THE ALL SURPASSING POWER OF GOD

Joshua 17 v 14-18 gives us an account of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh’s ( the people of Joseph) plea, or shall I rather say complaint ,with Joshua about the unfair allotment of land to themselves.

They attested that they were numerous in number and therefore required more than just one lot as an inheritance that had been apportioned to themselves in the promised land.

Joshua agreed with the merits of their plea. He therefore advised them to go to the forest land of the Perizzites and there, clear ground for themselves. The people of Joseph also chose to vent their frustration and channel their complaints toward the people of Canaan, who dwelt in plains (flatlands).

Although they envied these people’s occupation of these plains, they were terribly afraid of occupying these lands as these Canaanites had a formidable army (sic) with powerful weaponry. We can equate the Canaanites “chariots of iron” to modern day war tanks.

Joshua reaffirmed the people of Joseph’s status as powerful people of God and directed them to clear the forest land, possess it to its furthest borders and in the process of doing so, to drive out this supposedly mighty Canaanite people.

In light of the above, we can clearly identify 2 issues that the people of Joseph had been struggling with namely:

• They were not interested in the “hard work”of clearing the lands and
• They were fearful of the Canaanite people.

If we equate these circumstances to modern day Christian life the 2 aforementioned struggles often rears its ugly head so to speak. Translated to modern day, these 2 principles for me would mean:

People are sometimes not keen enough to make conscientious concerted efforts to forge ahead in areas that require hard work to change their status quo, in areas that the enemy has a stronghold on.

People live a life of fear, terrorized that the enemy is powerful when in reality he is weaker than he purports to be.

Let’s look back at the scripture, supra:

Firstly, the instruction from Joshua to them to go conquer the Canaanite people was an instruction to the people of Joseph to do it single-handedly, in other words ,without the help of the other tribes, considering that other tribes such as Zebulun , Judah etc were probably at their disposal to assist. It was to be an internal effort by the people of Joseph and not a collective one involving other tribes.

Secondly, Joshua affirmed to them what they ought to have known and that is that they were a powerful people who would conquer the enemy.

My take on this is translated to modern day is that sometimes we as Christians downplay the extent of the inherent immeasurable power of God in us. Once we develop our identity in Christ then the realization that what we have (the power of God) is sufficient to bring us out of certain strongholds will become readily evident.

Thirdly they were now in the land God promised would flow with milk and honey. Their inability to take possession of Gods promise was a sign of unbelief. Translated to life application it would equate to Christians who are already in the kingdom but fail to apply faith to circumstances and chose instead to walk by sight.

It is high time that we as sons and daughters of the King become less reliant on reaffirmations and come to the place of full understanding that we are inherently equipped with greatness to overcome the work of the enemy.

God intricately wove us for greatness and success and certainly did not create us for failure. Remember we were created in his image. To function at optimal efficiency in Gods plan and purpose, we need to come to realization that we are destined for greatness and that we have the inherent attributes and characteristics of greatness thrust upon us by God.
We are powerful people!!

Brother Malcolm Mahabeer
Hope Christian Fellowship
Durban

ARE YOU COMMITTED?

A chicken and a pig were walking down the road together, engaged in serious conversation. They passed a flashing sign advertising special breakfast at the local Inn. “Ham and Eggs – $2.95!”

What! Exclaimed the chicken, this is nonsense, after all I go through, my contribution to the society is breakfast “for a stupid two #@%##*)# dollars?

The pig just kept quite, disturbed by the loud silence, the chicken asked, is something wrong? To which the pig replied, “For you, it may be a contribution. For me it’s a total commitment.” Tomorrow I give Ham.

There is a great danger in our time of succumbing to mediocrity not through incompetence or a lack of integrity but simply from a lack of genuine commitment. Quality relationships are founded on the rock of commitment, not the shifting sand of feelings or emotions.

Many of those who followed Jesus were merely curious. Others were convinced of the truth of what he was teaching, but only a few were fully and personally committed.

How on earth do leaders establish and retain committed followers?
How, in some cases, do we get ourselves committed enough to pay the high price of success?

God knows how, and the prophet Habakkuk models an essential truth about God-focused commitment:

Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3:17-18

What a refreshing statement! Many leaders would love to have followers who are this committed to the cause.

The key ingredient to Habakkuk’s statement is that it is unidirectional; [Operating or moving or allowing movement in one direction only]

This verse translated to our age will mean...

• Even if I do not have a bank balance.
• Even if I do not have a house of my own.
• Even if my business is ruined.
• Even if I am unsuccessful.
• Even if I am alone (no one wants to live with such a failure).

YET WILL I REJOICE IN THE LORD. He promises to maintain his attitude regardless of the payback.

That’s really what “commitment” is. The statement, “I will be committed if” Isn’t commitment-making; It’s deal-making. It’s not committing; it’s bargaining.

What could have happened to draw such a unidirectional response from Habakkuk?

God REVEALED some deep things about his style of justice and his majesty to the prophet that humbled Habakkuk’s heart.

Leaders must identify what it is within their organization that is genuinely worthy of commitment.

In the absence of a life-consuming ideal, asking for the level of commitment Habakkuk expressed is absurd.

Until leaders complete this definition, they sound rather shallow even talking about it. No sane person will commit to things that don’t really matter.

But when an organization’s goals and outcomes are properly related to the living God and its activities honor him, then commitment makes sense.

Instead of asking, “How do we get commitment?” effective leaders will begin by asking, “To what (or whom) are we committed?”

May you commit to a worthy goal.

Pastor George.

STOP LIMITING GOD

Psalm 78, is a masterpiece! It highlights Gods consistency and faithfulness through a microscope, specifically Gods mercy on the Jews who came out of Egypt during the forty years in the wilderness.
Verse 41 says they limited the Holy One; they limited God. . That's an amazing statement!

The dictionary defines the verb "limit," as "to confine or restrict within boundaries."
We can confine, restrict, or limit God. God wanted to do so much more for Israel than they allowed Him. God is all powerful. There is nothing too difficult for God.

God wants to help you in every way. There is only one reason why God will not help you, and that is if you limit Him.

God is not limited to our shortsightedness: I’m black. I’m poor. I was born on the wrong side of the track. God has put us where He wants us to be. We were born to the parents we were supposed to be born to.

He knew exactly what He was doing and still is doing. Jesus says, "All things are possible to him who believes." Your faith releases God to work on your behalf. The opposite is also true; your doubt can limit God.

Matthew 13: 58, it says, "And Jesus did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith." Jesus wanted to do miracles, but the people limited Him. The same can happen today!

If God has a goal for your life, If God wants something done, can it be done? Let’s put it this way, Can it be blocked, or its fulfillment proves uncertain or impossible?

Don’t we learn in secular leadership training that when you give a command that cannot be obeyed the result is undermined authority?

God doesn't assign to you goals you can't achieve. His goals for you are possible and certain. He wants us to remove the limits that hinder us from being all that He has called us to be.

If the sky is your limit then your thinking is small INDEED..

Pastor George.

IS YOU LIFE STUCK? HERE IS YOUR ANSWER.

Proverbs 23:7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:

Can the word of God be saying that you are a walking “thought”? Our thoughts make us… Isn’t that creepy?

Can you see the implications? Any wise person can know your thoughts just by looking at your lifestyle. If you don’t like your life change your thoughts. If you conceive of the idea that you would never rise up above your circumstances your lifestyle will manifest it.

Every day Life will give you different “looks”. If you lack an entrenched philosophy, a consistent strategy and trusted program you will always fail.

I am careful when I write that God will never be able to do above what you think. Am I contradicting Ephesians 3:20?

Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,

No! What am saying and what scripture is saying supports the idea that thoughts can be limiting.

Scripture advises you to subscribe to the notion that GOD IS ABLE TO DO… above set limits.

If you fail to recognize that God ability transcends your thinking then what HE does is limited to your thinking. He works in you. Before He does great things in you, He gives you great ideas.

There are a lot of good ideas floating around. But there is none as best as what the Lord Almighty can give you.

And God can never do beyond what your mind can conceive. Only when your mind conceives of the possibility can you begin to rise above the situation.

If you study scripture well, and carefully observe the people God used through history, you will notice that HE always asked a PERSON to do that which was impossible to that person.

• God told Noah to build a boat.
• God told Abraham to come out of his land and he will give him a better place.
• God spoke to David to conquer his enemies.
• When Jesus Christ walked on earth He never knew impossibilities.

Many of these things had never been done before. But these people had removed the word IMPOSSIBLE FROM THEIR THINKING. From this day forward will you remove the word impossible from your thinking, nothing is impossible to the one who believes.

I long refused to allow the natural circumstances to put a limit to my mind. You will notice that all the time it is the natural that limits man.

When the natural limits a spiritual child of God it’s called MENTAL BLOCK. May you never permit your thoughts to work against the great plan of GOD IN YOUR LIFE.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Phi 4:8

Pastor George.

IN ALL YOUR GETTING CONSIDER WISDOM.

Wise people have consistency in their life because they live and move to the rhythm of God. They continually remind themselves of God’s thoughts and ways.

Solomon graciously demonstrates that failure to pursue wisdom results in a foolish life of profitless, meaningless work which lacks reward and purpose.

He likens this foolish living to a logger trying to chop down trees with a dull axe, the results, body aches, longer hours, fatigue, frustrations and dampen spirits (10:10).

Many of us live our lives like the lumberjack. Our axe is dull and instead of sharpening it, we just keep exerting more energy and time.

Summarized wisdom is skilful living in the light of the reality of God’s revelation. You are one huge creative machine waiting to explode upon an unsuspecting world. That's really the truth.

Let's go to 1 Kings 10:4-5: And when the queen of Sheba had seen all the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his servants, the service of his waiters and their apparel, his cupbearers, and his entryway by which he went up to the house of the Lord, there was no more spirit in her.
I
t is just amazing to me that this extremely wealthy queen traveled to the other side of the known world to sit at Solomon's feet and ask him questions. She was stunned beyond consciousness by the wisdom, answers, his insight to nature, how things live, and how they function.

This is your inheritance as a believer, to have all Solomon had and more, because you're not a disciple of Solomon, you're a disciple of Jesus, who is wiser than Solomon.

Have a wise day!

Pastor George.