Monthly Archives: May 2025

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.”

WHAT WILL THE FIRE REVEAL?

Christian Life,

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 NIV
[11] “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. [12] If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, [13] their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. [14] If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. [15] If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.”

Sobering words… written to believers!

The Apostle Paul was never shy to warn as well as to encourage his readers to pursue and live by the truth, no matter how distasteful it might be.

There are truths in Scripture that we would prefer to dodge or ignore, truths that expose the inner workings of our hearts and warn us of consequences. However, if we don’t heed the warnings now, we might find that we cannot change the outcomes when they happen later.

For a start, If we trust in Jesus for forgiveness and a new life, we have a solid foundation on which to build. However, even with a strong foundation, our lives will collapse under the pressures we face if we build on the foundation with inferior material.

A strong foundation does not necessarily guarantee a strong building. Our superstructure will depend on the material we use to build our house. We can build with good quality material that will endure testing, or we can build with inferior material that will be consumed in the fire.

For example, houses built of wood won’t stand a chance in a fire even if they are built on a stone foundation. Likewise, homes built on selfishness and conflict will perish when fiery circumstances hit. Houses built of brick or stone are far more durable during a fire. In the same way, homes built on unity and love will be stronger to survive in adversity.

1 Corinthians 3:1-4 NIV
[1] “Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. [2] I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. [3] You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans? [4] For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings?”

What constitutes inferior building material?

In the context of his rebuke of the Corinthian church, Paul points to their behaviour as a cause for concern. Despite the many spiritual gifts at work in this congregation, these people were still worldly in their attitudes. Instead of using their gifts to help and build one another up, they were acting in selfish and competitive ways.

How many church leaders today spend more time putting out fires than building strong believers because their church members are immature? Competition and conflict, the rule of the flesh, still happen because of suspicion, mistrust, and selfishness. Real love is often scarce since self-preservation occupies centre stage. These are the combustible materials that will not survive the fires of hardship and testing.

Paul contrasts worldiness with godliness. Worldliness is more than living the world wnd what it has to offer. Worldliness is about thinking and reacting like the people who have “self” as the hub of their lives.

In the war between our old sinful nature and Jesus’ nature in us, the flesh often wins because our own thoughts and desires occupy centre stage. Paul warned that if we live to satisfy our sinful nature, we will die.

The New Covenant, which is centred in “Christ in you, the hope of glory,” enables us to be led by God’s Spirit, not controlled by our flesh. How important this is for now and for our future in God’s kingdom.

God’s Word promises us that, if we share in Christ’s suffering, we will also share in His glory.

Romans 8:17 NLT
[17]”And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ, we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.”

Since Jesus suffered unjust treatment without retaliating, we are called to be like Him…

1 Peter 2:20-23 NIV
[20]”But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. [21] To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. [22] “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” [23] When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.”

Building our lives on this principle…

Matthew 5:11-12 NIV
[11] “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. [12] Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

…and which Paul discovered to be way to experience God’s grace when he was hated and persecuted…

2 Corinthians 12:8-10 NIV
[8] “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. [9] But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. [10] That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

…the principle that non-retaliation defuses the destructive revenge cycle, promoting love instead of hatred, peace in the place of chaos, and harmony for conflict, stops the escalating revenge cycle in its tracks.

Such behaviour will build homes and communities instead of fragmenting them.

Now let’s look at the outcome. Reigning with Jesus, sharing His glory, means that we will participate with Him in the government of His kingdom on earth. However, if we have never learned to control our own unruly selfish desires and sinful responses now, how will we ever be able to take part in the rule of His kingdom later?

So, Paul wrote to the Galatian believers…

Galatians 5:13, 16-17, 19, 21 NIV
[13] “You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love…
[16] So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. [17] For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want…
[19] The acts of the flesh are obvious:… I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

We can say, then, that there are two categories of believers, those who will be saved by the skin of their teeth because they built their lives with selfish and fleshly material and those who will share with Jesus in the administration of His kingdom because they obeyed the Spirit.

We need seriously to heed Peter’s counsel…

2 Peter 1:5-11 NIV
[5] “For this very reason, (to escape the corruption caused by evil desires), make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; [6] and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; [7] and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. [8] For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. [9] But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. [10] Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, [11] and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

MILK OR MEAT?

Christian Life, ,

Hebrews 5:12-14 NLT
[12] “You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. [13] For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right. [14] Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.”

The writer to the Hebrews aimed this rebuke at believers who still behaved like unbelievers. They acted like babies who suck their nourishment from a bottle because they have no teeth to eat solid food and an immature digestion that can only cope with milk.

The writer contrasts an immature believer with an adult who can eat solid food…a juicy steak or a meal of meat and vegetables…because he has an adult digestive system.

A Christian who overreacts to every offense, who collapses under every adversity, who stresses about every challenge, who sinks into depression over every difficulty, is like a baby drinking milk. He doesn’t have the stomach for solid food.

What’s the problem? Immature believers are still children at heart, not child-like but childish. They have never learned to stand up under pressure. They are selfish, measuring every part of their everyday lives by the way it affects them.

You see, believing in Jesus isn’t just about adopting another religion or living by a different set of rules. It’s about coming under the authority of a new master, the Lord Jesus Christ. Before we were given His nature and began a new life when we received Him as Lord, we were the centre of our lives. We measured everything that happened by the way it affected us, and our emotions drove our actions to respond accordingly.

Before we received Jesus as Lord, we thought we were in charge. However, in the background, there was a powerful spirit influencing our thinking by highlighting self… I, me, myself, and mine! Whatever happens, it’s good or bad according to the way it affects me and…I react accordingly. I get angry, I sulk, I get depressed, I retaliate…all my responses to what touches me, my ego, my selfishness, my self-preservation.

This kind of behaviour is the essence of a child’s way of responding to his experience. He responds with feelings aroused by what happens to him. Sulking, temper tantrums when he is thwarted, fists flying in retaliation when he is affronted, rebellion when he is disciplined, and even suicide when he is bullied… the old nature on steroids! …These are the responses of immaturity driven by emotions, devoid of reason.

Now let’s look at the mature believer. What is his motive and his goal? It’s not about pandering to self for comfort and covenience. It’s about taking control of self for the sake of preserving and promoting love and unity and serving others.

Self-control is part of the fruit the Holy Spirit grows in us as we submit to His leading, teaching, and discipline. Like a young horse being broken in…trained to take a rider who will exercise authority over him…as believers in Jesus, we have relinquished control over our own lives to our Master. When we act as though we are still our own master, we will behave accordingly, taking care of number one at the expense of others.

How can we measure our level of spiritual maturity? Paul gives us standards by which to gauge how far we have come or how much solid food we are able to tolerate.

Here are a few do’s and do not’s…

Philippians 2:3-4 NIV
[3] “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, [4] not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.”

Ephesians 4:1-3 NIV
[1] “As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. [2] Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. [3] Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.”

Romans 12:17, 19-21 NIV
[17]”Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone…
[19] Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. [20] On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” [21] Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

Philippians 2:14-16 NIV
[14] “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, [15] so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky [16] as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.”

These responses need decisions and choices rather than reactions, led and empowered by the Spirit.

Philippians 3:15-16 NIV
[15] “All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. [16] Only let us live up to what we have already attained.”

The prescription Paul offers for a strong “digestion” that is able to cope with the “solid food” of life in God’s kingdom requires drastic action against the demands of our selfish nature, nothing less than death to the flesh.

Romans 8:13 NIV
[13] “For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”

…to live the abundant life Jesus promised, at peace and free of guilt because we have embraced His life in His realm, under His authority, for His glory.

WHAT NARRATIVE DO WE BELIEVE?

Christian Life,

Bonzai Shongwe, a pastor and entrepreneur in my country, has taken to using YouTube to bring some discernment and sense to the events unfolding here and in the world. He uses biblical principles to help us put our circumstances into perspective in the bigger picture of God and His ways.

One of the principles in Scripture he has highlighted is the trality of functioning in the narratives we believe. This principle is clearly described in the following verse.

Romans 10:17 NIV
[17] “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”

Faith, as I have already written, is only authentic if it is rooted in truth. Here, then, is the principle that governs, not only the way faith works in us to activate the gospel message but also the way delusion works to activate the false narratives, spread by many leaders, that people believe.

The principle is simple. When we listen to a story and believe what it says, it begins affect our lives.

So, when we listen to the story about Jesus and believe that it is true, we will think and adjust our lives in keeping with the narrative.

We can apply this principle, not only to the truth about Jesus but also to the many lies that the devil has sown in the minds of people through false narratives. This is exactly what happened when the first human pair listened to the lies of the serpent in the garden of Eden, told in graphic picture language.

Genesis 3:1-7 NIV
[1] “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” [2] The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, [3] but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” [4] “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. [5] “For God knows that when you eat from it YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED , and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” [6] When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. [7] Then THE EYES OF BOTH OF THEM WERE OPENED, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.”

God’s narrative was, “Do not eat from the forbidden tree. If you do, you will die.” Satan’s narrative was, “God is lying. You will not die. You will become your own god.” They believed the devil’s narrative and…they died! They died to God and they died to the possibility of eternal life.

What are the stories we hear from many sources…from government officials and international leaders, from the mass media, from pastors and teachers, from our friends and associates, in fact…from anywhere? Whichever story we listen to and believe, we will follow and be affected by what it says.

Politically-motivated leaders serve their own agendas by pushing personal prejudices and grievances from the public platform as though they were true. With narratives that stir emotions and draw a following for personal gain, many of them further their own ambitions rather than the good of others .

To verify the truth of any narrative, we must first identify its source and its motive, and then check the evidence.

For example, the world is listening to the stories coming from our country, and some leaders of other countries are believing them and acting accordingly, without verifying the the authenticity of their source, the reason for the story, or the evidence of the truth of what they are saying. The result? Some drastic outcomes, for power and attention.

This principle is so important that,, to safeguard our own responses, we must be careful to verify what we believe before we act. How can we know which stories to believe? Check the source! Who tells the story? Motive! Why are they telling the story? Evidence! Look for the evidence of truth or lies in the content of the story…and beware of deliberately perpetrated false information.

Let me illustrate.

The religious leaders told the story that Jesus was a dangerous man, a blasphemer and a revolutionary…So, all the people demanded His death at the instigation of their leaders. Who was peddling the narrative? Their own religious leaders! Why? Because Jesus challenged their hypocritical “righteousness” as leaders and their power over their people.

Luke 23:18, 20-23, 25 NIV
[18] “But the whole crowd shouted, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”…
[20] Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. [21] But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” [22] For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”
[23] But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed…
[25] He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.”

Among the crowd, there must surely have been many people who had been healed, set free from demons, and blessed by Jesus’ ministry and yet, despite the evidence, they believed the narrative of the religious leaders.

Terrible things happen when unscrupulous people publicise false narratives devoid of evidence, loudly and persistently enough to capture the public imagination. In response, people mindlessly do unimaginable things because they believe the narrative and don’t check the source or the evidence!

Here is a case in point, told graphically in Acts 19.

The lie and false narrative, verses 26 and 27…

Acts 19:23-27 NIV
[23] “About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. [24] A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. [25] He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. [26] And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. [27] There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

The silversmiths believed the story…

Acts 19:28 NIV
[28] “When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”…

The people of Ephesus joined the riot according to what they heard and believed…

Acts 19:32 NIV
32] The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there.”

Injustice happened, based on a false narrative from a false witness…

Acts 19:29-31, 33-34 NIV
[29] Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. [30] Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. [31] Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater…
[33] The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. [34] But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

This entire fracas was based on a lie peddled by a liar based on a fabricated idea!

Many liars are publicising false narratives in mass gatherings to sow choas in our country. Many liars are selling false doctrines from pulpits across the world to lead people astray.

I appeal to you, my readers. Test the story. Check the source. Check the evidence. Believe the truth. Your future, your life is at stake.

For us, the undesputed truth is that Jesus is Lord. Follow Him.

WALK IN THE LIGHT!

Christian Life, ,

1 John 1:7 NIV
[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.”

We have recently explored the reasons for much of the chaos that is happening in our country and, indeed, everywhere in the world. Leaders are telling stories that lead people into false thinking and false action based on lies. I’m fact, lying leaders are everywhere, both in the secular and the religious world, peddling their stories to suit their own agendas or to satisfy and spread their own prejudices.

To use the biblical expression, they “walk in darkness” because their evil desires and motives are hidden in the stories they tell. To “walk”, in this sense, is to conduct one’s life in keeping with the narrative one believes. If someone believes the narrative that he is better than others, in keeping with his belief, he will act accordingly, be it to belittle or insult others or even to get rid of them.

The kingdom of God, by stark contrast, is also a realm, though unseen, as real as the realm of evil and the Evil One in which we live. God’s kingdom, the way He governs the seen and unseen realms, is based on real truth, not the so-called “truth” that is convenient for each human individual. Real truth is objective. Objective truth never changes because it originates in God who is the embodiment of truth, regardless of whether we believe it not.

John’s narrative is, “God is light!” What is light? Light is, among many other things, the energy that reveals everything as it is. Therefore, God’s nature is to reveal and expose everything as it is, both good and evil.

To walk in the light, as our Scripture requires, means that we align our lives with God’s unchanging standard of doing the right thing regardless of whether it is convenient or not. God always reveals everything, good and bad, without partiality.

When we flick a light switch, the energy of electricity powers a light source to reveal what is in that space without impartiality. If the space is clean or dirty, the light will reveal its state. The light does not make the space clean or dirty. It simply reveals what it is.

When each person in the fellowship of God’s people, in families, or communities of people anywhere, are living in the light of God’s scrutiny by obeying His instructions, harmony prevails. We only keep bumping into each other when we “walk” in darkness.

The goal of our togetherness as believers in God’s family is fellowship… being one with the Father and the Son, through the work of the Spirit in us, living together with people in love and unity. The only way to maintain the fellowship created by the Spirit, is to “walk in the light.”

“Walking in the light” has two purposes, to reveal and get rid of whatever “darkness” is hindering harmony, and to keep us in step with God by walking together in the same direction.

We walk in darkness when we take care of ourselves at the expense of others. We walk in the light when we take care of others at our expense.

What happens when we walk in darkness? Our own desires clash with other people’s desires. The outcome? Chaos!

The solution? Allow the light of God’s truth to expose the darkness of our selfishness. In humility, we acknowledge where we have gone wrong. This kind of honesty, taking responsibility for our wrong attitudes and actions, constitutes transparency…walking in the light.

In this environment of transparency, the blood of Jesus does its work like a winsdscreen wiper. His blood, the forgiveness of sin, automatically keeps us clean and free from guilt.

To maintain this fellowship of the saints together, in harmony with God, transparency requires humility, honesty, and….most of all, grace, grace to admit wrong, to accept help, and to return to the way lit by God’s truth. Grace celebrates weakness and acknowledges God’s power to overcome selfishness. These are the ingredients that make walking in the light possible on our way, together with Jesus, to the eternal realm of the Father.