ARE YOU A WORKER OR A SHOPPER?

From now on I call you not servants... but I have called you friends, – Jn 15:15

The difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament is more than that blank page between Malachi and Matthew. It’s a radically new system in man’s relation with God; something the book of Hebrews calls “a new and living way”, (Heb 10:20).

This is why our Lord didn’t want His disciples to fast while the Old system was being dismantled and the New was being set up. Like He said, “No man puts new wine into old wineskins;” (Luk 5:37).

It’s easy to conflate the system of the OT with the New, because on the surface, nothing seems to have changed. God still demands holiness, we still pray, we still fast, we still give and God still expects us to be separate from the world (sanctified). In essence, we still go to the same MALL.

However, what distinguishes the Believer from the OT Saint is that while one goes there for shopping, the other goes there to work. One goes out of pleasure, the other goes out of necessity. They may both rise up early to get to the MALL, but one is hurrying to get the “Early Worm” deal, while the other is hurrying not to get a query.

One gives out of gratitude to God, the other gives lest his heavens be closed shut! While one lingers at the MALL because there’s just so much to see/receive (NT prayer), the other lingers as well – just to say, "I stayed for hours" (religious prayer). One fasts in order to enlarge his shopping cart, the other fasts to show contrition and elicit pity.

The attitude with which we approach the Grace MALL determines whether we’re a worker or a shopper. When we see fastings and giving as things to do to move God, or try to rack up the hours during prayer time to make God see how serious we are, then we’re still in the Worker-mode.

True New Testament Believers are SHOPPERS. They approach the MALL with BOLDNESS and confidence. Their hours spent in prayer, study, etc. are not to PLEASE God (they’re already “accepted in the Beloved,” Eph 1:6), or to BEG Him to give to them (all things are already theirs in Christ, Rom 8:32). But their lingering is in order to explore and take more of all that their loving Heavenly Father had made available to them.

So, the next time you pray, study or engage in any other spiritual exercise, ask yourself this pertinent question, “Am I working or am I shopping?”

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

BE A VETERAN SHOPPER

Friend, go up higher. – Luk 14:10

Several years ago, my elder sister told me with breathless excitement of a certain section of the famous Lagos Oshodi market that she’d accidentally stumbled upon. She’d been shopping for hours looking for a particular material and then, without knowing how she got there, she broke into this strange place. In her words “I felt like I had entered another market”; because it looked and felt very different from the Oshodi she knew.

It would interest you to know that as at the time she told that story she had lived in Lagos for over 30 years!

Act 10:34 says, “God is no respecter of persons”; He doesn’t reserve some blessings for some “superior” Believers or special “Men of God”; what He’s made available to one, He’s made available to all. The Super-Mega MALL of Grace is open for all of God’s children to shop freely in, but only those who tarry long there have discovered where the good stuff is at.

Many Believers only shop at the entrance, no more than 50 feet from the checkout. But others go deeper, and stay longer. Through experience they have familiarised themselves with the various sections and departments. If ever they need something in the future they don’t linger, wondering if the MALL has it, or spend hours searching for it. They simply go straight for it; because they’d seen it before during one of their frequent visits to the inner parts of the MALL.

That’s why their prayer and study times are more effective. It doesn’t mean God likes them more, it just means they know how to go straight for what they want. Some others spend hours just to get “into the presence of God”, they – veteran shoppers that they are – get into the presence as soon as they kneel down.

Beloved, the riches and wisdom of Christ are inexhaustible. There’s always something more, something new, something deeper. Let’s not be complacent with what little revelation or experience we already have, let’s go higher. It’s only when we tarry long that we’ll discover new light, new graces and new blessings.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN 

HOW’S YOUR SHOPPING CART?

But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen. – 2Pe 3:18

It’s amazing the attitude some believers take to the Christian walk. They see nothing wrong in not praying, not studying God’s Word, or not Fellowshipping with the Brethren.

They are qualified to shop freely in the Super-Mega MALL called GRACE, yet when the giant Gates to the MALL open up, they stroll in casually, with a picnic basket in their hand!

Beloved, what we can receive from God is determined by the size of our ‘Shopping Cart’ and its size is determined by our level of faith and our mindset. We increase the size of our Carts in the place of prayer, in the place of studying God’s word, and other such spiritual exercises.

No size is considered too big at the MALL, if you bring a heavy truck as your cart, no problem; there’s more than enough to fill it up.

Grace has made everything available to us, but we must “grow in Grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ;” so that we might “know the things that are freely given to us of God.” (2Pet 3:18; 1Co 2:12; 3:22)

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN

THERE’S WORK IN GRACE

Therefore, my beloved,... work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. – Php 2:12

The Gospel message proclaims that Jesus has paid it all and done it all.

In Rom 11:6, Paul paints a stark contrast between GRACE and WORK: “If by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.”

However, some believers take this truth to the extreme by saying that GRACE therefore, is so Anti-Works, that we must avoid anything that looks or smells like "work". For them, Christian exercises like prayer, fasting, giving, even church attendance are considered “WORKS”.

Like the Hippies of the 60’s, they’re quick to tell you, “Relax Bro, don’t get yourself worked up; it doesn’t take all that to receive”.

Nevertheless, though Grace is a Super-Mega MALL completely paid for by Jesus for the Believer to shop freely in, he or she still has to SHOP to get what has already been paid for.

They still have to DRIVE to the Mall, they still have to WALK into the Mall, they have to GET a shopping cart for themselves and they still have to move around the MALL and pull the things they want out of the shelves. Why would any person see this as work?

Spiritual exercises like fasting, prayer and meditating on God’s Word are means with which we shop in the Super MALL called Grace. Everything has been prepared and paid for, but we still have to work it out in faith. Prosperity isn’t going to fall on your laps, the miracle isn’t going to come unasked, and that breakthrough you’ve been looking for isn’t at the MALL gate; it’s on Aisle 1165 – by the Dairy Section, in between “Kosher Foods” and “Fresh Imports”. If you really need it, you have to do whatever it takes to get ‘there’.

And why wouldn’t you? It’s FREE. Go get it. Pray, Fast, develop your faith: whatever you need to do, Work it. And that miracle will surely be yours in Jesus’ Name.

AMEN.

Greg Elkan

The Mall

And sent his servant at supper time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready – Lk 14:17

The unique message of the Gospel is one that has flummoxed many for centuries – even in the Church. The concept of an economy that gives without anything in exchange is anomalous to all that the human mind can fathom.

Christianity’s doctrine of forgiveness of sins – not based on penance, sacrifice or any thing we bring to the table – is what distinguishes it from every other World religion.

But the Gospel of Grace goes beyond salvation; Eph 1:3 says Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

In Christianity, we’re not working to be blessed, we already have been blessed; we’re not praying to be healed, we already were healed (1Pe 2:24); and we’re not hoping for Everlasting Life in a future paradise, because as believers, we already have “everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation,” (John 5:24).

That is why I liken the New Testament Gospel to a MALL – an extremely large, country-sized MALL with millions of shops stacked full with billions of items. There’re spas, restaurants and theatres; swimming pools, bowling alleys and specialised gallerias. This MALL has everything and anything!

Now, here’s the distinguishing feature of this super-mega MALL – everything inside has already been paid for you by the owner, Jesus Christ. Yet many have not entered this MALL. Some are ignorant of its existence even though they’re saved, Born-Again Christians. Others hurdle in little camps around the large gates and argue about doctrines and terminologies. And others still simply stand at the gate – looking longingly into the goodies that are it but disbelieving that anything this good can come at no charge.

 “COME;” says your Master, “for all things are now ready” (Lk 14:17). Will you go in? Or will you keep stalling?

And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is thirsty come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely. – Rev 22:17.

AMEN.

More Blessings await you today; you’ll not miss them in Jesus’ Name.

GREG ELKAN