscience and can bring me to a place of shame with just a fleeting thought. And yet most days, I strut about guilt-free, not carrying the weight of my careless past around. More often than not, I feel FORGIVEN. I say more often than not because there are a few days where a random event triggers memories from my past and with the memories come a twinge of condemnation. But even then, I still feel FORGIVEN.

Over the past few weeks, I have come to the realization that forgiveness is not free and should not be taken for granted. It always comes at a cost both to the forgiver and the forgiven; a cost which is manifest in expectations.

As we continue with our series on the Lord’s Prayer (sorry for the hiatus), I have had time to ponder over the next section:

Forgive us the wrongs we have done, as we forgive the wrongs that others have done to us. Matthew 6:12 GNT

Two expectations of the one who is forgiven are that:

  1. He or she does not become a repeat offender.  John 8:11: “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Now go and sin no more.” BSB. Jesus expectation of the woman caught in adultery was that having been forgiven, she’d not put herself in that position again.
  2.  He or she would replicate such forgiveness.

“Therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven can be compared to a king who decided to bring his accounts up to date with servants who had borrowed money from him. In the process, one of his debtors was brought in who owed him millions of dollars. He couldn’t pay, so his master ordered that he be sold—along with his wife, his children, and everything he owned—to pay the debt. “But the man fell down before his master and begged him, ‘Please, be patient with me, and I will pay it all.’ Then his master was filled with pity for him, and he released him and forgave his debt. “But when the man left the king, he went to a fellow servant who owed him a few thousand dollars. He grabbed him by the throat and demanded instant payment. “His fellow servant fell down before him and begged for a little more time. ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it,’ he pleaded. But his creditor wouldn’t wait. He had the man arrested and put in prison until the debt could be paid in full.“When some of the other servants saw this, they were very upset. They went to the king and told him everything that had happened. Then the king called in the man he had forgiven and said, ‘You evil servant! I forgave you that tremendous debt because you pleaded with me. Shouldn’t you have mercy on your fellow servant, just as I had mercy on you?’ Then the angry king sent the man to prison to be tortured until he had paid his entire debt.“That’s what my heavenly Father will do to you if you refuse to forgive your brothers and sisters from your heart.” Matthew 18: 23- 35 NLT

The expectation of the forgiven is that they will, in turn, become the forgivers.

Forgiveness needs to be given freely and often. It is to be given without any demands of the offender; knowing full well that the offender may require to be forgiven for similar or other offences over and over again.

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not just seven times, but seventy-seven times! Matthew 18:22 BSB

It seems like a difficult task and frankly a futile one. Why forgive with the understanding that you can be hurt again? Another lesson from weeks of pondering is that forgiveness is not easy. It is easy to say to someone who owes you money, “Don’t worry. It’s all good!” only if you can afford to do so. Cancelling another’s debt  (sin, offence, trespass is likened to debt in scripture) like the King in the story above did can only come from one place: abundance.

It is not the abundance of things that I speak of; cos life does not consist in an abundance of possession (Luke 12:15). Rather I speak of the abundant life that Jesus promises: I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10 ESV). This abundant life is the impetus for forgiveness. When God forgives you of all your wrongdoing, and you walk about guilt and condemnation-free, that’s winning the lottery of abundant life! You’ve got it good. You’ve been made and so you can afford to freely cancel other’s debt.

That’s not even the best part. The best part is that as we forgive others, God forgives us too. For those who love science, that’s a positive feedback loop! The more you forgive, the more you are forgiven and the more you are forgiven, the more you forgive. It sounds glamorous, I know, but forgiveness is far from glamorous. It is painstakingly difficult.

The reality of it all is this: To whom much is given, much is expected. The expectation of the forgiven is to become a forgiver. And if there’s anyone who has been forgiven much it is me! And so for me, forgiveness is not a choice. It is God’s expectation of me. And I know I can count on God’s spirit to fill me abundantly with His love and grace in my time of dryness so I can graciously forgive as God has forgiven me.

Give me this day my daily bread, O God,  so out of my abundance of love, and grace, and truth, and mercy, I can confidently say to those who offend me, “Don’t worry. It’s all good!

Yours Truly.

 

Picture from Clear Sky Group. (2018, November 23). The importance of forgiveness in recovery. Retrieved from https://clearskyibogaine.com/the-importance-of-forgiveness-in-recovery/

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This is who I am…

A couple of months ago I was having a conversation with my mentor and I made the statement ” this is who I am” and after a few minutes of listening to me go on and on about “who I am” she said something to the effect of , “the beauty of life is that we can change” (paraphrase). Her statement stopped me in my tracks and I have pondered over it for the past few months.

I have great pride in the fact that I know who I am. I know what my favourite things are, I know what makes me happy, I am conscientious of my values and of things that I will/ will not do. As I thought some more about all the things that I know, I realized what the problem with the statement “this is who I am” is…

There is nothing wrong with knowing who I am but it is more important that I know who I am in Christ. If I purport to live a surrendered life, then my identity should be rooted in Christ and therefore malleable to His will. As I am conformed to Christ’s likeness, who I am also needs to be conformed.

I frequently quote the scripture, I am a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that I may declare the praises of him who called me out of darkness into his wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9 NIV emphasis mine). This means that who I am is for God’s praises and therefore my identity cannot be static. Transformation and a renewal of my mind are needed often.

I came across a scripture recently that got me thinking about this some more:

A person’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand their own way? Proverbs 20:24 NIV

As I surrender every part of me to God’s will, He directs my steps. And as He directs my steps and I lose a part of “me” in the process and become like Him. This means the more I become like Christ, the less of me there is and therefore “this is who I am” should become ” this is who Christ is”

Take my will and make it Thine,
It shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart, it is Thine own,
It shall be Thy royal throne.

Take my love, my Lord, I pour
At Thy feet its treasure store.
Take myself and I will be
Ever, only, all for Thee.

Yours Truly.

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Our Daily Bread

Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11 NIV

I have spent almost a month pondering over what this scripture means to me and I learnt two lessons from this line of the Lord’s prayer.

Lesson 1

Many times in my life when I have prayed about my needs and wants, there is some measure of extravagance to it. I am asking God (with all earnestness) for some really big things… we are talking lots of moolah and always for many good causes but in the course of thinking of this scripture, there was a paragraph from the book I am reading, Pursue Overtake Recover, that really struck me. The author, Kerry Kirkwood said:

Many of us pray big prayers and yet prepare little for the answers. Without wisdom from above, the answers to some prayers would be destructive. For instance, you may ask for a million dollars to flow through your hands and yet are not prepared because you have not been faithful and responsible handling hundreds of dollars… The receiver of the gift must be equal to the size of the gift so as to contain the answer when it comes.

That really hit home for me. so what has this got to do with my daily bread? Everything. I am learning to ask for my DAILY bread. Not more than what I need but exactly what God knows I need each day. Since I learnt from Psalm 23 about not wanting because God is my Shepherd, god has proven Himself to me and my family. We have had enough to get us through every day. Some days, this means we have enough to give generously to others and other days it means we have just enough for our family unit. Regardless of the day, whatever God blesses us with is enough for the day. It is our DAILY BREAD. I am 100% in agreement with the prayer of the wise man:

Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonour the name of my God. Proverbs 30: 8-9 NIV

Lesson 2

A lot of times when we think of daily bread, we think of our physical and financial needs and while that is all well and good, bread in scripture represents far more than that! let’s look at these scriptures together:

Yes, I am the bread of life! I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” John 6: 48, 51, 58 NLT

Jesus contrasts two kinds of bread. One is for physical sustenance and the other is only found in Him and it gives life, even eternal life. Because it is Jesus himself. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world (John 6:38 NIV).  So when Jesus is teaching us to pray for our daily bread, we are asking God to give us enough of Himself for another day; enough presence, enough power, enough revelation, enough of His spirit for the day.

So how do I access this bread and how does it give me life? Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” (Matthew 4:4 NIV). The Word of God is key and when God Himself inspires us with the exact Word we need for the day, how blessed will our day be! We will experience the life-giving power of God’s word. The same breath of life that was breathed into the first man’s nostrils making him a living creature is manifest in every word in scripture because All Scripture is God-breathed… (2 Timothy 3:16 NIV)

So if you have been following along in this series, we start by acknowledging who God is as our Father and identifying our place in His kingdom and the next step is to ask for God’s enablement by asking for enough of God for the day. Perhaps if I start my day with a measure of God’s spirit, I may not struggle as much with my thoughts, with what I say, with my actions, and with my motives and motivations throughout the day! So:

This is the air I breathe
This is the air I breathe
Your holy presence living in me
This is my daily bread
This is my daily bread
Your very word spoken to me
And I’m desperate for you
And I’m lost without you

Yours Truly.

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Complacency

This year I started a journey of journaling my walk with God through this blog. While it has been such an amazing and eye-opening experience for me, I have had to face some very dark truths about myself and my walk with God. This week as I reflected on my life, I discovered that sometimes because of what I learn from God’s word, I get complacent and look down on others who I believe are still “ignorant”. Unfortunately, this behaviour is very rampant in churches and is partly to blame for the many doctrines and denominations that exist today. Many Christians believe that they have figured out the “truth” and castigate other churches/ fellow Christians for being “lost” because they do not have the same insights.

This week I was listening to a song and the lyrics really convicted me of my complacency and high-mindedness.

Jesus, friend of sinners, we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to swing
Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth’s become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they’re tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I’m so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Jesus, friend of sinners, the one who’s writing in the sand
Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands
Help us to remember we are all the least of thieves
Let the memory of Your mercy bring Your people to their knees
No one knows what we’re for only against when we judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs, crossed over the lines, and loved like You did

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break our hearts for what breaks yours
Songwriters: Mark Hall / Matthew West

I sincerely believe that when God draws us in and reveals more of Himself to us, it is not so that we go out there and point fingers or cast stones at others. I believe as we get to know more of God, the posture and attitude we need to have are these: humility and compassion. As we go deeper in our relationship with God, we ought to receive the truth that comes from knowing God with humility and our hearts need to break with compassion for those who have not yet come to the same reality. As people (believers and unbelievers alike) are finding their way to a deeper relationship with God, they should not be tripping over my judgements of them or their walk with God. They should not need to be shielded from my pointing fingers or my sword of self-righteousness.

And so I sincerely pray that God will open my eyes to the world at the end of my pointing fingers. I pray that my heart will be led by mercy and compassion and will break for whatever breaks God’s.

Yours Truly.