Category Archives: Christian Life

HOW CAN WE LIVE CLOSER TO JESUS?

Christian Life,

I can hear, echoing in my memory, the haunting sounds of the old song,

“Just a closer walk with Thee,
Grant it, Jesus, let it be…
Daily walking close to Thee,
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.”

As emotional as the words of this song may be, they don’t accurately reflect the message of Scripture.

What do we mean when we sigh, and yearn, and pray to walk closer to the Lord? Is there something we expect the Lord to do to draw us “closer” to Him? What do we mean by “closer”?

Jesus placed the requirements and the initiative squarely on us. Too often we cry and moan and pray that the Lord will draw us closer to Him when, in fact, He has done everything necessary to remove the barrier and open the way to fellowship with the Father and with Himself. He leaves it up to us to take the initiative.

Let’s see what the Bible says and follow this way instead of waiting for God to do more than He has already done.

First, He has given us a new status! He has dealt with our spiritual condition that blocked our way to Him. He has made us righteous, freed from guilt and shame through the blood of Jesus.

He has drawn us to Jesus. He has opened our hearts to the message of salvation and even given us faith to receive the truth.

John 6:44 NIV
[44] “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

It’s the Father’s initiative to draw us to Jesus.

He has brought our dead spirits back to life.

Ephesians 2:1, 4-6 NIV
[1] “As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins..
[4] But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, [5] made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. [6] And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus…”

He has seated us next to Jesus on His throne in the closest proximity possible. We are as close to Jesus in spirit as we can ever be. In fact, we have become one with Him through the Holy Spirit in us.

Did you get that? God did something we could not do! He brought our dead spirits back to life, joined us to Jesus, and seated us with Him in the heavenly realm. So, where are we now? Seated with Christ in the heavenly realms! Can we be any closer to Him than that?

Second, we have an open-ended invitation.

Hebrews 10:19-22 NIV
[19] “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, [20] by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, [21] and since we have a great priest over the house of God, [22] LET US DRAW NEAR to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

Again, did you get that? Now, the initiative is ours! It’s up to us to act, by faith, on what God has done.

James 4:7-8 NIV
[7] “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. [8] Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Submit…resist…come near! These are all attitudes we must adopt, mindsets we must cultivate, truths we must believe, not to FEEL near to the Lord but to LIVE near to Him. Paul said, “We walk by faith, not by sight (or by feelings)”.

One thing blocks our fellowship with the Father…sin! Sin, in its many forms… thoughts, attitudes, words, deeds…puts up a barrier between us and others, and between us and God. Sin, in its worst form, is doing anything without reference to the Lord. If we make choices and decisions without communicating and doing what Jesus tells us, then we have taken control and He is no longer Lord for us.

John wrote…sin is the barrier to fellowship. Deal with it!

1 John 1:5-10 NIV
[5] This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. [6] If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. [7] But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. [8] If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. [9] If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. [10] If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.”

God has provided the solution to our lack of transparency. Forgiveness! Use it! As long as we are harbouring sin, we cannot function in the realm of closeness to the Lord.

Jesus has a solution to our desire for closeness…

John 15:4-5 NIV
[4] “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. [5] “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Remaining in Jesus is a choice we must make and an attitude we must cultivate, based on what He said. We cultivate the awareness of His presence by choosing to believe that it’s true, and by communing with Him in our hearts continually.

How do we maintain this union? By “walking in His commandments”. What are His commandments? “Love one another.” It’s as simple as that.

Romans 13:8 NIV
[8] “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”

How can we know that we are close to the Lord? He has given us one simple test…His peace! When we have peace in our hearts, we know there is no barrier between us and the Lord.

Colossians 3:15 NLT
[15] “And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.”

Do you get it?

The most powerful and accurate monitor of our closeness to the Lord is His peace in our hearts. Keeping our thoughts aligned with His Word and our attitudes and actions towards others loving, we can know and experience His closeness to us.

Philippians 4:6-9 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. [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.”

Once again, God has given us, in His Word, the way to cultivate and experience the closeness to Jesus that we desire. He has done His part. Now it’s up to us to do our part. As we position ourselves, by faith, in union with Jesus, in the realm where He is sovereign, His peace guards and protects us from all the dangers and challenges the enemy uses to lure us away from that place of perfect peace.

Isaiah 26:3-4 NLT
[3] “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! [4] Trust in the Lord always, for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.”

MOLLY AND ME – AN EAR ATTUNED

Christian Life,

Molly has devised another way of communicating her wants. She used to be demonstrative, making her wants known by her body language. Her tail could speak volumes!  She used it to tell me when she was pleased or displeased with me, when she was happy or depressed.

For example, Molly is terrified of children. As the only “child” of an elderly “mother”, she had no opportunity to socialise with little ones when she was a puppy. Her first encounter was with young children at a creche, when they lunged at her in their eagerness to get acquainted, but left her traumatised for life.

Unfortunately, not long ago, she had a chance encounter with two lively little boys at a friend’s house that she couldn’t escape. Her tail clearly demonstrated her  “Post Traumatic Distress Disorder”, drooping sadly and immovably for three days after her traumatic experience.

Nowadays, as she gets older, her way of communicating is more subtle. We are so attuned to one another that her look tells me what she wants. Most of the time, I anticipate her wants, but there are times when I need to interpret her look by trial and error.

She uses not only her gaze but something even more intimate to talk to me. She uses sound! Let me explain.

At night, after we have been outside for toilet purposes, she retires to her bed in the lounge while I prepare for bed. Showered and refreshed, I call her to the bedroom but she ignores me for her own reasons while I climb under the covers for a few quiet moments before sleep. After a short while, I hear the softest of sounds from her other bed next to mine. Sure enough, I see her little face, her soft brown eyes looking up at me, and hear her eager, unspoken request, “Please pick me up!”

After our trip outside, when we wake in the morning, she again  retires to the bedroom and I to the lounge, knowing full well that she will soon want to be on my lap. While it’s still dark, and I am engaged in writing, the same soft sound alerts me to the same request, “Please pick me up!” Before I see her, I am instinctively aware of her presence and her want.

Despite my increasing deafness,  my ears are attuned to her. I hear her and I respond. From the moment she is beside me on my chair, she doesn’t move. She lies so quietly that only her warm body next to me keeps me aware of her presence.

How like the Lord’s response to us!

1 Peter 3:12 NIV
[12] “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer…”

Sometimes we scream, not because God is deaf but because our need is so desperate. Other times we whisper, we sigh, or we groan, sounds so quiet that only God hears them. Whatever the volume, God hears because His ears are attuned to our cry. Sometimes, only tears are left but He still hears the fall of a silent tear.

How blessed we are to have a Father whose love for us is so tender that He hears us even before we call. How better to express the wonder of prayer than the old hymn…

1. Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire,
unuttered or expressed,
the motion of a hidden fire
that trembles in the breast.

2 Prayer is the burden of a sigh,
the falling of a tear,
the upward glancing of an eye,
when none but God is near.

3 Prayer is the simplest form of speech
that infant lips can try;
prayer the sublimest strains that reach
the Majesty on high.

4 Prayer is the contrite sinners’ voice,
returning from their way,
while angels in their songs rejoice
and cry, “Behold, they pray!”

5 Prayer is the Christians’ vital breath,
the Christians’ native air;
their watchword at the gates of death;
they enter heav’n with prayer.

6 O Thou, by whom we come to God,
the Life, the Truth, the Way;
the path of prayer Thyself hast trod:
Lord, teach us how to pray!

(Author: James Montgomery
James Montgomery (b. Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland, 1771; d. Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, 1854)

(Source: www.hymnary.org)

REMEMBER?

Christian Life,

Thank the Lord for the gift of memory!

Can you imagine what it would be like to wake up in the morning to a new day without no memory of yesterday? How could we learn?
How could we ever know friends and family? How could we speak, converse, connect with anyone, go anywhere? It would be impossible to live any kind of normal life without memory.

Old age has played a trick on some members of society. We call it “senile dementia” but it’s actually a form of inescapable imprisonment, locked into a fuzzy mind that remembers nothing and comprehends very little. What a cruel blow to people who have done so much and could still have so much to give!

How did memory happen in the first place? Did we evolve from animals who have limited memory to humans who have a seemingly limitless capacity to remember? Is that possible?

I choose to believe that God built into our humanity the miracle of memory that acts as a kind of adhesive that connects us with our past, our present, and everything around us, including the people in our world. Memory is like the collagen in our cells that holds our cells together and keeps our systems running smoothly.

Memory can be a vital asset but sometimes a liability if we do not choose to use it wisely. Yes, we do have a choice. Memory is like a bank, a place where we keep valuable memorials of the past safe. We store our money in the bank and only draw from it when we need it. So, too with memory.

We have the “petty cash” part of memory that keeps our day-to-day lives going, our functions and relationships, for example. Then we have the memories we keep in “safe deposit”, the ones that we don’t think about every day, the ones that are useful to keep us in touch with our past but also which we call up for specific purposes.

We can’t erase things from our memory but we can choose not to dwell on them, especially if the things we remember cause us to be bitter, resentful or angry so that we always have a, reason to blame others for the way things are now. We have the ability to choose to be the victims of our circumstances.

Some people live out of their victim mentality to the extent that their present is crippled by their past. They can’t move on. They view everything now as dark because of what someone or something else did to them years ago. They have chosen to remember what they should forget and forgotten what they should remember. They are prisoners of their past.

The Apostle Paul chose a great philosophy to live by.

He had a goal for his life…to please God, and a way to do this… all his past achievements which, so he thought, were enough to gain God’s favour.

Philippians 3:6 NLT
[6] “I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.”

Then he made a great discovery that changed his life.

Philippians 3:7-9 NLT
[7] “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. [8] Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ [9] and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.”

So, Paul changed course. He pressed the” delete” facility to every memory of his past achievements. He chose to forget everything he once done for God, and to remember what Jesus had done for him.

Philippians 3:13-14 NLT
[13]” No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, [14] I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.”

Paul decided to stop looking over his shoulder at what he thought he had achieved and to keep his eyes on what lay ahead. This way of living helped him to forget his failures as well as his” successes” and to focus on the prize.

What a way to live! When Paul kept remembering what Jesus had done for him, he had every motivation to keep going, no matter how difficult the way ahead, because the prize was “out of this world”.

When we choose to forget the harm and the hurts, they pale into insignificance. The angry scowl changes into a smile of gratitude and anticipation of all that God has promised, and we keep running like crazy because there’s a great prize ahead, and guaranteed because He holds the prize and He is waiting for us.

1 Peter 1:7-9 NLT
[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.”

So, dear reader, I think it’s time to get our memories to work for us. Like our money kept safe in the bank, but available whenever we need it, lets draw on those memories that witness to God’s goodness and faithfulness. Let’s remember, with gratitude, the promises of God, and let’s run the race of life with patience and perseverance, always looking to Jesus who is the beginning and goal of our faith.

THE HEALING POWER OF LIGHT – 1

Christian Life,

three words, the Apostle John made a profound statement…

1 John 1:5 NLT
[5] “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: GOD IS LIGHT, and there is no darkness in him at all.”

GOD IS LIGHT.

These three words have great significance for our understanding of God.

After God had created the heavens and the earth, the earth was initially a shapeless ball – dark, mysterious, creepy, and sinister. The Hebrew words that describe the earth before God prepared it for human habitation, “tohu” meaning formless, desolate, a wasteland; “bohu”, meaning empty, an indistinguishable ruin; and the outcome, “chosek”, meaning darkness, misery, destruction, death… together give us a picture of desolation and ruin.

Is this what God created the earth to be? Rather, this is what the earth became after sinister forces had brought about the earth’s desolation and ruin. Is this perhaps the result of Satan’s fall and subsequent banishment to the earth? It could be.

God is light! To restore the earth, His first action was to bring light into the situation. What is light?

Meta AI has a fascinating explanation of some of the aspects of light. For example, Meta said…

“Light is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon that has been studied and debated by scientists and philosophers for centuries. Here’s a brief overview:

What is Light?
Light is a form of electromagnetic radiation, which is a type of energy that can travel through space. It is characterized by its wavelength, frequency, and intensity.

Properties of Light

  1. “Electromagnetic wave”: Light is a wave that consists of oscillating electric and magnetic fields.
  2. “Frequency and wavelength”: Light’s frequency and wavelength determine its color and energy.
  3. “Speed”: Light travels at approximately 299,792,458 meters per second (m/s) in a vacuum.
  4. “Intensity”: Light’s intensity determines its brightness.

Types of Light

  1. “Visible light”: The part of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye (approximately 380-740 nanometers).
  2. “Invisible light”: Forms of electromagnetic radiation that are not visible to the human eye, such as ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR), and X-rays.
  3. “Polarized light”: Light that has its electric field oscillating in a specific plane.
  4. “Coherent light”: Light that has a fixed phase relationship between its waves, such as laser light….

Applications of Light

  1. “Vision”: Light enables us to see the world around us.
  2. “Communication”: Light is used in fiber optic communication, allowing for fast and reliable data transfer.
  3. “Energy”: Light is used in solar panels to generate electricity.
  4. “Medicine”: Light is used in medical treatments, such as photodynamic therapy and laser surgery.”

Wow! That’s amazing. Light is much more than something that enables us to see. Light is a power, an energy that does things.

Now let’s apply this brief description of light to God’s first words,

Genesis 1:3 NLT
[3] “Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”

What happened? God didn’t just turned the lights on to light up a messed-up earth. He introduced a powerful energy and function that was of Himself…light, and that dispelled the darkness by acting on the earth.

Now, let’s look at what John recorded about Jesus.

John 1:4, 9 NLT
[4]”The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone…
[9] The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.”

Then… God Himself, in the person of His Son, entered the world. He brought life and healing with His light, the energy that exposed and dispelled the darkness by restoring the earth’s function and even the functions of human bodies

So, Jesus also came to implement the power of God’s light to bring healing and renewal to everyone who received Him, the Light. His light with its energy and power to restore, comes into the spirits of all who believe in Him, to renew what darkness, in the form of dark forces, has destroyed.

John 1:12 NIV
[12] “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—… “

Jesus Himself claimed the role of light…

John 8:12 NLT
[12] “Jesus spoke to the people once more and said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

If “darkness” represents the ruin and desolation Satan visits on those who have not been exposed to the life-giving and healing power of God’s light, then “light” is the power that effects healing, restoration, and life to those who receive Him. God is both light and the source of light. His light shines through His Word, His Son, to expose our darkness and reveal the truth about Jesus that saves us from the effects of darkness.

Satan works hard to prevent God’s light from shining in hearts darkened by sin.

2 Corinthians 4:4 NLT
[4] “Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.”

However, those who believe the message open themselves to the saving and healing power of the light.

2 Corinthians 4:6 NLT
[6]”For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.”

Through God’s Word, all the facets and functions of light work in us to restore His image.

Psalms 119:130 NIV
[130]”The unfolding (entrance) of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”

God’s method of shining His light in us is through His Word.

Psalms 119:105 NIV
[105] “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

So, through God’s light, operating in our hearts, bringing faith in His Word, works healing, restoration and new life inside us. In a process called “sanctification”, we are being made holy, transformed into the image of Jesus, reversing the effects of Adam’s fall from obedience and trust in God which resulted in condemnation and death, to submission and obedience to His will and way.

The principle of the power of light to reverse the process of sin in our hearts has implications for us in our bodies as well as in our spirits which I will explain in the next post.

To be continued…

A SURE FOUNDATION FOR OUR TIMES

Christian Life,

Isaiah 33:5-6 NIV
[5] “The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. [6] He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”

What a promise in the environment of the chaos and confusion of 9ut times!

The prophet had a message for his people. Their waywardness, their stubborn refusal to turn from their idols to serve their God, was costing them dearly. This promise, this hope, was given to them in the context of betrayal and destruction, the inevitable price of disobedience.

The prophet uttered a prayer to the Lord in his distress…

Isaiah 33:2 NIV
[2] “Lord, be gracious to us; we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our salvation in time of distress.”

…and God answered!

God had an abundant supply of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge for all. Their suffering was unnecessary if they only met His condition for receiving His provision. God was still, and would always be their God, ruling in Zion, the seat of His government on earth. His resources for a peaceful life were available to everyone who would fulfil one condition.

Are we not, also, in our day, caught up in betrayal and disaster? Look at our situation.

Three decades ago, our nation rejoiced at the turn of the tide. The promise of freedom drew millions of previously disenfranchised people to vote for a new government and a new dispensation. The hope of “a better life for all” brought great rejoicing and new energy to the nation.

What has happened since that momentous event? The gradual implementation of a sinister ideology, not reflected in the initial changes in our land, has turned the tide again. The beginnings of a new regime were promising. The icon leader at the helm steered the nation towards forgiveness for past evils and a new philosophy of hard work and prosperity for all the people.

However, the promised beginning began to erode with the passing of time, with new leaders and, with them a new, undeclared philosophy…the enrichment of the few at the expense of the many. This madness has driven the cream of our people to seek prosperity elsewhere, losing what little is left of our taxpayer base and bringing our land to near bunkruptcy.

Absolute power and, with it, absolute corruption, has become the norm. Power, without a benevolent purpose, has dragged our nation into poverty, distress, and hopelessness.

Where can we go from here? To whom can we turn for relief from the monster that rules over us? The threads of corruption have become so entangled that they are a strangling network over the whole of society, releasing a tsunami of criminals on the rest of us. Our wealthy rulers sit safely in their ivory towers, pour scorn on the faceless poor, and devise new ways of squeezing what is left of our meagre resources out of our pockets to top up their “feeding troughs”.

The same message that came to Isaiah in his distress, comes to us in the moment of our crisis. There is hope for us in our times as there was for God’s people if we turn from our persistent trust in dumb idols to faith in the living God.

What can confidence in sangomas, witchdoctors, and dead ancestors do to restore hope and prosperity to a dying nation? Can rituals, incantations, and animal (or even human) sacrifices make an iota of difference to the situation except to drag us deeper into the clutches of demonic powers? Can the murder of innocent people of another skin colour bring back hope and prosperity? Can the redistribution of land correct past wrongs or fill the bellies of hungry people? Can idealistic ideologies, with no shred of evidence that they have ever worked in practice, make any difference for the better of this “rainbow” nation?

There is only one glimmer of hope in our darkness… no, more than a glimmer, a beam of light to guide us away from destruction and towards restoration…

… the Lord God Himself…

“He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”

One promise, one solution, one condition! As with Israel of old, God holds out the olive branch to everyone who meets His condition. “The fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”

There is a treasure store of promises, an “Aladdin’s cave” of solutions to our plight in the mouth of God. As the centurion requested of Jesus, “Just say the word…”, so, locked up in the heart of God are the words that can turn our situation right about face.

Only one huge obstacle stands between the people of our land and a new dispensation of peace and prosperity…their stubborn hearts of unbelief! Among us are some who trust in God but many who have no use for Him and His holy standards. They prefer to despise or ignore Him on favour of dead ancestors or human traffickers with the devil.

Paul’s diagnosis of the cause of the evils in our land is as relevant now as it was in his day.

Romans 3:10-18 NIV
[10] “As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; [11] there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. [12] All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” [13] “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.” “The poison of vipers is on their lips.” [14] “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” [15] “Their feet are swift to shed blood; [16] ruin and misery mark their ways, [17] and the way of peace they do not know.” [18] “There is NO FEAR OF GOD before their eyes.”

“The fear of God”…what is it? In very simple terms, to fear the Lord is to take Him and His Word seriously. This means that we ragard Him with awe, honour, and respect for His person and we live in obedience to His Word.

Is this too much to ask for a solution to a country in crisis?

God’s mercy to those who fear Him is as immeasurable as the heavens above.

Psalms 103:10-12 NIV
[10]… “He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. [11] For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; [12] as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.”

His forgiveness is secured in the death of His Son, the only human sacrifice that can take away sin.

Is it too much to ask that the people of this nation turn from their dumb idols, take the only true God seriously, believe His promise, and tap into His treasures? The results will be out of this world…

Salvation…a divine intervention, a supernatural rescue from the mess we have made, a turnaround from ruin to restoration. Transformation, yes, but not to fulfil the dreams of the greedy, from functional to dysfunction at the hands of unscrupulous people, as the human plan appears to be.

Wisdom…not human foolishness masquerading as wisdom.

James 3:13-16 NIV
[13] “Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. [14] But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. [15] Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. [16] For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”

Real, godly wisdom that bears its own fruit.

James 3:17-18 NIV
[17] “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. [18] Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.”

Understanding…the end result of wisdom. Aah! The ability to “see”, to recognise the outcome of divine versus human wisdom.

All these promises are freely available to all of us, individually and as a nation, if we would only fulfil the one condition that opens the door to the superabundant supply of God’s wisdom. “The fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”