“As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. 11 If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Peter 4:10-11)  

Our proper management of all things entrusted to us reflects our attitude towards the benefactor. When we view what we have as gifts from God, His Lordship over us will determine its use. It is not left to us to do as we please, but rather, we are compelled by His love abiding in our hearts to do those things that are pleasing to Him. Selfish ambition is akin to selfish gain, where it absorbs but very seldom releases anything. Even when something is released, the decision to do so is determined by the one who thinks of himself as being in control. When the self-willed authorize the disbursements of gifts, then it ceases from being God’s ministry to those who need personal ministry. Even when God gets an honorable mention, He is subjugated by the arrogance and pride of the one who sees himself as the source. This is a very delicate matter, particularly from the surface that the motive is not easily detected. There are false ministers as well as false prophets who are engaged in doing good deeds, yet the hidden agenda is to accomplish something other than the things that glorify God through Jesus Christ. A good steward must be faithful to God and committed to His Word.  

Stewardship of gifts also has to do with the management of money, and money is a representation of our time, our talents, and our treasures. Money makes a good servant, as one writer said, but a poor master. Several Scripture speak of putting God first as well as prioritizing His work and mission. It is true; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matt 6:21). When people lack commitment to ministry as faithful stewards, it is just a matter of time before their interest starts waning away from which they were loosely connected. Loyalty to God and commitment to His ministry are not short-termed assignments that occur until a better offer comes along. True commitment requires finishing the assignment given by God to the faithful. When one abandons or is a deserter from the assignment given by God, he must show evidence that he has done what he was called to do, or he shakes the dust from his feet as a testimonial judgment against those who have rejected his ministry. Any other course speaks more of his character than the character of the ministry that he judges.   

Paul says, let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. 2 Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. (1 Cor 4:1-3)  

The mysteries of God are revealed through Christ’s interaction with His Church. His gifts and talents have been given for a purpose much greater than is realized in this present time. As we are faithful stewards, He reveals to us the mystery behind the seemingly simple gifts that we are allowed to manage.  

Our nation is at a crossroads where gender confusion has been normalized while the institution of marriage has been redefined. Moreover, the ugly and hateful acts of racism and discrimination are being hidden under the guise of generalizations that appear to neutralize its current effect upon society. As was prophesied through Scripture, there would be wars and rumors of wars, nation against nation, and people-group against people-group. The whole of society, as well as individuals, must make choices as to which path they will choose. Decisions are not made arbitrarily, and the path taken is based on who one chooses to follow.  Subsequently, leadership is of utmost importance since we are being led to a destination based on the choices that we make. It has been said by many that you get to make your own choices, but you do not get to choose the consequences of the choices that you make. The natural disasters along with global climate of unsettled disturbances are interconnected. What is happening around us are but reflections of what is happening within the souls of humanity. When those who lead follow the course of this world system, especially those who had been chosen by God to be salt and light to this generation, disaster is soon to follow. It is the transgressions of spiritual leaders that hand their congregants over to the will of Satan to do whatever he pleases. These are the wolves in sheep’s clothing that work as emissaries for the evil one. As Joshua admonished the people to “choose this day who you will serve,” we are admonished to choose this day who we will allow to lead us. The character of the leader is important as none are perfect, but all must commit to a perfect standard.

There is a difference between a transgressor and the sinner. Eve was deceived because she had only heard God’s instructions from and through her husband. However, Adam was not deceived. He received his instructions directly from God, yet he chose to disobey God having a motive that overruled what he had knowledge of. The sinner has not seen the light, thus leans to his or her own understanding based on the appearance of things. He neglects his own soul in pursuit of other desires, but that does not produce complete satisfaction. Conversely, the transgressor decides against the knowledge of God, moving away from what was once known. Now that knowledge, once attained, is now being ignored. ‘The destruction of transgressors and of sinners shall be together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed. For they shall be ashamed of the terebinth trees which you have desired; and you shall be embarrassed because of the gardens which you have chosen.” (Isaiah 1:28-29)

The apostles waited on the Holy Spirit to prompt them into action rather than impulsively react to peer pressure or the whims of the crowd. Likewise, there are some who test the current wave of culture and jump in front of the parade of fools as their appointed leader. Lucifer led the people from the highest hill (Isaiah 14:13), and as a result of self-promotion and elevation, he was able to exalt himself above the stars and to sit on the mount of the congregation. When the Holy Spirit takes the lead, uncertainty occurs. Those who think strong leaders are those who are the most confident in themselves may find themselves being misled by one possessed with the pride of Lucifer. One must wait on God to tell them and show them what to do. “O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.” (2 Chronicles 20:12) We ought not be so prideful as to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. God will impart into the hearts of His humble servants what is needed when the time comes to apply His wisdom to the subject matter. We must learn to trust God even when we do not see Him and even when it appears as if nothing is happening. It is in those moment that God is doing His greatest work! I admonish you not to be misled by what appears to have it all together. It could be a false image of success to deceive you into believing that the fruit that appears pleasant to the eyes can make you as wise as God Himself.

There is a high price of freedom in a war-torn world. The fallen nature of man has always been to contradict and to be in competition with God. The world was created out of chaos, and before the order of this world was established, chaos ruled. The former disruptions must be examined unless they are repeated. The battle in the heavenlies for dominance took place whereby the ambition of Lucifer, an archangel created by God, refused to settle into his designed and assigned role. Human beings could not handle the pressure of the responsibilities to control his environment. What if God was to relent and give man the power and authority to rule independently of Him? The spirit of competition would not end with man against God, but the competition among men would lead him to self-destruction. Peace is the product of submission and not competition. To acknowledge God as God, the Creator of all things, would lead mankind to a place of asking a different set of questions. If He created all things, then what were His intentions? How can the synergy of all things work in perfect harmony? Somehow it has always been easy for creatures to forget their origin, and thus accept their roles. (I am speaking of the role of human beings in relation to other created things. Man was never intended to dominate his fellowmen, but to respect and honor the humanity of all human beings). The primary objective for living must be to glorify God and to reflect His glory through the positions that He has ordained for our lives.

Freedom is not free, neither is it cheap. Battles ensue when the purpose is not fully understood. Is freedom sought merely to do a thing or is it sought for a people that may become what they were intended to become? The Church is to steward the grace of God as managers of His Divine order. When (a) dominance and control become the new order within the Church; (b) when competition and self-promotion become the way to gain the advantage over fellow brethren within the Church; (c) when the standard of righteousness is being compromised for the favor of the masses and in the eyes of the secular and blinded world viewed as church growth, then the original battle continues on earth as it was in the heavenlies!

Nehemiah decreed, “And I went out by night through the Valley Gate to the Serpent Well and the Refuse Gate, and viewed the walls of Jerusalem which were broken down and its gates which were burned with fire” (Nehemiah 2:13-14). He was crying out before the king and before God that our cities are unprotected, and the people are vulnerable to attacks from every hand. He was in fact saying, “We need watchmen on the walls who are spiritually aware of the entry points of the enemy and builders who would rebuild the walls of defense.” Merely fighting wars without walls would merely delay ultimate defeat. Freedom can only be won and preserved when the Godly standard is erected again. An eroding standard merely leads to changing oppressors and choosing the styles of bondage that are most suitable to one’s taste. True freedom can only come when the Son of God, the Prince of Peace sets us free. Then we will be free indeed.

Life is complex and has more components than any scientific exploration has yet to fully discover. When examining life, the whole process must be taken into consideration. Everything that is currently alive is a part of life in general. Then, that part of life that personally affects you as an individual, is a part of your personal experience. What is life and what is its meaning? The philosopher dedicates his life to the quest of explaining its meaning. The scientist explores its depth and dimensions. The poet articulates his feelings as inspiration enters his mind. The preacher must interpret life from its Source and how all these interests and professions converge into one. Life is sacred because God is the Giver of life. Whenever He gives something, it is with an intention to serve a particular purpose.

When the term, Sanctity of Life is used, many definitions can apply. But I believe the most accurate definition for sanctity is “inviolable,” which means never to be broken, infringed upon, or dishonored. When life, generally or specifically, is broken, infringed upon, or dishonored, the individual or group’s attitude towards God is expressed. What you really think of God is conveyed through what you think of life. One’s actions ought not to be regulated by a political party or any association or affiliation, but rather, our understanding of God manifesting Himself through the Person of Jesus Christ. He stated in John 10:10, “I am come that you may have life and have (life) more abundantly.”

Your individual life had a beginning, and there was a time when you were not, but there will never be a time when you will not be. The mother is the channel through which eternal creatures are brought into this world. Where you spend eternity is yet to be determined, but eternity awaits every human being. The inviolability or the sacredness of life means that your life is never to be broken, infringed upon or dishonored. If your body is sacred, sanctification of your body is to set it apart for the exclusive use of God. That means every act done in the body must be done to glorify Him. Marriage is sacred and the marriage bed is undefiled. Sex is a gift from God and its pleasures are to be fully enjoyed. It is also for procreation.  Eccl 11:5 “Just as you’ll never understand the mystery of life forming in a pregnant woman, so you’ll never understand the mystery at work in all that God does.”   He is doing more than you realize through the bonds established as husbands and wives fulfilling their duty of pleasing one another.

The mystery of God is at work when He is in charge. The inception of the life of a child is the blessing of that sacred union, and that life is fashioned and formed according to His pleasure so that the legacy of the couple can be carried on. Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; before you were born, I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” The word “formed” in Hebrew is yatsar which means “to mold of to fashion.” God was saying, before you were given shape, I knew the potential contained within you and the possibilities of your future.” You were an idea in the mind of God before you were an embryo. He knew what was to come forth through the embryo even before it was given shape.

When life is not sacred to the person, the tendency is to circumvent God’s plans. To circumvent a thing is to find a way around what usually would be viewed as being an obstacle. This is often based on a lack of understanding regarding the inability to see into the future. Rather than viewing a situation as an obstacle that needs to be removed, God would have us see it as a problem that must be solved. Would you demolish the entire building after discovering that there was some structural damage? Rescue and recovery are the works of Jesus Christ, where He came to redeem us from the consequences of former defects and past mistakes. What may appear to be a thing that needs to be circumvented is a blessing that is contained within it, so your life is sanctified for His exclusive use. His love is contained within our previous mistakes.

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

I do not remember the source, but someone once said that “Christ is our eternal contemporary!” He is always in vogue and current as the remedy to the most current issues facing life. It is amazing to know that the same Person with the same word can address the most unusual situations. While many things are erupting from unexpected places, the solution resides in the Eternal One. Yet we are obligated to seek Him with humble hearts in order to discover the answers that await us.  “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more” (Romans 5:20). His grace anticipates the modes and movements within society at whatever age they may occur. None of these things were able to take God by surprise as things have changed and are constantly changing. God’s perfect world, where He pronounced His goodness upon it, was corroded when the innocent blood of Cain was absorbed into it. 

Now many generations later, the sin of humanity has caused further erosion upon and within the crust of the earth. Sin is an intrusive force that corrupts everything in its path, and when the creative Word of God is reinterpreted, ignored, or trampled upon, negative changes occur to disrupt His creative order. Unfortunately, one of the results of the Fall in the Garden of Eden was the corruption of the minds of Adam and Eve. Even this present generation is left with creative but corrupted minds. Innovations like Artificial Intelligence (AI), space exploration, areas of art, education, and sciences have catapulted to a level beyond any other generation in recorded history. However, because of their affluence, there are many people that have rejected or denied God completely. 

  God was in the middle of change as He provided the antidote to man’s dilemma in the Garden of Eden. It was blood for blood—the Blood of His Son in exchange for the self- deprecating blood and suicidal blood of murdering one’s own brother. Each act of sin is an act of rebellion against God and every act of rebellion against God is a self-inflicted wound against one’s own soul. Jesus Christ came to redeem mankind from the penalty and judgment that comes from God against sin, and tendencies of self-annihilation. 

There are many movements today orchestrated by well-meaning groups of people with the intent to address the offenses in history against people-groups and society as a whole. The cry for justice is growing louder as many become more aware of the atrocities measured against fellow human beings with the same magnitude of Cain who slayed his brother Abel. Throughout history, human life has been minimized among the ignorant who unknowingly lose their own dignity and cheapen themselves in the process. Yet amid all the stirrings, the Lord is prompting hearts to seek after Him in revival. He alone is able to set the record straight and change hearts in a new direction. He alone is able to restore and compensate for the years destroyed through slavery, by Jim Crow laws, and all forms of racial discrimination that exist, even to this present hour. Let us pray for revival among the churches first for cultural stability, and then by the church, may all come to the realization that without Christ we can do nothing. But with Christ, we can do all things as we receive the strength that He alone provides. 

Two celebrations occur simultaneously in the month of February. It is Black History Month, and on the 14th, Valentine’s Day.  To converge the two without diminishing the significance of either is, in fact, a challenge at best. Reflecting on African American History includes the strides and struggles of a people that were once enslaved but seeking freedom.

 “Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. (6) Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters — that you may be increased there, and not diminished. (7) And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.” Jeremiah 29:5-7

To those us who love and belong to the Lord, our citizenship is in Heaven, even though we occupy the territory on which we were brought. To love and pray for the land demonstrates a living witness of God’s redeeming love, which also requires releasing grievances against the sins of former generations and extending grace to their children. Love conquers hatred and covers a multitude of sins, and it is the freedom experienced within a loving heart that provides true freedom. “If the Son has makes you free, you are free indeed!”  (John 8:36) Through Jesus, we have the freedom to express life, overcome crippling effects of the past, and build a bright and glorious future. The “old waste places” referenced in Isaiah 4:12 are not merely a physical building, but include systems, institutions, and political structures that perpetuate the ills of the past. We are to demonstrate a different kingdom because we serve the King of kings and the Lord of lords. True love was demonstrated through the giving of Jesus, the Son of God. Every God-ordained institution, inclusive of Holy matrimony, is to be affected by the precious Gift of His love. Any other expression, regardless of what society may feel, is an accommodation that expresses animosity and hatred towards the origin from which true love generates. To build and to dwell at peace in America requires pursuing and attaining peace with God and one another.      

Marriage, family, patriotism, and all other commitments requiring loyalty must be anchored in truth. Jesus came to give full expression of His Father in Heaven. He proclaimed that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. None can come to the Father except through Him. No true and lasting peace can be attained apart from the Prince of Peace. May this month be approached with an intention on attaining both liberty and love, and may that love extend beyond the narrow views of personal preferences to a fulfilling and lasting lifestyle. “Indeed” expresses the extremities of freedom opposed to the façade that exists only in appearance. Be free indeed!

Transformation is defined as the metamorphosis during the life cycle that is the induced or spontaneous change of one element into another. It is to some extent a conversion since something different and more dynamic is expressed as result of it. Likewise, The Apostle Paul says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” (Rom 12:2) The creative Word spoken by God not only produces substances, but also changes what was produced into becoming better and more effective.  “In the beginning God said, ‘Let there be’…” Then He develops what He has spoken into existence so that it can work in perfect unity and harmony with all other created things. As it grows and matures, it develops into greater levels of effectiveness. 

God is yet speaking to this generation. His message has been given to make and develop individuals into becoming more effective as witnesses for Christ Jesus. He is saying to His creation, “Let there be men after My own heart, let there be women who fulfill their roles as women of God, and let there be children who live well ordered and discipled lives, being rightly prepared for the future.” All is provided as result of the Light of God’s Word that is absorbed to develop each person into his or her fullest potential. The darkness of the age has come under the control of one who ought to be our common enemy, and much of it has been covertly absorbed into modern culture. It’s in the media and is advertised by the spin doctors who currently operate as both preachers and prophets. Therefore, to do nothing would naturally lead to cultural conformity. However, God is raising up His true preachers and prophets that will say what He is saying and profess the things that He reveals to them. 

The number 23 in biblical numerology represents “transformation.” God requires us to have the mind of Christ Jesus, and we admonish every believer to seek to know Him and develop a discerning heart. There is a mixture among us today that is undetected unless one is rooted and grounded in the Word of God. The nature of deception is the appeal through appearances. As it was with the first mother Eve—if it looks good, tastes good, and appears to make one wise, there is the temptation to ingest what the Serpent (the devil) offers. A changed life possesses a changed heart. If the heart is after God, the passion of the heart requires fueling the mind with that which will keep it steadfast, unmovable, and always abounding in the work and word of the Lord. Will you join us in this endeavor as we seek to know the will of God that is good, acceptable, and perfect.

The Book of Genesis begins with, “In the beginning God…” Before there was a where or a when, there was the Eternal God. He was both self-existent and self-sufficient. “He was before all things, and in Him all things hold together (Colossians 1:17). Not only is He self-sufficient, but all things are dependent on His sufficiency. He supplies life to all creation and contains the sufficiency to sustain life to every living creature. God made the universes by speaking them into existence, and they are held together by the Word of His power.

The Incarnation is the embodiment of the Word, where the flesh did not just contain the Word, but the Word was made into something that it had never been before. The Word was made human, lived among its fellow beings, became sinless flesh, and that flesh knew no sin. He became flesh that fully possessed the Spirit of God and possessed the same potency as in creation, but was confined to function within the framework of humanity. The life of this sinless flesh was the Spirit of God who was animated by the full measure of the Holy Spirit. Yet to fulfill all righteousness, He had to engage in what would be required of sinful flesh. Jesus was baptized in water symbolizing the requirement of death for the inherent sin within the members of fallen humanity. There was no need for the Holy Spirit to fill Him, for His Spirit is one with the Holy Spirit.  He descended on Him gently like a dove to confirm His rights and to engage fully in the works of God in the earth realm. The life of His flesh was the Spirit of Almighty God. 

The Word that became flesh then had to become what Christ had never been before. The Messiah, the Christ of God, became sin for us or sin on our behalf. He could only become sin as result of the Word becoming flesh. Then, sinless flesh was then capable of carrying the sins of the world. He came into the world for a worthy cause. Flesh that was eternally separated from God by sin and condemned to die an eternal death was given the opportunity to live. As death was a stranger to humanity before Adam sinned, eternal death is a misnomer to those who only think of life as they currently consider it to be. Eternal death is to be in an eternal state of dying, and the fear and the pangs of death become their habitation. Yet Jesus came to give us eternal life, a life that postures the individual that receives His life to be in a constant state of living and discovering the eternal adventures awaiting those who enter in. What a waste of time if all our hope was in this life only! If discovery and adventure can exist in this miniscule episode called time, how much more must be awaiting us when we explore with Jesus the mysterious and intriguing adventures of eternity? Christ came to give us much more than we can ask for, see, or currently understand. But He must be fully received and acknowledged if we are to live with Him and in Him as enjoying the full benefits of our salvation.

In both Ephesians 1:3 and I Peter 1:3, the salutation is to bless or praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He has both blessed, begotten, and fathered us again, thus restoring us to our original state as His children. Giving us the nature of His eternal Son, Jesus Christ, by way of His Spirit so that we might be graced to fulfill our eternal purpose as His sons. We have been justified by His grace and given His Spirit, which leads us to the fullness of His grace and on to the blessed hope of our eternal inheritance. He has given us grace for grace—grace to receive more grace, which leads us to the discovery of blessings in this life as well as the life to come that is reserved for us in Heaven. 

Jesus Christ came to fulfill all the righteous requirements of the Law on our behalf. Then, He died on our behalf so that our requirement was only to believe that His sacrifice was sufficient for our past, present, and future sins. By receiving His Spirit, we can give full expression of the new life that is now ours. This allows us to no longer live unto ourselves, but allows the Spirit of Christ to become life within us. Then as Isaiah 54:14 states, we then can become established in righteousness, the ability to stand before the Father without guilt or inferiority. It is what we now stand for that matters most.

The objective of the true and transformed believer is to glorify the Lord. He does not just believe in Him, but believes on Him. He then can discover aspects of His love measured out to Him in the abundance of His grace in application to life’s experiences. God is then permitted to enter His world as an active participant rather than a passive theoretical idea. Too many people believe in the Lord, but not on the Lord. They do not walk in the Spirit but rather merely give Him an honorable mention. The works of God are but of a past era while a powerless and impotent entity is worshiped in the place of the Omnipotent God.

All creation anticipates the revealing of the sons of God. He provides for us endless opportunities to participate with Him in the work of restoration and bringing the whole of creation into compliance with His will. Spiritual gifts are distributed to us as we mature and grow in grace to understand their proper use. He works in us and through us at the same time, and we are being fit for our future inheritance while receiving a glimpse of His glory. A foretaste of His ultimate promises is demonstrated through us as Heaven and earth meets through His Church. We give thanks for the glory of His grace by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved.