The link to my book - Destroy and Deliver (Autobiography)

Wednesday 28 March 2012

Was heared in that He feared...


(Hebrews 5:7) “…He was heard in that he feared.”

How often, if ever, have you ever felt alone? I know I have in some measure. The Lord Jesus is most definitely familiar with this experience. Although He was alone in the Garden of Gethsemane the cup He needed to drink was His and His alone, even though those closest to Him whom we could call His favorites; Peter, James and John where asleep, when the Lord Jesus needed them more than ever, as He looked to them for comfort. He knew that His greatest trial was now upon him, He no doubt hoped that Peter and the two sons of Zebedee would stand with him and bring Him comfort or at least give Him some support. It was not to be; something’s are ours and ours alone. No one can stand in our place when it comes to our own specific trial that needs to be endured.

Let us look at our Masters great example; “Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here, while I go over there and pray." And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, "My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me." And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will." And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:36-37)

We clearly see no matter how the Lord Jesus looked to position those closest to Him to help in His trial, they fell asleep and He had to face this trial alone. It was mammoth in comparison to the trial anyone one of us have to face, but the trail we face in context to who we are in our own story is colossal as we often also look to others for help. Yet, sometimes we have to come to the same conclusion it is our trail and not theirs. It is something we personally need to find grace for to overcome. These are not pleasant times and who in their right mind would welcome such a trail? And yet the Lord Jesus was given a title because of His victory though His trial in the Garden; He is not only our King but our High Priest. He earned the right, as He is no touched with the feeling of our infirmities. He has personally been there and understands our pain. Therefore cast all you care upon Him is what the scripture teachers. Why then do we battle, or rather why then do I battle so?

We know the answer it is in the text, The Lord Jesus was heard in that He feared the weakness of the flesh; however the voice of Satan like a dripping tap would have nagged away at Him, “you see those closest to you have fallen asleep”. The taunting would have continued as the Lord Jesus initially looks to avoid the trail; it is only when He acknowledges that He is meant to go through it that He finds rest and God sends an angel to minister to Him; it would appear that this angel removed His fear, enabling Him to face the temptation with a calmness that followed; “Then he came to the disciples and said to them, "Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand."(Matthew 26:45-46)

I suppose until each of us come to the same conclusion we will remain as those who grope in the dark, never learning.

May God give us eyes to see and ear to hear in these the latter times of grace.

Signing off

Tyrone


Thursday 22 March 2012

Seasons!


God’s mercy and grace who can actual fully comprehend it. The grace of God affords the believer what they don’t deserve; in fact the sun rises on both the believer and the unbeliever. The mercy of God then keeps from us what we actually do deserve; separation from God here on earth and then ultimately hell as our final destination. Why? I could never say this enough and if you have heard it from me a thousand times it would nevertheless be worth mentioning a thousand more. The Lord Jesus Christ has made a way, praise His name. If for some reason we ever forget this, remember we are only accepted in the beloved because of what He has achieved and not on our own merit. Without the grace of God (the Lord Jesus) where would we be? You fill in the blanks!

Everything in life has its seasons, why? It is the way God has ordained it. I do not only make reference to the cycle of life pertaining to the weather patterns as we know it, but the seasonal changes for us on a personal level; “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)   

All have their place in our lives, why? They have been instituted to teach us to become more dependent on the finished work of Calvary and obviously to become more like Him in character. Sometime the thought of some of these seasons seem to send us in the opposite direction. We look to the old man and his ability rather than the grace of God, which we never deserved in the first place. This then results in lots of heartache.

As a family we got some unexpected news, my father has been diagnosed with cancer. This in itself with everything else that is going on at this time seems to be a mistake. There are no mistakes with God, He is in perfect control. It is now the time for this season in all our lives. Will we run to Christ for sustenance or will we look for strength in the old man? God help all of us to use this opportunity to unite in the bonds of love in and through the wonderful finished work our Redeemer.

If I look at my struggles of late; may I be soon be reminded of what the Lord Jesus had to go through as a man here on earth and may I learn from His example. To now find strength for my family feeling so weak in myself seems an impossible task. But I am then reminded…

“And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed.”

- Mat_26:39

There are several instructive features in our Saviour’s prayer in his hour of trial. It was lonely prayer. He withdrew even from his three favoured disciples. Believer, be much in solitary prayer, especially in times of trial. Family prayer, social prayer, prayer in the Church, will not suffice, these are very precious, but the best beaten spice will smoke in your censer in your private devotions, where no ear hears but God’s.
It was humble prayer. Luke says he knelt, but another evangelist says he “fell on his face.” Where, then, must be THY place, thou humble servant of the great Master? What dust and ashes should cover thy head! Humility gives us good foot-hold in prayer. There is no hope of prevalence with God unless we abase ourselves that he may exalt us in due time.
It was filial prayer. “Abba, Father.” You will find it a stronghold in the day of trial to plead your adoption. You have no rights as a subject, you have forfeited them by your treason; but nothing can forfeit a child’s right to a father’s protection. Be not afraid to say, “My Father, hear my cry.”
Observe that it was persevering prayer. He prayed three times. Cease not until you prevail. Be as the importunate widow, whose continual coming earned what her first supplication could not win. Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.
Lastly, it was the prayer of resignation. “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” Yield, and God yields. Let it be as God wills, and God will determine for the best. Be thou content to leave thy prayer in his hands, who knows when to give, and how to give, and what to give, and what to withhold. So pleading, earnestly, importunately, yet with humility and resignation, thou shalt surely prevail. (C.H.Spurgeon)

Signing off

Tyrone

Tuesday 20 March 2012

What vessels are we?


Some things in life are a lot easier for some than others, which is the way it is. But we all have the tendency and the ability to learn, it is the way God chose to create us. Life is about learning; our existence here on earth has this objective, to learn to be obedient to the will of God. The rest is all just fill-in. As Christians we have had our eyes now opened to this truth. Some find it easier to be obedient with less destruction to their lives while others struggle along. Nevertheless God is building his church and the gates of hell shall not prevail. We must cling onto this hope with all we have; “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

Yet with that said we must also take into account that the scripture is clear, that there is also another category of apparent believers we need to consider; there are those who say they believe in the finished work of Calvary but their lives tell a different story; “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” (Titus 1:16)

It would be unwise for me not to consider this warning; many may needn’t spend too much time here and praise God for their conduct and testimony. However for some of us our lives as Christians have taken many wrong turns along the way and praise God for His forgiveness or else we would be lost. We may be groping in the dark even now, but we are not lost, just battling to find our way again. It is obvious that the map is Christ and no other!

So what then is it that turns us in the opposite direction is, well obviously it is sin, the enemy of the cross. The Lord Jesus Has conquered sin, but now it is up to us as believers to believe in His finished work and to also conquer sin in our lives. The battle rages on! For us to turn a blind eye to our sin whatever it may be would be like an ostrich entombing it face in the sand to avoid a predator. Foolishness personified!  We must consider were we are on any given day, with the knowledge that no matter how many times we may slip and fall that there is forgiveness for the Christian. But we must also remember those in the other camp; “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.” Yes we may even be number amongst them. If that be the case what is a man to do? I believe the Apostle Paul gives us the answer;Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” (2Timothy 2:21)   

So it is the easily understood; we must look to our Saviour to put right that which is wrong, to make straight that which is crooked. It will come to pass! Just so long as we do not lie to ourselves and to God.

Father God it is almost unbelievable how forgiving you can be, time and time again you forgive me for the same sin, and there must also be others that feel rather bruised at times, it is for them I pray as I am able to sympathise with their failure. While we have breath we have hope and our hope is in none other than our glorious Saviour, you majestic Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is nevertheless imperative that we look to cleanse ourselves of that which disqualifies. For if this is our sincere will to put on the Lord Jesus, your Word is clear, we will be vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.

Unto this end we do pray…

Signing off

Tyrone
  

Friday 16 March 2012

It is finished...


John 19:30 “It is finished.”

To prosper is a want we all have had in some area of our lives. I believe we all look to prosper in one form of another from day to day. At the moment life is tough regarding income and as a freelance photographer I need to be commissioned in order to make ends meet. I have a want to work and yet it eludes me, times are tough and because of the pressures of life I find that I am uncertain how to react to my current predicament with uncertainty playing its part in my life. Doubt is alive and well and it should have died many years back. So many negative emotions still part of my life and yet when the Lord Jesus hung upon that cruel Roman cross on that hill in Golgotha, He declared which assurance and boldness, “it is finished”. It is this declaration I want us to look at…

After the sin in the garden we (mankind) were all doomed to this one particular fate, we were all born sinners. It was not a choice we were afforded, by default this was our penalty and all because of Adam’s sin. In other words we could do nothing but sin. The Apostle Paul puts it like this; For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.” (Romans 7:15): - we needn’t think back very far to understand what is meant by this. The Apostle James speaks about our tongues and how we wield them and this is what he says; “So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” (James 3:5-6)

When we were born we were all born as sinners and as life progressed we added to that account as sin played it part in all of our lives. All guilty of this one fact, without exception, that we are sinners; “as it is written: "None is righteous, no, not one;” (Romans 3:10): - Therefore without exception all deserve hell! Hell a place designed for Lucifer and his angels, all those who opposed God and His rule. Now for mankind, those who do not find forgiveness for their sin in and through the Lord Jesus Christ will end up there. This is the essence of why Christ came to pay the price for sin and free those enslaved by sin and why He was able to declare with boldness; “it is finished”.

I need to find an answer to this question; why then as Christians do we still struggle with sin, if His work is finished?

What is meant by these words; “it is finished”.  The devastating accomplishment that Satan had in the Garden of Eden, where sin found life in the lives of the human race had now been reversed. Sin had been defeated by the death of the Lord Jesus on that cross. The reason He was able to defeat death, sin and the grave was because of His life he lived as a man and yet without sin. This then qualified Him for the atonement for all who would believe on Him. God’s plan accomplished in and through the Lord Jesus Christ, isHHHHis Son, and our Saviour! The shackles of sin broken once and for all; therefore when a sinner (a man or a woman) calls out unto Jesus in sincerity and asks for forgiveness for their own sin, they are forgiven and receive His Spirit and are them numbered amongst Gods elect. No longer Satan as their father but God now accepts them into His kingdom and allows the believer to now address Him as Father.

I realise I am addressing the basic fundamentals of Christianity and we should all understand this. However I am looking to probe the inner circle of our understanding as believers; why do we still wrestle with sin if “it is finished”?

This is what Paul’s gospel has to teach us regarding salvation; “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (2Corinthians 5:17): - Why is he able to make this statement? Because Christ declared that, “it is finished”, with His work complete and eternal. If old things have passes away why do they still have such an effect on our lives? “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12)   

Satan has not been chained, he goes around like a roaring lion seeking to devour. God has so permitted it; he is actually helping in the sanctification process. Even if we succumb to his lures far more often than we should. I honestly hate having failed so often through this process but I know that it is good for me as God is in control. Not that it is good that I fall but that I realise how much I need the Lord Jesus in my life. He is for all of His Children and He knows what is best for us even if we don’t. Let us rest in Him and the finished work of the cross. The day is coming when we too will be able to enter the New Jerusalem where this warfare would have ceased, but until then may we continue to encourage one another and constantly look for forgiveness as we are often lured away by our own wants as we take our eyes of the Lord Jesus and we forget God’s will for our lives.

Thank you for your patience Father God and I pray that you would cause the wind of zeal to sweep across the paths of all your children so that we may find the vigour to glorify your name, not only with words but by our actions. Praise the name of Jesus now and forever more, Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone    

  




  

Thursday 15 March 2012

Can a man be proud of Grace?


The grace of God in Christ is without measure, it is inexhaustible and available for all who have His Spirit. And yet life with all its challenges seems to want to rob us of this free gift. Grace is what is needed to get through any given day. For me to even again say I shall never fall would be an unwise declaration. Although my wish would be to never fall again, the truth be told if I do not find the grace needed for the particular trial, I will come up short.

Can a man be proud of grace?

It is a curious fact, that there is such a thing as being proud of grace. A man says, “I have great faith, I shall not fall; poor little faith may, but I never shall.” “I have fervent love,” says another, “I can stand, there is no danger of my going astray.” He who boasts of grace has little grace to boast of. Some who do this imagine that their graces can keep them, knowing not that the stream must flow constantly from the fountain head, or else the brook will soon be dry. If a continuous stream of oil comes not to the lamp, though it burn brightly to-day, it will smoke to-morrow, and noxious will be its scent. Take heed that thou gloriest not in thy graces, but let all thy glorying and confidence be in Christ and his strength, for only so canst thou be kept from falling. Be much more in prayer. Spend longer time in holy adoration. Read the Scriptures more earnestly and constantly. Watch your lives more carefully. Live nearer to God. Take the best examples for your pattern. Let your conversation be redolent of heaven. Let your hearts be perfumed with affection for men’s souls. So live that men may take knowledge of you that you have been with Jesus, and have learned of him; and when that happy day shall come, when he whom you love shall say, “Come up higher,” may it be your happiness to hear him say, “Thou hast fought a good fight, thou hast finished thy course, and henceforth there is laid up for thee a crown of righteousness which fadeth not away.” On, Christian, with care and caution! On, with holy fear and trembling! On, with faith and confidence in Jesus alone, and let your constant petition be, “Uphold me according to thy word.” He is able, and he alone, “To keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.” (C.H.Spurgeon)

Wherever we find ourselves may we be quick to focus all our attentions on the Lord Jesus Christ, our risen Saviour. May all our confidence lie in Him and not our circumstance or our own abilities. Enough of what I am capable of achieving within myself, I have proved time and again that all that brings to my life is destruction. I am a new creature in Him and the time to embrace this truth is at the door, it has been from salvation, but life is there to teach us many lessons about ourselves, sure we can learn from the mistakes of others. I hope I have assisted some with the evident mistakes to my life.

However at the end of the day we will all stand-alone before our Heavenly Father and give an account of what we did with His perfect gift, Jesus Christ the Lord. How we applied His Spirit to our lives. Christianity is a person relationship that we received with no merit of our own, God who is rich in mercy afforded us the opportunity to call upon His name and only because of what Christ achieved on our behalf, redemption from sin. Although we battle with sin we are no longer guilty of sin as Christ has paid the price in full. A phenomenal accomplishment! How can we find sin in our lives and yet be free from its charge? Praise the name of Jesus!

It is now up to us to resolve in Christ to be strong in seeking out His grace. He has buckets of grace in Himself and yet it is not for Himself but for the Christian. The sole purpose of this fountain that flows full of grace from our head, the Lord Jesus, is to provide the Christian with nourishment and the ability to find strength to overcome. We will never overcome if we do not seek out His provision for any given situation.

I suppose we are asked to wrestle for it just like Jacob did, when he encountered the “Angel of the Lord” in the wilderness. That is why we are taught to approach the throne room of grace with boldness (chutzpah). It is far too natural to give in to temptation without fighting for what is right in the Lord.

Once again I will remind myself and all who now read this entry, it is all about what the Lord Jesus achieved on Calvary, may we never forget it, if we are to find grace we must focus on His victory and seek out His strength to overcome. Any other way will be like a house built on the clay and when the storm comes, and it will come, the house will come toppling down and great will be its fall.

Signing off

Tyrone

Wednesday 14 March 2012

Restore a right spirit in me...


Romans 8:39 “…nor anything else in all creation…”

What would be the death of a Christian? Well, without over-philosophizing with a play on words, it would be good to keep it simple. We are taught that nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God and yet we are left with responsibility as Christians…   “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 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): - This then would obviously cover our own inability to do the right thing as we have all been tainted by sin, as it clearly stipulates “nor anything else”, which must include even ourselves. However it is also very clear from scripture that we are accountable for our own actions; “So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” (Romans 14:12)

Both truths will certainly play their part in the life of the Christian. What is my responsibility? I must leave certain truths to the mercy and faithfulness of God, for He is just and will work out His perfect plan to perfection without any impartiality concerning His righteousness. If this was not truth all it would prove is that God is imperfect and we know that is false. He is perfect and everything He does will ultimately prove His perfection. For us then to try and humanize God with our own fickle imaginations would be a serious mistake. How could we the created ever try to teach the creator right from wrong and yet we had a tendency to do it. What mercy, patience, longsuffering, kindness, perseverance and total dedication God has for all who belong to Him. Why? Simply put, Jesus Christ the Lord! Praise His glorious and I mean remarkable name now and forever more, Amen!

Back in time God singled out a people whom He called His own, the Israelites, those born from the seed of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But before long it was evident that sin ran rife amongst His people, no differently to its effect on all of mankind even today. But with God there can be no place for sin as He is sinless and what fellowship can light have with darkness? They cannot co-exist!

God through Moses then introduces the law, the Ten Commandments. I want us to consider the complexities of the law and those who lived under it. It must have been a time of structure with lots of rituals worked into their lives on a daily basis. This was needed so that they could find favour with God. When a sin was committed a sacrifice was required to pardon the offender. An animal needed to lose its life. It would have been a gory time, blood spilt on an on-going basis. Just pause for a moment and try and visualise this type of lifestyle. Even a woman menstruating was considered unclean under her cycle and if someone happened to touch her they too were then considered unclean. They would have been ordered to wash with water and follow a particular ritual before they could be accepted back into the fold.  

Now let us consider it from God’s perspective; He would need to decide whether or not to forgive the offender and the offence. Once a year the high priest would enter the holiest of holies and offer up a sacrifice for the people. And on occasion God would not receive the sacrifice and he would die… Until the glorious work of the cross, yes praise the name of Jesus. It is now not about whether or not to forgive, Christ has paid the price for sin and it is finished! For those found in Him, they have all been sanctified by his blood. There now are no more if’s and but’s!

With that said, how does this affect us in our daily walks? I remember as a new believer walking into a movie house and watching on Hollywood block buster. I remember leaving feeling rather vexed. Some much of what it had to say was in total opposition to who God is. But through time and because of sin once again rearing its head in my life, it is obvious that my conscience has been anesthetised. It no longer responds like it once did. However with that said, everything hinges on the Lord Jesus Christ and the finished work of the cross. There is nothing that will keep a believer from seeking out His face, NOTHING! For those who choose to play the manic–depressive disorder card or those who suffer from addiction or even when I say that people don’t understand me and I am who I am, I can’t help it. It is all a lie! Christ has overcome and our sustenance lies in Him. We must learn to call out to Him in every area of our lives. Is my conscience seared; well my glorious Saviour is capable of heightening it senses once again. Do I suffer from depression? Call upon the name of the Lord, and do not let people, sinners convince you that you are a basket case… “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 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.” Add to this list if need be because the Lord Jesus has conquered all!

Wherever we find ourselves, it is up to us as believers to seek out God’s face. He has and ear for His children, but the responsibility lies with the child to come and find grace to help in time of need. The lessons of life are there to teach us to become more reliant on the Lord Jesus and less captivated by our own failure. We will always fail in one form or another if our eyes shift from Him onto ourselves.

My prayer today would be “restore a right spirit in me” and I know I am heard because of what Jesus achieved on Calvary, praise His name!

Signing off

Tyrone   







Monday 12 March 2012

A current thought...


Thought time we all learn that there are most certainly certain things that aid in our walk as Christians just as much as there are things that look to disqualify. This blog has been of great assistance in the Lord Jesus to help me focus, but as soon as my eyes shifted I no longer found grace to be persistent with my endeavour’s. Today is a good day as God’s grace has afforded me the opportunity to once again pen my thoughts and for this I am thankful. I will be quick to say I do not have all the answers and I do not know what tomorrow may hold but God Knows!

We must learn to focus on what the Lord Jesus achieved with more certainty in our lives than the rising of the sun. We have an enemy that will do his utmost to stop us from achieving this end. Be that as it may, while we are afforded breath we have hope!

A reflection over this torrid time of my unbelief…

It is one thing to be aware of the danger on the horizon, take our end of the year holiday most of us are fortunate to have and enjoy. One is able to prepare for battle in that sense; precaution can be made to be on the lookout for certain triggers that could lead to us dropping our guard. In fact because we are on holiday we give ourselves license. That has been my experience over time.

At all times our focus should be Christ and not the success or failure of one another.

However, it is when we drop our guard, when the company we keep is safe, and there would seem no need to be guarded as we are all of a similar mind, “birds of as feather”, in that sense. We are all Christian and on the same side, that is if we all believe that it is Christ alone who has accomplished our release and it is only because of what He achieved that we are now named amongst the believer.

Here are the facts with no if and buts; But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” (Ephesians 2:4-9): I wonder how many people actually get this; I do not speak to infants but those who claim to be mature in Christ. As soon as we look to disqualify others because of what we now achieve in our own lives and we compare ourselves to them with a disqualifying eye, we have forgotten the basic fundamentals of Christianity; “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”

With that said, I suppose it is a message that brings consolation to my heart because there has been much failure surrounding my life over the last few of weeks. Be that as it may, how does that effect what Christ achieved on Calvary? It could and never will effect what He achieved, that has been sealed for eternity, praise His name!

Where am I most vulnerable? I think I may have finally seen a truth to my life I have always tried to shut out; I have always strained to please those closest to me, even if they were blind to it. I know, even if they don’t! So when someone close to me decided to cut me off because of all my inadequacies after 30 years, having known me for thirty years and having seen me develop through life with my many bad decisions attached along the way and then to finally decide that they have had enough. Who could have seen it coming, I certainly didn’t! But these are the real issues of life and the things that affect us most. To say that they don’t cut deep would be a lie; they certainly do, even when we put on a brave face, pretending as if we don’t care. And yet I understand that he also has his own battle, so let me be very clear I do not hold his decision against him, these are just the issues of life that Satan uses to get the believer to throw stones.

I did care and I dropped my guard; sadly I continue to keep doing the same thing, when similar occurrences happen. But now that I have recognised a “trigger” that I have previously shut out, just maybe I will find the grace to no longer drop my guard in that area of my life. There are many other “triggers” that play there part in my life. However, this is the one that now seems to be current. Having said that, at the end of the day we have no one but ourselves to blame when it comes to sin in our lives, Christ has paid the price of our debt. I am well aware of my sin at present and can only ask for forgiveness and the power to search out His grace to turn from it.

It is when we encounter the serious failures of others that we are shown our own hearts and we can soon see exactly where we stand, with regard to Christ’s accomplishments in our own lives.

But I wonder how many have forgotten that it is Christ alone who accomplished our redemption. If I or anyone of us feel we have something to say against a brother; I will leave you with this thought; “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone.”

Signing off

Tyrone