Be Repositioned

 1 John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  God's perfect love drives out fear. The bible says, God is love. It is His character, which He demonstrated through Christ Jesus, Whom He loved so much. So, when we picture God, we ought to have a picture of someone who loves us dearly. If He loves us so, it is not possible to associate Him with fear. Yes we fear Him out of respect and obedience, but not as a Father that will harm us, that's not His character. Also, our relationship with Him, is based on faith, where there's faith, there's no fear. 2 Timothy 1:7 says: " for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."  This confirms that we are given the Spirit of love, not fear. So, if we have the Spirit of love, fear will be driven off us. In the bible, we hear God telling His people to be strong and courageous! He doesn...

 John 14:27 (NLT) “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid. Indeed, peace is a real gift, a gift from God to us. This is something that cannot  be bought, even those with millions and billions of rands, if they don't have peace, they can't enjoy what they have. When you consider what the world goes through from time to time, whether it's the pandemics, financial downturn, poverty, inflation, job losses, corruption etc. troubles are so many. If you internalize  all these, your peace is gone. Which is why we need God's peace. Peace that surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:6), which remains even when there's trouble everywhere! When Jesus was about to return to our Father, He left us with the Holy Spirit, Who blesses us with this marvelous peace. On our own, we couldn't access it. But through Him, we can enjoy this peace. God doesn't want us to be troubled ...

 Isaiah 6:8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying,  “Whom shall  I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” There's a saying that we are the hands and feet of Jesus. We are here on earth on a mission. When God created us, He called us and appointed us for various purposes (Jeremiah 1:5). He set us apart for a particular assignment. This is evident when we read about different characters in the bible, each one had a particular assignment to fulfill. The thing is, there are characters whose roles were big and impacting a lot of people at a time, whilst there were other roles that were not impacting too many people at a time, but important as well. Look at the role Moses had to play, which impacted a lot of people and changed their lives forever. Joseph, the entire nation was saved by His gift and wisdom that God put in him. It is the same with us, others are meant to change peoples lives on a big scale, whilst others  are called to other thi...

 Romans 8:31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us ? Sometimes this is all you need to know and remember! If God be for us, who can be against us? We may not be able to have everyone on our side, we may not be able to convince everyone, or make everyone like us. All that matters is that, God is on our side and He is for us. God is everything, God is our Father here on earth and most importantly  He's still our Father even after life. What people say on earth, last only for a moment, but what's most important, is what does God say about us.  As humans sometimes we can be so consumed with what will people say, how can I get them to be on my side, which can be daunting task, trying to please people as they'll only appreciate that for a moment and then they forget what you've just done and be on your case about something else again. But God is the same today and forever. He's word is never changing, what He says He...

 2 Chronicles 20:17   You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see  the deliverance the  Lord  will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the  Lord  will be with you. These were the words from the Lord, spoken through His prophet to tell king Jehoshaphat,  as they were facing a big army that wanted to finish with them off. The most important thing this king did, when he was told about the army that was about to fight them, is that he went straight to God and told Him about this. He cried out to Him and even reminded Him that He was the one who saw their ancestors through  when they were delivered from  Egypt, basically  reminding Him of His power and faithfulness. He commanded a prayer and fast for the nation and this was when the Lord spoke to the king. God instructed them to not worry, that the battle belongs to Him, that all ...

 1 John 2:6 Whoever claims to live in Him must live as Jesus did. We are called to live like Jesus did! Some could say it's a big ask, but we serve the Mighty God, who lives in us, directing us always. This simply means, allowing Him the right-of-way, to fulfill His plans in and through our lives, like He did with Jesus' life. In our own strength, we couldn't do it, we are not strong enough, not righteous enough, not patient enough  and more. Which  is why when you accept Christ as your Lord, the Holy Spirit comes and dwells within you, giving you power, directing you and convicting  you where you go wrong. Some of the things we can pray about, in exhibiting the life Jesus did, is the compassion, wisdom, patience, kindness, willingness to serve and even to lay down own's life for others. Today I learned that to leave a legacy, that means you are thinking of the people that will benefit out of your actions, where the rewards you might not even taste yourself. This mad...

 Matthew 7:13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. Ultimately, we live to die; something that is true, that we don't want to constantly think about. God already said earth is not our permanent home, and through what happened in the garden of Eden, sin entered the world and resulted to death. However, the good news is that when we die, we do not have to die again, where the bible describes going to hell, but we can enter the kingdom of God as a result of the price that was paid through the blood of Jesus. Now, how we live our lives on earth, determines the which gate we will enter, whether the narrow gate that leads to the kingdom of God or the wide gate that leads to hell. God gave us free will, an opportunity to choose for ourselves (described in the book of Deuteronomy). In this case, should we choose the narrow gate, that means we HAVE to make sure that we accept Jesus into...

 John 15:4 Remain in Me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me.  This is a great analogy  that shows that God is our Source; we can do nothing without  Him. By nothing, I mean something of value, impactful and everlasting. We may try and get somewhere but at some point, things may crumble or we may not see the results we would've, if we partnered  with God. He says He is the vine and we are the branches, if we are on our own, we won't bear much fruit. How do we then remain in Him? Firstly by acknowledging  that we need Him and He's got to take first place in everything. We'll need to build a relationship  with Him, through different activities that includes hearing His word, reading His word, talking to Him (praying), praise and worship and just remaining in His presence. The bible tells us that the steps of the righteous are guided by the Lord. Theref...

 Psalm 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble . God is a Father that is involved in our lives, One who is close and is always ready to provide help in time of need. We can be sure that He pays attention to every detail of our lives. He proved it by making an example that even our hair is numbered , how detail is that! Luke 12:7 says:  " Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." You are worth more than the birds... What's important  is what do you do when trouble  hits? Panic , look for solutions everywhere and from everyone? This should be a "no-brainer" that when trouble comes, God is our first port of call. Remember the psalms of David, in Psalm 121:1-2 says:  I will lift up my eyes to the mountains; f rom where shall my help come ? My help   comes   from the Lord   Who made heaven and earth. This is a game-changer. When you call on Him, He steps i...

 Psalm 8:3-4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,  what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? God really cares. This verse is just a reminder that there's so much that could be on God's agenda, that needs His attention but He makes time for us. He thinks about us, listens to us and work things out for us. He created the heavens, moon, starts and everything that we see and know of. It is an honour that we are one of His creation, that He values so much above all else. When you consider that He created everything by a word, but He took His time to craft human beings, every detail of it, the inside and outside, wow, it is humbling! This creation He made in His image, how cool is that? There really must be a lot of affection from Him for us... If that doesn't convince you that you matter and you have a purpose, consider the sacrifice that He gave, just for you. Just t...

 Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” We may have wishes in our hearts, plans for our life, however, the Lord's plans for our lives , are the ones that prevails. His plans and timing might not be fully aligned with ours, thus what is expected of us is to plan and surrender all to God who will confirm and allow, keep on hold or allow His plans to prevail. The bible tells us to commit our plans to Him, He will see them through.  Another key is to have an open mind, which gives flexibility and allowance for God to manifest His own plans in our lives, without a major disappointment . The advantage is that God has access to our future and He knows exactly how things will turn up. Therefore, we can trust His plans that they are for our good (Jeremiah 29:11).

 Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is among you; He is mighty to save. He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you with His love; He will rejoice over you with singing.” Amen, amen! God is amongst us and He is mighty to save! This means, God sees everything and He can interevent at anytime. Romans 8:31 says if God be for us, who can be against us? He  is on our side, with us and for us at all times. The enemy may try to kill, steal and destroy but the Lord is there to save us! There may be negativity around us, that would want to block God's plans in our lives, however, we need not have to worry, for the Lord is our shield.  This verse further tells us that God will quiet you with His love. When you feel anxious and out of place, worried about this and that, the Lord will quiet those anxious thoughts and rejoice over you. This is a good indicator that the Lord has good thoughts towards you, thoughts of joy, love and peace. Not of anger and punishment,  b...

 Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. This speaks volume, it means there are no limits. With the Holy Spirit  that lives in you, who gives you strength and ability, you can do all things. This serves as a reminder that with God, ALL things are possible (Matthew 19:26). Therefore, when you find yourself fruitful and doing amazing things, please do not take the glory for yourself, for it is by the Holy Spirit that we fulfill the purpose of God. The bible tells us that we are the body of Christ, where each person has a specific purpose or role to play (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). We are told that we are like the different parts of the actual body, where each part has a function to perform. Same with us as humans, God made us unique, with special qualities and filled us with special gifts and talents in order to complete this body of Christ. It was such a pleasure to share a similar message with my class at the Kids Ministry, where I felt th...

 2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and self-control. We can either believe God or the devil...the choice is ours. We are told that God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, love and self control. Meaning fear, comes from the enemy's camp. When you know the character of God, that how much He loves His children, fear wouldn't come to mind, even when you make a mistake. We see Him in the light of a Father that would express His   disapproval  and encourage to do better next time. In that case, His children are able to do things with courage and boldness, as they know their Father is on their side, supporting and guarding  them. This will lead to them using the power that He has entrusted them with, knowing that they will not misuse it, especially when they remember the price that was paid to have that power and freedom. Misuse and abuse will not feature. When you read the scriptures, you come across words such ...

 James 5:13 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. More often, people start praying when they are in trouble; though when times are good, they go very far from God. The praying bit is good, this verse encourages us to pray when we face hardships, bring ourselves closer to God and find shelter in Him as He is our fortress and refuge (Psalm 91:2). He is able to intervene in our situations and also comfort us. However, the opposite is true, when things are right, celebrating victories, we should also bring ourselves closer to God, recognizing that He is always for us, orchestrating all things for our good. We should celebrate and sing praises to Him for what He has done, instead of keeping to ourselves and celebrating on our own as if the victory is ours. Nurturing the relationship with God, is the best thing we can ever do for ourselves. God is the Source of everything. When you have Him that close, we are ab...

 Psalm 30:5 For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning . Like our earthly Father, we may make mistakes that are not pleasing to Him, however, His anger never last forever. Just like in the story of the prodigal son, when we finally see our wrong, He'll be waiting to embrace us and take us back as if we did nothing wrong. He is gracious! It is the same with life circumstances, we may find ourselves in difficult seasons that are tough and uncomfortable, what we need to keep in mind is that seasons change. It will never stay winter forever , surely winter will eventually make way for spring. Similarly to our lives, the rough seasons will change too. We can be sure of this as we are encouraged when we read bible stories, where we see God allowing His children to go through tough situations, but in the end, they get their breakthrough. Take Joseph for example, He was sold by his own brothers, sent...

 John 10:11 I am the Good Shepherd . A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.  Jesus is indeed our Good Shepherd! We confidently say this, as a result of what He has done for us. Have you ever wondered what would've happened if Jesus refused to go to the cross? What if He rejected the instructions from God and He told God that everyone for themselves? Terrible for us...He didn't have to do it, He was righteous, He had no sin, He was blameless ; but He did it anyway. That's why we deem Him to be a Good Shepherd that has laid down His life, for us. Then, how can we repay Him for the good and easy life that He has given us? In John 10:10 Jesus says I have come so they can have life, abundantly. Meaning, if He did not lay down His life, we would not get a chance to have an abundant life. Our life would be difficult, we would have to slaughter animals for forgiveness, we would be guaranteed of death forever, we wouldn't get an opportunity to have a close relationshi...

 Proverbs 19:17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the  Lord ,   and He will reward them for what they have done. Being kind, is the very essence of the Lord. When we recognize that Jesus was sent to earth as a human being, to teach us, lead the way and to reveal the heart of our Father. We realize that He was very kind and compassionate when it came to the poor, the marginalized and persecuted. In His walk here on earth, He showed kindness. That is exactly what we are expected to do. To be kind to the poor as we are the hands and feet of Jesus, hence we are called to continue His works on earth.  One doesn't have to wait to have millions of rands before one can show kindness to the poor. God says blessed is the hand that gives than the one that receives (Acts 20:35). This giving could be in any way or form. Whether sharing what you have, old stuff, through your time, your skills, or just showing kindness through random acts of kindness. It really goes a ...

 Colossians 3:23 (NLT) Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. This, is the game changer! It will take you from complaining, moaning and groaning to putting in efforts in everything you do! Knowing that whatever you do, you are doing it unto the Lord, gives you the boast when you know you are underpaid, overlooked, unappreciated and not valued. Surprisingly, you'll find yourself doing the opposite of what people would expect. Doing  your work diligently even when no one is watching! This is how we should see our work. The reason  is that God placed us here on earth to take care of it. He gave us everything, even dominion over animals (as recorded in the book of Genesis); hence, it doesn't matter what career you are in, from top position in the company to the lowest ranked position, the fact is that collectively, we are working to honour Him. Our collective efforts is evident that God lives and He created the earth...

 Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things;   do not dwell on the past.  See, I am doing a new thing!   Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?   I am making a way in the wilderness   and streams in the wasteland. God is the God of possibilities, who is able to make things new. God encourages us to forget our past, the former things and focus on the future; where He is creating new things for us. Dwelling on the past will not change it, it only keeps us stuck, with too many questions or regrets  of "I should have" or "why did I not" etc. That doesn't  help at all, in fact it may make things worse, as it creates more stress and stress leads to other illnesses including depressing and others. Which is why God says leave the past where it belongs, in the past and focus on where you can do better, focus on your dreams  and keep pressing. Allow God to give you a brand new thing that He knows will be beneficial, impactful and satisfactory . Allo...

 John 6:35 Then Jesus declared, “ I am the bread of life.   Whoever comes to Me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in Me will never be thirsty. When Jesus spoke these words, this was shortly after He had performed the miracle of feeding the multitudes with just 5 loaves and 2 fish; people were still after more miracles (not fully getting the meaning of these miracles). Hence Jesus was making it clear to them that He is the bread of life. Bread gives life, vitality. Hence, Jesus means that He is our source of being, we need food to live , hence we need Him to live. He is the source of everything. When we have a health issue, He comes through for us- as our Healer. When we have financial issues, He comes through for our needs. This is why we need to recognize Him as such, that whatever we have, comes from Him, He is the orchestrator  of all good things in our lives. James 1:17 says: " Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heav...

 Hebrews 9:12 He did not enter by  means of the blood of goats and calves; but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. Our salvation, came through the blood of Jesus. We were redeemed  by the blood of  Jesus, not of the animals that had to be scarified  as was done in the olden days before Christ, but we were redeemed by the blood of Jesus. His blood was a great exchange for us with God, where through  Jesus, our debts were paid, our sins were forgiven, we were set free! By His grace, when God looks at us, He doesn't see us through  our sins and wrongs, but He sees  us righteous because of this great exchange on the cross (2 Corinthian 5:21).  The bible tells us that when Jesus ascended back to our Father, He left us with the Holy Spirit. And we also learn that where the Holy Spirit is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17). Now, this bags a question on why do we condemn ourselves ...

 Exodus 12:13 The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you. This was the end of slavery for the Israelites, of over 400 years. God decided it was enough and was to rescue His children. Of course Pharaoh (the king of Egypt) knowing that he'll be losing the benefits of having slaves to himself, refused until God had to strike down every first born male of the Egyptians , with the exceptions  of the Israelites who marked their houses using the blood  on their doors. The angel of death passed over their homes and that's how they were saved from death.  Many years later, God sent Jesus who was sacrificed for our sins and the same principle applies to us even today. Those that have accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour, the destruction  on earth, passes them over as they have the mark of the blood of Jesus. What an honour!  Jesus is our protection, our guard ...

 Romans 10:9 If you declare  with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”  and believe  in your heart that God raised Him from the dead,  you will be saved. This is one of the most important acts, in our belief system. Jesus spoke about being born again and this is precisely it; where you declare with your mouth and believe in your heart that Jesus is Lord! You don't believe because you have seen, it is by faith. One may ask, how do you know ? By believing the word of God. Whatever is written in the bible, it is the word of God. Thus, believing  in Him, what it takes to enter the kingdom  of God. As we do this, God sees what's in our heart and He sees our motives and that's when He comes in to dwell in our hearts and help us build our lives with Him. As the word says that it depends where the seeds have fallen, whether on thorny  places where the word may be choked by people around you who might make a fool of you for the decision you have made, so much so t...

 Luke 11:9-10 And   I   tell   you ,  ask ,  and   it   will   be   given   to   you ;  seek ,  and   you   will   find ;  knock ,  and   it   will   be   opened   to   you .   For   everyone   who   asks   receives ,  and   the   one   who   seeks   finds ,  and   to   the   one   who   knocks   it   will   be   opened . Sometimes the blessing or an answer/solution is already available, it is waiting for us to just ask. God already said ask and it shall be given to you, knock and the door shall open for you; seek and you shall find. One of the most important principle of God, is to seek. Matthew 6:33 that says seek the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you. "These things" refers to our needs here on earth, God says that will be taken car...