Plato defined rhythm as “an order of movement”. I like that definition. The Bible has revealed God as one who indeed functions in an order of movement. He works in a rhythm. Times and seasons, Feasts and Days of remembrance, laws and traditions – the whole tenor of the Old Testament carries the rhythm of God – an order of movement which God chooses to intentionally function in. When individuals and nations are in sync with God, they are recipients of the creative blessings of God. When out of sync with God, the outcome is always chaos and disaster.

As we enter this New Year – with all its uncertainties, information and misinformation, conspiracy theories or genuine warnings – what’s certain is no one really knows what’s going on. My invitation to all of us is, rather than get caught up in all the fog of the unknown, let us do one thing that is certain to make 2021 a blessed year. Let’s keep in rhythm with God.

I want to take you to the first chapter of the Bible. Genesis chapter 1 – the creation story. I want you to see the order of movement, the pattern of regular recurring motion, a rhythm that produced a perfect world. The outcome was not just good but very good.

THE VERY FIRST LINE IN THE BIBLE

Genesis 1:1 (NKJV) In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.

IN THE BEGINNING GOD. That is your starting point. To be in sync with God – You must believe God exists. He must be your beginning in everything. “Christ is the alpha and omega, the beginning and the end”; “for in Him we live and move and have our being”. Paul speaking to the Colossian church on the preeminence of Christ, made this very clear.

Colossians 1:15-18 (NKJV) He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

In the beginning God – that means we come to this place in our lives where everything we think, say and do has it’s beginnings with God. Our day begins with God. Our every decision has it’s beginnings with God. The choices we make has their beginnings with God. Our dreams, our ambitions, our moment by moment existence have their beginnings with God.

Not just begin with God – IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED. Know the God you start your day with – He is a creator. His nature is to create not to destroy.

John 10:10 (NKJV) The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

Jeremiah 29:11 (NKJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.

James 1:17 (NKJV) Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

There are tons of Scriptures that speak of the nature of God. He is good. It is not sufficient to believe that God exists. We need to believe the God as revealed in Scripture. He is good all the time. He is good and only good.

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

NOT JUST BELIEVE GOD EXISTS BUT BELIEVE HE IS A GOOD GOD, WITH GOOD THOUGHTS TOWARDS US, AND GOOD PLANS AHEAD FOR US

In the beginning God created – start your year with this. Start everyday with this, live moment by moment with this. Say to yourself everyday this good God is my beginning and my end.

“GOD SAID AND IT WAS SO”

The second aspect of the rhythm of God is found in the way Moses records each day of creation starting with the phrase “God said” and ending the day with the phrase “and it was so”.

Take note of the rhythm – Gen 1: v3 (1^st day), v6 (2^nd day), v9 and again in v11 (3^rd day), v14 (4^th day), v20 (5^thday), v24 (6^th day)

The second aspect about the rhythm of God is that God always does what He says He will do. This year i am inviting you to hold on to this unwavering belief that God always does what He says He will do.

Numbers 23:19 (NKJV) “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?

Hebrews 6:18 (NLT) So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.

Isaiah 55:11 (NKJV) So shall My word be, that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

This is another aspect of the rhythm of God. “God said … and it was so”. Throughout 2021 stay in this mindset that God cannot and will not lie. If He has said it, it will surely come to pass. If it is taking some time for you to see the fulfilment of His promise, don’t get out of sync. Stay in that mindset and expect God to do it. For it is impossible for God to lie.

GOD SAW AND IT WAS GOOD

Because God is good, and He does what He says he will do, the final outcome of everything God does is not just good but very good. The third aspect of the rhythm of God I’m inviting you to keep to is the faith that everything God does is always good. In the end only good is going to be the outcome of our year if we keep in step with Him.

Moses tells us that God evaluated all that He had done for the day and acknowledged it was good. Again we see that rhythm in Genesis chapter 1 – And God saw that it was good (v4, v10, v12, v18, v21, v25) and finally in v31 “Then God saw everything that He had made, and indeed it was very good.”

The thing I am inviting you to do this year, is to evaluate your day at the end of everyday. Look for the good that has happened in the day. Something good has happened. You may have missed it. God has been at work. His work is always creative. He has done something good. Look out for it. Search for it at the end of your day and find it. And when you have found the good in that day, acknowledge it and be thankful.

It is worth noting that everyday ends with the phrase “So the evening and the morning were the (first or second or third etc.) day”. God’s day starts in the evening – everyday in the evening to the next evening. HOW YOU END YOUR DAY IS AS IMPORTANT AS HOW YOU BEGIN YOUR DAY – START IT WITH GOD AND END IT WITH GOD.

Psalms 16:7-8 (NLT) I will bless the LORD who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

Go into your night in sync with God and you will wake up in the morning in sync with God. Evaluate the end of everyday and look for the good in the day and recognise that God has been active in your day.

God rested from all His work

The final aspect of the rhythm of God is in chapter 2.

Genesis 2:2-3 (NKJV) And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made.

The final but equally important aspect of god’s rhythm is the Sabbath rest. Some thoughts about the Sabbath:

Have a Sabbath day

“He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done”. ‘We see a clear rhythm God is calling us into – 6 days work, one day rest. Your week must include a day of rest – where you physically, mentally, spiritually rest from work. What is it that you do that gives your soul rest?

When we talk about the Sabbath it is important that we avoid listening to those who tell you that Sabbath has to be a particular day of the week. For our Jewish friends it is Friday evening to Saturday evening. Some of our Christian friends like those from the Seventh Day Adventists will insist the same. I think it is noble of them to keep a day remembering the Sabbath. I think they do that better than we do. It’s the insistence of a particular day and no other day that I part company with them.

The early church had some logistical problems. The Jews in the congregation would have to go to the synagogues on Sabbath (the seventh day) but the Gentile Christians were not allowed to enter the synagogues and participate in the Sabbath prayers. So the church met the next day (the first day of the week), where Jews and Gentile Christians freely met and worshiped the Lord.

Acts 20:7 (NKJV) Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2 (NKJV) Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given orders to the churches of Galatia, so you must do also: On the first day of the week let each one of you lay something aside, storing up as he may prosper, that there be no collections when I come.

By the time John was writing the book of Revelation, he called it the “day of the Lord”.

Revelation 1:10 (NKJV) I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day, and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,

So the early church did not insist on keeping the seventh day as the Sabbath. In fact it was the first day of the week, Sunday, that they would gather and break bread together commemorating the resurrection of our Lord which was on the first day of the week.

Not just a Sabbath day; have Sabbath moments

Paul was very clear to avoid the Sabbath becoming legalistic and moved practices into principles:

Colossians 2:16-17 (NKJV) So let no one judge you in food or in drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or sabbaths, which are a shadow of things to come, but the substance is of Christ.

Every religious act we do must centre us back to Christ. 17th century theologian Frances Fenelone suggests we have Sabbath moments throughout the day. Take “chance moments “through each day and centre yourself toChrist. Pause, refocus on the One who sustains us. Have Sabbath moments.

So this year – let’s keep in rhythm with God. Stay in sync with Him. He creates perfection in His rhythm.

IN THE BEGINNING GOD – THAT MEANS WE COME TO THIS PLACE IN OUR LIVES WHERE EVERYTHING WE THINK, SAY AND DO HAS IT’S BEGINNINGS WITH GOD

IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED – NOT JUST BELIEVE GOD EXISTS BUT BELIEVE HE IS A GOOD GOD, WITH GOOD THOUGHTS TOWARDS US, AND GOOD PLANS AHEAD FOR US

– START YOUR YEAR WITH THIS. START EVERYDAY WITH THIS, LIVE MOMENT BY MOMENT WITH THIS

– GOD, THIS GOOD GOD IS MY BEGINNING AND MY END

SECONDLY: “GOD SAID AND IT WAS SO” – STAY IN THIS MINDSET THAT GOD CANNOT AND WILL NOT LIE. IF HE HAS SAID IT, IT WILL COME TO PASS. IF IT IS TAKING SOME TIME FOR YOU TO SEE THE FULFILMENT – DON’T GET OUT OF SYNC, STAY IN THAT MINDSET AND EXPECT GOD TO DO IT. FOR IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR GOD TO LIE.

THE THIRD THING I’M INVITING YOU TO DO THIS YEAR IS TO EVALUATE YOUR DAY AT THE END OF EVERYDAY. HOW YOU END YOUR DAY IS AS IMPORTANT AS HOW YOU BEGIN YOUR DAY – START IT WITH GOD AND END IT WITH GOD. GO INTO YOUR NIGHT IN SYNC WITH GOD AND YOU WILL WAKE UP IN THE MORNING IN SYNC WITH GOD.

THE FINAL BUT EQUALLY IMPORTANT ASPECT OF GOD’S RHYTHM – IS REST. HAVE A SABBATH DAY. YOUR WEEK MUST INCLUDE A DAY OF REST – WHERE YOU PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, SPIRITUALLY REST FROM WORK. BUT NOT JUST A SABBATH DAY; HAVE SABBATH MOMENTS. THROUGHOUT THE WEEK, TAKE CHANCE MOMENTS TO PAUSE AND FOCUS ON THE ONE WHO CAME TO GIVE US TRUE REST – JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD.

I WISH YOU HAPPY NEW YEAR – AND I WISH YOU A YEAR IN RHYTHM WITH GOD. SO THAT WE WILL ALL SEE GOD’S CREATIVE WORK IN OUR LIVES. WE WILL SAY AT THE END OF 2021 – GOD IS SO GOOD, IT IS GOOD, IT IS VERY GOOD.

Steve Pressfield said this:

“A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable, nor does the genius or the madman. It’s only you and I, with our big brains and our tiny hearts, who doubt and overthink and hesitate.”

Isn’t that so true. A child will believe anything we tell them. As we approach Christmas, we are reminded that children actually believe that an overweight man, dressed in red, will come from the North Pole, squeeze through the chimney and leave presents for them on Christmas eve. A child has no trouble believing the unbelievable. Neither does a madman.

A psychiatrist was having a conversation with a patient in a mental health ward. The patient was convinced that he was Superman and was able to fly. “How do you know you have super powers?” The psychiatrist enquired. “God told me”, was the quick come back from the patient. Suddenly a loud voice came from the bed next door, “I did not!”

Apparently children, geniuses and madmen have one thing in common. They all have the ability to believe in the unbelievable. Most of us however dwell in the realm of logic. If it doesn’t make sense to us, it is not something we tend to entertain. We take pride in making logical and sensible decisions.

The Christian faith however is not based on human logic. In fact the Bible is very clear that our wisdom and intellect is far superior to God’s and the only way we can ever fathom the plans and purposes of God is to engage with Him by faith. The word for believe found in the New Testament, is the word pisteuō (believe) and pistis (faith) which occurs nearly 500 times in the New Testament. It means to “think to be true”, “to be persuaded”, “to place confidence in”, “to give oneself up to”. Look at some of the ways these words are used in the NT:

John 20:31 (NKJV) but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

John is letting the reader know that his intentions for writing his gospel was to help us believe. Why? – “that you may believe”. What? – “that Jesus is the Christ”. What happens when you do believe Jesus is the Christ? – “you may have life in his name”.

So believing is a choice you make. It is a deliberate choosing to think of the things you read in Scriptures and accept it to be true. To place your confidence in Jesus, to give yourself up to Him, to believe – not just intellectually but to believe and to live it – to put our faith into action. The whole tenor of New Testament carries this intimate link between believing and faith, an inner conviction that influences the way we live our lives and the choices that we make.

Here are other examples of the use of the words pisteuō (believe) and pistis (faith) in the New Testament.

Matthew 21:22 (NKJV) And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Hebrews 11:6 (NKJV) But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

James 1:6-7 (NKJV) But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord

In Luke chapter 1, we see three individuals who were faced with the opportunity to believe (to put faith into action). We want to focus on the lessons we can learn from their responses to the Word from the Lord. We will begin with the first two characters that are mentioned in this chapter.

The Unbelieving Believer – Zacharias

Before we look at our first character, it is important to understand the circumstances in which Zacharias found himself in.

There were physical limitations that influenced his ability to believe

Luke 1:6-7 (NKJV) And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years.

As a couple, both Zacharias and Elizabeth were in a right relationship with God even though they didn’t find themselves particularly favourable in the area of child bearing. Note words used by Luke to describe their lifestyle – “righteous”, “walking in all the commandments”, “blameless”. Imagine doing everything right but “they had no child”. And imagine when everyone looks at Elizabeth as the one who was “barren”. Not only was Elizabeth barren but the both of them were now “well advanced in years. In other words, all hope for a child was long gone now.

There were emotional and societal aspects that challenged their faith

Being childless carried with it a stigma. Having children was always a blessing and the more children one had the more blessed and fruitful they were seen to be. Barrenness however was always seen as a punishment from God. Elizabeth’s prayer of thanksgiving once she was with child gives us that sense of what she was going through.

Luke 1:25 (NLT) “How kind the Lord is!” she exclaimed. “He has taken away my disgrace of having no children.”

Barrenness positioned Elizabeth as one who was not favoured by God. While the couple was seen as righteous and blameless in God’s eyes, but to those around them there was a cloud of shame and disgrace.

Knowing the circumstances surrounding Zacharias we can understand why reacted the way he did when he encountered the angel of the Lord.

Luke 1:13 (NLT) But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer.

Inspite of the impossible situation they were both in, Zacharias continued to pray for a miracle. We are not told if this was intentional or even a conscious prayer but we do know he continued to pray. His response of course gives us an idea that Zacharias never really expected an answer to this prayer.

Luke 1:18 (NKJV) And Zacharias said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”

Even though Zacharias kept praying for the miracle, he didn’t really believe God was able to or maybe even willing to answer his prayer. He was praying a prayer based on his circumstances rather than God’s ability to do the miraculous. He prayed for a miracle but believed it was impossible. There was a gap between his praying and his believing. It would seem that he may have been going through the motion of praying for the miracle but what he believed was that it could never happen. “I am old” and “my wife is well advanced in years” was what he chose to believe. He prayed for a miracle but cancelled out his prayer by believing it was impossible.

The miraculous requires faith to believe God can

The Bible teaches us that the prayer for the impossible requires a belief that God can do the impossible.

Matthew 21:22 (NKJV) And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Not only is it important to believe that we will receive what we pray for, we also are required not to waver in that belief.

James 1:6-7 (NKJV) But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

Zacharias was praying, but he was praying the prayer of unbelief. He cancelled out his own prayer by confessing that it was impossible for the miracle to happen. The angel’s response to the unbelieving words that were coming out of Zacharias mouth was to silence it. The angel pressed the mute button.

Luke 1:19-20 (NKJV) And the angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their own time.”

Praying unbelieving prayers can cause us to become desensitised to God happenings. Here was Zacharias face to face with angel Gabriel. Gabriel is traditionally known as God’s messenger angel. When Gabriel is dispatched, you got God’s attention. God favoured Zacharias to the point that he gave clear indication that his prayer was answered. But the effect of praying unbelieving prayers was Zacharias could not accept that the miraculous was happening.

If you are cancelling out your own prayers by the negative stuff you think and say, the best thing to do is to mute it. In order to pray believing prayers, you must first stop the unbelieving words that come out of your mouth.

We speak ourselves into being

The Bible is very clear about the power of our words. A lack of understanding of the atmosphere we create around us by our words can effect the effectiveness of our prayer life.

Romans 10:10-11 (NKJV) For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”

Paul clearly shows us the connection between what we believe and what we speak.

Our convictions influence our conversations. Our conversations reinforce our convictions.

If you want to know what you truly believe, look at what you confess with your mouth. In the same way, if you want to influence what you believe, start changing the way you talk. Take note of the words you say when you pray. Are they confessions of faith or are they confessions of human limitations. Zacharias may have believed God could perform miracles but he didn’t believe God would do a miracle for him. Yes, he prayed but he did not believe his own prayers. He was an unbelieving believer.

Are you an unbelieving believer? Check your speech life. Observe the words you pray. Listen to the words you speak to others about God.

Do you focus on the impossible or do you focus on the God of the impossible?

2. The believing believer– Mary

The second character in our study is a young virgin. She too was in very similar circumstances. Again the impossible message was made clear to the reader.

Luke 1:26-27 (NKJV) Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.

Same messenger in both circumstances, the Angel Gabriel. In some ways Mary’s situation was even more impossible. She was a virgin, she had not been with a man. It was not just physically improbable, pregnancy was physically impossible in this situation. Although she too was faced with the call to believe the impossible like Zacharias, Mary’s response was quite the opposite.

She received a Word

Luke 1:31 (NKJV) And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus.

Like Zacharias, she too received an impossible promise. The word spoken by the angel was not just beyond human comprehension, it contradicted human intellect. But the fact was an angel stood before her and brought a word from the Lord. She was faced with a choice, reject it in favour of what makes sense or accept it as a word from the Lord.

She enquired of the Word

Luke 1:34 (NKJV) Then Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I do not know a man?”

I see a big difference between Mary’s enquiry and Zacharias’ one. Zacharias prayed for the impossible but did not believe he would receive it. Mary however was presented with the impossible and prayed for wisdom to receive it. Mary’s “how can this be” was the cry to bridge the gap of the desire to believe and the perplexity of facing realities before her. I see Mary’s response as similar to the father whose son was tormented by evil spirits, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief”.

God is not offended by our struggles to arrive at a place where we are in the same page with Him. The problem of unbelief is not that we are struggling to believe. The tragedy of unbelief is that we arrive at a conclusion before we give a chance for God to strengthen the place where unbelief has taken root. Mary chose to let God speak into her struggles to believe.

Luke 1:35 (NKJV) And the angel answered and said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God.

The response from the angel bridged the gap for Mary. Her foundational belief was that God can do all things. When one’s foundational beliefs in God are right, all of God’s words makes sense. Of course when the Holy Spirit comes upon someone, anything is possible. The Scriptures testify to that. Mary was now ready to embrace the impossible promise.

She believed and confessed the Word

Luke 1:38 (NKJV) Then Mary said, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”

Mary, like Zacharias, had a choice to respond to God’s invitation to believe in the impossible. She chose to believe. Not only did she believe the word of the Lord, she acts on that belief by confessing it – “let it be to me”. Your faith is revealed by what you confess. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. It is upon the confession of our faith that we see our prayers being effective. “Let it be to me, as you have spoken”. Mary was a believer of the unbelievable. She chose to hold on to one assumption – Nothing is impossible with God. If he says it will happen, it will happen.

Reflection and action for the week:

1. Ponder on the 2 characters in this passage. Put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself “How would I respond if I were in their position?”

2. Is there something you need to act on from this message:

• Do you need to change your prayers into believing prayers? What would that look like?

• Have you experienced miracles but never acknowledged them? How can you start doing that?

• Do you need to change your speaking to remain in the environment of believing the unbelievable?

For the past two weeks we have looked at what the impact would be if we believers lived with eternity in our hearts. We talked about looking out for the daily Divine “kairos” moments that would trigger a series of continuous events leading to breakthroughs and transformation. For that to happen, we need to change the way we think and do life. We need to come to a place where we live our lives believing that our prayers and our interactions with people around us are intentionally making the impossible possible. We need to change our default setting about what is possible and impossible.

Heaven’s default mindset

The default mindset in heaven is “with God all things are possible”. It has it source from who God is and what He is able to do. God Himself has established this mindset.

Jeremiah 32:27 (NKJV) “behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me?

The heavenly beings have the same mindset. We see this in the response the angel gave to Mary during the announcement of the birth of Jesus.

Luke 1:37 (NKJV) For with God nothing will be impossible.

Jesus had the heavenly mindset

Jesus was subjected to the same human limitations we are, but he had a default mindset that believed all things were possible with God. We see this in Jesus’ daily interactions with those who came to him seeking the miraculous.

• In response to the rich young ruler

Matthew 19:23-26 (NKJV) Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

• In response to the father of the epileptic child

Mark 9:23 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, “if you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

• In response to unbelief at the grave of Lazarus

John 11:39-42 (NKJV) Jesus said, “take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to him, “Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days.” Jesus said to her, “did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. And i know that you always hear me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that you sent me.”

What is noteworthy of this passage is that the mindset that “all things are possible with God” was so engrained in Jesus, so much so that praying for Lazarus to be raised from the dead was unnecessary for Jesus. He not only believed God could do it but he knew God will do it.

• At Gethsemane, the hour before Jesus was betrayed

Mark 14:36 (NKJV) and he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what you will.”

Paul embraced this heavenly mindset

One can only assume that the disciples of Christ adopted the same mindset seeing the miracles that occurred in the early church. We know for a fact that the apostle Paul had embraced this mindset.

Philippians 4:13 (NKJV) I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

As we seek to bring the supernatural, miraculous, heavenly atmosphere wherever we are, we need to embrace this mindset which was prevalent in Biblical times – “with God all things are possible”. That requires us to think big. Much bigger that our finite minds can ever comprehend. Nothing is impossible with God. When we have that mindset embedded in us, we stop second guessing God possibilities. The only way we can make the impossible seem possible is if we look at it through the lenses that “with God all things are possible”.

Think big

The challenge we have before us is to think big. We need to stop limiting our ideas of God to our finite minds. The problem with modern day Christians is that we have this idea we are far superior in our intellect and understanding and that we know better than the ancient Biblical writers. We think because we are so much more advanced in technology, science and medicine that we are able to demystify the Bible and make it more palatable to the modern day reader. How foolish can we be not to realise that we have reduced an infinite God into our finite minds. Malcolm Muggeridge warned that this would happen. Speaking of humanity he said, “… at last, having educated himself into imbecility, and polluted and drugged himself into stupefaction, he keeled over – a weary, battered old brontosaurus – and became extinct”

Just because we find it hard to believe the things we read in Scripture. Just because it doesn’t make sense to our modern day educated mind. Just because we haven’t seen such things in our lifetime. It does not give us the right to alter the Scriptures. All we have is the right to choose – believe the Scriptures or reject it. That is our only choice. We do not have the prerogative to pick and choose. Neither do we have the authority to tone down the supernatural so as not to offend our intellect. Believe the Scriptures and live or reject the Scriptures at your own peril.

I am convinced that the reason why we aren’t seeing the miracles the early church experienced is simply because we do not have the same belief they shared. They saw God as He revealed Himself in Scriptures, through His Son and through the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit manifesting Himself in their midst. They was no question in their mind that God was able to do “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us”. We have given too much credence to modern day preachers and less honour to what God is saying through His Word.

Not our faith but our attitude

For a long time, I have been convinced that I needed more faith to see the miraculous occur again in our lifetime. The disciples had the same concern. They asked Jesus to increase their faith. Jesus’ response to that appeal is quite telling. He wasn’t concerned about their level of faith. He was more interested in addressing their attitude towards their service to God.

Luke 17:5-6 (NKJV) and the apostles said to the Lord, “increase our faith.” So the Lord said, “if you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

Jesus was debunking the myth that the bigger the miracle, the bigger the faith that is required. He uses the smallest of seeds and the most inconsequential of miracles to explain to them that faith is usually not the problem for the servant of God. All you need is faith the size of a mustard seed to do an act so impossible and of no significance, yet it will happen. A minute amount of faith to do what we would consider unachievable and unnecessary. So if it is not the size of our faith or the nobility of the act we are seeking the miracle for, what then is the obstacle that stands in our way to see the miracles Jesus did?

After the brief treatment to address the plea for more faith, Jesus goes on to uncover the real reason behind the lack of ability to make the impossible possible. It isn’t faith that is the issue, it is our attitude. Using the harsh expectations of human masters, Jesus highlights the effective nature of true servanthood when applied in the service of God.

Big thinking requires an attitude of a servant

As we delve a little more into Luke 17:5-10, we can see two attitudes that get in the way of the mindset that is needed to see the impossible become possible. I’m calling them trappings – the trappings of instant reward and the trappings of entitlement.

Luke 17:7-10 (NKJV) And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’? But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ”

Within this passage I can see two unhealthy attitudes that may be inadvertently cultivated by a disciple which hinders the miraculous from becoming a norm in our daily lives.

The trappings of instant reward

Luke 17:7 (NKJV) and which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘come at once and sit down to eat’?

There is an implied expectation that servants may expect instant reward when the tasks of the day have not been completed yet. After completing one of the tasks half way through the day does a servant expect a red carpet rolled out and he be served by his master? Jesus is not saying a servant should not expect a reward at the end of the “day”. It is the expectation to receive reward when the job is halfway completed.

The “give me now” attitude stems from the modern day microwave, “ultrafast fibre” generation we live in today. Isn’t that what the younger son suffered from in the prodigal son story. ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ He wanted his inheritance now. He wasn’t prepared to wait for the process of natural transition of wealth from father to sons. He didn’t appreciate the time it takes to form character in a person who was to inherit such a glorious inheritance. We all know the tragic events that would unfold in this young man’s life once he received his instant reward. He squandered his inheritance in “wasteful living”.

We expect instant responses from God, as if He is the waiter in a five star restaurant and we are highly valued patrons. We don’t say this aloud, but there are times when we feel we have done God a favour, toiled for hours and served Him in the field – did a fast for a week, prayed on the matter for nearly a year, spoke in tongues for 30 mins a day for the past year – I’ve done what I’m supposed to do now where is my reward? Like a servant who has become so familiar with his master, we begin to expect an invitation to the table before the “day” is complete.

This “instant reward” attitude nearly cost Abraham his promise. Tempted to sit at the table before the “day” was complete, he opted for a quicker option. Ishmael was not the promise. He had settled for something that would have long term consequences. We are still experiencing the ramifications of the son born out of a “give me my reward now” attitude. Abraham had to learn that the “day” was not over yet. There were tasks to do before he could sit at the table and feast on his promise. It took 25 years from the when the promise was given, for the “day” to be over.

The prophet Jeremiah is an example of a true servant. He struggled to stay focused on his chores for the “day”. He had to learn to keep preaching to a crowd who was not only hostile to his prophecies but threatened his life. Even though the first part of his prophecy was fulfilled in his life time, the people of Israel who now were in exile, still refused to believe the second part of his prophecy that the exile would last for seventy years. He wasn’t able to see the fruit of his ministry in his life time. The fulfillment came after his death.

The trap of instant reward will get in the way of big thinking. We need to make an attitude change if this is something we are struggling with.

The trappings of entitlement

It’s not just the “instant reward” expectation that will effect our ability to see the impossible become possible. Another dangerous attitude that can creep up on us is the trappings of feeling the sense of entitlement. Here the servant not only has an expectation for reward, he has developed a sense that he is entitled for the reward.

Luke 17:9 (NKJV) does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not.

This very subtle attitude can hide behind feelings of disappointment, discouragement or even a sense that God has let us down. I like to call it the “I deserve better” attitude. If the first attitude was similar to the youngest son in the prodigal son story, this attitude is more closely aligned to the eldest son.

Luke 15:29 (NKJV) so he answered and said to his father, ‘lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might make merry with my friends.

Notice the language of entitlement in the eldest son’s response to the father. “I have been serving you – you never gave me”. I’ve been doing my part, you have been slack on yours. Basically I’m saying to you “I deserve better”.

The psalmist gave us an honest assessment of his struggle with the trappings of entitlement.

Psalms 73:1-3 (NKJV) Truly God is good to Israel, To such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

The psalmist was able to recognise his folly because he had a good foundation in his relationship with God. “Truly God is good”. It is never God that is the problem. When there is a need for an attitude adjustment it will never be on God’s side. It will always be mine. God is truly good – all the time. Realising that God is not at fault, he begins to take stock of the feelings he was having as he looked at the proud and wicked all around him. They were prospering in their wicked deeds and it just seemed that God was favouring or rewarding such evil behaviour. He walked into a very slippery slop when he began to think “I deserve better”. I’m the “pure in heart” and they are getting the reward.

Thankfully he enters into the very environment that medicated his soul.

Psalms 73:16-17 (NKJV) When I thought how to understand this, It was too painful for me. Until I went into the sanctuary of God

This is the key to understanding God’s ways. From within His sanctuary and not without. The worst thing we can do in the midst of our toxic thinking of “I deserve better than this”, is to try and figure things out without God. For the psalmist, he credited his attitude adjustment to him being in the presence of God and experiencing the goodness of God afresh. The antidote for the trappings of entitlement is experiencing God afresh on a daily basis.

The trappings of “instant reward” and the trappings of entitlement, will get in the way of big thinking.

Big thinking requires the attitude of a true servant

Luke 17:10 (NKJV) So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘we are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’

If this sounds offensive to you, I recommend an attitude adjustment. If we want to see the miracles the man Jesus did, and greater things because he is now with the Father, we need to embrace the attitude he had in his service to the Father. Look at the language of a true servant:

John 5:19 (NKJV) then Jesus answered and said to them, “most assuredly, I say to you, the son can do nothing of himself, but what he sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the son also does in like manner.

Matthew 26:39 (NKJV) he went a little farther and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, “O my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”

If we want to see the impossible happen in our lifetime we need a change in our default thinking. We need to adopt the heavenly mindset “with God all things are possible”. Such big thinking however requires an attitude of a true servant. Watch out for the trappings of “instant reward” and the trappings of entitlement. They get in the way of big thinking.

Think big but start small

As we draw this reflection to a close, I want to point out that big thinking does not necessarily mean big acts. Sometimes we have lofty thinking and it can stop us from doing anything at all. We get paralysed by the magnitude of the possibilities God can do, that we fail to do anything at all. We look at the things we are doing and assume it they are just too small and insignificant to make even a dent in this mammoth task that is before us. We need to remember that small is big in the economy of God. Let us not despise small beginnings. The parable of the goats and sheep in Matthew 25:31-40 emphasise this idea that small acts done for Christ have eternal impact.

Matthew 25:40 (NKJV) And the king will answer and say to them, ‘assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’

The servants were surprised at the impact they had on Christ. “When did we do such a lofty thing like serve the King of kings? When did we feed You, as if we had the capability to feed one who owns the universe? When did we cloth You, the One who clothes the lilies of the valley? When did we visit You? We would have known it if we did such a spectacular thing like this.”

The response of the king must register in the depth of our being. Small acts of kindness have eternal consequences.

The flip side to this parable is passage the in Matthew seven, where Jesus warned those who think it is the big acts that get them top marks.

Matthew 7:22-23 (NKJV) Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Big thinking does not require towering acts of service. Big thinking merely requires small beginnings. Start somewhere. Do small acts and see what that mindset that “with God all things are possible” will produce in those small acts. So think big – “nothing is impossible with God”. But start small – even the most insignificant act of kindness matters when we do it with eternity in mind.

Last week we looked at the Biblical concept of time. We saw that our concept of time will give us the context weare living in. Our context will determine the choices we make and the actions we take. The tribe of Issachar were “men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do”. Discerning correctly the times we are in, will ensure we know the appropriate course of action we should take.

We also looked at three Hebrew words for time which speak of three distinct time concepts found in the Bible. The passage in Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 introduces us to these three different ideas of time – zemân, ‘êṯ, and ‘olam. (See last week’s blog for an understanding of these three time concepts.)

This week we want to focus on the third concept which is ‘olam translated as eternity in Ecclesiastes 3:11.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NASB alternate reading) He has also set eternity (‘olam) in their heart, Without which man will not find out the work which god has done from the beginning even to the end.

The word ‘olam means a series of times. It’s the linking of an unlimited series of Divine kairos moments that are working out God’s eternal salvation plan. The author of Ecclesiastes is saying there is another time clock that’s exists in life which is separate from chronological time we live in. It is embedded in the heart of everyone. It is called eternity. The only way one can discover or discern what God is doing is to be in touch with this internal Divine time clock called eternity. You can go on living in “chronos” time and get lost in the futility of life, or you can choose to be guided by that internal time clock called eternity and live your life in partnership with God.

Jesus put it this way “my father is always working, and so am I” (John 5:17). Jesus had this mindset while on earth – God was always working His salvation plan – seeking and saving the lost. So everyday, Jesus looked for Divine activity (kairos moments) and joined God in His work. Transformational momentum is created when we live like that. I want to give you 2 examples of what happens when we live with “eternity in our hearts”.

Example 1: The momentum for healing

In this example we will see how the faith to believe for their miracle of healing developed a life of its own as people stepped out of the box and began pushing the limitations of their faith. A momentum was created by these Divine kairos events.

People touch Jesus and get healed

Luke 6:19 (NKJV) and the whole multitude sought to touch him, for power went out from him and healed them all.

Luke tells us that it became somewhat of a norm for the sick to push their way into a crowd in order to touch Jesus and receive their healing. Where did they get the idea that if you touched Jesus you will get healed. Someone one day must have stumbled on this. He or she must have bumped into Jesus in the crowd and suddenly realised they were totally healed. Word must have got around and now multitudes have come to believe that if they get close enough to Jesus and touch him they will be healed.

The woman with an issue of blood

Matthew 9:20-21 (NLT) just then a woman who had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding came up behind him. She touched the fringe of his robe, for she thought, “if I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”

We need to understand a little bit of Old Testament culture in order to fully grasp the significance of what this woman did. The woman had been suffering from a physical condition where she was constantly bleeding for twelve years. In the Mosaic law it stipulates what a woman had to do when she was going through her monthly menstrual cycle.

Leviticus 15:19 (NKJV) If a woman has a discharge, and the discharge from her body is blood, she shall be set apart seven days; and whoever touches her shall be unclean until evening.

Leviticus 15:25 (NKJV) ‘If a woman has a discharge of blood for many days, other than at the time of her customary impurity, or if it runs beyond her usual time of impurity, all the days of her unclean discharge shall be as the days of her customary impurity. She shall be unclean.

This poor woman had to keep herself in isolation for twelve years as she continued to seek treatment for her medical condition. This one time she decided to risk it all because Jesus was passing her way. Not only does she risk breaking the law by mingling with the crowd, she was now considering touching Jesus for her healing. She probably was thinking if she did touch Jesus, the Old Testament law will render Jesus unclean for a whole day and he would have to go through the purification ritual to make himself clean again. So instead of touching Jesus, she decides to just touch the fringe of his garment. She was healed.

We see a development now from people who believed that if they touched Jesus they will be healed, to a woman who believed she didn’t need to touch Jesus – just touching the fringe of his robe would be sufficient.

Peter’s shadow healing the sick

Acts 5:15-16 (NKJV) they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.

Fast track to post resurrection. We see the momentum for healing pick up with the number of healings increasing exponentially after Pentecost. By the time we get to chapter five of the book of Acts, we see that the city of Jerusalem was so charged up with the atmosphere of faith that people began to believe that God was not restricted by the need to have physical contact with the one carrying the anointing to heal. The crowds believed that healing was possible if they just close to Peter, just close enough so his shadow would touch them.

Paul’s unusual miracles

Acts 19:11-12 (NKJV) now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, so that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them and the evil spirits went out of them.

Things sure picked up steam and by the time we get to chapter nineteen, the faith of believers had reached a place where they were no longer restricted by touch or distance.

Example 2: Momentum to eradicate poverty

Another example of how one event seemed to have triggered a series of events that created momentum for faith to increase and thrive is in the area of helping the poor. Ministry and concern for the poor featured much in the New Testament. It began right from the onset of the early church and continued to spread among the Greek churches planted by Paul. What I want to highlight is the shape and form the ministry took on as time went on.

The church in Jerusalem gave to the poor

Acts 2:45 (NKJV) and they sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.

We see that the early church right from its infancy began to provide for those who were poor. People were selling stuff that was hanging around in the garage, possessions they could do without and channeled sales to the poor among them.

The church in Jerusalem was able to eradicate poverty in their midst

Acts 4:34 (NKJV) nor was there anyone among them who lacked; for all who were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of the things that were sold,

By the time we get to chapter four, the church took it up a notch. Christians sensed that God was in this and began to increase momentum in helping the poor among them. The wealthy who owned multiple houses and lands, began selling them to help the poor. The momentum built to a point where anyone who was poor, who allowed themselves to be part of this faith community in Jerusalem, found themselves being freed from the bondage of poverty. In fact Luke says there was “no one among them who lacked”. Imagine a community that becomes aware of what God was doing among the poor, joins in with Him and increases the intensity of their giving to the point they had eradicated poverty within their sphere of influence.

Christians in Macedonia gave beyond their ability

2 Corinthians 8:1-4 (NKJV) moreover, brethren, we make known to you the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia: that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality. For I bear witness that according to their ability, yes, and beyond their ability, they were freely willing, imploring us with much urgency that we would receive the gift and the fellowship of the ministering to the saints.

What started as people who were wealthy helping the poor, grew in influence to the point that those who were in “deep poverty themselves” tapped into divine resources and gave beyond their capacity to give.

We need to realise that every act we do in obedience to God’s word, has a potential of creating a momentum that will influence others to act in similar ways and result in large scale transformation. That’s what living with eternity in our hearts looks like. We have a choice to live the mundane “chronos” life and be caught up in the futility of life, or we could start living with this eternity time clock embedded in us. Discern what God is doing and respond accordingly. This kind of lifestyle will create momentum. The more of us living like that will create a tsunami of change, a supernatural transformation in our lives, our families, our communities, our city and our nation.

How do we do this? Is there a formula, a recipe, a blueprint so we can all follow. My experience and based on my study of the great men and women of faith in the Bible, we stumble into this life. It isn’t a science. We just put one foot in front of the other till we see God’s plan unfold in and through us. The best picture that is given to us is the story of the four lepers in 2 Kings chapter 7.

Stumbling into eternity

The story has its context in a time when Israel was in a severe famine. The city of Samaria was under siege by the Syrian army. The Bible tells us the famine was so severe that a donkey’s head sold for 80 silver shekel (about $50). Not only was it an unclean animal it was the worthless part of the body – and it was going for top dollar as if it was a rib eye steak. The desperate situation catapulted four lepers into what would be one of the most unusual and amazing miracles in the Bible.

2 Kings 7:3-4 (NKJV) They said to one another, “why are we sitting here until we die? If we say, ‘we will enter the city,’ the famine is in the city, and we shall die there. And if we sit here, we die also. Now therefore, come, let us surrender to the army of the Syrians. If they keep us alive, we shall live; and if they kill us, we shall only die.”

It wasn’t much of a faith declaration. In fact it was more of rolling a dice. “Let’s take a chance. We may have more luck with the enemy.”

Stumbling into victory

2 Kings 7:5-8 (NKJV) When they had come to the outskirts of the Syrian camp, to their surprise no one was there. For the Lord had caused the army of the Syrians to hear the noise of chariots and the noise of horses—the noise of a great army; So they said to one another, “look, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of the Egyptians to attack us!” Therefore they arose and fled at twilight, and left the camp intact—their tents, their horses, and their donkeys—and they fled for their lives. And when these lepers came to the outskirts of the camp, they went into one tent and ate and drank, and carried from it silver and gold and clothing, and went and hid them; then they came back and entered another tent, and carried some from there also, and went and hid it.

They didn’t have a strategy. They didn’t follow a formula. They just put one foot in front of the other but unbeknown to them they were walking in step with God. Every step they took, all of heaven rolled on in front of them. They were clueless of what was happening. It wasn’t for them to know. They just had to put one foot in front of the other. They had stumbled into eternity time zone. They literally stumbled into their miracle.

We are living in unprecedented times and seasons. To continue to live our lives merely driven by “chronos” time will be a tragedy. God is doing something in our midst. Be aware everyday. Look out for those “kairos” moments of Divine activity. Because God is working all the time. Put one foot in front of the other and walk with God. Let’s see what God will do in and through us.

Time gives context and context determines action. Time gives context. You look at the time and it tells you which part of the morning, afternoon or evening it is. Once time has given you context, you decide what appropriate action you should take. It’s time to wake up, time to go to work, etc. If its midnight on 31st December people act differently. They might gather in groups and countdown the seconds to usher in the new year. Imagine doing that on a normal day at midnight. That would be an inappropriate action. So, time gives context and knowing the time and context enables you to decide an appropriate action.

Ignorance of time and seasons can have dangerous consequences. The prophet Hosea warned the people of God that they would be “destroyed for lack of knowledge”. In that context it was knowledge of the times and seasons the were living in. The Chronicler speaks of the sons of Issachar who had extraordinary ability to know the times and seasons they were in and the appropriate actions to take.

1 Chronicles 12:32 (NKJV) 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

Note the connection between understanding the times and knowing what to do. Time gives context and context determines the appropriate action to take. In this situation, Israel was in the midst of transitioning from the House of Saul to the House of David. Of course it was a no brainer as David had won the war and Saul was now dead. So we see in the chapter a whole list of tribes that were shifting their allegiance to David. The passage however highlights the sons of Issachar, as they were not just doing something because it was prudent, but they did it because they discerned it was a God thing to do. They realised that they were in a season of time which was significant in God’s time clock and “knew what Israel should do”. They recognised the significance of the moment in Israel’s history. And it was significant. The act of ordaining David as King would have eternal consequences. Israel was about to enter into it’s greatest hour as a nation and in the context of God’s eternal plan, mankind was one step closer to the coming of the messiah, Jesus the son of David.

I want to take you to Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 to give you an understanding of how Biblical writers viewed time. There were three concepts of time which this passage captures. In verse one we see two of the concepts mentioned.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NKJV) to everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven

Here the word translated season is the Hebrew word zemân which means a fixed time. The word translated time in the verse one is the word ‘êṯ which means now time. So the author is saying that everything under heaven has a “fixed time” but there is also a “now time” where purposeful things are actioned. He then goes on from verses two to eight to give a list of things that occur in its “fixed time”.

Ecclesiastes 3:2-8 (NKJV) A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace.

After giving a list of examples of zemân time, he goes on to say in verse nine and ten how futile this zemân fixed time is.

Ecclesiastes 3:9-10 (NKJV) What profit has the worker from that in which he labors? I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied.

If that’s all life is about, how does that profit anyone. Just moving from one calendar event to the next. How many have woken up one morning and asked themselves this very question – what’s the point of all this? The sooner we ask ourselves this question the sooner we will get out of the futility of merely existing. Futility however, ceases when one is faced with the truth of verse eleven.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NKJV) He has made everything beautiful in its time (‘êṯ). Also he has put eternity (‘olam) in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

In verse eleven, the preacher in Ecclesiastes introduces us to another concept of time. The Hebrew word ‘olamwhich is translated eternity. In the midst of the ever constant happenings of “fixed time”, we come to “now times” where things become beautiful. But the author wants us to know that beyond the “zemân fixed time” and the “‘êṯ now time” there exists another time concept. He called it ‘olam or eternity. He links ‘olam time with the work that God does “from the beginning to end”. The NASB suggests another possible reading in its footnote.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NASB alternate reading) He has also set eternity in their heart, without which man will not find out the work which god has done from the beginning even to the end.

The passage suggests that God has put another time clock in our hearts – eternity, “without which” we will continue to live in human concepts of time and not discern or be aware of God’s purposeful acts within times and seasons.

Let us take a closer look at the three concepts of time found in this chapter of Ecclesiastes.

Three Biblical concepts of time

zemân – a fixed time

The Hebrew word zemân corresponds to the Greek word chronos which most of us a more familiar with. Its where we derive our english word chronology from. Chronos is linear and sequential. We monitor chronos with calendars and clocks. You can’t control chronos, it ticks on by. Ignorance of times and seasons makes you a casualty of chronos.

‘êṯ – a now time

The Hebrew word êṯ corresponds to the Greek word kairos, which suggests a time where one acts intentionally on chronos time with a purpose. Kairos is the moment in time which is especially favorable to act on something for an undertaking. Kairos moments come to those who are able to discern opportune moments and seize on them. For a believer, Kairos is more than opportunistic moments or favorable moments. Kairos times are “a now moment in time” where human action aligns with Divine intervention to produce the miraculous.

‘olam – a series of times

The third concept of time in Biblical understanding is the word ‘olam. Because it is translated as eternity it is not commonly thought of as time. The Greek equivalent in the New Testament is iaon which is translated ages in the English versions of the Bible. ‘olam or eternity is not the cessation of time. It means endless time – an ongoing of time which is invisible and incomprehensible to man. It’s the linking of an unlimited series of divine kairos moments that are working towards the unfolding of God’s eternal salvation plan.

Ecclesiastes tells us that without being aware of the existence of this eternal time clock, we will be oblivious of God’s plans and His workings. No one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. No wonder the chronos life is meaningless and futile. Our lives are shallow and insignificant until we realise that we can live purposeful lives if we are have eternity in our hearts.

Example of these three time zones

The story of the healing of the lame man in John chapter five shows us the three time zones in display through the actions of the people in the story. Keep in mind what I said at the start – time gives context and context determines action. Read John 5:1-7 to get the background of this story. In Bethesda there was a pool famous for an annual event. John describes it this way.

John 5:3-4 (NKJV) in these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.

Notice the phrase “at a certain time”. That’s a fixed time. The sick were at the mercy of chronos time. Only one of them each year would be healed if they were lucky enough to be the firs to enter the pool when the stirring occurred. In the midst of chronos time, while this great multitude of sick people were waiting for the winning lottery ticket, Divine kairos was about to happen.

John 5:6 (NKJV) when Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, he said to him, “do you want to be made well?”

Jesus knew he had stepped into a kairos moment – a moment in time for Divine intervention. We might think that the question Jesus asked the man was an odd one. Who in their right mind wouldn’t want to be healed? The reality is that this man had been in this condition for 38 years. We are not told for how long he was lying near the pool but we know it has been a long time. Day in day out he hoped his time would come. But when days turn to months and months to years, you see the futility of your actions. Chronos can beat hope out of you. We see that in this man’s reply.

John 5:7 (NKJV) The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

The man had stopped entertaining any hope of being healed. What was the point. Waiting for a once a year occurrence and when it did come his condition never ever would allow him to be the first to step into the pool. Time, chronos time, had beaten out every ounce of hope left in the man. So Jesus asks him this question to stimulate hope again. You have a choice. You are now faced with a moment in your life which will change your very destiny. How will you respond?

John 5:8 (NKJV) Jesus said to him, “rise, take up your bed and walk.”

This was now the man’s kairos moment. His moment in time where his action would determine his destiny. If he chose to ignore the moment, he would be lame for the rest of his life. He recognised his moment and responds in faith.

John 5:9 (NKJV) And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.

One would expect the entire crowd would be ecstatic at the sight of a phenomenal healing like that. Instead the Jewish leaders were infuriated.

John 5:16-17 (NKJV) for this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill him, because he had done these things on the sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “my Father has been working until now, and I have been working.”

The problem with the Jews was that they had disconnected the sabbath day which was in “chronos time” from “eternity time”. They saw the Sabbath as a day of the week that work must cease. Jesus answer would not have made sense to them for this very reason. God was working on the Sabbath? How can God who ceased from work and instituted the Sabbath be working. What they could not comprehend was that the work that must cease is the temporal work done in chronos time. The work God was continuing to do was the ongoing work from beginning to end, to redeem and restore mankind. That work never ceases. That work is in the eternity timezone and continuos until “the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ”.

Eternity is a Divine timezone

This is the shift that needs to occur in all of us if we want to see transformation occur in and around us. Jesus had this mindset that God was always working. In other words, God was operating in another timezone. He was on an eternal time clock. Jesus had eternity in his heart. He never subjected himself to the futility of zemân/chronos time. Everyday he carried eternity in his heart. God was always working. Everyday, every minute – so he looked for divine kairos moments to engage with people to see God encounters take place in their lives.

These divine encounters kept on happening everywhere Jesus went. His ability to remain in the eternity timezone ensured that the unlimited series of divine kairos moments picked up moment which resulted in transformation of multitudes in villages and cities.

John 6:2 (NKJV) then a great multitude followed him, because they saw his signs which he performed on those who were diseased.

Every divine encounter during kairos moments had a domino effect when seen with eternity in mind. Eternity is a divine time zone. It is a series of divine kairos moments that trigger continuous events that bring about transformation. Eternity creates momentum for supernatural transformation. Understanding this is crucial in our daily christian lives. When we live our lives everyday looking out for divine kairos moments, knowing that every little action in partnership with the Holy Spirit creates momentum towards eternal transformation.

Your concept of time will give you the context you are living in. Your context will determine your choices and action. If you function in temporal (chronos) time, your actions will have temporal effect. If you function with eternity in mind, your divine kairos moments will trigger a series of continuous events that will lead to transformation of your family, friends, town, city, nations and have generational consequences. God is always working. The time to work is now!

I’m focusing on a 3-part series with the theme “Becoming God Magnets”. In last week’s blog I looked at the Christian’s sphere of influence – your “magnetic” field. This week I want to build on the metaphor of the magnet and look at a Christian’s active power to influence – your pulling power. Last week I asked the question, “How much of an impact does our relationship with Christ have on the people around us?” A followup question on that would be, “How active and effective are we in drawing people to Christ?”

Jesus was a magnet, the disciples were magnets, the early church was a magnet. The plan of the Father is to shape us into God magnets where we, like the early church, become transformed lives producing transformational encounters.

Magnetism of God magnets

One of the phenomenas of magnets are their ability to magnetise other non magnetic material. God magnets are contagious and effective agents of change wherever they are.

The great apostle Paul had such an effect wherever he went. Hi story in the book of Acts has him either creating a revival or a riot everywhere he went. In every city Paul found himself in, he never failed to attract attention and then deflect it to Christ through the preaching of the Gospel. His life was truly a God magnet. Even when his movements were restricted, it didn’t change the way he drew people to Christ. In Philippians 1:12, writing from prison, Paul pens these words:

Philippians 1:12 And I want you to know, my dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment, most of the believers here have gained confidence and boldly speak God’s message without fear.

He speaks of current events that have happened to him – “Everything that has happened to me here..”. It has been quite an eventful couple of years for Paul from Caesarea to Rome. He witnessed to the highest officials in Jerusalem and Caesarea – Governors Felix and Festus and King Agrippa. King Agrippa upon hearing Paul’s testimony confessed that he was almost persuaded to be a Christian.

Acts 26:28 (NKJV) Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

Paul’s journey to Rome was perilous, shipwrecked in Malta and finally arriving in Rome. Throughout the journey God manifesting His power with miraculous signs and wonders through His servant Paul. Imagine a prisoner of the state, yet having the freedom to preach the Gospel under the watchful eyes of Roman guards. He arrives in Rome and is placed under house arrest for two years.

Acts 28:16 (NKJV) Now when we came to Rome, the centurion delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard; but Paul was permitted to dwell by himself with the soldier who guarded him.

Acts 28:30-31 (NKJV) Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him.

So writing to the church in Philippi, Paul testifies that his chains are actually helping him in spreading the Gospel – “For everyone here, including the whole palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ.” His effectiveness to preach the Gospel also gave other Christians the confidence to do the same.

The Roman church was known for their infectious faith. Paul, writing to the Roman Christians years before he stepped foot in Rome, speaks of their faith that had a global effect.

Romans 1:8 Let me say first that I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith in him is being talked about all over the world.

As we look at the early church and the apostles, we must ask ourselves a very soul-searching question – do we draw people to Christ or do we repel them away from Him?

Aroma of life vs aroma of death

Another way of looking at our effectiveness as Christians in our community is to look at it in light of being a fragrance. Paul uses the metaphor of a fragrance to describe the follower of Christ.

2 Corinthians 2:14 – now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.

Paul says that a Christian creates a distinguishable aroma wherever we go. He calls us the “fragrance of Christ” and says that when we interact with the world, we create either an aroma of life or an aroma of death.

When we are among people who are “being saved”, the atmosphere that we create around them is an aroma of life. In other words, when we among them, the lives we live in Christ becomes a source of strength, encouragement and life to those on their faith journey. Our faith journey can become an inspiration to other believers, providing them with a distinct experience which draws them closer to the Lord.

On the other hand, the presence of a follower of Christ can permeate the atmosphere around those who are not in Christ, creating a distinct fragrance that enables them to discern an aroma of death that lingers in them. A good example is wound odor, a quick and immediate method of assessing wounds. There is a range of assessments from no odor when the dressing is removed, to strong odor when the dressing is still intact. This method is only possible when in an environment where a foul odour is easily discernable – like in a sterile hospital setting.

There are times when the aroma of a Christian lifestyle can help someone discern the foul odor of areas in their lives and help them make right choices towards healing and restoration. A non Christian who hangs out with a Christian man who loves his wife as Christ loves the church, notices the sacrificial love the Christian shows his wife. That lifestyle becomes an aroma, a fragrance for the man who might be careless or even abusive towards his wife. Seeing the effects it has in the Christian’s marriage may cause the man to long for a relationship he sees in the other and be drawn to the fragrance of sacrificially loving his wife too. In this way, the fragrance of the Christian created an atmosphere for the other man to discern the foul odour in his way of treating his wife.

To some however, this distinct fragrance that a Christian produces can be offensive and they may choose to reject the gospel lifestyle. The history of the church and our own experience tell us that the Christian message isn’t always received well. In that way the fragrance of Christ can be an aroma of death to some. We must however be extra vigilant to ensure that people are reacting to the fragrance of Christ and not the stench of our humanity.

Are we a fragrance or a stench?

The Gospel message is too important to allow it to be trivialised through our careless lifestyle. It is crucial that we ensure our lifestyle is not the reason why people are turning away from Christ. I am suggesting three lifestyle choices we continually make to ensure we are diffusing “the fragrance of Christ” and not the stench of our humanity:

1. Reposition: “all things to all men”

One of the ways to ensure our humanity does not get in the way of our Christian message is to ensure that we constantly reposition ourselves so we do not present ourselves as superior to those around us. Spiritual pride is the most repelling odour a Christian can emit. The apostle Paul maintained a consistent attractive lifestyle by repositioning himself as a servant to all.

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NKJV) For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

Paul was a great soul winner because he constantly repositioned himself in relationship to the other. He never saw himself better than the other, nor did he portray himself as better than others. It wasn’t that he compromised his values or his Christian lifestyle. What he did was to come alongside those he was reaching out to, meeting them where they were and guiding them towards Christ. If we want to be the “fragrance of Christ”, we need to ensure we do not emit the odor of spiritual pride that makes us think we are better than those around us. Reposition ourselves means making ourselves servants of all – enabling them to know Christ.

2. Rephrase: “speak what is good and right”

Matthew 12:33-37 (NKJV) “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruit bad; for a tree is known by its fruit. Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”

Jesus identified one way of revealing if a person’s actions were from a “good tree” or a “bad tree”. Our words. What comes out of our mouth is an indication whether we are having a good effect or a bad effect in others. Good talk which produces good fruit comes from the treasury of a good heart, while evil talk that produces destruction comes from an evil heart.

If we desire for God to diffuse the fragrance of Christ in us, we need to watch our conversations. Our words have good or bad effects. We need to be aware of our ways of speaking seeking always to rephrase the moment we know our words are not producing good fruit.

3. Repent: keep your conscience clear

1 Peter 3:15-16 (NKJV) But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.

Repentance is not a one time act. Neither is it “forgive me” a mantra to say everyday. The apostle Peter isencouraging us to “sanctify the Lord God” in our hearts. In other words, we are told to make it a lifestyle to keep our hearts in a repentant posture so we ensure we are always living a life that is set apart and Christlike. A repentant life is a life that has a routine of daily maintenance of our soul. Am I living a Christ like life? Keeping our conscience clear. A lifestyle of emptying our trash regularly. It is a habitual life of staying fixed under the lordship of Jesus Christ. Keep a clear conscience. Live a good life.

This then is how we ensure we are defusing the fragrance of Christ.

Reposition: We are not better than others. Lets make ourselves servants of all.

Rephrase: Our words produce life or death. Draw from the treasury of a good heart. Speak what is good and right.

Repent: Stay fixed under the lordship of Christ. Empty your trash regularly. Keep a clear conscience. Live a good life.

Let us be a fragrance and not a stench