Now

I am truly blessed to serve a God that works in the “NOW”!

There are many facets to my statement, so let me explain. Firstly my amazing heavenly Father, the only true God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, The One who sent His only begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ to die in the place of sinners, the One who was without sin, the very same individual who was sentenced to die a cruel Roman death upon the hill of Golgotha, paying the price for my sin and the many other individuals whom God has and will still continue to bring into His glorious light; men and women who have been rescued from the wrath of God. Those who have their names is written in the Book of Life, and we should all know what that includes; freedom from the Lake of Fire! “And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:15) 

What have you done to deserve that privilege? I trust you have all landed in the same place I have when it comes to our understanding on the matter, THE MERCY OF GOD and nothing else!

Having spent time paging through the scriptures, the Holy Spirit has shown me many great truths that have sent my mind into orbit. “Jesus in my place” is most probably the greatest truth of all. However it would be difficult for me to measure the beauty of it all, but to say, God is truly WONDERFUL! God is slow to anger and quick to forgive the repentant sinner. It continues to amaze me as this truth finds its grounding in my life; although the wrath of God should never be overlooked as a light thing. God is privy to so much we are unaware of and yet He still chooses to save so many of us.

As Moe (my son) and me have been paging through the Bible in our daily readings I have a deeper understanding on what I now share; God works in the “now” in spite of what he is able to see in the future. Whether He flips that switch at will or not, I cannot with any certainty say, God knows! But what I will assert is that God has the ability to truly forgive and offer His love today even if tomorrow is filled with betrayal. No one else would behaviour with such splendour, not that I am implying that betrayal will go unpunished. The enemies of God will land up on the wrong side of His Wrath and yet there seems to be so much grace offered whilst we all work it out for ourselves. Mankind does not have this attribute in their arsenal. Children may understand this attribute better as they forgive with greater ease. Imagine we could see into the future witnessing the murder of a loved one and the person responsible. Would we treat them the same or would our judgements be influence by knowledge? I know I would be swayed by that insight. Our understanding of “The Knowledge of Good and Evil” has a perverted slant on it because our minds have been tainted by sin. God sees into the lives of his children but has the capacity to somehow block that from His mind and be merciful to us in the “now’, Wow! Just consider our journeys as Christians and it will soon become very apparent that what I say holds true. How often have his Children disappointed Him over time by the silly things we have done. I have failed far too often but forever grateful that my line of communication remains open and it reaches the portals of heaven and that it has the ear of God, and only because of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice on my behalf, praise His name! Even the model Christian cannot claim a perfect life of total obedience. When we look back over our lives there will be times of regret; a time of disappointment, a period where we have failed our God. Even David would concede to this truth and yet God determined him a man after His own heart. This is all I have ever wanted to hear from my heavenly Father but how often does my selfishness get in the way of it all, forgive me Lord!

Remember David’s sin with Bathsheba and how he had one of his faithful soldiers (Uriah) killed in battle as he tried to cover it up. Out of that union God chose to use Solomon to build His temple, even through He knew that Solomon would also fail later on in life when it came to the persistent nagging of his unbelieving wives and to ease his burden, he folded to some of their sinful requests. Or what of the time when God destroyed the earth with a flood, did Noah not find grace? Through the throws of His anger there is something that compels our God to be merciful and save. This is the God I serve, He is my Father and I proclaim it with pride in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ my beloved Saviour.

Although there is a looming judgment on its way, which will eventually runs its course. However in the mist of it all, interwoven, not part of but during it all reference to the “Book of Life” and all those found written in it will ring loud and clear to those being exasperated.

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.” (Revelation 20:11-15)  

No matter how you have failed or whatever your disappointments may be, call upon the name of the Lord and you will find rescue. But call you must, do not delay! Our God and Father is filled to the brim with love for His children, bless His name now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone