The brain is a brilliant organ, so intricate that it leaves the world’s greatest cardiothoracic surgeons scratching their heads at times. To be carnally minded is to be in enmity with God. Simplified, to be governed by a set of laws that we use is hostile against God. Why? Well, Satan so drives us that he has blinded us to so many differing realities about life and the way we live it, when stripped down, we are left with the Apostles' statement; Romans_8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Here he introduces another reality. He is not referring to death which is common to man as we know it, old age and terminal illness that eventually take our lives. He is looking deeper, beyond the veil if you like. Something we should all do whilst we have breath, once we breathe our last it’s over and then it’s too late, the next phase of our existence kicks in. What will our eternal existence look like?
Although I only have a basic understanding of the intricacies
of the afterlife, I know enough to realise that I will have a glorified body, which
will no longer be subject to the laws of nature, a spiritual body. But to
arrive I need to learn to put off my carnal mind. I must live by faith; this
process will be tested over time. Look at it as a test that lasts as long as we
live, a lifetime for most and the longer we live the more there is to be judged
for. Whether we agree with the truth that we live eternally or not doesn’t affect certainty, as we have no power within ourselves to change the outcome,
period! God the maker of the heavens and the earth has set out his plan and it
is up to us to earnestly seek that out, if not hell will be our final
destination. The Bible is obvious on that.
I need to stress the importance of
telling you the truth, why? Because I value you as a friend, a true friend
would never be so certain of truth and know it with all his heart to be true
and then withhold it from a friend. All that would prove is a selfish approach
to friendship, I'm ok Jack so why should I worry about you? Friendship as I
value it must be about the truth even if someone is not ready for it, especially
if it will help them in the long run. This is my intent to help you see the
light and then grasp what I by the grace of God was able to clench so many
years ago and cry out; “I have found the answer to life!”
Stage one of eternity here on earth, life in our natural bodies with an
enemy looking to distract and keep us from achieving our utmost potential, the
carnal mind, or simplified the natural mind, our natural mind, a conditioning
the mind receives from the onset. No matter the direction we take in life so
long as we are kept so busy with “stuff” that we do not with intent seek out
the truth, God and His Plan. “For
to be carnally minded is
death.” This is the meaning of this portion of Paul’s warning; if we miss
the purpose and plans of God, specifically where or how do I fit into that
picture, this is where we will eventually die none the wiser and then judgment
and then hell or to be more specific the Lake of Fire will be our eternal abode.
But God has made a way, he has placed a key to the treasure map for all to
find. Will you make this a priority? Effort is crucial, I can assure you all of
this truth if you sincerely seek out the truth, you will find it. If you look
to feed the carnal mind and chase after all the false traps of this world, even
those that seem admiral and a must for life, I fear you will miss the most
important lesson. See yourself as a sinner who needs salvation. There is only
one who can save us from eternal damnation, The Lord Jesus Christ, why Him
only? He lived a life of sinless perfection, he never broke one of God's laws,
died on a cruel Roman cross for our sins and was raised from the
dead. Therefore, He can now stand in the gap for our sins, He covers the sins
of all who cry and call out to Him for help. This is the love of God
personified, not the fuzzy fluffy tolerance of allowing the breech of sin to
run riot. God's love is about forgiveness and not an allowance for sin. This is
the yardstick we can all use to verify the truth in this area of the love of
God.
Please pay serious
attention to these words from the Apostle Paul; “because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus
is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will
be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the
mouth one confesses and is saved. For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to
shame.” (Romans 10:9-11)
As I sit here on Friday morning with the clock reading 3:40, I have
flashes of my friends who may still be on the fence with this truth, I am
praying for all of you. I was going to list you by name but I believe you know
who you all are.
Once you find the key to unlock the spiritual realm, regardless of the
stresses of life there is always an undertone of life and peace. The harder it
gets the stronger the awareness of the dependency of faith. God's plan is so intricately
woven into the lives of both the believer and the unbeliever that once we have
eyes to see and the more we study the more in awe we are, God is BRILLIANT! His
plan is way beyond our deepest imaginations, it’s only when we think we can
outsmart God that we find ourselves face down in the dirt. I know this to be
true, where you will land is entirely up to you, I am praying for you.
Signing off
Tyrone
