2016 In Perspective

I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has visited any of my blogs this year, 2016. Going into 2017, I will be posting on only one platform “Musings Of My Heart” but all previous posts on my other blogs “Vignettes of Grace”, “Effervescing Thoughts” and “Musings From The Psalms” have been archived on the consolidated blog and can still be freely accessed.

As the year draws to a close, I present salient points from my blog posts in 2016:

1. Human effort lacks the capability to put us in a good position with God. No rites or rituals, no amount of piety or sanctimonious acts could ever be good enough. It is all just not good enough. We are justified by faith. And we did not achieve it on our own. It came by the gracious act of our gracious God.

Justified, Not By The Law But By Faith!

2. We were under the curse of the law but Christ has bought us out from under that curse. The only blessed, innocent, holy and righteous one took our place and by so doing He redeemed you and I. We are redeemed from the curse of the law.

Redeemed From The Curse

3. In this new dawn of grace God does not expect the believer to live and relate from the standpoint of the Old Testament rules and regulations. It’s rather from a standpoint of the empowerment of God’s grace operating in the core of our beings. There is a new vista of life for believers in Christ Jesus. There is a new principle governing our new relationship with God. It is the principle of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus all made possible by God’s grace.

No Longer Under The Supervision Of The Law

4. In Christ Jesus all discrimination is put away. God receives us solely on the basis of faith in Jesus and we all have equal access by one Spirit. We are all on the same level, saved the same way, entitled to the same privileges. There are no special favours on account of birth, beauty, body physique, skin colour, employment category, level of income or gender.

No More Discrimination

5. God has given us full rights of sonship. We are joint heirs or co-heirs with Christ Jesus; Christ’s position is our position, His possession is our possession, His privileges are our privileges. All of this is so because God by His grace has adopted us into His family.

Adopted By God

6. With our adoption into His family, God sends His Spirit into our hearts producing in us a deep feeling of endearment; a strong sense of intimacy and belonging to God as our Father. This is true of every believer in Christ Jesus. This should be the platform on which we relate with God daily. Just like Jesus. Not like cowering slaves scared and terrified of their wicked master. Rather it should be as liberated sons of God with affectionate desire and appreciation of the immense love our Father has for us.

We Can Cry "Abba, Father"

7. For every believer in Christ, there is an intimate personal knowledge which God has of him or her. God’s personal presence, His personal ownership, His personal love, His personal guidance, His personal kindness and personal care are all yours. This is the reality of the new life in Christ Jesus.

Known By God

8. There are many man-made regulations on food, clothing and rules about worship that really have no real significance in God’s dealings with us. They are just shades of powerless religiosity; superficial, external veneers that do not matter with God and we must not allow them take precedence over the reality of God in our hearts. The grace of God has ensured that faith alone in Christ is adequate.

Grace, Not Religious Servitude

9. We lose fervency, zeal, joy and such positive attitude toward God when we allow other matters aside the grace of God to take the pride of place in our hearts. Occupy your mind with thoughts of your liberation and freedom in Christ; your deliverance from sin; your freedom from a system of rules and regulations; the new life you have in Christ Jesus; the tenderness of the warm embrace of our Father; the intense intimate relationship you have with God; the priceless position, possessions and privileges that are ours through grace in Christ. It will keep your heart ablaze and if the glow in your heart had waned, it will definitely return.

Hearts Ablaze By Grace!

10. There is a wide gulf between the Law and grace. It appears that we sometimes need to think deeply about how life under the Law would have been so we can better appreciate the blessedness of the grace of God that we enjoy in Christ Jesus. We really didn’t stand a chance in the face of the Law but God stepped in and made a way through His grace.

Thank God For Grace

11. As a believer in Christ Jesus, you are not an offspring of the slave who eventually got cast out of the household. You are a child of promise. You own God’s inheritance, it is yours! Don’t be like Mephibosheth, don’t call yourself a dead dog when the King has given you a seat at His table by grace!

Thank God For Grace 2

12. We must not allow ourselves be drawn away from the grace of God. God wants us to stand firm in the freedom Christ Jesus has given us. Don’t allow anything hold you in any sort of trap. Grace is the entry point, grace is also the sustenance of the new relationship we now have with God through Christ.

Gloriously Free

13. Our Lord has completed His work of redemption on our behalf. At His death, Jesus said “It is finished”. It signified that He had accomplished all that He had come into the world to do. Debts of sin paid in full. Ransom for slavery paid in full. Price to set His people at liberty paid in full.

Easter Special

14. There is an undeniable power of influence. It is seen among friends, siblings, families, peers, colleagues/co-workers, congregations, communities and even large populations. Our actions, words and attitudes have the power to influence at least someone else and many times a lot more people than we realize can be influenced by the things we do and say. Choose to be a positive influence in your home, family, at work, in church, among your friends and everywhere else.

A Little Leaven...

15. God’s grace has brought us liberty and His grace also dictates a certain type of lifestyle-a life that is not governed any longer by a powerless servitude to the law or slavery to sin but one with a powerful exhibition of selfless love.

Liberated To Love

16. Living by the Spirit is the only fail-proof way of not succumbing to the desires of the flesh. Experiencing victory over the flesh does not come by simple human philosophy, mere human resolutions, the force of education or human legislation. In this new life in Christ Jesus, God gives us practical victory over the flesh as we keep yielding ourselves to the influence of the Holy Spirit.

Walk In The Spirit

17. The grace of God has freely provided a means of victory for us; we are born of God’s Spirit, we are in the Spirit and it is in the Spirit that we experience God’s victory over the flesh not in our own efforts to help ourselves. In the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit, see yourself as the victor and not the vanquished.

Victory In The Conflict

18. Life in the Spirit is different from life in the flesh. We are different and we should live differently. We are washed, sanctified, justified already! That’s our heritage. We must allow God’s Spirit dominate our minds always and refuse to allow the flesh have its way. That is the life the grace of God has brought us to.

Walk In The Spirit 2

19. The Spirit of God bears fruit in our individual lives. If people are to see what heaven is like, they should see it now in the way we as heavenly citizens live our lives together here on earth. The fruit of the Spirit is to be displayed by all believers in Christ. God did not call us to live ordinary lives. We were made to thrive and allowing the Holy Spirit to bear His fruit in our lives is one aspect of thriving in God.

Walk In The Spirit 3

20. We already live in the Spirit. That is one of the benefits of grace. Since we live in the Spirit, we ought to keep step, and fall in line with the Spirit. We ought to live in full conformity with the Spirit. We must yield fully to the influence of the Spirit and to His guidance.

Walk In The Spirit 4

21. Key steps in walking in the Spirit are: a) Maintaining a conscious awareness of the presence of the Holy Spirit, b) Consciously relying and depending on the power of the Holy Spirit, c) Praying, d) Acting in faith in accordance with the revealed word of God.

Walk In The Spirit 5

To be continued...

Casting My Mind Back To Bethlehem…

This is the week before Christmas and it is important to take our minds back to the actual events of the very first Christmas. On that eve, almost the entire world was oblivious to the amazing occurrence that was about to be witnessed. Divinity was about to be born in human form. In a special body crafted and formed in the womb of a virgin Jewish lady, God the Son was birthed in a manger. In Heaven He said His goodbye and made His entrance to earth. Ushered by the chorale of angels singing in the skies, Jesus our Redeemer said hello to the world.

 Each time I cast my mind back to the cradle, I do not just think of a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes:

 “But we do see Jesus — made lower than the angels for a short time so that by God’s grace He might taste death for everyone — crowned with glory and honor because of His suffering in death.  For in bringing many sons to glory, it was entirely appropriate that God — all things exist for Him and through Him — should make the source of their salvation perfect through sufferings.  For the One who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father.  That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers,  ... Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death — that is, the Devil — and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death.  For it is clear that He does not reach out to help angels, but to help Abraham’s offspring.  Therefore, He had to be like His brothers in every way, so that He could become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  For since He Himself was tested and has suffered, He is able to help those who are tested.”

Hebrews 2:9-11, 14-18 Holman Christian Standard Bible

 I see Jesus, my Sacrificial Substitute, Salvation Captain, Special Sibling, Sacred Sanctifier, Satan Destroyer and Sympathetic High Priest.

 This week, I want to leave us with the words of another poem I read not too long ago:

 Who art Thou, precious little babe, nestled in the hay?

God I am, come to earth this day.

Why didst Thou come, sweet little babe nestled in the hay?

To die, I came, the price of sin to pay.

Who's sin, tender little babe, nestled in the hay?

Yours it was, that brought Me down today.

Exchanging temporarily His throne for a stable, He came here on a mission to save His own. Calvary was the reason for Bethlehem; the reason for the cradle was the cross at Golgotha. And so even now, as we celebrate His birth, let us remember He was born to die. The reason for His birth was His death and resurrection.

This week, I have chosen “O Holy Night” by Hillsong as my song for the week. Have a merry Christmas folks.

"O Holy Night" by Hillsong

Our Greatest Need

As we approach Christmas, I decided to share a poem and then the lyrics of a song written by a dear friend. The poem gives a profound insight into the need God met when He sent us His Son while the song captures a swift sweep of our Savior’s life from the cradle to the cross.

Our Greatest Need

If our greatest need had been information,

God would have sent us an educator.

If our greatest need had been technology,

God would have sent us a scientist.

If our greatest need had been money,

God would have sent us an economist.

If our greatest need had been pleasure,

God would have sent us an entertainer.

But our greatest need was forgiveness,

So God sent us a Savior.

-Roy Lessin

Sons To Him

In Bethlehem a child is born,

In a cradle as a Son.

The Mighty God becomes a man,

Emmanuel unfolds the plan

He was wounded for our sins,

Suffered on the cross to set us free,

Paid a perfect price for us,

It was all just to make us sons to Him.

He staggered carrying the cross,

They nailed and crucified the Lord of lords,

They thrust a spear into His side,

No one even wondered why.

Now He’s risen from the dead,

Seated up above the Lord our King,

Placed us right beside Him there,

And it was all just to make us sons to Him.

-Samuel Nwanze

Finally this week, I want you to be my guest at our Christmas Carol Service on Sunday 18^thDecember 2016 as we together worship our King.

Who Are You?(2): Recognizing Your True Identity

Having the right sense of identity is crucial to our lives. Our sense of identity guides our choices in life and is vital in living our lives to achieve or fulfill purpose.

Moses was born as Hebrew but was raised as an Egyptian Prince. He could have continued living in Pharaoh’s Palace as royalty as he grew into adulthood, but he recognized his true identity as Hebrew. This led him to fulfill his divine purpose in the emancipation of his people from their slavery in Egypt. Can you just imagine how different the whole of the history of the Israelites would have been if Moses did not recognize who he was?

Consider also our Saviour Jesus during His walk here on earth. Scripture records in John 6:14 & 15 that the people wanted to make Him an earthly King by force but He refused to bend to their wishes because He had an unshaken understanding of His true identity. Even John the Baptist who had been given a visible sign affirming Jesus’ identity as the Son of God began questioning whether Jesus was truly the Messiah at some point in time (Matthew 11:2-6, Luke 7:18-23). Jesus was firmly rooted in His sense of identity and that led Him to the Cross at Calvary where He purchased our everlasting freedom and eternal redemption. I shudder to think of what would have happened if by any chance, Jesus had become confused about His identity. We would have remained in our sins, hopeless, godless and eternally doomed!

Common Sources of False Identity

Unfortunately for man, since the fall of Adam and Eve, we have continually looked outside of God for identity. People rarely turn to God for the answer to the question that plagues the human mind “who am I?”. The following are some common sources of false identity:

1.       Physical appearance: Many people derive their personal identity only from their physical appearances and they go all out of their way to meet acceptable standards in their culture. Some young men would go to any length to develop well-toned muscles while some young women make huge expenses to modify their skin colour or even alter their body shape with a view to project themselves in a way that is acceptable.

2.       Performance or achievements: Many individuals derive their identity from their performance or achievements in different areas of life and this is where their value is found. Such people will always search for something to excel at to show superiority over others. This often results in individuals who are so focused in only such areas that they become shallow and isolated. Academics, athletics, job performance and personal achievements then become their only focus. If, however, anything goes wrong they then view themselves as failures which may lead to depression or states of emotional imbalance.

3.       Possessions: Many people derive their identity from their material possessions. This has been described as an “I am what I have” mentality. Many people own possessions that project their desired images. In fact, many people purchase items not out of need but to gain status among their peers. For such people, the brand they wear, the logo on their shirts, the shoes they wear and cars that they drive make them who they are. This usually produces people who are driven to obtain the best possessions among their peers and many times such people could go to any length to get these possessions. Eventually for such people, life will be full of greed, worry and jealousy of others’ belongings. In addition, any minor change in their financial state will almost completely erode this foundation. Scripture teaches us after all: “…one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15)

4.       Past or prevailing circumstances: Many individuals derive their identity from either past events or current circumstances in their lives. Usually it is based on their interpretation of those events but such mental or psychological constructs are firmly rooted in people’s minds. It is very likely for instance that someone who perhaps failed academically at different times in the past would begin to carry a label of “failure” and perhaps adopt that as a personal identity. We find such an example in the life of Naomi, Ruth’s mother-in-law, who adopted a new name (Mara) to reflect the bitterness of the events she had been experiencing (Ruth 1:20 & 21).

Each of these common false identity sources or bases can be easily affected by any change in the life of the individual. All 4 described above are based on factors that are constantly changing. It means therefore that if we develop an identity based on them, it will be an unhealthy identity as it will always be changing. It will be an identity based on a weak foundation, not a solid foundation.

God Wants Us To Have The Right Sense Of Identity

God however, desires for each of His children to have the right sense of identity. He wants us to know and be assured of our true identity. His desire is that we are not confused by the perceptions from the culture around us or the deceptions of the devil. Our true identity is found only in our Creator. All through His dealing with people recorded in Scripture for us, God acted at different times to ensure that His people had the right sense of identity. Let us consider the following examples of such instances:

Abram and Jacob: In earlier dispensations, people’s personal names were sometimes descriptive of the circumstances of their conception or birth and at other times their names were reflective of their future endeavor or unique personality traits. Many times in those dispensations, people’s names became representations of their identity. God gave Abram and Jacob new names to emphasize to them their true identity. To Abram God gave a new name Abraham (Genesis 17:5) because He wanted Abraham to start seeing himself indeed as a father of many nations and to Jacob He gave a new name Israel (Genesis 32:28) so that Jacob would no longer see himself as just that serial deceiver who perennially schemed his way to his achievements. Their new names-Abraham and Israel were symbolic of the new identities that God wanted them to have.

The nation of Israel: 400 years of slavery in Egypt must have deeply damaged the mentality of the Israelites. They had never personally known any freedom, maybe some of them would still recollect stories passed down from previous generations of how they initially came to Egypt as free men and women. However, for that generation, the only identity they had was that of slaves. So, after Moses led them out of Egypt God made sure He told them about their new identity:

“...you will be My own possession out of all the peoples..., and you will be My kingdom of priests and My holy nation” Exodus 19:5 & 6 HCSB

They were no longer slaves, they were now to be God’s own special people, His treasured possession. That was their true identity and He made sure He communicated that to them.

Subsequently after God had established them as a nation in their own land they regularly displayed their rebellious nature towards Him, many times disobeying His commands. Because of their disobedience, they often went through times of tribulation. In some instances, they were invaded by foreign armies and taken into captivity in distant foreign territories. In each tribulation they went through, God always raised a Prophet to whom He gave specific messages reminding the people of their identity as His special possession. One of such Prophets was Isaiah:

“Indeed your husband is your Maker-His name is Yahweh of Hosts-and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth. For the Lord has called you, like a wife deserted and wounded in spirit, a wife of one’s youth when she is rejected, says your God.” Isaiah 54: 5 & 6 HCSB

Jesus Christ: In the life our Lord, there were specific events in which God gave public affirmations of Jesus’ true identity. At His baptism in the river Jordan by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:16 & 17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21 & 22) and also at His transfiguration (Matthew 17: 5), a voice from Heaven proclaimed Jesus as the Son of God.

In the same way, even today, God keeps affirming to His children our true identity. Our true identity is not earned but received from God. Your true identity is not about what you do, how you look, what you have or do not have, or what other people say about you. Your true identity is in who God has made you and how He sees you. Your true identity is not based on feelings but on spiritual facts and realities. This true identity of God’s children is clearly elucidated for us in the Scriptures and confirmed to our hearts by the Holy Spirit. The link below is to a Youtube video that introduces us to the reality of our identity in Christ.

Your Identity in Christ

To be continued…

Grace Found A New Way!

The Law could frighten them,

The Law could restrain them,

It could blame them and shame them,

But the Law could not change them;

The Law might force people to do good things,

But it could not make them good from within

For man's nature cannot be changed by the Law,

But grace found another way!

Since the people could not be righteous,

God Himself became their righteousness,

God entered totally into the sorry sphere of human affairs,

A divine choice for man's sake;

Love no longer imposed love from above,

But Love came down and exposed love here below,

God became the very love He required from man,

Grace took a human face!

Though He had the power to make mountains tremble,

The Son emptied Himself and became completely humble,

He had the divinity to create or cancel universes,

But He became a heir to man's weaknesses,

Chose pain, suffering and death,

In His death was the closure of the Law,

The Law has been replaced by a new covenant

Grace made a new way!

Not by a stricter legislation,

Or a superior education,

But grace through salvation,

Brought me true transformation,

Grace achieved what the Law cannot

Argument fails me, my mouth is shut

From God the Law estranged me

But grace changed me!