Acuity

Day and night thoughts relentlessly arrest my mind, but I know it is the goodness of God that drives me from them towards His Word. I find a wrestling within that looks to drive a wedge between the mind of Christ which every true born again believer has received and the rational of the Oldman. The time when we where are lead about like the blind leading the blind with our opinionated ideas on life and how we should go about living, oblivious to eternity and the will of God. Once God breathes life into a repentant sinner’s heart we all receive a new understanding and now life begins with a new set of rules that drives our intent. However the “Oldman” and his thinking still lingers looking to constantly make an appearance. So how do I separate the wood from the trees? By what method do I know which considerations will be beneficial to the call God has placed on my life? The answer is very simple; trust and obey the Word of God at the expense of all opposition, come what may! Easier said than done, maybe, but only when we walk in scepticism! The sole purpose of mankind is to be about the will of God the Father. And again I must remind all those who now process varying thought as they hit home that everything and everyone is part of the cogs in the wheel of life and God the Father is directing even those who claim to be heathen.

In every house there must be receptacles of honour as well as dishonour, so that the vessels of honour stand out. If you are into art and you get your hands on something of great beauty, do you leave it in the basement or do you mount it on the wall as a show piece? A nail is needed to display the picture in the correct position as it holds it in place. But the nail is never the showpiece. We all have a role to play in God’s Universal Production; I cannot stress the point enough. Do you know your part in the play? Judas Iscariot one of the disciples betrayed the Lord; someone had to do it as it was part of God’s script. And just like sin and temptation have their roles in society; it highlights the difference between light and darkness, good and evil. The bible is clear on the topic; "Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!” (Matthew 18:7) – Throughout our lives we all have run into varying regrets to these phenomena’s. But we must never leave those stones unturned; we must all find forgiveness for our sins if it is to end well.   

    

We cannot serve both God and mammon, Why not? “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." (Luke 16:13) – How do I know that this is sound advice? It’s rather very simple, the Lord Jesus so instructed his followers. So what will we do with this information? Like all sound doctrine, we must take it and make it our own. It is foundational to our lives and we must build upon that foundation. As Mongi and I trekked through the book of proverbs there was a particular verse that still nurses my mind and it was the words of Agur the son of Jakeh; “Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him. Do not add to his words, lest he rebuke you and you be found a liar. Two things I ask of you; deny them not to me before I die: Remove far from me falsehood and lying; give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny you and say, "Who is the LORD?" or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.” (Proverbs 30:5-9) – Do we share his sentiment? I know if I share in his ideas that it will be well with my soul, of this I am persuaded. However there are many thoughts that look to rob me of this authenticity. Father God, give me the resolve to live by these truths. I confess that I am always looking for an easy out and when I do I know that I have erred. Please forgive me when I venture down this path. Please continue to make me more like your beloved Son, my glorious Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ. I confess I need your help.  

My mind has been taken to a justification that David encountered and it is the reaction of Joab the son of Zeruiah that we need to pay special attention too. The scene was one where God was about to give Israel back their city that the Philistines had stolen after the death of Saul; King Saul had sadly sought out a medium to find direction for his life and not looked to the prophet of God to find direction for himself and God’s people. The time in his life had resulted in great folly and he had proved it to the onlookers as well as to God, and therefore God put him to death. A scary thought but extremely accurate. Let us sit up and take note of his actions so that we do not make similar mistakes. David on the other hand paid very careful attention to the words of God and this was the result; “So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel. And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, "You will not come in here." Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.” (1Chronicles 11:3-15) - What caught my attention was Joab’s reaction to David’s instruction; “David said, "Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander." And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief.” (1Chronicles 11:6)

 

Who will be first and last in the kingdom of God, is a very deep question that is almost forbidden and yet it was asked by enquiring minds. How do I find favour from the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the only true God? I must listen to His voice; I then trust it by an action of obedience. Joab responded first and became chief. I wonder how many others stood around and watched as they waited for someone else like Joab to be the first responder.   

  

Have you buried your talent or are you putting it to good use is another way of looking at it. Has sin kept you from proclaiming the gospel? Many amongst us may claim salvation in the finished work of the cross but sadly we are all too often silent when confronted and the reason for this is that we are not willing to relinquish our sin. The Lord Jesus taught us that the reason why so many do not come to the light is because their deeds are evil; “For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God." (John 3:20-21)

It is God alone who decides the outcome of a person’s faith, He is Sovereign and yet somehow in His astounding brilliance He has interwoven a capability into mankind that leaves us with the ability to make choices that we alone are accountable for. God is ingenuous, who can fathom His brilliance? Thankfully we are afforded snippets of it the more we delve into His Word. Praise His glorious name now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

David sinned and realise that he could not rescue himself and for us to find forgiveness we too must follow his example; “To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet went to him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you.” (Psalms 51:1-13)       

  

Pressurised thoughts often have a tendency to drive an individual into a decision that brings with it regret. This can be because of many differing factors, but strip away the clutter and trust and obey the Word of God and it will be well with our souls and it will end healthily. We must put off all and any considerations that contradict the Word of God and follow Him in faith; “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6) – Evidence in our commitment to Christ can be measured by our obligation to His instructions.   

In conclusion it is obvious that everything in our world has its part to play, light dispels darkness allowing us to function more efficiently; blessed are the peacemakers, and yet without war we wouldn’t need peacemakers. There must be wars in order to exalt the peacemaker. We must understand darkness to value the beauty of light. We must believe God if we are to be counted amongst the righteous. I trust I have made my point…

Regardless of where we stand on so many differing fronts, we all play our part in God’s Production with some living their lives as a testament to His brilliance whilst others mock His name; both are needed to highlight the two extremes. The question we have to ask ourselves is where do we fit? There is a day coming in the not to distant future, where the separation between light and darkness will be worlds apart. For those who find repentance in and through the Lord Jesus Christ will eventually all end up in the New Jerusalem “but as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death." (Revelation 21:8)

Signing off

Tyrone