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We need to understand the meaning of life from God’s perspective. Jesus can only stand
and bear witness of us on judgement day only if we have lived a life worthy of His calling.
Many people are unable to see the goodness of God mainly because of their perception. If
you look at things from God’s perspective, you will be able to see that you are blessed.
Psalms 23 teaches that in Him we have ALL provision. Being christian does not nullify
hardships.

Contrary, imagine this, the Israelites wondered the dessert for 40 years. The
dessert is such a hostile environment, yet time and time again God provided. The Israelites
had no choice but to be completely dependant on God. Nowadays, Christianity is seen as a
sign of weakness, and is perceived as poverty or lack. But does the book of Ecclesiastes not
explain that amassing material wealth is meaningless without God. Obedient worship is
ultimately the true purpose of life. Each day is a blessing and an opportunity. Let is not take
your whole life to come to this understanding. Therefore, take time to reflect on your life and
all that God has done for you. Self-evaluation will help you gain better clarity on where you
are in your christian walk. If today was your last, would you be confident you fulfilled God’s
intended purpose for you? Reflect on those areas that need change and surrender them to
God.
There is a great degree of self preparation required to fulfil God’s purpose. Why? Because
we will encounter some form of battle and up hill struggle difficult to handle. Alone, we can
feel self doubt and the prospect of giving up and turning back becomes feasible. Embarking
on a christian walk of faith is the beginning of a journey where you must be prepared to fight.
However through the knowledge of Christ, remember Jesus will be with you through it all just
as God was with the Israelites in the dessert. God intentionally led them through a difficult
path to cultivate their reliance on Him and ensure going back wasn’t an option. When God is
about to elevate you to a higher level and it’s hard to bare, surrender to the assurance He
will never leave you, and His plan is perfect.
Surrendering is the foundation of unlocking blessing. To surrender means that you are letting
God take control. Only then will God’s intention begin to manifest. Coming to Christ doesn’t
automatically equal you relinquishing control to God. This is perhaps why no change is seen
from your former self. But when you are able to completely surrender, a new version of you
is evident. “The old life is gone; a new life has begun (2 Corinthians 5:17).
We are living in a time where there is a culture of “alternatives and options”. This culture is
spilling over into how we perceive our faith and cultivating a spirit of self reliance instead of
complete surrender to God. How do we know this? Just look at how nowadays there is an
overwhelming number of people that ONLY seek God in times of desperate need. True
surrender is still CHOOSING GOD, even when all is well, and an alternative is available. Let
God take precedence over our everyday activities and livelihood.
To love God with all your heart and all your soul, you need to intentionally put Him first. God
does not permit anything that rivals Him. Before you turn your attention to the demands of
life, or being up to date with social media and what is going on in the world, take the time to
start the day with God, asking Him to order your steps for that day. Not by coincidence but
intentionally and purposefully carving out time in your day to achieve this.
Romans 12:2 – Letting your mind be transformed to allow God’s perspective to be the main
way you view the world is key. Your perception now needs to be different than that of your
former self. Often people come to Christ, but they still try to live by world standards. Romans
8 teaches to surrender and let the Spirit of God take over your flesh. What is logical to our
way of thinking may often be contrary to what God is intending. For example when Abraham
left his fathers house as instructed by God, had he told other people about this plan, they
might ridiculed him, pointing out the fact that he was 75 years old. Why would anyone uproot

themselves and relocate at that age when they were perfectly cared for where they were?
We humans can see as peculiar or illogical is often logical and makes perfect sense to God.
Surrender is therefore being aligned to God and the ability to still trust Him even if it makes
no sense. This is fundamentally living to God’s standard not conforming to that of the world.
When God has chosen you to be His own, you are expected to live in a different way that
reflects that you are His. Most people live a double life. They want to love God, but cannot
let go of the world. Remember, your body is the Lords temple. (1 Corinthians 6:19) You

should be a reflection of that in behaviour and the choices you make.You still must be a law-
abiding citizen, and above that, lead a life focused on what God is asking of you. Even if it

differs to what the world deems as normal.
As we know, the Israelites were acknowledged by God as His favoured nation amongst all
other nations at that time (Deuteronomy 14:2). But in order to remain favoured, they had to
make an active choice to surrender themselves to God and faithfully keep His commends. A
life in Christ cannot resemble that of your past. Do not question what God asks of you, nor
complain about the difficulties it may entail because you are still His chosen, set apart for
His glory. Your life by default will always be different in comparison to that of those not
called. That is the Devine favour and grace not afforded to everyone. Be grateful for such an
opportunity. In 1 Kings 17: 8-24, the widow at Zarephath received such favour. She definitely
wasn’t the only struggling widow in town, yet God’s grace located her. An opportunity was
afforded her for God to change her life. She did not resist, but recognised the favour. The
story of the banquet in Luke 14:15-24 is a classic example of missed opportunity. Your
inability to surrender can be what blocks favour in your life. It can be the very reason
opportunity and favour locate others in place of you.
In conclusion, you need to deny yourself in order to follow Jesus. (Matthew 16:24) When we
surrender ourselves to Jesus, He will come and live in us. Matthew 6:33 teaches us that all
we hope for will be fulfilled after we surrender and make God our priority. Faith, hope and
trust in God will bring fulfilment into your life. Take the time to read the following scripture to
gain understanding on the concept of surrendering. (John 5:19, John 15:14, Galatians 2:20,
Luke 9:23 and Matthew 26:42)

In the past few teachings we have explored the inherent need to connect with God. (Vol 1&2. 2021). God wants to dwell in us and we must ensure that our hearts are a conducive environment for Him. One of our focuses should be gaining a better understanding of how we can truly work for God so we are elevated to a deeper spiritual level. We have already established that in order to serve God, you need to understand His nature, acknowledge Him as the Almighty God, the creator of heaven and earth, and His supremacy. He is the Head that must be obeyed. He is omnipresent and there is nothing that surprises or surpasses Him. As such, we need to understand our position as inferior to Him. The book of Ecclesiastes demonstrates that although we can amass all the worldly possessions, it is all vanity without an understanding of our purpose to live a life of reverence to God. (Ecclesiastes 12:13).

In order to serve God effectively, we need to take practical actions to do so. Today’s teaching is about humility. Humbleness is a vital key to enter the Kingdom of Heaven, and without it, it would be difficult to serve God. As we may be aware, there are many ways in which we might seek God, with the most default manner being in our time of need. However, it is important to remember that God has already outlined the way in which we are to seek Him, not only in times of need, but have total reliance on Him.

The word humility originates from the Latin word “humilis”,  meaning “to be nearer to the ground or next to the ground “. Therefore Humility is the quality of having a modest or low view of one’s importance, and as such does not have a strong opinion over others. If you have a strong opinion of yourself you struggle to accept different views from your own so much so, that even when God speaks to you, your own opinion overshadows God’s instruction. Therefore humility enables you to be obedient to God. A proud person offen has an air of grandiose.  Grandiosity is an exaggerated sense of one’s importance, power, knowledge, or identity, even if there is little evidence to support the beliefs.
But rest assured, humbleness does not translate to low confidence or self-esteem. One can still be confident but equally humble. Be weary of being strongly opinionated. This can prevent you from hearing other peoples input in your life or hinder you from obeying God’s instruction.

Genesis 12:1-5

Abraham was able to listen to God and to take the instructions given to him. Had Abraham been strongly opinionated and lacked humility when God first spoke to him, he might have been inclined to refuse to leave his fathers house, and justifiably so. In his fathers house, he had all provision. It was the all he knew and in a sense all he needed to know. At the age of 75, Abraham could have also used his age as an excuse. But instead of doing that, he understood that what God had said to him was much more important for his life. Had Abraham been a proud person and decided that it was not worth leaving what he had,  God would not have continued to meet him on numerous occasions through his journey. You cannot follow what God is saying if you have your own opinion of what needs to be done. You unconsciously act on what you think is right not what God actually says is right. With a heart of humility,  one can follow God’s instruction even if it does not make sense or is difficult to comprehend or achieve. Humility helps us to be able to listen, and understand the power relationship between ourselves and God.

James 4:10 reminds us to humble ourselves only then will God elevate us. Yet, some people do not feel the need to do so out of pride. Sometimes a person’s position in life might be a hinderance to their ability to be humble. Often, it can be found in churches that people can become proud and leave God’s ways. They modify the word of God to suit their personal agenda’s and end up diluting it. It is no longer final or pure but rather a distorted version clouded by human wisdom and opinion. Remember, even Jesus said let the will of the Father be done on earth as it should be, showing that even Jesus Himself was humble to the will of God. Jesus demonstrated that in his opinion the situation was hard for him to bear, but ultimately he still surrendered to the will of God. You see, humility, helps us to take whatever God says regardless of our opinion. We need to lower ourselves and let God take his place as ruler above all. Humility is the beginning where God starts to speak to us and move in us.

Take a moment to reflect on your life and ask yourself this.  Are you humble enough to do what God says, or do you do your own thing? Do you follow God’s opinion or your own? Do you put value in what God says, or does your perception distort your actions? The opposite of humility is pride. A prideful person cannot be in tune with God. Why? Because their nature is such that when God says follow, they feel compelled to lead. When God says stop, they are obliged to go further. Ultimately, such pride challenges the authority of God resulting in you walking in complete opposition to Him.

James 4:13-15 reminds us how we neither know or have any power over our tomorrow. It is God that holds our lives in His hands and we are utterly at His mercy. Often Christian’s say ”if God is willing”, this signifies an acknowledgment that God is in control.

Always strive to align your plans with God’s will. He alone should order your steps and direct your path. Challenge yourself to be meek in nature, but confidence and humble.

Time is a precious thing we do not have much of. In this day, we have slowly diminishing opportunity to do the will of God. As such, in order for us to continue to be obedient to God, it is crucial we position ourselves to understand Him. The book of Ecclesiastes explains that the whole duty of man is not only to worship God, but in a manner God has set out. If we don’t, we run the risk of merely acting as christians without an actual connection with God. Remember, the bible warns against calling on Christ with ones mouth, yet harbour a heart distant to Him (Isaiah 29:13). Do not be fooled, without a connection, God will not acknowledge us as His own.

As Christians we need to be biblical, which means that we should believe and understand that the bible relates to us on a personal level in a prophetic and spiritual way. The word of God is pure and final, yet we have a tendency of neutralising the word with our actions. We often mix the word of God with our own thoughts of what we think He wants.  In order to worship God as He desires, we are required to develop a level of understanding of Him first. If we gain an understanding of His expectations of us, it will enable us to do as He truly wishes.  Today, there are so many things that perhaps  have become a “god” in our lives. For some its money, for others it’s their jobs. But what we need to put as priority is God. We need to demonstrate our loyalty in such a way it’s clear that God takes precedence in our lives. It’s not enough to routinely attend church or merely pray daily but rather striving to know who God truly is on a personal basis. It’s about fully understanding the nature of God otherwise surely our worship will be rendered meaningless.

Isaiah 1:2-3, 18-20

In our scripture today, we see God’s anguish over His people. He compares His people with domesticated animal’s. That even such know their master, yet His chosen people, whom He has loved and demonstrated His power still do not recognise the care that He has given them. Do you recognise God in your life? Do you know and understand Him? It is a deliberate and personal decision one must take to grow closer in understanding God. It is an individual declaration to serve God as seen in Joshua 24:15. We know that despite the Israelites idolatry worship, God still fulfiled His promise and delivered the people to the Promised Land. But there comes a time where God confronts us with the same ultimatum to serve Him alone. You see, we might be here today by His grace, but it does not mean that we are deserving. God is urging us to rid ourself of everything that distracts from Him.

God needs you to move from where you are now, so that He can work with you at the place He wants you to be. Have the faith to take that initial step and respond to God’s instruction upon your life. Look at Abraham. This man received a message to move from where he was to a place God would show him. This was a spiritual instruction.  It is then fulfilled in the natural when Abraham was obedient. Most people today fail because they can’t comprehend what is being said in spirit and in turn do not obey in the natural. We have to believe and understand what is said in spirit for it to manifest in the physical. If Abraham had not moved, then his blessing would not have materialised.

“The Cattle know their owner, the donkies know where they are fed, but Gods people do not know their God.” As we start the year, examine yourself. Do we know where you can get spiritual strength and nourishment ? If we know God then we can comply with what He says. Today people have a tendency to minimise the value and importance of God. We want to worship in the way we want. Have you ever taken time to examine peoples attitudes towards their employment? Everyone tries to comply with all rules and regulations of the workplace so as not to lose their job. Yet, the same drive to comply with the workplace etiquette is not seen when it comes to matters concerning God. We adopt a casual approach to our worship and even feel comfortable coming to church late. All we value is the act of going to church but we do not follow what God says. We do not take heed of the sayings of the Holy spirit. Many are stumbling due to church cultures rather than striving to know God. The word of God is pure and final, yet we neutralise His word. What God has outlined as important is not viewed in the same light and likewise ignored as well. That’s why it has no power over us. People often think that they can just worship God any which way. But the bible clearly states that He is to be worshipped in the way He outlines. Let us look at the Israelites as an example. God fulfilled what had been promised onto them, even though they violated His nature and holiness by behaving contrary to His will. The Israelites had a history of idolatry which led to the ultimatum they received from Joshua as seen in Joshua 24. You see, by keeping idols amongst their possessions, it was as though they believed such idols would help them in some way. This ultimately undermined God’s power yet it was the very same God that had delivered them through the ages. It can be assumed that after they had spent so much time under God’s protection and following His instructions as they were led to the Promised Land, they would have developed a good understanding of the way God wanted to be worshipped. Yet we see time and time again that they were told they needed to repent. One example comes to mind.  We know Joshua to be prayerful man before God and no man could stand against him. Now when it came to the time the children of God defiled God, the same Joshua was defeated in battle. Was this not the same army that God had used to destroy nations. Yes, however, this shows how a powerful man can become powerless due to the sin of the people. It is important to understand God so we do not cause Him to turn away from us. Do we know that He has to be worshipped in a certain way?  Do you know that His holiness needs to be maintained? You need to understand that God is the creator of heaven and earth and He is the one that knows the plan for your life, as such, He is the owner of your life. You need to realise that you cannot achieve things in life if you do not have your health, nor the breath you breathe, which all come from God. Therefore, you need to be loyal to Him and make Him your top priority. In seeking him first, all else shall follow in your life (Matthew 6:33), for He alone is God. Even when you encounter a challenging situation, believe and understand that God is and will continue to be faithful to you. Because if He has taken you out of a challenging situation before, He can certainly do it again. Remember Psalms 23:4 and rid yourself of doubt. Trust God because strength and power can be found in Him. Some people become lost because they are unable to comprehend the supernatural aspect of what God is saying. As such, understand the nature of God as a supernatural God. He is supreme so what He says is possible. Therefore, you need to stay in step with the Spirit.  Part of God’s impact in your life is reliant on you being actively involved in the process. Worshipping God is not a passive act but it requires intentional actions on your part.

Though we have a multitude of shortcomings, we see in Isaiah 18 -20 God still extends an opportunity for us to return to Him. God speaks about us reconnecting with Him if we choose to obey His ways. He is always standing with open arms for us to turn back to him. Understanding God’s nature helps us to know what and what not to do. God was the God of Israel,  but he turned his back at some point. We can continuosly pray but what’s important is not that we pray, but whether that prayer is being received by God. The first miracle is to believe in the scriptures. And more can happen through our ability and understanding of it. God is not someone we can address anyhow, but must be revered and obeyed. Know where your life comes from. Know who feeds your spirit. As we start this year, let us build a solid foundation in Christ.

2020 is coming to an end. In your thankfulness, as you reflect on God’s continued protection and what He has done for you, ask yourself this. WHY has God kept you alive? Asking that question can help you to prioritise God.  The previous message (VOL 30 ; 20 Dec 20) focused on revelation and the importance of having it.  Revelation enables us to move to a deeper level of understanding. Without it, we are at risk of merely operating on a superficial level. This renders us unable to truly grasp spiritual concepts beyond this state. Take time to pray for God’s true revelation so that your life will be transformed to a deeper level. You see, Jesus was different because of the revelation within Him. If you just look at Jesus as a normal Jew, then you won’t see Him as the Saviour. If we do not understand Jesus as “the way,  the truth and life,” then we will not see heaven.

This year, we have been constantly reminded that we are not in control. We have had to rely on God’s all knowing nature and believe that ultimately He is in control. Nothing is hidden before the Lord. Nothing is a surprise to Him, as such, He is already aware of what 2021 has in store for us. Therefore, it is important that we go where ever God leads us. This will allow us to remain under His protection. We know that as Chrisitians, we still encounter challenging circumstances. However, we are reassured that by letting God take control, He will always direct us through all difficulties. You must understand the times we are in. Are you spending your time chasing the wind, or are you spending time doing the will of God? If God has taken you this far, do you have the insight to see that it is God who has protected you? Are we living our lives in reflection of this understanding? Think about what you are prioritising? What enables you to be alive should be your first priority. The giver of life deserves to be given your full attention.

Deuteronomy 29:2-6, 9, 18.

For the 40 years that the Israelites wandered in the wilderness upon leaving Egypt,  neither their clothes nor sandles wore out. In fact, God provided their every need. In the scriptures we see Mosses reminding the people of the things God had done for them.  Sometimes it is easier to focus on our lack. Here is an analogy. When a 3yr old child asks for something, they do not know that one has to go to work in order to attain the means required to purchase it. Therefore they cannot comprehend the value behind it. In the same way, sometimes we assume blessings and do not understand the magnitude of the blessing of life itself. In doing so, we withhold appreciation due to God for all His provisions. There have been times in the bible when God has lamented that His own people do not recognise when He has taken care of them (Isaiah 1:3). Remember, the colour of the glasses you put on determines the colour you see. The lense you use determines the angle. Do not let negative past experiences determine your perception of the present day. You must remove the tinted glasses that vale your vision in order for you to acknowledge GOD’S hand. Take the time to reflect on the miracle that is your life. The word of God can only make a difference, if you put it into perspective. This year alone,  many people have lost their lives,  others have gone without. DO NOT be ungrateful,  even if you only have a little.  Regardless, God has still taken you this far. Let us take this opportunity to live a life worthy of this. Be mindful of how you spend your time because it is not renewable. Once it has gone, it cannot be replaced. As such, it is important for us to be intentional with how we spend it. God must take presidence. At times, we become so focused on trying to complete certain tasks before the end of day, and neglect to give God His place. Why not try to ensure you are also allocating time to think about what you would like to accomplish for God. What good comes from chasing the things of this world if you end up losing your soul in the process? Therefore, as 2021 approaches, realign your priorities so that you can focus on seeking the Lord and doing His will. 

Isaiah 5:1-7 talks about fine vines that were planted and protected to prevent anything from devouring them. However, when the vines were ripe, they produced sour grapes. The vineyard represents believers and the vine dresser represents God. If we compare this to us, God has continued to cover us under His protection, yet we still produce bad fruits. Let us admit our wrong and repent from our ways.  We do not know what tomorrow has in store for us, but we do know that if we walk accordingly, then God is in control. If we take Isaac as an example, we are able to see that following God’s instructions can produce an outcome where it may have previously been deemed impossible. During a severe famine, Isaac was told by God to stay where he was and live as a foreigner in that land. By listening to that instruction, Isaac was able to prosper and harvest more crops than he had planted.  Isaac did not need rain, fertile soil or the protection of people. Rather, all he needed was sincere obedience. This facilitated God’s protection over his life. It is written that consequence would befall anyone that harmed him.(Genesis chapter 26). No matter what the season is, or what we are going through, God’s protection is upon us if we walk in His instruction.
Are you worshipping in the intended manner? Do not be mistaken that being given grace enables you to do whatever you want. Strive to do what is right, for your body is the temple of the Lord (1 Corinthians 6:19).Remember that not everyone who says Lord, Lord, will enter the Kingdom of Heaven (Matthew 7:21). God has preserved your life today so that you can serve Him. Look back as an individual. Start to prioritise things differently and earnestly value God. Remember that when the vineyard continued to produce sour grapes, there was no longer a need to protect it. Therefore, let this new year be a renewal of your mind and heart. Be mindful of the lenses you view the world and your pursuit of what’s in it. Truly believe that your very being is because of God and watch as your life is completely transformed.

Intro : When we come across challenging situations in our walk as christians, sometimes we might have some doubt that it was God that led us in that particular direction. Usually this feeling arises when we experience hardships that we did not envision that we would encounter whilst following the direction that God gave us. However, it is important to understand that he has the overview of our lives, that we are not always privy to, and knows why he is leading you on a particular path. As such, continue to believe in God and you will be taken much further than you could possibly imagine.

Genesis 39:2-3 Illustrates the nature of Joseph’s life, one in which God was with him and thus he was able to prosper.  Although he was successful, his life was filled with difficult situations and circumstances that were instrumental to his journey to success. The jealousy his brothers felt for him, as the favoured one amongst them in their fathers eye, led them to throw him into a pit and later sell him off as a slave. This marked the beginning of the sequence of events that would lead Joseph to eventually become a governor of Egypt. 

If we are to look at Joseph’s negative experiences in the present day, it would be easy to assume God had rejected and abandoned him based on all the trials he faced. However, at a closer look, we understand that the situations that Joseph experienced were ones that God himself had set out for him as a form of preparation for his future role. God already knew the outcome of all his struggles.  The position that he ended up obtaining would not have happened had he stayed at his father’s house. Joseph had to go through those difficulties to prepare him for governership. You see, God takes us and transforms us until we reach the level He intends for us.

Sometimes we encounter situations, more difficult than we anticipated, that make us question if God still loves us, or is still with us. However, the life of Joseph is testament of how to navigate that difficult path, being prudent not to complain during those challenging situations.  You may encounter some bad days that are not easy to bare, but, always remember that you can always lean on God and trust in Him during that process.  God alone knows your future and what is certain for your tomorrow. All we need to do is walk as far as God takes us.  Follow what He tells us to do regardless of the associated challenges. If He is with us, leading us through it, He will always protect us no matter what may come our way. 

If God is taking us in a certain direction,  only He knows the reasoning behind it. He might not reveal the reason immediately. For example, Abraham was instructed to leave his father’s house and to go to the land God would show him. He had to take a leap of faith by trusting the plans that God had for him by making that initial physical step to follow the instruction. He had to rely solely on his communication with God to ascertain the right direction (Genesis 12).

Nowadays, the challenges may not be as visually evident as in days of old. The challenges church’s might face that hinder progression can lie in an underlying element of fear that manifests in different ways. It can manifest as a financial giant,  a demonic giant or even in self doubt within the body of Christ or false feeling of unworthiness to complete the work of God. However, do not let these giants overshadow the understanding in the greatness of the power of God. Be careful not be over spiritual. Realise certain battles require physical attributes to proceed. When God spoke to Joshua he told him to be courageous (Joshua 1). God did not say He would GIVE him courage, but there was a requirement for Joshua to work on aspects of his own character to enable God to work within him. As important as it is to work on our spiritual self, we cannot neglect sharpening elements of our characteristics that make us useful to God. He is waiting on us to use our own abilities to do certain things.

Is your character influenced by your environment, or is your environment influenced by your character? Does your character change based on your environment, or does the environment change based on your character? These are important questions to ask. Taking a closer look at the lives of Joseph and Daniel, we find that they did not change themselves, or their beliefs even in the face of adversity in a foreign land. Instead they made an impact despite being foreigners there their strength of character and unwavering trust in God.

The ability to put your faith into action also affects your perception on aspects of your christianity,  even as a church at large. One might focus on the difficulty of a particular moment and forget their knowledge of momentous scriptures like Psalms 23 that declare the Lord as our ultimate shepherd.  It is this very reason the bible in Hebrews 4:2, warns us that even though we have been given the word, it is ineffective because we have not mixed it with our faith. You see,  faith requires action. It is that initial leap of faith to kick start things and put the ball in motion in your life. Faith is also the knowledge that even if you encounter hardships you will eventually reach the destination that God intends.

In conclusion,  miracles start from the moment we believe in the word. As you go about your daily day to day, never forget to ponder on how the scriptures relate to you. Why, because the word is prophetic and spiritual. If this understanding is missed, you might fail to see the tools that God has placed in your hands. Or miss the opportunity to turn situations around so that they become a blessing instead of a challenge to you. Do not let the events that you read about in the bible remain as mere stories, but be encouraged by them. Learn from them. Let God transform your life through your understanding of them.