Prayer powerfully working in
conjunction with faith is appreciated by all but not witnessed by many.
There is so much I have seemed to have
missed along my Christian pilgrimage because of the distractions life has
thrown at me, or rather the stupidity of engaging in those diversions. The
regrets of life can haunt us but the sooner we move past them the better; who doesn’t
have some regrets? There are many things in hindsight that we could have done differently;
I know this to be true for my life! How do I take something that has looked to
destroy me along my journey and turn it into something positive? These are the
type of questions we should be asking ourselves as another year closes in. The
Apostle Peter teaches us these truths; “Therefore,
preparing your minds for action, and being
sober-minded, set your hope
fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of
Jesus Christ. As obedient
children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance,
but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since
it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." And if you call on
him as Father who judges impartially according to each one's deeds, conduct yourselves with fear
throughout the time of your exile.” (1Peter 1:13-17) – When I read these verses I
realise how I have failed dismally in so many areas of my life. Now what? Well,
by the grace of God we no longer wallow in the mire, we dust the dirt from our knees,
we disinfect the grazes and we press on in faith looking to Jesus the author
and the finisher of our faith to restore that which once burn bright and clear.
Regardless of your standing in Christ, there is room for all of us to be less
selfish as we lay down our lives for one another.
Are you committed as you once were? There must
have been a time in your life after salvation that it was obvious to all that
something had happen, the patterns of your behaviour different to what it was
once prior to salvation. We must diligently wrestle with our God in humility,
but with a confident resolve to right our wrongs. We must beseech our God to
put straight that which has been made crooked through the throes of life. For
it will be worth it all, we will eventually receive our reward, eternity in the
presents of our God and King. We have understood the hope we have in our Saviour
and our lives must begin to mirror Him more today than it did yesterday.
There
will be an obvious distinction separating the goats from the sheep and it will
be the trial of our faith that will make this evident. The wannabe Christian
will be exposed as the pressures of life begin to increase and it will surge
from hereon in. We are now living in exciting times, even creation is beginning
to groan a little louder, have you notice? Tolerance for Christianity even in
democratic governments begins to wane; it is no longer fashionable to be rigid
about our belief in one God; tolerance for other religions is high on the
agenda of many governments. Gone are the days where a person can stand up
proclaiming this truth in government schools; “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes
to the Father except through me.”” (John
14:6) – As Christians we must remain dogmatic on this truth, even if it
costs us our lives; in so doing our hope will be obviously noticed by all and peradventure
God may save some through our example.
Forgive
me for using this example again but I can think of no better experience to illustrate
a point; I recall my “JL” training at Infantry School, how the corporals pushed
us and just when you thought it was over they pushed some more, our bodies
taken to a level of enervation, but somehow our minds carried us threw. It was
hard to understand at the time, but in retrospection I am thankful for my
military experience it taught me many valuable lessons. It was a preparation
for what was to come. Christianity is no different in principle, we may not
understand the trail of life at the time, but it is for our benefit and before
long we will give praise to our God on what were the most trying times of our
life. This is the testimony of the saints who have gone before. The key to
remaining focused is our HOPE! What kept me going in the infantry school? I
knew if I got through what they threw at me I would eventually qualify as a
platoon sergeant. I had a hope! The difference now is we no longer have to rely
on our own abilities; it is the grace of God that will get us home! Nevertheless
it is our HOPE which will keep us focused! Our Saviour has overcome this world
we need now only rest in His victory, praise His name now and forever more,
Amen and Amen!
As
we move into the New Year lets us find focus in these three words; faith, hope
and love. Faith in our God and not our own independence; Hope in the promise
for the faithful, heaven and all it splendour, with love driving everything we
do as we lay down our lives for one another.
Signing
off
Tyrone
No comments:
Post a Comment