Author: admin

When we explore the word of God in earnest, we are empowered by it. This enables us to live a life worthy of our call to worship. We build a reliance on God instead on being dependent on other peoples opinion. Even if we learn to follow and respect those called by God to shepherd His people, we are still able to have a sense of maturity and independence with regards to our understanding of His word. We should not merely wait until Sunday to hear what the word says, but rather seek God’s counsel daily through prayer.

In this series, we have been exploring the concept of completely surrendering to God and pledging our loyalty only to Him based on Joshua 24. In this scripture, we see how the Israelites were warned against idol worship. Despite being lead by Joshua, we have come to know how their actions separated them from God. You see, because God has instructed us to worship Him in a very specific way, anything contrary renders us void of His presence. Therefore, one can still routinely attend church every Sunday, but be completely removed from the presence of God. The devil knows what we value in our lives. By stealing the fear of God from within us, he ensures that we are still able to act in our service to God, but without substance, conviction or any personal connection to God himself. Therefore, put in context, when the fear of God departs our hearts, we can still come to church, and perform all our churchly duties, but not under the cover of God. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).

As people we have individual thought processes and opinions. These make it difficult for most to grasp the concept of being a follower. Often people find themselves desiring to act in their own way instead of that of the one whose leading. As Christians we need to follow principles that govern our faith in order to stay within God’s presence otherwise we might unconsciously fall outside God’s ways. Matthew 7:21-23 outlines two separate key elements. Calling God “Lord” does not qualify us to inherit the Kingdom, neither does performing acts of worship like prophesying. There is more to our worship that we must identify and carefully follow in order for it to be acceptable before God. Matthew 4:18-22 – Jesus came to earth with a specific mission to accomplish. He sought after individuals who were able to leave their professions and livelihoods to become “fishers of men.” These disciples remained loyal and continued with the mission even after the death of Christ because they had complete reliance on Jesus as their guide. Essentially they followed His lead and not their own.

There were times when they would say or act in a way that they thought would be in the best interest for the mission, but it was in fact not the desired solution to the problem. An example of this can be found in John 18:1-12. Peter sliced the ear of a soldier sent to capture Jesus, only to be told to put away his sword. This shows us that as a follower, instinctively your own problem solving methods are bound to surface, however it takes humility to allow yourself to be lead. God is the one that knows where we are supposed to be going. Often we start to question God’s plan and authority when situations become risky and make us feel uncomfortable. We resort to making our own assumptions and deciding the best way out of the situation as opposed to waiting on God. When we do this, we run the risk of ceasing to follow the path that God entails and going on our way without us even being aware of it. Another example, the bible outlines that the man is the head of the household, but if we look at some christian families, we find that in some disguised way, the woman is in fact the one that is leading from behind. However, even if the man is slow to provide a solution, the bible still says that he is the head of house.

So the woman taking matters into her own hands in order to quicken the process, means that she ends up being the head by default. Yet this is not the principle of God. If you have to slow your pace in order to be in line with that of your leader or head, then so be it. Remember that having the ability to follow is important. Even if you find yourself in an uncomfortable position, always stick to the principles that God has laid out for you. Do not try to resolve a situation without the principles of God because you run the risk of losing your place as a follower. What you want to avoid might be something that God wants you to go through. Even though you follow God, your problems will not automatically be eliminated and sometimes it can create even more problems. As such, do not try to avoid problems because God might be wanting to lead you through it.

Always trust and have faith that God will always have the solution. We often fall into the trap of picking and choosing what we want to follow. Does God not require us to follow him with all of our being? When you completely pledge loyalty to God, no external factors will influence the solid relationship you have with Him. If we take Job as an example, had he listened to the external comments people made about his life, and their advice to curse God, he would not have been able to enjoy the blessings that were waiting for him once he had endured his struggle. As such, we must resist seasonal worship. Choosing to be loyal only during hard times and then forgetting God when things are good is not true worship. The ability to follow God regardless of circumstance is vital. Whether you experience times of joy, sorrow or times of uncertainty. God knew that the children of Israel would be living under captivity for a long time. But it took one moment for Him to commission someone to fulfil the promise to rescue His people.

There are numerous individuals in the bible that encountered trials and it appeared as though God had forsaken them, but in reality, He never left them. The lesson of the prodigal son is something that we can learn from (Luke 15:11-32). Upon return, the father gave him a ring, a cloak and even killed a calf in his honour. Yet the older son did not understand why a similar celebration had not been given to him. His father then explained that since he had stayed by his side, whatever belonged to the father already belonged to him. As long as we do not realise that we are the children of God, we will fail to understand that we have access to a lot more than we realise. God the father is concerned for our wellbeing, and will always provide for us. In conclusion, never allow any situation to install doubt in your mind about who God is and what He can do for you.

Follow God with your heart always. If your heart loves him, it will stay steadfast. Many people want to lead but they do not want to follow, and many want to teach, but do not want to be taught. You must become a good learner to be a good teacher. Is your conduct a reflection of how the first disciples of Jesus were and continued to be even after His died? You need to be able to contribute to creating an environment that enables other christians to flourish so that they too can experience the goodness of God that you have already borne witness to. Everyone will be judged by what they do whether it is good or bad. At the end of the day, the word of God is the truth and it will come to fruition. Therefore, remember to follow what God has said in His word and in your life.

As christians, it is important for us to understand that God has all the authority over us. Our relationship with Him is based on our ability to understand His word, believe in and implement it. This activates the miracles that we seldom wait for. It is easy to quote scriptures, but fail to undergo any transformation through its power. Ultimately obedience to scripture allows us to become true children of God.The parable of the sower in Matthew 13:1-13 exemplifies the fact that what you do with the word determines the outcome and how it impacts your life.

In the parable, the seed that the farmer scattered was the consistent, but the type of soil it fell on was different. It yielded different results based on where it fell. As such, if we do not take the time to understand the word and allow it to transform our lives, we ourselves inhibit its transformational power. The bible teaches that not doing the will of God is basically doing the will of the devil. A true christian will listen to God the Father and subsequently earn the right to be called a child of God. You see, our faith is tied to our ability to continue to believe in God. If Psalms 23:6 teaches us that His goodness and love will be with us for as long as we shall live, even if we go through times of peril, then a lack of faith will allow the circumstances of our situations to hinder our walk with God.

Living by what we can see with the naked eye can prevent us from living by faith. How? Well, if we perceive the challenge in front of us to be bigger than what we can handle we become overwhelmed and intimidated by what we see rather than walking with God by faith. During the time of Passover, when Jesus spoke of bread and wine being a representation of His body and His blood, In order for the disciples to truly comprehend this, they needed to have a deeper level of understanding that went beyond what they could see by sight alone. By faith we are driven to deeper levels of christian understanding. Sight limits the full capability of God. God is much greater that what our eyes can see. Isaac is a great example that having faith in God’s words produces an abundance (Genesis 26:1-6, 12-14).

Through human understanding, his decision to stay in Egypt during a drought would have seemed foolish and impossible. But God is able to do much greater things than we can fathom. A fruitful harvest was hidden behind God’s instruction to Isaac to sow in the dry ground that required Isaac’s obedience and faith to receive it. There are many blessings hidden in God’s words that we are sometimes unable to attain because what God requires us to do first does not always make logical sense in our eyes so we end up not doing it. God has promised so much in your life, yet you allow what you perceive by sight to hinder your obedience to the condition given because on face value, it seems illogical. Is God not the owner of everything? Does He not speak things into existence? Therefore faith in His spoken word is vital. Abraham is known as a man who lived his life by faith.

By obeying the command to leave his fathers house for the unknown he unlocked his first blessings. Again in Genesis 22:1-18, Abraham prepared himself wholeheartedly to sacrifice his much loved son who had so long been promised to him. It was the ultimate test to reveal the level of obedience that he had to God. Out of that sacrifice came even more blessings for him. So often a time, blessings await beyond the immediate challenge. The instruction may not initially make sense, but be assured that it will activate God’s intended blessing for you. Acts 13:22 – Our heart is a game changer in the things of God. It goes beyond our human logic and rational. David is described as a mighty man that sought after God’s own heart because he was in tune with God’s instruction despite his many shortcomings and acts of disobedience. David had a true understanding of God. So much so, that at a time when he had the opportunity to kill his persecutor Saul, he refrained where others would have acted. Why? Because David understood, despite circumstance, not to touch an anointed man.

As a christian you need to take stock of what draws you to God. Some things will “pull: us to God, while others will “push” us to God. But these are two very different things. David was pulled to God and sought to follow God’s instruction. In your own worship you need to think about the factors that are pulling you to God against those that push you to worship? The pull factor is what attracts you to come to God like a magnet. These are an indication of your understanding of your duty as a man in terms of your worship. It is what pulls you to seek to understand God as the maker of heaven and earth. Whereas the push factor is what you are running away from. It is the need or lack that drives you to Him as a means to a solution to resolve the challenge you are facing. Your reason to come to God ends up being centred around your needs and not about God. When you get what you want, you then focus more on your fulfilment rather than the one that provided it. Therefore our interaction with the things of God differs between what pulls us and what pushes us to Him.

In conclusion, remember pull factors include seeking God because you know who He is, you understand His authority over your life, you know your position as His child and work hard to follow His word. Whereas push factors include seeking God for what we can acquire and achieve, as well as challenges we need rectified. Your focus is pursuing God in order to fulfil your needs. It comes from a place of selfishness instead of worshiping simply because God is God. Today, be encouraged to reflect on what pushes you and what pulls you to worship God. List both factors noting down what falls into each category.The purpose of a human is to seek God whether we have everything or nothing at all. Lack should not hinder our worship. We are meant to give everything to Him when we come to Him. If we remain within the limits of our human ways, we will be unable to fully grasp God spiritually. Let your understanding be elevated to a deeper spiritual level as you continually dwell in God’s presence.

So often a time we celebrate easter as a habitual tradition and get caught up in the glamour of it. But have you ever stopped to think and reflect on the profound significance of Jesus’ death in our lives? Do you understand the message of the cross? Can you comprehend what it truly means for the son of God to be born of a man, live a challenging life and still suffer the punishment worthy of criminals? As christians, we need to be thankful and appreciate the ultimate sacrifice Jesus paid for us. Coming to church can quickly become a routine Sunday pass-time, if we forget the reason we attend church. Jesus died for us at the cross so that we can have the opportunity enter the Kingdom of Heaven.

Be sure not to waste such an opportunity always remembering that on judgement day, Jesus will stand as witness that we have lived a life worthy to be His own. In the current series of teaching we have been embarking on, we have already established that in order to live a life worthy of Christ, we must make God our priority. We have explored the story of Joshua and the Israelites and how pledging your loyalty to God, forsaking all else including our idols, is vital in our worship. However one cannot achieve this without understanding the principle of value. There is a statement a world renowned athlete once said which is can be applicable to us. He said that there are two very important days in ones life. Firstly, the day of your birth and secondly the day you realise your purpose. In order to become who God has created you to be, you need to realise and understand the specific purpose God has bestowed upon your life. According to Exodus 19:5, we know that through obedience we not only have a chance to live a life as His chosen here on earth, but also inherit the Kingdom Of God as true heirs. Simply knowing how to do something is different from having the ability to actively apply that knowledge. This ultimately affects how we behave. As such, understanding the value of God in our lives is very important because it will determine our later actions. By definition, value means the importance or the worth that something has. The perception that we have of something determines how we value it in our lives, and ultimately affects how we act towards it. If you value something, you will naturally pay more attention it than something that you do not value. Therefore, nothing you do in the presence of God will go in vain. In today’s scripture, Deuteronomy 6:4-9, God states his supremacy and disapproval of anything that rivals Him. The value of God is priceless, so you cannot put a price on it. The verse specifies that you need to love God with everything that you have, any strength you can master within yourself is the full amount you need to put towards loving Him, giving your whole self. God is, and should be, number one in your life. The word of God is the counsel of God. It is so easy to fall prey to not loving God with all our heart and apportion subpar attention in comparison to what we should be giving. This is why, in the scripture, we see how God specifically outlined how His instruction was to be received and taught from generation to generation as an everlasting ordinance. People are inevitably born into sin. This goes all the way back to the time of Adam and Eve. Their children Cain and Abel, (and all generations that followed), were born into a condemned world because of their sin. However, God has provided a way to redeem us from sin through the baptism of water and spirit. Jesus teaches of this rebirth in John 3:3. You see to be able to understand God more and subsequently be able to value Him, you must not only turn from your sin physically, but begin to operate in the spiritual realm as well. God is spirit, so whatever He says, we need to be in the realm of the spirit to be able to fully understand. In John 1:12-13, we learn that we were born as humans. Baptism by water is the process of dying together with Christ and rising again with Him, enabling us to be born of God. As a result, we end up moving from the natural realm, to the people who are now born of God. However being born of the spirit, does not mean that we will mature overnight. Rather, we need to learn to be able to grow in Him in the same way a child is nurtured and taught. Just like a child learns from their environment, we too must find a model to inspire and shape us. There is no greater model other than Jesus Christ Himself. When we remove the barrier that is our human thinking, we will be able to understand what God requires of us and give Him the value He truly deserves. Let us know that there is a deeper level that God wants us to reach through the renewal of our mind daily so that we do not conform to the patterns of this world (Romans 12:2). Aspiring to reach this level will encourage our mindset to shift and evolve as we begin to value the things of God in a manner acceptable to Him. In today’s society, understanding our limitations will enable us to overcome them as we seek to fulfil our purpose in Christ. If we do not strive to overcome our human nature, we will forever be governed by it. Jesus revealed Himself to Saul on the road to Damascus in such a profound way, Saul completely became a new being. He was transformed from being a persecutor of believers to what he himself proclaimed as a slave to the gospel. God became so valuable to him, he dedicated the rest of his life fearlessly preaching the word of God. (Acts 9:1-30). Saul fulfilled his purpose because he knew the value of Christ. In the same way, let us allow God to reveal himself to us in such a way will too are completely transformed. Remember that it is important to put value in the things of God so that you can invest your time in it. Why? Because the bibles outlines that where your treasure is, that is where your heart is (Luke 12:34). This means that your actions will reflect if God is valuable to you or not. Never forget that God is the one that gives you the breath to be alive, therefore He needs that acknowledgment from you. Without health, you cannot do anything that you may set out to do. Put God first and let the word of God have authority in your life.

Let me start by asking you this, what is your first thought or action at the start of the day? As a
Christian it is important for your life to be a reflection of the word of God. One cannot merely wait for
a single day in the week to then engage in hearing His word. Seeking God should be a daily routine.
Before we engage in anything else in the day, we need to take the time to hear what God has to say
to us through His word. If we allow God to speak to us at the start of the day, then we have guidance
for the rest of it. The choice is for us to make use of such an opportunity presented to us. God should
be the first voice we hear, the first one we communicate with before all else.

By prioritising Him in the morning, we are essentially inviting Him to take control of the day to come. Knowing and understanding that we are His children, allows us to make God our priority.
Previously we explored the concept of “becoming,” and how undergoing this process is
transformational. Usually if you want to change your character to become better in some way, it
involves undergoing a process of change. For example, if you are not a Christian and you want to be
one, there is a transformation that happens for you to transition from one phase to the other. This
transformation is what makes you become who you are aspiring to be, or someone God always
intended you to become. If you are the kind of person that expects change by merely hearing the
word without any contribution on your part, then you are mistaken. There are certain things that you
have to demonstrate that will bring about the change that you want to see. You must accept and
apply the word of God without any resistance for resistance stunts growth.
Today, many are only christian by name. They only go to church and hear the word, but it doesn’t
touch them enough to initiate the change that they need to undergo. If previous ungodly behaviours
are still presenting now that you are born again, then transformation has not yet occurred within
you. For example, if a person was known for gossiping, even if they have a desire to change, yet still
find themselves gossiping, then they have not truly allowed the word of God to manifest within
them. Ultimately, there is a transformational process you have to go through to become a true
christian. That’s why we have two different categories of christians; those that have engaged in the
process of the transformational change to become the children that God wants them to be, and
those that are christian by name, who do not engage in that process and choose to remain as they
are. The latter category can often be seen quoting bible verses that suit their situation, but fail to
understand its true context. God expects a transformation within us as our knowledge of Him
increases. The key to becoming God’s chosen possession, lies in the ability to faithfully obey His
commandments (Exodus 19:5) This is what initiates our growth.
There are many examples of people in the bible that had to go through change before they could be
used by God. Elisha become a man that was used by God mightily because he went through a
transformation. Many people want the end result, but do not want to go through the process of
change to achieve it. Resisting sin will make the devil flee from us, but so often many find
themselves unable to abstain from sin. By giving in to their worldly desires, they attract the devil.
Jesus started His message of repentance within the synagogues. Why? Because that is where most
were religious not righteous. The same can still be said of modern day believers. People still attend
church, but remain unchanged or inspired by the word. Ask yourself this, are you aligning yourself
through His word to be compatible with God? Is it worth spending your life gathering all the things of
this world at the expense of your soul? (Mark 8:36) As a Christian, it is imperative to think beyond
the tangible things that you can see with your naked eye. Think about the Kingdom of God. A time is
coming when this world will come to pass and we will have to face God giving an account of how we
chose to live. In that day, will Jesus stand and acknowledge you as His own?
Genesis 3:22-24. The garden of Eden was beautiful and had everything that Adam and Eve needed,
however they paid the ultimate price when they violated God’s command. Their sin caused them to

be expelled forever with no access to eden. The length of their lives was limited and animosity
replaced the contentment they once enjoyed with the very animals they tended to. Adam and Eve
lost the opportunity to live in paradise, in the presence and provision of God. Instead, they, and all
generations to come were sentenced to a life of working the land in order to survive. In the same
way, we can equate how violating God’s command can cost us the Kingdom of God and the blessings
associated with it. However we see in John 3:3-7 a second chance being granted to us through Jesus
Christ. He is our access back to the Father. Whoever is born of man is born into a cursed life resulting
from the disobedience of Adam and Eve. However, through Jesus, we can undergo a transformation.
The process of baptism symbolises dying to self and rising again through Christ. By water, the Holy
Spirit and the blood shed on the cross to redeem our sin, we can again have access to the presence
and ultimately the Kingdom of God. Therefore, our actions must reflect how Christ now lives in us.
In conclusion, let us then not confirm to the patterns of this world, instead we need to continuously
renew our mind on a daily basis (Romans 12:2). Let us not resist the process of change, but embrace
it as a part of the transformation that we need to go through to become the people that God has
destined us to be.

Hearing the word of God and not putting it into practise is like building a house on an unstable
foundation. (Matthew 7:24-27). The word of God is what gives our faith depth and subsequently the
ability to weather any storm that comes our way. It is vital then that when we hear God’s word, we
take time to understand it then put it into practise in situations applicable to that word. You cannot
just hear the word on a Sunday, comment on how inspirational it was , then forget about it.

If we take pupils in school as an example, we know that they are not just primarily going there to recite to
the teacher what they have a learnt, nor merely to pass an exam. They learn the idea of
conceptualising the information that they are learning so that they can apply it later on in a different
situation when need arises. Even if we take a look at professions such as doctors or lawyers, they
learn the theory of their professions in education, but they must then apply that theory in hospitals
or in the courts. In the same way, as christians, we need to develop the habit of learning how to
reflect on the word and teachings we receive so that we can apply it to our everyday lives. It is a
choice to actively put that word into action. A person with an inability to apply the word of God is
seen by the continuous repeating of the same mistakes.
This current series of teachings revolves around the book of Joshua, mainly focused on the
ultimatum he gave the Israelites to leave their idols, pledge their loyalty and serve the God that had
delivered them from captivity. We then delved deeper by uncovering the importance of
understanding who God is and the power dynamic that exists between ourselves and Him. Following
that, we unpacked the meaning of humbleness and how to surrender before God. With the most
recent teaching looking into walking in the voice of God. Today, the focus will be on commitment and
how Jesus explains it to us.
When we make that declaration to serve God, it means that we have made a conscious decision to
do so. There is often a misconception that if we have no lack we don’t need God. Most see no need
for God, if they are in good health or have amassed a certain amount of wealth. Contrary,
Deuteronomy 8:18 says that God is the giver of wealth. Ecclesiastes reminds us, our reason for living
is not to chase material gain, or the acknowledgment of the world, but it is in fact about worshipping
God (Ecclesiastes 12:13). Nowadays, we choose to worship on our own terms as opposed to the ways
that God has outlined for us. To commit to something requires some form of sacrifice. It requires
giving in to something and prioritising it, forfeiting something else.
Luke 9:57-62 – In this scripture, Jesus is trying to illustrate that true commitment to Him is inevitably
at the expense of something else in our lives. There is ultimately a price to pay. In verse 58, Jesus
reiterates that life in ministry is uncomfortable. One must forgo their creature comforts for the sake
of the gospel. Essentially He was asking the people if they would be committed to reprioritise the
very things they deem important to them and put God and His work first? In Luke 9:62, Jesus uses an
example of someone who takes up the plough and starts to work, but continuously looks back. In this
verse He states that anyone who does that “is not fit for the Kingdom of God”. The act of ploughing
requires a degree of concentration to ensure straight beds. Looking back means that you are
distracted and will prevent you from keeping a straight line. If you continue to look back whilst
ploughing, it demonstrated that your attention is divided between the work you should be doing and
whatever it is that is distracting you. Ultimately anyone with a divided mind is therefore not fit for
the Kingdom of God.
Understanding what following Jesus entails prevents us from attempting to serve Him on our own
terms. We need to realise that worshipping God is a commitment. One we ought to uphold
regardless of challenges or obstacles that may befall us. This understanding will ensure that we
remain focused on the goal even if we encounter potential distractions.

Understanding the context of a scripture will enable you to understand how it can apply to your life.
For example, If we take the scripture from Exodus 19:5 at face value, then it would mean that anyone
can just take that verse and declare themselves a prized possession just like the Israelites. However,
when we put it into context, we know that there is a requirement needed to stay in that favour. One
must faithfully obey the commandments of God and live a life of obedience to be able to be that
prized possession. In the same way, you cannot receive the blessing that comes with commitment if
you lack it. Many christians today are passive followers. They lack active involvement and
commitment to the Kingdom of God. If you feel satisfied with merely attending church routinely,
then you need to re-evaluate your purpose in following God.
Luke 14:26-31 – You have to count the cost of following Jesus. There is price to pay to be a disciple for
Jesus, it is not completely free. It is true that Jesus died on the cross for us, but there is something
that you must prioritise and sacrifice in order to follow Him. To be a child of God is a lifetime
commitment. Let’s reflect once again on the book of Joshua. By choosing to God, it meant that the
Israelites had give up their idols. That was the cost of following God. Ask yourself this, Have you truly
considered what you must leave behind in order to follow God? Today, many are weak in spirit
because they have not accounted for the sacrifice required of them to fulfil the life of a christian.
Most prefer to keep a distance from the things of God, observing from afar as opposed to getting
involved.
At the end of the day, God should be your first priority. Understand that in order to make Him your
priority, you need to be committed to Him. Embrace the fact that you will have to give up some
things that you were used to in order to do so. It is not an easy feat, but remember, God is always
with us to strengthen us. There is much to do in the work of God, so make sure that you are more
proactive in His house. Be eager to put into practise all you are learning.