Year: 2021

Christians sometimes make a habit of prioritising everything else in place of God. The theme of this
year, inspired by Joshua 24, is to make a conscious declaration to serve God. Pledging complete
loyalty to Him. This requires us to do away with every distraction that prevents God from taking
centre stage in our lives. Does the bible not say to worship God with all our heart, all our soul and all
our strength” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)? As a christian, you need to understand the value of God in your
life. You can spend a lot of time in the church, but not actually be in Christ.

When something is valuable to you, you often do not need prompting to do anything associated with it. Sadly, many christians do no value God. This is reflected in how so many only pray and seek Him when they are in need. But that is not true worship. That is merely using God to obtain what we want. There is a
difference being a true worshiper and a needy person. A worshiper understands the value of God
and seeks to live by His decrees, whereas a needy christian constantly asks from God but pays no
attention to living a life worthy of Christ. In essence they seek the gift, but not the giver.
Understanding this principle will help you regard God with the reverence awe, and honour deserving
of the all mighty Creator of Heaven and Earth. The owner of life and everything in it.
Knowing God’s place in your life, requires you to be able to be a follower. Therefore, to be able to
follow, you need to value that which is leading you. There should be a sense of humility from within
to permit yourself to be led without allowing pride to take over. Sometimes the positions we hold in
the body of Christ impacts our ability to be humble. Perhaps being in leadership, or as a child of a
church leader you may begin to feel like you are extremely prayerful, or have full knowledge of the
scriptures. You can then start to value your own opinion over God. Even a leader needs to be able to
follow God in order to lead a congregation. Failure to do so will inevitably result in teachings born of
human wisdom instead of inspired by the Holy Spirit Himself. That is why we see certain occurrences
within the church community that go against the morals of God.
It takes a heart of surrender to allow Christ to live within us. It is a conscious decision to humble
yourself before Him. Only then can you be empowered by the word of God as it directs you in the
way that God wants. God has to qualify you in order for you to take up certain positions. Exodus 19:5
teaches us that obedience qualifies us to be God’s chosen. Obedience requires sacrifice and
complete surrender. Abraham obeyed God’s instruction to move from his fathers house, and it was
only when he arrived at the place God had stipulated that he was blessed. If you do not walk
specifically according to the instruction, you will not truly be aligned to God’s plan. God is able and
wants to do so much more for you, but His ways are not a part time commitment; God needs to be
your priority.
You may ask yourself what steps do I need to align myself to God’s plan? Well, for the most part, you
just need think back to every word God has spoken into your life, reflect on every revelation you got
from His scripture and there you will find what He expects of you. Do not allow the difficulty of the
task at hand to bring about resistance in you. God is always with you, even when things seem hard.
Matthew 4:18-22- When Jesus came into the lives of those first disciples, they immediately left what
they were doing to follow Him. There is a difference between actually following and briefly taking a
look to see what is happening before returning to what you were doing before. You see, when those
first disciples chose to follow Jesus, they completely left what they were doing. They were fishermen
by trade, so in essence they left their entire livelihood for the gospel. The disciples decided that Jesus
was more important than what they were doing and in that instantaneous moment decided on a
lifetime commitment of discipleship. The value of Jesus was revealed to them in such a profound
way, they simply could not remain as they were.
When you decide to be a Christian there are two different things that can happen. One being that
you make that lifetime commitment, the other being that you merely follow Jesus as a convenience

only when you need Him. To surrender to Christ means that whatever you do somehow benefits the
work of God. If your plans are focused elsewhere, you cannot follow Jesus. For example, when
building a house, you undoubtably lose money first in buying the materials needed for the
construction. However, that is part of the process required to obtain a completed house. If you
decide to be a Christian, you need to understand that there is a cost involved. But when the value of
God is revealed to you in the same way as the first disciples, forgoing certain things become as
natural as breathing.
Matthew 28:19-20 outlines the Great Commission. It is an instruction for everyone. We are all pieces
in a greater jigsaw puzzle to fulfil this instruction. Everyone has a part to play. You cannot say that
you love Jesus if you are not concerned for His work. You need to willingly get involved in whatever
outreach activities within your ministry.
Luke 8:1-3 provides a great example of what supporting the work of God looks like. It shows how
some women who were actively supporting the work of God, accompanied Jesus and his disciples to
provide help when it was needed. They used whatever resources they had to accomplish this. A true
believer cannot just passively attend church without getting involved in all aspects of their ministry
be it financially or by giving your expertise or time. There is a practical aspect to worship that
christians of today often ignore. This is why there are so many needy and passive “church goers”
with shallow faith instead of “devoted warriors for Christ”, whose worship brings glory to God. Ask
yourself this, are you an asset to your ministry? What contribution are you giving to the
advancement of the work of God.
In conclusion, how you value God is rooted in your ability to believe in Him. True faith will prevent
you from seeing your activeness in church as a loss. This is because the reasoning behind your
actions will fuel your desire to please God. Hebrews 4:2 outlines that the power and effect of the
word of God within you is void without faith. So take a leap of faith today and surrender your life to
the work of God. Deny yourself and receive the fulness of Christ as He comes alive in you as
according to Mark 8:34. Then whatever you do, will be a building block in the Kingdom of God.

God has given us practical tools that we can use to be able to align ourselves with what He
teaches and expects of us. By hearing His word and putting it into practice we are building our
faith and understanding of Him. As a christian, preparation is an important process. As humans,
we have certain attributes that we must master in order to be compatible with God. For
example, God told Joshua to be strong and courageous. Joshua needed to work on these
aspects of his character by himself so that he could fulfil the purpose God had for him.

You see, God still speaks in our lives, our lack of understanding is what renders us unable to implement
His instruction. Let’s take a moment to look at John the Baptist. His purpose was to prepare the
people for the arrival of Jesus. It was so they would accept Jesus as the King of Kings and Lord
of Lords. The people had to undergo a mental shift in order to understand the message of John.
The Amplified bible in Mathew 3:2 says, “repent [change your inner self – your old way of
thinking…” Why? Because God was going to manifest in a way different to what they had
become accustomed to. Repentance would start in the church, not the outside. Sadly we see an
inability to accept Jesus resulting from an inability to accept the message of John all because of
ignorance. This highlights that preparation of the heart is key.
Preparation of the heart lies in our ability to surrender. To surrender means to give something up
to someone else, be it willingly or unwillingly. It is what builds our resolve and character. When
we surrender we have a deep-rooted understanding that no matter what, God is in control. We
become fine tuned to His perfect will and are able act upon it as the Spirit leads. The theme of
this year, Joshua 24:15, focuses on the fundamental principle of intentionally making a decision
to surrender to God through servanthood whilst forfeiting all else. The Israelites needed to
pledge their loyalty and remove the other gods they had amassed amongst their possessions as
previously commanded of them in Deuteronomy 6:4. Today, although we may not have physical
representations of “gods” amongst us as did the Israelites, we too have amassed other things
that are distracting our focus, replacing God, and in turn our loyalty to Him. God requires 100%
commitment. He is a jealous God. The life we live must resemble God’s instruction. Instead, our
lack of focus has cultivated certain behaviours and cultures that we are trying to mould to
resemble God, yet they are born of human agenda.
What are the things that can help us live a life of surrender? Understanding the power dynamic
that exists between ourselves and God is a good start. God is the supreme and we live under
His authority. What He says, goes! Preserving our bodies as His temple will invite the Holy Spirit
to dwell in us, leading and guiding us in the ways of the Father. Humility is the only way you can
recognise and accept God’s authority. Humbleness enables you to allow God to speak over your
life. Lack of, results in you dictating your own path. Remember, God departs from the proud.
Apostle Paul on numerous accounts, refers to himself as a slave to the gospel or a slave to
Christ (Romans 1:1). A servant is not greater than their master. Slaves do not dictate what must
be done but contrary, the master stipulates the course of action. Often a time, we surrender to
God as a last resort. We try to dictate to God our preferred option as opposed to allowing Him to
lead. For example, we see a job on offer and we say “God that is the one that I want” instead of
asking Him what job would be the best fit. Proverbs 19:1 says that “people may plan all kinds of
things, but the Lord’s will is going to be done”. At the end of the day, God wants us to surrender
to Him willingly even when there are other options available to us. This is true humility. We are
acknowledging other options available to us, yet consciously choosing to allow God to take
control. Essentially what we are saying is “as you direct me God, I will follow.”

Baptism is about dying to our flesh as we rise together with Christ. Galatians 2:20 goes further
to explain this principle. Complete surrender is essentially denouncing our existence for the
glory of God. You see, God knows all. Nothing is hidden from Him, even our future. So when
you accept Jesus as your personal saviour, it is important to turn away from worldly desires.
Do not become a person that practises lip service but your heart is far from Him (Isaiah 29:13,
Matthew 15:8). Living a life of surrender means living from the heart. Not seeking God only
when things are hard or only giving glory through your suffering. It is also about still worshiping
when everything is well with you.
In numbers 9, we see how God lead the Israelites, a cloud by day and fire by night.
When it was time to stop, camp was set up. Be it for 1 day, 6 months or even years.
When the cloud or the pillar of fire moved, they would break camp and move on as it moved.
God was in complete control and the people recognised God’s authority. Today, people fail to
see that to be alive is a miracle in itself. Learn to live your life by faith. Believe that God is your
shield and the one in control. Abraham left his father house by faith, believing in the promise
spoken to him. Remember, humility or surrendering to God is not a sign of weakness.
In conclusion, there is nothing more important than living a life that God has outlined. “The lord
is my shepherd; I have everything I need” Psalms 23:1 is an important reminder of that.
Knowing that God is there for you, means believing wholeheartedly that even when challenges
come, they encounter God first. Whatever God asks will always benefit you. God carries our
burdens and His yoke is easy. Material things do not make you happy. Jesus is the one that
gives peace and joy from within. Never stop seeking to learn because by stopping you imply
that you know everything. Romans 12:2 teaches us that there are new things to learn everyday.
It is up to you to change your mindset and surrender to be able to accept them.

A person that hears the word of God but does not put it into practise is like a foolish builder who builds his house on sandy ground. When the storms come that house is washed away. But those that put the word into action are like a wise builder who constructs their house on a solid rock. That foundation withstands the storm. (Matthew 7:27-27). The aim of today’s teachings is to empower and equip you with the knowledge that you need to better understand God. Putting it into practise will give you the foundation and knowledge of what is expected of you.

Previously ( 10.01.21 Vol 2) we looked at the importance of understanding God and His expectations of us. We explored how despite God demonstrating His might through His protection and provision towards the Israelites, they still disobeyed Him. We discovered how despite having clear instruction and guidance through the commandments these people still appeared to not understand their God. God still fulfilled His promises with the expectation that His people would be faithful and loyal to Him. The same expectations are still relevant even today. God still requires obedience. As such, there are certain things that we need to avoid doing as Christians that can lead us to violate His instruction. God is calling on us to have a reciprocal relationship with Him. Today we will explore what is required as an individual to serve God.

First and foremost, understand that God is not only relevant in times of need. Deuteronomy 5: 6 -7  urges us to pledge our loyalty to God alone.  We often relegate God to merely being a crisis resolver and neglect to pay attention, show interest or even spend time to learn more about Him. We negate the fact that God has been with us throughout our lives, even during those moments that we have not sought Him. We have transfered our trust from God to man. For example, we honour prophets as beings that hear from God, yet fail to understand they are mere vessels used by the Supreme God. The same God that must be reverred. It is God that has given us breath and life to live, so it is He that deserves our priority. That is the simplicity of worship. Joshua 24 sums up this fundamental principle. In order to truly serve God, you must make an intentional declaration to do so. When we understand these simple principles we can live a life of true loyalty.

Using the Israelites as an example, we know that they were disloyal to God even though He had done so much for them. Joshua had to tell them to do away with the idols that they had kept amongst themselves because it undermined their loyalty.  Loyalty means “genuinely having the best interest at heart ensuring that a relationship is reciprocal”. Meaning in context that you need to have an interest in God. You need to play your part for your worship to be reciprocal and lastly, you need to do away with any distractions and prioritise God. Deuteronomy 6:4 emphasises the need to love the Lord “with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind”. That is true loyalty to God. God is a jealous God and does not want rivalry. If we take romantic relationships as an example, lack of loyalty equals a failed relationship. A loyal believer requires not any continuous prompting to serve their God, but are intuitive to His will.

We are the temple of God. Jesus is the owner of your life and He wants to dwell in you. Remember, Jesus said in John 15:4 “remain united to me , and I will remain united in you” meaning our relationship with Jesus is a partnership.  Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 10:23 states that everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial for you. This piece of advice is useful when trying to understand how your body can act as temple of God. For example, an athlete is careful with what they eat because they know that particular foods will help in their preparation for their competition. As such, they will actively try to avoid certain food because they are aware that it will not help their performance but might in fact hinder them. This is similar to the way that you must see your body as a temple. Actively avoid all that alters your behaviour contrary to what is expected of you. Never assume that you can do whatever you please, then expect automatic forgiveness. We have been given the capacity to decide wrong from right and the ability to discern what is beneficial to our spirit.

Exodus 19:5 explains the condition required to be “God’s Chosen”. When we see the battles the Israelites encountered and how they defeated nations equally created by God, it shows that their victories were testament to the favour of being God’s prize possession.  You see, as long as we don’t know how to carry ourselves, or how we should behave, we cannot be God’s chosen. There is a specific reason He has created us. We are called to a life of worship not merely calling upon His name in times of emergencies.

In the parable of the sower, (Matthew 13 : 1- 23) we see how different people receive God’s word. The seed was the same but the ground that received it was the variable. It was the type of soil that was the issue, not the seed itself. The seed that fell on good ground spouted and produced an abundance of crops. Yet the other seeds did not grow for they did not fall on the good soil. This means that the seed has potential to grow, but the environment of where the seed falls determines whether it will be able to or not. We need to be good soil so that the word can succeed and produce  abundance within us. Just remember that the same word that blesses and protects some, can also be the same word that condemns others depending on how it is received. With your body you go where you shouldn’t. With the same body you engage in what is wrong. With your mouth you speak what you shouldn’t. How then can that body be the Lords temple? Ultimately, you should become someone that has an awareness of themselves and has the understanding that our personal conduct can cause God to either dwell within or reject you.

We may chose to chase the world, that’s fine,  however,  the conclusion of the matter is living in accordance to the will of God in true servantship. That is the whole duty of a man. Be intentional to invest in only what is beneficial to your worship.

As calendars change from 2020 to 2021, you need to ask yourself if your mindset and your heart has also moved into the New Year. There is only a  moment between 31 December 2020 and 01 January 2021. Our gadgets automatically change as the date changes but the question remains.  Have you changed anything in your heart? There needs to be a change that shows that you understand the new beginning. Otherwise the new year will merely be a continuation of the last and you will remain the same person.  Jesus once mentioned that people are so careful to clean the outside of the cup, yet the inside remains dirty (Matthew 24:25-26), meaning that your outward countenance may show some changes, but your inner self remains unchanging. The aspects of your character such as gossip, malice or anger need more than just an outward change, but a complete transformation of the heart. Some people mark a new year by making a list of things they desire to change,  then physically cross out points on the list to signify it. A change of calendar does is not equal a change of character unless you make intentional steps to do so. The renewal of your mind will allow you to identify missed opportunities so that you can truly be ready for this year.

Joshua 24:14-16, 19-24

In this scripture, Joshua starts by narrating everything that God had done for the Israelites. He then gave them an ultimatum to decide whether to continue to serve other “gods” or to serve the Lord? However in verse 19, Joshua tells the people that although they can verbally choose to serve God, they may not be able to do so in reality. Based on all that we know of God, it can be difficult to understand why Joshua would have implied this. But later we see how Joshua explains how God is a jealous God. You see the people still had the spirit of double mindedness. For them to serve God, they would have to rid themselves of all other thoughts, sins and “gods” and their past record did them no favours. Joshua had borne witness of their unfaithfulness towards God during their journey to the Promised Land. Without full understanding of their God, they often turned away from Him by worshipping other gods. It was necessary for them to serve God without things within themselves, as well as within their possession, that was contrary to what God had commanded. The Israelites had prior instruction to pledge loyalty to God in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, yet as can be seen in Joshua, they still battled with this.

In context, we learn the importance of declaring to serve God  ALONE. Nothing should rival Him. Nowadays, it is easy to start worshipping other gods without realising it. How? By allowing other things to have greater value and priority over God. The bible in Deuteronomy is very clear about idol worship. God requires loyalty and our undivided attention. As Christians we fail to see the benefits of worshipping God because we do so in a half-hearted manner.  We expect to receive more, yet we  only give God a fraction of our attention.  According to Luke 6:38, one can only expect to receive as they have given. So if you only give God a half measure in effort,  you can only expect to receive the same.

We might be able to give testimonies of ways that God is intervening in our lives, but leave His house in ruins. This shows our inability to translate our gratitude towards God. Is it not God that has given you the health and ability to work? Is He not the very creator of life? Surely He deserves our undivided attention. That declaration to serve God should not just be lip service. Many people say they are christian. Perhaps they present themselves at church occasionally, maybe once or twice a month. But do not show any devotion. Serving God must be an actual commitment put into action. Ultimately, God only expects us to serve and love Him “with all our heart, our soul and our mind” (Matthew 22:37). In the morning, firstly take the time to pray before you watch the news, or Facebook or check your Twitter. Before you rush to work don’t forget the one who has woken you up. Anything that takes precedence in your life becomes a “god” to you. So although your work, or news or daily activities are important, do not allow these to consume you.

Coming back to our scripture, we know Joshua to be the man that previously had stopped the sun and moon through prayer. Yet in this case,  he was prohibited by God to pray for the Israelites. Because they had turned from God, they were now destined for disaster. God is a Holy God, and His holiness requires living according to His will. Therefore take heed, God can turn against us as He did the Israelites. Isaiah 59:2 mentions that our sin can make God turn away from us. Sin prevents us from being conducive environments for God to dwell in. At times, we choose to focus on only God’s attributes that are favourable to us and neglect His decrees. Indeed, Jesus did come to save us, but He also taught to be vessels worthy of God to dwell in.(John 14:23). Our bodies are the Lord’s temples and we need to ensure that they are inviting of the Holy Spirit. Misuse of God’s temple is unacceptable. That is why in John 2:13-16, Jesus threw out merchants that were now trading in the temple instead of it’s intended purpose.

It is time to reflect on those barriers preventing you from fully devoting yourself to God. Gratitude goes a long way, and it is important that you do not forget to thank God for what he has allowed you to achieve. Rid yourself of the spirit of entitlement. If you feel entitled to live you negate the understanding that life is a gift and can therefore not appreciate it. Rid yourself of all negativity but live a life of love as Christ did. Without love it is difficult to achieve anything Godly. Remember, Joshua needed to work on his determination so that God could work in him. In the same way, work on your weaknesses and change your perception of what it truly means to serve God. Otherwise you may continue on the same vain that you have always done, with no positive change to your relationship with God or life.