Are we learning?

 

Are we learning, have we learnt how to position the cross of our beloved Saviour on our shoulders correctly or is the pain unbearable? Or have we out-rightly refused to go anywhere near it? Christianity is a life filled with valuable lessons that we must eagerly embrace and then pass the test. If we haven’t understood this aspect to our Christianity then we are either unsaved or infants in nappies still groping for a dummy. The entire point of being conformed into the image of Christ is to understand a portion of His sufferings and the only way we will ever apprehend that reality is if we also suffer for the sake of righteousness. Until then, we are bystanders or simply an audience that has gathered to listen to stories and novel ideas from the preacher. “Unless a seed dies it abides alone.” 

From the day of Salvation, war-room training kicked into gear. It’s the navigation of this conflict, flesh against the spirit that had me pinned for many years of my life, however God is greater than any obstacle that looks to interfere with His will and the sooner we yield to His will, the easier it becomes. Not that the suffering subsides, but because our minds have accepted the fact that we need to mimic our Saviours behaviour in areas of our lives that were once impossible. Because we have now been enlighten by the Spirit of God we are no longer caught off guard when a trial presents itself, we now know what needs to be done; accept, count it all joy, and then through steadfast prayer find grace to nourish us through the examination, until it is over. It will come to an end…

 

This may help some of you, we often find ourselves, or at least I find myself looking for wiggle room when it comes to the trials in my life. Allowances of justification which excuses my behaviour in certain areas of my life, which is no more than sin looking for domination. I’ve landed on a mind-set on these areas of my life; “no wiggle room!” That’s it! as simple as that, when in doubt all I say to myself, “no wiggle room” and then I look to find grace to embrace the scrutiny. That’s all it really is.

 

When the Lord Jesus called out to Simon Peter whilst he was fishing what did he ask him? “He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.”  (John 21:17-18) – God will determine our trial in life, it’s not up to us to shirk the investigation, and we have been saved to bring glory to God, period! How does someone like me arrive at such a conclusion? Someone who has left a trail of destruction in his wake? For those who have read my autobiography you will understand. Although my example has not been like our beloved brother Paul, who was never disqualified by the way he lived his life. My example is the exact opposite and I has failed dismally in every area of my life, BUT GOD! Who is rich in mercy has removed the veil from my eyes and in a sense renewed a new spirit in me. He has afforded me the opportunity to own my sin, find repentance for it and now renewed my zeal that once burnt bright and true. Christian if you love the Jesus with all your heart and you have matured in HIS finished work, I never want to hear you asking the question, “why me?” “Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God.”  (1Peter 4:1-2) 

 

It couldn’t be clearer, it’s the suffering we face that enables us to resist our selfish wants and focus on the will of God, which brings him glory. Get out of the way, just say to yourself when looking for the escape hatch, “no wiggle room”. I am not saying we will always walk in victory, even though we should, but our mind-set will be one that is always geared towards victory. And then there is the great equalizer, once we become too big for our boots, we are brought down to our knees very quickly, and are quickly reminded that boasting of any sort is excluded. Our goal is this; “Our Father in heaven thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Everything is the world opposes the will of God, however we are no of this world, we have the Spirit of Christ. Let us at least live to the glory of HIS finished work. We must stand out as we are now entering into a time of the anti-christs reign, whom the world will lap up with open arms. The New World order is about to launch like never before.

 

“Peace to all of you who are in Christ.” 

 

Signing off

 

Tyrone