In his letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul summarised some major principles that the church should observe. Earlier in his letter, he encouraged the saints to show love and be at peace with everyone. Paul also wanted them to consider those who were not as well thought of. “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14). He warned against revenge, but encouraged the saints to always do good to everyone. Later on in verse 16, Paul encouraged the church to rejoice always.

Paul was saying that, despite our challenges and difficulties, we can always find a reason to give praise and thanks to God. Our rejoicing is not in what God can do for us, but is based on who he is. Paul encouraged the church to pray without ceasing. We should never get tired of praying and bringing our requests before God. Do you get tired of speaking to your loved ones? Prayer is our conversation with our father who loves us and cares for us. Moreover, God is the main person who has the power to solve our problems. We sometimes spend too much time talking, to people who don’t have answers or solutions.

Paul warned the church not to quench the Holy Spirit. To quench the spirit means to refuse to heed to the leading of the Holy Spirit. “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption” (Ephesians 4:30). Paul said that we should not despise prophesies. There are many false prophesies in our time. This does not mean that all prophets are false. Paul was saying that we should test everything. What this means is that, if you receive a prophesy from someone, test this for yourself. The main way to test a prophesy is to check whether or not it lines up with scripture. Remember that God does not contradict himself.

You should pray over anything prophesied over your life and also check to see if it lines up with what God has already told you. For example, if you have absolutely no interest in medicine and a ‘prophet’ says that you will be a doctor, then you can dismiss this as false. This is especially when it does not line up with your gifts and talents and you have already prayed and had confirmation about another career pathway. Remember that even seasoned prophets can miss it or interpret a revelation in the wrong way. What Paul suggests is that we take what is useful and stay away from every form of evil.

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David wrote a Psalm to sing praises unto God. He spoke of the downfall that would come of his enemies and the doom of evil assailants. Contrastingly, the reward for the righteous who are planted is to flourish. This planting is in the house of the Lord. The planting that David referred to, is being connected to a place of worship. In David’s time, this would be a sanctuary or a temple where people would pray, worship and offer sacrifices. We can make a similar reference to a plant that needs good soil in order to flourish.

Another analogy is of a branch needing the sustenance of the tree. Jesus made reference in the New Testament to us being branches and the importance of remaining connected. “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me” (John 15:4). Other biblical references are made to us being a part of the larger body of Christ. Similar to body parts needing to remain connected to the body, to continue to survive, we need to remain connected to the body of Christ.

Some modern day ideas and philosophies suggests that you don’t need the church. The redundancy of that statement is that, as Christians, we are the church. A Christian saying that they don’t need to attend church, is saying that they don’t need to be connected to the body that they are a part of. How do Christians think that they can survive without a larger church body? This idea is faulty and a contrary wind of doctrine, which the devil has used to draw people away from the things of God. Moreover, David made it clear that being planted makes us flourish.

We have all had our share of church hurt and many times church people or church leaders, don’t live up to our expectations. What we need to wrap our minds around is that, whether inside or outside of a church building, people are human beings with faults and failings. Putting people who attend church or church leaders on a pedestal is setting yourself up for failure. The bible teaches us about wheat among tares and wolves among sheep. It is our responsibility to test the spirits to see whether they are from God or from the devil. The bible also teaches about false prophets, some of whom have set themselves up as Pastors.

Cultivate a relationship with God for yourself. One which is not determined by what happens around you, or the people that you attend church with. If a church is no longer meeting your needs for spiritual growth and maturity, ask God to lead you to place where you can be fed and nourished. Test the spirits and expect to find some tares among the wheat. Once you have found a fellowship where you can trust the ministers to teach sound doctrine, do not neglect the assembling together of the saints.

“They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; They shall be fat and flourishing” (Psalm 92:14).

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David wrote Psalm 60 after the battle against Edom. The story was first written about in 2 Samuel. “So David became even more famous when he returned from destroying 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt” (2 Samuel 8:13). We know that David was a fierce warrior and had mighty men of war who served in his army. One of his soldiers was mentioned in relation to this battle against Edom in Kings. “Joab, his army commander, had stayed to bury some of the Israelite soldiers who had died in battle. While there, they killed every male in Edom. Joab and the army of Israel had stayed there for six months, killing them.” (1 Kings 11:15-16).

These exploits gave David insight into how God acts to deliver and defend his people. Some of his writings are reflections from his exploits for God and gives us information about warfare strategies. David credited God for his skills as a fighter and his victories in battle. “Blessed be the LORD my strength, Which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight” (Psalm 144:1). We don’t fight battles in the physical like David in the Old Testament, but our strategies against the kingdom of darkness are the same. “He teacheth my hands to war, So that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms” (Psalm 18:34).

David’s reference to a banner in Psalm 60 or a rallying point for people doing exploits for God, points to God’s confirmation that he is with his people. His banner is our testimony of salvation and our standard of righteousness, that we have set for the world. The kingdom of darkness will always try to contend with the kingdom of light. We contend for the things of God and continue to advance the kingdom of righteousness. God is clear that he will establish his church on a solid foundation, and the gates of hell cannot prevail against us (Matthew 16:18).

The devil will keep sending his cohorts, to try to antagonise and frustrate the purpose and plans of God for our lives. We will not back down; we will not be silent and we will not fear. We will continue to proclaim the name of the Lord Jesus Christ boldly. We will lead those we come in contact with to the light of Jesus Christ. We are children of God and the banner of God is our shield and defence. “for the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you” (Deuteronomy 20:4).

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“But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (James 1:4).

James made reference to patience working in the life of the believer. James asked us to count it all joy, when we experience trials of different kinds. This is because when our faith is tested, we develop spiritual maturity and inner peace. How does testing develop our faith and cause us to have inner peace? It is not the testing that grows our spiritual muscles and gives us inner peace. There are many people experiencing trials who are certainly not at peace and who lack faith. For the believer however, who trusts in Jesus and relies on the help of the Holy Spirit to deliver us from trials, our faith increases and we develop greater peace.

Experience teaches wisdom and a mature Christian who understands the ways of God and the things of God, can often anticipate how God will act. The study and understanding of the word demonstrates how God comes to the rescue of his people. The bible has formulas and prescriptions about how to pray for example and how to seek answers from God. “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). This is not to say that we can work God out by a formula and always try to predict what he will do. His ways are beyond our human reasoning and understanding and some acts of God cannot be fathomed or explained.

Patience is steadfast endurance and being willing to wait for God, even when waiting goes beyond our original timetable. Some of us like to make plans for our lives. We make five or two year plans with goals and aspirations. There are some aspects of our lives that we cannot plan and pre-determine. Some situations require waiting and trusting God to act. There are many situations when we will come to the end of ourselves. We exhaust everything that is humanly possible for us to do. It is generally in these times when we surrender and God steps in to do what we cannot do.

Faith requires patience and the hope for things that we cannot see. Patience requires that we do not give up when things seem impossible. God is faithful to establish his promises and to help us while we wait. “For you have need of patient endurance [to bear up under difficult circumstances without compromising], so that when you have carried out the will of God, you may receive and enjoy to the full what is promised” (Hebrews 10:36).

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Paul experienced some of the most intense persecution among the Apostles. He experienced chains, beatings, shipwreck, imprisonment and eventually death. Despite his trials, Paul was confident that God was with him and would never leave him alone. He turned his prison tenures, into writing sessions for the majority of the books in the New Testament. I don’t imagine that the prisons in his time had the finer necessities and comforts of some modern day prisons. Some modern prisons centre around rehabilitation and provide resources for persons to study and earn a degree for example. We can only wrap our imaginations around the prisons of Paul’s time.

“Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3). Paul wanted the church to consider those who were in prison or being mistreated. He goes on to expound about avoiding the love of money and learning to be content. He reminded us that God would never leave us or forsake us, no matter where we are or what we are going through. One of Satan’s strategies, is to try to convince us that God has forgotten about us. We sometimes worry that our trials, are God’s acts of punishment and feel that God is angry with us.

We have to remember, that nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:35). The bible also says, that there is nowhere that we can go, where the love of God cannot reach us. “If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: If I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there” (Psalm 139:8). What David was saying is that, there is no place where we are, where God is not with us. His hand of protection guides and keeps us. If you feel that you have drifted away from God and you feel separated from God, call out to him in prayer. If you feel like you have sinned against God, confess your sins to him.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). The devil will try to use guilt to make us feel separated from God. Once you cry out to God, repent and ask for his forgiveness, you can experience freedom. This is knowing that he loves you and he cares and he has placed your sins into the sea of forgetfulness and he remembers them no more. “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit” (Psalm 34:18).

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Habakkuk had a few questions about his people and the injustice which he observed among them. He knew that the only place to go for answers to his questions, was before God. Habakkuk wanted to find out from God, why it felt like his cries for help were not being heard. “Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise” (Habakkuk 1:3). The tone of Habakkuk’s questions sound almost accusatory. It was as though he was making assumptions about God’s intentions.

God answered Habakkuk and explained what he was doing and about to do among the nations. Habakkuk was still not satisfied with this answer, so he asked God some more questions. “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he” (Habakkuk 1:13)? Habakkuk sounded enraged but we assume that his anger was righteous indignation. This was as a result of his hatred for sin and his anger towards injustice. God could relate to Habakkuk’s feelings as God also hates injustice.

Habakkuk’s anger and frustration wasn’t because he wanted a bigger house or a car for himself. Habakkuk wanted to see justice, righteousness and integrity. He wanted to see justice for iniquity and the wicked punished for oppressing the righteous. God gave Habakkuk detailed answers and gave him an instruction to write down the vision. God made time for Habakkuk because he sought answers from him. Habakkuk prayed and waited in the presence of God to gain wisdom and revelation knowledge.

We have been taught not to question God. That statement needs to be qualified to understand that we do not question the character and integrity of God. God wants us to come to him when we have questions about life. When we ask, God will give us the answers when we seek him and wait in his presence. I don’t believe that God wants to leave us in the dark about many things. There are some mysteries that we will only understand in heaven. However, there is a lot that the father wants to reveal to us when we ask and listen.

“Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known” (Jeremiah 33:3).

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Paul spoke of a thorn in his flesh, a messenger of Satan sent to harass him. Paul pleaded with the Lord three times to take away this thorn. The response from God was that his grace was sufficient to keep him. God’s power was perfected in Paul’s weakness. Paul was happy to boast in his weakness so that the power of Christ would rest upon him. He spoke of being content in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecution and calamities. It is when we are weak in the flesh when the spirit man is alive and renewed. Salvation is no longer living in the flesh, but Christ living in us. Our flesh decreases so that our spirit man can come alive in Christ Jesus.

Life comes with hardships and trials and it is the grace of God which gives us the strength to endure. Grace is God’s free gift and comes through the power of the Holy Spirit living in us. By his grace we can overcome situations and circumstances that would be otherwise insurmountable. How many of us have gone through situations that would have broken someone else? God’s instructions to Isreal through the prophet Isaiah was, “fear not, for I have redeemed you and called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you” (Isaiah 43:1-2).

This is saying that life will present challenges that will feel like fire, but we will not be burnt. We will pass through storms and waters but we will not drown. The reality is that as long as we are here on earth, the enemy will send darts after us. God is our shield, our defender and protector. “So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him” (Isaiah 59:19).

God will give you the grace to smile through the storms and to pass the tests of life. We are more than conquerors through Jesus Christ our Lord and the greater one lives in us. We keep our eyes on Jesus and on his promises so that the enemy has no power over us. We will not be afraid or put to shame as the greater one is on our side.

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God spoke through his servant Isaiah concerning the wickedness of his people in Judah. God was angry with them because they rebelled against him and had forsaken His ways. Despite their corruption, the people still brought offerings and sacrifices unto God. God’s response was disgust, because of their contempt for his laws. “What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the Lord; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats” (Isaiah 1:11). God did not find their offering and sacrifices pleasing or acceptable.

God also said that he would not listen to them, as they would lift their hands in prayer. This was because their hands were stained with blood and they were unclean before God. “Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean; remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes; cease to do evil” (Isaiah 1:16). God also wanted them to do good, to seek justice, correct oppression, bring justice to the orphans and plead the cause of the widow. Within the context of the Old Testament, orphans and widows were among some of the most vulnerable. Not all widows in today’s society may experience destitution. The idea is that we should consider the most vulnerable within our society.

Depending on where you live, the vulnerable and destitute may be different social groups. There are orphanages in most countries that provide housing for children. Within your own communities, the vulnerable may be immigrants or particular groups of people. At your work place, there are staff members who are more vulnerable than others based on their positions of power. The church has a role to play in looking after the vulnerable. Ignoring injustice and refusing to get involved because ‘it is none of your business,’ does not please God. There are times when we have the power and resources to get involved and support persons in need.

You may feel the prompting of the Holy, Spirit to speak up for someone who is being bullied or harassed at work. We should teach children to look out for other children who are being isolated in school. The children of the righteous should set an example and befriend the child that is excluded. This can relate to a child who is unpopular due to socio economic deprivation or the child who is unpopular. Our salvation is not limited to going to church on a Sunday to worship and give our offering. What we do in the market place is of major significance, as it is within the darkness where we need to let our light shine.

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We read in 1 Samuel 18, about Saul’s jealousy against David, due to his success on the battlefield. Most Kings would be proud, to have one of the fiercest warriors fighting with them against their enemies. Saul however had a spirit of jealousy and felt inferior to David. I think that this was as a result of Saul knowing, that God had promised to take the kingdom away from him. Earlier in Saul’s time as King, he disobeyed God and didn’t listen to the instructions from the prophet Samuel. “Samuel said to him, “The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today and has given it to one of your neighbors–to one better than you” (1 Samuel 15:28).

Saul must have perceived that God had chosen David to succeed him as King. The crux of this matter arose when David and Saul came back to the city after a battle. The women generally come out to meet the armies after a battle and would sing about their success. On this occasion however, their song made Saul extremely angry. “And the women sang to one another as they celebrated, “Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands””(1 Samuel 18:7). Saul started to plot to see how he could get rid of David.

An evil spirit came upon Saul and while David played music for him, he took a spear and threw it after David. David managed to escape from Saul on two occasions. “Saul was afraid of David because the Lord was with him but had departed from Saul” (1 Samuel 18:12). Saul learnt that his daughter loved David so he devised another plot to try to get rid of him. He told his men to try to convince David that he really loved him and wanted him to become his son-in-law. The condition was that David should kill one hundred Philistines and return their foreskins as the bride price for Saul’s daughter.

David went out with his men and and obtained not one hundred foreskins, but two hundred foreskins. Saul thought he could set up David to be killed by the Philistines. God was with David so not only did he survive Saul’s plot, but he exceeded his expectations. Children of God, the devil will try to set you up to fail. Sometimes situations that seem impossible and insurmountable will be put upon you. Remember that it is not by might or our strength, but we accomplish everything through the strength of the Lord. When God is fighting for us, we will exceed every unreasonable expectation placed upon us.

Do not be discouraged or disheartened. Remember that when God is with you, no one will be able to stand or succeed against you. God will make your yoke easy and your burdens light. He will give you supernatural strength, ability and wisdom. God will bless the work of your hands and whatever you put your hands to will prosper. God will make it easy for you to succeed and not only will you succeed but you will far exceed every expectation. “Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord” (Psalm 31:24)!

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During Jesus’s sermon on the Mount, he taught the people about asking and receiving from the father. He encourages us to seek and find what we need, to knock so that doors can be opened unto us. Jesus said that everyone who seeks finds, those who knock will have the door answered and those who ask will receive. Jesus used the analogy of a son asking a father for a fish or for bread. He concluded that no good father would give his son a serpent instead of a fish or a stone instead of bread. This is assuming that most people would not want to eat a snake of course.

Jesus used this statement to point out, that in the same way that earthly fathers love their children enough, to give them good things, so does our Heavenly Father love us. We have to trust God enough to know that he will grant us the desires of our heart. I used to be afraid to pray for God to bless me with a husband. I thought that if I prayed this prayer, that God would want me to marry a nerd. I imagined that someone who was extremely religious, had no sense of style or had no sense of humour was who God would want for me. Why I had that idea makes no sense at all. There was something about my religious upbringing, which said that this was the model of a godly and a righteous man.

My ideas about God could not have been further from the truth. He is not a grumpy old man who wants to suck the fun out of everything. God wants us to have joy and peace and just because something does not fit into our conventional ideas about who He is, does not make it ungodly. I think that God is actually way cooler than we think and his ways are full of excitement and wonder. My last analogy is this. When you love someone, you want to understand their desires. You will make every effort to find out what they want to surprise them for their birthday for example. That’s just the way our father is. As long as it won’t hurt us or put us in danger of being held captive by the enemy, then God will meet our needs.

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly” (Psalm 84:11).

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