Tag Archives: Grace

August 22, 2023 · 9:17 pm

JUST DRIFTING

Imagine for a moment that you have been given a task that includes walking in a straight line blindfolded. There’s almost a zero chance that you will get to the other end of the line. You won’t immediately set off in the wrong direction. The first few steps will likely be correct, then gradually you’ll start moving away from the line. The more steps you take, the more you move away from the line. That is what drifting feels like. The departure from the course starts slowly until we get completely off the course.

It’s the same with pot belly. It doesn’t appear instantaneously. It increases precept upon precept until it gets to maturity and becomes evident to all. I had a first-hand experience of this during the COVID-enforced lockdown. I didn’t realize how far my stomach had drifted from the original size until some clothes could no longer fit at the end of the lockdown. It did not happen overnight. It just drifted.

When people stray away from the truth of God’s word, it does not happen overnight. We gradually blur the boundary lines drawn by the word of God until the lines are no more. Most times, we don’t set out to wipe out the lines, but tolerating pseudo-truths does the wiping on our behalf. The lines gradually drift into oblivion. Sometimes, the alternative truth may not be a bad thing, but if it is not the truth, it is not the truth. It may even be a popular teaching in the church, coming from teachers that we respect.

That was what happened to the Galatians until Paul had to rebuke them. They heard the truth, they believed the truth, and they set out to live by the truth but…it happened and they drifted.

“You Christians in Galatia are like fools! Someone has taught you to believe crazy ideas! I taught you clearly that Jesus Christ died on the cross as a sacrifice on our behalf. You understood that. So think about this: When you received God’s Spirit, was it because you had obeyed the rules of God’s Law? No! You received God’s Spirit because you heard the message about Christ and you believed it. Do not think like fools! You first became believers by the help of God’s Spirit. So do not try now to continue by your own human power. That will never get you to the end!” Galatians 3:1-3

No matter how long an incorrect teaching has been going on, it does not make it to become the truth. God’s word is settled in heaven and does not evolve with modernization.

The fact that we read and understand something from the Bible or hear an awesome message from a preacher does not mean that we will always walk in the light of the truth that we receive. If we do not pay close attention and treat the truth like a precious treasure, the colour of that truth will eventually begin to appear like 50 shades of grey from which we choose different options depending on our mood. Staying in the line of the truth of God’s word is a personal responsibility, and we must take it seriously.

We must give our full attention to what we were told, so we won’t drift away. Hebrews 2:1[CEV]

So we must be more careful to follow what we were taught. We must be careful so that we will not be pulled away from the true way. Hebrews 2:1[ERV]

We need to watch over the word that we have received from God. We must guard against the emotional interpretation of the scriptures; our sentiments and personal inclinations should not be the filter through which we pass the word of God. Also, we don’t have to align with the crowd like a herd of sheep. We need to stick to the truth that makes us eternally free. No matter how old we may become, there will never be a substitute for reading our Bibles and praying every day. The Holy Spirit is ever available to teach us till the end, we just need to ask Him and listen to Him.

Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do. Joshua 1:8

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life. Proverbs 4:23

Don’t suppress the Spirit. Don’t brush off Spirit-inspired messages but examine everything carefully and hang on to what is good. 1 Thessalonians 5:19

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August 13, 2023 · 8:51 pm

ACTIVITY ≠ PRODUCTIVITY

I love watching football, especially the English Premier League. I support Arsenal. YES, I do. They are as unstable as unstable can be, but I am not a fair-weather supporter. I’m stuck with them for the long run. When they are in their best form, you can expect possession football, sleek passing, and beautiful goals. At other times, all you get from them will be possession football, sleek passing, and no goals. At the end of 90 minutes, it’s all about the goals and not the possession. There are no extra points for keeping the ball within your team throughout the game. If you don’t score any goals, the possession is a waste of time and energy. Activity is not the same as productivity.

When Jesus visited Mary and Martha at Bethany, Martha was seemingly very active, while Mary sat to hear Jesus teach. There was nothing morally or ethically wrong with what Martha was doing, but it was being done at the wrong time. She was active but not exactly productive in the things that really mattered. Mary appeared inactive but was judged as being 100% productive by the Ultimate Judge because activity is not the same as productivity.

But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came up to Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do the serving by myself? Then tell her to help me.” But the Lord answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; but only one thing is necessary; for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:40-42

There is a story in the closing verses of 1 Kings 20, where a servant was given ONE assignment to guard a prisoner of war with his life. One task only, but he got busy with many other things and the prisoner disappeared and a judgment was pronounced. This story was a parable but a perfect presentation of the fact that activity is not the same as productivity.

When the king passed by, the disciple called to him. “I went to fight in the battle. A man turned around and brought a prisoner to me. He said, ‘Guard this prisoner. If he gets away, you will pay for his life with your own life or be fined 75 pounds of silver.’ But while I was busy doing other things, he got away.” The king of Israel told him, “That’s your own penalty. You have determined it yourself.” 1Kings 20:39-40

Now, bearing in mind that activity is not the same as productivity, it will be instructive to take some steps back and assess all that we are busy with, in the light of what really matters after all is said and done. Most of the things that distract us from productivity are not necessarily bad things, they are usually good things being done at the wrong time. At other times, they could be good things that other people should be doing, and we have taken them upon ourselves – keeping ourselves pretty occupied. If you are busy in another man’s field while your own field lies fallow, you will get nothing from your field at the time of harvest because activity is not the same as productivity.

Are you doing what really matters in the church service unit? Are you being productive or just active doing so many things? At work, are you being productive or just busy here and there? What are you doing at home?

One day, God will show clearly how good each builder’s work is. God will put each person’s work into a fire on that great day. The fire will show whether their work is good or bad. 1Corinthians 3:13

Another verse from the Bible that emphasizes that activity is not productivity is Mathew 7:21-23

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’

Nothing listed in the verse above is inherently wrong, but the active people were adjudged as unproductive. We should pray to find our own fields and to be active and productive in those fields. We should also pray that God will help us to identify the subtle distractions that strive to keep us active and stay away from them because activity is not the same as productivity.

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May 14, 2023 · 3:03 pm

IN THOUGHTS, WORDS, AND DEEDS

We saw Nephilim there. (The descendants of Anak are Nephilim.) We felt as small as grasshoppers, and that’s how we must have looked to them.” Numbers 13:33 [GW]

This started as a thought, they turned it into words, which ultimately framed their destiny. 10 of the spies imagined themselves as grasshoppers in their own eyes when compared with the giants of Anak. Also, without speaking with those giants, they assumed that the giants considered them in the same way. They thought that the giants were thinking the same thoughts with them. This is all because they allowed the wrong thoughts to roost in their hearts. Joshua and Caleb saw the same thing, thought differently, and ended up differently.

Our words are not just words, they have sources, just like the great rivers and oceans that cover about 71% of our earth. The mighty rivers look nothing like their sources. Most rivers grow into massive water bodies, stretching thousands of kilometres in length. Their sources would never have imagined how far they would travel and the impact that they would have on the world. This is how it is with words that start in the recesses of our hearts as thoughts. Death and life are in the power of the tongue, but it starts from thoughts.

Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose. Proverbs 18:21 [MSG]

Similarly, our actions especially when it comes to relationships with other people have the same origin. As long as we are still on this part of the divide, there will be people that will leave us with good memories and there will be people that will leave us negative stains. This is beyond our control. However, what is firmly within our control is what we do with the memories of both sets of people.

When we dwell on offence, it has an effect similar to what meditating on the word of God should produce in us, just that it is on the negative side. When we meditate on the word of God, our understanding is increased as the Holy Spirit enlightens us, our faith grows, and God is magnified in our eyes. When we dwell on offence, the depth of the hurt is increased, the pain is magnified, and we feel worse and worse. This eventually affects the way we see the people and relate to them. Bitterness and resentment get rooted in our lives.

Make sure that everyone has kindness from God so that bitterness doesn’t take root and grow up to cause trouble that corrupts many of you. Hebrews 12:15 [GW]

If we do not err in thoughts, we will most likely not err in words and deeds. It is therefore imperative that we have to guard our hearts to ensure that wrong thoughts do not grow therein. We have the power to control what goes into our hearts.

Summing it all up, friends, I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious – the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Philippians 4:8[MSG]

There will definitely be reasons for us to err in these areas. Offence will always be with us; we may face different shades of difficulties that will test our faith like 10 of the 12 spies. We will always have a choice of what we think, say, or do. God’s grace abounds for us to think like Philippians 4:8 suggests and to speak life with our words.

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January 24, 2023 · 7:56 pm

ANANIAS & Co.

I was on the cast of a stage play in my secondary school days. I did not have to memorize any scripts. I was a soldier in the play and all I had to do was to appear on stage at the right time with the other soldiers and fight. We disappeared backstage as the curtains were drawn on our scene. There was also another one in which I was just one of the stagehands and only got on to the stage when the curtains were drawn and away from the sight of the cheering audience.

On these two occasions, I definitely did not get any accolades from the audience because I did not do anything remarkable in their sight. However, without the fight scene in the play, it would not have been complete and of course, no stage play is smooth without the work of the invisible team that rearranges the stage between the scenes.

Celebration of those that are in our faces is a natural reaction for us and should not come as a surprise to anyone. However, some people do a lot of heavy lifting behind the scenes and never make it to the stage in their entire careers. Yet without these people, the A-list actors that we celebrate will not be where they are today.

There are quite a few people in the Bible that did some heavy lifting in the background, they are not mentioned many times in the scriptures. Yet without their exploits, the story would be far from complete. I have chosen to call Ananias the Chief of this group of people. After he prayed for Paul and baptized him, his name was mentioned only once again in the Bible and that was by Paul himself during a speech. Under the prevailing circumstances in his days, getting up to seek out and pray for Paul was a great act of faith and obedience and definitely went a long way to shape the story of the New Testament scriptures as we have it today.

Another person that did not get much screen time but played a significant role was Hur, who helped to hold up the hands of Moses with Aaron in the battle against the Amalekites. This act secured victory for the Israelites at that time.

Others are Elisheba, the wife of Aaron and matriarch of a great lineage of priests that include Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithamar; Joanna, the wife of Chuza, one of the women that supplied the physical needs of Jesus while He walked the earth; Gilalai, one of the priests that participated as a musician in the procession led by Ezra; Hassenaah, a man whose sons built the Fish Gate during the reconstruction of the walls of Jerusalem under the repair programme led by Nehemiah; Jehiah, one of the gatekeepers for the Ark of the Covenant in the time of king David. There are so many more. These people may not have had a great mention, but their exploits are by no means meager and the scriptures will not be complete without them. What is important is that they played their part in God’s “play”.

Now we are on that stage, and we have to play our parts. That natural desire to be seen and applauded will always be there. So, if the acts and scenes we regularly appear in do not attract many accolades, the tendency to want to trade places will often tug at us. However, we must consciously remind ourselves that the applause of men is not our purpose and God’s scale of success and prominence is different from the scale that we use and it is His own that really matters.

Whatever you do [whatever your task may be], work from the soul [that is, put in your very best effort], as [something done] for the Lord and not for men. Colossians 3:23 [AMP]

Whatever it is that you are doing, God sees, God knows and God gives the best accolades. Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap if we do not give in. Galatians 6:9 [AMP]

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January 5, 2023 · 11:26 am

FLYING THROUGH THE CLOUDS

One of the most beautiful and peaceful sights I can never stop enjoying is what you see when you look out of an aircraft window as you fly above the clouds. No matter how many times I catch this view, I will always be enthralled the next time.  It’s so breathtaking. It just appears perfectly at ease, void of any disorder or chaos. The thicker the clouds, the prettier the appearance because nothing from beneath the clouds can peek through.

In spite of the magnificence of this view, the essence of flying is to move from place to place and not just to take in the view. So, at some point, the aircraft has to leave this view behind to descend through the clouds in order to land at the designated airport. Going through the clouds can be quite uncomfortable and bumpy. Sometimes it feels like a free fall through the skies and could be quite scary. In complete contrast with the view, the thicker the clouds, the bumpier the ride. When it starts, all you just want is for it to be all over. I had a nasty and embarrassing experience with this that I would rather forget.

The pilot cannot decide not to land the aircraft because the passengers love the view up there so much or if he does not want the passengers to feel the temporary discomfort of descending through the clouds. Some of the passengers may be distraught but his objective will always be to get the passengers to their destination.  

Life will throw different things at us. Sometimes, our experiences will feel as if we are gliding peacefully above the clouds and at other times, it appears as if we are stuck in the thick clouds. Life gets as bumpy as bumpy could be. In all things, God sees and God is in perfect control like a great pilot. We have his promises to reassure us that He will be with us, no matter the kind of clouds we find ourselves in.

When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am GOD, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Saviour. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That’s how much you mean to me! Isaiah 43: 2- 3 (MSG)

‘Do not fear [anything], for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, be assured I will help you; I will certainly take hold of you with My righteous right hand [a hand of justice, of power, of victory, of salvation].’ Isaiah 41:10 (AMP)

God is our refuge and strength, a help always near in times of great trouble. That’s why we won’t be afraid when the world falls apart when the mountains crumble into the centre of the sea, when its waters roar and rage when the mountains shake because of its surging waves. Psalm 46: 1 – 5 (CEB)

You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Psalm 32:7 (NIV)

But the Lord can be trusted to make you strong and protect you from harm. 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Because we have these promises, we cannot turn around or yield to adversity. Like the pilot who keeps the end in mind, we can look through the issues with the filter of God’s limitless abilities and know that the Lord that keeps us neither sleeps nor slumbers. Even when you can’t see it or feel it, He never stops working.

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December 24, 2022 · 8:50 pm

REMAIN SEATED

“Remain seated until the seat belt sign is turned off”

                                                                                  Every pilot

I have been travelling quite a lot recently and each time the aircraft lands, the pilot or the cabin crew lead always makes this announcement: “Remain seated with your seat belt fastened until the aircraft comes to a complete stop and the seat belt sign is turned off”. 9 times out of 10, people just ignore the instruction and jump out of their seats as if the instructions were to the birds of the air. I have observed this with different nationalities, so it’s not the specialty of any particular set of people.

When you don’t get up like everyone else, there is a strong pull to conform and do the wrong thing with the crowd because everyone is doing it and everyone seems to accept it. This is worse if you are in an aisle seat and the passengers you have blocked in are giving you that quizzical look. The force of the stare could almost lift you off your seat. It takes a deliberate decision not to join the crowd on those occasions.

As we navigate our multifaceted courses in life, we will come face to face with opportunities to follow the crowd in the wrong direction. The decision may be seemingly innocuous or in some cases, quite significant. At those times, “The end justifies the means” appears to be a wise counsel. When we find ourselves at those points, our focus should be the internal satisfaction that comes from a good conscience and not external satisfaction.

The Bible is filled with examples of those that tilted to either side of the balance in following the crowd and we can learn from all of them:

Aaron buckled under the pressure of the crowd and made the golden calf as a god for the people of Israel. 10 out of 12 spies chose to see themselves as grasshoppers, while Joshua and Caleb saw things differently. Noah endured the mocking of the crowd for a very long time to build the ark. Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego chose to stand alone and not flow with the crowd, even when faced with the lion’s den and the fiery furnace. We know how the story ended for each group.

In these days when many people are under so much pressure from the strains of the global economy, the temptation to make little compromises for gain may appear so strong. When we can’t see any way out of the pit we find ourselves in, joining the crowd may appear logical, especially if the compromise seems insignificant. Wrong is wrong and the number of people doing wrong does not make the definition of wrong to change. We can find encouragement and direction from the following scriptures and more:

You must not follow a crowd in wrongdoing. Do not testify in a lawsuit and go along with a crowd to pervert justice. Exodus 23:2

Don’t copy the behaviour and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:2

My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! Proverbs 1:10

Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention. Mathew 7: 13 – 14

God knows, God sees and His grace is sufficient. Stay the course and don’t join the crowd. God is able to do it, but even if He doesn’t do it the way expect or when you expect it. He is still faithful.

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March 7, 2021 · 5:09 pm

THERE BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD GO I

The name John Bradford did not ring a bell to me the first time I heard it. I guess many people will be in the same shoes with me. I never heard of him until recently when I read of a striking statement that he made during his lifetime. He lived from 1510 to 1555. He lived as a preacher and died as a martyr.

Public execution of prisoners on the death row was a common practice in his days. History has it that on one of the occasions when prisoners were being led to the place of execution, he said, “There but for the grace of God goes John Bradford”. It indeed could have been him.

This is a realization that without the grace of God, our base instincts will rule us, and we would be capable of any vice out there. ALL OF US, no matter how long we have been Christians or the positions we occupy in church can do anything except we make what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 9:27 a daily practice:

I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

While also bearing 1 Corinthians 10:12 in mind

Therefore, let the one who thinks he stands firm [immune to temptation, being overconfident and self-righteous], take care that he does not fall [into sin and condemnation]

Time and again, we hear of people we hold in high esteem being caught or accused of very grave iniquity. They are usually tried and sentenced in the court of public opinion, fuelled these days by the ubiquitous social media. While their acts may be very weighty and extremely condemnable, we need to remember that as Christians, we stand by grace. Our reaction should certainly be different from how just anybody would react. Apostle Paul gave some insight into how we should react.

If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Galatians 6:1 

As a matter of fact, Jesus our perfect example demonstrated this in the way he handled the case of the woman that was caught in adultery and brought to him by the teachers of the Law and Pharisees in John 8. He refused to take sides with the crowd. So should we. 

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August 3, 2017 · 9:10 pm

WHILE WAITING…

I got up pretty early, packed my bags and set out for the airport. The traffic could be unpredictable sometimes, so I did not want to risk getting stuck in traffic and making it late to the airport. On that day however, the road was unusually free and I got to the airport before check-in time and the check-in counter was not going to open a minute before the set time. I had some waiting to do.

The check-in was smooth and uneventful. While waiting for the boarding time, I got myself occupied by reading a book – Start With Why by Simon Sinek. In my head, I had calculated when I was going to get home and how I was going to spend the rest of the day. As the boarding time approached, I heard the dreaded announcement. The weather at our destination was bad and we would not take off as scheduled. I had more waiting to do.

Waiting is not exactly my forte and soon enough I got tired of reading my book and tried starting a conversation with a fellow passenger. A few other passengers facing the same dilemma with me were ‘gisting’, a few were sleeping and others were just there. I ended up pacing about the waiting area till the boarding announcement was made and away we flew.

This airport waiting experience was transient, lasting only a few hours and I was glad for that. However, in reality we often get to wait much longer for the things that life presents to us. These ‘presents’ come in various forms like waiting for that dream job, waiting for a spouse, waiting to have a child after marriage, waiting for a promotion, waiting for a clear direction and waiting for that big break after years of faithful sowing.

While waiting as Christians, we have some sure words of promise in the Bible such as:

…All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it. 1 Corinthians 10:13 (MSG)

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. Isaiah 43:2 (NLT)

“Never! Can a mother forget her nursing child? Can she feel no love for the child she has borne? But even if that were possible, I would not forget you! Isaiah 49:15 (NLT)

We often find ourselves tempted to think that God has not been fair to us, because in our own estimation, we have done everything that we ought to do and there is no rational explanation to our predicament.

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If we yield to the temptation and follow that thought trail, we often end up with depression and many questions in our hearts for God. The more we think and dwell on the issues, the bigger they begin to appear and the promises of God begin to diminish in our minds.

Joseph had no rational explanation for being in prison in a foreign land,…… we know how the story ends. Job could also not explain the terrible loss and pain he had to go through, but in the end, God came through for him. We will not always be able to explain why God allows somethings to come our way, but one thing is sure: He will neither leave us nor forsake us in the midst of those things.

I won’t claim to be an expert in knowing the best posture to take while waiting, but one thing I know that works is holding tenaciously and stubbornly to God’s word concerning whatever it is that we are waiting for. Meditate on it day and night until we have it permanently ingrained in our minds and it becomes indelible in spite of what the circumstances say.

While waiting, we can also draw strength from the little victories that God has given us in the past. Keep them fresh on our minds and know that the One who came through for us in the past is still the same and that He will still come through this time. His calendar may be different from ours, but He will come through.

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While waiting, we also need to continue steadfastly and consistently in prayers. God will always show up and make all things beautiful because failure is not part of His attributes. He is faithful and never changes. He KNOWS that we are waiting and His eyes are on us. Most of all, His grace is sufficient for us while waiting.

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April 25, 2016 · 9:11 pm

IN RETROSPECT

A while ago, I was going down memory lane with a few friends that I have come a long way with. Having known each other for almost 20 years, we reminisced about the days when we had little or nothing to call our own. We collectively shared the little that anyone had and no one complained about the proportion of individual contributions. The common denominator was that we were all students and we were all Christians. We talked about the years immediately after graduation, remembering how we walked long distances not because we wanted to exercise, but because we could not afford the transport fare. We also survived on meager rations and lived in shared accommodation, all in our bid to become independent men. Looking back at those years together, we all came to one conclusion: God has been good.

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With those memories safely in the recesses of our hearts, we can always look back at how we overcame with God’s help and develop an unshakeable resolve that the same God who has not changed will always come through in whatever present challenge we may have. Little wonder the Israelites were always commanded to tell their Children of their past victories:

Then your children will ask, ‘What does this ceremony mean?’  And you will reply, ‘It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for he passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt. And though he struck the Egyptians, he spared our families.’” When Moses had finished speaking, all the people bowed down to the ground and worshiped.                     Exodus 12: 26 – 27 (NLT)

In the future your children will ask you, ‘What is the meaning of these laws, decrees, and regulations that the Lord our God has commanded us to obey?’ “Then you must tell them, ‘We were Pharaoh’s slaves in Egypt, but the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his strong hand. The Lord did miraculous signs and wonders before our eyes, dealing terrifying blows against Egypt and Pharaoh and all his people.  He brought us out of Egypt so he could give us this land he had sworn to give our ancestors.                               Deuteronomy 6: 20 – 23 (NLT)

We will use these stones to build a memorial. In the future your children will ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ Then you can tell them, ‘They remind us that the Jordan River stopped flowing when the Ark of the Lord’s Covenant went across.’ These stones will stand as a memorial among the people of Israel forever.”                                            Joshua 4 : 6 – 7 (NLT)

                                                       mirror

Challenges will always come our way; however meditating on the problems will only magnify the problems at the expense of our faith. When next the feeling of being overwhelmed by the challenges of life comes, just take a thought down the memory lane and like the ageless song goes, it will surprise you what the Lord has done. Strive to keep the memories of those past victories ever fresh on your mind and

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January 14, 2016 · 5:04 pm

TWO PHEASANTS AND AN EGG

Over the last holiday season, my kids and I got engaged in paying daily visits to 2 birds -a local breed of pheasants- that decided to breed at our backyard. There were two pheasants and an egg, so we christened one of the birds as Mama Pheasant and the other as Papa Pheasant. Each time we approached the new parents, they would make some noise that sounded like a tiny growl to ensure that we did not cross our limits and get too close. This was their way of ensuring that Baby Pheasant remained unharmed till the day of hatching and “manifestation”. Of course we never crossed our limits, not knowing what surprises the pheasants would spring at us if we dared.

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On one of the days, a thought crossed my mind as we were in the middle of our daily visit: the Baby Pheasant inside the egg had no idea of what was going on outside its shell and had no way of influencing the behaviour of Mama and Papa Pheasant. It had no way of begging its parents for protection; it did not have to do anything to earn the right to be protected. Yet it did not have any reason to fear. The parents were under obligation to offer the protection, even if it meant putting themselves in harm’s way – and they never failed. Day and night, they stood at their duty post, unwavering, unflinching and untiring.
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This is similar to the kind of covenant relationship that believers have with God. What an awesome privilege! Our covenant confers a plethora of promises on us. If we can take out time to understand the terms of this covenant in the Bible, we will live our lives in unimaginable peace. Just living, walking and working in the glory of the covenant. We will no longer give prominent place to enemies and fill our prayers with concerns about them. A highly superior version of the kind of protection that the pheasant in the egg got is just one of the benefits that we enjoy as believers.

If we are seated together with Christ in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6); if we are dead and our lives are hid with Christ (Colossians 3:3); if He that is in us is greater than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4); if the name of the Lord is a strong tower that the righteous run into and are safe (Proverbs 18:10); If the Lord is around us as the mountains that surround Jerusalem (Psalms 125:2), If the Lord will not allow the rod of the wicked to rest upon the lot of the righteous (Psalms 125:3) why should we be afraid of enemies. We should rather devote time to mediate on these promises day and night until they are ingrained on the tablets of our hearts. This way, we will be steadfast and unmoveable, working in the sound mind that God has given us instead of walking in fear.

The Bible verses referenced above are just a few of the reasons why we should be bold as the lion, living above fear of enemies. We will discover many more if we will be willing to search the scriptures diligently. We would then be able to treat them the way Jesus recommended in Matthew 5:43 – 48

43 “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbour and hate your enemy’. 44 But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46 If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47 If you are kind only to your friends] how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48 But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.

 One thing we can be sure of is this: No enemy in the form of man or devil can harm us if we remain under the shadow of the Almighty. It is our covenant privilege.

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