Weekly HEWing message from Alpha-Beta Consulting: Recent Episodes
Alpha-Beta Consulting
Realise your purpose as you use Holy Scripture to shape yourself into the best version of you, to improve your Human Effectiveness at Work
As we go deeper into the solemnity in Lent, Jesus beckons us towards His Light. Enjoy this week's message - the message for Lent 4, Year B.
Reflection on the Gospel for the Third Sunday in Lent, Year B (John 2:13-22).
We are easily distracted...ever thought you had sent a message only, hours later to find the fully drafted message unsent? Or, ever been in church and gotten totally distracted during the sermon and not have a clue about what was being said? Well, beloveds, that's distraction. But, thankfully, we have a Saviour who knows us and is here to change our focus.
When God is fulfilling His covenant with us, He does itgradually. He knows that we can’t withstand the change included in that fulfilment all at once, so He must do it bit by bit. Perhaps the final step in that fulfilment is the change in name. Beloved, what is the new name that God has created for you?
No one likes to be pulled aside. Your mind begins to race from the moment you’re pulled aside. Sometimes, it’s good news, but most times, it’s not a good thing when you get pulled aside. What about when Jesus pulls us aside? Is it any different?
‘Lord, open our hearts that we may discern your presence, go where you lead us and act in the power of our baptism.’
This prayer spoke to me from the moment I first heard it last year during my studies. It captivated me. It touched something deep inside of me. As I continued reflecting on the prayer, I realised that the words that spoke to me most powerfully were ‘the power of our baptism’.
So what is the 'power' of our baptism?
God makes His marvellous works to be remembered by creating memories for us. He is mindful of His covenant with us, He feeds us, has shown us the power of His works, redeems us and ensures that what He does stands fast forever. Let us give thanks to the Lord with our whole heart in the assembly and in the congregation. (Inspired by Psalm 111)
Dear ones, repentance opens the door to the fulfilment of God’s promises to us. Repentance removes the barriers that separate us from God. Repentance is in fulfilment of God’s will that we will be reconciled to Him. Remember, we pray in the Lord’s Prayer: 'Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven'. As such, when we pray these words, we are reminding ourselves of the need for us to repent and to be reconciled to the Father.
God is Almighty. Nothing is greater than God's strength! Why then try to take on the battle yourself? He has said that the battle is His!
Jesus used parables to provide insight into the kingdom of heaven. Why was this important? This week's Message gives us some insight!
I encourage you, as you experience challenges in life, as you make your way through your wildernesses, as you cross your River Jordan into the territory that has been promised to you by the Lord, to cry out, ‘Surely, the Lord is in this place!’ I encourage you to affirm, like Paul did in Romans 8:18, ‘I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory about to be revealed to us.’ I challenge you to shout out to the world, ‘See what the Lord has done!’, for everything that you have endured to this present date is in fulfilment of God’s word for you.
The Gospel passage this week is Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23: the Parable of the Sower.
I know this text well. Prior to this week's message, though, I had never given much thought to whether the four categories of soil could apply to one person. Perhaps it’s the wording, perhaps it’s my ignorance. I always assumed they were four discrete categories relating to different people. Never did I stop to think that these four categories could refer to one person on a journey of becoming – becoming who he or she was intended to be for God’s honour and glory. Never before did I consider that these four categories could be describing the beauty of the becoming of each and every one of us as we grow in our life in Christ, and in the Spirit.
Today’s Gospel passage, Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 ends with Jesus telling the crowds of Israel that His yoke is easy. Who would consider a yoke, an instrument of control could be considered easy? Who would think that the yoke, and instrument that bruises and is heavy to support could be considered light?
Perhaps it might help if we considered the definition of a yoke. According to the Oxford Concise Dictionary, a yoke is ‘a wooden crosspiece that is fastened over the necks of two animals and attached to a plough or cart that they pull in unison’.
As Christians, we are called to make that choice every day. We are called daily to choose to continue to follow Christ, even when the tests and trials overwhelm us and seem endless. It is in those moments our Father calls us to buckle down in prayer, recognising that, while what we face is greater than we are, it certainly isn’t greater than He is. In buckling down in prayer, God calls us to praise Him, to worship Him, and to adore Him. Here’s a secret: if we’re busy praising God, we’re also busy chasing the devil away for the devil cannot thrive where praise abounds. If we’re busy worshipping God, we’re effectively pursuing a life that draws us closer to God so that nothing will separate us from His love. If we’re busy adoring God, we have no time to focus on the dreariness of our circumstances. And, as we continue in this vein, we grow in understanding of what is meant in Isaiah 40:31, ‘those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.’ In the waiting is the praising, the worshipping, and the adoring, which re-energise us through the action of the Holy Spirit to persevere, to continue to the end, to continue to our reward.
Understand this, without fear of God, our lives are out of balance. Without fear of God, what we do quickly dissipates and yields limited fruit. Without proper fear of God, we lose membership in church, our resources are depleted, our relationships suffer, the state of our personal, communal, and national lives deteriorates and everything we do is empty. Beloveds, without fear of God, everything is vanity!
Dear ones, we are being called to bring in the sheaves after we have been prepared. We will find ourselves at different stages of the process. The beauty of community is that there are those who will always be greater, and those who will always be lesser than we. We will always have someone to help; and there will always be someone to help us. Take advantage of your community so that you may grow as the Lord of the Harvest intends.
My question now is: at what stage of the process are you? My advice to you is this: be patient in the stage at which you find yourself.
Beloveds, faith is difficult. But we move forward for we trust Him, as I encouraged in the message entitled ‘Faith’. We move forward. We do not let go, even though everything presses against us, testing our strength, challenging our resilience. We do not give up, regardless of what we see, the failures we have endured, the disappointments that assail us. We do not give up, for in perseverance lies the promise.
The Creation account is a manifestation of the order of God. There is an alternating sequence between separation and production. The liturgical calendar of the Church is a manifestation of God's holy order.
Disciples of Christ, how is that order reflected in our lives? How is the order of things in our lives an image and likeness of God? How does God’s order of things manifest itself in the way we organise our days, our personal spaces, our workplaces, our faith communities, and our wider communities, and even our interactions with others?
The importance of the order of things cannot be over-emphasised, for the works of God cannot thrive where we persist in chaos.
The Spirit, in like manner to the Father and the Son, is known by many names. The Spirit, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, is the manifestation of the power of God. Jesus was the incarnation of the Word of God; the Holy Spirit is the manifestation of the Power of God. It is for this reason that there is no single response to the question, ‘What is the Holy Spirit’, or more appropriately, ‘Who is the Holy Spirit’? There can be no one response for we serve a multifaceted God. We serve a God who is ‘I Am’. We serve a God who cannot be contained, fully understood. We serve an inscrutable God who will not be encapsulated in our limited human vocabulary.
Have you ever felt ‘ghosted’? You’ve been calling, IM’ing, even emailing and DM’ing, but there has been no answer from the other person – not even an acknowledgement. You’ve been scoping out their social media pages and they’ve been happily posting, updating their statuses, so it isn’t that they’ve been out of circulation. In fact, they are very much in circulation…to the point that they’re re-posting the posts of others.
Let me ask you this question: have you ever felt that God has ghosted you? He seems to be answering the prayers of others, so what’s up with your prayers? Beloved, it is for this reason, we pray, ‘Do not leave us comfortless’.
Do you know where love comes from? Do you know the source of the love that we have to offer to God, to ourselves, and to others? This love is poured into the hearts of mothers and from that they pour into us. To the mothers among you, 'Happy Mothers' Day'. To those who've enjoyed the love of a mother - biological or adopted - let us celebrate the mothers in our lives. Let us celebrate them in love.
Confidence - the power to be who we are called to be in Christ. Confidence to proclaim the mighty works of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvellous light. Confidence because we have a Gospel to proclaim.
Vocation - a call, a voice, a passion, a burning within. With the many distractions around us, it's no wonder we struggle to find our vocation. It turns out that the Good Shepherd calls. If we listen carefully, we will find our vocation. Believe it, or not!
In the face of seeming defeat, it's easy to lose hope. In face of God's seeming silence, it's easy for us to question our mission. Dear ones, I say, you can't leave now. You can't abandon hope. Return, return to purpose. Return for your story of completion awaits you.
This week has shown us that faith propels us in our Christian duty of evangelisation and in the ministry of reconciliation – bringing us back into agreement with God. It begins a little shaky, but, by the sustaining power of the Holy Spirit, it grows into more than we could ever dream of or imagine. We have only to examine the transformation in Peter who, in the wee hours of Good Friday, denied that he was a disciple of Christ, yet, after the Resurrection, stridently defended Christ. It turns out, the Resurrection unlocked Peter’s faith. The Resurrection unlocks our faith as well.
By the power of God's love, your week can offer you just that outcome you've been praying for. Trust in God's love.
For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:38-39)
I believe this for you; I believe it for me. Let us continue in that love.
Mortal, can these dry bones live? I challenge you: prophesy! Say to those dead areas in your life: 'Thus says the Lord God: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live.' Respond in obedience with faith and you will see the power of the resurrection in your life.
The catechism of the Anglican Church teaches that grace is God's favour towards us, unearned and undeserved. By God's grace, our sins are forgiven, our minds are enlightened, our hearts are stirred, and our wills are strengthened. Are we open to receiving God's amazing grace? Friends, do not allow God's grace to be offered in vain: open yourselves to the light and receive the amazing grace of God.
Oh love that will not let me go | I rest my weary soul in thee | I give thee back the life I owe | That in thine ocean depths its flow | May richer, fuller be
Oh light that followest all my way | I yield my flickering torch to thee | My heart restores its borrowed ray | That in thy sunshine's blaze its day | May brighter, fairer be
(Verses from the hymn, 'Oh Love that Wilt Not Let me Go' by George Matheson [1842-1906])
God's love brought us into being; God's love shapes us; God's love sustains us. God's love completes us.
As we journey through our trials and tests, may God's love never let us go.
This week's artwork: Cara B. Hochhalter, Woman at the Well. http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelink.pl?RC=59023
God answers prayers, this we know. If we tell ourselves otherwise might it be because we approach God with the answer already in mind so that we are blinded to God's response to our prayers?
In this week's piece, I examine the difference between Abram (father of our faith) and Nicodemus, who approached the light but left in greater darkness.
Which one are you?
The Lenten journey is one that beckons us towards obedience. In our separation from the things of the world, we are drawn closer to God, a closeness that exists only if we are obedient.
This week's art:
Piece: A Choice
Artist: Lauren Wright Pittman
We are called to be lights in a dark world. Let your light shine: retreat to receive the revelation of God's word; retreat and allow God's Word to transfigure you.
God is willing to answer your prayers. Are you willing to do what God requires for your prayers to be answered? Maybe, the only thing preventing your prayers from being answered is yourself...
God calls us into a pure relationship with him. This can't happen, though, if the curtain of the temple has not yet been torn in two from top to bottom. But didn't this happen at the crucifixion? Well, that was one curtain. There is, however, another curtain that must be torn.
This week's piece discusses what it means to be blessed. Are you among the 'blessed and highly favoured'?
You see, my friends, answering the call (just as Jesus answered the call to become incarnate and dwell among us), requires something more, something else, something more than ‘Yes’. Answering the call, my friends, requires a transition. Answering the call, requires movement, it requires going somewhere that places us in contact with others with whom we will work. Answering the call is not only about our personal journey. Answering the call, is also about incorporating others into a communal journey towards God.
I reflect upon these three examples of men who did not conceal who they were in the Lord, these men who accepted their God-given identity and responsibility and I wonder, ‘If they weren’t afraid, why have I been?’
That plan for salvation includes an approval, just as the Father declared His approval of the Son at the Son’s baptism. The plan for salvation includes an inspection that leads to an approval. Over the past few years since I’ve been sharing these messages with you, I have come to realise that HEWing – the process of increasing our Human Effectiveness at Work – has been that process of inspection for approval.
Friends, looked at this way, the Priestly Benediction is an offering of Jesus Christ to us all. And, if Christ is given to us, then, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we have the promise of the Father. This blessing is perfect (of course, this good thing did came from God), but it is perfect because it is a reflection of the Trinity – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon his shoulders; and he is named Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.’ (Isaiah 9:6)
An invitation, an instruction, an appeal, a request – come. These four letters leave us wondering what’s on the other side of them. As an invitation, it beckons us to experience something with another. As an instruction, it is to do something. As an appeal, it communicates urgency. As a request, it tunes us into something else. Come.
I rejoice notwithstanding the misfortunes of the world. I rejoice, not because of what I see or because I am disconnected from the suffering of the world, but I rejoice because of the hope that God continues to give me to persevere through my trials. I rejoice because God continues to feed me with good things (physical and spiritual). I rejoice because God is faithful and just.
WARNING! Something heavy is going down. Watch out! A change is gonna come. Something’s gonna upset the apple cart. Those who’ve been ignoring the call to turn around, those who’ve ignored the yellow, amber and even the red alerts are going to face the fire. Those who thought the time to account for their sinful ways would never come must now suffer the consequences of their hardness of heart.
In sync with the message of Advent, this week’s readings are urging us to get ready. That process involves a change of attire: we don the armour of light, and in so doing, we ready ourselves for battle. Effectively, we are receiving a rallying cry. Armour is about protection; armour is also about battle. But why are we protecting ourselves?
Friends, wouldn’t you love to hear these words, ‘Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise’? Would you not love to hear those words after you’ve confessed to Christ all the wrong things that you have done, as you surrender to Christ, as you give your life to Christ, as you entrust everything that you are to Christ? I should think in hearing those words, notwithstanding the circumstances under which they were uttered, I would have new life breathed into me.
Friends, the will of God is that all humanity will be reconciled to God. Expressed another way, the will of God is that we will all walk in purpose. For that, we must endure difficulty. For that we must endure trials; for that we must persevere against the most brutal of circumstances.
Resurrection is no mean or easy feat. Resurrection, though, is the fruit of humility, perseverance, faith, yielding to the Potter’s heart, and living a life in praise and worship, as we've explored in earlier pieces. In short, resurrection is a process that can only be undertaken under the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Resurrection is a commitment and a personal choice. We must choose to live our lives in step with the will of God. Resurrection happens, then, when we choose purpose.
Purpose requires persisting, continuing, standing firm notwithstanding the bleak or dismal circumstances around us, notwithstanding the (seeming) lack of success. Purpose requires us to stand, not on the substance of what we see but rather on the assurance of the promises of God.
The unfortunate truth, though, is that humility has been misrepresented. Humility has been despised. We have been turned away from humility. Why? It’s anyone’s guess, really. Perhaps it is because, somehow, because of the common root, humility has been mistaken for humiliation. If this is the case, then this confusion is unfortunate. Humility, you see, is founded in love; humiliation is founded in pride.
It would seem, then, that the saying is true: 'Knowledge is power'! My position, though, is that it depends on the knowledge being pursued. There is knowledge that is worldly - linked to things temporal, things passing, things that do not last - and there is knowledge that is linked to things eternal, things that do not fade away.
Friends, without a spirit of gratitude we ignore the many gifts that are given to us every day. Put another way, without gratitude, we don't even take the time to recognise the many gifts we are given each and every day. In this mode, it becomes so easy for us to be weighed down by the misfortunes and mishaps we experience every day.
Friends, there is no easy way to faith. There are no quick fixes. There is no shortcut. There is only the decision to move forward in trust in God. That process requires any number of things. God, in His infinite wisdom, determines what that means for you.
Friends, it doesn’t matter who you are, your station in life, the power or resources your command, you will be held to account for what you do. It doesn’t matter how long you’ve gotten away with a wrong deed, eventually, it catches up with you and you will have to account and pay the price.
The parable of the dishonest manager is a thorny story to navigate. Upon close study, though, it is a story of reconciliation - of honesty, truthfulness and faithfulness.
In short, like the Israelites, we have become desolate – as individuals and as societies. Such desolation is the consequence of a people who have gone adrift from their purpose, from their true calling.
As I submitted myself to the Potter's hands, I felt the Potter's heart being poured into me. Initially, I felt the pain of the losses that I had suffered. It stung! But then, as I stopped resisting, I felt the warmth of the Potter's hands when I was comforted and reassured that He was with me. The divine Potter reminded me of His promise to me.
Without proper guidance, we have mistakenly accepted that the perversions we see are what 'religion' is. And what has been offered, in many respects, has offended, injured and scandalised. But, do we throw the baby out with the bathwater and discard religion all together?
Given the progress we have made over the years: in medicine, technology, education and our understanding of the world in which we live, God must be proud of us!
Along this pilgrim journey, my eyes have been sharpened to recognise God's guiding hand leading me through this barren land, and my ears opened to hear His voice as He encourages me, 'Fear not. I am with you always.' On this pilgrim journey, I have indeed seen that Jesus Christ is Lord!
Anything that we need is well within the power of God to provide. Imagine the worlds, the universe as a restaurant, 'Chez God'. I say this, not to be cheeky or flippant, but to give you the understanding of just how much the earth and all that is in it belong to God.
If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!’ (Luke 11:13)
People, we need A.S.K.!
What will this new season yield? What kind of seed has been sown? What is the fruit that will be revealed? You will have to tell me, for the proof of the pudding is in the tasting.
Friends, I'm back...love, peace and joy!
I help you Allay your fears, Be still and Concentrate. You Discern and Determine your God-given purpose and how it is to be fulfilled.
The reason the joke ‘Why the chicken crossed the road?’ is never funny, is that it was never intended to be a joke. On the contrary, it’s a story about purpose - courage and daring to accomplish purpose. Cross the road, like the chicken and you, too, will see what awaits you on the other side.
You have been infilled with what it takes to accomplish your purpose. You only need to believe. My friend, it's time for you to stand up. It's time for you to get up.
Sometimes, the test you undergo is not meant to assess you, but rather, to prove to yourself that you have been well prepared and are ready for your next mission, your next mission in your journey towards the fulfilment of your purpose.
What do you do for a living? Hmmm...how about asking 'What do you do for a life?' The answer will surprise you.
We encounter Christ more often than we think? How do I know? Because purpose requires it!
Ride on, ride on to purpose! The naysayers, friends-turn-enemies line the path, but far greater than they are, is the purpose to be fulfilled.
The road to purpose is a difficult one. Do not rely on your might or power. Trust, rather in the One who can...He can
In this episode, I explore what makes reconciliation so difficult, and explain why it's necessary if we are to fulfil our purpose.
How certain are you of the promises of God given to you personally? Do you know the promises? What are they? How assuredly do you stand on those promises?
God give me strength to bear the cross that you have given me, the cross that is the bridge to my purpose.
Are you frustrated, tired, weary, about to throw in the towel? Don't. Maybe it's time for you to put out into the deep water.
If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning and the evening, for I have love to hammer all through this land.
A toast to the new year! A toast to the baptism...a toast to the new creature...the new you.
Fast-forward to the current day, to my current age. I'm no longer in primary school. Today, I shriek in delight and do my happy dance. Today, I have my breakthrough.
Joy and celebration are forms of gratitude. Let them embellish your gratitude, won't you?
And do you know what? That's where we get it so terribly wrong. We're so bent on making our point known because we're the only one who gets it, we can't imagine any other way to do it
I have cities, but no houses. I have mountains but no trees. I have water but no fish. What am I?
Care to be part of a dynamic team? Tune in...I'll share with you the attributes of the successful candidates.
Freedom - does it yield independence or does it remind us that we are in dependence on others?
Choice requires courage. Choosing truth requires even more courage. This is the beauty (or the burden) of freedom.
Freedom = the new Kingdom. Work your way towards it - be strong and let your heart take courage.