The mission of Christ

Friends,

We rejoice in the new day that the LORD has made. We do so because He commands it, and because it is an opportunity for us to glorify our God in so many ways. Yet, there are disappointments, hurts and slip-ups. Our Father knows this, understands this, and is there to respond ... perfectly.

Isaiah 61:1 [NKJV]
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

This is the mission of Christ. He quotes this very prophecy when declaring His presence to the Israelites. And daily He reminds you and me that we are no longer in bondage to bitterness, unforgiveness, deception, and sadness. We have been set free.

Be encouraged, Jose

How to deal with the scoffer

Friends,

In every congregation - whether large or small - there will be found at least one person who finds a way to sow dissension and confusion. In an effort to be polite, we give them time and attention. But perhaps that isn't the best response.

Cast out the scoffer, and contention will leave;
Yes, strife and reproach will cease.
Proverbs 22:10 [NKJV]

In this verse, "scoffer" is translated from the Hebrew word luwts, which can be understood to mean one who boasts, shows scorn, mocks, or derides. Those kinds of words and attitudes are almost always directed towards those in authority. They surely undermine the authority of leaders and confuse the thoughts of followers. Nothing good comes from them.

When we encounter the scoffers and scorners, the boasters and the mockers, we would do well to remove their influence from our lives. When we do, the peace that Christ promises will be freed from the contention, the strife and the reproach that those people bring. We will be free to enjoy the great calm and contentment that flows from being deeply connected to Jesus.

Be encouraged, Jose

The Garden's victory

Friends,

Where are you living today?

Genesis 2:8
The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. [NKJV]

Man was created outside of the garden ... in the wilderness. But he was not meant to stay there. The wilderness is a place of danger, of sin, and of death. The Garden is a place of rest and provision and life. The Garden is where we are headed when Christ makes His return.

Now, we live in a fallen world. And indeed, it often feels like a "jungle out there." But ask yourself ...
Is day-to-day life characterized by fear, anxiety and uncertainty? Or is it marked by peace and assurance and confidence.
Are you buffeted by shame and condemnation? Or do you repent and walk in the freedom of grace and forgiveness?

We are fearfully and wonderfully equipped to subdue the earth, to survive and thrive in the wild reality of daily living. Our equipment is the grace of Christ Jesus. And when we rely on that, we can walk through this fallen world unfazed by its attacks, knowing that a victorious peace is assured.

Be encouraged, Jose

Bound by his own hand

Friends,

Legend has it that you can trap a monkey with a large, narrow-mouthed jar. Put something attractive to the monkey at the bottom of the immovable jar and the animal will reach in and grab hold. But the narrow mouth prevents the creature from removing its hand. The monkey will scream and fight and panic, but it will not let go.

Romans 7:6
But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. NKJV

Temptation and sin entrap a man. He can fight, pull, and scream until he turns blue. But as long as he holds tight to those things that he "cannot live without," he will remain bound to them, stuck where he is, an easy target for the enemy.

If he only knew how easy it could be have his freedom. All he has to do is let go.

Be encouraged, Jose

Let them go that they may serve me

So Moses and Aaron came in to Pharaoh and said to him, “Thus says the LORD God of the Hebrews: ‘How long will you refuse to humble yourself before Me? Let My people go, that they may serve Me.
Exodus 10:3 (NKJV)

We long for liberation, we fight for it, passionately and aggressively, we pursue it with every ounce of strength that we have, and eventually we become overcomers, we scale the hurdles and overcome the obstacles. Now with freedom and liberation comes responsibilities. It is the liberty to worship, praise and serve the Living God. Freedom to bring sacrifices of praise, the power to show forth the glory of God in our lives to the world. This liberation did not come cheap, it actually cost the blood of the Lamb, the Son of God.

For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— as free, yet not using liberty as a cloak for vice, but as bondservants of God.
1 Peter 2:15-16 (NKJV)

The liberty is for service to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. It was never intended to satisfy self but to serve Him unencumbered who lives forever more.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

A poke in the side

Friends,

Over the past year or so, many of us have been jarred from positions that seemed safe, secure and comfortable. We trusted in the company, the contract or the market. And the Lord has removed those obstacles. We thought they were supporting us, but in fact they had been blocking us from trusting in the Lord.

Acts 12:7
Now behold, an angel of the Lord stood by him, and a light shone in the prison; and he struck Peter on the side and raised him up, saying, “Arise quickly!” And his chains fell off his hands. -- [NKJV]

In this passage, our brother Peter was not in a place of comfort or safety, but he was secure. He had been arrested by the reigning tyrant, Herod, and bound in chains, guarded by four squads of experienced soldiers. It seems to me that he had resigned himself to being executed by Herod for preaching the Gospel. So much so that and angel, sent by Almighty God, had to give ole Pete a good whack to get him to step out in faith. It probably hurt, and it wasn't the first time that the crusty old fisherman had to prodded into looking beyond the present circumstance so that he could see that the Lord is still working in his life.

So how does this apply to you and me? Does it feel as though you've been kicked by a mule? Have you been trusting in the world's systems and institutions for your security? Has your vision been obscured by the present circumstances? If so, then perhaps that mule wasn't a mule, but an angel of the Lord telling you to arise, to walk away from the bondage of the world, and refocus your attention on the One who declared it His mission to ...

set the captives
(that would be you and me)
free!

Be encouraged, Jose

A day to leave the doors unlocked

Friends,

That glorious day that Christ makes His return is closer than ever before. It might be tomorrow, or next week, or during the lifetime of our great-grandchildren. No man knows - and those that claim to should be viewed with great skepticism - but it is coming. And when that day comes, we will no longer require the protection of alarm systems, deadbolts and barking dogs.

Therefore your gates shall be open continually;
They shall not be shut day or night,
That men may bring to you the wealth of the Gentiles,
And their kings in procession.
Isaiah 60:11 [NKJV]

The gates of a city were its security. When they were open, it meant that the city was open; men could come and go... it was a state of peace and confidence. At night, the gates were locked. That's when troublemakers came out to make their trouble, and locking the city gates helped to keep that trouble away from law-abiding citizens. When the gates were locked, men found protection inside the city walls. On the outside, well you were taking your chances.

But in the day of the Lord, all evil shall be swept away. God's people will no longer need to be protected from thieves and murderers. Instead, we will be free ... FREE ... to live in a constant state of peace, joy and gladness.

Be encouraged,
Jose