Category: Daily Word

Nourish your spirit with the wisdom that comes from the teachings of Jesus Christ

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A Tree With Different Fruits

Faith is a practice not a claim. As we have come to believe in God through Jesus Christ, there are certain practices that prove that we are God’s children. It is not enough to just profess to be a Christian. In fact what really matters is what we do because that is what proves who we truly are.

Salvation happens in the heart but it is validated by our works. Works prove whether we are truly saved or not. Anybody who has had a true experience of Christ’s love must prove through how they treat other people. Salvation can’t be claimed by word of mouth but by deeds.

Jesus said, “In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.” Matthew 5:16

Salvation is not a secret affair but rather a public affair. It should be shown to the world so that they may believe.

Have you taken a moment to observe that whenever you go to a place where you are not known when you keep your identity as a child of God secret, you are easily tempted?

Jesus said, “Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven.” Matthew 10:32-33

It is until you profess that you are a child of God that certain people keep away. Confessing Jesus Christ makes you accountable for your works before those around you because you will have to prove your confession. Should they see any behavior from you that is contrary to godliness, they will mock your faith.

Our faith in God must be proven by our deeds. When Jesus had an encounter with the Jews about their freedom through Abraham, he argued that they were children of the devil because of what they intended to do to him.

“For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44 NLT

It is not what we claim that proves who we are but what we do. From the text below we can safely say that Christianity is a practice.

“So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” 2 Peter 1:10-11 NLT

If you are saved, prove it through works. Until you prove it, you did not really have an experience with Jesus Christ.

We are not saved by works but through grace which is a gift of God.1 But when salvation has taken place, we prove our salvation through works. The implication is that our works shows whether salvation took place or not. Jesus said that from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.2

Your words and works are the fruits of what is your heart. You cannot be a tree of two different fruits. You can’t say you are an apple tree yet you bear oranges. You cannot continue to live like nonbelievers and do evil works and have corrupt conversations if you are a child of God.

John said, “Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God.” (1 John 3:9-10 NLT)

If we are to convince the world that we are children of God, our works have to change. But they can only change after having a genuine encounter with Jesus Christ. How you come to Jesus Christ really matters. If you came through a promise of good things, the foundation is shaky. When you encounter suffering, you may lose your faith and seek other gods. If you came to Jesus because of miracles, your foundation is also shaky. The sure foundation that stands is one of a broken heart seeking to be made whole by God; one with a void seeking to be filled; one seeking answers and the real meaning of life; one who genuinely realizes their sin and the immense love of God. With former foundation, many take Christianity for granted. Except you experience the power of mercy, you may never live your life as one indebted to God. This is why you see believers with different levels of devotion to the faith of Christ.

Let us prove that we are children of God through our works. Believing in Christ Jesus starts from the heart and flows through our works. What you do either identifies you with God no or with the devil.

Finally, Apostle Paul warned that there will be a falling away from the faith.3 The only way to hold on to the faith is by practicing what we believe. Practice strengthens our faith and makes us grow in the knowledge of Christ Jesus. For instance, when we practice brotherly love through forgiveness, there is an experience we encounter that gives us the thirst for more of God’s presence. Similarly, when we practice giving there is a fulfillment that our hearts experience that gives us a longing to do more.

Brethren I admonish you to prove that you are a child of God in conversation, conduct, dressing and how you treat other people. Let what we profess be proven by what we do.

  1. Ephesians 2:8 ↩︎
  2. Luke 6:45 ↩︎
  3. 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 ↩︎
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Meals in a Coin

Do you desire God to give you more than what you have in your hands? Faithfulness is the principle key. Faithfulness is the power that increases whatever you have in your hands. In John 3:27, we learn that no person can receive anything except God gives it. And when he gives it, you and I must be faithful with it. We have to be diligent with whatever God has given us. We should put our whole in it, treasure it and celebrate it. Our attitude towards it should be of thankfulness, contentment and committed to it without despising it. The servant who was praised in the parable Jesus gave in Matthew 25:23 was a faithful man. He worked out the talent and ensured it multiplied.

Whatever God has given you is where your abundance is. If you despise it, the grace of abundance will lift off. If you are ashamed of it and you always hide it, you will be like the other servant who hid his one talent and was later grabbed from him. God brings increase using what is already in your hands. With faithfulness there can be meals in a coin.

The blessing God put on mankind in Genesis 1:28 was that of multiplication and increase. Why? Because he had only given them seed. God gives us seeds and adds the blessing that makes rich. The blessing of multiplication and increase is innate – we are born with it. You don’t need prayer for it, except to believe that God put it on all human beings through Adam. You too have that blessing on you. In case you don’t know, Adam didn’t lose the blessing of increase even after leaving the Garden of Eden. That is why even people who are not believers increase in riches if they acknowledge their talents and work them out diligently with patience and financial soundness. Some people are not increasing because they have despised their jobs, talents and skills. While someone is despising his carpentry skill, there is a man who is making furniture and increasing financially. While one despises working as a house help, there is a woman who is prospering through that work.

When you receive and accept whatever God has placed in your hands and are faithful, God will entrust you with much more. Most people despise what God has given them because they like comparing with their mates. That is what the man in the parable Jesus gave did; he compared his one talent with those who had more and consequently lost it. What you despise you lose. When I learnt this principle, I began to look at whatever God has given me as a seed for more. Even with one person in attendance of the midweek service, I preached as though they were thousands. I applied the same effort and energy regardless of how many people were going to show up. It doesn’t matter how much others have; be proud of what you have. It doesn’t matter how glamorous your friend’s marriage and house looks; thank God for your marriage and home. Never despise your husband’s efforts; thank God for him; receive whatever he brings at home with joy and gratitude. If you struggle with expressing genuine joy in receiving what your husband brings at home, pray that God rescues you from that ungrateful spirit. Ask him to fill you with the joy of receiving anything you are given. Some women pretend to be happy when their husbands bring them a pair of low quality footwear. Rejoice and thank God for that effort. Appreciated efforts encourage men to do much more. Some women may despise your husband but inside their hearts they know that if he was to approach them, they would jump up to spoil him and make him look good. In a world where honest is hard to find, one should be careful about what they hear from family and friends.

Women, save yourselves the unnecessary stress by staying away from some friends on social media who just post what they acquire. Be real and show maturity. Posting personal progress of what you have acquired is unnecessary. As a child of God, whatever you do should build people and glorify Jesus Christ. When I was in Lusaka, there were many people that followed and called me to travel out of Zambia to go and collect some charms for crowds to attend our church services. Not once but many times. Yet in those temptations I proclaimed that I would rather walk and preach with a free conscience than to indulge in witchcraft for a superficial lifestyle. I always declared that crowds are not a measure of a person’s anointing. Jesus said that narrow is the way that leads to life and wide is the way that leads to destruction.1 Where there is truth, crowds are a rare case than the opposite. I have never been sad in ministry over crowds because I have read the truth and that is what I share. I had attended meetings where everyone went driving while I got there on a Yango but that never bothered me. When you know the truth and are content, Satan can’t stress you. Over what? A car, food, clothes, money, trips to Dubai? No!

We know the truth and we are satisfied in living our purpose and working it out. Whatever God gives us can’t distract us. We look at that as resources to do more for God. Therefore, even with abundant resources we endeavor to remain faithful stewards. When you have a purpose – driven life, you are always grateful for what God has given you because with it, you know you can still carry out God’s will.

Therefore, today I ask you to look at all that God has given you and begin to thank him for it. Go beyond thanksgiving and make a commitment to be diligent with whatever you have. If it’s work, show your gratitude to God by taking it seriously and ensuring you are never late. If it’s a relationship, ensure you respect your partner and give honor to them. If it’s business, ensure you pour your whole heart and strength in it as you work it out with discipline and patience. Never despise what brings you joy and puts food on your table. Remember that there can be meals in a coin when you are faithful.

  1. Matthew 7:13-14 ↩︎