At the last supper, just before His crucifixion, and after predicting His betrayal, Jesus shares the following in John 13: 

34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” 

In this verse we see Jesus talking about ‘agapé’ – which is a value-driven and decision-based love. It is not rooted in experience or in feeling.

My dad used to say, ‘I don’t have to like you to love you.’

There are a myriad of situations where I might not like the other person, or feel like loving them – but I CHOOSE to love them because that is what Christ would have me do.

And yes, it is hard – at first.

Just like any discipline. It took a lot of practice to learn how to play the guitar. It took a lot of work to get good at your craft. It takes work, commitment and practice to progress in our love of others from mere feeling to decision.

“They will know you are my disciples if you love one another.”

Love in this context is a choice.

And it only works if we cast aside the fetters of pride and arrogance that would have us think that we are in any way, shape or form better than those we aim to love.

Heidi Baker, in her testimony, tells how the Lord sent her to sit with the poor – she was doing massive tent meetings at the time, and God stopped her, saying, “You don’t know anything about my Kingdom. You need to sit with the poor.” And that became her journey.

I personally learned a lot from going to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Teachers like Rob Bell and Richard Rohr went through the same journey – when an older man came up to a young pastor Bell and said, “You can learn everything you need to know about running a church from going to an AA meeting…”

I learned how to really love in AA meetings.

Before that it was easy for me to judge, or to think myself superior – but that is not the Kingdom. 

The Kingdom is not about being raised up – it’s about choosing to go down. 

It is about choosing humility and being stripped of self so that Christ can be exalted in and through us. It is about going down to the level of and sitting with the poor, the lost, the addict – Jesus demonstrated that. God Himself stepped down from His heavenly throne to come and walk barefoot in the dirt among us… And not just ‘among’ us – but with us!

Christianity is about CHOOSING to love.

We are called to a higher standard as Christians. We are called to be different. 

Even when we don’t like the other person. Even if we disagree. Whether they belong to our church or even if they don’t go to church at all. We do not pick and choose who to love, but instead we choose to love everyone regardless.

We are called to love – not like we love ourselves – but as Christ has loved us.

I got saved because someone chose to share the love of Christ with me even when I did not deserve it.

You got saved because someone chose to share the love of Christ with you. 

John 15:13: “No one has greater love [nor stronger commitment] than to lay down his own life for his friends.”

But Jesus proves His love in dying for us while we were still His enemies.

That’s the kind of love Christ would have us show the world.

The kind of love that lays down its life even for its enemies.

Christianity is about CHOOSING to love.

We are called to a higher standard as Christians. We are called to be different. 

We are called to love – not like we love ourselves – but as Christ has loved us.

Prayer: Lord, in this day, show me and teach me how to love. Help me to not be blinded by ego and self-interest, but rather let me love regardless. Let me love like You love. Lord, in this day, show me how I can make a difference in the lives of those around me. Help me to walk as You walked. Not among people, but with people. And let my brothers and sisters who have strayed come back home in Jesus name. Amen

Psalm 116:1-2:

“I love the Lord, because He has heard
My voice and my supplications.
Because He has inclined His ear to me,
Therefore I will call upon Him as long as I live.”

Israel – throughout the Old Testament – suffered many trials and tribulations, fought many wars, endured famine, nakedness, captivity and sword… But God prevailed – He heard them every time they called. He never lost a battle.

I have had situations in my life where everything seemed impossible – where the waves seemed to overwhelm, the tempest raging around me.

I have had circumstances in my life that can’t be shared here, because it is not for the faint of heart – but the long and short of it is that I should have been dead. I could’ve, if it weren’t for the grace of God, easily been in an early grave.

I have seen, in my short life time, miracles upon miracles – I have seen debts being cancelled, families restored, bones straightened, tumours shrink – I have seen, through the power of a humble, earnest prayer (no shouting, no big words, no theatrics) a man on his deathbed restored to life.

And these are just the testimonies in my own life and the lives of those closest to me- miracles of provision, miracles of healing, miracles of restoration – there are a few of them happening around me right now.

Jesus said, in a conversation with His disciples: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19)

Job declares the following in Job 42, after the Lord confronts his unbelief and ignorance:

² “I know that you can do all things;
no purpose of yours can be thwarted.

³ You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
things too wonderful for me to know.

It is easy for us to react to our circumstances from a place of doubt and ignorance – when the waves obscure our vision, it is simpler for feet to fail and the soul to sink.

And perhaps now you are going through the tempest, through the fire, through the storm – perhaps you are facing the collapse of your business, the breakdown of your family unit or marriage, or a problem with your health – but I am here to encourage you to worship in the midst of this storm – to set your eyes upon the author and the finisher of our faith – turn your eyes upon Jesus.

One of the first passages of scripture I ever memorised and committed to heart was Psalm 27. This was my first step towards understanding the Bible in context rather than just having a loose collection of disjointed verses and declarations. I was thirteen years old, and remember reciting it whenever I had an opportunity.

At that stage I was being relentlessly bullied at school because of my club foot (I would actually leave school at the beginning of my second year of highschool because of the bullying). I did not fit in – I was different. And the only comfort I really had was in these verses:

^“1 The Lord is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

² When the wicked advance against me
to devour me,
it is my enemies and my foes
who will stumble and fall.

³ Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then I will be confident.

It might feel like a war has broken out against you. I have my fair share of battle scars – and I can tell you that the enemy has never prevailed – Jesus has never lost a battle!

In my addiction – God won the battle!

In the wake and aftermath of a toxic marriage and divorce – God won the battle!

In my depression and anxiety – God won the battle!

Every time a war breaks out around me the Lord prepares a table, even in the face of the enemy, even in the midst of the battlefield – and tells me to come and be still. He raises His banner. He fights for me.

I hear the words of encouragement Moses speaks to the Israelites: “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14)

The Lord is our Light, He is our Salvation – and He is the Stronghold – the Strong Tower in which we find shelter from the storm.

He is our Defender and He is our Warrior King – the One Who Goes Before – and makes straight the way before us.

He has never lost a battle. Your situation, your circumstances, your diagnosis might seem impossible to man – but with God all things are possible!

He is setting a table for you today, in the midst of the battle and in the face of your enemies – He is giving you a front row seat for the victory to come.

He has never lost a battle and He never will.

Prayer: Lord, I declare today that You are the stronghold of my life. You are my light and my salvation. I declare today that You are the Mighty One who saves – and because of this I will fear no evil. Every enemy will stumble and fall in the mighty name of Jesus. I declare today that You are my victory. You set a table for me even in the face of my enemies – and I will rest and trust in You. You will fight for me. Your ways are higher, Your plans are better – I surrender to Your will for my life. I will trust You in the heat of the battle. I will be still and know You are God. You are my Victory. And I praise You, not only for what You have done, but also for what I know You are going to do. In the mighty name of Jesus. Amen.

God is the God of the impossible. 

In the story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17) we read that the Philistines gathered their armies and pitched their tents in Judah – and sent forth their champion, a giant named Goliath.

Goliath taunted and ridiculed the Israelites – for forty days he came out every morning and shouted at the children of Israel.

1 Samuel 17:4-11:

“4 A champion (‘ish habenayim) named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span.[a] 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels[b]; 6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver’s rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels.[c] His shield bearer went ahead of him.

8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! Give me a man and let us fight each other.” 11 On hearing the Philistine’s words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified.”

The word translated as champion (‘ish habenayim) is more literally translated as the ‘man between the two’ – signifying a sort of intermediary or mediator. The word ‘champion’ here indicates a person who fights ‘on behalf’ of someone else. In Ancient times wars would often be settled by what was known as a ‘camp fight’ in which each camp would send forth their ‘champion’ to settle the dispute. Whoever won the battle would win the war. 

The Israelites, however, their whole army as well as their esteemed warrior-king Saul (1 Sam 11) were left dismayed, terrified and scattered.

While all of this is happening, a teenage boy named David is sent by his father to take provisions of grain and bread to his brothers.

David was not in the army, and scholars note that he was between the ages of 16-19 at the time, based on the timeline of events in 1 Samuel, the cultural context and the original Hebrew texts (Numbers 1:3, 1 Samuel 17:33).

The devil the Philistines sent forward asked for a man to fight. God sends a shepherd-boy. God sends David to stand publicly in the victory He ordained.

Goliath was quite upset about this, we read:

“41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I’ll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!”” (1 Samuel 17:41-44)

But David makes this powerful statement: “You come against me with sword, spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel!”

And with one stone the enemy is shattered.

Yes, the Philistines sent forth their champion, armed to the teeth and full of pride.

But a humble teenager stood up for what he believed in and allowed his Champion to win the battle for him, through him.

Christ Jesus is our Champion. He fights on our behalf.

When I am weak, He is my strength. When the enemy breathes slander and murderous threats I come in the name of Jesus. My Champion has gone before and has already won.

Hebrews 12:1-2: (NLT)

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.”

Jesus conquered the grave. He has stripped death of its victory and its sting. He has left the devil exposed and naked – the enemies tents are torn, his pots have been cast asunder and his camp is empty – there is nothing there but empty threats.

We just have to realize who we are in Christ.

God takes the foolish things, the broken things and the lowly things – the humble things – and He lifts them up, raising them to glory.

Because of this we can cast aside the heavy garment of insecurity, our inferiority complex, our feelings of worthlessness and ‘not good enough’ and face every giant standing in our way. Whether that giant is poverty and unemployment, addiction, illness, family issues, your mental health – it has been shouting at you, mocking you, trying to intimidate you, trying to keep you down – but today the Lord has said ‘ENOUGH!’. Stand up in the name of Jesus and the giant will fall.

There is victory in Jesus.

And as you stand in the victory of our Champion, you also carry it forward. Your victory can lead to victory in the lives of those around you.

David stood in the victory that God had prepared. It was a personal victory but also a national victory – the victory was owned by every Israelite gathered there and at home.

Your victory will have a ripple effect.

As you testify about the victory you have in Christ you will help others see the same victory in their lives.

So, not only are you meant to be victorious in Christ, but you are also called to lead others to this same victory.

Stand in your victory today. And then carry it forward. 

Prayer: Lord, today I come against every valley spirit trying to keep me down. I come against every giant that has been making a mockery of my faith, and I take off this heavy garment of insecurity, fear and doubt. You have plans for me – plans for good and not for evil. Help me see today that the battle belongs to You, You have already won. As I bring my giants before you today Lord, I thank You that one by one they will fall and I will see my victory. And as I see the victory let me proclaim the goodness of the Lord. Help me lead others to You as I carry it forward, testifying of Your love and grace and proclaiming the power of Your Name. Amen.

Romans 5:3-5:

3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

The Gospel is and has always been about transformation. It has always been about the process through which God, finding a wretch like me, through His amazing grace, turns me into a son and heir.

In a conversation about fasting Jesus tells the pharisees that new wine is meant to be poured into new wineskins.

And there is a lot of sermons to be written about this phrase, and a lot of lessons to be learned – a wealth of wisdom to mine from this passage – but as I read it all I can think about is the pain in the process.

Everything from the wine to the wineskin is a process of trampling, crushing, pressing, waiting, fermenting – things that our fastfood, instant gratification culture have grown to hate. The grapes are grown with love, patience and vigorous pruning after which the grapes are plucked from their comfort and trampled, crushed, pressed. The barrels the wine gets fermented in is made of wood – a process of cutting, chopping and lashing together with bands of metal (which has gone through a process of melting, forging, forming and shaping) – and finally poured into the wineskins made from the skin of a lamb or a goat which had to offer up its life for the privilege of carrying this new wine.

As Christians we are always going through processes. We don’t realize it – because we want everything now! 

No wonder Paul places such great emphasis on waiting, enduring and  being patient.

It blows my mind that the wineskins are made from the skin of a lamb or a goat – and that this creature had to give his life for this process. An act of surrender.

Are we willing to give our lives to carry the new wine – the anointing – paid for by the suffering of Christ – to a hurting world?

Are we willing to give our lives to carry the new wine – our testimony – begotten by our pain, trials and tribulation – to a hurting world?

You might be in the process right now – but I want to urge you to seek God in the pruning, the pressing, in the crushing – in the pain of the process and surrender. Surrender to His loving hand and I can guarantee you that you will come out on the other side better than you could have ever imagined. Your breakthrough is just on the other side of this process. Your victory is just on the other side of this process – and even more so – someone else’s victory through your testimony is on the other side of this process.

After all, His ways are higher than our ways, His plans are better than our plans. He has plans for you – plans for good and not for evil. Plans for a hopeful and prosperous future.

Trust God in the process. Surrender to Him knowing that He is going to turn your test into a testimony, your misery into a ministry and your mess into a message. Trust God in the process and He will not only restore you but use you to restore others as they hear your testimony, look at your life and taste and see that the Lord is good.

Pray with me: Lord, I yield to Your loving hand, in the pressing and in the crushing. In the breaking of new ground. Lord, I realize that there might be pain in the process. The process might not always be pleasant, but I thank You Lord that Your plans for me are good and that if I trust You, wait on You and yield to You I will come out beautiful on the other side. Give me the strength to push forward and to wisdom to endure. In Jesus mighty name. Amen.

20 February 2024 Lion

I have been reading the book of First Samuel, and a striking passage is found at the very start when Hannah prays her prayer of thanksgiving.

1 Samuel 2:1: And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.

Earlier we read that she was one of the two women Elkanah had married – her sister-wife being Peninnah. We find out in chapter 1 that Hannah was barren and Peninnah had given her husband children – yet Elkanah loved Hannah more. His love for Hannah made Peninnah jealous and she was mean to and constantly provoked Hannah – taunting her, embarrassing her… To the point where Hannah would not even eat at Shiloh.

Hannah had an enemy – taunting her, berating her, provoking her, humiliating her.

An enemy that told her at every occasion that she was not good enough.

But God had plans for Hannah – and for all of Israel and the world through her.

You have an enemy today – an enemy that taunts and berates, provokes and humiliates – an enemy that tries to break you down and tell you that you are not good enough.

This might be a person, a situation, a mindset or even a condition of the heart.

But God has a plan for you.

The Psalmist writes in Psalm 68:1-4:

Let God arise,

Let His enemies be scattered;

Let those also who hate Him flee before Him.

As smoke is driven away,

So drive them away;

As wax melts before the fire,

So let the wicked perish at the presence of God.

But let the righteous be glad;

Let them rejoice before God;

Yes, let them rejoice exceedingly.

St. Augustine, writing about Jesus, risen and exalted, says the following: “He endured death as a lamb; he devoured it as a lion.”

I want to take this a step further. Not only did Jesus endure death – for the Bible teaches us that He knows our weakness, He understands our trials and our tribulations (Hebrews 4) – and in doing so, in putting on flesh and enduring our humanity – He devoured not only death, but also our weakness, our frailty, our poverty, our affliction, our suffering – the Lion roared on the Cross that day saying “IT IS DONE!”.

The Lion roared on the Cross that day and the curtain that separated us from the presence of the Almighty tore. The death warrant the enemy had been holding over your head tore…

The Lion roared on the Cross that day and His enemies were scattered.

There is a lot of meaning in names. We often call Jesus the Lion of Judah.

The name ‘Judah’ is translated as meaning ‘praise’ or ‘praised’ (Genesis 29:31-35).

Jesus is the Lion of our praise. Not only is He worthy of our praise – but He is also the origin of our praise.

He is our praise. He is our power. He is our peace. He is our provision. He is our victory.

When the Lion roars the valleys are raised up and the mountains are made low. When the Lion roars our enemies are scattered.

When the Lion roars we can say like Hannah did – My heart rejoiceth in the Lord, mine horn is exalted in the Lord: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.

When the Lion roars His people roar with praise.

Prayer: Lord, come and roar in my life today. Let the enemies of self-doubt and insecurity scatter. Let the enemies of pride and arrogance scatter. Let the enemies of fear and depression scatter. (I encourage you to name the thing that is bothering you today) – Lord, let it scatter! Let my enemies be driven away like smoke. Lord, come roar in my life today. I declare that You are my provision. I declare that You are my healing. I declare that You are my restoration. I declare that You are my victory. Come and roar in my life today and I will roar with praise. I will testify, Lord of Your goodness and grace. In Jesus name. Amen!