I come from 3 generations of godly heritage. My grandfather was a Methodist minister, church planter and educator. I was raised by my aunt who was an Anglican minister and returned home to my mother at the age of twelve and we attended a Methodist church in my small town. In the late seventies, the wave of the Charismatic Movement hit our nation. My aunt was the first to encounter the Holy Spirit and her transformation was phenomenal. Seeing the change and hearing her tell of the experiences she was having with God, I longed for that kind of christianity. I was tired of my dry Sunday religion. During one of our family prayer times, God turned up. I experienced an overwhelming rush of what I can only describe as a massive waterfall, come down on me and I began to experience something inwardly that I had never experienced before. It was physical and emotional. I began to speak in tongues – not just repetitive sounds – but what sounded like a full on language. The consequence of that experience was a deep hunger for God’s word and His presence. I spent much time reading the Bible and in prayer. For the first time I began to understand the Scriptures and I began to hear God in my inner Spirit. There was an inner knowing that God was speaking to me. That wonderful experience of a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit has continued since that day. I have never forgotten that experience. It’s etched into the deepest recesses of my mind. The experience was so real that I can never deny the reality of the living Christ.

It is my firm believe that every Christian must be able to point to an actual event in their lives where they encountered God in such a way that totally transformed the trajectory of their lives. It may not be similar to my experience. It doesn’t have to be spectacular in nature like the experience the apostle Paul had. It could be as subtle as the experience of the great reformer John Wesley who experienced his “heart strangely warmed”. The point I’m making is that being a christian is more than embracing the faith of our parents. It’s much more than merely attending church on a Sunday. If you have never experienced God in a personal way and are not continuing to experience Him daily, then my suggestion to you is to consider that you may be stuck in what I call a hand me down faith. We cannot live by someone elses’s experiences of God. There is no such thing as second hand faith.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus speaks about two types of followers. The crowd and the disciples. In Matthew 12, we begin to notice Jesus making that distinction.

Matthew 12:46-50 (NLT) As Jesus was speaking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, asking to speak to him. Someone told Jesus, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, and they want to speak to you.” Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers. Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother!”

The contrast Jesus was making is very striking. Using the opportunity presented to Him, Jesus makes the clear difference between the crowd and who he considers disciples. The crowd were those who related to Jesus from a distance. They “stood outside” his sphere of influence and were wanting to relate to him from that place. The disciples on the other hand were invested in Jesus’ message and followed his teachings. The crowds were observers listening from the outside, while disciples were followers doing “the will of God”.

Matthew reemphasises this distinction Jesus was making. In the following chapter, we see the disciples asking Jesus why he taught in parables and Jesus once again makes a clear distinction between the crowd and disciples.

Matthew 13:1-3 (NLT) Later that same day Jesus left the house and sat beside the lake. A large crowd soon gathered around him, so he got into a boat. Then he sat there and taught as the people stood on the shore. He told many stories in the form of parables

Matthew 13:10-12 (NKJV) And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

This time the contrast is made plain. Not only is there a difference between two groups of people who relate to Jesus, their access to the things of God is also dependent on that relationship. The crowd is a group who gathered to hear the teachings of Jesus and left after Jesus had finished. They are attendees who come, listen to Jesus’ teaching and then move on. Using Isaiah’s prophecy, Jesus seems to imply that the group has no desire to go any further in trying to understand his teaching and pursuing the healing that comes from embracing it.

Matthew 13:15 (NLT) For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.’

The disciples on the other hand not only heard the teachings of Jesus but stayed on to seek after understanding. Their pursuit for more gave them access to what Jesus called “the mysteries of the Kingdom”.

In every church there are these two groups – those who gather and those who seek after God. Those who gather are happy to accept someone else’s faith, someone else’s experiences with God. They are satisfied with someone else’s revelations from God. The more a person stays in the crowd mentality, they expose themselves to a dullness that eventually turns into a hardening of the heart – “whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.” True disciples aren’t satisfied with another person’s knowledge of God or experiences with God. They want to know God personally. They want to experience God themselves. They are not satisfied with hand-me-down experiences of God. Never ever settle for a second hand faith.

The effects of hand-me-down knowledge

There are two Old Testament stories that remain examples for all of us on what happens to God’s people when we rely on hand-me-down revelations from God and not seek after Him ourselves.

Adam and Eve – Intimate knowing vs second hand knowledge

The creation narrative includes a life altering instruction from God to Adam about the two trees in the centre of the garden.

Genesis 2:15-17 (NLT) The LORD God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.”

After Adam received this instruction, we are told of the creation of the woman.

Genesis 2:22 (NLT) Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.

Nowhere in the two chapters of the creation narrative will you find Eve being given the same instruction as Adam was given about the two trees. We have always assumed that both received the instruction from God. I don’t think that was what transpired. Moses is intentional with timelines in the book of Genesis. He could have easily placed the instruction God gave regarding the two trees (2:15-17) after he narrated the creation story of Eve. There is a strong warning within this story that is missed if we do not see the author’s intention. One of them was given a direct instruction, while the other received second hand information.

Eve was susceptible to the lies of the enemy because she had received second hand knowledge.

Genesis 3:1 (NLT) The serpent was the shrewdest of all the wild animals the LORD God had made. One day he asked the woman, “Did God really say you must not eat the fruit from any of the trees in the garden?”

The cunningness of the serpent is evident in the fact that the serpent knew who to target with the question “did God really say?” If you want to create doubt ask someone who does not have direct knowledge of the event. That is why Paul said that Eve was deceived and sin followed. Second hand knowledge makes us susceptible to deception and prevents us from experiencing true intimacy with God.

Genesis 3:8 (NLT) When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the LORD God among the trees.

Second hand faith is faith based on hand-me-down knowledge. Theology (words about God) can never replace Christ (the Word who is God). Many know the Apostle’s Creed but do we know the Christ of the apostles?

Moses and the Israelites – seeker vs consumer

The second example of the danger of second hand knowledge is found in Deuteronomy. The context is the people of God who were in the wilderness. They were at a cross road of their relationship with God. They could choose to enter into a more personal relationship with God or stand back and experience Him from afar. Be part of a crowd or become disciples. They choose the former.

Deuteronomy 5:23-27 (NLT) “But when you heard the voice from the heart of the darkness, while the mountain was blazing with fire, all your tribal leaders and elders came to me. They said, ‘Look, the LORD our God has shown us his glory and greatness, and we have heard his voice from the heart of the fire. Today we have seen that God can speak to us humans, and yet we live! But now, why should we risk death again? If the LORD our God speaks to us again, we will certainly die and be consumed by this awesome fire. Can any living thing hear the voice of the living God from the heart of the fire as we did and yet survive? Go yourself and listen to what the LORD our God says. Then come and tell us everything he tells you, and we will listen and obey.’

Notice the hypocrisy of the eldership of that generation. They ask the question Can any living thing hear the voice of the living God from the heart of the fire as we did and yet survive? They confess that they have just heard the voice of God and survived but choose not to risk it ever again. For generations they have heard of their forefathers Abraham heard the voice of God and experienced visitations from God; Jacob who wrestled with God. They have just experienced God themselves and know first hand the God speaks to Moses on a regular basis. Yet they decide that listening to God was too much of a hassle and decide to outsource that experience.

Go yourself and listen to what the LORD our God says. Then come and tell us everything he tells you, and we will listen and obey.’

We know the tragic consequence of such a decision. The entire generation except for Joshua and Caleb would not enter the promise land but die in the wilderness. Second hand faith relies on someone else’s experiences. Second hand faith produces consumer christians looking for a service provider. The disciple however is a seeker christian pursuing a personal experience with Christ.

Are you part of the crowd or are you a disciple? Intimacy with God is the heritage of every believer. Jesus said that it was something given to the disciples.

“Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven…”

The “you” Jesus was speaking to were those who went to him seeking personal understanding. Don’t settle for a hand-me-down knowledge of God. Don’t accept someone else’s ideas of God. Have a personal relationship with Christ and get to know God intimately through the Holy Spirit. Don’t settle for a second hand faith. Don’t be satisfied hearing someone else’s testimonies or experiences with God. Pursue God yourself. Experience your own Divine encounters. Live your own prayer answering, supernatural, miracle filled life with God. If you choose to do so then here is my suggested action plan:

1. Carve out a specific time with God everyday. Make it a point to keep away from all distractions while you are spending time with God. Read the Bible regularly and in an organised way. Make use of the many Bible reading plans available online. Here is one really helpful site I recommend https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-reading-plan/

2. Seek God out intentionally. Don’t just read the Bible mechanically. Seek to understand what God is saying to you. He is always speaking. Are you are listening Look for one candle of truth daily. One thing you can take out of your reading for the day. Think of that thought throughout the day. Ask the Lord for an opportunity to experience what you read that day. Look out for that Divine moment daily.

YOU DESERVE GOD’S BEST LIFE FOR YOU. DON’T SETTLE FOR A SECOND HAND FAITH.

Can you remember reading or hearing about the men of Issachar? It is always a popular topic when we are at crossroads or season changes as a church or even as a nation. I thought I’d revisit that passage again as we begin life in what people are referring to as a post Covid era. Everything seems to be slowly coming back to a new normal in most parts of the world. Travel seems to be opening up again. Churches are meeting freely again. Everyone seems to be gingerly crawling back to life as it used to be.

As we wake up from what looked like a bad dream, we must face the reality that as a church of Jesus Christ we did not do well in what I see as a dress rehearsal of something much larger that is coming. We as the body of Christ found ourselves nearly imploding from within. We got caught up fighting battles in the temporal kingdom that had no eternal consequences, while failing to turn up at the frontline where the lost world was looking for answers to a nightmare that was unfolding before them.

I do personally believe that something far greater that what we have experienced these last two years is at our doorstep. I don’t want to be a doomsday prophet but I do believe the church has received a wake up call. The Holy Spirit has made it very clear – status quo will not cut it anymore. Change must happen for the church to continue to function as the manifestation of the Kingdom of God on earth. The Lord has been speaking to me about the urgency of the hour we are living in and the decisions I have to make to align myself with the purposes of God for this season. So I am revisiting the passage on the sons of Issachar.

1 Chronicles 12:32 (NKJV) of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command;

The context of this passage is the transition that was happening in the nation as they witnessed the end of Saul’s reign and faced the reality of David’s imminent rule as King over Israel. The author describes the death of Saul in chapter 10 and begins chapter 11 with these words:

1 Chronicles 11:1-3 (NKJV) Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron, saying, “Indeed we are your bone and your flesh. Also, in time past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and the LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over My people Israel.’ ” Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

The elders acknowledged the prophetic word spoken over David many years ago and anointed him King in fulfilment of that word. The Chronicler then proceeds to list down the strength of David’s army. The list is a comprehensive one beginning with what he calls “the mighty men” of David. These were the heroes who fought alongside David, defending not just the man but the Word of God behind the man. Their heroic feats are acknowledged in chapter 11. Then comes chapter 12 where we find the Issachar passage tucked in. The chapter begins like this:

1 Chronicles 12:23 (NKJV) Now these were the numbers of the divisions that were equipped for war, and came to David at Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD:

The author of Chronicles was listing down the various tribes that were responding to what they believed was the “God” thing to do. To align themselves with David who God has appointed as King. The initial list has names that were recognisable because of their heroic actions as well as their loyalty to David during his exile. As the author runs through the list of men contributed by the various tribes to make up David’s national guard, we come to the verse about the tribe of Issachar. These men we are told “understood the times and what Israel should do”.

1 Chronicles 12:32 (NKJV) of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command;

The phrase translated “understood the times” comes from the Hebrew which has the root word “ḇiyn” – to separate mentally, to distinguish, to discern. The distinguishing factor that stood out in this list of men contributed to David’s army was that the tribe of Issachar gave men that had a unique quality which the Chronicler felt was worth mentioning. They had the ability to distinguish, to discern the times Israel was entering into. This was not just a change of leadership. They were entering into the original intention of God for Israel. Whether they knew the Messiah would come from the line of David is doubtful. They however had the ability to discern that something more than the changing of the guards was occurring. A seismic shift had occurred in the life of Israel. The nation had transitioned from a man appointed leader to a God appointed one. Saul was the popular democratically elected leader. David was the Divinely appointed one. The passage seems to suggest the sons of Issachar discerned the times they were in, which required specific actions that were needed to live in such a time as this.

Another occasion the Old Testament uses the phrase “understood the times“ is in the book of Esther where the Persian King Ahasuerus had a group of men who “understood the times”.

Esther 1:13-14 (NKJV) Then the king said to the wise men who understood the times (for this was the king’s manner toward all who knew law and justice, those closest to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who had access to the king’s presence, and who ranked highest in the kingdom)

Again the same combination of Hebrew words – but the author of the book of Esther seems to give us some understanding of what that term means. We see

• They knew law and justice

• They were closest to the king

• They had access to the king’s presence

• They were highest ranked in the kingdom

Urgent vacancies for such leaders

I want to take a little liberty to suggest that this is what is lacking in the church of our generation. Men and women who display these attributes, who “understand the times”, who discern that something more than merely a change of government is needed in our nations. Men and women who discern that it takes more than mere popularity to make seismic shifts for the Kingdom of God. Men and women who can discern the activities of the Divine and align the church to Him and act according to the Spirit’s direction. There is a definite vacuum in leadership for such persons.

The church of Jesus Christ desperately needs leaders with these qualities:

Those who know law and justice

Obviously I’m not suggesting that we need a high profile legal team fighting for the rights of Christians. What the church desperately needs are leaders who know the law of God (God’s mind) and the justice of God (God’s heart). For too long we have focused on man made law and justice as the benchmark of the church. Human rights, United Nations conventions, the US constitution or the English Legal System – however “christian” they may seem to be, they are all flawed. To measure the Kingdom life and draw principles to live by from these flawed standards will only lead to humanistic ways of doing life. We need leaders who understand the mind of God, whose hearts beat with what matters to God.

Micah 6:8 (NKJV)He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

Those who stay closest to the King

We need leaders who recognise that nothing of Kingdom value can be done without intimacy with Christ.

John 15:5 (NKJV) “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

No one can contribute anything of value to the Kingdom of God without having a continuously intimate relationship with the King of the Kingdom – Jesus Christ. It is time we realise that Kingdom officials must share Kingdom values. Kingdom values can only be learnt through intimacy with Christ.

John 15:4 (NKJV) Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

Those who access the King’s presence

Understanding God’s mind and heart along with an intimate relationship with Christ should position one to see their true position as Christ’s ambassadors. A leader must know their standing in God.

Hebrews 4:16 (NKJV) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Our first port of call in times of crisis should always be the throne room. Intercession is not one of the things we do to see change occur. Prayer and intercession is the only effective weapon in the church’s arsenal. Until we fully comprehend the power of effective prayer we will continue to default to man made institutionalised power to try and bring change. Lasting change can only come about through Divine intervention.

John 14:12-14 (NKJV) Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

Those who seek after Kingdom positioning

It is a sad sight to see an increasingly number of church leaders jostling for positions and places of influence in the world rather than seeking after Kingdom authority. The church of today is desperately in need of leaders who cease from being caught up with the affairs of this world. Leaders who know how to reposition themselves above the daily wheels and gears that keep the motion of the chronos world, and operate on a time clock of the “charis”, opportune, Divine moments that make room for the supernatural to occur.

Ephesians 2:4-6 (NKJV) But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus

Both David and Esther were not obvious candidates if we followed human conventions. Yet God chose them to replace the old leadership that operated in the flesh. One came in through battle the other through beauty. The common denominator though was both their Divine destinies had people who “understood the times”. There is a desperate urgent need for such leaders. I pray you will earnestly seek to be like these ones.

Among aquatic animals, there exists a group of creatures called bottom feeders. These are marine creatures that live all their lives on the seabed and feed by scavenging on the bottom of the sea. In the text above, the apostle Paul is exhorting the church to stop being bottom feeders living our lives on things below, but to be the community we are called to be. A new breed of people living the resurrected life.

The passage we will focus on this week is Colossians three versus one and two. This particular passage is one of those New Testament passages which are rich with figurative language. The variations in translations make that point clear.

Colossians 3:1-2 (NKJV) If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

Colossians 3:1-2 (NLT) Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

Colossians 3:1-2 (NIV) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.

Colossians 3:1-2 (MSG) So if you’re serious about living this new resurrection life with Christ, act like it. Pursue the things over which Christ presides. Don’t shuffle along, eyes to the ground, absorbed with the things right in front of you. Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that’s where the action is. See things from his perspective.

Notice these phrases that appear in the various translations. Let them sink in for a moment:

• seek those things which are above

• set your mind on things above

• set your sights on the realities of heaven

• be alert to what is going on around Christ

• where Christ sits in the place of honor

• be alert to what is going on around Christ

• see things from His perspective

My exhortation for this year is to train ourselves on a daily basis to see things from Christ’s perspective. Paul gives us two things that we need to do in order to see things from Christ’s perspective.

1. SET YOUR HEART ON THINGS ABOVE

We are encouraged by Paul to seek, to pursue, to go after, to desire – things above. What does Paul mean when he speaks of “things above”? Note first of all that it is a place – “where Christ is”. Paul is implying that the place we should dwell in is where Christ dwells in. Note only is the “things above” a place where “Christ is”, it is also a position – “where Christ is seated at the right hand of God”. The “right hand” is a way of describing a position of authority. Someone seated at the right hand has been delegated the position of authority and influence from the one who holds the position of authority and influence.

In other words, the “things above” is both a place where Christ is and it is also a position where Christ holds ultimate authority and influence. Paul is encouraging us as followers of Christ to position ourselves, our inner selves, in a dwelling place – a safe place. NIV uses the word heart – “set your heart, on things above”. It’s a setting of the inner self, a positioning, an inner posture. Not where the heart usually resides – in the midst of the chaos of everyday life but a repositioning of the heart to a place called “things above”, a dwelling where Christ is. This Christ who holds ultimate and exclusive authority.

The psalmist put it this way.

Psalms 61:1-4 (NLT) O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings!

Here the psalmist gives an honest account to the Lord. He is crying for help. His heart is overwhelmed. He realises that his heart is positioned on sinking ground. Out of that sense of hope-less-ness he cries out. This act of crying out to God is actually an act of repositioning his heart. He is asking God to reposition his heart. Where? To this place of safety he describes as “the towering rock”. It’s not just a place – it’s a person. “You are my safe refuge”. You are my fortress”. “I am so safe here my enemies cannot reach me.” The psalmist reveals the secret on how to reposition your heart to that “things above” place Paul entreats us to be in. How do we set our hearts on the things above?

Firstly: Recognise when your heart is in the wrong place

Quite often we are not even aware our heart is not in the place it is meant to dwell in. We go about the hustle and bustle of our daily lives, absorbed by the activities and the actors appealing to our 5 senses. We get so preoccupied by what we do and what is being done to us, that the invisible realm, the God activity is crowded out from our senses. That crowding out displaces our hearts from that safe place the psalmist talks about and positions us in a vulnerable place where we are susceptible to the whims and fancies dictated to us by the visible world. The apostle Paul, aware of such a danger warns the church to refocus our senses to the invisible realm where Divine activity is operating.

2 Corinthians 5:7 (NKJV) For we walk by faith, not by sight.

The faith walk can only be possible if our hearts are set in that realm Paul calls “things above”. The way to recognise when our hearts are not dwelling in that place of safety is to be sensitive to the cue from within us. It comes in the form of a restless heart. The psalmist used the word overwhelmed. That sinking feeling. That feeling you are losing your balance. It may manifest itself in very different ways. Once again the psalmist is our teacher.

Psalms 37:7-8 (NKJV) Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret—it only causes harm.

The formula for a heart that’s troubled is two words we don’t really want to hear when we are looking for a quick resolve – rest and patience. The psalmist is clear what the alternative is – to fret. Fretting leads to anger and wrath. That he says, “only causes harm”.

I have this picture of a tired little Johnny who needs to take a nap but refuses to because there is too much excitement around him. He doesn’t want to miss out on everything that’s going on, yet he becomes grumpy and begins to throw a tantrum – because he is tired. Mommy has no choice but to pick him up and hold on to him. Little Johnny wiggles and wiggles trying to get out of mommy’s grip. She’s too strong. He tells himself he will take a few seconds to catch his breath and will fight for freedom again. He lays his head on mommy’s shoulder just for a moment. That’s it – Johnny is fast asleep. He is in the place he should have been half an hour ago – at rest in mommy’s arms. We are like little Johnny. We kick and scream and throw tantrums when we are faced with overwhelming situations. Then finally when we are at the end of our tether, we give in and turn to God. We find our rest – the place we should have been from the start.

Secondly: Return your heart to the place of rest

That two words that we must embrace – rest and patience. “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently” The most underrated spiritual discipline is the discipline of waiting. Waiting is not a passive exercise. Waiting is active. When we wait, we must draw all the inner resources and strength NOT to do something. Our first instinct when our hearts are overwhelmed by something is to take matters into our own hands. That is the last thing we should do. An overwhelmed heart will act out of desperation. When desperate we tend to act irrationally, say things we later regret and in hindsight we realise we ended up making things worse than it was. Sometimes do nothing is the hardest thing to do. The prophet Isaiah’s counsel in this matter is best heeded.

Isaiah 40:29-31 (NKJV) He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

It’s not our strength or wisdom that will get us out of that place of feeling overwhelmed. It is repositioning – stop wiggling, just rest in God. Just wait patiently. And it is in that place of inner rest in God that we will find renewed strength.

Set your heart on things above. Where? – it’s a place – it’s where Christ is.

Set your heart on things above. Where? – it’s a positioning – resting in the knowledge of who Christ is – finding that resting place, that inner sanctuary – where Christ is truly all present, all powerful, all good. Find that place, drop anchor and wait.

2. SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE

Not only does Paul instruct us to set our hearts on things above, he also says we are to set our minds on things above. Your mind is made up of your thoughts and your talk. Your thinking is your silent saying. Your saying is your audible thinking. If you want to know what thoughts you dwell on daily – observe your talk. What thoughts influence your talk; your talk influence your thoughts. Knowing this, Paul instructs us to set our minds – our thought and our talk – on things above. What is the mind that is set on things above? What are thoughts that are above? What is talk from above?

Recently there has been an increase in interest on Biblical teachings around the end times. People have become so preoccupied particularly with the mark of the beast. The recent mandates in many nations of the world has generated sermons and studies on this particular Biblical text in the book of revelation that warns about the mark of the beast.

Revelation 13:16-18 (NKJV) He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.

I can understand the concern people have around this warning that the apostle John gave to the church. What I cannot understand is the church’s total negligence on teaching the other side of the coin – the mark of the saints. In all my christian life, sitting through hundreds and hundreds of sermons and Bible studies, not once have I ever heard a teaching on the mark of the saints. Yet just one verse after the mention of the mark of the beast, John goes on to speak about the mark of the saints.

Revelation 14:1 (NLT) Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him were 144,000 who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads.

John had just seen the events on earth unfold in chapter 13. The deception, evil and wickedness that was unleashed by the devil, culminating in an act of oppression that required everyone to submit unconditionally to his authority by taking a mark (charagma in greek), which was a stamp or a badge of servitude. Failure to do so would cause a person to be outside the economic system and exclude them from the ability to earn a living.

Although the English translation of the Bible ends the chapter with the mark of the beast, the original Greek text does not have such a division. John’s gaze is immediately shifted to events that were unfolding in the heavenly realm – “Then I saw the Lamb standing on Mount Zion…”. Mount Zion throughout Scriptures has represented this impenetrable fortress where the city of God is. After John witnesses the horrific events unfold on earth, his focus shifts to the parallel events that are occurring in the heaven. John sees Christ secure in His impenetrable fortress and in His presence are 144,000 “having His Father’s name written on their foreheads”.

The number 144,000 is symbolic and significant. No one can be sure of the meaning of this number but my take on it is that it is made up of three symbolic numbers representing three concepts. 12 x 12 x 1000 = 144,000. The first number 12 is the 12 tribes of Israel representing all the Old Testament saints from Adam till Christ. The second number 12 is for the 12 apostles representing all the New Testament saints from the first century church till the church of the end times.

The number 1000 is this mysterious symbolic time known as the “day of the Lord”, which Peter uses to correct a false notion among some in the early church that accused God of being “slack” in His promise to return.

2 Peter 3:8-9 (NKJV) But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

So back to John’s vision. What he sees could only be an encouragement to him and all the saints on earth who will have to go through the trying times revealed in chapter thirteen. They along with all the community of faith from the beginning of time till eternity are gathered before the throne of Christ. These who have been redeemed by the blood of Christ have a mark etched on their forehead which is the name of Christ and His father. This is the mark of all the saints who are redeemed by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. What is exciting about this group of people is that they are privileged to learn a song which only they can sing.

Revelation 14:2-3 (NLT) And I heard a sound from heaven like the roar of mighty ocean waves or the rolling of loud thunder. It was like the sound of many harpists playing together. This great choir sang a wonderful new song in front of the throne of God and before the four living beings and the twenty-four elders. No one could learn this song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.

There’s an exclusive song that only inhabitants of heaven sing. It is the language of heaven. It is the mindset of the inhabitants of the Kingdom of God. We get an amazing window to the mindset and language of heavenly dwellers in the book of Revelation. There are fifteen songs or sayings that John records which give us a glimpse of the talk and thought of the things above.

Revelation 4:8 (NKJV)The four living creatures.saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”

Revelation 4:10-11 (NKJV) the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying: “You are worthy, O Lord, To receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, And by Your will they exist and were created.”

Revelation 5:9-10 (NKJV) And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”

On and on in twelve other places we see similarly vocabulary uttered by the residence of heaven. The entire Kingdom thought and talk is focused on Christ – His supreme authority over all things. The reader is also given a sneak preview of the the final outcome –

Revelation 11:15 (NLT) Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices shouting in heaven: “The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.”

What a magnificent way to live our lives. To be so immersed in this mindset and language that lives with the end in mind. No wonder the apostle Paul was inviting us to enter into that world where all thought and all talk consist of things above.

Like the congregation at Mount Zion, we are all singing a song. Everyday we go about singing either an earthly song or a heavenly one. Paul would have us set our minds on things above. Consider the “songs” you sing daily. What are the thoughts and talk that revolve around you everyday? Know this – your thoughts and your talk are your true worship. That’s where your soul is dwelling in. That’s where you are abiding in. That’s what you have given over to worth-ship.That’s why Paul in another letter speaks of where our thoughts should dwell in.

Philippians 4:8 (NKJV) Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.

We are well into 2022 now. So my encouragement to all of us is to take Paul’s teaching seriously This year, set your heart on things above and set your mind on things above.

SO SET YOUR HEART ON THINGS ABOVE. SEEK THINGS ABOVE – POSITION AND KEEP REPOSITIONING YOUR HEART TO DWELL IN CHRIST. REST IN HIS POSITION, HIS POWER, HIS ABILITY. SET YOUR HEART AND KEEP SETTING YOUR HEART ON THINGS ABOVE WHERE CHRIST IS SEATED ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD. DROP ANCHOR THERE.

THEN SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE – TAKE STOCK OF YOUR THOUGHTS; TAKE STOCK OF YOUR SPEECH. THINK OF YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES FROM GOD’S PERSPECTIVE, THE WAY GOD THINKS OF IT. DECLARE INTO YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES WHAT GOD IS SAYING. KINGDOM OF GOD COME; WILL OF GOD BE DONE.

THIS YEAR SEE THINGS FROM CHRIST’S PERSPECTIVE.

SET YOUR HEART ON THINGS ABOVE.

SET YOUR MIND ON THINGS ABOVE.

AND FOR GOD’S SAKE DON’T BE A BOTTOM FEEDER.

In the midst of the global chaos and confusion brought about by Covid have we as Christians become so preoccupied by the happenings around us? Have we been caught up with all this to the point we have neglected our role as followers of Christ? Have our thoughts, our words, our actions been consumed by daily announcements on numbers infected, restrictions on contact tracing and debates around incursions on our individual rights and freedoms. We wonder how long will our movements be restricted? When will the borders reopen? What will Christmas look like?

As Christians we are carrying a mandate given to us by our Commander in Chief – Jesus Christ. We have been given a mission and we are responsible to fulfil that mission in our generation. Failure to fulfil our mission will have eternal consequences for our generation more devastating than Covid will ever be. I’m talking about the Great Commission. I’m talking about Jesus’ last words on earth recorded in the Gospels. I’m suggesting that we as a global church may have got distracted with what’s going on around us, that we are neglecting the most important responsibility we have been assigned to do – the Great Commission. Let’s look at what Jesus said in Matthew 28.

Matthew 28:18-20 (NKJV) And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

For the next few entries, I want to look at this passage in light of the importance and place these verses have in the mission of the church and the life of the individual christian.

Today I want to look at the first part of Jesus statement: “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.”

The most important truth every christian must embrace – the ultimate authority of Jesus Christ.

The starting point of being a disciple of Jesus Christ is to believe that Jesus Christ is the ultimate authority over all that is visible and invisible. Dare I say, more important than the doctrine of sin or the doctrine of salvation, or the doctrine of the church, or the doctrine of end times – these are all important truths we need to know, understand and believe in. But all these foundational beliefs will be built on shifting sand if we do not fully understand who Jesus is.

He is not the baby Jesus lying on a manger; not the carpenter Jesus of Nazareth; not the brilliant Rabbi Jesus who taught the Scriptures with such conviction; not the miracle working Jesus who healed the sick and raised the dead; not even the Savior Jesus who was crucified, died, buried, and rose again after three days. All these are fundamental truths we hold as Christians. These truths however must be built on the bedrock of believing that Jesus Christ has ascended to heaven, sits at the right hand of God the Father and is now appointed as the supreme authority over all that is in heaven and on earth. To be a disciple of Jesus is to repent (change of mind and heart) of the mindset that caused us to pay allegiance to another, and to embrace Jesus as the sovereign, supreme ruler – the ultimate authority over all things. Until and unless we are truly convinced of this, we will never truly be submitted to His lordship in our lives.

Do we get that? All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Him.

All authority means all authority

The significance of Jesus opening statement prior to commissioning his disciples cannot be overstated. If we truly understand what it means – nothing can shake our confidence in God and His promises. Nothing anyone does, no temporal powers – human or demonic, no happenings around us – can or will ever shake that confidence we have in our Lord and Christ.

All authority means exactly that – all authority. Jesus is saying – “I AM”. Remember Moses? He asked God, “who should I say sent me.” “I AM” was the response. And we know how that story ended – not so good for temporal powers who stood against the purposes of God. Here again, Jesus addresses His person before He commissions the disciples. The I AM – the ultimate supreme Being of all in heaven and on earth, sends you. The church has a mandate – “go and make disciples of all nations”. It is not a mandate from a human authority. It is a command from the great I am. It is the supreme, ultimate, all powerful Being who sends us with one and only one task – to go and make disciples. If we know He is the I AM, then we should know how our story ends.

The problem is we have a poor understanding of what it means to have ultimate authority. We are used to the freedom to choose our leaders. Here in New Zealand we elect our leaders every 3 years at a national election. If they do what we want we give them another 3 years to please us. If they do not do what we want them to do – we punish them in 3 years at the next election. We bring that kind of thinking into our relationship with Christ. We would like to negotiate terms and conditions with Him. We would like Him to know our preferences, so that he can customise our individual blue print. And we wonder why the christian life is not working out for us.

I suggest that a lack of understanding of Christ’s authority is why the church of our generation is so impotent and the believer so ineffective. Not fully understanding Christ’s ultimate authority, is why Christians are responding with fear instead of faith when faced with what’s going on around them. We have an inflated view of temporal powers – whether human or demonic – and confuse their display of powers as ultimate authority. On the other hand, we see Christ’s seeming lack of power display in the affairs of the world and assume we need to lend Him a hand, ending up getting entangled with temporal things which have absolutely no eternal value.

Power and authority – there is a difference

There is a difference between power and authority. The Pharaoh of Egypt learnt it the hard way. He confused the power he had over the Israelites as ultimate authority. Having a history of victories over nations around him, control over the magicians who could conjure up demonic events, he made a fatal assumption he had ultimate authority over heaven and earth. He would find out tragically that there was one who was truly the ultimate supreme Being, the I AM, who was not only all powerful but also who had all authority.

The New Testament clearly separates the concept of power and authority. Two Greek words represent the two concepts and we find both used in this New Testament verse:

Luke 9:1 (NKJV) Then He called His twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over all demons, and to cure diseases.

Here in this passage we see two different greek words translated as power and authority.

The word translated as power – δύναμις (dunamis) – means inherent power, power residing in a thing or person by virtue of their nature.

In the New Testament this word dunamis is frequently used in the context of supernatural miraculous power exerted by a human being which can only be attributed to God.

The word authority is the greek word – ἐξουσία (exousia). It is a loaded word that carries these meanings – privilege, capacity, authority, jurisdiction.

– a person with exousia has been extended privilege to function in a certain position

– a person with exousia has the potential or capacity to function a certain way

– a person with exousia has the freedom, the legal right and jurisdiction to access and use power that has been made available

In other words a person functioning under (exousia) authority is one who has the full capacity and legal right to access and use all the dunamis power that is available based on the privileged position that has been accorded to them.

So when Jesus said “ALL AUTHORITY (exousia) IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME” – He was essentially saying, “I AM in the highest privileged position both in the heavenly realm and in the earthly realm.

I AM above all powers in heaven – whether divine beings or demonic beings – I have jurisdiction over them.

I AM above all powers on earth – any organised humanly constructed ideologies, institutions and social structures that exert power over individuals – I have jurisdiction over them.

If we understand this concept of exousia or authority – we will stop being distracted by the display of power on earth – demonic or human. Their powers might be frighteningly potent and seemingly far reaching but the reality is all demonic and human powers are limited. Jesus reminded us of this:

Matthew 10:28 (NLT) “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Your understanding or lack of it in the area of authority will cause you to focus on temporal powers and live your life in fear of these temporal authorities. The moment you get a right understanding of the authority of Jesus – your Lord and your Christ; if you grasp hold of what it means that all authority in Heaven and on Earth has been given to Him – you will live a life free of fear and full of faith.

WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE? Let me take you to an event in the Gospels that shows this clearly in a practical way. Turn to Matthew 8 – The story of Jesus and the Centurion.

Matthew 8:5-13 (NKJV) Now when Jesus had entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, pleading with Him, saying, “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, dreadfully tormented.” And Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion answered and said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! And I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

First I want you to note the phrase “Jesus marveled”. Only twice you will see this phrase. Here and in another instance in Mark when Jesus marveled at the unbelief of the people of Nazareth. In Nazareth he could not do many miracles because of their unbelief. In this instance however, Jesus marvels at the centurion’s faith.

“I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel”

Why did Jesus marvel at the centurion’s faith? What was it about his faith that was so unique? The context of this passage would suggest that it is because the centurion understood the concept of exousia – authority.

He as a centurion had power that came because of his authority. He was just a centurion – not of noble birth – he would have been a commoner. A centurion had to rise from rank and file. It was not a very high rank in the Roman army – in charge of 100 soldiers. A centurion’s main task was to enforce discipline and public order. The centurion knew through experience that he had power to command anyone to do anything. But when he spoke – it wasn’t his voice that the soldiers heard. By virtue of his position as Centurion, he was privileged with authority to access such power. His command was as good as if the Roman Emperor himself was speaking. Even though he was only a centurion – a lower ranking officer – when he spoke he knew he had the full capacity and legal right to access and use all the power that was available to him because of his position as a centurion in the Roman army.

He realises that if he a mere centurion – under a limited human authority – had such powers, how much more would Jesus have? He would have heard, maybe even been an eyewitness of the miracles Jesus did in Capernaum. This is not from human hands or ability – this is beyond the natural – this is supernatural. This Jesus was operating from an authority far greater than what he as a centurion was under. It didn’t take him much to make that leap of faith when he understood the authority Jesus had – “ONLY SPEAK A WORD, AND MY SERVANT WILL BE HEALED.”

When you understand that Jesus has “all authority”, you will realise the power behind such authority.

Access to power is dependent on what you believe

Look at what Jesus says to the centurion.

Matthew 8:13 (NKJV) Then Jesus said to the centurion, “Go your way; and as you have believed, so let it be done for you.” And his servant was healed that same hour.

“as you have believed, so let it be done”. The statement from Jesus suggests that access to power for a miracle is determined by what a person believes. The faith this man had that amazed Jesus was – the centurion didn’t just believe Jesus had the power to heal his servant. He understood that such power was derived from unrestricted and unlimited divine authority. With such a conviction, he knew that Jesus merely had to speak and the miracle would happen.The centurion knew Jesus not only had the power to do all things, he also had the authority to approve/authorise all things.

The significance of being under Christ’s authority

Now apply the centurion’s understanding to our text – ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME. Jesus is saying – before you go out and do your assignment – understand this: “I now possess all authority. I am positioned as the supreme and ultimate authority over all things in heaven and on earth. Because of this privileged position, I have the full capacity and jurisdiction over heaven and earth – and can use all the power that is available to do whatever I see fit to do.”

Do we fully comprehend what this means? If we do then we will understand what a mere human being who is submitted to Christ and His authority has the potential to be and to do. Do we understand the significance of Jesus authority? If we do This is what that potential will look like.

Mark 11:22-24 (NKJV) So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Whatever things you ask – believe – and you will have them. For too long we as christians have been paying lip service to this particular passage. It’s because it is too far reaching for us to have such lofty ideas about prayer. When something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So we explain it away as a metaphor. These are mountains we face in our lives. If we trust God we will eventually see the challenges we have in life disappear. Maybe God will give us the strength to climb some mountains so that they don’t have to be removed. How easily we bring the Divine down to our realm and our capacity to believe.

Can God move a mountain? Of course He can. No one will doubt that. Can you as a human being move a mountain? Of course not. Does Jesus have all authority? Of course He has? Can one under Christ’s authority, responding to His mandate to go – can that person move a mountain? According to this passage they can. In fact according to this passage, the ultimate, supreme authority over heaven and earth has assured the one who believes that “whatever he says will be done” and “whatever he asks in prayer, he will receive”.

Our problem is not one of faith that Jesus can do it. Our problem is that we do not fully understand that Jesus has the authority to give us access to such powers. Not only does He have authority to give us access to such powers, he has already pre-approved access to such powers. We are just not accessing it. Instead we are busying ourselves engaging with the authorities of the earth, hoping to derive power from such temporal authorities.

My invitation to both you and me is to relook at this statement Jesus made:

ALL AUTHORITY IN HEAVEN AND ON EARTH HAS BEEN GIVEN TO ME

Jesus the sovereign, the supreme ruler, the ultimate authority over all things in heaven and on earth – this Jesus whom we call Lord, Lord – he has commissioned us to go. With that commissioning comes the pre-approval to function under His authority and access all power available in heaven and earth to complete our mission.

IF WE TRULY BELIEVE THIS – IMAGINE WHAT OUR PRAYER LIFE WILL LOOK LIKE.

IF WE TRULY BELIEVE THIS – IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF DISCIPLES WE WILL BE.

IF WE TRULY BELIEVE THIS – IMAGINE WHAT KIND OF CHURCH WE WILL SEE.

Exodus 20:12 (NKJV) “Honor (כָּבוֹד ḵâḇôḏ) your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

The meaning of the word translated honour is the Hebrew word ḵâḇoḏ/kabed which means to be heavy, to make weighty, to value. It also carries with it the meaning of abounding. So to honour someone is actually to recognise a person who is weighty in value, influential, worthy of respect. To honour is to place weight or value on a person and that relationship. Attached to the word ḵâḇôḏ is also the meaning of abounding. An environment of honour will cause a person and the relationship with that person to flourish and abound.

The word ḵâḇôḏ is also used in a negative sense in the Old Testament. When used in a negative context ḵâḇôḏ means burdensome, severe, or to be heavy.

To (dis)honour is to be burdensome, to treat severely and to create an atmosphere of heaviness. Remember the prefixdis is the latin for “apart or having a negative or reversing force”. Dishonour means to treat the person apart from honour. It is to set aside the value or worth of that person and the relationship you have with that person. (Dis)honour also has the effect of reversing the environment of honour which produces abundance in a person and the relationship with that person.

Keep these definitions in mind and let’s look at the first mention of the word ḵâḇôḏ in the Bible.

Genesis 13:1-4 (NLT) So Abram left Egypt and traveled north into the Negev, along with his wife and Lot and all that they owned. (Abram was very rich (ḵâḇôḏ) in livestock, silver, and gold.) From the Negev, they continued traveling by stages toward Bethel, and they pitched their tents between Bethel and Ai, where they had camped before. This was the same place where Abram had built the altar, and there he worshiped the LORD again.

Abraham had just come back to Canaan from Egypt where he nearly lost his wife and feared for his life. God spared the both of them by Divine intervention.

The word rich there is the word ḵâḇôḏ. Don’t miss what the passage is trying to teach us here. The word ḵâḇôḏ is in the midst of an act Abraham was doing to show how much he valued his relationship with God. Abraham knew why he was living in abundance. It was his relationship with God that produced the environment to flourish in abundance. How do we know that? The first thing he does after leaving Egypt was to make his way back to the place he first built an altar to God and he worshiped the Lord again. It shows us how much “weight” or value he placed on his relationship with God rather than the riches he had accumulated. True prosperity is found in a relationship that places weight and value in a relationship with God. Wherever God is honoured, people flourish in their lives.

That was the first use of ḵâḇôḏ in the Bible. Let’s look at the use of ḵâḇôḏ in the context of weightiness and oppression. For this we turn to the life of Pharoah.

Exodus 5:6-9 (NLT) That same day Pharaoh sent this order to the Egyptian slave drivers and the Israelite foremen: “Do not supply any more straw for making bricks. Make the people get it themselves! But still require them to make the same number of bricks as before. Don’t reduce the quota. They are lazy. That’s why they are crying out, ‘Let us go and offer sacrifices to our God.’ Load (ḵâḇôḏ) them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to lies!”

When Moses, under the command of God, confronted Pharoah and challenged him to let God’s people go, Pharoah’s reaction to Moses’ challenge was to burden the people further. Note the phrase “load (ḵâḇôḏ) them down” . Here we see the word ḵâḇôḏ used in the negative sense. “Load (ḵâḇôḏ) them down with more work. Make them sweat! That will teach them to listen to lies!”

He called the will of God and the voice of God lies. When we (dis)honour God, we tend to (dis)honour other relationships as well. Pharaoh placed no “weight” or value on a relationship Nneither did he place any value on the people of Israel. The result of such a relationship absent of honour is heavy, burdensome and oppressive.

In the end, the legacy Pharaoh was building on the backs of others crumbled and history tells us his final destiny. (Dis)honour, a life apart from honour can never flourish. It will destroy you and everything you build.

Now let’s get back to our original text – Exodus 20:12

Exodus 20:12 (NKJV) “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you.

The text is one of ten “utterances” or what we call the Ten Commandments. They were the most significant words conveyed to the people of God. They were an invitation to God’s people to live and relate to God and each other according to how God values others. The Ten Commandments is structured in a way where the command to honour parents were placed between 4 commandments that were to do with people’s relationship with God and 5 commandments that came after that which was to do with their relationship with others.

Before this commandment to honour father and mother are 4 commandments which are directed towards God. They relate to a person’s relationship with God:

1. Exodus 20:3 (NLT) You must not have any other god but me. – God’s position

2. Exodus 20:4 (NLT) You must not make for yourself an idol of any kind or an image – God’s image

3. Exodus 20:7 (NLT) You must not misuse the name of the LORD your God – God’s name

4. Exodus 20:8 (NLT) Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy – God’s day

After the command to honour your father and mother are 5 commandments that are towards others – they relate to a person’s relationship with others:

6. You must not murder.

7. You must not commit adultery.

8. You must not steal.

9. You must not testify falsely against your neighbour.

10. You must not covet

In between the commandments that will flourish your relationship with God and your relationship with others is this command to honour your father and mother. It seems obvious to me that this is the bridge between our relationship with God and others. We learn to do relationship with God and with others in our family environment.

How does one learn to honour God? You learn it in the relationship between parents and children. If we learn to cultivate a culture of honour in our relationship as parents and children, chances are we will be relating to God within a culture of honour.

How does one learn to honour relationships with others? You first learn it through a relationship with parents or children. When individuals learn to live in an environment of honour at home, chances are they continue that lifestyle in their relationship with others.

In other words, if you want to know whether you are honouring God and others – a good gauge will be whether there is a culture of honour in your home between parents and children.

Another thing I want you to notice from this text – there’s a promise that comes with honouring your father and your mother – “your days may be long upon the land which the LORD your God is giving you”. This is not just about longevity of life. It is more than that. It is about flourishing and abounding in your life. It’s about living in “the land which the LORD your God is giving you”. What was the land God was giving them?

He promised them this right from the beginning –

Exo 3:17 (NLT) I have promised to rescue you from your oppression in Egypt. I will lead you to a land flowing with milk and honey

What land? Land “flowing (zûḇ) with milk and honey. The Hebrew word for flowing (zûḇ) literally means – gushing, flowing in abundance. Gushing milk implies abundant cattle. Gushing honey says that not only will the land have an abundance of honey made by bees but also honey out of dates – so abundance of fruit. So you see the link between – honour and abundance. Remember one of the meanings of honour is abounding. An environment of honour will cause a person to flourish and abound.

So drawing from this text we can see the value of creating an environment of honour. To honour someone is to recognise a person’s value and that they are worthy of respect. To honour is to place weight or value on a person and that relationship. An environment of honour will cause the persons and their relationships to flourish and abound.

On the other hand, the absence of honour causes a relationship to become burdensome. It is severe, heavy and oppressive. It becomes a heavy yoke. To (dis)honour is to set aside the value or worth of that person and the relationship. (Dis)honour has the reverse effect of honour where a person in such relationship does not experience abundance.

I’ve been hovering over the first chapter of the Book of Revelation in recent blogs, seeking to hear the Spirit of God speak into the current situation we find ourselves in and how we as a christians should respond. To that extent I have embarked on a series of sermons with our church family, exploring the message Jesus gave to the seven churches in the book of Revelation. The opening statement of John to the readers cannot be overlooked. It sets the tone on how the reader approaches the book of Revelation.

Revelation 1:3 (NKJV) Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.

The book is not a reference guide to current affairs. It is not to be treated like another document foretelling the future like Nostradamus or the ancient seers of the Mayan civilization. The reader is blessed for reading the book but with the reading comes the responsibility to hear (listening with the intention to understand). Not only is reading and hearing with understanding required, but the reader must also make a deliberate decision to keep it (to attend to it with great care). A time component is added to it indicating the urgency of the season the reader was living in.

The lack of exposure to the book of Revelation may be the reason why the church has lost her urgency in the way she carries out the Father’s business. How we have approached the book has to be reviewed too. So much of what we take from this book is to do with speculation and projection. We speculate dates and times of Christ’s second coming and project current events to back these speculations. We forget the clear instructions of our Lord to the apostles:

Acts 1:7-8 (NKJV) And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

The instruction is clear. The apostles were asking if God was going to restore the Kingdom to the nation Israel. They were treating the apocalyptic literature the way their forefathers did. Speculating and projecting times (chronos) and seasons (kairos) in light of the nation Israel. We are doing the same thing this time with the church.

The message of the book of Revelation is for the heart not for the head. That is the reason why it is full of metaphors, symbols and allegories. The intention is to make space for the reader to allow the message of the book to reveal the condition of his or her heart – to read, to listen in order to understand and act accordingly. The final instruction and warning in chapter 22 is sobering and should cause us to remove our shoes as we approach this book.

Jesus’ instruction

Revelation 22:7 (NKJV) “Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

And John’s warning

Revelation 22:18-19 (NKJV) For I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

So in these next few blog entries, I want to look at the first three chapters of the book of Revelation, seeking to listen with my heart what the Spirit is saying to the church.

The message to the seven churches

John is told to write letters to seven churches that were a physical presence in seven cities in what is modern day Turkey. It was a message from the head of the church, Christ our Lord, given to the apostle John with clear instructions on how to administer the revelations John had received.

Revelation 1:19-20 (NKJV) Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

The scope of the book

John was told the scope of these revelations he was to receive. They were things past, present, and the future. When exposed to unfamiliar information, the brain tends to process things logically based on these three categories. It will first attempt to draw from experiential knowledge from the past and interpret the information based on that experience. If the information is relevant for the present, decisions are made not to reinterpret the information in light of current events but to make decisions on how to reapply the knowledge gained in the past to navigate current situations. We do the same when anticipating future events. Based on past and present experiences we plan how to act if and when similar events occur to us in the future.

The book of Revelation however is a book of mysteries. No two generations have experienced exact same situations. The context and environment the church finds itself produces conditions which it needs to react or respond to. The book of Revelation provides principles and practices that can train and equip the church of every generation to stay faithful to Christ.

The posture of the reader

The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.

John received instructions that the completed work needed to be sent out to seven specific churches. Seven letters, addressed to seven “angels” and seven churches. The term “angels” used by Jesus is the greek word aggelos – which literally means messenger of God. In most usage in the New Testament the messengers have been supernatural beings sent by God and so nearly always translated as angels. In this particular context however the word aggelos cannot possibly be angels. Five out of the seven aggelos and their churches were given stern rebukes and told to repent. They were required to make adjustments in attitude and behaviour before Christ’s return. Nowhere in Scriptures do we see angels being chastened or requiring repentance (apart from the fallen angels who have already been judged). The word aggelos must surely be meant for those who were entrusted with the message and given the responsibility to steward that message in the churches they were shepherding. Along with these aggelos, the ekklēsia (church), believers who have gathered around these aggelos and the message they were representing were receiving direct feedback on their representation of Christ to the world.

Let me say this, I believe leaders carry an aspect of God’s message and those who gather around that message have a responsibility to steward that message faithfully till the end. Every local church family has a distinct way of expressing the message of the gospel God has entrusted us with. We need to ensure we are focusing on that and not trying to be something we are not. So many churches try to emulate mega churches to the point they infuse a DNA that is so foreign to the call and message they have been untrusted with. I do not mean a different gospel but a different expression of the gospel that is unique to that particular community of believers. The uniqueness of a particular “lampstand” that is witnessing Christ in a particular locality is uniquely fitted for purpose to react and respond to the environment they are in.

I will use the two “lampstands” that I have been entrusted to shepherd in our city as a way of explaining my point. Together with my wife and a team of amazing and committed men and women of God, I pastor two churches that have distinctly different composition of believers and ways of expressing their faith. Both churches however are led by the same Pastoral and leadership team. As aggelos of these two “lampstands”, we want to be faithful to preaching the whole gospel of Jesus Christ. We do realise however there are a few distinct “messages” that we have been particularly assigned to bear witness to because of the unique spiritual and physical environments we find ourselves in as a corporate body of believers.

Through seasons of spiritual warfare, challenges and victories, we have come to realise that there are distinct lessons we have learnt as a body of Christ that have become very much who we are. Distinct messages like:

• “Church means family” – We don’t do faith alone. When one suffers we all suffer with them. When one rejoices we all rejoice with them. We are brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers, sons and daughters – we are family. To realise that every individual who has gathered around this message has to make room in their immediate circle they consider family and expand that to include the new family which is the local church they now belong to.

• “Sickness and poverty are not part of God’s Kingdom” – We are convinced that the Scriptures teach us that every good gift comes from above, from the Father of lights in whom there is no shadow of turning. In other words good things come from heaven. Sorrow and evil are not from heaven and not part of the Kingdom of God. We believe strongly that when faced with sickness and poverty in our midst, it is our duty to pray until we see that eradicated in our midst. We will hold on to that message faithfully till Christ’s returns. Everything we do – whether it is praying for the sick, or helping an individual navigate through their addictions, or the grocery parcels we distribute to the poor in our community is backed with this strong prayer – Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

So as we approach the book of Revelation, we do not come as a casual reader reading another literature from the apocalyptic genre. We come as either aggelos or the church that is gathered around the message (the gospel) and distinct expressions of the message that are unique to the environment we are in.

The format of the letter

Before John gives details of the vision he saw, he is instructed to write seven messages to seven churches. There is a set template that he uses to address each church. Christ reveals Himself to each church in unique and distinct ways that speak into the unique environments each church find themselves in. The Lord then proceeds to use the following format:

• Commendation – “I know your works” – The message to most churches carries with it a recognition of the challenging context the church is in and how their are responding to those challenges in order to be faithful witnesses of Christ.

• Criticism – “I have this against you” – Five of the seven churches receive strong criticism and rebuke from the Lord because they have allowed the environment they were in to affect the conditions of their hearts. The Lord highlights behaviour or attitudes that were harming their testimony.

• Correction – “Remember… be faithful… repent… hold fast… strengthen…” Every church was given areas to address immediately in order to restore the light in their lampstands. There were areas to adjust, make changes and to overcome.

The 7 heart conditions

Each church was in a city that had distinct spiritual atmosphere which was hostile to Christ and the gospel message. The hostility experienced by the church produced a condition of the heart that began to affect their relationship with Christ and their ability to be witnesses for Him.

• The church in Ephesus – A heart that lacked love – “you have left your first love” (Rev 2:4)

• The church in Smyrna – A heart that was overwhelmed by prolonged suffering – “Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer” (Rev 2:10)

• The church in Pergamos – A heart of compromise that became a stumbling block to others – “Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel” (Rev 2:14)

• The church in Thyatira – A heart that was corrupt – “that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce My servants” (Rev 2:13)

• The church in Sardis – A heart that was dead to the things of God – ”you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead” (Rev 3:1)

• The church in Philadelphia – The heart that persevered and remained faithful – “you have kept My command to persevere” (Rev 3:10)

• The church in Laodicea – The heart that was “stale and stagnant” – “you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot” (Rev 3:15)

Each church had a specific context they lived in that produced a heart condition that required specific actions in order to be overcomers.

As we reflect on the messages to these seven churches, let us look more closely to the conditions of our own hearts. Every time we struggle to obey God, its always to do with the matters of the heart. The heart of the matter is always the matters of the heart. Jesus when teaching on the condition of the heart in the parable of the sower (Matthew 13), quoted the prophet Isaiah to address the problem with disobedience.

Matthew 13:14-15 (NKJV) And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed

Isaiah gives us a window into understanding how our hearts can become calloused, unbelieving and disobedient. It has to do with what we are seeing and what we are hearing. The eye gate and the ear gate are entrances to our understanding. Your understanding will determine how you respond.

Seeing and hearing affects the condition of your heart. The condition of your heart determines how you will respond to God. Your response to God will determine your life and your testimony.

DAILY REVELATION FROM GOD IS SO IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY HEART. GOD REVEALS HIMSELF THROUGH HIS PRESENCE, HIS VOICE, HIS WISDOM AND HIS WAYS.

Everyday look out for God activity. Don’t focus on what the devil is doing, or what evil people seek to do. Focus on God happenings – good things are God things – then you will be able to rejoice and be thankful.

SEEK TO EXPERIENCE GOD’S PRESENCE EVERYDAY. IT WILL CREATE A THANKFUL HEART.

SEEK TO HEAR HIS VOICE DAILY. IT WILL CREATE A TEACHABLE HEART

THEN SEEK TO ENQUIRE OF HIM DAILY. IT WILL CREATE A DISCERNING HEART

SEEK TO FOLLOW HIS WAYS. IT WILL CREATE AN OBEDIENT HEART

A W Tozer said it well:

“The world of sense intrudes upon our attention day and night for the whole of our lifetime. It is clamorous, insistent and self-demonstrating. It does not appeal to our faith; it is here, assaulting our five senses, demanding to be accepted as real and final. But sin has so clouded the lenses of our hearts that we cannot see that other reality, the City of God, shining around us. The world of sense triumphs. The visible becomes the enemy of the invisible; the temporal, of the eternal.”

As we look at the messages given to the seven churches, let us approach it consciously evaluating the condition of our heart in each of these situations the believers found themselves in. In this fast paced, everyday world, our attention is so divided that God can sometimes be an after thought and pursuing God an activity when we can spare the time. The reality is, the only way we are going to experience the complete healing and restoration we are longing for, is if we pursue God with all our heart. The problem does not lie with the world or the external environment we live in. It really is about the condition of our hearts.

THE HEART OF THE MATTER IS ALWAYS THE MATTERS OF THE HEART