Habits

Our resolve when it comes to habit forming has two sides to the coin. Good and bad alike both play there parts in our lives and only a fool would deny the reality of it all. However when it comes to our persuasions on a particular topic it’s hard to be swayed either way. Nevertheless the work of the Spirit in our lives can soften the rigid self-willed intent of us all, this is an attribute of His brilliance and the evidence is clear for even the doubters to see. His ability to conform the harden sinner into a loving saint. It’s the change in a person’s demeanour that becomes a drawcard to the spectator. This is where He silences the critic, praise the name of Jesus! As it was His accomplishments here on earth that has unleashed the power of the Holy Spirit, softening the hardest of sinners into repentance. A miracle of the highest order. As for the Christian we all wear our heavenly Father's coat of arms, we must just remember to dress for battle. This is the resolve I look to instil into my daily living, the perfect will of God for our lives. Needless to say as soon as there is a shift in my understanding, as I grow in the good graces of my God, obviously the work of the Spirit moulding an individual’s character. However it’s when I look to gloat with this change as a personal achievement, this is when the door to pride swings open; “God resist opens proud but give grace to the humble.” I know which umbrella I want to live under. And it’s when I dress for battle that I am remind of these truths.

You see although I am called (it's an action I have to initiate) to dress for battle, once I position my attire correctly I am forced to realise that its God in me the hope of Glory, there is now no wiggle room for the deceitfulness of my heart to want to puff me up with pride. If pride is evident then I have dressed incorrectly and need to re-examine my attire and how it has been positioned. I have misunderstood some of God's instruction, or I could still be a babe in Christ needing the milk of the word to form my understanding.

Conscious decisions need to be made on a daily basis and you know my stance on when that should happen, daybreak, at the crack of dawn, in my view is the best time to spend at the feet of Jesus. That association sets us up for the day’s challenges. 

Thank you Father God for your brilliance and I love you with all my heart. Continue to purge the chaff from my life I pray.

To God be the glory now and forever more, Amen!

Signing off

Tyrone

Christmas Day

It’s not the thought that causes sin to sprout but the action to that idea. In like manner today is such a day filled with festivities, from childhood we have been trained up in idolatry and simply put Christmas is a day fill with so much of it, it’s our default to accommodate the whole enchilada. We lodge everything that is thrown at us, the birth of Santa Claus; Saint Nicholas was a bishop who lived in the fourth century in Asia Minor in Myra. Today we know it as Turkey. This was a process of evolution, and he evolved into the person known as Santa Claus or Father Christmas. Subtle nuances which very much remind me of the Garden of Eden. There is no denial of Christ but the shift is clear. Just like Satan or the serpent said to Eve, “has God said”? Here we have a day which the world believes is the day that Christ was born. Masses of people across the globe paying homage to one another, giving each other gifts with their houses decorated with trinkets and pointing us in the opposite direction of our great Saviours birth. Just enough of a distraction to soften the gospel message, a strawman if you like. Today should be a day fill with opportunities in highlighting our sin and the need for a Saviour.

My prayer is that we would focus on God’s perfect gift, a son born of a VIRGIN not a queen, a precious woman and yet the focus is not on her but on Christ. There will be a constant shift throughout, driving us away from Christ. Keep your focus on why God sent him into this world and use today as an opportunity to highlight God’s purpose. God so loved! He has made a way for us to escape His Judgement, which is coming for the unbeliever and the one who refuses to repent. Remember to be accurate with your delivery, it's important!  A deliberate action is required; confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in our heart that God raised him from the dead. Once this truth resonates repentance will follow if it hasn’t already.

Signing off

Tyrone    

Forgiveness

(Matthew 6:12)  “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” 

Do we seek forgiveness within the measure of our forgiveness for others? This is a question that needs very serious consideration. If not then how will we measure up on judgment day? However with all things considered is this a thought I look to deliberate so that I can get away with a measure of my own deceitfulness, the heart looking for an excuse to find favour from God regardless of my actions just because of my willingness to forgive others.

There seems to be a fine line that needs to be negotiated correctly if we are to fall on the right side of God’s judgment. And it begins with the finished work of Calvary. “Jesus in my place” is foundational and we must never forget what was done for us, this is why we have been commanded to “Break Bread” in remembrance of Him. Nevertheless the truth behind my consideration is a valid one, do I seek to forgive individuals who have trespassed against me from the very bottom of my heart, or is it more of a superficial forgiveness? Lip service with a concealed smile that hides the root of my bitterness. The goodness of God has afforded me some understanding on the value of what has been penned in the Bible, it is a reflection of himself, it has been meticulously thought out and of great value to us if we have ears to hear. Everything has its place, even if we struggle with certain facets.

Even in the early days of the writings of the book of Leviticus, where the First Covenant is spelt out in detail. The requirements God had for his people, also known as the Law of God. Everything stipulated there is of necessity and relevant for its day. Why would it stipulated, that you will not lie with an animal if that wasn’t a consideration of the day? It must have been significant. For most that would be an unconceivable thought and yet just a few weeks back a radio station discussed it in an open forum as if it was their right. I was not privy to the hour of broadcast so I will hold my judgments, but I know it happened. Judgment is coming.

My point before I go off on one of my tangents is this, if it has been penned we need to sit up, listen carefully to the instruction, and then chew on the Word before we swallow it. This is very important… Who doesn’t know the prayer “Our Father”? And yet how many chew on its instruction with meticulous care before rattling it off as some miracle drug that is there to wash our sins away. Maybe if we repeat it many times we might find forgiveness. What rot! Deceit of our hearts looking to excuse our sin, be careful!

At the very least are we forgiving those who trespass against us as we seek out forgiveness for our sin? If not you are like the proverbs says, it’s like the blind leading the blind and both fall into the ditch. The Word is there to help us, not shackles us, but we must treat it with scrupulous care, but always from the springboard of the finished work of the Lord Jesus’ sacrifice on Calvary. His death, burial and resurrection. We must confess with our mouths; an open declaration that Jesus is Lord and also believe from the very bottom of our hearts that God raised Him from the dead. Then we shall be equipped to grow in the good graces of our Heavenly Father and consider his instructions as we confront the challenges of life on a daily basis. It called maturing as Christians, or are we content in running around in nappies?

Signing off

Tyrone

A Reminder

It is possible for the Christian to get bent out of shape when it comes to the fundamental doctrines of Christ; it is obvious that in Christ there is no confusion, but in the heads of believers that is not always the case. Everyone has a voice that they trust will be heard and it is a difficult occurrence to find the brother that has had his mind renewed to the point where his tongue only produces sweet waters; eternal live-giving waters that is sanctioned by God. We must be careful not to oppose the unity of the faith with our own “hobby horses” that could outshine our limits to the true doctrines of Christ…

Our minds must never shift to a place where we over emphasis our parts in the salvation of God in our lives. What I mean by this is when we stand on a doctrine that we know to be true in accordance with scripture but our lives depict another story altogether or we rest upon our laurels; “believing right doctrine will no more save you, than doing good works will save you” (Charles Spurgeon) – We have been save by the finished work of the cross, Jesus Christ our Lord accomplished this on our behalf from start to finish and this must always remain foundational in our lives. Without His mercy and grace we would all remain faithless but now we have a resolve to receive direction for Him that is if we have truly been born again.  

With that said let us make every effort in the good graces of our Lord to lend an ear to His instructions.

So whatever that may be for us at this point in our lives let us be ever the more diligent as we look within and then look to our king to find grace for any given circumstance. Put on Christ and put off self and vice versa, think of it like changing charging garments, take off self so that we may help others.

God give us the grace and fortitude to walk in His glorious light, but before we get trapped by the magnitude of that thought, remember the Lord’s instruction, one day at a time. Let us not go beyond today whilst combating sin, small chunks at any given time and before long when we look into the mirror we will see a totally different individual and the change will be pleasing.

Signing off

Tyrone