Pillars from Pillows

Pillars from Pillows

Recently our local church held a very refreshing conference. Some members of our church offered to pay for some budget items. Three women said, ‘Don’t worry about the meals we will take care of them’. One man said, ‘Do not worry about accommodation for the guest speaker. I will take care of that.’ Many volunteered time and effort. God holds His work up through people like these who give themselves willingly to their local churches.  They are pillars in the house of God.

‘And Jacob rose up early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put for his pillows, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it (Gen 28:18)’. In response to the dream he had, Jacob did something very interesting. He turned his pillow of stone to an anointed pillar signifying the house of God. A pillar is a column used for support or decoration. This was not the only case where God’s house is associated with pillars. The temple Solomon built had pillars – one called Boaz meaning ‘God is strength’ and another Jachin meaning ‘established’ (1 Kings 7:21). In the Old Testament, pillars were named after people but in the New Testament, people are the pillars (Galatians 2:9).

Being a pillar is serving faithfully in the house. When you do nothing about the business of the house of God whether by negligence, fear, or ignorance, you are unfairly sleeping or sitting on some potential needed in the house. You serve in the house of God by taking care of your heart (Proverbs 4:23) and by contributing to the life and ministry of your local church.  It is time you offer and apply more of your resources, gifts, skills and talents in your local church. Now is the time to arise and exchange your pyjamas for work suits.

Gate of Heaven

Gate of Heaven

In 1992, Hurricane Andrew destroyed entire neighborhoods. The owner of a house that remained standing explained that he had built according to the prescribed building codes for withstanding hurricanes. The incident sparked debate about the quality of the houses destroyed by the hurricane. The fact of the matter is all houses will be destroyed except the house of God.

In Genesis 28:17, “This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven."  Jacob identified the house of God by its effect, more than its structures and traditions. To him it was a God ordained moment or experience not just a place. Jacob was in some place alone lying on a least comfortable pillow of stone. There was no building, no bank account, no choir, no church uniform, no program or structure yet he experienced the house of God.

Being in the house of God is about receiving a revelation of God concerning what you are going through in life.  Being in the house of God is awakening to the blessing of God’s presence and abounding provisions (Genesis 28:16). Being in the house of God is hearing the voice of God instilling peace in your mind and soul. God’s first words to Jacob were ‘I am Jehovah the God of Abraham your Father’.  Jehovah is the redemptive name of God and Abraham represents  God’s covenant promise.  Often God began speaking to people by saying ‘peace to you’ or ‘do not be afraid’. In other words - settle down. I am here. You will be well. Peace and stillness of heart precede hearing the plan of God. Will you be still and know that He is God? God calmed Jacob’s mental and emotional storms. He was refreshed and strengthened. He had been on the run from danger now he would be on the run for God.

Being the house of God is being the gate of heaven.   The gate of heaven is a center of God’s power and fortitude. As the house, believers are the fortified interface between heaven and earth. It means that you as believers will determine how much of heaven earth enjoys and how much of earth heaven touches. You can free God’s work by letting Him be the king over your life.  Wherever the people of God are the house is there and they offer the gate of heaven. Open up the gate by prayer, courage and faith to let God come through into situations.

A Zuph Experience

A Zuph Experience

The grace of God is most amazing at transforming people. In 1 Samuel 9 and 10,  grace changed Saul to another man. When God was raising a king at the request of His people a series of events, take place. The process began when Kish’s donkeys got lost. Kish therefore sent his son, Saul in the company of his servant to look for the lost donkeys. After passing through four territories looking for the donkeys, he did not find them[1].  At a place called Zuph, Saul thought it was time to give up the search.  The servant persuaded him to give the man of God in the area a chance to show them the way.  Saul’s choice to accept the servant’s idea of seeking a divine solution marked a point of acceleration to the throne. Not long after, Samuel anoints him king over Israel.

God’s grace cannot be effective in our lives unless we have a Zuph experience. Zuph is the place of humility to accept that it will not work out without God. A place where you realize the things you are seeking by human effort are elusive. A place of acknowledging that you need God in what you are doing in life. Zuph is the place where the search for donkeys directs you to God. A decisive place where you either go back empty or go up God’s hill and be crowned king.  Zuph is the place where God’s grace frees you from things eclipsing or obscuring your view of God.

Like Saul, you can catch the plot of your life. God brought Saul to Zuph for a reason. Saul thought he was looking for donkeys, but was actually there because God was looking for him. Direct the search for the donkeys to God and you will discover the issue is not the donkeys for they have been found.  When you let go of something for God to takeover you will receive something to empower you to take over.

More on this at:

http://wordoers.blogspot.com/2013/05/grace-for-transformation-fruitfulness-iv_14.html

---

[1] 1 Samuel 9:4

The God Factor

The God Factor

When a farmer sows seed in good soil and waters it, a process of growth and fruitfulness follows. The process is a gift from God. The Apostle Paul acknowledged in his ministry that even though he planted and Apollos watered both their effort was nothing. What mattered was achieving the intended result of planting and watering which is increase or harvest. Paul therefore needed two kinds of grace. First, he needed grace to be able to do his part to plant. Second, he needed grace in the form of God’s essential part to bring about increase. 

You can acquire educational qualifications, competencies and capital, and implement the seven steps from a good book and the three or five keys from a sermon you heard.  Through it all and at the end you need the God factor. That divine work of grace for increase. God opens the doors. The earth and its fullness belong to Him and He cares for you.

Anything you receive from God is by grace. We were saved by grace through faith[1].   Grace is all that you need. Faith is the human side of grace. Grace is the God side of faith. ‘For this cause it is of faith that it may be according to grace’[2]. Grace is what you need from God for faith to work. And faith is what God needs from man for grace to work. Grace is therefore useless without faith. Faith is useless without grace. Grace is God’s hand extending unmerited favor to humanity and faith is man’s hand receiving undeserved favor from God. Fruit is found where grace and faith meet.  Grace is a gift from God. Grace was however very costly but thank God, Christ paid for it in full on the cross. As taught, GRACE is God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense.

More of this at:

http://wordoers.blogspot.com/2013/05/grace-for-increase-fruitfulness-iii.html

---

[1] Ephesians 2:8-9;  Acts 4:37; 14:3; 15:1; 18:27; Romans 3:24; 11:6; Galatians 2:21; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 2:11; 3:7

[2] Romans 4:16

Where to from here

Where to from here

A national leader who died after suffering from cancer and being bed ridden for a long time called out in his last moments of life, ‘I don’t want to die someone please help me!’. What will you use your last breath to communicate? For many, this leader’s cry is a reality they will share with him.  If the Lord tarries, we all have to face death in due course. However, it is normal to want to live and bizarre to want to die. Wishing to be dead is a mental disorder of being suicidal. At times, we know the season[1] but the day of departure must come upon us as one of the mysteries of life. Death finds us fighting to the end. The demarcations of human life are God’s business; our business is to delay the inevitable and make the most of our lives.

We hold solemn ceremonies to send our deceased off with honor. The fact though is they will have already taken off. We conduct the ceremonies very well, even though sometimes the unexpected happens. Perhaps the casket handles break off; the base comes off or the parlor belts go loose setting the casket loose in a downward free fall to the bottom of the grave pit. Amidst all this, lingering in the minds of many is the question of where their loved ones have gone.

With that aside, the good news is you can know where you will go and how you will get there by knowing where Christ went and how he got there. Peter and the disciples asked Jesus where he was going at the end of His human life and He answered - Where I go, you cannot follow me right away; but you shall follow me later[2]. However, do not let the news of my imminent departure trouble you. Trust the Father and me. I go to prepare a place for you in my Father’s house where there are many mansions, then I will come back to fetch you so that we can be together again[3]. Until I come, follow what you know of me for I am the way the truth and the life. Moreover, love one another, which is the universal sign to all people that you are my followers[4].

---

[1] 2 Timothy 4:7, 8

[2] John 13:36

[3] John 14:1-2

[4] John 13:34-35; 14:6

The Potter’s Hands

The Potter’s Hands

 

What would you do if you became a small child again? You will do exactly what you did when you were a child. If you called a jacket ‘a backet’, you would call it the same. At that age, it is natural to behave as a child and once again, you would resort to absolute dependence on your parents. Physical and emotional maturity indicates when young adults are becoming ready to be independent of their parents. In contrast, the more you are dependent on God; the more you are becoming spiritually mature. Dependence on parents is increasingly limiting whereas growing dependence on God is increasingly liberating.

Dependence on parents as a child is natural whereas dependence on God is by choice. Gods challenge is working with us, human beings who are capable of resisting, and interfering with his effort[1].  He is looking for people who, like babies, depend entirely on Him and like adults do it willingly. Faith is absolute dependence on God based on knowledge of His love, good will and desire for the best for you[2]. Faith in its highest form is allowing God to make you as He pleases. God’s priority is to make you He is interested in your formation before your function and promotion[3]. Correspondingly, your priority ought to be allowing Him to make you.  God wants us to grow from a ‘give me’ mentality to a passionate ‘mould me and make’ me heart cry. The prodigal son was keen to get things from his father and ended up losing everything he got.

In child like faith, can you yield to His hands as clay in the hands of a potter?[4] Oh, how incredible the potential you would realize if you allowed the Potter’s wheel to shape you into the Potter’s design. Is your heart’s cry, above all else, ‘make me, make me after thy will?’ It is only lip service faith, when you trust God with eternal life yet cannot trust Him with earthly life. Or when you trust Him for big impact, yet cannot trust Him for direction of life. When you trust Him with resurrection from the dead, yet cannot trust him with healing. When you sing ‘all to thee I surrender’, yet lie awake all night worried. When you sing, ‘He has got the whole world in his hands’, yet cannot include yourself in that world. Always remember that you are in God’s hands not so He can just carry and cuddle you but so He can shape you. He will use the word He has put inside you to renew your mind and life. Never forget that the more word of God there is inside you, the more you will experience everything that comes from God[5].

---

[1] Isaiah 45:9

[2] Jeremiah 29:11

[3] Matthew 4:19

[4] Isaiah 64:8

[5] Romans 12:2; Psalm 19:7-11

Enough Desire

Enough Desire

A student of Plato sat at the feet of the philosopher for a long time. He listened to his instruction and watched him demonstrate wisdom but still could not walk in wisdom. Puzzled by the problem he went to the philosopher, and asked him why he could not also attain true wisdom. Plato took him to the sea and asked him to follow him into the water. He then asked the student to dip his head into the water. When his head was in the water, Plato held it under the water while the student battled in vain to go free. A little later, he let him lift out his head. The student gasped desperately for all the air he could draw into his lungs. Looking at the signs of relief on his face, Plato said, “When you desire wisdom as desperately as you desired to breathe the air you just breathed -- then you shall find it.”[1]

God’s will is for every believer to grow to spiritual maturity and bear much fruit.  However, many have read or listened to Bible teachings, yet their lives have not changed. It should not be like that because the word of God is the seed for all fruitfulness. The parable of the sower illustrates how fruitfulness is a heart issue (Mathew 13). The soil or attitude of one’s heart to the word of God is the single variable that determines fruit. The heart has to be eager to receive and retain the word of God. The enemy of desire for the word and its fruit is failure to understand its value. To overcome, approach God’s word with a heart prepared by dependence on God through praying for insight and understanding.

If you are hungry enough to have a productive spiritual life, you will have it.  Jesus said “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled” (Matthew 5:6). The Bible has many examples of such people. Jacob desired a blessing enough to wrestle with God and got his desire.[2]  Hanna desired a child enough she prayed in an unusually passionate way and she got her desire.[3]  The woman with an issue of blood desired healing enough to press through the crowds to touch Jesus and she got it.[4]  The men with a paralytic desired his restoration enough to break through the roof to reach Jesus and they got it.[5]  Jesus desired your joy so much he endured the cross and he got His desire.[6]  If obstacles are insurmountable, your desire is not yet strong enough. If you cannot let go something for your desire, it is not yet strong enough. The grace of God rallies divine resources where there is a faith passion. Celebrating your desire rejuvenates strength and stimulates creativity. Faith frowns at obstacles and celebrates desired things before they are seen (Hebrew 11:1).

  

---

[1] Several versions of this story exist

[2] Genesis 32:24, 25

[3] 1 Samuel 1:13

[4] Luke 8:43, 44

[5] Mark 2:4

[6] Hebrews 12:2