I Will Boast In Him Alone

Jer 9:23 Thus says the LORD: “ Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; 24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD.

The bible tells us that there are wise men, men of mighty strength and men of riches. However, we are not to take pride in our wisdom, strength and wealth. Instead, we are to take pride in knowing and understanding God - the very Source of your abilities, gifts and talents.

Knowing our Source also means a revelation of the very purpose and use of what you have and possess.

God speaks of Himself in verse 24 as One who exercises lovingkindness, judgment and righteousness. These speak of His grace, mercy and giving respectively.

• By His grace, we have what we have and can do what we can do.
• By His mercy, we are sustained through ups and downs of life even when we failed to obey and sinned in being a good steward of our talents and abilities.
• By His giving, we are able to have a right standing before Him (righteousness of God: Rom 5:17) as the blood of Christ has cleansed away all our sins and forgiveness is ours to keep.

Great is our God! Great is His grace, mercy and giving. Only in Him, we can boast. Only in Him, we can come to the knowledge and revelation of where, when and how to make the most and best use of what we are endowed with and own. All the goodness that we have and experience each day arise from Him.

James 1:17 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.

What are the good and perfect gifts? Good gifts are those that give us pleasure, that makes us smile with joy. It could be our fitness of health, our growing career, our strong family relationships and friendships etc. Perfect gifts are those that make us whole. They are exactly what we need when we need them. These make us leap with heart of thankfulness and exceeding joy as it is in itself a miracle to you in that time!

This verse further describes God as One with whom there is:

• no variation i.e. no changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. His grace and mercy is always upon us when we turn to Him with a sincere and contrite heart.
• no shadow of turning i.e. when He decides to give, He is not double-minded! He gives freely and abundantly with no thought of retreating that which He has purposed to give.

We need to learn to recognize and acknowledge the good and perfect gifts that God has given us. Then only can we give thanks where thanks is due. Then only we can check our attitudes and ways in regard to our giving and responses to the Lord:

• Has it been good? (Heb11:6)
• Has it been perfect? (1Sam15:22)
• Has it been firm and strong? (1Tim6:18)
• Has it been in word and deed? (Jas1:12,22)

I will boast in the Lord, my God! #nelle#

Secret Place

LORD OF MY LIFE I LOVE YOU
LORD OF MY DAYS I TRUST IN YOU
LIVING BENEATH THE SHELTER OF YOUR WINGS MY HEART'S SAFE

WHEN I AM LOST YOU FIND ME
WHEN I'M IN NEED YOU SHELTER ME
LORD OF MY LIFE YOU ARE MY SECRET PLACE

CLOTHE ME IN YOUR PRESENCE LORD DRAW ME NEAR TO YOU
ALL MY HEART I LONG TO GIVE TO YOU
LIVING TO BE NEAR YOU LORD I LONG TO SEE YOUR FACE LORD FOREVER YOU'RE MY SECRET PLACE

YOU'RE MY PEACE YOU'RE MY REST YOU'RE MY SECRET PLACE
______________

How is God my secret place? How can God be the secret place? He is no place... He is HIM, isnt He? A being...

Everytime we talk about going into our secret place to seek God, we think of a place away from distraction; a place away from family and friends, often somewhere quiet, even deserted!

Then how could this songwriter have known God as his SECRET PLACE i.e. the secret place = God?

The secret place is more than (literally) a place. The presence of God in and over us that forms a covering; an environment is like a "place". Because it is invisible to the physical eye, it is secret! WoW!

This is reinforced in the 1st line of verse 2 which says: CLOTHE ME IN YOUR PRESENCE LORD.

Halleluyah! GOD = MY SECRET PLACE = THE HOVERING PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN AND AROUND ME that no one can see but only I know... sSshhHh.... #nelle#

Getting Our A.C.T. Right

Having a balanced life is something that everybody strives for. There are numerous books and resources in the marketplace that teach us on how to get a life! Yet how many can confess that they have attained it? Is it an idealism? Is it an altruism?!

I believe that the answer is in Luke 18:27.

"The things which are impossible with men are possible with God."

That is, we got to do it God's way! God is an omnipotent God. He could have done everything He wants to do instantly. Yet we know, God doesnt work in that way. He takes His time, doesnt He?! C'mon! He made it clear from the onset. He created the heavens and the earth over 6 days when He could very well have done it is 6 nano-seconds! But what about us?

Every so often, we all struggle to keep up with our (ever-increasing) activities, commitments and obligations. Then comes a day when we draw to our near-breaking point when everything cries out for your attention all at once. And you feel that it is all beyond your capacity now. You want to drop everything. Or at the every least, something's gotta give. Yes, you think, "Something's gotta give... something's gotta give... something's gotta give..."

You are determined to take stock of your life. You want to make plans for adjustments. You go into solitude and start laying out all the pieces of life that is making a demand on you. As you list out all the things that you have been engaged in, highlighting those you have profound responsibility for and cannot let go of, you try to organise them in categories and look out for the major themes of your life at this juncture. You shift them around in an attempt to fit them all in and once again, you conclude, "Something's gotta give..." But what? Life seems to be crushing down on you. We are not made to juggle through life!

Try juggling balls for an extended period of time in the air. However much of an expert you are, would you not come to a point of blurred vision? Then you stop smiling as you juggle. That is when you cease to make a positive impact on people and in things around you. You feel weary. You begin to withdraw from the crowd. You cannot recall when/why/how you got started with this juggling. You lose vision of the necessity to keep it going. You cry out, "What is the point?!!!!!"

None.

An is an act. There is a beginning. There is an end. Balls cannot be kept perpetually airbound. They must land at some point. And you decide again then and there what to leave down, and what to pick up for the next act.

There are many chapters to one life. A main theme or two would run through all the chapters but the rest would very much come and go with the seasons of life. What are the balls that are due for landing? Give the following a go and see if it might help you get your new A.C.T. together this time:

• Acknowledge your limitations [Mark 13:48b The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.] There is a capacity for what your physical body and mind can take in a given time. Doing a notch above what we think/know we can handle is good. That is a stretch. Stretching oneself is necessary to grow one's capacity but also, stretch with wisdom - in progression. God is not a God of extremities.

• Clarify your priorities [Habakkuk 2:2 Then the LORD answered me and said: “ Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.] Most things are permissable but not all of them are good. Discern the works that for the prevailing season. Do not deny your innate inclinations. Be honest about the desires of your heart and look to the Holy Spirit for guidance to discern that which are the good works. Eliminate the dead works. Do not labour in vain.

• Turn to God for His trusted counsel [Psalm 33:11 The counsel of the LORD stands forever,The plans of His heart to all generations.] God's words never return to Him void. Walk under the protection of God. This means being at the right place at the right time with the right people armed with the right resources for the right work. Where is His land of living for you at this juncture of life? In that promise land is where His grace is, always sufficient... more than you ask for or need. Everything is birthed in and through prayers.

... "and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." [Philippians 4:7]

God was never spread too thin. God was purposeful in creating the universe. He took time to create and everything was good. No man is greater than his master. Is it not evident that we are to work with purpose and labour over our designs through a course of time? It's never too late to get your A.C.T. together. God bless you. #nelle#