THAT I MAY KNOW HIM AND THE POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION

The knowledge of God is truly essential to all humans. For the Christian, we can say that we know him. Although our level of knowledge is different from person to person. The Apostle Paul was one who knew God and Christ at a very personal level. The Lord appeared to him and spoke to him upon his conversion; he also had many experiences of divine guidance. So, he is an example of one who KNEW the Lord. But beyond this, Paul knew much more. He knew that knowledge puffs up (1 Cor 8:1-2). One can become proud because of the knowledge that he or she has been able to acquire, including the knowledge of the Lord and his ways. In Paul’s example his heart and desire could be seen through the things he wrote down. He sought something beyond knowledge, and that is the resurrection power and sharing in the fellowship of the suffering that brought about the resurrection.

Before we talk about the resurrection power, we must mention the willingness of Christ to lay down his life. You see, there could never be a resurrection power without the willingness to go to the cruel cross. The power comes from the willingness. Little wonder Paul also mentioned this in his writing to the Philippians 2:8-11, about how Christ humbled himself to death and from thence came exaltation, where he has been given a name that is above every other name that at the mention of the name of Jesus every knee must bow. Christians, we are called to do the same, humble ourselves in similar fashion. Ours might not be to the point of death although some Christians find themselves in those positions even today, but it is important to yield our will to him.

So, knowing God and Christ should not be all that we seek to achieve, for it is but a start of a glorious journey with the Lord. Beyond knowledge lies the understanding of the resurrection power and having fellowship with the sufferings of Christ. In Paul’s case he wanted to be conformed to His death. What does it mean to be conformed to the death of Christ? Well, this is seen in total surrender; Christ had the power to say no to death, yet he chose to die because of us. Conforming to his death is to have the same mind that was in Christ Jesus, it is to surrender ourselves fully to the will of God. It is to live a transformed live. It is to count all things but loss for the sake of the knowledge of Christ – Phil 3:8-9. Something must give, in order to gain this knowledge. We only lose other things to gain this knowledge and gain with it a glory and amazing promises that outweighs the losses. Also, we gain, true transformation into the image of God.

A transformed life is a testament of the resurrection power. It is through transformation that the resurrection power is seen in action. It is that power that transforms us and gives us the grace to obey. Because we cannot obey God on our own. We can but allow the spirit of God in us to so work in our hearts to yield to God every day and by so doing witness the amazing power of resurrection. We can only pray that God helps us to seek him beyond peripheral knowledge but to walk daily in a manner that expresses the resurrection power and a fellowship of His suffering.

This is the will of God – Your Sanctification

Sometimes we find ourselves asking the question, what is God’s will? Perhaps as a result of frustration or total inability to decide at a given point. We sometimes wish that God will just tell us what to do in some form or another. It can be difficult, I can admit that I have seen myself in situations where I wonder, if I could only know what God’s will is, I will just dive in or move forward in one direction. Because we know that God wants the best for us, he knows all things. I sometimes wish I could tell what the result of taking one course of action could be. But unfortunately, we are limited in our knowledge and decisions also tend to be impaired in some ways as a result.

Good decisions often come as a result of adequate knowledge and the bible tells us that God’s divine power has given us everything we need for live and godliness THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE of Him who called us. Therefore, knowledge is like a light that brightens the room, it is indeed a decision-making tool. Most times, the more we know, the better our decisions would be. The more of God’s will we know, the better our decisions will be.

But it might not always be the case in every situation. As much as knowledge is profitable, it can also become detrimental. Yes, detrimental to faith. You see, faith is the substance of things not seen and evidence of things hoped for. And as much as we need knowledge to have faith, sometimes we tend to depend on ALL knowledge in order to make a decision when faith should be the tool to use and that is when knowledge becomes in itself, a bit of a disadvantage. Sometimes knowing too much limits our faith and knowing too little isn’t right either. Therefore, a good balance is to know just enough to function and succeed and also knowing enough to exercise faith especially in matters where we cannot fully comprehend.

Having said that, let’s point out the will of God – your sanctification. It is imperative that we know the will of God because it is in knowing that we may fully appreciate the life that God has called us to live. Sanctification is holiness, it is to function effectively to the glory of God. God’s general will for us is to sanctify us, to make known his will through us. So, he sanctifies us albeit through his word which is the truth (Jn 17:17).

For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God;  

– 1 Thess 4:3-5

Sanctification here alludes to purification of the body and mind from all sexual immorality. It involves keeping the body in a way as to honour God. It requires living a life that is different from the society. It is in doing so that God’s glory is manifest – in our sanctification. You know that sexual immorality is one of the very powerful tools that the enemy uses to distract and indeed imprison God’s children. Hence the reason God makes us aware of the need to purify ourselves.

May we receive his grace to purify ourselves in all things through his son.

BE STILL AND KNOW

If there was any time in recent modern history that humanity has been brought to its knees, it is these few months. As everyone scampered home in search for protection against the current global pandemic, a message that is perhaps profound is the message of hope. And the best source of hope is to draw from the eternal well of the words that poured forth from the mouth of the maker of the universe.

He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” – Psalm 46:10

In the above, God says that we should be still and remember that he is God, that he will be exalted among the nations. And yes, sometimes it may be difficult to see how God may be exalted in our current situation but it is important to hope and expect to see him exalted. It is important to remember that his promises never fail, that he will do what he says he will do.

But what does it mean to be still and why should we be still? To be still is to drown out the voice of the world, it is to seclude oneself from every voice and activity that makes it difficult to get close to God, activities and daily routines that drive us away from his presence. To be still therefore, is to make ready our hearts to receive his words; it is to set ourselves apart and say, here I am Lord send me. It is to flee from all appearances of evil and let go of the sin which so easily beset us.

To be still is to return to the place of prayer, it is to be the watchmen that we ought to be, it is to open our hearts to the voice of reason, the voice of God which echoes and calls us to himself. To be still is to leave all worries and fears at His feet. Stillness is indeed a place of consecration.

When we are still, it becomes easy to listen, it becomes easier to see God in action, it becomes easier to connect the dots and to let go and let God. It is when we are still that knowledge of the father oozes like a stream from his throne and flows towards us. Then can we truly see how God will be exalted in the earth during these trying times.

 

 

Grace and peace multiplied through knowledge

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. 2 Pet 1:2

The central message or theme of the Christian faith is that of grace. Grace is the essence of the cross. The love of God is fully expressed and unraveled in his grace. But grace is obtained through knowledge likewise faith.

But what is grace? Some define grace as unmerited favour, some as mercy revealed. There is one definition however that is so profound and that is:
Grace is the opposite of karma. And karma means getting what you deserve. Some say karma describes the phrase, what goes around comes around. The idea of karma is that you reap the consequences of your actions, good or bad. So, every mistake, every bad choice, action or inaction has to produce consequent bad rewards.
But grace is the opposite of that. Grace says, in place of judgement and consequence there is mercy and love.

To understand its importance is to realise that after the fall, sin entered the world and sin has consequences which is death ultimately. Every sinful act is a price that must be paid and that you can say is karma. That is the natural reality of humanity after the fall. The price of sin can never be paid truly by us humans. Under the Mosaic law, people offered sin offerings for their sins yearly, yet it did not completely blot out their sins. The price of sin was indeed too great.
But Jesus on the cross paid that price, once and for all. He made sure that in place of judgement, we now have mercy. We are saved by God’s grace through faith (Eph 2:8). That grace is made available to everyone but one can only obtain it through faith and faith is gained through the knowledge of God. Faith comes by hearing the word of God. It is cultivated when one hears the good news of the finished work of Jesus on the cross. It is not just blind faith. It is the knowledge that causes us to believe and therefore receive.

Similarly, grace and indeed peace is obtained through the knowledge of God as the apostle Peter wrote. In fact, in both his letters he started by using the phrase, grace and peace be unto you or be multiplied to you (1 Pet 1:2, 2 Pet 1:2). The apostle Paul in writing to the Corinthians and to Timothy also used the phrase; likewise John in one of his letters and in his message to the seven churches in Asia minor.
It was the manner of the apostles to pray for grace and peace to be multiplied to the believers. This is because it might be easy to forget about the grace of God sometimes; grace is supernatural and difficult to discern from a natural viewpoint. I know that I am an evidence of God’s grace. I have made mistakes in my few decades on earth, I have said things I shouldn’t say on many occasions, I have done things I shouldn’t do and am not proud of them but I will not be naive not to mention my struggle. As an example, I once said something that got other people upset and although I admitted that I was wrong; I apologised but I could not help but beat myself up. Why did I say that? I messed everything up. I got so remorseful and asked God for forgiveness but the trouble is that I could not forgive myself. My future actions and conducts seemed to have been made with this regret in mind. This has also happened when I do something wrong. I find that I naturally feel like I am due for purnishment because I made a mistake. It seems like I anticipate the purnishment and try to relate difficulties to such mistakes. But I am learning that the grace of God takes care of our mistakes, God wipes the slate clean and it is as though we never sinned. That is the knowledge that sets us free from the guilt of sin. The knowledge of the multiplied grace of God that abounds .Grace that is greater than our sins. And so I can say that I am a product and the evidence of grace and so is every Christian bought by the blood.
So if you find yourself beating yourself up because of your mistakes, remember grace is multiplied, and when you ask God for forgiveness, he responds by wiping your slate clean and giving you a blank new slate to work with. You may not feel that way but it is that way, you just have to know and believe that. It is this knowledge that allows grace and peace to multiply. It can be difficult to accept this fact sometimes because of our human inclination, we live in a world where you have to pay for your mistakes and rightly so. Because purnishment serves as a deterrent to bad behaviour. But with God, grace serves as the deterrent, God says, when you acknowledge your wrong and show remorse, the blood cleanses you and makes you while again.

May God help us to always remember that grace covers our sins so that we can rise above our past and see ourselves as God sees us. And to discern also that this does not mean that we should continue in sin because grace abounds. But rather endeavour to live above sin through his grace multiplied.

The Bridge of Uncertainty

Your Future is save in God’s Hands – (2)

Between the promise of God and the fulfillment or manifestation of the promise lies a gap I like to call the “bridge of uncertainty” that ultimately leads to certainty. I call it the bridge of uncertainty for a number of reasons. One, it is during the waiting period on this bridge that life can throw a number of things on the individual that makes it seem that the promises of God will never manifest. A second reason is that from the physical signs, one cannot determine the outcome – more like the dry bones in the book of Ezekiel, can they live again? From physically examining them, they cannot. Hence the reason why I call this period a “bridge of uncertainty”. But the interesting fact is that this bridge leads unto certainty. How ironic! The three Hebrew men, Shedrach, Meshach and Abednego did not know if God was going to deliver them from the fire on that particular day, they were ready to die nevertheless. They said they were not going to bow to a foreign God because the one true God which they served was able to deliver them, EVEN IF HE DID NOT DELIVER THEM, they still will not bow. We know the promises God has made, and sometimes we are faced with situations that requires us to believe in those promises despite the prevailing situation. So it is important that we believe despite the current situation because the current situation is not a good predictor of future outcomes. Consider Joseph going from slavery in Potiphar’s house to prison in Egypt. Am sure that was uncertain enough for him, it certainly could have given cause to doubt his dream at that point and may be he did, we are not told. But the important thing is that he still held on to his integrity and the dream came to manifestation. How about John the Baptist in the period of affliction? He had to send his disciples to ask Jesus if he was truly the messiah.

So, all sorts of doubts and fears can emanate on the “bridge of uncertainty”. And so, how then can anyone live through such a period and conquer in the end? Here are a few things that can help:

1. Knowledge and faith.

Consider this passage again:

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2 Pet 1:3

Knowledge and faith comes through hearing the word of God. All things that pertain unto life and godliness are given unto us through the knowledge of God. Without the knowledge of God, we cannot be godly and obtain all things that pertain to life. And faith also comes through the knowledge of God. That’s the reason Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing the Word of God. So, your faith is proportional to your knowledge of God’s word. Now, if we know what God has done for other people, if we read what was written in the past which was meant for our learning (Rom 15:4), then we can be certain to understand how God handles his business. We can come to a full knowledge of his will. The scripture reveals the perfect will of God. It is the perfect law of God. It is profitable for doctrine, for correction and able to furnish us with all that is needed for godly living.

How does this knowledge help? It gives us certainty during uncertain times, when the current prevailing situation is saying otherwise, when our health seems to be failing, when our finances are not what they should be, when we have no job, when we have no one to turn to. When the difficulties of live assail. Then the word breathes peace into our lives. It breathes hope also. So, when you find yourself on the bridge of uncertainty, study and meditate on the word of God even more.

Through this knowledge, grace and peace is multiplied. 

Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord. – 2 Pet 1:2

The peace of God that surpasses all human understanding will flood through one’s live because of the knowledge of God. Peace is multiplied, it is not just added and this gives a calming influence. It calms and settles anyone during affliction and helps to keep the focus on the promise.

2. Endurance and Patience

Another important trait or virtue that is needed in the valley of affliction is endurance. Endurance and patience is so important that Paul in writing to the Romans said:

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  – Rom 5:3

Suffering indeed produces perseverance which produces character and hope. All these traits are essential in the time of affliction. The apostle Paul said it all. And if we suffer, it should not be as a result of wrong doing but let it be for the cause of Christ, then can we truly glory in such suffering. Nevertheless, if one has found oneself in affliction as a result of wrong doing, confession and repentance is necessary and the grace of God will be multiplied. So, there is no need to feel sad, but to glory. David realized it was good that he was afflicted so that he will learn obedience.

3. Believe in God’s promises and He will show up eventually

There is a word that God has spoken concerning everything or every situation in life. The scriptures may have been written over two thousand years ago, but it is relevant for all ages. It was relevant in those early days, it is relevant today and it will be relevant tomorrow. Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. God is unchangeable and is not slack concerning his promises. So, in the “bridge of uncertainty”, search the scriptures, and find relevant scriptures and meditate on it daily. Hang onto those promises. Abraham believed God, hung onto his promise of a son and heir for over 25 years and God did show up. He went through a bridge of uncertainty as well but his believe and trust on the promises of God was unshaken and today, he is the father of faith and a friend of God. The three Hebrew men believed and recited the promise of God, they could not burn in the furnace. Joshua and Caleb believed and they entered the promised land.

but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. – Isa 40:31

Your Future is save in God’s Hands

The desire to know what the future holds is a trait that is common among man. Especially when affliction of any kind sets in. People begin to wonder, will this be my end? Will I overcome this? Is it too much to bear? These sort of questions is a natural human response to affliction of any kind, whether bereavement, sickness, lack or persecution. It happened thousands of years ago. Consider Israel’s first king, Saul who during the time of affliction, sought to know what will befall him (1 Sam 28:7-20). That quest led him to turn to the very wrong things (witchcraft and mediums) which he hitherto drove out of his kingdom. So, the desire to know the future and what will happen can lead to all sorts of wrong things.

But let’s get to the point, why does the future seem so mysterious to some? Or why does it seem like the future is hidden from us? Does God really want us to know what will befall us in future? Before we explore this, let’s talk about a man who knew that death was coming – king Hezekiah. The prophet Isaiah was sent to inform him he was going to die of his illness, hence he should prepare his household (Isa 38). As a mortal, he wanted to live on a little longer so he besought God to help. And yes, God added 15 more years to his life.

Let’s go further and talk about yet another king of Israel, David – when he sinned by taking another man’s wife and killing the husband in battle, God decreed that the son born out of that sin will not live. David fasted and prayed for God to change it and let the child live but the child died (2 Sam 12:16).

From these few scriptural examples it is evident that men sought to know the future especially during hard and difficult times. It is also clear that the mortal man will always seek out its best interest. So then, the question is, do we know our future? Can we tell what it holds, especially during the time of affliction, because it can really be the defining factor of how we deal with any kind of affliction.

You see, God knows the future, God has made it known that he has our best interest at heart and that the future is bright. Now see the following scriptures:

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Jer 29:11

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. 2 Pet 1:3

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? Matt 6:25-26

But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matt 6:33-34

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 6:33

What more can be added to these promises. You see God knows the future, he knew that they will be times of affliction and thus gave his word to encourage Christians to be of good cheer. As Paul puts it, rejoice, and again I say rejoice. Jesus has overcome the world and it’s tribulations and everything in your life works together for good. So, will you overcome your affliction? Yes, because God says so. Can anything good still come out of your broken life? God says yes. You see, affliction builds character and patience which gives hope (Rom 5:3). So let your hope be in his promises that he will give you an expected end, that he has given everything you need for life and godliness. That your healing is on the way, that your partner is on the way, that your finance will improve, your new job is around the corner. Your circumstances will not remain the same, it will change for the better because God has promised a better future. So, hope on his word, meditate on these words, stand firm and see the salvation of the Lord.

How then do you wait for your victory?  The next post will explore this and more.