Loyalty

(Lamentations 3:58) “0 Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul.”

How sweet it is when our comfort is sure. When we can declare with the prophets of old; “0 Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul.” But when we waiver in our comfort and say, I think, I hope, I trust, that God has pleaded the causes of my soul; when we speak in doubt we reveal fear with our own words, we are in doubt! However the prophets of old never spoke like that they spoke with melodious voice of full assurance, there was never a hint of suspicion in their voices. They would carry a banner that read “Full Assurance” and everyone that crossed their paths would have no doubt in which God they served, they would have known that their God was the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Do we carry the same testimony? Do family, friends and work colleges know that we serve the same God the prophets served, do they know that we are separate from any other religion and that we have pledged our allegiance to the King of King and no other! Do they? They should you know! God is a jealous God and He will not share his glory with another. We must make it clear like our brothers have in times past. We must never accommodate any other religion who excludes the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary. I say never! We must love those who have been blinded by lies but must make it very clear that there is only one Saviour that has the power to reconcile man to God, and that is God’s Son, even Jesus Christ the Lord. The war now rages on and the weapon Satan now wields with vigour is getting people to realise that God is real because he (Satan) is real, yet he is all about lies as he has been from the beginning. The lie he now skilfully uses is the reconciliation of all people tribes and tongues across the globe as world religion enters the realm of tolerance. We must accommodate other people religious views for the sake of peace. But I tell you if we lodge such a mindset we are in danger of God’s wrath. Be warned, we war not in the flesh; “For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh.” You have been called by an almighty God for this very purpose, you where not born in the dark ages but you now live in the 21^st Century, this is the war we will now need to combat and we no longer like our brothers of old fight with swords and spears. The Lord Jesus will return to fetch His bride and usher them into the marriage feast. I however believe before that event actually takes place a sifting must take place as God is merciful in long suffering and will fairly make provision for true Christians to make their stand against the enemy, even if it costs them there life, or at the very least a charge of “hate speech”, leaving them guilty of the charge.

Typology (the study or systematic classification of types); Let us look at previous examples on How God acted prior to Him passing His judgement. The flood is a good case in point as we see those whom God destroyed and those whom God chose to save. Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord, I am not about to discuss why He found grace (favour), nevertheless we are told in the text, (Genesis 6:8) “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.” So God instructs Noah to make an ark, which Noah builds to specification. Noah then gathers into his ark all living animals in pairs. God then destroys the earth and all living that was not in the ark with His flood. A terrible judgement but a judgement from God, an unstoppable act as God had purposed it and so it happened. What I find interesting is the time and the businesslike manner all must have witness in the preparation this man Noah was involved with. He was purposeful in his deliberation to accomplish God’s request, He believed God and therefore acted on His command. In like manner if we believe in the act of Calvary for our lives we must with deliberation make it clear to all we come into contact with, that there is only one Saviour and that it is only in Him that we will find the way, understand the truth and through Him find life. The clock is ticking and it is God who has commanded it to tick; it cannot and will not be stopped. When Noah closed that door it was God who opened the heavens and the rains fell, and there was no escape, not the highest mountain could save them, not the most appealing religion or any accommodating temperament will be able to save mankind from the upcoming Judgement that God will pour out on mankind. So be bold and find grace in love and with a gentle spirit declare the truth of the gospel to all and sundry. What they do with the message is not our concern in that sense, but we must make it very clear without any loop holes the Jesus Christ alone has died for the sins of mankind and if we do not repent from false religion and believe in His finished work we will be subject to God’s judgement just like they were in the days of Noah. Can we see from Noah’s paradigm that he echoed the words of our scripture reference; “0 Lord, thou hast pleaded the causes of my soul.” He found favour in God’s eyes, just maybe because He too believed in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob long before they were born.

There is a reason I stress the point of Christ and Him crucified as our war-cry. Apart from all the obvious reasons, in Christ alone, by faith alone and through grace alone I see another wicked enemy raising its head as it will frighten with unforgiving vengeance and will test the sheep and this test will separate them from the goats. It will shake the foundations of many, but those who stand upon the rock, even our Lord and Saviour, will be made to stand as He has overcome. Trust Him and it will go well with your souls. It will eventually get so out of hand that the world itself will call an alliance to destroy the enemy, God’s chosen. Now whether we as Christians will still be on the earth when this happens is debateable, some believe in the pre-tribulation, some in mid-tribulation and others in post-tribulation rapture. Nevertheless whenever the Lord shall return we must all agree that opposition will come as that day approaches? Laws even in our country have already been passed against what is called “hate-speech”, in other words if I make a statement from the bible and tell someone that; (John 14:6) “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” I am guilty of hate speech and I do not respect other people religious rights and therefore can be brought up on that charge. What will we do? Should we fear man or God? The answer is obvious! (Matthew 10:28) “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Don’t you just love the word of God, I do! Our Father always gives us the answers we need in and through the bible. So this weapon will begin to fatten as the devil and his forces begin to manipulate with it as his time approaches, he will demand it from God and God will give it to him and it will eventually end up here; (Revelation 11:10) “and those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth.” The world will sent presents to one another when they are killed. Read chapter 11 of Revelation to see the context of my point, time no longer permits me to elaborate. So let us keep in mind the importance of declaring clearly and with accuracy that it is only in and through the finished work of Cavalry whereby a person can find salvation and by no other means will a person enter into heaven but rather face an eternity in hell, if they neglected so great a salvation. May we find grace to be bold with this endeavour to witness our loyalty to our God and Saviour.

Signing off

Tyrone