"War"

With so many voices out the in the world today it is tough not to be influenced. Even if we think we are immune it them, we are not. Just living from day to day and rubbing shoulders with the world and so many voices with so many varying outlooks. How are the Christians to survive? The simplest way to clarify it is as a brother in Christ and good friend once taught me. “We cannot put off without putting on.” Let me explain, if you know something is right and you do not do it, whatever it may be, then to you it is sin. God deals with all His children in like manner; we all have an enemy, the devil and our flesh. They both will do what they can to keep us from obedience to the will of God. Now, what advantage would we have if we knew not to lose our temper and when the urge came upon us to do exactly that and we did not bite our tongue, which we must do, and then we pace outside in the garden taking deep breaths to keep our temper at bay. It may be a help that we could use for awhile, but it would not be the right assist. Eventually because we are relying on our ability in ourselves, in other words we use the will and its power through discipline to endeavor to be more holy. Discipline is essential as a Christian, but we must not make the mistake I believe every Christian somewhere along his journey falls privy to. Remember Paul’s instruction to the Galatians church;

Gal 3:3 Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now perfected in the flesh? Remember what they where enforcing that all males get circumcised. In like manner we believe if we do and act in a certain manner, if we live up to a grade that we believe other will accept, then we feel justified and secure as a Christian. I understand and would agree that sin in our lives will cause unbelief, and it will rock our foundation. Do not misunderstand the point. Our eyes must move off our achievements if you could refer to them as such, I know for me I have no achievements and if someone was to find commendation, it would certainly not be because of my works or ability. Our eye must always gaze heavenward and we must always remember who achieved our sanctification. It was our great Saviour, the Lord Jesus. When He is in the forefront of our minds, when we reason soberly and realize that our best works and achievements are like filthy rags to the Lord, contaminated and imagine the rags the lepers use when bandaging their flesh, when they removed them, they were referred to as “filthy rags”. So, then our best work or achievements are also like “filthy rags” if they are down outside the finished work of Calvary, they will be condemned at the white thrown judgment. “Why having begun in the spirit, are ye now perfected in the flesh?” the King James translation says, “by the flesh.” I think this reads better. This is a great example that contradicts the voices out in the world. Remember it is only the words of God that will endure forever; this world will pass away but not the words of God. Let us cleave to the voice of wisdom and turn a deaf ear to the herald of people’s opinions. So, how then do I put on? When temptation confronts me, it is simply not good enough to put it off. I must put it off but I then must put on. Put on What? In a nutshell the Lord Jesus, remember Him, pray to Him, thank Him, and Love Him. When the flesh tells you to be mean to someone, pray to the Lord, ask Him for strength, find grace as it is available freely to all who search it out and then go and be kind to them. One without the other will not help us grow in obedience. May God our merciful Father be merciful to all who call upon the name of the Lord?

Signing off

Tyrone