Spiritual Beginnings

 

The Starting Point: Born Again or Still in the Flesh

There is a hard truth that many of us struggle with, whether we admit it or not. To be carnally minded is to be at enmity with God.

“Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.”  - Romans 8:7

Scripture doesn’t soften that. It presses even further:

“So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” - Romans 8:8

I’ve discovered that this feels most real when life pushes you into a corner—when you face something bigger than yourself, something you cannot fix, control, or reason your way through. In those moments, our true nature is revealed. Not by what we say, not by what we believe about ourselves—but by what we genuinely are: flesh or Spirit.

And that’s where things start to get uncomfortable.

Because we like to believe that effort counts. And in a sense, it does, but only within the boundaries God has already set. Step outside of that, and effort becomes dangerous. It starts looking like obedience, but it’s actually self-will dressed up as spirituality.

“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.” - Philippians 2:13

It’s God who initiates. God who draws. God who leads.

“...not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” - Romans 2:4

The true danger is subtle. It occurs when our will is guiding us, but we interpret it as God’s will. That’s where carnality is concealed, not in overt rebellion, but in quiet justification.

And if I’m honest, that’s where most of us live longer than we’d like to admit.

We’re living in this tension, two natures, one life. We’re physical yet called to live spiritually. Both exist in the same space, in the same body, in the same daily decisions. At first glance, it feels like a setup for failure.

But it isn’t.

God designed it this way. Which means there is a way to live rightly within it.

So, the real question isn’t whether the tension exists. It’s this: where do we actually begin?

Because if we get the starting point wrong, everything that follows will be off.

And Jesus doesn’t leave room for interpretation here:

“Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  - John 3:3

Not might not. Cannot.

You can grow up around God. You can understand the story of Jesus. You can celebrate Easter and Christmas and know all the right language. I did.

I was even christened as a baby. So, in many ways, I speak from within that space, not outside it. I was introduced to God early, taught the basics, and given a framework for belief.

But looking back now, I can see that wasn’t the beginning of my spiritual life.

It was exposure… not transformation.

And if I can say it carefully, it was almost like a kind of spiritual immunisation. Just enough familiarity to make me think I understood, but not the reality of having my eyes truly opened.

Because none of that equals life.

Until something happens, until God opens your eyes, you remain in the flesh. And if you remain there, Scripture is clear:

“Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” - Romans 8:8

That’s not harsh. That’s honest.

There has to be a moment. A real one. A beginning.

Just as natural life begins at birth, spiritual life must also start somewhere. Not through ritual. Not through repetition. Not through trying harder. But through repentance.

“Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…” - Acts 2:38

It’s reaching a point where you realise, deep down, not just intellectually, that you are a sinner before a holy God. That you deserve judgment. That you cannot fix it. And that only Jesus can.

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins…” - Ephesians 1:7

I remember struggling with this for days. I responded in a meeting when the call was made, and my hand went up almost instantly. But instead of peace, confusion followed.

People told me I was saved. My mind told me I wasn’t.

And I couldn’t fake it.

Eventually, I was left alone. On my knees, Bible open. No crowd, no pressure, just me and a cry out to God.

And I prayed something simple: Father, I’m not even sure what I’ve done… but I believe that Jesus died for me and has forgiven my sin.

And that’s when it happened.

God answered, not with explanation, but with certainty. With life.

I started crying uncontrollably. Not out of sadness, but something deeper, joy, relief, clarity all at once. There was no more guessing.

I knew.

I had been born again.

Now, here’s the part that matters. Not everyone’s experience will be the same as mine. But there must be a moment. Without a moment, an awakening of sorts, there is no foundation.

Because without being born again, everything else becomes a dead work.

You can try to walk in the Spirit. Try to apply Scripture. Try to live right. But it will all come back to effort, and it will fall short.

It doesn’t work. It can’t work.

So, if you’ve grown up in religion or around the things of God, hear this clearly: don’t oppose the Word. Trust it. Submit to it. Let it guide you.

Because until the Spirit is alive in you, everything else is a non-starter.

But when that moment comes—when God opens your eyes—you move from striving… to life.

And that’s the true starting point.

We need that before anything else. Before growth. Before obedience. Before understanding.

Without it, nothing stands.

With it, everything changes.

Being introduced to God is not the same as being known by Him. One is religion. The other is life.

We’ll go further into this in the next post.

Signing off,
Tyrone

Hope!

 

When the Hope Becomes Real

There is a hope set before us that is so profound, so far beyond anything this world can offer, that it almost feels too great to fully grasp, that one day we will receive a body like His glorious body. Not just restored, not merely improved, but transformed into something that reflects the very character and holiness of Christ Himself.

Paul writes with clarity and conviction:
“Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body…” (Philippians 3:21).

Just pause there for a moment.

To be free from the pull of sin in every decision… to no longer wrestle internally… to reflect Him not only in spirit but in nature, what a privilege. What a promise. What a future.

And yet, while we wait, we suffer.

Not aimlessly, not without purpose, but as a consequence of pursuing this very hope. Scripture reminds us:
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18).

There is brilliance in this design. God has not left us drifting between salvation and glory. He has given us a path, one that stretches us, refines us, and anchors us in something eternal.

Still, there are always those who resist this truth. Those who raise objection after objection, attempting to reduce the magnificence of what God has promised. But no argument can diminish what God has already declared.

For the believer, the outcome is certain.

A day is coming.

And I find myself longing for that day, not merely to escape this world, but to be like Jesus in character. That is the true desire. That is the real transformation.

But here is where it becomes difficult, because we all understand a simple principle: anything worth attaining requires effort.

And yet, we are told it is by grace.

This tension, between grace and effort, is perhaps one of the hardest truths to settle in the heart. I know it was for me. It led me down roads of misunderstanding as I tried to reconcile what I thought were opposing forces.

But they are not opposed.

Grace is not the removal of effort. Grace is the empowerment of it.

“But by the grace of God I am what I am… yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.” (1 Corinthians 15:10).

It is grace that enables the believer to press forward. Grace that strengthens resolve. Grace that fuels the pursuit of becoming like Christ.

Where we often go wrong is here, we look for outcomes in this life that were never promised here. We ask for visible results, measurable success, and immediate change. But our vision is limited.

We struggle to see beyond the veil.

And so, the real work begins, not just in how we live, but in how we think.

Jesus said it plainly:
“My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36).

If that is true, and it is, then we must guard our minds from becoming anchored in a world that is not our destination.

Regardless of how far we have wandered, how poor our decisions have been, or how many chapters we wish we could rewrite, the truth remains:

While we have breath, we have hope.

And sometimes, God reminds us of that hope in unexpected ways.

In the early hours of the morning, I was suddenly awakened by a thunderous crack, so loud, so immediate, that before I could even gather my thoughts, I found myself with arms raised, palms open.

And in that moment, half awake, half aware, one thought pierced through everything:

Is this it?

Was I about to be changed?
Was this the moment?
Was the rapture finally happening?

Of course, even as the thought formed, truth followed closely behind. Scripture is clear:

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye… we shall be changed.”

(1 Corinthians 15:52).

There would be no confusion. No uncertainty. No gradual realisation.

And yet, what stayed with me was not the misunderstanding, but the instinct.

Even in that disoriented state, my heart was looking for Him.

The Spirit within was active.

And I am grateful for that.

It left me with a question I cannot ignore:

What am I truly waiting for?

What are we truly awaiting?

Have we become so consumed with daily living, with temporary concerns, with the visible and immediate, that the greatest promise we have has become an afterthought?

Or are we, even in our weakest and most unaware moments, still looking up?

Paul gives us the direction clearly:
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14).

That is the call.

That is the pursuit.

That is life.

May God continue to give us the grace, not just to believe this, but to live in light of it. To press forward. To endure. To be shaped, refined, and prepared for what is coming.

Because one day, in a moment, everything changes.

And we will be like Him.

Signing off,
Tyrone

When Creation Speaks and Humanity Refuses to Listen

 

From Creation to Cain: When the Human Story Begins

The opening chapter of the Book of Genesis serves as a grand introduction to everything that follows. Over six days, God creates the heavens, the earth, and all life within it. Humanity appears at the end of that account, made in the image of God. The stage is set, the world is formed, but the story of civilisation has not yet truly begun.

Genesis then marks a transition.

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.”
Book of Genesis 2:1

The text states that creation was completed. God then “rested” on the seventh day. The Hebrew word used here (shabath) does not mean God was tired. It simply means to cease. The work of creation was finished. God stopped creating because the task had been accomplished.

This moment almost acts as the conclusion of the introduction and the beginning of the story.

Immediately afterwards, Genesis presents a phrase that recurs throughout the book whenever a new historical section begins.

“These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created.”
Book of Genesis 2:4

From this point, the narrative slows down and shifts its focus to people. The camera moves from the cosmos to the garden. Instead of describing the creation of the world, the text begins illustrating the relationship between God and humanity.

Genesis 1 depicts the creation of the world.
Genesis 2 onwards begins the story of mankind within it.

When Cain and Abel appear in the Book of Genesis 4, they are not described as children. Both are already working and offering gifts to God.

Cain works the ground.
Abel keeps flocks.

These are responsibilities that imply men who had reached an age of understanding, very possibly adults. Genesis moves swiftly through time, but real life was unfolding between the verses.

This becomes significant when Cain is judged for killing Abel. He cries out:

“Whoever finds me will kill me.”
Book of Genesis 4:14

Many people ask who Cain was afraid of. Later in Genesis, we are told that Adam lived hundreds of years and had many other sons and daughters.

“After Seth was born, Adam lived 800 years and had other sons and daughters.”
Book of Genesis 5:4

Genesis moves quickly through events, but life was unfolding between the verses. The narrative records key moments, while generations continue to grow in the background.

The text only lists the names essential to the story, but families would have expanded and spread throughout time. By the time Cain is sent away, humanity might already have been growing through a large extended family network.

But there is a deeper truth running through these early chapters of Scripture.

Humanity had already been given evidence of God long before prophets or preachers appeared. Creation itself testified to Him.

The apostle Paul clearly explains this in the Epistle to the Romans:

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.”
Epistle to the Romans 1:20

Creation reveals the Creator. The order of the world, the structure of life, and the beauty of the heavens all point beyond themselves to the One who made them.

As the psalmist writes:

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands.”
Book of Psalms 19:1

Creation is not silent. It continually testifies to the power and majesty of God.

Yet in our time, we observe something concerning. Even among those who claim to follow Christ, the language of the world frequently infiltrates our thinking. Instead of speaking about God, we hear phrases like:

“The universe will provide.”
“The universe is guiding things.”
“The universe aligned this for me.”

But Scripture never points us to the universe.

It points us to the Creator of the universe.

The universe has no will.
The universe has no power.
The universe does not guide, provide, or orchestrate anything.

Creation is not a force.

Creation is a witness.

Paul warns that humanity began to exchange the truth about God for something else, honouring created things rather than the Creator. When we start attributing power to “the universe,” we unintentionally fall into that same confusion.

So, this is a gentle but necessary correction.

If we have allowed that language into our thinking, we should turn from it.

The universe did not save us.
The universe does not guide us.
The universe did not create us.

God did.

Creation is not our hope.
Creation is the testimony that points us to the One who made all things.

Genesis shows us the work of God’s hands.
Romans tells us what that work means.

Yet the tragedy of the human story actually begins earlier. In the garden, deception enters through the serpent, and Adam and Eve choose disobedience over trust in God. Sin enters the human story.

By the time we reach Cain, we are already witnessing its consequences.

One jealous heart, one murdered brother, and the first human blood shed on the earth. What began with deception in the garden now reveals its full consequence in the first act of murder.

From that moment forward, humanity begins the long struggle of living in a world that clearly reveals its Creator, yet so often refuses to honour Him.

All glory to the Creator, not the creation.

All hail King Jesus, the Saviour of the world.

Signing off
Tyrone

Truth. Love. Deception.

 

Truth and Love Cannot Be Separated

Sometimes we find it hard to understand because we confuse love with truth or try to replace one with the other. But Scripture never permits that division.

To be accurate, we need the correct balance. You cannot have one without the other.

It's like trying to make bread rise without yeast. Something essential is missing, and the result will never be what it was meant to be.

Love without truth turns into sentiment and acceptance of mistakes. Truth without love results in harshness and arrogance.

But when truth and love unite, they mirror the character of God Himself.

Scripture clearly shows that the believer must walk in both.

“Speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ.”
Ephesians 4:15

Truth and love are not foes. They are allies.

And when this balance is upset, deception swiftly takes its place.

 

The Danger of Deception

Deception thrives when truth is neglected or when love is reinterpreted to mean accepting what God has already judged as false.

This is a truth we often overlook in many areas of life.

Human nature tends to instinctively favour what supports our own narrative. We are drawn to what feels right rather than what is right.

But Scripture warns us that deception is not merely a human weakness; it is a spiritual weapon.

“And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.”
2 Corinthians 11:14

Satan does not always assault truth head-on. More frequently, he warps it.

He combines enough truth with error to make the deception credible.

And if we are not cautious, we start judging things based on emotion, culture, or opinion instead of the Word of God.

But the Word of God must remain our yardstick when measuring all things.

 

Truth as the Measure

God’s Word is not just one opinion among many.

It is the standard.

“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth.”
John 17:17

When truth is abandoned, confusion inevitably follows.

And when confusion reigns, deception thrives.

This is why Scripture repeatedly calls believers to love truth.

“Love rejoices with the truth.”
1 Corinthians 13:6

Notice that love does not celebrate error.

True love rejoices in truth because truth leads people to life.

 

The Consequence of Loving Deception

The Bible also gives a sobering warning.

When people continually reject truth, God eventually allows them to believe the deception they have chosen.

“They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.”
2 Thessalonians 2:10

And even more seriously:

“For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie.” 2 Thessalonians 2:11

This is not a light matter.

Deception is extremely dangerous because it clouds judgment while convincing the person they are still right.

 

“Do Not Be Deceived”

There are specific warnings in Scripture that God repeats with unmistakable urgency.
One of the most serious is this straightforward command:

“Do not be deceived.”

It recurs frequently throughout the New Testament, and every time I read it, I cannot shake the sense that deception is one of the greatest threats believers encounter.

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Galatians 6:7

This warning is not meant for the openly rebellious.
It is aimed at those who believe they are secure.

Deception is dangerous precisely because the person being deceived does not realise it.

The Bible reiterates the warning in various contexts, but the core message remains unchanged.

“Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers… will inherit the kingdom of God.”
1 Corinthians 6:9

And again:

“Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company ruins good morals.’”
1 Corinthians 15:33

Notice something important: every time Scripture says, “Do not be deceived,” it corrects a lie that people have already begun to believe.

The warning is not theoretical.

It is a direct confrontation with the human tendency to justify what God has already judged.

This is why truth and love cannot be separated.

If we remove truth in the name of love, we risk leaving people in the very deception God warns them about.

And that is not love at all.

True love warns.

True love tells the truth.

True love does not permit deception to subtly guide people towards judgment.

Because Scripture is clear:

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.”
 2 Corinthians 5:10

The words “Do not be deceived” are not harsh.

They are merciful.

They are a final call from a loving God who does not want people walking confidently in the wrong direction.

 

The Judgment to Come

There will also come a day when deception can no longer conceal the truth.

Every person will stand before God.

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 5:10

On that day, the standard will not be culture, opinion, or personal interpretation.

The standard will be truth.

And truth will not oppose love, because perfect love and perfect truth are united in Christ.

 

Holding Both Together

As believers, our calling is not to choose between truth and love.

We must hold tightly to both.

Truth protects us from deception.
Love shields us from pride.

Together, they keep us walking in the light.

If we forsake truth in the name of love, we deceive others. If we forsake love in the name of truth, we distort Christ's message.

The world desperately needs both of them.

And the only safe place to keep them balanced is at the foot of the cross, where truth confronted sin and love paid the price for it.

Signing off
Tyrone