Category Archives: Christian Life

BE A GOOD FINISHER

Christian Life, ,

Today, on the 28th day of August, 84 years ago, I transitioned from my mother’s womb into the world. I have lived through 84 years of ups and downs, sunshine and storms, building my understanding of life by looking back on experience after experience.

I am nearing the end of my journey. What can I say about my past and my anticipation of the future? How much longer do I have in time before I transition again into the realm of eternity?

I think often about these things since I have no idea whether my end will be abrupt or drawn out. Jesus urged us to be ready. We must not allow our final day to take us by surprise, leaving us no time to prepare for our eternal future.

There is a place and a designation for the elderly. Starting the journey well with Jesus is good but finishing well is better. God wants His oldies to be good finishers. This is the greatest testimony to His grace.

Paul had a triumphant declaration of his life and impending death as a good finisher.

2 Timothy 4:6-8 NLT
[6] “As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. [7] I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. [8] And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.”

He confidently asserted his qualifications for the prize he would earn for his life of faithful service to his Master.

He had a calling which he fulfilled, to take the gospel to the Gentile world. He viewed his mission as a drink offering poured out to God in worship. This calling involved blood, sweat, and tears, but he did it out of love for Jesus.

He had a treasure to guard and to pass on to succeeding generations. The gospel message was not his. Jesus entrusted it to him to deliver, unchanged and intact, to those who heard him and to those who came after them until the end of time.

His source was the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, foretold by the prophets, fulfilled in history, and interpreted by the Holy Spirit in and through him and his fellow apostles. He was not only faithful to his calling but he also urged those who came after him to stick with the truth.

2 Timothy 1:14 NLT
[14] “Through the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within us, carefully guard the precious truth that has been entrusted to you.”

He anticipated his death with joy. There was no “sword of Damocles” hanging over his head. Not even the possibility of martyrdom frightened him. He was on his way to glory and the way it would happen was simply the transition from time to eternity.

For those who anticipate Jesus’ return with joy, the interim is the time to prepare, to put right what needs attention and to endure with patience the trials and tests of the journey.

Peter joined Paul in his joyful anticipation of the future for good finishers.

1 Peter 1:6-9 NLT
[6] “So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. [7] These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. [8] You love him even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy. [9] The reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.”

What of those who ignore or brush aside with contempt the process by which good finishers will enjoy their reward? Some live by the foolish notion that everyone will go to heaven no matter how they finished life on this earth. Others push the notion of death aside and live as though there is no tomorrow.

What a fool’s dream. How can God welcome His enemies into His eternal home?

Romans 5:10 NIV
[10] “For if, while we were God’s ENEMIES…

How can He invite the dead to live with Him forever?

Ephesians 2:1 NIV
[1] “As for you, you were DEAD in your transgressions and sins…”

How can He tolerate sin in His holy presence?

Habakkuk 1:13 NIV
[13] “Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing. Why then do you tolerate the treacherous?…”

He warns…

Galatians 6:7-8 NLT
[7]”Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. [8] Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.“

The only way to ensure that you will finish well is, first, to start the journey with the right company. Keeping company with the world will aid you on your way to destruction. Jesus is the only way to the Father.

Second, staying on course will keep you moving in the right direction towards your desired destiny. Guard and stay in the truth. Those who endure to the end will be saved.

Third, do the work you were assigned to do. Jesus requires only one way to please Him. Love one another. There are many expressions of love. Follow the directive you have received from the Spirit to express Jesus’ love to one another.

Fourth, anticipate the Lord’s return with joy for there is a great reward for good finishers.

My journey has not yet ended but my heart is moving me towards my destination with the anticipation of a grand welcome into His eternal. Kingdom.

2 Peter 1:10-11 NLT
[10] “So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. [11] Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

MOLLY AND ME – A TENDER LOVE

Christian Life, ,

Molly is just a dog. She isn’t a puppy any more but I still call her my “baby girl” because she is small, vulnerable, and dependent. I treat her like a dog. I don’t dress her up like a child, I try not to feed her human food, (although I once did), I try to fall in line with her “dog-ness”.

She has limited understanding so I don’t expect her to understand what she can’t because she is a dog. Instead, even though she is naughty at times, stubborn, disobedient, fussy, and even independent, I still treat her like a dog. I crank up what she does understand, tenderness! Soft, kind tones…togetherness…
companionship…closeness…
exercise… praise…treats… and even routine which makes her feel secure.

My efforts pay off when I receive the kind of unconditional love and loyalty only a dog can give. My greatest reward is that moment when Molly lies on my lap, comfortable and warm under our “red blankie”, and gazes adoringly into my eyes.

I’ve learnt to be a good dog owner by the way my Father treats me. He knows my capacities and limits. Someone once wrote a song (which I can’t find on YouTube), “I’m only a child in His eyes…” The Father knows my child-ness just as I recognise Molly’s dog-ness and He treats me accordingly.

His tenderness is unmatched. His compassion is limitless. His mercy is as high as the heavens are above us. He us the Father of all fathers, the one we need more than anyone else. How precious is He to those who call Him “Abba!”.

Psalms 103:13-16 NLT
[13] “The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. [14] For he knows how weak we are; he remembers we are only dust. [15] Our days on earth are like grass; like wildflowers, we bloom and die. [16] The wind blows, and we are gone— as though we had never been here.”

There is no one like the Lord who accommodates Himself to who were are, who knows our weakness and failures and forgives. He covers our sin with the blood of His own Son and removes the pollution of our rebellious acts as far as the east is from the west. He changes our stubborn hearts from rebels to adoring children. Thank you, Father, for such tender love!

PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES

Christian Life, ,

The Bible is a book written from the heart of the language and culture of its authors. It spans some 2000 years, penned by some 40 people in different languages and from the background of a variety of Middle-Eastern cultures.

We would expect, then, that there were many practices in those days that no longer apply now. Does that make the Bible irrelevant to us? Not at all! We can draw principles from their culture that are timeless, and apply equally to us now as they did to them then.

We have already examined some of the ways in which people in Jesus’ day were both to submit to unjust treatment as well as to preserve their own dignity by, for example, turning the left cheek to insult, going the second mile to carry a Roman soldier’s pack, or surrendering one’s tunic when one’s cloak is demanded as surety for an unpaid debt.

Any of these actions would make no sense now but spoke volumes to someone who intended to insult or bully a person of less social standing in Jesus’ day.

Another of these “cultural” riddles is found on Paul’s instruction to women in his letter to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 11:4-6 NLT
[4] “A man dishonors his head if he covers his head while praying or prophesying. [5] But a woman dishonors her head if she prays or prophesies without a covering on her head, for this is the same as shaving her head. [6] Yes, if she refuses to wear a head covering, she should cut off all her hair! But since it is shameful for a woman to have her hair cut or her head shaved, she should wear a covering.”

What does cutting hair or wearing a head covering have to do with women today? Is this an instruction for women to obey in 21st century Western culture? Is there a timeless principle in Paul’s instructions for women today?

Some cultures have a law that women must cover themselves from head to toe, even to covering their faces. As a result, nothing of them may be visible except their eyes. Apparently, the reasoning behind this extreme practice is that the sight of any part of a woman’s body is a temptation to a man. Hence, women are treated as inferior to men and must be subjugated to men. Temptation is blamed on what men can see when they look at a woman, not on men’s wicked hearts.

As always, the Bible will explain itself if we listen to the Holy Spirit.

Apparently, cutting of hair or appearing in public without a head covering was the sign of a prostitute. Any man seeking a prostitute’s services would easily find her. Therefore, any attempt by a Christian woman to throw off this cultural norm would be out of line.

Paul said, “Don’t do it because of God’s creation order. He has ordained that the husband is the authority in a marriage. His wife signifies her submission to God in this order and in this culture, by covering her head.

Our Christian faith has introduced another valuable principle into whatever practice reflects a wife’s submission to God’s order. If wearing a head covering means nothing to us now, the Bible turns our attention to the attitude of the heart.

Two complementary passages of Scripture show us how wives, in particular, are to treat their husbands as a witness to their obedience to God’s order in marriage.

Ephesians 5:21-23 NLT
[21]”And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. [22] For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. [23] For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church.”

This instruction elevates the marriage relationship onto God’s level for marriage…to be an earthly reflection of a heavenly reality. The church is betrothed to Christ. He loves the church, died for her, and tenderly cares for her until He returns to “marry” her for eternity. The wife is therefore to submit to her husband’s love as the Church submits to her Lord in whatever way her culture dictates. In this interactive way, the two become one.

Peter echoes Paul’s sentiments.

1 Peter 3:1-6 NLT
[1] “In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over [2] by observing your pure and reverent lives. [3] Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. [4] You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of A GENTLE AND QUIET SPIRIT, which is so precious to God. [5] This is how the holy women of old made themselves beautiful. They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands. [6] For instance, Sarah obeyed her husband, Abraham, and called him her master. You are her daughters when you do what is right without fear of what your husbands might do.”

Peter draws the wife’s attention to the heart of the matter. How she adorns her body is not as important as the way she adorns her attitude. He refers to her attitude to her husband as “the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit” that pleases God and that will keep her husband close to her always because, unlike external looks, inner beauty never fades.

So, when we put these Scriptures together, God’s ways emerge. If we rely on whether women cut their hair or cover their heads in obedience to a cultural norm, as a sign of their submission to God’s order, we are tresspassing into legalism.

Paul strongly resisted the teaching of some false teachers, that people must use an outward sign, like circumcision for example, as a way to being right with God.

Galatians 5:2-4 NLT
[2] “Listen! I, Paul, tell you this: If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be of no benefit to you. [3] I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses.”

No one is right with God by trying to obey the law. Even worse…

[4]”For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace.”

Therefore, to think that having long hair or wearing a head covering means that a wife is being submissive to her husband, is equally false.

It does not matter how a woman adorns her body. If her heart is not willingly obedient to God’s Word, she is being disobedient.

If this principle applies to married women, what about single girls and women?

I believe that the attitude girls and single women have towards all men, beginning with their fathers, is a good indication of how they will treat their husbands. Therefore, part of the role of a submissive wife is to teach her children to be submissive to their fathers. This attitude will lay a solid foundation for the future for both girls and boys.

God has instituted a pecking order in the family that works. When the family adheres to the principle, it filters into society, and peace reigns.

To conclude, then, if we look for principles in the cultural norms in Scripture, we will often find God’s ways embedded in them as a guide to godly living.

GOD SPEAKS TO ORDINARY PEOPLE

Christian Life, ,

Where do we get the idea that God speaks to certain people and not to others, that He singles out some for His favour but not others?

I have discovered that God speaks to anyone who will listen. Yes, He had His chosen prophets to whom He gave messages for the king and the nation in the Old Covenant. His Word is full of prophetic messages designed to call the nation of Israel back to Himself and to encourage and guide them towards their destiny.

However, does He still speak to people today? We know that He is continually speaking through His written Word. The Holy Spirit and the Word are powerful witnesses to His will for His people but…does He still give specific instructions, or words of encouragement, or even promises to individuals on their journey through life?

I believe He does!

Psalms 25:14 NIV
[14] “The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.”

The Hebrew word translated “confides” implies a secret shared in the intimacy of a close relationship.

“Strong’s h5475

  • Lexical: סוֹד
  • Transliteration: sod
  • Part of Speech: Noun Masculine
  • Phonetic Spelling: sode
  • Definition: council, counsel.
  • Origin: From yacad; a session, i.e. Company of persons (in close deliberation); by implication, intimacy, consultation, a secret.”

Let me share two such messages that came to me out of the blue which proved to be both prophetic and accurate.

On two occasions, as I was praying, the Holy Spirit spoke clearly to me in response to my petitions. The first was when load shedding was at its worst. I asked the Lord to intervene. To me it seemed an impossible request. Would God magically work a miracle to put Eskom back on its feet? I clearly heard these words in my spirit, “If my people pray, I will keep the lights on.”

That was all! No “how” or “when”, just a simple promise! I communicated the message to my church family. No doubt, many of God’s people around the country were praying. Looking back at my “mustard seed” of faith in that promise, I recognise God’s faithfulness, not in response to my faith but to His Word. Our country is not only, in the main, enjoying an uninterrupted power supply but we are also astounded at the sudden and apparently permanent turnaround. What happened?

Despite the officials at Eskom claiming the accolades for the sudden end of load shedding, we can give God the glory for honouring His promise, no matter to whom He spoke it.

The second message came in the form of a “vision”, a kind of mental picture of a huge ship slowing down and turning around, accompanied by these words, “The juggernaut is turning around.”

The dictionary definition of a juggernaut is “a huge, powerful, and overwhelming force.”

A few days later, I read an article in the “Daily Friend” magazine that recorded the words of a message by the president to a communist party gathering, referring to our government as “the ship of state”.

In the light of God’s word to me, I was electrified by the confirmation from a secular source. Months later, come the 2024 elections, the ANC party crashed to an under 50% outcome, forcing the party into a GNU.

What is happening in our country now? The “juggernaut” is being forced to slow down and turn around. God has put in place men and women who are resolute in their determination to steer the ship into calmer waters.

0The high-handed decision-making is being challenged. A greater measure of consultation and, albeit reluctant, concensus is happening, slowly but yet surely bringing hope and the promise of our “ship of state” moving in a better direction.

Does God still speak? Most surely, yes! Does God speak to anyone? Again, yes! He speaks to anyone who will listen, who will ask for a promise in any situation and will believe what He says because He is always faithful to His Word.

One important lesson I have learned from these two (and many more) times, when God spoke, is that God always honours His Word which sometimes results in a miracle, not the other way around. When I need help and call on the Lord, I ask for a word, not a miracle. Then I can be sure that He will always honour what He has said.

HE RESTORES MY SOUL – 1

Christian Life, ,

Genesis 2:7 NLT
[7] “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.”

A quick reading of this verse gives the impression that God made the first man in two parts – the combination of a material part made from the elements of the earth and a non-material part by breathing His own breath into him. Man became “nephesh”, a living being, or a living soul.

The soul, sometimes referring to the non-material part of a human, relates to God, called, or through, the “spirit”, and to people and the world around us through our mind, will, and emotions.

Since humans are a unit, we cannot compartmentalise ourselves strictly into body and soul since soul can mean more than one aspect of our non-material nature. For example, we use the word “heart” to relate to everything about our inner being, while out “soulish” part drives our actions and reactions.

However, when Adam chose to defy God, everything about him was infected by sin. His body became subject to disease, disabilities, and eventually death . His spirit lost communication with God. He was completely cut off from Him. Adam, the first human who represented the human race, passed on his tainted and corrupted nature to mankind.

Ephesians 2:1-3 NLT
[1] “Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. [2] You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. [3] All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.”

Our sin nature, pandering to the demands of our ungodly desires, controlled us. Our minds, will, and emotions were out of order, causing chaos in our understanding, beliefs, and behaviour.

Where once the human mind, corrupted by sin, could only think false thoughts, God restored through His grace. Our thought processes are now based on an understanding of the truth, and we develop a belief system which influences our will to do the right thing. Our decisions and actions fall in line with the truth and our emotions follow, confirming the choice of our will. The outcome of the soul’s function in the correct order is peace.

Chaos results when the soul, out of order, reacts to our emotions rather than to the truth. When an unpleasant situation occurs, emotions run amok. Instead of stopping to think the situation through, we make wild, unreasonable decisions based on the way we feel, cand take sinful, often selfish action that exacerbates the situation.

Only God, by His grace, can teach us and enable us to function in an orderly way so that our souls are at peace rather than in a state of emotional disturbance.

Paul gives us a simple prescription for life that helps us get our souls back into God’s way.

Philippians 4:6-7 NLT
[6] “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. [7] Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

We automatically slip into “worry” or “anxiety” mode when we run into situations outside of our control. Our disturbed emotions upset rational thinking and decision-making. Paul says, “Stop! Don’t do anything. If you believe in God, turn your situation over to Him. When you thank Him, you release your anxiety into His hands. In return, He restores peace in your heart.”

Can you understand the process? God restores peace to the soul when we function in the correct order. Jesus gave us His peace to steady our lives. There is no need to live in a state of mental and emotional disturbance when we approach our challenges with the correct attitude.

There is one more step in this process of restoration in our souls. Paul’s prescription is only fully effective when we do as he says.

Philippians 4:8-9 NLT
[8] “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. [9] Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”

We cannot put in place the beliefs1 that influence our choices, decisions, and behaviour unless we fill our minds with the thoughts that shape what we believe. For example, we will not trust God when stuff happens if we do not believe that He is good all the time.

So, says Paul, fill your mind with thoughts that enhance your faith in God. Put another way…

Romans 12:2 NLT
[2] “Don’t copy the behavior 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.”

Restoration of our souls, then, is not one-sided. It’s a partnership between God and us. When we fill our thoughts with the truth of His
Word, and apply those truths in difficult times, He helps us to react in the right way, turning our anxiety over to Him and trusting Him to take care of the situation. He restores peace which lifts us above the situation to a state of tranquility where anxiety cannot intrude.

And… to crown it all, He will actively intervene to support, sustain, and bless us as He did both Joseph and David in the Old Covenant by His presence.

“The God of peace will be with you.”

To be continued…