Keep Watch; Be Ready- Part I

One of the childhood occurrences that I vividly remember to date is one sunny afternoon when as a first grade kid, I came from school at about 1300 hours and as routine would have it, I took my lunch and slept.   After enjoying a soundly deep nap, I woke up in fright from a bad dream.  The dream seemed very real and so in confusion I responded to its illusion.

In my dream, all my siblings had gone to school and had left me behind sleeping.  School for me was synonymous with playing and that explains why the thought of being left at home on a school day was overly devastating.  At school, I was a team leader of a game called "circular" and the fun that came with it made school the best place in the world.  Not realizing that it was merely a dream, I jumped out of bed in haste, frantically wore my shoes and sprinted out of the house (never mind that I had not won my school uniform and did not pick my school bag).

I believe it was by divine arrangement that my dad who worked about 8 minutes walk away, thought of checking on me just about that time when I was running out of the house.  He literally stopped me on my tracks about three minutes away from home.  I didn't relent easily; it took some convincing before I came around to realize that I had already had my share of school for the day.

Whenever I think of this experience, I relate it to the rapture account in Matthew 24:36-51 which states that no one knows the day nor the hour of the coming of Christ.  Two men will be in the field, one will be taken and one will be left.  Two women will be grinding with a hand mill, one will be taken and one will be left. Unlike my experience, the rapture will not be a bad dream.  Not at all.  It will be an irreversible occurrence with eternal implications.

Just like the days of Noah (Genesis 6), so will be the times at the coming of Christ.  Jon Courson in his exposition of Genesis 6 elaborates on the characteristics of that time: population explosion; gross immorality; violence; and minds corrupted with evil thoughts.  All these signs are evidently present in the times that we live in!

Matthew 24 is basically a message to the disciples of Jesus.  This means that the message in this chapter is for the church.  In verse 1-2, Jesus prepared His disciples for his crucifixion, death and resurrection.  In verse 3, it actually dawned on the disciples that Jesus was physically departing from them through death on the cross.  This prompted them to reflect on the promise of Christ's return.  Thus in that verse, the disciples asked Jesus, "When will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of age?" 

Although contentious amongst believers, I strongly believe on account of God's Word that the Church will be taken (raptured) first and saved from the hour of trial; the great tribulation of 7 years.  Revelation 3:10 states, "Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth."  The disciples of Christ who have kept the commands of God and endured patiently, at the coming of the Messiah, will be caught up with Him in the air!

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 states, "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever."

Christ took time to explain to us what it will be like both at the time of His coming for the Bride (Matthew 24:36-44) as well as the end of age- judgement of the nations (Matthew 24:4-35; see also Revelation 6, 7, 20).  Perhaps the following illustration will better help us understanding the unfolding of the end-time events as taught in scripture:

I totally agree with Jon Courson's statement that though we may not know the day and the hour of Christ's coming, we should know the times and the seasons.  Just like the Sons of Issachar, we ought to be men who understand the times and also live in the wisdom of knowing what we ought to do at the proper time (I Chronicles 12:32). 

The responsibility of the Church in this age is to keep watch and be ready! (Matthew 24:42,44)

Effective watching requires right positioning.  In the case of soldiers watching, some would position themselves at a vantage point while others may choose to take cover in bunkers depending on the situation.  A believer is rightly positioned when they are walking in righteousness.  Actually, the word righteousness means "right standing with God".  A believer soiled in sin cannot effectively  engage in watching.  Ephesians 2:6 states that we are seated in and in Christ in the heavenly realms.  When believers live in righteousness, they rule and reign with Christ in the heavenly realms.

Effective watching requires eyes that see and ears that hear.  As we watch, we look out for the enemy and his schemes/ traps; we look at unfolding events in light of the word of God; we listen in to hear God and deliver His Word (rhema) to humanity; and we listen in to the voice of the commander-in-chief, Jesus Christ, directing us in the battle ground.  Such watching, requires alertness.  It requires that a believer's mind be set on things eternal and not on temporal things (Colossians 3:2).  It requires a sober mind with a clear conscience.

Effective watching literally demands that we leave our comfort zone and familiar grounds.  It requires patient endurance.  It requires discipline.  It requires hearts committed to their Lord's cause, even when the flesh is weak and failing.

Believers are required to watch so that they may sound a warning regarding what they see (Ezekiel 33:1-7).  They are to blow the trumpet; they are to speak God's rhema word.  Believers are God's mouth piece urging people to repent; reconciling men to God; and offering prophetic direction.  God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked and will hold us accountable for the blood of all whom we fail to warn (Ezekiel 33:8-11).  Believers are appointed watchmen to travail in prayer, reminding God day and night of His promises, on behalf of their families, cities and nation until the purposes of God are established.

In readying ourselves for the Groom, every human being must first be reconciled to God by acknowledging his/her sinful state and their need for a Saviour; repenting and welcoming Christ into their hearts to be Lord over all aspects of their lives.  This seems basic, but is not obvious in this era where mere Christian rituals are mistakenly taken to be the same as a man's reconciled relationship with God.

It frightens me that many people have associated themselves with the Christian faith merely by reason of their names, family backgrounds and christian practices such as attending church.  However, their hearts are not reconciled to God in Christ Jesus; they have not come to the point of true repentance- asking for forgiveness of sins, turning away from sinful living and allowing Christ to be Lord of their lives.

It is only in Christ that we become the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21).  Have you made that conscious decision to surrender to and follow Christ?  Is your name written in the Lamb's book of life (Revelation 3:5; 17:8; 21:27)?  The inhabitants of the earth whose names will not be written in the book of life will remain when Christ takes away the Church.  Those whose names will not be present in the book of life will have to endure the great tribulation, and will perhaps have to defend their faith by their own blood (Revelation 7:9-17).

The irony of Jesus' ministry is that he was utterly distressed by the religious more than the 'sinners'.  Often, we see Jesus rebuking the Pharisees and the Sadducees and yet I can hardly find an incident in the Bible where Jesus rebuked the tax collectors, the prostitutes and the Roman soldiers.  One of the greatest undoing of the religious people during Jesus' time was hypocrisy.  This hindered brokenness, and consequently true conversion.  Yet to all who truly confessed their sins- the tax collectors, the Roman soldiers and the prostitutes included- were baptised (Matthew 3:6).

Preceding Jesus' ministry was John the Baptist who had begun preaching the message of repentance in the wilderness, to prepare the way of the Lord.  John blatantly expressed his discontent when the religious people came to him for baptism.  Perhaps the religious people came to him because it was the socially correct thing to do.  They might have perceived it as spiritually fashionable or an attainment of religious status.  They were pursuing the action and yet their hearts were far from God.  The radical prophet would have none of this.   

"... You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?  Produce fruit in keeping with repentance."  Matthew 3:7-8  

Christ warning his disciples in Matthew 16:6 stated, "Be careful.  Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."  The same warning is resounding to the church today!  A believer's outward expression of faith ought to be a reflection of inward transformation.  You and I must allow the Spirit of God to work on our inner man for sanctification.  This takes humility and obedience.   Christ is coming for a bride that is holy and blameless, whose garments are without spot or blemish.

You and I must be prepared for the groom! We must guard our hearts against worldliness, for to love the world is to be an enemy of God (James 4:4).  The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1John 2:15-17) comprise worldliness.

According to Galatians 5, it is for freedom from the slavery of sin that Christ set us free.  We must take caution lest we fall back to the yoke of slavery.  The desires/ lusts of the flesh include sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.  These lusts relate to physical pleasure from sinful activity.  The devil knowing that Jesus was hungry after his fourty-day fast, tempted Jesus to turn stone to bread for the sake of physical gratification.  Jesus countered this temptation with the word of God.

The lust of the eyes concerns desire to have things that are not ours or to look upon things that we should not look upon.  Today's Church is divided and it struggles to forge forward in unity because of the sin of covetousness and strife.  We covet other peoples' spiritual gifts and ministries; we covet their material blessings; and we live in strife with fellow brothers and sisters.  The devil showed Jesus the kingdoms of the world and tempted the Messiah with earthly authority and splendor.  Jesus countered this temptation with the word of God.

Luke 21:34 states, "Be careful or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.  For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth.  Be always on the watch ...."

Pride is another element of worldliness and its temptation does not spare the believer nor the sinner.  Believers must watch out for pride because the enemy is roaring around looking for someone to devour.  Pride seeps in slowly and un-announced.  Even Jesus Christ was tempted on pride when Satan asked Him to throw Himself from the temple top and proof the word of God regarding protection.  I believe in the manifestation of the Spirit.  Signs, wonders and the miraculuous are our heritage as children of God.  Sadly though, God's grace manifest through spritual gifts in believer's lives have become their reason for pride.  How can we overcome pride?  Counter it with the word of God as Jesus did.

The word of God is primary in our inward transformation, even as we prepare for our Groom.  John 17:7 records that it is the Truth of God's Word that sanctifies believers.  It is tragic to note that many believers want transformation through many means other than reading, hearing, studying, meditating and memorizing the Word of God.  The Word of God is life, sharper than two edged sword; piercing to the division of the soul and the spirit; to the division of the bone and the marrow (Hebrews 4:12).  All believers need to as often as possible lay at God's theater table for the surgery and healing of their hearts and minds.  The Word of God is the sword that circumcises the foreskin of our hearts (Jeremiah 4:4), causing us to be delivered from sin's grip.

Through the Holy Spirit, God works in us both to will and to do for His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).  God reaches to the core of us and heals our wounds and delivers us from the bondage of sin.  By His grace, we are empowered to shake off every sin and every weight that hinders us from running the race of perseverance (Hebrews 12:2).

Christ's intent for believers/ the church is that they would endure to the end.  This is depicted in the message to the churches in Revelation 2 & 3.  Each church's message ends with a promise given to "him who overcomes ...."  It is great that believers have received Christ as their Lord and Saviour.  However, we must press on to run the race of faith set before us according to the rules (2 Timothy 2:5).  Cursed is the man who puts his/her hand on the plough and looks back (Luke 9:62).  Friends, we ought to endure patiently and to finish the race.

In spite of how difficult the race might get, our comfort is in knowing that we have overcome the world.

1 John 5:4-5- “for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world? Only the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”

God desires that we watch and keep ready faithfully and in wisdom (Matthew 24:45-47).  These were important traits for the early church as they elected leaders.  Perhaps the words of Jesus in Matthew 24 were still so loud and clear to their ears.   For example, when the disciples were looking for Judas Ischariot's replacement, they looked for a man who had faithfully followed Christ during his earthly ministry.  Also, when the church decided to elect deacons, they looked for men full of the Spirit and wisdom (Acts 6:3).  Stephen, one of the deacons is described as being "full of faith and power" (Acts 6:8).

The Groom's expectation is that His Bride will watch and ready Herself faithfully and wisely.

God desires that individually, we will be found ready, faithfully undertaking the work entrusted to us.  Doing God's work is not burdensome because it is a natural expression of our relationship with God.  Labouring for the Lord is done willingly because it emanates from the love of God poured upon our hearts (Romans 5:5).  Enduring patiently is made possible by reason of the eternal hope that we have in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:18).

God desires that we will gain a heart of wisdom, to number our days (Psalms 90:12); to utilize every opportunity in realization of the fact that the days we live in are evil (Ephesians 5:16); and to prioritize the work of God's Kingdom for the fields are ready and the harvest is ripe (John 4:35).  For abundant and enduring fruit, the Church needs to learn to join God in His work and abandon pursuit of its own agendas.  The latter are effort in futility.  Wisdom demands that the Church be where God is, to do what God requires, in the manner that God prescribes.

The following words of Christ are resounding now more than ever:

Revelation 16:15- Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed.

 I pray that at the return of the Groom, you will be found watching and ready!  Amen.

The Lavish of Grace- Part 3

Spiritual gifts are God present in, with and through human thoughts, human deeds, human words and human love (Sam Storms).  Simply stated, Wayne Grudem defines  spiritual gifts as the manifestation of God's grace on the life of a believer.  He further elaborates that a handful of words are used in scripture for spiritual gifts but the primary word used is charismata (e.g. in 1 Corinthians 1-14).  The root word of charismata is "charis" which means grace.

The greek word "charitos" also means grace, favor, a gift or blessing, and kindness.  In some contexts in scripture, it is used to mean the divine capacity and ability given to do something (Thayer’s Greek Lexicon).  Some of the scriptures in which this term is used include:

• Romans 12:3,6 states, "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.  ...  We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith."
• Romans 15:15 states, "Yet I have written you quite boldly on some points to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave me."
• 1 Corinthians 3:10 states, "By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it."
• Galatians 2:9 states, "James, Cephas and John, those esteemed as pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcised."
• Ephesians 3:2,7- "Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, ...  I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power."
• Romans 12:6a- “We have different gifts according to the grace given us.”

God's grace upon a believer gives him/her the capacity to do things which they would not naturally do.  This divine capacity is not to be confused with mere natural talents and abilities.  The grace of God given us will cause our natural abilities to be Spirit-powered for supernatural results and/or may divinely provide abilities to people who did not possess such abilities.

While at the university, I attended the Christian Union fellowship and I had the privilege of witnessing the divine nature and power of a unique spiritual gift, through a young man by the name of Jackson.  The young man, upon baptism of the Spirit, was gifted with divine ability to compose and recite, all in a matter of minutes, swahili poems (shairis).  The calibre of the shairis was that of a trained and experienced poet who has invested adequate time in composition and memorisation.  Since grace (divine enablement) was upon Jackson, God would drop a rhema word for the congregation in Jackson's spirit and he would spontaneously begin to recite the shairis.  This was not earned capacity, say through schooling, but divine capacity bestowed by the Holy Spirit for the strengthening of the body of Christ.

On the other hand, God can anoint natural abilities, and in that case, it is proper to call them spiritual gifts.  When God wanted the Tabernacle constructed during the time of Moses, He gave divine capacity to Bezalel.  Exodus 31:3 referring to Bezalel states, "... I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts."  Exodus 35:31-33 seems like a repetition but further elaborates that, "he [God] has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship."  Natural abilities when baptized in the Holy Spirit are made phenomenal in accomplishing the purposes of God.

Romans 12:3-8, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 and Ephesians 4:11-12 discuss various spiritual gifts.  They include, prophesy, serving, teaching, encouraging, giving to needs, leadership, mercy, wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miraculous powers, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in different kind of tongues, interpretation of tongues, apostleship, evangelism and pastoring.  Please note that the gifts cited in these scriptures are not exhaustive, thus more spiritual gifts are available to believers.

Also noteworthy is that spiritual gifts are not proof of spiritual maturity but are freely given in Jesus Christ through the Spirit, for the fulfilment of God's purposes: service to the body of Christ and effective witnessing to the world.  This means that a new believer may receive spiritual gifts but in their walk with God, they will also need to go through the sanctification process where their inner man will be transformed to bear fruit of the Spirit.  In this regard, John Piper remarked, "spiritual gifts are not for our oohs and aahs, ..., they are a means to extend love and God's grace to others."

Apostle Paul urged us not to be ignorant about spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 12:1).  There are many believers who have lived lives that manifest the gifts of the Spirit, and in so doing they have fulfilled the purposes of God.  The Apostles in the book of Acts are a great example of how the church was strengthened and the kingdom of God advanced as they ministered by gifts of the Spirit- healings, faith, wisdom, knowledge, discerning of spirits, speaking in tongues, interpretation of tongues, prophecy, miracles, signs and wonders, among others.

On the contrary, there are many believers today who are serving God and yet are ignorant of spiritual gifts and their importance in fulfilling the missio dei.  God has empowered us to fulfill His mission by gifting us with various graces through the Holy Spirit.  It is sad to note that many believers continue to serve without desiring and asking for spiritual gifts.  Consider brother Lawrence who lived during the 20th century Azusa Street revival and who full of the Spirit and power made his work station as a dish washer in a hotel, a place where his colleagues could find salvation, healing and deliverance.  May God help us to realise the invaluable place of spiritual gifts in the life of a believer.  These gifts are not merely for ministering in church gatherings but are also for ministry whenever and wherever God sends us in His mission.

It is unfortunate to note that in the 21st Century church, when believers operate in the gifts of the Spirit, that is deemed to be out of the norm.  On the contrary, Jesus intended that the church should operate in the gifts of the Spirit as they live lives focused on fulfilling the Great Commission.  Sadly, Spritual gifts have been abused in the church.  Many have used the gifts to draw men to themselves for selfish gain yet God's intent was that men would be drawn to Christ as we witness for Him in spiritual power and authority.  John Piper states that 'gifts are given to be given."

The decline of ministering by spiritual gifts ought to perturb believers.  Notwithstanding the abuse of the gifts, believers ought to desire spiritual gifts if they really are desirous of fulfilling the mandate of God upon their lives.  When is the last time you prayed for a spiritual gift?  What has been your attitude towards spiritual gifts?  What has hindered you from desiring spiritual gifts?  I pray that today, in faith, you will ask the Lord to fill you with a fresh desire for spiritual gifts.  James 4:2-3 states, "... You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures."

Ignorance amongst believers on spiritual gifts has contributed to the situation in which the church finds itself in, whereby very few believers operate in the gifts of the Spirit.  In some churches, such Spirit-powered believers are barely accommodated.  The irony is that while the church needs to be the place of refuge where the world finds God's healing, deliverance and inward transformation, there are hardly any teachings on spiritual gifts and manifestations of the spirit are viewed with much suspicion.  Since the world is need of God's power to meet their needs, in frustration and despair, they have turned to false teachers and prophets who use manipulative spirits in guise of the Spirit's power.

I charge you in the Name of Jesus to take time to study God's Word on the subject of the Holy Spirit and Spiritual gifts.  I pray that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened so that you may know the glorious inheritance in the saints and his incomparably great power for us who believe (Ephesians 1:18-19).  As you study God's Word prayerfully, God will reveal His Word to you and instruct you on this matters, for He has given us His Spirit so that we may understand what He has freely given to us (1 Cor 2:12-13).

While a significant number of believers may be ignorant about spiritual gifts, more alarming is the fact that many believers do not desire these gifts.  John Piper says, "I really believe that the problem of not knowing our spiritual gifts is not a basic problem. More basic is the problem of not desiring very much to strengthen other people’s faith."  The venom of self-reliance has infiltrated the church corrupting it to believe that its natural abilites are adequate to fulfill the divine mandate placed upon it.  The uneducated apostles such as Peter and John, as well as the learned ones like Luke and Paul, all needed the Spirit's power to accomplish the Great Commission.  Every believer ought to wait upon the Lord for the baptism of the Spirit and also desire to be endowed with spiritual gifts, for service in the purposes of God.  This is the blue print of service for the church; it is not an option amongst alternatives.

John 6:63 states that whatever proceeds from the flesh is of no avail but whatever proceeds from the Spirit is life.  Thank God for state of the art instruments and highly accomplished worship leaders.  Thank God for intellectually endowed deacons board and highly ranked corporate leaders constituting the leadership of our church departments.  However, nothing can take the invaluable place of the Spirit as far as the Great Commisssion is concerned.  Believers must continually remain in that place of dependence on the Holy Spirit in all dimensions of their lives.  This is so vital, that Billy Graham made a prayer that God would strike him dead if he dared go up the pulpit on any day without recognising His dependance on the Spirit.

I minister in the gift of teaching God's Word because I received the grace to do so.  I had the natural ability to teach since I was a young girl in nursery school.  I remember putting across a proposal to my mum to be allowed to tutor a young boy in my class who lived close to our home, and who had learning challenges.  Thankfully my mum granted the permission, and at that tender age of 5 years, I began to exercise my ability to teach.  However, no matter how outstanding that natural gift may be, it is inadequate to accomplish the purposes of God.  This natural gift must be anointed to make eternal impact for the Kingdom of God.

I might have been a talented teacher since childhood but I was also timid before crowds and of a sluggish tongue.  I enjoyed teaching one-on-one but never before crowds.  However, when the Spirit of God came upon me to teach God's Word, I was empowered to be an effective witness of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:8) and I began to minister in the grace of teaching.  In those early days before I learnt to trust God to use me to teach His Word before a large audience, He literally had to corner me for me to oblige to His will, and so I could severally find my self in situations where I was required to share God's Word with no prior preparation.  God was patient with me and I am forever grateful for this.  Notwithstanding my weaknesses and my unpreparedness in those circumstances, the Spirit had taken over a timid, sluggish-tongued, conservative girl and empowered her for God's purposes.

Fear is another enemy of believers operating in the gifts of the Spirit.  What will people think? What if I make a mistake? What if I heard wrong and it is my own feeling rather than the prompting of God?  These question have often crossed my mind and underlying the questions has been varied fears, including the fear of people, the fear of making a mistake, the fear of being judged wrongly, among others.  Not once or twice, but numerable times, I have allowed this fear to cripple me and in so doing, I have disobeyed the promptings of the Spirit.  Please note that inaction to the Spirit's promptings is disobedience.  The antidote of the fear is God's Word.  2 Timothy 1:6-7 states, "... I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.  For God did not give us a Spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline."

Paul urges believers to fan their gifts.  Fanning entails doing.  Some believers want to read about many spiritual matters but they do not want to exercise what they have learnt.  Learning how to drive a car in the classroom is the easiest part of the lesson.  The true test comes when we practically have to drive the car.  I charge you by the grace of God to move out of your comfort zone and begin to avail yourself to be used of God.  For example, lay hands on the sick whenever there is an opportunity to do so; step out in courage and share that word that has been laid in your heart regarding somebody/a situation; pray in tongues when you feel a burden laid in your heart that you cannot explain etc.  Secondly, our love for God compels us to minister to others, whether we are comfortable about it or not.  The love of God will cast out the fears that hinder us from accomplishing the purposes of God.  1 John 4:18 states that perfect love casts out fear.

Another hinderance to believers ministering by spiritual gifts is, treating casually or with contempt the gifts of God.  Rarely are we able to use what we do not value.  It saddens God that He has presented spritual gifts to each believer, and yet few pay attention to those gifts to unwrap them.  Many things, including pursuits for material wealth and career success, have occupied our hearts and this has corrupted our attitudes towards varied spiritual matters.  Irrespective of the times we live in, Paul instructs us not to neglect the gifts given us (1 Timothy 4:14).  If you have neglected certain gifts in your life, repent and ask the Lord to help you to obey Him in using the gifts as the Spirit of God guides.

In being used of God humility is a mandatory virtue.  We must never allow pride to seep into our minds and turn our hearts away from God.  A believer who manifests the gifts of healing for example, is not used as such because they are more spiritual than others.  A gift is given and not earned.  There is nothing that you have done or will ever do that will make you earn a spiritual gift.  It is a work of grace, and has nothing to do with our "credentials and qualifications".  We must learn from Jesus Christ, who though God, did not consider equality with God.  Instead, He chose to consider himself as nothing; he humbled himself and became obedient to death which was the will of God for Him (Philippians 2:5-8).  I pray that you will become nothing, that Jesus may be everything in your life.  I pray that you will decrease that Jesus may increase in you (John 3:30).

There is much to say and learn about spiritual gifts, but I pray that we will begin to exercise the fundamentals: desire spiritual gifts; fan spiritual gifts; move out of our comfort zones and obey the Spirit's guidance irrespective of our feelings; grow in our ministries as we advance the Kingdom of God wherever and whenever God leads us; and maintain the attitude of Christ, humility, even as God confirms His Word preached through us in signs and wonders.

The Lavish of Grace- Part 2

When any manufacturer wants to make a product, they will first establish the primary purpose of the product and this will inform among other things, the materials to be used; the shape and structure; and the features to be incorporated for product to function optimally.  When the specific purpose of a product is unknown/ unclear, abuse of that product is inevitable.   Try using the latest model of a mercedes sedan to pull a plough and till land and within no time the vehicle will break down.  Notwithstanding the vehicle's high quality, it will deliver dismal results if any, as far as ploughing is concerned.

In Genesis 1:26, God said, "Let us make man in our own image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth."  Genesis 1:28 further elaborates man's mandate: "Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it.  Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."  Prior to God creating man, He established the purpose of man.  That purpose is a working of God's grace because God was not obligated to use mankind to accomplish His purpose, but He chose to anyway.  

For man to subdue and rule, he/ she needed to be in the image and likeness of God.  Thus, during man's creation, God breathed into Adam's nostrils the breath of life (Genesis 2:7).  According to Kirsh (2011) in his book The Pentateuch: the five books of Moses, the image of God “is the highest gift given to any of the orders of creation.”  What does it really mean when we say that we are created in the image and likeness of God?  Mankind was created with physical and spiritual attributes that made him “god”, enabling him to rule over creation and take dominion over the earth as mandated in Genesis 1:28.  Psalms 82:6 states, "You are "gods"; you are all sons of the Most High."  The Creator of the Universe chose to breath onto Adam and be the source of man's human vitality.    This too was purely a work of grace!

 

From the aforementioned, it is without doubt that prior to creation, God had already established the purpose of man.  In line with man being created in the image of God, God gave man free will .  Adam and Eve used that free will to disobey God and the perfect man fell short of the glory of God (Romans 3:21).  Justice demanded that we die but God's grace prevailed!  Now we can choose to be reconciled to God and to relate with Him intimately, because the penalty of our sin was paid by Jesus on the cross and the blood of Jesus purges our sins, never to be remembered again!  Our redemption was a work of grace.

Salvation restores us to the state in which we can fulfill the purposes of God.  Apostle Paul tells us that we [believers] were created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).  Which are these good works?  They can be summarized by Luke 4:18- To preach good news to the poor; to proclaim freedom for the prisoners; recovery of sight for the blind; release for the oppressed; and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.  This is how Christ described His ministry.  Acts 10:38 records that Jesus went about doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil.  The "good works" that Jesus did are known to us since He had already described these deeds in Luke 4:18.  

Luke 4:18 talks about "the Spirit of the Lord is upon me" while Acts 10:38 states, "how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power."  Jesus was empowered to fulfill the purpose of God.  He also understood the invaluable and irreplaceable role of the Divine Enabler - the Holy Spirit - in the life of each and every believer.  For this reason, Christ chose to go away, back to His Father, in order that we may receive the Holy Spirit who would empower us to fulfill our mandate (John 16:5-8).  A believer who tries to fulfill his/her purpose in his/her own might is like a foolish man who chooses to use a kitchen fork to till millions of hectares of land.  How much can he/she do?  That is why Christ gave stern instructions to the early church in Acts 1:4- "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about."

The gift of the Holy Spirit to believers is a provision of grace!  It is sad to note though that the Holy Spirit has been pushed to the peripheries of most believers' lives and His promptings ignored forcing Him to be a silent observer, or worse still, depart from us because of sinful living.  Relying on human wisdom and life's experiences, believers today attempt to fulfill the purposes of God but this only results to fatigue/ burn out; feelings of frustration, depression and desolation; doubt of God and His Word; closure of churches; strife and grumbling; huge investments with minimal Kingdom results; and the list is endless.  

The Holy Spirit is the Administrator of the grace that we need to accomplish the purposes of God.  I would also liken a believer to a passenger motor vehicle which has admirable specifications and is in great mechanical condition.  Irrespective of how high the performance capacity of the motor vehicle is, it is of little use if it lacks a propellant- say diesel or petrol.  Actually, if it has no propellant, it can never accomplish its primary purpose of ferrying people from one place to another.  Perhaps it may be placed in a museum for admiration or be converted into a training dummy for engineering students.  However, these are a compromise to the manufacturer's original intent for the vehicle.  The Holy Spirit is the propellant needed for us to fulfill our God-given purpose.  

Ephesians 3:2 states, "Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you."  That grace gave Paul revelation of God's Word and he was able to effectively reach out to the Gentiles with the gospel and achieve Spirit-powered results.  Please note that Paul was a highly learned man, an alumni of a top notch school- Gamaliel school- and a graduate of Law (Acts 22:3).  Yet he confessed in Ephesians 3:7, "I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God's grace given me through the working of his power."    Paul was an eloquent man with great intellectual capacity and yet he boasts not of these endowments, but rather boasts of the Spirit's power as the primary reason for ministry success (1 Corinthians 2:4-5).

God created mankind with immense potential for His purpose.  However, the believers who choose to ignore the workings of grace available to them through the Holy Spirit and choose to function in their might and power, sooner than not, will stall in their journey of faith.  Zechariah 4:6 reminds us that we accomplish not God's purposes by might or power, but by God's Spirit.  Today, you and I can live an serve God in the fullness of the Holy Spirit because this is our inheritance as children of God.  Acts 2:39 states that the promise of the Holy Spirit is for you and your children, and for all who are far off- for all whom the Lord our God will call!

Though I got saved at an early age, I grew up in a Presbyterian home and had little understanding of the Holy Spirit and His workings.  As I grew in the Lord, I learnt to study the Word of God and with time I begun to realize that I would never be able to accomplish the purpose of God for my life unless I got the divine empowerment to do so.  In my seeking, I read scriptures regarding the Holy Spirit and yet I fell short of understanding what I needed to do to receive the Spirit.  I was trying to figure it out with my intellectual mind and that wisdom was too high for my mind to fathom.

My breakthrough came when I became broken and contrite, confessing to God my state: that I did not fully understand what I needed to do and yet I so desperately needed Him to reveal Himself to me.  On one Sunday afternoon in a Christian union meeting during a time of singing to the Lord, I cried out to God in deep agony and tears, "Lord, reveal yourself to me and fill me with your Holy Spirit!"  Within minutes of making that prayer, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly baptised me.  I was slain to the floor and spoke in new tongues.  The attitude of brokenness and contriteness of spirit is essential if we are to receive the Holy Spirit.  We must long for Him; we must seek Him.

What are you to do now that you realize that you need to be baptized with the Holy Spirit? 

1. Repent your sins- Acts 2:38; 3:19
2. Ask God for the baptism of the Holy Spirit- Acts 2:39; Matthew 7:7, 9-11
3. Expect and receive- Jeremiah 29:13; Hebrews 11:6

What does God require of believers who are already baptized with the Holy Spirit?

1. Keep in step with the Spirit- Galatians 5:25; 1 Thessalonians 5:19
2. Be filled with the Spirit continually- Being filled with the Spirit is not a one off event.  Our cups often run dry as we go through the affairs of life and serve the Lord.  We must keep asking the Lord to refill us with His Spirit.  Acts 2:4; 4:31; Ephesians 5:18
3. Operate in the gifts of the Spirit- 1 Timothy 4:14; 2 Timothy 1:6

When we are baptized with the Holy Spirit, He gives us spiritual gifts as He wills (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-11; Ephesians 4:11).  This affirms the position that the grace to minister by the gifts of the Spirit is available to believers for the fulfillment of the purposes of God.  One critical question is, are you aware of the grace of God available to you?  As a believer, are you living (includes serving) in the fullness of God's grace?  In the next part of this series, we shall take time to study the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The Lavish of Grace- Part I

The word grace is often translated from the Hebrew word chen, derived from an adjective chanan, which means favor.  From the very beginning of scripture in the Pentateuch, God's grace is conspicuous and this unmerited favor is the basis of mankind's salvation.

For example, when Adam and Eve sinned, God was not obliged to reconcile mankind back to Himself.  However, as He dismissed man from the garden of Eden, He also chose to provide a plan of their redemption.  Genesis 3:15, known as the first gospel, states, And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”
 
Louis Berkhof in the book Systematic Theology states that grace is an active, working principle, manifesting itself in beneficent acts.  This means that when the grace of God is upon a person's life, there will be tangible evidences of that grace.  This grace is given to man freely and lavishly, as the Lord wills.  It is by God's grace that salvation is made available to mankind.  Titus 2:11 states that the grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all people.

Think about Abram, a man who did not know God and whose people worshiped idols, and yet God chose to call him and enter into covenant with him (Genesis 12, 15, 17).  Reflect on Moses' life, a man with numerous faults/ weaknesses and yet chosen to deliver the children of Israel from Egypt and to lead them through the wilderness to the promised land.  Consider Esther, a Jewish, orphan girl who found grace before King Ahaseurus and was made queen.  In spite of her humble background, foreign race and inexperience, God used her to deliver the Jews from destruction (Esther 2:16-17). And time does not allow me to talk about women like Tamar, Rahab and Ruth, who had traumatic pasts, wounded hearts and perhaps labelled as "social misfits" and yet they feature in the genealogy of Christ.

The story of the four Hebrew boys, Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego is one that vividly depicts God's grace.  For this reason, I shall focus on their lives as detailed in scripture.  Remember that although these young men had been taken into captivity in Babylon as teenagers, they were distinguished as evidenced below, by reason of the grace of God upon their lives:

• The four Hebrew boys stood out in physical beauty, exceptional intellectual capacity and excellent interpersonal skills. Daniel 1:4 states, "young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. ...."
• Extraordinary favor was advanced to Daniel by the King's official in charge of the young men who had been gathered for preparation for service at the King's palace.  Daniel 1:9 states, "Now God had caused the official to show favour and sympathy to Daniel."
• Daniel and his three friends did not want to defile themselves with the king's food which was offered to idols, and so suggested that they be tested by the King's official after ten days.  Because God's glory was upon their countenance, at the end of the ten days, the four Hebrew boys looked far better than the other boys.  Daniel 1:15 states, "... they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food."
• Irrefutable understanding and knowledge was upon Daniel, Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego.  Daniel 1:17-20 states, "To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. .... The King talked with them and he found none equal to Daniel, Hannaniah, Mishael and Azariah. .... In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the King questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in the whole kingdom."
• A specific gift was given to Daniel such that he could understand all kinds of visions and dreams- Daniel 1:17b.

Was such divine grace primarily for the Hebrew boys' sake (comfortable living, fame and prosperity) or was it for a higher purpose?  The latter is the reason for the grace.  Divine grace was upon them for the fulfillment of God's purposes.  God's grace was for the advancement of the Kingdom of God.  In Babylon, a city plagued with idol worship, sensuality and injustice, the young men were God's representatives and through many tears and tests, they caused the rule of heaven to take effect in a foreign land.

When Daniel interpreted King Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2, the King fell prostrate before Daniel and testified, "Surely your God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings and a revealer of mysteries, ..."  The King also made Daniel ruler over the entire province of Babylon and was also in charge of all the wise men.

When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace and emerged therefrom without a single trace of fire or smoke, King Nebuchadnezzar confessed, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! ... I decree that the people of any nation or language who say anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego be cut into pieces and their houses turned into piles of rubble, for no other god can save in this way."  In addition, the King promoted the three in the province of Babylon.

King Nebuchadnezzar was struck by God for his sin of pride in fulfillment of a dream that Daniel had earlier on interpreted.  When the King was restored, he resounded in praise to God saying, "His dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation. ...."  Unfortunately, King Nebuchadnezzar's son upon succeeding him quickly forgot the wrath of God to the proud and indulged in the same sin.  Out of Daniel's interpretation of the writing on the wall by an angel, King Belshazzar was slain that very day.  Daniel, an administrator in Babylon, serves in the prophetic grace that enables him to speak God's rhema word in boldness to the highest ruler of the land.

God's grace so distinguished Daniel from the other administrators and satraps that king Darius planned to set him over the whole kingdom (Daniel 6:3).  This elicited jealousy among his colleagues and they planned to have Daniel charged for observing the law of God.  Daniel very well understood the source of his exceptional qualities and abilities- God.  He remained plugged in and loyal to his Source even in the face of death.  His allegiance was in God and not in his career or any other material thing.  In a den of lions, death was inevitable yet God's grace prevailed and shut up the mouths of the lions.  Daniel 6:23 states, "... when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God."

The reason for your exceptional qualities and abilities; and your experiences of unusual doors/ opportunities are for fulfillment of God's purposes.  Nothing less; nothing more.  Ephesians 3:10 states, "His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms."  The grace of God is undeserved.  It is therefore great foolishness to consider yourself more highly than others, because of the manifestations of grace in your life.  God has chosen you, not because you were the best qualified candidate, but because He has reconciled you by grace to Himself and made you a child.  You are His.  All that you are and you will ever be is because of Him; thus all that you are and will ever be ought to be surrendered back to Him.

It is greater foolishness to imagine that our effort, human wisdom or natural abilities have brought us this far.  I have had the privilege of being asked with admiration, how I got to where I am today.  For example, some have asked how I have been able to live a righteous life as a single lady.  Others have asked how I am able to balance life, career and ministry.  To be honest, I have never gotten a better answer than "grace".  All that I am and have achieved is purely a work of grace.  1 Corinthians 4:7 states, "For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?"


The full workings of God's grace require that we live in oneness with our Father, through a life of obedience to His Word.  Matthew 6:33 commands us to seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these other things shall be added to us.  Please note, that good health, promotion, career success, financial prosperity, spouse and children are "all these other things" as cited in the scripture.  The tragedy facing believers in our time is that we have sought first "other things" and yet keep wondering why the Christian life is a struggle.

 God intended that believers be the life in the desert; light in life's dark tunnels; salt in a worldly society; and hope to the dyeing (spiritually and physically).  I challenge us in the Name of Jesus to refocus our eyes on God's Kingdom and His righteousness.  May the full workings of grace be manifest in your life as you do so.

God's grace is a function of His love.  The manifestations of that grace should stir up our hearts to deeply love God and seek Him with all our hearts, minds and strength.  God is calling us back to Himself.  God is instructing us to stop chasing after the wind (the temporary, material things of this world) and to position ourselves in righteousness, that we may operate in the lavish of His grace for the fulfillment of His purpose.  You and I need to make a resolve, like Daniel did (Daniel 1:8), not to defile ourselves with the king's rich food.  In this season of Easter, may God help us to consecrate ourselves that we may be set apart for Him.

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:2)!

Adjust Your Lens Back To the Manufacturer's Prescription

I thank God that I am blessed with great eye sight and perhaps if I was to wear spectacles, my lenses would have no optical power.  On the other hand, those with sight challenges need to use lenses with optical power which help to converge or diverge light and in so doing, clarity of sight is improved.  No child is born with a perfect spiritual eye lense because we are born in sin.  However, the situation is compounded as we grow up.  Our lenses are distorted by life's experiences resulting to blurred vision.  Though retaining the ability to look, we no longer see.  Re-known Christian leader, Myles Munroe stated, "Eyes that look are common but eyes that see are rare."

 A little boy that walks out to play with neighbouring kids who laugh at his unusually big head or long ears suffers lens distortion that leads to a battered self esteem.  A little girl or boy who is physically or sexually abused by a parent, uncle, cousin, next door neighbour or care giver suffers immense lens distortion.  That teenager who is told they are good for nothing at school begins to believe in their inability not only to learn but also to achieve something significant in life.  That father who is perpetually told by his spouse that he is a failure often buys into the narrative, slowly but surely.  The tragedy is that we become what we perceive ourselves to be.  Among the spies sent by Moses to Canaan were ten who saw themselves as grasshoppers, and so they were!

Numbers 13:33- "We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."

The Nephilim's were giants but that did not mean that the Hebrew spies were grasshoppers.  Caleb and Joshua were however of another breed, a breed of faith- they chose to not only look at the situation but also to see it in light of Yahweh.  These two men of faith saw the giants, but also acknowledged the greatness of their God.  They saw the challenges that confronted them as an opportunity for God to glorify Himself.  Their lenses remained intact in spite of glaring dangers in the land of promise.

"Let’s go now and take possession of the land. We should be more than able to conquer it." -
Numbers 13:30

"The land we explored is very good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will bring us into this land and give it to us. This is a land flowing with milk and honey! Don’t rebel against the Lord, and don’t be afraid of the people of the land. We will devour them like bread. They have no protection, and the Lord is with us. So don’t be afraid of them." - Numbers 14:7-9

The consequences of the ten unbelieving spies were dire while Caleb and Joshua on the other hand, reaped an inheritance in the promised land because of their faith.  When your distorted lenses cause you to doubt God and His Word, it displeases the Lord.  Without faith, it is actually impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).  The Lord was angered by the Israelite's unbelief and He said to Moses:

"How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to trust me in spite of all the miraculous signs I have done among them? I’ll strike them with a plague, I’ll destroy them, .... But because my servant Caleb has a different attitude and has wholeheartedly followed me, I’ll bring him to the land he already explored. His descendants will possess it." - Numbers 14:11-12a, 24

Moses is a unique character in the Bible because he appears as a remarkable man of faith (Hebrews 3:5; 11:23-29; Numbers 12:7) as well as a great example of what distorted lenses can do in the life of a servant of God.  Perhaps Moses' failures serve to encourage us that if he could walk in faith in spite of his shortcomings, so can we.  Firstly, Moses did not consider himself important in God's service.  In fact, as if facing an identity crisis, Moses asks "Who am I ..." in response to God's call for him to go and speak to Pharaoh (Exodus 3:11).  Many believers are experiencing an identity crisis because they do not know who they are in Christ.  Consequently, they are not able to enjoy the riches of their spiritual inheritance.

Moses did not believe that he had power to influence.   He wondered, "What if they do not believe me or listen to me ...." (Exodus 4:1).  Just like Moses, many of us doubt our ability to fulfill God's intent for us which is to be fruitful, to increase, to multiply, to be in dominion and to rule (Genesis 1:28).  An almost comical account is recorded about Moses' struggles with accurate perspective of the happenings in his life.  When Moses took a word of deliverance to the Israelites, who were under a heavy burden of torturous labour, they did not listen to him.  The Bible records clearly that the reason they did not listen to Moses was because of their discouragement and hard labour (Exodus 6:9).  However, Moses interprets Israel's response incorrectly and attributes it to his faltering lips (Exodus 6:12).  He actually argues with God's decision to send him to Pharaoh, wondering how God expected him to successfully influence Pharaoh while he had failed to convince his own people.

Moses perceived that his stammering weakness as an impediment to serving God (Exodus 4:10; 6:9; 12:30).  Pitifully, he reminded God that he had never been eloquent in speech.  Many believers just like Moses have been pitying themselves due to their weaknesses, seeking sympathy from God yet His answer has never changed: "Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say," (Exodus 4:11-12). Wallowing in thoughts of your inability apart from the providence of God in your life, is not humility but sin.  We actually see God burn in anger at Moses for indulging in thoughts of inability despite God's assurance.  In foolishness, Moses chooses to advised God that Aaron is a better pick- Aaron was more eloquent (Exodus 4:13-14) and older (Exodus 7:7).  The truth is, God chooses the foolish, weak, lowly and despised things of the world to bring to shame the wise, the strong, and to nullify things that are (1 Corinthians 1:27).

The sad truth is that many of us are displeasing God because our distorted lenses continue to yield unbelief and murmuring.  Even more tragic is that some Christians may lose their inheritance if they do not adjust their lenses to see through the eyes of faith.  It is pertinent to know that the faith of a Christian is not an escape from reality or a mere illusion.  Far from it!  Our faith is in the One and Only True God, who is Forever Faithful from one generation to another. You and I need to revisit our Manufacturer's prescription which is God's Word and adjust our lenses accordingly.

Make the following scriptures your prayer as we re-adjust our lenses to see as our Father sees.  Oh help me God!

"Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth" - John 17:17

"Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes" - Ephesians 4:23 

"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." - Psalms 19:14

Whom Do You Call Him?

  I am most commonly known by two names, “Faith Mathenge”.  I also have a maiden name which my extended family members fondly call me by, "Nyokabi". My nuclear family too have a name for me, which my second born sister coined from my maiden name. On the other hand, those who know me in my professional circles refer to me by some titles, based on my role at the place of work, my work interactions with them & perhaps their perception of me.   Also, a few church friends have nicknames for me.  It is common in life for different people to call you by different names depending on several factors that among others include type of relationship existing between the two of you; and their knowledge and perception of who you are. 

Over the years, as I have journeyed through my walk of faith, experiencing God in my lows and highs, I have known many Names of God.   I have experienced God in numerous ways that have influenced what I call Him. Such address of God is powerful because it emanates from God’s divine revelation of Himself to us as well as our encounter with Him. David, the Psalmist, is a great example of men in the Bible who experienced God and this informed their address of God.  With great confidence and deep conviction, David calls God "a shield round me"; "my righteous God"; "righteous judge"; "a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble"; "King forever and ever"; "my strength and the horn of my salvation"; "my rock and my redeemer" (Psalms 3:3; 4:1; 7:11; 9:9; 10:16; 18:1,3; 19:14), only to mention but a few . When we know God experientially, no theological argument, wisdom of men or troubles of life can cause our faith to falter.  This is because the faith of a believer who has personally experienced God transcends what is carnal; he/she is deeply anchored in the knowledge of God's Truth, taught not by human wisdom but by God's Spirit (Colossians 2:6-7; 1 Corinthians 2:13).

In scripture, the Names of God were either expressly revealed by God Himself or ascribed to God by men and women who encountered Him.  For example, in the call of Abram, God revealed Himself to him in a vision and said, "Do not be afraid, Abram.  I am your shield, your very great reward" (Genesis 15:1).  Also, having received the promise of a son at seventy five years of age, Abram had to wait for about twenty five years for the fulfillment of God's promise.  At age ninety nine years, he must have felt the pressures and pains of waiting upon God's promise.   Then God in Genesis 17:1 reminded Abram that "I am God Almighty"- El-Shaddai.  Irrespective of the circumstances we find ourselves in, we must never forget this Name of God that proofs His Sovereign reign and control in our lives.  Unto Moses God revealed Himself as "I AM WHO I AM"-YHWH, Exodus 3:14.  God revealed Himself as the God of Moses' fathers: Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

On the other hand there are numerous incidences in scripture where people ascribed titles to God.  Hagar, while heavy with child, was ill-treated and chased away by Sarah and as she wandered in the desert, she agonized in pain and shed bitter tears of destitution, rejection and despair.  In that very state, God appeared to her through an angel with words of comfort and hope.  Consequently, Hagar gave the Lord a name: "You are the God who sees me"- Lahai Roi (Genesis 16:13-14).  When God tested Abram to offer his only son Isaac as a sacrifice, Abram obeyed and before he could kill his son, God intervened and divinely provided a ram for sacrifice.  In awe, Abram said "The Lord Will Provide"- Jehovah Jireh (Genesis 22:14).  Jacob, after serving his uncle for many years, under God's guidance decided to return to his native land.  Upon arriving safely at Shechem in Canaan, he set up an altar and said "El Elohe Israel", meaning "Mighty is the God of Israel"- Genesis 33:20.

For a moment, forget about what others said God is and reflect on who you have personally known Him to be.  In the past year, who has God been to you?  Who do you call Him?  In year 2018, I got to know God as "Papa"; "My Deliverer"; "My Strength" and "The Lifter of my head".  Every time I mention this Names of God, my heart resounds in praise and is strengthened in faith.  Take a moment to reflect on the Names of God and to worship Him for Who He is.  Also share with us on Who He is to you (#WhomDoYouCallHim).

Note: The many Names of God are His Attributes and they serve as a daily reminder that God is far above our ability to fully understand Him.  Link https://www.navigators.org/resource/praying-names-attributes-god/