Introduction

Introduction

This is a travel story, highlighting many twist and turns along the way. It’s about the struggle of a particular individual making his way to the Celestial city. His main objective, to learn the lessons that will equip him to reach his final destination, heaven! It will expose many of his weaknesses along the way, but this is not the thrust and detailed accounts will not be indulged. It is not an allegory and I will bear a brunt of my folly unto this end, that I have a hope in my God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Whilst many individuals may have a tendency to disregard the weak or the stubborn child, God is not of this World.

It is the year 2017 and I have decided to put pen to paper in a final attempt to analyse my life and its journey over the last thirty years. It is a reflection on “MY STORY” and how I have dull of hearing in so many areas of my life. Having realised some of the lessons to come out of it all is the motivation behind it entirely. I cannot claim to have arrived, antiquity has found me out. But what I will attempt is to highlight the lessons learnt in the hope that it may free some who have had similar struggles in their Christian walks. There are model Christians and I am not one of them, and yet my great Saviour has not cast me to the wolves, and here I now sit by the grace of God, proclaiming that Jesus is Lord. Not for one second will I condone sin as acceptable before a Holy God. Sin cost the Lord Jesus a cruel death on a Roman cross and it is the vice used to disqualify the Christian by so many. However, it can bring about an adverse effect when the pomp and the filth of sin is stripped clean, when the satisfaction that sin promises is exposed for what it is, a misguiding lie that can never be quenched. It’s our sin which originally directed us to Christ, helping us understand that we needed a Saviour and as Christian’s repentance is part of who we have become, praise His name! Confession is a way of life for the Christian.  

If this is my reality there must be others who have also struggled in their Christian walks and therefore I have a responsibility to put pen to paper. When soldiers go into battle, all are not numbered amongst the heroes but all must fight and as a coalition we have a responsibility to one another. The biggest battle of all is just around the corner and we must ready ourselves. Some of us may be those singled out and made an example of by the enemy, God Knows! It is imperative that we know where we stand with our Saviour, for He will always have our backs, praise His name! However once we are grovelling in the dirt because of our sin, we tend to make it about ourselves and not Him as we indulged in the lies of sin, to escape what it is we have been called to face, we all have our crosses to bare and the sooner we learn this lesson well, the earlier we will begin to glorify our Father in heaven. However whilst we are undergoing this transformation, He is just a plea away, call upon the name of Jesus and you shall be saved, Amen and Amen!

I was saved (converted) in the year of 1987, and prior to that event it was a year filled with its fill of debauchery and then an awe inspiring awakening to a far deeper understanding of life and the purpose of it all; this is when my Christian journey began. Initially I was the one full of zeal, the first to open and close in prayer whenever I got the chance. Sharing the gospel with others was high on my agenda and then when it really counted as the lure of sin came a knocking, I was dull of hearing with my old nature screaming to be heard; sin is a very crafty infiltrator and if not check it will result in destruction. This may happen repeatedly as in my case, until the lesson is learnt and even then it looks for other avenues to infiltrate. Thankfully we have a high priest who is touched with our weaknesses and my hearing wasn’t completely removed. I started my journey sprinting out of the blocks, but little did I know that the life of a Christian is a marathon race and not a sprint; initially I fond myself way ahead of the pack but before long I was being overtaken. Therefore I must be classed as a straggler. Although my folly is often highlighted, that is not why I am writing this autobiography I trust the grace of God will become evident to all and His name will ultimately be glorified. I accept that some may not see it as such, however some will be freed from their slavery to serve the living God of this I am persuaded.

Confession must be in the forefront of all who understand their weaknesses, without it there can be no change in character. It is the key to finding God’s grace in our lives. Regardless of the amount of times you may have fallen, “God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble”, praise His name! Endurance in Christ must be our banner for life. Why do some who are called live model Christian lives while other struggle immensely? God knows! My appeal to all is that in reading this account, “MY STORY” I may help you see some of yourselves in me and spring you into action for Jesus’ sake.

Signing off

Tyrone