Simply put, purchasing power refers to the financial ability to buy a certain of goods and services with an approved currency unit. During my childhood, the world was completely different from today. When you wanted to buy something from someone or somewhere, you either paid by cash or wrote a cheque. If you couldn’t pay with cash or a cheque, you could also go to a bank and mortgage something of value to get a loan to pay for the product.
Back then, I thought I understood a bit about what Revelation 13:17 meant regarding restricted purchasing power. Based on historical records, those who lived in the 1940s, during World War II, had a small sample of what will be experienced in the near future when there are strict limitations on purchasing power.
Through an enforced rationing system, federal government restrictions in the United States were placed on consumer products and people could not buy much of stuff like gasoline, oil, tires, shoes, sugar, meat, coffee, and a host of other items without federal government ration stamps.
Conversely, people could not sell goods without permission from the federal government. Price-fixing was done for both buyers and sellers, and there were very stiff penalties, including fines and imprisonment, for violators. Yet, a large black market sprang up and flourished illegally reducing the sting of the restrictions.
Today, we are living in a completely different age. Cash and cheques have largely been replaced by cashless substitutes and online trading. I saw this firsthand on my recent vacation to the United Kingdom. In many train stations, there were no human attendants selling tickets, only machines that gave instructions about how to get them using your credit card or in London, your Oyster card. No cards, no service. Only cash, no service.
The situation was the same when I went to a tourist attraction or even the supermarket or pharmacy. The words ‘Card Only’ or ‘We are cashless’ greeted me. Through these experiences, I am beginning to see how easy it would be to out an embargo on purchasing power as predicted in the Bible.
In Revelation chapter 13, the Apostle John records an interesting and important prophesy about the closing moments of history. Two beast powers emerge to persecute God’s remnant people. The first, a hybrid beast, rises from the sea or populated areas according to Revelation 17: 5. This beast is made up of parts of three unclean animals in Daniel 7 implying that it is a successor of those animal kingdoms: the leopard, the kingdom of Greece, is strongly influenced by Greek philosophy; it has feet like a bear, Medo-Persia, pointing to the influence of Persian religion, Zoroastrianism and, particularly, Mithraism on it; and its mouth is like a lion, reminiscent of Babylon’s power and arrogance, especially that of King Belshazzar who succeeded King Nebuchadnezzar.
The second is a lamb-like beast which arises from the earth that will speak with intolerance like a dragon. Talking about what is generally believed to be the United States of America, the Bible says: “And he [the lamb-like earth beast] exercises all the authority of the first [sea] beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first [sea] beast, whose deadly wound was healed” (Revelation 13:12).
Notably, the earth beast, also named the “false prophet”[1] will serve the first or sea beast which receives the power, the throne and the dragon’s [Satan’s] great authority. Driven by the devil’s wrath, both beasts will seek to harm the remnant, followers of the woman described in Revelation 12:17, “who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus.”
Continuing the divine prediction in Revelation 13:17, John states that there will come a time when the earth beast will issue a decree that “… no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” This suggests there will be a time when purchasing power will be fully restricted based on religious allegiance and will be directly related to “worship”, not of God but of a beast power.
Put plainly, very soon, a civil power will launch a global effort to persuade and force the world to worship the first (sea) beast by forming an image to it and then calling the world to worship that image. Through miraculous signs (Revelation 13:12), this civil power will convince most of the world to worship the sea beast thereby hoping to establish a religious monopoly.
Concerning this end-time prophecy, the inspired writer Ellen White notes: “In the last great conflict of the controversy … those who are loyal to God will see every earthly support cut off. Because they refuse to break His law in obedience to earthly powers, they will be forbidden to buy or sell.” The Desire of Ages, Ellen Gould White, pp. 121, 122.[2] Satan says … “For fear of wanting food and clothing they will join with the world in transgressing God’s law. The earth will be wholly under my dominion.” Prophets and Kings, Ellen Gould White, pp. 183,184.[3]
We are clearly living in the time of the end (Daniel 11:45). Today, many are fearful, and trying to figure out what is happening in our world: Collapsing economies, non-stop wars and natural disasters; moral decline, diverse diseases; and dangers on every hand. Many, godly and worldly, believe that a terrible catastrophe is coming but God has not left us to wonder in ignorance.
The Bible provides us with a bird’s eye view of the future typified by persecution, a death decree, and the great time of trouble but in the end deliverance by a God who keeps His promises. So, let us loo to the future with confidence knowing that Jesus is coming soon to take us to heaven to be with him eternally. Remember, He who promised is faithful.
(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible verses are from the New King James Version.)
[1] See Revelation 16:13; 19:20; and 20:10.
[2] https://www.ellenwhite.info/books/ellen-g-white-book-desire-of-ages-da-contents.htm
[3] https://www.ellenwhite.info/books/bk-pk-contents.htm
I am sure you have heard the term” have a cutting edge” or “be at the cutting edge”. It refers to the “most modern stage of development in a particular type of work or activity” or “the most recent stage in the development of something” that usually gives a competitive advantage.[1] So, you often hear of companies at the cutting edge of information technology or scientific evidence, or organizations looking to hire employees with skills that put the company at the cutting edge of product design or innovation.
Not so long ago, while chatting with a friend who I admire in many ways, I was reminded of this term when she shared that she feared she has lost her spiritual cutting edge. She used to care about ministry and being involved in ministry but feels as if she has lost her effectiveness and enthusiasm for doing the Lord’s work. As this can happen to any one of us, I want to share some of my thoughts on recovering your spiritual cutting edge from the story of Elisha and the lost axe in 2 Kings 6:1-7.
The “sons of the prophets” (today, we might refer to them as a class of theology students) were studying under the Prophet Elisha. Many young men had joined the seminary but soon they ran out of space to accommodate everyone. So, they came up with an idea to build a new dormitory. With Elisha the trainer’s permission, and his encouraging and inspiring presence, they went down to the Jordan river to start cutting down trees, to build their new accommodations.
Like many students, the one in this passage, did not have all the resources he needed and resorted to borrowing to fulfil his lack. He borrowed an axe so he could do his part and help with the building project. Pretty soon a problem arose. One day, while cutting down a tree, his axe head flew off the handle, landed in the Jordan river, and sank to the bottom. In one mighty swing, he lost his cutting edge, and the power tool that made him effective.
Ever felt like this, spiritually? I have, at least a few times, but the question is, “What should you do when you think you’ve lost your spiritual cutting edge?”
Here are a few suggestions about how you can get back your spiritual cutting edge:
- Accept responsibility for losing your spiritual edge.
This young man lost his cutting edge and his effectiveness in doing the work he set out to do. He suffered the loss while he was cutting trees. He didn’t blame anyone else for what had happened! No, He took full responsibility for what happened to him. Maybe, he had neglected to maintain his power tool and to ensure it was in good working order. Such neglect may also be true of your spiritual life.
When you lose your “spiritual edge”, you must accept personal responsibility for it. You can point a finger at the Pastor or Elder and say “I lost my spiritual edge” because the sermons you guys preach are boring and I don’t feel engaged; or you can say “I lost my spiritual edge because the church’s programs do not meet my needs” or “I am working too hard doing church assignments and I lost my spiritual edge”. The truth is the blame lies with you and you must take responsibility for the loss. To prevent this from happening, you must constantly ensure that your spiritual connection with God is tight and firm to prevent slippage and loss.
- Stop chopping as soon as you recognize you’ve lost your edge.
When the young prophet lost his cutting edge, he stopped swinging right away. He stopped chopping and took a break. Think about it. If he continued trying to cut down trees, he would only be swinging at the tree bark, making noise, wasting time, and losing energy without making any real progress. If you sense that you have lost your spiritual edge, stop. Take a break. Rest. Pray. Study. Reconnect with God and meditate on His greatness. Reflect on who you are, what you do, and why you do it to better understand your divine purpose.
- Consider your accountability to the resource owner.
Having lost his cutting edge, the young prophet cried out for help. “Alas, my master! It was borrowed” (2 Kings 6:5). He lamented the loss of the borrowed axe head. It did not belong to him, and he would have to return it to the rightful owner who lent it to him. Likewise, your gifts, talents, and any ministries or opportunities you have, are not yours. They belong to God, the owner of everything in heaven and earth. 1 Corinthians 6: 19, 20 says “You are not your own and what you have does not belong to you. You are a manager, a steward, a trustee of what belongs to the Lord, and you will have to answer to Him for all that he has entrusted to you to manage. Always consider that.
- Seek help.
The cry of the young student was also an immediate call for help. “Alas, my master!” he said to Elisha because there was nothing he could do about the situation on his own. He needed help. I do not think he expected Elisha, the man of God, to perform a miracle, but he recognized he needed his help. You too need help. You cannot recover your spiritual cutting edge on your own. Call on the Lord, and ask Him to do for you that which you cannot do for yourself. Seek help from spiritual leaders the Lord has placed in your life for fellowship, encouragement, and support. Once you have done this, God will act to help you restore your spiritual edge.
- Examine the problem closely.
Elisha responded to the young man’s cry for help with a question, “Where did it fall?” This question required the young man to reflect on what happened; to retrace his steps; and to examine his situation. So should you. Take the time and trouble to examine the problem. Where and when did you lose your spiritual edge? Was it through neglect of Bible study and prayer? When you fell back into some old sinful habit? When you stopped regular church attendance, or after some controversy with a fellow believer? Our tendency is to sink into despair, or to keep trying to work through the problem on our own without identifying where the missing ‘axe head’ is located so you could retrieve it.
- Retrieve your edge with God’s help.
The story about the sunken axe head ends with a miracle. Elisha, the man of God, threw a stick into the water, and the axe head floated to surface of the water. Yes, the iron axe head floated. Then the young student retrieved it himself. God miraculously intervened to restore what the young prophet lost.
Similarly, when you lose your spiritual edge, it is important to wait for God’s response, and to make every effort personally to retrieve your spiritual edge. Notice, although God performs the miracle of restoration, you have to retrieve your cutting edge yourself. So, if you have neglected Bible study, prayer, and regular church attendance you must recommit yourself to doing these things again to restore what was lost. Remember, only with God’s help, can you recover your spiritual edge. He assures you that when you seek him, you will find him, when you search for him with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13).
Have you lost your spiritual cutting edge? Take action today, and experience the miracle God has for you.
[1] https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/cutting-edge
In 1849, French writer Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote “plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose “- the more things change, the more they stay the same. In this month’s blog, I invite you to join me as we have some fun testing the truth about this saying. As an English speaker, I will have a conversation about the state of basic English Language today. How much has changed? How much remains the same? You be the judge.
The fun conversation is below.
“Hello “Are!” It’s been a while since I heard from you. Are you still there?”
“Yes, but quiet.”
” Alright, I’m checking in with you because I think you are being side-lined.”
“Why do you say so?”
“Well, I’ll tell you.”
At first, I thought it was just an oversight that you weren’t included in an email or invited to a conversation in which you should have been involved; but the evidence is mounting that you are not a part of the inner circle anymore. So, I believe it’s time to address the elephant in the room or the moose in the room as Atlantic Canadians would say.
“Are” you’re plural, but when I search for you, I can’t find you even when you should be there. Your singular brother “Is” has taken over and this bothers me. In virtually every sphere – in written or spoken conversations; on radio and television, on the Internet and across social media – “Is” is there. He’s masquerading everywhere whether he’s right or wrong; whether he’s correctly employed or not; at the wrong time and in the wrong tense. He relishes your position so much that he spends every waking moment contributing to the slow demise of our English language.
A few notable instances come to mind.
Firstly, I’m convinced that most of the television media have sidelined you. Journalists and television anchors have been caught saying things like “There “Is” many things to report today”. Even top, influential persons like ‘AC’ and ‘WB’ who once held your torch seem to have let you go for your partner “Is.” I know you should be there “Are” but alas desertion comes to mind.
Recently, I heard that many University professors, who for many years had your back, have also traded loyalties. Holders of Ph.Ds., Masters and, Bachelor’s degrees, no longer want to use you as part of their vocabulary. It seems like “Is” is reigning supreme. What’s even more egregious is that you have started to be replaced not only in speech but in written publications. Editors, once known as the gate keepers of our precious English language seem to have forgotten how to use you. It feels like the worst thing in the world, and it is, in a sense.
“Are”, I must also let you know that your absence has caused me some mental distress as well as health issues. “Is” has been so prevalent and annoying that I develop a serious earache every time it’s out of place, and that’s way too often. In my view, “Is” is also guilty of verbal harassment and should be charged for creating an English language crisis, and given a stiff fine. My constant fear now is that prolonged sidelining will play with my emotions and imagination and make me question my sanity and self-esteem.
“Are”, are you crying?” I know this is sad but this is no time for tears. “Is” must be stopped immediately, and I have some ideas about how to do that.
Together, we must protest and call “Is” out in every radio and television interview, in every newspaper article, in every op-ed, column, book and magazine. We must troll the Internet to point out every instance where they have wrongfully usurped your position. We must also enter every classroom where he first gets introduced, and every boardroom where they claim to practice inclusion and diversity and insist that you get re-instated to a place of honour around the table. As a necessity, and this may be critical, we must hold parenting classes to ensure the next generation gets it right.
“Are” I know you can still fit in and add value to our conversations. That’s why I’m appealing to every self-respecting English-speaking person who knows grammar: “Let’s put “Is” back in its rightful place and let’s reinstate “Are” to its rightful place in our language. If we don’t “Are” would be gone forever and that would be a very sad thing. There must be no delay or we’ll be sorry we didn’t take action sooner. The next generation must know you and your worth. We all must see to that. ©2024 Margarett Enniss-Trotman
Like many of you, I have experienced many grief-filled situations. From dealing with multiple disappointments at work, pregnancy losses, a bank failure and financial decline that challenged me. However, none has left me feeling hopeless and depressed like the adverse experiences I am now facing.
Although the leap year 2024 has just started, I have already had a full plate of emotional trauma. In January, there were two deaths in my family: one elderly relative on January 1, and one very young relative 23 days later; both sudden and unexpected. During the intervening period between the burials, I nearly lost 12 other family members on a very turbulent JetBlue flight, reminder that God does not give us more than we can bear.
Though we often don’t stop to consider the possibility of losing loved ones, a long-held dream, an opportunity to improve our circumstances, or even our health, all too soon, the tables turn, and we come face to face with a deep loss or some gruesome tragedy.
For me, the pain of the loss of my young relative has been major. I’ve felt heartsick and numb for days at a time and I’m still experiencing fitful rest at nights. I have tried to channel my mind away from the pain and focus on other matters of importance but alas, the pain seeps into my consciousness and there I am processing my sad thoughts all over again. I wonder how I will recover and be whole again and can I even be whole again? I ask God, what can I do to ease the pain?
Then I went to His word and discovered the answer was always there. “Cast your cares upon Him for he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7). How do I do that, I thought? Through prayer, of course.
Amid tragedy, prayer enables us to overcome our grief, and to find hope again. It gives us an opportunity to become intimate with God; to overcome the sense of worthlessness, aloneness, and shame we feel; and to align our hearts with God’s. Prayer tells us that God is always there and we can go to Him. Truly, “He’s only a prayer away.”
Prayer assures me that God is still present, still sitting on the throne, still loving us, and still powerful enough to meet all our needs; still sitting where He was when He lost His only beloved Son.
In my lowest moments, the one constant that causes me to find hope and strength is prayer. I am writing this blog to remind myself about a few ways in which ways prayer is enabling me to overcome my sadness, and to share them with you.
- Pray the Psalms: In my current study of the Book of Psalms, I’ve discovered that the Psalms are particularly helpful, as many of them are songs of lament that verbalize the pain the Psalmists were feeling. Though burdened, they fearlessly brought their grief and struggles to God, and often praised him for His power to change the things they were experiencing. Psalms 23 and 78 come to mind. I know that it may take some time for me to initiate full on praise session, but praying according to God’s will is bringing hope and comfort.
- Pray and Claim Bible Promises: Beyond the Psalms, there are other portions of Scripture, Bible promises, that we can pray in faith when our hearts are heavy. I know that God loves me deeply so the promise that he will be with me when I pass through the waters and the fire (Isaiah 43:2) are particularly encouraging. I have found great solace in this promise because I know that God knows where I am every moment of the day, and “he will never leave me nor forsake me” (Deuteronomy 31:8). There is no place, however dark, that Jesus cannot reach me (Matthew 14:25). He is listening and He longs to answer with love, compassion, and grace(Isaiah 30:18).
- Ask God for Mercy: I recall when I got the news about the tragic death of my young relative, I was stunned. Words failed me as I burst into tears, only able to repeatedly mutter the words, “Lord, have mercy! Lord Have Mercy! O God, please have mercy on me.” As a mature Christian, I felt as if I should be able to hold it together; that my faith was failing me. Then I remembered that Jesus also wept at the loss of his friend Lazarus, and tears are a language God understands. Being open and honest with God in prayer has given me permission to express my anger, frustration, confusion, and sadness to god, and to trust him to lift me up with His mighty and righteous right hand.
While the trauma associated with the losses are still raw, I am sure that He is saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3). I am ready to hear it. Thank you, Lord, for your unfailing love!
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Ever heard this? “Yeah, maybe you’ve got a little pride. Pride and haughtiness are characteristics that make someone unhappy, unfulfilled, and unaware. Just think about some of the arrogant world leaders and wealthy superstars in our world today. Worrying and dwelling too much on our achievements or how we appear to the world is dangerous. We get nothing but the constant fear of the image we project.
On the contrary, humility and meekness are virtues shared by kind and strong people. Above all, God loves the humble and the meek. He promises abundance for those who live in the spirit of humility (Proverbs 22:4), but it does not end there. The portrayal of humility and meekness in the Bible uncovers beautiful and moral-rich stories that we can daily apply to our lives; find inspiration; and learn important lessons about the character of God as He pursues prideful sinners to save them from eternal peril.
Here is one such story about Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon (Daniel 4:28-37).
The Book of Daniel is an eye-opener depicting how humility in the Bible can be taught to all kinds of people. Nebuchadnezzar, a Babylonian king was wealthy and powerful leader, but he was known for being short-tempered and arrogant.
The Bible says, one night, Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that made him fearful, terrified, and desperate to find out its meaning. He called all the wise men, enchanters, magicians, and astrologers from Babylon, but they could not interpret the dream. Then he called Daniel, whom he had named Belteshazzar, a prophet of God, who had the gift of interpretation of dreams, and who was spirit-filled, courageous, and humble, to interpret his dream.
Perplexed and apprehensive, but full of faith and confidence in God, Daniel revealed to Nebuchadnezzar that, his reign, pictured as an enormous tree with large strong branches that touched the sky, would be cut short, temporarily. Because of His pride, his rulership of Babylon will cease for seven years, and after that time, it will be restored to him.
This dream was a forewarning for him to humble himself before the Sovereign God of heaven and earth, and accompanying the alert, God gave Nebuchadnezzar twelve months to repent. No doubt, he probably forgot about the dream during that time, but God didn’t forget. All that time, he cherished pride in his heart, reaching a climax beyond which God could not suffer it to pass. The time had come for Nebuchadnezzar’s humiliation
One year later, as Nebuchadnezzar was walking on the roof of his royal palace, his pride got hold of him, and he declared, “Is not this the great Babylon that I have built by my mighty power and the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:13-17, 28). Just as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven saying, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you. You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox. Seven times [years] will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the “Most High is sovereign over all earthly kingdoms and gives them to anyone he wishes, and sets them over the lowliest of men.”
Immediately, Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity was taken from him, and he was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird. This lasted for seven years, and during that time, Nebuchadnezzar could not break free from his insanity, until God appointed the end of the time.
This happened seven years later, just as Daniel predicted, when Nebuchadnezzar, full of humility, lifted his eyes to heaven. He came to the realization that God will humble those who exalt themselves, and those who walk in pride he is able to put down.
The abiding lessons are plain: God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). A proud look is number one on the list of God’s most hated sins in Proverbs 6:16-19). There are many who rise from humble beginnings to great glory, and then fall because of a lack of humility. Like Nebuchadnezzar, we should remember that God pursues us by correcting us.
People are ever ready to tell what god has done for them in the way of benefits and blessings, we ought to be no less ready to tell what God has done for us in the way of humiliation and chastisements. Nebuchadnezzar sets us a good example of this. He freely confessed the vanity and pride of his heart, and freely told the methods God used to humble him. He no longer claimed immutability for his own kingdom, but made a full surrender to God, acknowledging his kingdom alone to be everlasting, and His dominion from generation to generation.
We also see that God will glorify himself among the nations. His goal wasn’t necessarily to turn Nebuchadnezzar from a powerful man into an animal, but to bring him to his proper place before God, and among men. After his experience in the wild, he knew which God was the true God, and he was a true witness, giving testimony to God’s great works.
Though the affliction had its designed effect, it wasn’t just that which brought Nebuchadnezzar to his senses. It was the humility of receiving mercy from a compassionate God who cares for sinners and who loves and wants them. Sadly, the day is coming when the wicked will be cut down and left without hope. No mercy will be mingled with their punishment because they will be destroyed, both root and branch. In the end, all will fade away like chaff, and only the glory of God’s kingdom will remain.
Let us all remember that though we may never fully conquer pride, if we know what it looks like when it shows up, we can knock it back down before too much damage is done. It’s usually about the “I” in me. So, beware of the “I” in pride, and ask God to help you uproot it from your life. May God help us never to forgot to acknowledge Him always, should prosperity come our way.
A personal experience I just had sparked this blog. A fellow leader and I had a disagreement about the next steps a committee should take as part of an important process. Instead of taking a position, the leader laid the blame squarely at my door via email notification to the committee. Not only was it communicated that there was in fact a disagreement, but it was also noted that the process would be delayed so that my position would hold. I never asked for this to be done and email communication to everyone would undoubtedly give the impression that I was seeking to control the process.
Have you ever wondered why some individuals blame others for mistakes or some other form of misfortune? I have, and I think it happens because blaming others is a type of defense mechanism – an unconscious process that protects the person shifting the blame from experiencing unpleasant feelings like guilt or shame. In most situations, blaming is a cognitive distortion where an individual assigns guilt or responsibility for how we feel about an unfortunate situation to someone else. The distortion is usually part of a person’s defense mechanism, which involves denying their own inadequacies, and seeing them in others, instead, and calling others out publicly.
When I think about the Bible’s account of fall of humankind recorded in Genesis Chapter 3, I see something similar. Eve is deceived by the serpent and her husband Adam follows her example and distrusts God. When God comes looking for them both, Adam blames the woman for their lost condition, and his wife in turn, blames the serpent who we know was the Devil in disguise. In this case, both people erred but no one was willing to take personal responsibility for their actions. Adam shifted the blame to Eve and she did the same to the serpent.
While blaming may make one person feel better about themselves, it usually places the responsibility for a negative outcome squarely on the shoulders of someone else. “It’s not my fault; it’s yours.” This can happen for several reasons: one person is controlling and that leads them to find fault in others; narcissism where the blame-sharer simply refuses to look for faults or inadequacies in themselves. A third reason is miscommunication.
With regard to my experience given above, I believe it was a way of saving face. Instead of admitting to miscommunication, a misreading or incorrect understanding of the process, it was easier to blame someone else – me. Another reason may be a fragile sense of self-worth; a feeling that admitting a mistake or accepting responsibility for something negative means they are flawed.
The question is “How should I deal with the blame-sharer in this instance?” After getting over the initial shock of the blame-shifter’s actions, I am pondering my next move. Maybe, I will just let this one slide and look for an opportunity later on to chat about it.
What is the meaning of the word “Blessed” in Matthew 5:6?
Blessed is another word for happy, pleasant, or fortunate. Everyone is looking for happiness, a pleasant life, or good fortune. They pursue all kinds of things they think will make them happy, but they fail. It is like eating your favorite meal. You enjoy it and say, “I’m full. The yolk of an egg will burst me.!” However, in a few hours, however, you are in the pantry or fridge looking for something to eat, again.
Taking a closer look at the word “blessed”, I see other synonyms than happy like lauded, sanctified, consecrated, and holy. Substituting a few of these in the text, it would read like this: “Sanctified, consecrated, holy and lauded are those who hunger and thirst after righteousness for they will be filled.” Could it be this latter meaning that Jesus was getting at in the fourth Beatitude? A desire for all of us to be consecrated and sanctified?
What does it mean to “hunger and thirst after righteousness”?
If we must become holy, sanctified, and consecrated, Jesus says we must “hunger and thirst after righteousness….” Hunger is a sensation that stimulates a desire for food. Some people say they were born to eat because they are always hungry. I am not one of those people. Others were born hangry, but that’s a story for another time/blog!
Thirst, on the other hand, is a craving or desire to drink fluids. Everyone experiences hunger and thirst which must be satisfied because you can’t live without food and fluids.
“Righteousness” means right doing or uprightness. Jesus says, we must hunger and thirst after it. Yet, Romans 3:10 says, “There is none righteous, no, not one.” What a conundrum! Or is it? No, it isn’t. You see, righteousness is an attribute of God which comes from Jesus that is both positional and practical.
While all have sinned, and there is none that’s righteous, believers have positional (imputed) righteousness because we are in Christ, our Saviour and He is in us. Romans 5:19 says. “… For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one many will be made righteous”. Because of Christ’s death, our legal standing changes from unrighteous to righteous and our names are written in heaven with the tag, “Price Paid in full.”.
Positional righteousness must also be accompanied by practical or behavioural righteousness. The latter is righteousness in our nature and it is imparted to us as we are sanctified through the power of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. This sanctification happens over the course of our lives, and becomes evident in moral uprightness and the fruit of the Spirit.
Thus, when Jesus said, we must “hunger and thirst after righteousness”, He is saying we must develop an appetite, a craving and desire, for righteousness which He will give us, positionally and practically. In other words, just as God has built within us a continuous desire for food and fluids to support physical life and health, we must cultivate a craving for Jesus, our righteousness who foster our spiritual life and health.
The Filling
What happens when we hunger and thirst after righteousness? Jesus says, “…we will be filled.” Filling, in this context, speaks to satiety or satisfaction and indicates there is emptiness or a void that must be addressed. Notice, however, that Jesus does not say with what we will be filled, nor from what source we will be filled.
That said, we know that God loves to fill the empty. With Jesus’ first miracle, He turned water to wine by asking the guests to fill six empty water pots. The woman at the well came to Jesus with her life empty and He filled it by offering her living water. The multitudes were starving, and the disciples wanted to send them away, but Jesus fed them until they were filled, and they had leftovers!
From the foregoing, we can conclude that righteousness is activated first by a desire to know Jesus personally. Secondly, “The same Spirit that filled the Temple lives inside of you (1 Corinthians 6:19). This shows that the Holy Spirit is the One who fills us with the power and the enabling to live righteously in this world.
God has provided all that we need to satisfy our hunger and quench our thirst for righteousness. So, how can you be righteous? Believe on the Lord Jesus. How can you be filled? “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). For what are you hungry and thirsty? God wants to fill our lives with what is best. That’s Jesus.
Submission in marriage has been an age-old concept, deeply rooted in the counsel the Apostle Paul gave to couples in Ephesians Chapter 5, verses 22 to 24.
The New International Version renders the passage this way:
Ephesians 5:22–24 — The New International Version (NIV) 22 Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
According to Paul, the wife is supposed to submit to her own husband, which in many cases is a life of oppression and subjugation for many women. With so many patriarchal cultures and societies, many husbands latch on to the submission requirement to ensure male dominance in marriage; control of women, and at times, wanting total obedience as a necessity in matters of sex and romance.
Women, on the other hand, appear to be in two camps. One group points to submission as a means of following the spiritual lead of their husbands, deferring to his opinions and views about financial matters, discipline of their children, and general decision-making within the marriage.
A second group, rebuffs the submission rhetoric. They do not buy into wifely submission solely, claiming that submission should be mutual: husband to wife and wife to husband, depending on the matter at hand. I identify more with the second group, with full recognition that husbands and wives have different and often contrasting perspectives on Biblical submission.
As such, I think we should uncover a workable definition for Biblical submission in marriage. What did Paul mean when he gave His counsel? Whose duty is it to submit: wives only? Both wives and husbands? What does submission look like in 21st century Christian marriages?
Let’s take a look at these questions in turn.
What is submission?
As a Christian woman who will complete three and a half decades of marriage later in July, I would define submission in a marriage as selfless, non-competitive service, combined with mutual accountability, and respect for one’s spouse. This is a type of Holy Spirit-led submission, and does not in anyway mean that a wife loses her voice in the marriage, becomes a ‘slave’ whose duty is to wait hand and foot on her husband, or who totally give up her will to her husband as a superior, obeying his every word. If this is your experience, what you have does not qualify as a loving marriage but an authoritarian parent-child relationship. Yikes!
What did Paul mean when he gave His counsel? Whose duty is it to submit?
Looking closely at the passage above, we notice that Paul compares the wife’s submission to her husband to her submission to Christ, for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. How do we submit to Christ: from a place of force and dominance or from a place of choice? Clearly, the latter. Christ does not trade in the business of force, only willingness, and free will. This tells me that any authoritarian view of submission is neither biblical nor Christlike.
Why? Because Jesus willingly submitted Himself to a cruel death for us at an infinite cost to himself and out of intense love for us. He also gifts us with a down payment of His Holy Spirit who dwells within us. Motivated by God’s love and empowered by the Holy Spirit, we are able to submit to and serve each other. So, husbands who love their wives the way Christ loved the Church, that is more than their own life are more likely to experience submission from their wives.
Every marriage, especially a Christian marriage, should be built on love, and lots of it. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul tells us that “love is patient, kind and does not envy, nor boast. and is not proud, rude or self-seeking.” In the context of a loving relationship, it would not be very difficult to submit using our working definition above.
One crucial principle of Bible study we should remember is taking one Bible verse and creating doctrine and practice out of it. I believe in “here a little, there a little” as I study God’s word. If we use this approach, we would see that Paul not only counsels the Ephesian wives to submit to their own husbands because he is the head of the wife, but he also requires believers to submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21), and he counsels husbands to love their wives as their own bodies. Wow!
This suggests some type of flexibility on the part of loving husbands and wives as they interact with each other in their marriage, and indicates that “submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ” must also be accompanied with “selfless love, allowing for choice, and respect.
If we go back to Genesis, we would see that God intended that there should be equality in marriage as He gave both Adam and Eve equal responsibility to dress the garden of Eden and keep it, and to multiply and replenish the earth.” Both husband and wife were made in the image of God, and any actions that would mar God’s image in one’s spouse is a poor reflection of God’s character, and has no place in our homes.
Moreover, if submission were actually about a woman losing her volition in matters of sex and romance, Paul wouldn’t state in 1 Corinthians 7:4 that a wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and according to some Bible versions like the Message translation, we see that women have authority over their husband’s bodies in the same way that men have authority over their wife’s body which indicates a sense of mutuality or equalizing which was God’s original plan for married couples.
So, instead of insisting that the change in marital relationships that occurred after sin should hold, wouldn’t it be better if we all uphold the view that Jesus came to restore all things, including God’s original purpose for marriage, and ask God for His power to live this out in our homes? Taking Paul’ marital counsel in its entirety, it is clear that for Christian husbands and vives, Biblical submission in marriage is mutual and not sex-based.
What does submission look like today?
In the 21st century, the misunderstanding about this Bible passage is palpable. Men continue to hold to the view that husbands are not required to submit, only wives because they are “the head of the wife”. However, the Son of Man came to serve not to be served, and we are all called to be Christ-like and to servant-leaders, to esteem others better than ourselves. The service Christ gave to humanity was given even when we least merited that sacrifice.” Husbands are called to love their wives in this manner.
So, I say, go forth and love on each other; reverence each other as unto Christ, and submission will naturally flow your way. Remember, however, that submission is a mark of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives as wives and husbands. Only Through the power of the Holy Spirit will we be able to put the needs of our spouses ahead of our own, imitate Christ’s service in our homes, and discover the joy God intended would accompany submission in marriage.
Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:11- 12).
In English, a “sojourner” is a person who resides temporarily in a particular place or a sojourner is a person who lives as a foreigner temporarily in a place that is not his permanent home. Today, someone may go to a foreign country to live for a couple of years with the intent of returning home. This person is a sojourner. if the person does not intend to return home and becomes a citizen of the foreign country, s/he is not sojourning.
The Bible teaches that all people are sojourners here on earth, and believers in both the Old and New Testaments viewed themselves as pilgrims who were living as temporary guests on earth longing for their permanent and eternal home with God in heaven.
In Psalm 39:5, the psalmist David states,” Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!” A few verses later, he declares, “I am a sojourner with you, a guest, like all my fathers” (Psalm 39:12).
To the New Testament believers, Peter wrote, “Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul”(1 Peter 2:11).
In Philippians 3:20, we learn that “our citizenship is in heaven, and James 4:14 describes the temporary nature of our lives as “a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.”
The author of Hebrews explained that those who trusted God in ancient times as recorded in the Old Testament “acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth who make it clear that they are seeking a homeland… and desire a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city” (Hebrews 11:13-16).
While people acknowledge the fleeting nature of life, believers understand themselves to be sojourners. Not only do we know this earthly life is temporary and that eternity with Christ awaits, we often feel like we are, indeed, strangers living in a strange land.
If you are a child of God, you too must be a sojourner since this world is not your home. As the common saying goes, we are in the world but not of the world” (John 17: 15 -21).
What do you need to know to travel well to that country called heaven. Here are four aspects of a Christian’s sojourning that it’s worthwhile to remember.
- First, there is the certainty of the homeland at the end. While we don’t know much about most of the details of our homeland (what it looks like; whether there will be buildings etc.,), we know there is a homeland. Jesus said. “I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back to take you to be with me” (John 14:3-10). I am excited about that and I cannot wait to see what he has prepared. I know it will be fabulous!
- Second, we do not always understand everything that happens on our journey but God does. On earth, we will experience good times, often very fleeting, and there will be storms, elemental and spiritual. We will not always understand why, but God expects us to trust in him.
For instance, when God commanded Noah to build an ark because He was going to cause it to rain and destroy the earth, the request must have been perplexing because he did not know what rain was nor what it looked and felt like because it had never rained upon the earth. That said, Noah trusted God, obeyed and he and his family were saved.
Also, consider Daniel, a great prophet of God. When God gave him an end time prophesy to record for future generations, he obeyed though he did not understand the meaning nor when ye events he recorded would happen. Daniel said, “Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said,” My Lord what shall be the end of these things?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel for the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end.”” (Daniel, 12:8-9.
Both Noah and Daniel trusted the Lord. We must too and remain confident That God knows what Heis doing.
- Third, our pilgrimage to heaven requires sacrifice. As sojourners on this earth, we understand that our best investments are those that have eternal value. Jesus told His followers, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust corrupt and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6: 19-21).
As an athlete must sacrifice to condition his body, we must also sacrifice to discipline ourselves to be faithful to our Lord. To this, Jesus says, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Matt. 16:24-26).
- Fourth, faith and faithfulness will keep us on our journey to heaven. Having presented Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah as faithful pilgrims, the writer of Hebrews says: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For those who say such things declare plainly that they seek a homeland” (Heb. 11:13-14). We also know that the promise in Revelation 2:10 is certain: “Be faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life” (Revelation 2:10).
The journey may seem long and grueling at times, but God is faithful and He will take us to our heavenly home. So, keep walking, trusting, trying, and resisting. Do not lose heart. We are nearing home. Very soon, we are going to soar above the clouds straight into our promised abode. Let’s be faithful!
The month of February, just concluded was Black History month. This year’s celebrations saw many companies continue their quest for diversity, equity and inclusion with a degree of urgency not seen before the death of George Floyd. What is it? How to do it in a sustainable manner? What is the return on investment? Who benefits?
A quick check of the literature reveals that this trending topic is largely being defined and considered through a secular lens. In this blog, I explore more closely the concept of inclusivity through a Biblical lens.
Inclusivity is commonly defined as the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized, such as those having physical or intellectual disabilities or belonging to other minority groups.[1]
Is there a theological basis for inclusivity? Certainly. God demonstrates inclusivity throughout scripture through myriad stories: the rescue of Rahab, a Canaanite, from one of the hated enemy groups of Israel; the redemption of Ruth, a pagan Moabitess, and member of an accursed race; and the saving of the people of Nineveh in spite of Jonah’s unwillingness to warn them about impending destruction.
In the New Testament, Jesus, our Saviour, is born, not in a palace in Jerusalem, but near a cattle trough in the small town of Bethlehem. Angels announced his birth, not to the powerful or rich, but to humble shepherds, who were not even permitted as witnesses in a court of law.
For his inner circle, Jesus chose people who were so diverse they would have struggled to be in the same room together under normal circumstances. There was Peter, impulsive, ambitious, self-assertive, and quick to commit without fully understanding the meaning of Jesus’ words or actions; and James and John, nick-named the “Sons of Thunder” by Jesus because they wanted to burn up a city when the people refused to welcome Jesus; Simon from the Zealots, a group that fought against Roman rule; and Matthew, who collected taxes on Rome’s behalf.
In a society where the witness of a woman was not admitted in court, Jesus first directly acknowledged his title of Messiah to a Samaritan woman of questionable reputation, who promptly spread the news to her community (John 4:25-42). He was compassionate towards social outcasts. He noticed people that others ignored or rejected. He stopped to hear the cries of those excluded from Jewish society—the blind, the lame, the mentally ill, and lepers. He honoured the despised by eating at their table (Luke19:5).
At his resurrection, he chose to appear to Mary Magdalene first, and asked her to carry the joyful news to the rest of his disciples (John 20:17,18).
We can see from these examples that during his ministry, Jesus was radically inclusive. He didn’t just let people of all kinds tag along, he involved them and moved them from a place where they were of no value, to places of importance.
Though God requires it, and Jesus demonstrated it, being inclusive does not come naturally to human beings. We tend to compete rather than to work together, and we struggle to empathize with people who are not like us.
The Book of Acts clearly shows how difficult this could be. Having witnessed their radical inclusion as believers, Peter still needed both a vision from God and the miraculous outpouring of the Holy Spirit to persuade him that Gentiles were to be included in the family of God, without them needing to become Jews (Acts 10).
There were similar problems in Corinth where divisions ran deep along many lines, including the following of different leaders, divisions over meat offered to idols, and some members being seen as more important than others. The Apostle Paul publicly lectured Peter for eating separately from Gentiles, due to peer pressure from visiting Jews (Galatians 2:11-14).
For many, the requirement to be more inclusive was asking them to change deeply-ingrained habits of a lifetime but Paul, tackles these issues one by one and argues for a united body of believers. In 1 Corinthians 8:11, he says the church is “one body” and each member is important, “for whom Christ died”.
Do you find yourself struggling to be generous towards people who are different from you, or who aren’t part of your family or friendship group? Are you guilty of unfair treatment such as name-calling, work discrimination, gender stereo-typing, bullying, and harassment? Is your attention often attracted to popular people, rather than those who are alone or have problems? Are you introverted, and struggle to relate to people who are usually part of a noisy, extroverted group?
Let’s think about how you can be more open to connection with others, and more closely follow Jesus’ example of radical inclusivity. It takes thought, intentionality, practice, and Holy Ghost power.
[1] https://www.google.com/search?q=inclusivity+definition&oq=inclusivity+&aqs=chrome.4.69i57j0i433i512j0i131i433i512j0i512l7.6426j1j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
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