Defiance

“Defiance” is a term that packs a punch and in the case of the masses it is a great noun which depicts a rebellion against God. It literally means; open resistance; bold disobedience. A word that could be easily interchangeable in today’s society would be “modern”. Model Family a TV program that shouts defiance with all it represents. Modern in place of obedience. Do not be fooled into believing that random exists, that would be a lie. We are either for God or against Him, period!

Defiance! It’s not as if it is a new phenomenon, from the beginning it’s a word factored into many equations resisting the will of God. Lucifer and one third of heaven's angels and then Eve in the garden followed by Adam. From there a downward spiral as we head towards the culmination of the flood. A time when the thoughts of men were consistently evil. God put on the backburner so that mankind could entertain their lusts. After the purge where only eight souls survived the earth was once again replenished, it didn’t take long for sin to once again spiral out of control. Its greatest masquerade is to appear as light when in fact it is darkness. It’s a popular thing to be cool, we are told to get with the program, get on the bus, or move out of the way because we are still leaving in the dark ages. The definition of darkness is the absences of light. God is light! In other words sin has nothing to do with the ways of God, it lives on the opposite extreme. We are fallen creatures by nature and all because of the influence of sin and the way it dictates. Exemption is unheard of, no matter how sneaky an individual may be, deep down we are governed by the power of sin. However, the Christian is now a new creature in Christ and have so many aids at our disposal, the storerooms of the grace of God, the ability to run toward the light, we have a Shepherd that has conquered sin and all its hidden snares, the Lord Jesus Christ has conquered Satan and all of sins warriors. He overcame in a body like ours, flesh and blood was his home for 33 years. He was tempted like us all yet without yielding to sin. The Christian must latch onto His victory and not focus so much on our failures and then resolve to live in the light where there is no darkness. How privileged we all are and all because of the goodness of God. A God who so loved those trapped by sin, has freed us in Christ, but let us never forget what it cost him to purchases our freedom, his life!

Defiance is what lives in plain sight and no one is willing to speak out, “hate speech” is now high on the agenda of all in power. But what of the haters of God? There day is coming and they will stand before his judgment seat.

God has preordain a plan for creation, and it will play out in accordance with His will, regardless of the opposition faced. Of this I am convinced. But how has “defiance” now looked to soften the blow of God’s will for the believer. It is the believer I address, beware of the darkness that parades as light. This is what I see as clear as day; “Christian communities” looking in defiance to contradict the Word of God. It’s one thing when the open haters come at us that is to be expected. However when the “church” begins to buckle under the pressure of sins defiance, then we are in serious trouble. We need to remain faithful unto the end, period! God is the same, yesterday, today and tomorrow, so too is his Word immovable, it remains constant. 

Evolution or the big bang theory has its origin from darkness. And those inclined to lean towards that theory have already been handed over in a sense. The evidence is obvious, read Romans 1. There is only one truth that we must latch onto and that is the finished work of Calvary, which is anchored by the WORD OF GOD! There is so much paraphernalia surrounding the Christian that operates behind an unseen realm, the war behind the curtain which our carnal senses aren’t privy to, however we are instructed to walk by faith and that needs to be fuel by the Word of God, that which we can see.

Signing off

Tyrone

Sanctification

Sanctification is the means whereby we through process please our heavenly Father, it begins at salvation without the Spirit of God intervening in our lives sanctification would elude us all. Let’s say we regrettably sin and do something we know displeases our God, as a Christian what is our response to that action. It has to be repentance and if not we are literally playing with fire. Because it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Sin will always look to rob us of our standing before a righteous God. However our failure in falling prey to it can never condemn us to the point of death, because Christ has overcome. Past, present and future sins have been taken care of concerning judgment. Christ was judged on our behalf. The Christian sands guiltless before a Holy God. By far the greatest of all miracles. The beauty of the gospels power, who can truly fathom it, get their head around it and allow the brain to settle? And this is where faith plays a mammoth role in our lives; “now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” If we had to rely on our own efforts to get to heaven we know that we would never arrive. Christ was victorious, praise his name now and forever more, amen and Amen!

However the way we conduct ourselves reflects our understanding of sanctification. It’s the truth of God’s Word that brings us to a place of knowledge, accurate theology will bring with it a correct application to our lifestyles. This is the work of the Spirit of God. We must be sanctified in truth. If we miss this gem behind our journey on earth, so much time will be wasted. How many indulge an error in judgment and habitually continue down the same road? We need to understand the truth and then clinch to it with all we have, this is when we will be sanctified by the Spirit. Do not expect sanctification in our lives if we cling to error as if it where certainty. Matters of opinion do not excuse us if it contradicts the truth.

It’s not the trial of life that defines us but rather our response to it. Is sanctification evident in our lives? It’s not about what others perceive, although that is important, but rather what we know to be true.

Father God I pray please continue to sanctify me in truth and forgive me for my sins, help me understand the gravity behind it all. Make me more like my beloved Saviour.

“The Spirit of God brings to our minds the precepts and doctrines of truth, and applies them with power. These are heard in the ear, and being received in the heart, they work in us to will and to do of God's good pleasure. The truth is the sanctifier, and if we do not hear or read the truth, we shall not grow in sanctification. We only progress in sound living as we progress in sound understanding.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Signing off

Tyrone

            

Faith and Repentance

If it's the goodness of God that leads a man unto repentance, which it is! Then how does repentance work in an individual’s life, what should it look like?

Both the saved and unsaved man have a built in barometer that drives them to places of regret and eventually once they come to their senses seek out forgiveness for their folly. Let’s face it any form of sin springs from irrationality, an action contrary to God’s character who is perfect and full of light. We have a built in conscience that measures our actions and I suppose we all have a differing tolerance line for it and if we blow past that the fruit of regret germinates.

Who is it that brings a man to his senses? Well, surely that is the work of God the Holy Spirit.

Understanding the need to repent and then acting in accordance with the will of God in that area of one’s life is an ongoing daily activity, or at least it should be. Are we seeing the same grow spurt with our faith and repentance, or is the one being left way behind? We have been called to a more excellent way, the art of bonsaiing is not the way of the Christian or at least it shouldn’t be. A seed germinates and then grows in accordance with nutrients within the soil and the watering thereafter; “repentance grows as faith grows. Do not make any mistake about it; repentance is not a thing of days and weeks, a temporary penance to be got over as fast as possible! No; it is the grace of a lifetime, like faith itself.” (Charles Spurgeon)

Let these words germinate deep within the recesses of the soul, because once it has settled we can get on with the task at hand and we will stop living in the “why” and get on with the “now” with the “endgame” in sight. Repentance and faith has locked hands and they have purposed to run their course, it’s only when we breathe our last breath that their work will end. Evolution has nothing to do with the purpose of God, whatever He wills comes to pass, and this is the power He possesses. Its time we swept out the cobwebs of humanism and got on with the task at hand. We must constantly be looking in the mirror with an honest stare, confessing our sin before a holy God with our faith anchoring the process. The work is complete, it is finished we have been forgiven, Jesus has overcome, it is over! So why the need for the struggle in our lives? I believe it’s to prove our commitment to our heavenly Father, that in spite of the struggle, we will still be grateful. And obviously it’s the hardship that teaches us obedience.

I am convinced that with God everything has been perfectly positioned and even the evil we see is in the process of servicing its purpose. Because we may lack understanding highlights our defects. God is perfect and perfection lacks nothing. Once faith is no longer needed I am persuaded that we will be blown into orbit when the brilliance of God is revealed. Faith uses a different dimension to engage and repentance is the evidence behind it all.  

Signing off

Tyrone

The Scarecrow

The strawman better known as the scarecrow, the decoy used to scare off the birds and in turn produce a greater harvest. We would have to dig deep or travel far to find a better analogy to highlight the way of humanity and this leg of our journey.

Let me explain…

It would take resources and manpower to have an actual individual overseeing the crops, especially just after the sowing of the seed. The farmer’s objective to produce a healthy crop and line his pockets for the winter and the only way to do that is to set up mechanisms to achieve his goal. Someone somewhere came up with the ingenious idea, and the scarecrow was born, through time adaptations added to improve the end game. No longer a static figure but now moving with the wind to imitate the movement of an individual.

The psychotherapist seems to be the flavour of the day. We need to speak through our concerns, but before we can do that we all need to acknowledge a want for improvement. As fruitful as this technique may be, it is no more than another distraction if it shifts our focus off the Lord Jesus Christ. For He alone is the source and attention that will bank treasures for our eternities. Miss this truth and drive in our lives and the consequences are too dreary to discuss, an eternity of absolute misery will be our lot. We need to pay special attention to the ruse.   

Everything in life has been design with the same objective from the one trying to deceive. The hidden figure behind the screen, the once fallen angel Lucifer, known as Satan to the masses. The deceiver and the father of lies. The one who introduce our ancestors to sin, the action that separates our relationship with God, the creator of the universe. So to answer your questions, why is there so much devastation in the world? It is for this exact reason; the sin that so easily entraps keeps our eyes off the end game, which is heaven and all its glory. The leg of our journey that will last an eternity. The scarecrows objective to keep the birds from the seed. Satan’s objective to keep humanity out of heaven. There is a war in the heavens over the souls of men and woman. If only we could see the angels part in it all our shift would be instantaneous, we would bend the knee willingly and without hesitation. However that is not how God has chosen the leg of our lives to unfold…   

God started his creation in plain view and yet one third of the angles chose to follow Lucifer a created being and where cast out of heaven, banished from the presence of God. Mankind now call upon the name of the Lord who is hidden through the eyes of faith, who in turn broke the shackles of sin allowing the repentant believer to enjoy a union with God the Father. Removing the obstacle that kept us from Him, the brilliance of God who can fathom it? Nevertheless, everything and I mean the whole enchilada that pertains to our carnal wants has been designed as a decoy, a strawman to keeps our eyes off the end game and all because Eve allowed sin to enter in.

The trial of life has been designed to help us call upon the name of the Lord, which in turn opens the eyes of faith and realigns our sight on the “endgame”. However if the trial encapsulates us and we pay it too much attention it could become an unbearable burden playing into the hands of the deceiver. The flipside is also true, the plush luxuries of life could lead to an intensive passion to keep them alive. Do what needs to be done to live the dream which drips with sin. Even the justification we find tainted from start to finish. There is no doubt in my mind that the better place to live would be with the trial of life squeezing in and forcing us to our knees in order to find grace, the aid needed to overcome.

Did you know that God has an abundant supply of grace, a storeroom that cannot run dry? All that is left for us to do is to come boldly, with confidence, which is fortified fuel to overcome the obstacle. Praise the name of Jesus. 

Remember it is always about the end game, be on the lookout for the decoys and there are many, keep your eyes on the finished work of Calvary always looking to Jesus the author and the finisher of our faith.

Signing off

Tyrone

Testing

It’s not a light thing to pick up a pen and scribble your thoughts, especially when it centres on the Lord's will for it. Much of it is a process, learning right from wrong, testing what is that good, acceptable and perfect will of God. It begins with a thought but has to end with an action to prove that a lesson has been learnt. It is not good enough to have a particular theory waxed if it lacks application.

Image you are on holiday, a beautiful white sandy beach and the full sun baking down on the crashing surf with seagulls speckling the skies above. It is day one and you have forgotten the sun screens, no umbrella nor any lotion. The theory is obvious avoid any rigorous time unclothed in the beautiful but brutal conditions or else. Either that or turn around and get the necessary protective gear needed to handle the brutal suns gamma rays.

Even with this knowledge almost tattooed into our skulls, how many have disregarded the theory suffering the consequence later?

The beautiful God inspired book that we have at out fingertips. The bible is truly filled with theory, all the information we need to keep us on the straight and narrow. However it is one thing to have the brilliance of God illuminated through the text of the pages, especially when it’s is a God given revelation, when a truth jumps out at you and you know that God the Holy Spirit has revealed something extremely precious. Once absorbed and processed it is written upon our hearts and we know it to be true, just the nourishment needed in that exact moment.

However for a truth to be cemented into our characters, it must first be verified. A law student needs to first pass the Bar Exam before they can call themselves a lawyer.

Abraham is the father of faith. He denounced the foreign gods of the time, he understood a truth about the great “I AM” and heeded the voice of God. When he was tested, he passed with flying colour, but his faith was tried, we have to face similar investigation to see who we are and where our loyalties lie, period! If we can keep this understanding in the forefront of our minds whilst enduring hardship it will be well with our soul, disengage and we will find the pressure unbearable.

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. (Hebrews 11:17-19)

We can and will never know more than our heavenly Father, He is in our corner and the trial of life has its purpose, to teach us obedience. We all need to treasure his Word, the Bible and hold it dear to our hearts. I heard someone say on a radio station yesterday; “I’m a Christian but I don’t believe in the man-woman authorities in the church.” Proof that what comes out of her mouth contradicts what she claims to be. The talk not reflecting the walk.

There is so much hate for the authority of God, my mind is spinning from what it needs to process on so many fronts. Many of those considerations I am unable to pen lest I sign my death warrant. But when the time is right God give me the strength to be bold and glorify His name, Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone

In the beginning

If and when we look for answers it is always good to go back to the beginning. A regiment needed in order to find the truth or any hidden clues we must start as far back as possible to be precise. Now there are those whose look to go beyond, apparently speaking as authorities about billions of years ago, really! Well be that as it may, for the Christian it is not as complicated, it’s rather simple, and the clues have been penned. The Bible is the final authority and we know it to be true. Today in most countries the bible is freely available for all to explore. Let me rephrase with the likes of the internet, all have access to the bible. Some cherish it as I do whilst others disregard it completely, why? Well that is the answer I need to search out and where better to start than in the beginning…

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) 

In order for anyone to start their journey correctly they must begin on the correct tile. Most have played monopoly, to do decide to join the game start on a tile you have been eyeing out, which is forbidden, we all start on the tile that says “start”! Miss the truth about “God the Creator” and you will always be chasing the rabbit down the hole and remain in darkness. However, because there was a time that we were blind doesn’t mean we won’t receive sight. However, there is a particular process that needs following in order for it to happen. Unless a person is “born again”, regardless of race, religion, colour or creed they haven’t even begun the quest of eternal understanding. Many may believe that they are on track but are sadly mistaken. It is never too late to begin correctly, whilst we have breath we have hope. However some will never yield to the voice of God, whilst still under their own sway or should I rather say, under the sway of the devil. That’s really where we are, one or the other, no in-betweens. That is what deception was designed to do, get people to believe in lies as truth. A conman may sell you a fake Rolex and you buy it believing it to be authentic. You believe the lie and remained conned into the purchase. Miss the truth behind that it was God who created the heavens and the earth and you will never arrive with any meaningful conjecture, it will always be surrounded by deception. Give God His rightful place as the Creator or beware, judgment is looming. Save as many dolphins or whales as you must but be sure to acknowledge God as their Creator, and voice that very clearly within the struggle. Leave no doubt behind, it’s time to stand up and be counted.

The question I have for myself is why do I believe that with all my heart and others do not? Why have I received revelation? It is obvious, the goodness of God, there is nothing within me that somehow got God to sway His hand toward me as if I had earned His favour. If anyone actually believes that, they must be delusional. “It’s the goodness of God that leads a man towards repentance”. Therefore the bible is a tool to help mankind get to a place of precise understanding; God is the Creator of all things. I will say it again, question this at your own peril.

Now if one is capable of saying Amen to that truth, without any but’s attached to the equation, the game have begun and it is now time to roll the dice. However the beauty of this game is that it is “finished”, Jesus has overcome. Faith now drives us to believe God, regardless of the obstacles we face. It’s now our chance to learn many valuable lessons along the way. The book Pilgrims Progress is a wonderful illustration of a Christian’s journey from start to end. It encapsulates the entire experience in one form or another, it is a far better account that any fictional novel as it places you slap bang in the centre and able to glean from his experience as our own, the journey is fierce and although there are many treacherous scary creatures to overcome, we are the ones who need conquering the most. It’s the “I” that needs to die.

Why have we been born and what is the sole purpose of mankind? Pay very careful attention to my response; to learn to honour God and to pay Him due benevolence as the Creator of all things, the final authority! The rest of our lives will then be modelled slightly differently but will all have the same objective; to be about the will of God, and this will take a lifetime to work out. Thank God for His patience! All praise and honour belongs to Jesus Christ my Lord and Saviour, bless His name now and forever more, Amen and Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone