Love made Him do it

I

“Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:”

Galatians 1:4 KJV

There are countless stories in human history of men and women who died for good causes , many because of what they believed - they are called martyrs but Jesus is not one of them. This man was not a martyr but a sacrifice - one that died in place of another. 

I dare call Him a man because the bible tells us that He was fully man but in reality He was more than a man. Those who lived in His day could not classify Him as a man : they always had to ask the question - what manner of man is this? The way He loved proved He was completely not from this place , He originated from somewhere. Yes , it's true ; He came from heaven!! 

Jesus had so much power and influence as He walked in flesh. It was impossible for any man on the earth to temper with Him apart from His will. However look with me at this scripture ; 

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.”

Isaiah 53:7 KJV

A man so powerful opened not His mouth in the moment of His torture. What had happened to the man who walked on water , a man who talked to trees and storms , a man who fed thousands , raised the dead , opened blind eyes and spoke with so much authority. Now He was silent........Yes , they didn't kill Jesus ; He gave up Himself willingly. There was no way a man like this could die , He could only do it by choice. 

“Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” John 10:17-18 KJV

He told us He was doing it for us, He did it for you. His death meant life to you. We live in a very evil society but because of Jesus we are set apart through the knowledge of God. Jesus became our access into this grace in which we stand. This gives us confidence any day , anywhere : with such knowledge that God is truly on our side and His Spirit dwells in us!! Love made Jesus do it. 

I pray this love stirs up confidence in your heart every moment of every day!! 

God bless you. 

Remember : you are dearly loved by God.❤️

It's a story of redemption

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.





The most fascinating thought about the life of Jesus is not those who were against Him nor the persecution He went through, neither is it the terrible death He suffered BUT it is His response in the midst of all of it - grace that covers a multitude of sin. His story on the cross does not have spot lights on the words said to Him but His famous response - Father forgive them.

The life of Jesus represents the story of many people in the world in the course of the human race. Its lives clustered with unanswered questions, the work evil that has left bruises in many hearts, hatred and unforgiveness bringing many into bondage. In the midst of it all, darkness has never been able to overcome light, hatred has always been overpowered by love, revenge has always surrendered at the feet of mercy, it is grace that always wins. 

Grace sounds like the sound of a waterfall screaming "freedommmm.....!" It's that determined heart that says "what you do will never change how much I love and believe in you". We are never truly free until we learn to forgive. It's setting a captive free and realizing you were actually that prisoner. Freedom is in opening to hurt and never hate. It is giving it all for an enemy, its repaying good for evil: it sounds like Jesus doesn't it!! 

Romans 5:10For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

The story of redemption will forever be the highlight of the human race and I pray this becomes the highlight of our individual lives. It's not the revenge that the world will remember but the big heart so big enough to let go and let love rule. I would like to tell you that is very easy but I dare not attempt to advise you to carry that load on your own; so I introduce you to my friend called "the Holy Spirit". When you have Him living inside you, He is like that friend that takes all the blows for you. He is that bullet proof, the bullet hits you but never gets to the part that leaves you dis-functional. He is called the Spirit of liberty, where you find Him miracles happen and the most amazing of all miracles is that one that happens in the human heart. When chains break and love flows in, freedom reigns like a king; grace is now on the throne!

2 Corinthians 3:17Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

If you want to recognize where the Spirit of the Lord is present, freedom is in that place!!Freedom to love and keep on loving. Allow the highlight of that story to be love that never gave up.  

I pray this speaks into your life. God bless you.

Remember : You are dearly loved by God.

Lest we forget

“But we are citizens of the state (commonwealth, homeland) which is in heaven, and from it also we earnestly and patiently await [the coming of] the Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah) [as] Savior,”

Philippians 3:20 AMP 

The resurrection of Christ brings to the world a new way of living ; a brand new hope for the future , a secure present and a forgiven past. I always wonder about those who haven't put their faith in Christ, concerning their hope. These are blind to what really matters and here is how Apostle Paul puts it across; 

“For there are many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, who walk (live) as enemies of the cross of Christ (the Anointed One).” Philippians 3:18 

If man doesn't live for God , he will find something else to live for. Shameful things become the pinnacle of their focus. Their gaze is on temporal, earthly things that come with their perishing , nothing they represent has eternal value. They celebrate evil and invent ways of unrighteousness, there is no God in their minds. They oppose the way of grace. But you are not that way , you know the grace that is in our Lord Jesus Christ. 

The cross represents the grace of Christ, it is a bridge to a brand new life , the life of ultimate freedom. Understanding the meaning of the cross of Christ takes a willingness to have a renewed mind. It takes realizing that you are now different, your location might be the same but your citizenship has changed. 

You are now from another kingdom and the King of that place is Jesus and He has made you an ambassador!! He has given you His Spirit to live within you. He has given you His word to guide you. But He is not staying too long : He is coming back again. By the power of His Spirit , He will transform our earthly suits into a glorious body like His own!! 

“Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed." 1 Corinthians 15:51-52

I pray this stirs up in you the truth about the reality of our gospel. I remind you , lest we forget what we are all about. God bless you. 

Remember: You are dearly loved by God❤️

Applying yourself steadily to what matters.

“Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:12

Living a purpose driven life is the dream of every person who enters the earth. Questions like why am I here speaks to the call for significance and purpose. Where exactly do you and I fit in the puzzle of humanity that has to fit together in a specific period in human history called the 21st century. There is more noise in this Information Age than ever has been in human history but the real question is how we "make melody in the midst of so many confused voices."

The command of the Lord Jesus was a bold one : be in the world but not of the world. Apostle John proclaims : Love not the world , neither the things that are in the world. We all love and cling to what gives us more value and meaning to our everyday life. Let's read this scripture together ; 

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.”1 John 2:15

It's the proclivity of humanity to seek value from what's around us if we don't find value from what's within us and who God says we are. People go on a quest to please everybody around them to be accepted and welcomed in certain environments , all in search for significance and value. "Doing it for them". 

The gospel offers an amazing alternative ; you are already loved and accepted before you do anything. When you understand this love the Father has for you , you don't chase after all the  glamour that outward significance offers. Your focus on life absolutely shifts when you have this understanding on a personal level of how much you're loved and valued by the creator of heaven and earth. 

Real purpose springs out of that understanding ; it's no longer to "seek value" but a result of "realized value". God values you!! He has made an investment in you and wants to fulfill His ultimate universal purpose using the personal purposes of each and everyone of us. Here is how God proved how valuable you are : 

“For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts in, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish (come to destruction, be lost) but have eternal (everlasting) life.”

John 3:16 AMP

When the chase for outward significance and approval fades away and the reach for the ultimate eternal value of our existence jumps into the picture, the impact we have is amazing. It's getting hold of what Christ has already achieved for us, becoming all that He has called us to be. 

So everyday you wake up with that attitude of purpose, full of motivation given by God's Spirit and hope from His Word. I call it finding the "God value and God purpose" in everything we do; whether work , sport , entertainment, studying and all the different things we are involved in. 

Choose to apply yourself steadily to what really matters this week and every week. God bless you. 

Remember : You are dearly loved by God.❤️

Stepping up

And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing Genesis 12:2 

God's language is that of greatness, it is that of stepping up , leading the world in all areas of life. God does not think small in any sense, He is the architect of all that the best scientists have spent centuries trying to figure, His thought process and ways are beyond what the human mind can comprehend. Here is an announcement to you : HE MAKES HIS KIDS GREAT. No person can hang around God and His Word for some time and think small. The knowledge of God expands our vision, we think leadership and pioneering. That is what happened in my spirit in 2011 when I got hold of the Word of God at a place called Sirocco Village in Cape Town, South Africa. Look at this scripture with me: 

For His divine power has bestowed on us [absolutely] everything necessary for [a dynamic spiritual] life and godliness, through true and personal knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence 2 Peter 1:3 

Apostle Peter is letting us know by the Spirit that the quality of our lives is absolutely dependent on our knowledge of God. This is one truth that every man on planet has to know and embrace.  However, some have labored to know God apart from His Word which has brought not only confusion but failure in life. God is a Spirit and far removed from the human senses. The good news is that God is not making it difficult for us to know Him. This is what the Lord Jesus said;

It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. 1 John 6:63 

The Lord is saying that His words are the unveiling on what is going on in the realm of the spirit. The Word of God is the window into the spirit. Our revelation of the Word of God is our knowledge of God because God is His Word. This is the experience of the word that Abraham had that made him the Father of faith. Speaking to the Father of faith; God introduces him to the 7 dimensions of greatness. 

The first one is ; I will make you a great nation!! This excites my spirit just to think about it. Here is your God and my God speaking of territorial influence and dominion. Abraham had no royal background and God announces that He will make him not just a nation but a "great nation". We are called not just to be a blessing to on a smaller scale but become the core and the light to the nations. That is how God thinks about you and me.  

The second one is ; I will bless you!! Blessing to me speaks of life , energy, supernatural empowerment to make the purpose of God in you come alive in your world. God is saying I will resource you for my purpose.There is more than enough supply available for you to become all that God wants you to do. Wisdom for the right strategy is already available , necessary support systems are already waiting for you, financial resources and the gifting is already wired in your spirit. You are a pack of success waiting to explode!!

The third one is ; I will make your name great!! Many people do not want to be popular and known. That is a form of pride because their focus is on themselves. When you become a vessel that is ready to be used by Almighty God, Jesus says you do not light up a lamp and put it under a table, no , you are a city on a hill seen by all men. God wants to give you a tag of greatness on your name. Known and distinguished for loving boldly and leading fearlessly!!

The fourth one is ; You will be a blessing!!This means being a source of good to others. You are called to be a well of righteousness, dispensing the goodness of God to others. It was at Antioch where they were called Christians(Christ like), not weird, religious or judgmental but opening their arms to all who came their way, hearts filled with grace and words filled with hope.You wipe the tears, you bring in joy everywhere you go because that is who you are, Christ lives in you.

I will continue with the final three of those words of greatness spoken to Abraham in the next article. I pray this speaks to your heart and cause you to step up, not allow religion to falsely humble you and cause you to miss the great plan God has for you. 

Remember: You are dearly loved by God. 

Your Heart , Your Words , Your Life

“And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.” Mark 11:14 KJV

The Lord Jesus lived in such a way that gave an example of how we should run our daily lives. He embraced the authority which was given to man over all the earth fully and that inspires me. It makes me realize that we are not supposed to be victims in circumstances but we can do something about it!! 

I can read this portion of the bible forever. JESUS SAID UNTO IT. We grew up being taught that we can only talk to people but here Jesus is revealing to us that we can talk to things. Why does that make spiritual sense ; all things have their origin and core in the spiritual realm. Look at the scripture below with me : 

“Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” Hebrews 11:3

Words are spiritual , they have spiritual significance. Life and death is in the power of words. All that you see around you has its origin in the spoken word , the word of God. If all was created by the word , everything is sustained and controlled by the word. Speaking about Jesus , this is what the scriptures say : 

“.......He is the perfect imprint and very image of [God's] nature, upholding and maintaining and guiding and propelling the universe by His mighty word of power.....,”Hebrews 1:3 AMP

Scientists have given names to the forces that hold the universe together over the ages but to summarize all those forces ; they are called the Word of God. 

Words can't be seen but they produce visible results. Words spoken in faith produce definite results. Jesus is teaching a principle to live by. Whether you are aware of it or not , your words are either building your life and destroying it and the same to the lives of those in your reach. Real faith has its finishing line at your tongue. 

Having said that ; your words are simply an expression of what's in your heart. Jesus says - out of the abundance of the heart , the mouth speaks(Luke 6:45). To control your words , you should be aware what you allow into your heart. I can't overemphasize this scripture enough : 

“Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23 AMP

In a world infested with sin filled words - words of fear , doubt , negativity and hatred: guard your heart by putting your eyes on God's words!! When your heart is full of faith and love , you can speak to any situation that comes your way , speak life where there is death and see it come to pass. Yes , you can speak to it!! Speak into your future , your family , your career , speak faith filled words!! 

Remember : You are dearly loved by God

Live and let love rule your world

“For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, 

Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 AMP

Strength comes up in any situation when you realize the depth of God's love for you. People who are convinced that God loves them win in the battles of life. To know how much God loves you , look at Jesus.

Jesus coming to the earth is the greatest expression of love in all of time. It stirs my heart to think that there was time in human history when God Almighty walked on the planet wrapped up in human flesh. In all His glory and power , He chose to be covered in the same flesh you and I have. Not only that but God, who is omnipresent chose to be contained in human flesh just to be where you and I are. Paul calls it the mystery of godliness : 

“And great and important and weighty, we confess, is the hidden truth (the mystic secret) of godliness. He [God] was made visible in human flesh, justified and vindicated in the [Holy] Spirit, was seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, [and] taken up in glory.”1 Timothy 3:16 AMP

The plan of the enemy is to make you doubt the love that God has for you or make you think that you have to somehow do something to deserve it. Apostle Paul is going through this issue strongly in Romans 8 that condemnation of the heart is the hindrance of experiencing God's love. 

He that paid your bill would be unjust to say that you still owe. The one that was sent to pay your bill would not be in his right mind to say you're a debtor. (Maze translation of Romans 8:33-34)

“Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Romans 8:33-34 KJV

No , there is no defeat for a man or woman who trust in the love of God. Even in the face of death , victory is guaranteed. The love of God expressed in Christ should be the anchor in life. Live and let love rule your world. 

Remember : You are dearly loved by God