Suppose Not!

(James 1:7) “For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord.”

I wonder why we so easily miscue the simplicity of the gospel. As I listen to ministry of late I sadly confess that there seems to be a dearth when Christ should be magnified and lifted higher than any other, there should be no one competing and sadly I understand the letter to the church at Ephesus a little clearer. I am not excusing myself from the number and I pray that God would forgive me and get me to wake-up. Our King is a risen King and nothing outside of His resurrection will free us from the traps of sin. He alone holds the keys to heaven and hell! It must always be about Him and not our intellect or any other tricks we try and use in aiding this glorious message. The Apostle Paul always seemed to wrestle with these truths. I suppose we have it in our nature to get in the way of God. How gracious is He? I am however convinced that God will accomplish all that He has set out to do.

If we will not freely take up our cross and follow Him in may be forced upon us, it will be a lot better to wake up to reality, we need to now respond to our masters voice. It is the love of God that compels Him to bring discipline across our path if needed, yet He will always allow us the opportunity to repent (remember the letters to the churches in the book of Revelation). Who has the wisdom of God but God, praise His Holy Name! It is time for us to wake up to biblical reality. We need eyes to see clearly. I pray Father God that you will reveal our blind spots, please hear my cry! O how worthy is the Lamb of God, He alone is to be praised, help us embrace Him with our whole hearts and not what is left after our covetousness. Help us trim our lamps and to be wise watchmen, less of self and more of Christ. Words come easily to most of us Father but search out our hearts I beseech you Holy God, supply what is needed whatever the cost. When I think of what it cost my great Saviour to save a wretch like me, what more can I say? I have used bold speech and I stand by my words and yet I fear the work that will be needed for me to see purer truths, and yet I ask that you would be gentle where possible, but above all else that your will would be done in my life and in the lives of all professing Christians. And we will not assume that we will received anything from you Father but with boldness we echo the words of Jeremiah the prophet; “I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.” (Jeremiah 32:40)  - May our hearts burn with a reverent fear for your will for our lives, as this promise has been purchased by the blood of Jesus Christ our Lord. This grace that now abounds in our lives must now begin to abound in good works. I feel I have so disappointed you Lord and should have been cast on the dung heap so long ago and yet I find your love more precious that silver as I am still afforded the opportunity to sing praises to such an almighty God. Enough trivia I cry! Help all lay down their lives for Christ as He has laid down His life for His bride, the church. May true faith have its way in all our lives!

In John Piper’s book “The Roots of Endurance” he speaks about men who have gone before us and this was their testimony; “But oh how jealous they were - as I am jealous - that we embrace the cross of Christ first and decisively as the grounds of acceptance with God, through faith alone, before we experience the cross as the price and inspiration of our own labors to endure in the battle of justice in the world. That is, they were careful to savor the cross first as the basis of justification before they experienced its purchased power for sanctification. Before the power of endurance came the pardon of guilt. Before the blood-bought enabling of righteous living came the free gift of perfect righteousness credited to our account because of Christ alone through faith alone.” (John Piper) – May we always remember our first love!

Time ticks by and when our time is up here on earth it will then be over, may we learn to occupy for His name sake from this day forth until we breathe our last breath.

Signing off

Tyrone