CHECK YOUR SHOELACES

“For the wages of sin is death…” Rom 6:23 (NKJ)

What a way to kick things off don’t you think? No nice story or fun fact in this article. Fear might have struck your heart when you read that. Maybe even doubt. These are the kind of scriptures we wish we could avoid, but there it is. I dwell on this point because the same feeling might come over you when you’ve just messed up. Fear, doubt and guilt can take you prisoner in that post-sin moment.

In these times, we tend to forget what follows this verse. You know, the part that says, “… but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. We also forget the verse that precedes it which lets us know that we have, “been set free from sin”. Why do we forget? I think our focus is often shifted towards our faults. We do not feel this ‘freedom’, especially if we are trapped in habitual sin. Sin that we do over and over again often makes us feel unworthy; like we have gone too far; like there is no hope. The very cycle of sin puts us into a cycle of guilt, shame, anger and uselessness which is designed, ironically, to keep us in the cycle itself.

But you see; God’s grace is sufficient (2 Cor 12:9) and there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom8:1). He will never leave nor forsake us (Heb 13:5) and nothing can separate us from His Love (Rom 8:38-39). What is the problem then? Our eyes are always on the fall and we ignore what made us trip. It’s like we are in a race (pun intended) with the best running shoes; but our laces are untied. We run; we fall; we pick ourselves up and promise never to fall again; run; fall; and so it goes. It goes on until we just give up and expect to fall. Instead of taking the time to kneel down and check our shoelaces we focus on the pain, the injury, the ground. Check your shoelaces. What is making you trip?

"Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.” (Mat 18:7-9) (ESV)

When we suffer from habitual sins or addictions; the biblical starting point is repentance. This should be followed by a removal of everything that causes us to sin. In the above verse, Christ deliberately uses a hand, a foot and an eye to make His point. (Think about it, he could have said pinkie toe and ponytail). The hand, the foot and the eye are probably our most useful body parts. The illustration is meant to show you that you need to make some painful decisions and remove some important and useful things in your life for the sake of your relationship with God. Addicted to drinking? Get rid of the friends that you can’t say no to. Addicted to sex/masturbation/porn? Maybe it’s time to get a phone with no internet access.

Do not wallow in guilt. Start cutting out and tearing off. Kneel down and tie your shoelaces.

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Yours in Christ,

Yunam

Melt Down The Saints

Oliver Cromwell (1599 –1658) was an English military and political leader who overthrew the monarchy and temporarily turned England into a Republican Commonwealth.He also ruled as Lord Protector of England, Scotland and Ireland. Sometime during his reign there was a shortage of currency in the British Empire. On his order, representatives carefully searched the nation in hopes of finding silver to meet the demand. After a month, the team returned with their report saying, "We have searched the Empire in vain seeking to find silver. To our dismay, we found none anywhere except in the cathedrals where the statues of the saints are made of choice silver."  Upon hearing this, Oliver Cromwell profoundly answered, "Alright then, let's melt down the saints and put them into circulation."  

‘And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your soul; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.’ (2 Cor 12:15) 

It is so easy for us to seek our own comforts in every area of our life. This often spills over to our walk and even evangelism. We are forever waiting for ‘the right moment’. We want to learn more about the gospel before we share it. We are afraid of what people will think and even of offending them. We need to start having the heart of Christ for the lost. The heart that lead Paul to give his all to people who did not fully appreciate what he has done for them. For the gospel to spread, we need to go through some fire. We need to be melted down first and then put into circulation. 

‘Melt down the saints, and put them in circulation’. Cromwell said this in the 1600’s, but God has been calling for this for millennia. This is a call to Christians to get out of their comfort zones. We are not supposed to shove our beliefs down the throats of others, but the word is very clear that we must ‘preach’ the gospel. If people make fun of us, we must take it. If we are treated as outcasts, bear it. If people are offended, let it not be because of your personality (Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, to seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved – 1 Cor 10:32-33), but the word must go out. In words and not just actions because Rom 8:14 says, ‘How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in whom they have not HEARD? And how shall they HEAR without a preacher? (Emphasis added). Beware of falling into extremes. Do not speak down and judgementally to people. Do not keep quiet thinking that that’s what love is.

Second, we must go into circulation. We must be light in all areas of society. In Acts 8:2-4 we learn that the saints were scattered due to persecution (ironically lead by Paul) and they preached the gospel where ever they went. Christians need to realise that godly men and women are needed in all spheres of society. We need to represent the kingdom everywhere from medicine to business; from science to the arts; from the suburbs to the informal settlements. We must go into circulation. As long as salt remains in its container in the cupboard, it is useless. It needs to be spread all over different dishes at all times to add flavour.

Get out of your comfort zone. Invite someone to church. Intentionally tell someone what you believe. Listen to people and let them tell you what they believe and start a conversation. More importantly, do not be afraid of judgement, ridicule, laughs etc. Saints before us have gone through much worse. In this day and age and depending on the country you live, you will most likely not have a list like Paul’s (2 Cor 11:23-28). Do not assume that God calls everyone to be pastors but He does call everyone to be ministers (Mat 28:18-20). Find the place that God has called you to minister in. And always remember: Love God, Love People, and Live Life.

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With Love

Yunam

The King's Speech

The movie, ‘The King’s Speech’, is a captivating true story about King George VI who unexpectedly becomes King after his brother’s abdication (look it up) from the throne. He now needs to overcome a debilitating stammer and address his people at a time of impending war against the Nazi. His speech therapist, Lionel Logue, employs very unorthodox methods to help the king find his voice. Upon the climax of the movie, King George (also known as Bertie) is in front of a microphone, nervous, as he is about to speak to the nation. The only person in the room with him is Lionel who tells him, ‘Tell it to me as you would a friend’ and then leads him through the speech.

The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. (John 14:26) MSG

In real life, Christians are all like Bertie. We have this important speech we need to make to the nation in a time of spiritual warfare. We need to preach the gospel to all nations (Matt 28:18). However, like Bertie, many of us have a debilitating speech impediment. Ours however is more serious than a stammer. Our speech impediment is fear. We need a speech therapist. We need a friend. Bertie had Lionel. We have the Holy Spirit.

Just like Lionel, the Holy Spirit trains us daily to overcome our speech impediment. We only need to be intentional about overcoming it. It will take hard work and we will have to let go of some things which keep us from fulfilling our duty. Be intentional when discussing the word with other Christians and that will help making speaking to pre-believers easier.

More importantly, like Lionel was in the room alone with Bertie at the time when he needed him the most, the Holy Spirit is there whenever you share the gospel. He is saying, ‘Tell it to me as you would a friend’. He is leading you through the speech. He is telling you what to say. He encourages you all the way.

Rabbit hole alert! Our main weapon against our speech impediment is Love. ‘There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear’ (1 John 4:18) MSG. When you love people, you will quickly overcome fear and you will be preaching the gospel from the roof tops on stereo in no time. Sharing our faith is not about convincing people of anything. It is about telling them about God’s amazing love and grace for imperfect beings like us.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of my regular readers and those who follow the blog. Please share this on Facebook and Twitter if you like it.

Much Love

Yunam

DON’T BE WEARY, LOOK TO JESUS

THEREFORE THEN, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses [who have borne testimony to the Truth], let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us, looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God Hebrews 12:1-2 (AMP)

Are you tired and weary? Are you struggling with habitual sin? Have you lost hope with growing spiritually and becoming mature? Today I offer you a simple solution that has served you powerfully before. Only now, you may have now ceased to meditate on it. That is to look to the person and substitutionary work of JESUS. You may have heard the Gospel since you were young. But are you living a life that reflects what you believe? Now to answer some questions you may have:

1)    What does it mean to look to JESUS?

To look to JESUS, means to trust, treasure, delight and hope only in Jesus for everything in your life (Prov 3:5). When you look to JESUS, as the passage above shows, you need to look away from other things that would attempt to make themselves ‘gods’ in your life.  Matt 5:21 tells us that “where your heart is there your treasure will be”. Therefore one must look and see where their heart is. Is your heart enamoured, in awe of the beauty, magnificence and glory of CHRIST or do you invest your time, money, energy to working for another kingdom besides that of the King of Kings. Ultimately we must get our joy from being GOD’s children and not anything we do.

2)    Why look at JESUS?

The truth as Psalm 16:11 puts it is we can only find true joy in the presence of GOD. We must continually look to JESUS for our joy as only HE can provide us with perfect joy. Eternal joy that is not influenced by our actions but by what JESUS did on the cross. HE made it possible for us to have forgiveness of sins and to stand before GOD with a clear conscience and to be able to have an intimate relationship with HIM.

You might ask then what the point of all I’ve said is. Simply this: We often use JESUS as means to an end that would glorify us and then wonder why we are continually joyless and tired. Conversely, GOD wants us to treasure JESUS. He wants us to savour and worship HIM above all else. ‘GOD is most glorified when we are most satisfied in HIM’ – John Piper.

Indeed, if we consider the unblushing promises of reward and the staggering nature of the rewards promised in the Gospels, it would seem that Our Lord finds our desires, not too strong, but too weak. ‘We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.’ – C.S Lewis

Yours in the Lord

Khaya Nkumbesi

LA DOLCÉ VITA/THE GOOD LIFE

King Solomon is perhaps one man whom you can say has, ‘been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, lost it, found it, burnt it.’ He had it all. He not only had wisdom, but exceedingly great understanding (1 Kings 4:29a). He was a very compassionate man (1 Kings 4:29b). He ruled an extremely large kingdom (1 Kings 4:21 & 24). He never had to go to war and lived in peace all his life (1 Kings 4:25). He was famous and respected (1 Kings 4:34). People from all over his kingdom paid very high taxes (1 Kings 4:22-23) making him the richest guy to have ever lived. All cups and plates in his crib were made of pure gold (1 Kings 10:21) and the silver in his kingdom is equated to the amount of stones outside (1 Kings 10:27). He had more than his fair share of ‘female companions’ (1 Kings 11:3). Some would say, ‘this is la dolcé vita (the good life)’.

Solomon did not see it that way. He was really depressed. He took a look at all he had and studied life in his kingdom. He studied work (Ecc 1:3-11), human achievement (Ecc 1:12-17), pleasure (Ecc 2:1-17), human wisdom (Ecc 6:10-11:6) and the like. Everything people considered ‘good’. He then compiled his studies in a book in the Bible titled Ecclesiastes. He concluded that every thing he had and all that people lived for is perishable; does not have eternal gain; does not provide permanent profit. He did not say it was not enjoyable. After all, God made everything to be enjoyed in its appropriate time (Ecc 3:11). He said nothing lasted and therefore was not worth building a life around. He did not consider his life as ‘the good life’.

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all (Ecc 12:13).

To fear God is not akin to fearing heights, small spaces or clowns. It is reverently acknowledging Him and living under His rule without compromise. God is a loving father. All children with a good dad know what it is to fear dad. Fear Him in that sense, never wanting to do anything outside His will. To fear God is to hate evil (Pro 8:13). It is the beginning of all wisdom (Ps 111:10); a treasure (Isa 33:6); a fountain of life (Pro 14:27); and a source of strong confidence (Pro 14:26).

To keep God’s commandments is fundamentally to love God and Love people (Matt 22:37-40). But, let us not only love in word and tongue but in deed (1 John 3:18). Do not live in judgement of non-Christians. Just love them; actively. Do not live in judgement of other Christians (it happens). Love them even if they do things differently. You can have all that King Solomon had; be the best at what you do; the brightest spark in the flame; the most talented musician in the band; and blessed with every spiritual gift possible but without love, it amounts to nothing (1 Cor 13:1-7 paraphrased). This is a good place to start when you want to follow all God commands.

Live a life in fear of God and live a life of love. If we live in this way, we can enjoy everything that God has put on earth for us according to His design. Even if we have all that Solomon had, we can enjoy it knowing that our relationship with God is an eternal one. This is la dolcé vita. This is not a problem free life, but a relationship with an Overcomer (John 16:33b). Not just the good life, but the God life. We cannot fully be satisfied with the creation, without the council of the Creator (Mark Driscoll).

Feel free to follow my blog and to leave your comments. And always remember LOL (Love God; Obey Him; Love People).

With Love

Yunam